3.75
Ander is a gifted 19 year old artist who lives with their parents and works at the family's restaurant. Ander has painted murals throughout the town and meets Santiago (Santi), who admires Ander's art and is a new employee at the restaurant.
Ander and Santi are sweet and tender and so gentle with each other's feelings. They are both so sure of themselves and have such a durable love between them and also with those around them. Santi's undocumented status gives us a view of the daily dangers and concerns he faces. I was delighted by the interactions with Anders' parents and grandmother, and the way that their community embraces all of its people.

Without my years of Spanish in school, work, and community, I'd have been a bit lost from time to time. I was able to engage well with this book, and I hope that readers enjoy the dialogue, even if they have to google parts :)

Thank you to Macmillan Audio for providing me an audio ARC in exchange for my honest review.

This book read how the Spanish language feels - lush, sensual, fun, and exciting, Between the writing style of Johnny Garza Villa and narrator Avi Roque this was just perfection. I will admit to struggling through the first 15% just because of my reading mood - it was good but nothing was happening. The first section is very character focused which is usually my jam so if you love that then it's consistency throughout this book will suck you right in. Some of the plot points hit hard and fast and then immediately got resolved so the pacing feels very off in the second half of the book and yet....this feels no less poignant and perfect as a whole. This would be pretty great for fans of All My Rage by Sabaa Tahir or even A Very Large Expanse of the Sea by Tahereh Mafi.. Go into this one with an open mind and an open heart and be prepared to get swept away.

-Audiobook note: I will read ANYTHING Avi Roque is allowed to narrate.

I thought Ander & Santi Were Here was going to be a pretty heavy read because I knew it dealt with undocumented immigrants. I was pleasantly surprised to find that although Jonny Garza Villa handles the topic seriously and with care, this book is really a very adorable YA romance. It was refreshing to read a romance where the drama was coming from outside sources and the characters could just be in love without causing each other pain. No third act break ups or big miscommunication drama! I love that this book features a nonbinary artist as the main character as well. It was really nice to see Ander grappling with being both nonbinary and Mexican and how both of those identities affected their art and relationship with their Mexican heritage. I would absolutely recommend this one! It was just as beautiful as the cover.

Rep: mexian american NB MC, male mexican queer LI, lots of queer SC (even a grayace one is mentioned, my heart!)

If you like slice of life books with very up to date, real life (political) issues this is perfect for you.
Ander meets Santi in his families restaurant where he works as a waiter and ofc they fall head over heels.
It’s a super slow burn and I thought they were really cute together. I loved the mexican meets american culture, the food, the art and the banter between Ander and his friends and chaotic family.
From the blurb I thought this would be a very sad, heart wrenching story, but overall it was for the most parts really very fun and heartwarming! The main focus lays on the wholesome romance and the family and friends.

It’s a typical YA story, about finding your way in life, figure out what and who you want to be. But also about finding your people and finding people who feel like home.
But there is also Santis story, living in America as a young, undocumented immigrant, which is a very hard, but also a real life problem many people have to face. Not being able to live a save life in your birth country, but also not being able to life a free life somewhere else, constantly living in fear.
I loved how Ander and Santi both became each others save houses and how nothing could keep them apart.
I wish there would have been a little more info honestly, because as a non American I personally don’t know a lot of details about immigration politics there (yes, I know how google works thank you).
For me the ending was a little too sudden and quickly handled, when 70% of the book really was more slice of life and only the last few chapters were about Santi alone.

All in all it was an important and relevant story that anyone should and could read and enjoy. I personally don’t love reading sad and heartbreaking storys, because they always drag me into a spiral. This one didn’t do that at all. It remained a wholesome and heartwarming story throughout the end, while also succeeding in talking about important political issues. Really loved that.

This is a spectacular story of queer brown love. This book offers so much wonderful diversity of representation in its characters, highlighting the injustices of our modern immigrant policies and the rippling effect such policies have on communities like Ander and Santi’s. This books is such a beautiful ode to modern love and what love can overcome.

