This is somewhere between four and five stars for me. I suspect if I read it with my ears, I would be rounding up but in reading with my eyes, there were a few things that didn't work great for me that I noticed enough to have me rounding down to four. But let's see where I land when I re-read in audio later! Let me be clear, I will read whatever Jonny Garza Villa writes and I am confident I will find myself enjoying it most of the time. Their voice always hits for me. And in Futbolista in particular, I loved spending time with Gabi and his crew and I very much enjoyed this transition to new adult. The things that didn't work great for me were a bit logistical (which took me out of the story) and I am a bit sensitive to the depictions of villains (it's really hard to get the nuance right). But overall I had a very good time reading and will be re-reading for sure and won't miss whatever the author puts out next.

I'm convinced no one writes queer YA the way Jonny Garza Villa does. They seem to be in a mission to dismantle homophobia and transphobia in all the intersections of being Latinx and queer, one stunning coming of age story at a time. Four books in, I now know why his use of single POV does not bother me as much as other romances -- his stories are not just love stories, they are coming of age stories which are essentially about learning to love yourself. I was a little worried I wouldn't relate to an athlete POV, but somehow Gabi may be one of my favorite protagonists of author's so far. Perhaps because I also grew up in a football (the real one) culture, and his journey to his bisexuality is not so different than my own. He is also a math student dabbling in philosophy, much like my own study of engineering and philosophy. I related a lot to his internal conflict of knowing he isn't homophobic but taking so long to connect the dots of his own queerness. Not to mention the fear of losing people and cultural identities that so deeply define him. But once he does accept it, he spends no time in any kind of shame and lets himself love and hold on to Vale as hard as he could. There was something so refreshing about a character, coming out of denial of his own queerness and immediately honoring and embracing the beauty of the love and the lover, without spending any time in internalized shame. In any other queer YA romance, I would be upset at not having Vale's POV, but somehow in this I was able to love Vale completely even without it because Gabi's POV was one of clarity and self-actualization, triggered by his love for someone's entire being exceeding his fear of rejection. I loved how he loves and I loved how he opened himself up to grow in love. I ADORED his group of futbolista roommates and nonbinary friend, and even a character who could easily have been a source of ex drama. I was a little surprised by how much sex there was in this, but I guess college freshmen be horny like that, and this IS a book about the journey of sexuality and machismo. They never felt gratuitous in description, and there was so much joy in this. Both about falling and being in love not just with someone unexpected, but also a lifelong dream and most importantly, the undiscovered parts of yourself.

Oh my god, y’all this book is incredible 😭 like the kind of book that makes me question other books I’ve rated 5 stars recently because none of them come close to how good this one is 😅 Jonny is one of those authors that I don’t think it’s possible for me to love a new book as much as I loved their last but they prove me wrong every time! I honestly don’t even have the words to explain how much I loved this right now but wow, wow, wow! Incredible, highly recommend!!!

Thank you NetGalley for providing this book, this is my honest review.

Futbolista follows mexican-american football (soccer!) player Gabo through his first semester in college, who started the school year thinking he had everything figured out, who he was and who he wanted to be. An encounter with Vale during a party and then later in philosophy class sets him in an unexpected journey of self discovery. The book draws visible parallels between Gabo's internal struggles and his philosophy class' subject, and Vale is there to guide him like some sort of Virgil to Gabo's Dante.
It's overall a great book, profoundly funny and real. The side characters play a really strong part, so much so that I'd love to read books about every single one of them, especially Kat. But it's Gabo's voice that sets the tone for the playful and sarcastic narrative style. The tension between the two main characters was really fun to read, almost better than when they do finally get together. Gabo's voice is so powerful that I do think we lose a little bit of Vale's personality, but he still stands out as a strong character throughout the book, his calmness and understanding balance Gabo's energy really well.
overall a really strong book, for lovers of horny football players, obtuse bisexual men, the best ex-almost-girlfriend, and gay philosophy students.

I LOVED THIS BOOK! Futbolista is a new adult queer romance about new college student Gabi, a star soccer (sorry, football!) player who begins to fall for his classmate Vale — and in the process, realizes he's bi. He has to deal with the fear of being an out Mexican football player (as well as really nasty backlash from some other players) while trying to stay true to himself and really growing to care for Vale. The chemistry between the two leads was SO GREAT, and the spice level was HIGH! This is the first book I've read from this author, but now realizing that Piña was in their debut novel too, I'm definitely going to go back and read this. Loved it and highly recommend!

Jonny is back in a major way. To be clear: they never left, but with this book they are still back and better than ever, and I loved it so much.

First, just to get this out of the way: yes, Piña is a side character we meet in “Fifteen Hundred Miles From the Sun.” However, you do not need to have read that book to enjoy this one. It fully stands on its own. There are a few brief, incredibly veiled references to “Fifteen Hundred Miles From the Sun,” but there’s enough context to understand them whether you’ve read the book or not. There’s not even character names referenced. If you weren’t told that this character appears in a different book, you would never know.

