this book changed the game for me. i consumed the whole thing in one day, because how could i not? i cant wait to see more from this author.

Jonny Garza Villa has done it again! Their books are so thoughtful, emotional, and heart wrenching. I was so excited to them jump to adult fiction with this one, and let me tell you, it does not disappoint.

Gabi is destined to be an MLS star, and nothing will stand in his way. That is until Vale offers to tutor him in philosophy. As their relationship evolves, Gabi is forced to contend with a shift in who he thought he was and navigate what it means to be his authentic self.

I absolutely adored this book - it mixes emotion, self-exploration, humor, and identity in such a thoughtful and authentic way. I loved both Gabi and Vale so much! I was rooting for them so hard throughout! I loved the intersectionality of Gabi’s Mexican heritage and his sexual identity exploration. It felt real, raw, and genuine. I felt so much joy reading this book. Definitely a lovely read that pulls on all your heartstrings; you simply won’t want to put down!

Thank you to NetGalley and Levine Querido for the advance reader copy!

I've seen nothing but 5 star reviews for this, and I wish I felt the same way. I definitely get what people are coming from, because there's a lot to love, and I especially loved the ending, but it didn't fully work for me. This book was written with so much inner monologue from Gabi, and it made the story so slow. I felt like it was dragging for the majority of the book. I never felt like I was in situations with him, but rather like he was telling me about them and leaving a lot out so I couldn't fully experience them. This made it feel like not a lot was happening, and it made me feel removed from what did happen and from the characters, who I feel like we barely get to know. I did love Gabi and I loved the romance, but I felt like it didn't quite reach its full potential.

Futbolista is the story of freshman goalkeeper Gabi who learns to accept and embrace himself, even if it means it’ll make his dreams of becoming a professional footballer very tough. As someone who loves queer sports romances and a football fan, this is completely up my alley.

Gabi and Vale’s love story is very sweet and slowburn-y as Gabi slowly comes to realize he sees Vale as more than his tutor/friend. The chemistry between the two is great, and the yearning and little touches before they give in are very delicious.

The backdrop of a college football team at a Texas college also feels very lived in — I really enjoyed all of Gabi’s roommates/friends and his parents, even his first romance prospect, who I really liked because she stood up for what she wanted out of college even though when she pops up I wasn’t sure how Jonny Garza Villa would resolve that plotline. I also thoroughly enjoyed all of the cultural references from music to food to Texas food/grocery chains.

I do have a couple of quibbles about aspects of football that were wrong that really took me out of the plot. Towards the start of the book where Gabi and his team travel to an away game and it ends in a tie but the two sides decide to settle via penalty kicks for fun — there were two separate references to a penalty going over the defenders standing in a wall in front of goal. That’s what defenders do in a free kick, not in penalties. When a game goes to penalty kicks at the end, it’s just the penalty taker going up against the goalie one on one. Honestly it didn’t bother me too much in the grand scheme of the plot, but it definitely made me do a double take.

Such a heartfelt and powerful read. The story follows Gabi, a college goalkeeper with dreams of making it big.
What starts a dare and later as a tutoring session quickly evolves into a deep friendship that makes Gabi question his identity, challenging everything he thought he knew about himself. The book explores Gabi’s internal struggle with his sexuality, especially as a Mexican futbolista where queerness is so often stigmatized.

This story is important, especially for anyone who’s struggled with identity and culture like Gabi. It’s a perfect blend of self-discovery, love, and soccer, and I loved how it showed Gabi’s journey toward accepting all parts of himself. It’s both personal and relatable, with themes that are so needed in today's world.

Thanks to netgalley and the publisher for the arc!

Thank you NetGalley for the e-arc in exchange of an honest review!