This book was beautifully well done! I connected so well with the characters, from their pain and despair, to their love and hilarious banter. Ander is the person we all need in a book. They’re such a powerhouse of love and talent, as well as having one of the sharpest wits and mouths I’ve seen in a long time! Santi was just the sweetest boy there’s ever been. I loved them individually, but together, it was like the sun came from behind the clouds and boldly said it would shine forever.
There was a ton of Spanish dialogue in the story, and although I speak none of the language, save from being able to order a beer and count to 5, I was not lost to the words. Each piece of Spanish was so contextual, it was so easy to follow along. Also, I absolutely loved being able to pick up on the non binary use of some commonly gendered terms.
I laughed, I cried, I blushed, and I raged. There were so many emotions throughout the book, and each new one just added to the overall experience. Fabulous story, A+ narration, an absolute win all around.

Every single star for this delightfully queer contemporary Latinx story full of banter, sweet love, family and pushes back against ICE, deportation, colonization. From start to finish, I was caught up in this story and weeks later, it still has a grip on me.

This was a stunning story! Ander and Santi were so real and Ander's Mexican American family was depicted perfectly. The story had a lot: the sweet romance, friendships, the struggles of being undocumented, the pressure for teens to make big decisions at such a young and inexperienced age, the creation of art and all that goes into it, issues faced by nonbinary and queer people, so many supportive characters, plus a lot of really funny moments! I feel like I learned a lot while being completely captivated by the story. The narrator, Avi Roque, was outstanding! They couldn't have done a better job with the characters and bringing the story to life. I had already purchased the print book for my library, but we'll definitely get the audio as well. Highly recommended! Special thanks to Macmillan Audio and NetGalley for the advanced review copy.

If you like finding meaning in life and taking risks with love, then this book is a must-read. I love how they integrate LGBTQ+ characters but do not make that the focal point of the story. Romance is in the air with the two main characters and finding one's true self. There is a mix of Spanish and English within the whole story and it will not impede understanding if you are not a fluent Spanish speaker. I was not expecting the ending it did have. loved how they overcame some of the struggles.

WOW
This took me a while to write on this book, it was heavy but fantastic.

There was so many themes in this book that are not as loudly marketed to the regular book reading crowd and I’m so glad its getting the recognition of how good it is.
Themes:
Latine
Non binary gay MC
Queernormative San Antonio
Taqueria setting (food all the time yay!)
ICE/Deportation
First love
ALSO AVI ROQUE NARRATED OMFG they are so good at this and I definitely recommend this over physical. BUT the B&N Edition has a stamp of their name on the naked cover and bright pink endpapers. I went to get it signed and personalised when it came out, I was so happy. There were sad tears and happy tears, and a satisfying HEA, I was stressed as well the last 20% of the book.

I went into this book completely blind. I did not know what to expect when I first opened this book, but I found myself hooked from the very start. The characters in this book are so likeable, so passionate, and the story revolving around them is just beautifully heartbreaking. This book features Ander, a non-binary, gay individual, who is taking a gap year between high school and college to find themself in their art. They have this beautiful imagination and creativity, but their family is pushing them to go back to school as soon as possible, and not just any school, but a high-ranking art school in the nation. Ander lives in San Antonio with their family and the following August is planning to head to this art school in Chicago, or so they thought. That is until they meet Santi. Santi is a cis-male who is questioning but hinted at being bi-sexual. Santi was born in Mexico and is not in the United States the traditional way. He is a down-to-earth, full-of-heart boy. Ander's family helps Santi out of a tough situation and eventually are there for him in more ways than one could have imagined. Ander and Santi's relationship blossoms into something more and their love is put to the test of not only hardships for being a gay couple, but also by the immigration laws and systems in Texas and the United States.

This book is such an emotional ride. The culture, art, love, and passion this book possesses is insane. The book is also hilariously funny at times. I laughed, I cried, I smiled and felt all of the emotions the characters went through during this read. The book is so powerful because it stands up for people of both the LGBTQIA+ community as well as against Immigration injustices. It has been such a long time since I have read a book this powerful that makes you want to fight back, take a stand, and be better for this world we are living in. I highly, HIGHLY, recommend giving this one a read or a listen because it is just phenomenal.

Ander & Santi Were Here is absolutely for Ari & Dante fans!
Harrowing and full of heart, this beautiful debut is not to be missed.

This is an absolutely gorgeous story. It sucked me in from the very beginning, making me instantly love and care about the characters, and never let me go. It's about courage and bravery in the face of unfair authority, about finding who you are and what you want to do and who you want to be with, about embracing your roots and being unapologetically yourself no matter what anyone else says.