Another thing you should know about Jonny’s writing, is they very much lean towards the “no plot, all vibes” end of the spectrum, and this is very much that. There is a plot, there are things happening, but it’s most just queer romance, self discovery, and vibes, which I love.

As a Chicane writer, Jonny’s work holds a very special place in my heart. The way they write about family, Mexican culture, queerness, and the intersection of all those things is very specific. There’s an ease, there’s a freedom, there’s an openness to the way those things show up on the page that just make me feel so incredibly seen. I know when I read something from Jonny I’m gonna laugh my ass off, it’s going to be so unholy and so chaotic, but it’s also gonna be driven by something real, something tangible, something meaningful.

I love how this story is somehow able to find the bridge between philosophy, soccer, and queerness. It’s very much questioning not only how we define the self and how we distinguish free will from social patterns and expectations, but it’s also connecting those questions to the pressure Gabi feels on the pitch and also whether he can hold equal space for both sports and his newly-discovered queerness.

The world, society, the people around him make him feel like those two things are inherently incompatible, that quote-unquote “politics” have no place in sports, that he can only be successful if he presents himself as neutral. And I love how Gabi is gradually knocking down those barriers for himself and realizing that he can only ever be truly successful if he shows up with his full self.

Not only that, but humans aren’t meant to be compartmentalized in the first place. We can’t just decide to leave parts of ourselves at the door. Every part of ourselves is with us in everything we do and therefore everything we accomplish is achieved because of everything we are—the good, the bad, the messy, and everything in between — not in spite of it.

That is such a powerful message that so many young queer folks, especially, need to hear right now. And Gabi is also showing them how, yes, we need to show up and fight for our communities, even and especially when it’s not easy to do so, but we also deserve that same energy and that same fight for ourselves.

I loved this so much. I had such a great time with it. It reminded me of how special and powerful Jonny’s voice really is and I can’t wait for more people to experience it for themselves. I had no choice but to give this five stars.

5 Stars!

What a delightful new adult debut from Jonny! They weaved a beautiful story that I haven't read before from a new perspective, and I couldn't believe how much I loved Gabi's story of not only discovery of self, but realizing that sharing the truth is just sharing who they already are. This message was so powerful!

I truly loved the showing of a message that is very prevalent to many young adults throughout the country in a world that isn't always the best about it. They created a true view of what it looks like as a freshman in college as well and how young adults act. Being a teacher, I can see my students learning and growing just like this and it was so fun.

The way that all of the side characters added into Gabi's story was even more special. Vale, Leana, Perez, and Kat were some of my favorites because they all were unapologetically themselves, which gave Gabi the courage to be himself.

The love story between Vale and Gabi was special. It showed how that one person can make a difference.

Thanks to Levine Querido and NetGalley for an ARC in exchange for my honest opinion!

This was such a wonderful story of love and self discovery. It was my first Jonny Garza Villa read, but it will not be my last. Some moments brought me to tears but I really enjoyed the journey. I was hooked and invested from the start. Gabi and Vale's relationship was so sweet and this was a surprisingly steamy novel. I highly recommend!

Such an important and heartfelt book! A college coming-of-age story about struggling between your dreams and your identity, with a charming romance.

Thank you to NetGalley and Levine Querido for the e-ARC of this title to read and review. I own all of Jonny Garza Villa's other books, yet have not read any of them, so that needs to be immediately remedied! I knew I was going to be into the story, but JGV has such a beautiful writing style that is truly an honor to read. I definitely don't care enough about <s> soccer</s> football to have captured every wonderful part of the way the game is described (nor could I know how game-accurate it is,) and to really see how our lead character Gabi is a star within a competitive and unforgiving college sports world.

I really appreciated this as a new adult title too -- I know the genre is tough to market, but it really allows stories to spotlight characters still in the middle of their growing and changing while bringing in adult problems, themes (and here, quite literally,) philosophies. I do wish the characters were sliiiightly older - maybe 20 or so, rather than 18 year old freshmen - so that 1) Gabi's potential pro career felt more possible and right on the horizon and 2) we didn't have to see Gabi pining over and sleeping with a girl for a good portion of the book's beginning, almost to "prove" he likes girls too! It could have just been shown that Gabi and Vale have had other relationships and casual situations by that point! But I guess it's not helpful to think about wishings in a plot.

Something I loved in a character didn't love in my actual reading: Vale was such an absolute sweetheart that I wanted him to have every wonderful thing in life. He deserved the world, but he also was absolutely fine being a doormat every single time Gabi wasn't sure. At first, I thought it was really supportive, and part of waiting for someone to be ready/on the same page when you are already there (especially when it involves coming out), but by the end of the book I was really upset that Vale was fine with Gabi hiding, lying, running -- whatever he needed to do throughout the whole story, just to not be uncomfortable.

I loved that this went further than the average sports romance - digging deep into identity and growing up and figuring it out. The friendship between Gabi and Vale, then romance, was really well developed and the world felt really well-rounded. If you liked The Long Run's emotional punch, this could definitely be for you!

I mean, Vale is the sweetest and I WILL protect him at all costs.