Ander is a dramatic nonbinary teen in San Antonio who is getting increasing recognition for their murals and preparing to go to Chicago for art school. Santi is a shy and quiet undocumented immigrant teen fleeing from the violence that killed half his family. They meet in Ander's family's restaurant and sparks fly. Their love story is raw and honest and changes each of them for the better, giving them hope and courage and determination. Santi wears his heart on his sleeve for Ander, who does the same, and they fit together so well.

I loved the many scenes of Ander painting and the way Santi loves all of their paintings. The way it's described, you can tell that the author is very familiar with artists and perhaps is one themself. There is so much love infused in each of those scenes and descriptions.

I also loved how loving and accepting Ander's family are in this book. They are loud and they argue but the love always shines through and they support Ander through everything. Ander's friends also come through for them and show their love. Ander comes from such a vibrant, loving family that I was jealous.

I also loved that the conflict does not touch Ander's nonbinary identity. It is an established fact at the beginning of the book and no one questions it. It never takes a central role except as an essential part of Ander. Ander is nonbinary and that's the end of it.

The conflict, instead, first centers around Ander's self-doubt about their future as an artist and the way the influences they want their art to be shaped by, and then later, as Ander begins to figure themself out, the conflict shifts to center around Santi's undocumented status and his future and their future together. It's masterfully done, and never feels forced or artificial.

ICE is a looming threat throughout the last quarter of the book, and things take a bit of a darker tone, but Ander and Santi grow to meet the challenges they are faced with and the ending felt right and inevitable and perfect. Did I cry? yes. Was it worth it? Definitely yes. 10/10 would read again.

The audiobook was brilliantly performed, with every character feeling distinct and real, with their own voice and tone. The way the different character voices carried emotion was excellent. The sprinkling of Spanish scattered throughout also was performed excellently and enhanced the setting for me, making it feel more real. Did I understand all the words? No. Did I understand the meaning behind them? Yes. And the emotions and tone they were delivered with helped with that.

This book needs to be in libraries and classrooms everywhere in this country. And it definitely needs to win some awards.

*Thanks to NetGalley and Macmillan Audio for providing an early copy of the audiobook for review.

Beautiful story! I can't wait to recommend it to my students. I know that they will fall in love with Ander & Santi. Being from a school on a border town I know many of our students will relate to the characters, the story, and the scenery. Thank you for writing such a remarkable story. I hope there will be a sequel as I want to know what Ander & Santi are up to in the future.

This book was everything I could have wanted and more. It made me laugh and cry, and I thoroughly enjoyed my experience with the book. I didn't want it to end, yet at the same time, I just wanted Ander and Santi to get the happy ending they deserved. It felt as though each moment they were finally able to be happy together, something would come in the way of their happiness, and it was heartbreaking each and every time. I was invested from the beginning and adored every second I got to spend with these characters.

Ander and Santi Were Here is the best book I’ve read so far this year. It is vivid, moving, and at times laugh out loud funny.

The plot driving this book is captivating - Santi’s struggle to remain in America and Andre’s growth in being directly impacted by the injustice of being an undocumented person for the first time is truly moving without ever getting too saccharine. Villa’s writing is so beautiful and specifically constructed that I felt like I was walking side by side with Ander and Santi - I had physical, visceral reactions to several moments of fear.

But, it’s the character development that made me absolutely love this story. I love books that not only let you get to know their characters intimately, but also why they are who they are and this book does that so well. In getting to know Ander’s entire support system you understand what allows them to both be this beautiful, self assured person, while also sheltering him to some of the harsher realities of their community. I absolutely fell in love with this family.

This book should be required reading for all American teens. The audio narration was perfect. Thank you so, so much to NetGalley and MacMillian Audio for the opportunity to read this audio arc in exchange for an unbiased review.

I received a copy of this book from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. All thoughts are my own.

I have been living blissfully in my mind in San Antonio for the last few days while I’ve been in the world of Ander and Santi and their romance. The author wrote so beautifully about the community, the restaurant, and all the highlights of the city that I felt like I was there. It’s warm, loud and bright, and I can smell the taquería. Speaking of food, it’s practically it’s own character in this book. I actually had to hunt down tacos because of my cravings.

Ander and Santi Were Here is a unique YA story, although I’ll argue it’s more new adult than YA due to some mature themes (references to sex acts and drug use), but I’d still recommend to older teens in my library. Ander is a gay, non-binary teen living with their incredible, supportive family in San Antonio. They are taking a gap year, and working on their art before college. Santi is a quiet, new employee at Ander’s family restaurant, and happens to be undocumented and living illegally in Texas. The two quickly fall head over heels for each other. I say quickly, but it was believable and never forced.

This was my first time reading a book from the perspective of a non-binary teen, and my first time reading about undocumented migrants in the U.S.. Being from Canada I know so little about their challenges, so this story was really eye opening for me. This book is filled with love, heartbreak, sadness, and hope - so many beautiful, human experiences wrapped up in one. It’s near the top of my favourite YA books of 2023, and I can’t wait to recommend it.

Congratulations, Ander & Santi, for being the first book of the year to make me cry actual tears. This book is one of my favorite love stories I've read in recent times, but it's also about so much more than that. It's about family, community, Mexican-American identity, the intersection of art and identity, oh, and food. I could read Jonny Garza Villa's descriptions of food all day. This is a slow burn read, and the story focuses much more on relationships between characters, rather than driving the plot forward, and for this reason I might actually recommend the audiobook over the print version. I found it so enjoyable to turn on the audiobook and just relax into the narration. It felt like listening to a friend chat about their life, and I couldn't get enough of Ander's story. I would love to read a sequel to this book, and I would LOVE to see a movie or series adaptation. (The story so clearly translated into film scenes in my head, so I could absolutely imagine it working on screen.)

Thank you NetGalley and Macmillan Audio for the advanced audio copy in exchange for my honest review.

Ander is a non-binary queer Mexican-American living in San Antonio, taking a gap year before college to paint murals around town.

Santi is the new hire at his parents taqueria, where Ander also occasionally works, and when he and Ander see each other both are attracted to the other. But Santi has a secret. He’s an undocumented immigrant from Mexico. Ander’s family is no stranger to people like Santi and have hired them before to work in their restaurant, and do what they can to protect those people.

This story captivated me from the first page to the last. Well, first audiobook chapter to the last – its the type of audiobook that I missed exits for while driving because I was so engaged with the story.

Ander is a real down to earth person who just wants to make art. They’ve been accepted to The School of The Art Institute of Chicago and will attend there in the fall – they took a gap year after high school to stay home and make murals all over San Antonio with a program that specializes in that.

They are openly queer and even used to date their best friend Zeke before they realized they’re better off friends. Zeke is an excellent wingman for Ander and Santi and once the two become friends, there’s no stopping them. I loved how natural their relationship felt, progressing from friends, to friends with lingering touches, to more than friends.

Ander has a supportive family who accepts Santi into their family as well and do all they can to help and protect him. Ander’s sister is another great supporting character with a personality!

Ander and Santi are both nineteen years old and this felt more like upper YA – they eventually do get together and it’s said what happens, but there are no details other then kissing and hand holding.

With a good portion of this book taking place at the taqueria, its no surprise this book is full of food! Food is spoken about so often, it make me hungry! I’m not very familiar with Mexican food or culture, but this book taught me a lot. A good amount of the dialogue is also in Spanish – and while I don’t speak Spanish, the context was enough for me to understand what was going on. I appreciated the authenticity of this book – especially the food! I love food!

As an art person myself, I enjoyed hearing Ander talk about the process they use to create murals – and hearing the murals described. I wish I could see some of these in real life, but they were described so well I could picture them vividly.

I will warn you that there are scary and unhappy moments throughout this book – it has a sort of happy ending, but not the one you would expect. The ending took me by surprise but it felt right.

I can’t say I’ve ever read about undocumented immigrants in young adult literature before so that was a new one for me – and I found it heartbreaking but I also learned a lot. Living in the northeast, I can’t say this is something I can relate to, but that is why I read – to learn about experiences outside of my own, and this definitely gave me that.

The narration of this book kept me close even though the topics and subjects talked about within this book kept me glued as well. Racism, nonbinary rep, lgbtqia+ rep… and a dense and well written storyline. Yes please.