This is my second read of anything written by Jonny Garza and AGAIN I am endeared by his words and his prose. He has the ability to create characters that you just wished you could meet and hang out with them.

Amazing!

Perfect new-adult romance. Garza perfectly captures the essence of what it feels like to be 18 and discovering who you are, while also exploring love. I truly felt all the feels and there is so much character growth.

This was my first book by Jonny Garza Villa, and I am officially hooked. I devoured this book in one sitting. From the very first chapter, I fell in love with Gabi's effortless charm. Gabi projected a cocky, sports-bro persona to his teammates and the public, but you could see his heart from the very beginning when it came to his family. That being said, watching his growth throughout this story literally brought tears to my eyes at points. I don't feel like we got to know Vale as well throughout this story, but the relationship between the two of them was sweet and steamy and stuck with me. I loved this book so much. I cried, I laughed, I swooned, I smiled. This was exactly what I wanted out of a story like this. Can't wait to read more from Villa.

I absolutely loved this book!
I found myself rooting for the protagonist, Gabi Piña, the whole time. At the beginning he has everything going for him and I was anxiously awaiting the resolution to see what he would have to give up or if he got to keep it all. It was also great to read about Gabi's journey of self discovery as he realizes he is bisexual. The representation in this novel was done really well and explored the hardships and anxiety that comes with being Mexican and Queer.
My favorite part of this book was the characters. Right away we were introduced to Gabi's friends/roommates who genuinely felt like a real friend group who care and support each other. Gabi's relationship with Vale, the love interest, also feels so real and based on a genuine friendship. It was nice to see the development in their relationship and not have another instalove story.
I highly recommend this book to romance readers!

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the free digital Advanced Reader Copy in exchange for a review.

This is now the second book I've read from JGV-- the first being Ander & Santi Were Here and now I need to read their backlog. This book was SO good and the narrator was the perfect fit for Gabi. I found myself physically reacting to things in this story whether it was good or bad. Gabi has the best of friends in his corner and I loved getting to watch him find and love himself. Gabi's dad telling him that his mom is buying a bisexual flag to hand from their house almost made me cry.

Vale, Kat and friends have a special place in my heart, as well as Gabi's parents. JGV has done it again!!!

Fútbolista is a really beautiful book- heartfelt, honest, and deeply resonant. I’ve loved all of Jonny Garza Villa’s work, and I was so excited when I saw this new release. What makes this story especially powerful is the way it captures the shift from the self-assuredness of arriving at college to the disorienting realization of just how vast and complicated the world, and your place in it, can be.

Gabriel's journey is rendered with such care and nuance. You really feel the world responding to him, not only in relation to his queerness, but also in terms of how he understands his future and what he believes is possible for himself. The novel delicately explores how identity, desire, ambition, and uncertainty collide in moments of transition. Garza Villa writes with a tenderness that lingers long after the final page.

DNF @ 15% - Thank you to Levine Querido for the review copy!

I picked this one up because I was interested in reading an Own Voices Queer, Latine romance. Unfortunately, the characters were a little too young for me. While I will sometimes read college romances, Gabriel read as particularly young. Which, he is! He’s just starting his freshman year of college. I just feel like I’m a little old to be reading spicy books about such young people, if that makes sense.

I tend to like my romances to focus on the central relationship a little earlier in the book. Before we meet the love interest, we see an important football game, and Gabriel hooks up with a neighbor, so we get to see multiple interactions between them. Villa absolutely captures the feeling of early college life, where it feels like your whole life is ahead of you - both exciting and terrifying!

I would recommend this one for fans of college romances and sports romances that really focus on the sport!

(For me, a 3 star DNF is a book that is well written with a lot of promise, but I'm the problem because I don't like an element.)

One sure way to make me read sports romances is to make them gay. But hey, this was the first one where I actually knew anything about the sport. Bonus points for Gabi being a keeper, because that was my position in school. I think my favourite part of this is how much I could relate to Gabi, from not realising he´s bi (because everyone thinks people of the same gender are cute, right???) to the struggle of people accepting you just as long as you are in a straight-passing relationship.
I also loved the addition of philosophy, the writing was really beautiful, and I loved the parallels Gabi could draw between his life and his lessons.
One issue I have with this story and it´s the third act break-up; it was not necessary, but not even that could stop me from giving this book 5 stars.
This was also a case of a side character stealing the show. I am sorry, but Pérez, that beautiful himbo, will forever be my favourite.

5 stars

This story was thought-provoking and an emotional journey that I think will resonate with many. It combines romance, philosophy, and coming-of-age across the back drop of football (soccer). What Jonny Garza Villa does so well is writing from the heart and from their experience. Our MC, Gabi, is first generation from a Mexican family. This intersectionality of identities colors his experiences in how he comes to terms with his sexuality and how he navigates his life of football and the people around him. Gabi's story is emotional, philosophical, and has such a sweet romance. I fell in love with this story and its characters so easily. I have enjoyed every book by this author I have read so far, and this one did not disappoint. This one is a meaningful one, and I think it's going to stick around in my mind for a good long while. I definitely recommend checking this one out.