Futbolista tells the story about Gabi, a Mexican-American college goalkeeper, and his friendship with Vale, his boy philosophy tutor, who awakens something very bi in him.
There is one particular thing I loved about Futbolista, and is the exploration of having a queer awakening when you are already an adult, and the struggles that come with that and the identity you very much thought was already settled. It hit very close to home. And all that, while bringing the conversation about the very real queerphobic environment surrounding football, specifically in Latin American countries.
I must admit I was having a little difficulty vibing with the writing style, but that is something pretty subjective. Nonetheless, this book was sweet, and funny, and so emotional. I definitely recommend it!

Jonny Garza Villa writes such excellent queer characters in such beautiful queer stories. I was lucky to find JGV through NetGalley with Ander & Santi Were Here and now I have fallen for Gabi and Vale, too. I love soccer and I love love so I was all about this. My only critique is the soccer terminology was not always authentic but I could look beyond it. Thank you to NetGalley for the ARC!

I was so excited for this book but it DRAGGED. Why is the plot so slow? The use of the philosophy class as a way for the main character to discover himself is way too cliche. The last straw for me was the inaccurate soccer scene - how is there a wall during a penalty kick?? Where is the editor???

Gabriel Piña is excited to start his freshmen year, where he is one of promising recruits for his college’s soccer team. Expectations for Gabi are high, but he’s determined to succeed and stay on a path to a professional soccer career.

But Gabi begins to wonder if there is more to college, and to him, when Vale, his philosophy classmate, offers to tutor him. As Gabi and Vale spend more and more time together, Gabi starts to realize he has feelings for Vale. While Gabi can’t deny he is powerfully drawn to Vale, he struggles with what this means for his life and his future, and whether his family or fans would accept him if they knew he is not straight. As Gabi has increasing success on the field and growing feelings for Vale, Gabi has to confront whether he can reconcile what are becoming the two most important parts of his life.

This is a terrific sports romance. Both Gabi and Vale are well-crafted characters, and the author does an excellent job of depicting both their developing relationship and their struggle to navigate the challenges they face. You can’t help but cheer both for Gabi’s success on the field and their relationship.

Highly recommended.

Did I cry? Yes! Did I laugh? Yes! Was I kicking my feet like a little schoolgirl? Yes! 😂 Do I want to personally fight Barrera? Hell yes! This was such a fantastic read, and the element of self-discovery throughout the book was evident. I love how Jonny used Gabi's Intro to Philosophy class as the driving force behind Gabi's journey of self-discovery and self-awareness.

This book addressed so many topics, from machismo to the expectations we often place on ourselves. It also captured what I believe is an interesting yet important aspect of sports: the belief that it's a straight man's game, and that queerness doesn't deserve to take up space.

I appreciated that, although the breakup was messy, they ultimately found their way back to each other without any major fanfare, which I believe is more realistic than a grand gesture. Overall, this book was SO, SO GOOD.

I have read every single book from
Johnny Garza Villa so far, and I can guarantee I will continue to pick up anything they write. Their stories are always so full of heart and make me emotional in all the best ways, plus these stories are always ones I’m so glad to see out in the world.

Gabi is such a fantastic main character and I loved the way his story was contained in the first semester of college. His journey to self realization alongside the tension of his shutout streak on the football field and friends and community he builds along the way all comes together so spectacularly. I love how, like Canto Contigo, this is a book that challenges machismo in hyper masculine spaces and shows boys being soft and loved and finding ways to be their true selves. I also love and appreciate that this is a book where Gabi is realizing his bisexuality, because more stories about realizing your identity later than as a kid are so necessary and appreciated. And Vale! The romance between Gabi and Vale is so sweet and emotional and I love them together so much, especially the secondary dynamics with Leana.

This is a book that does so many amazing things and made me laugh and cry and wanna clutch these characters to my chest in adoration. I love the friendships and the romantic arc and Gabi’s personal arc so much. This is such a great story, and I continue to be a reader who will read anything Johnny Garza Villa writes!

This was a very grounded story with a sweet emotional arc for it's characters and a solid teen angst situation. I don't know anything about soccer or how it is played, but it seemed fun.

I think my favorite thing about it is how grounded it is. It feels authentic and real. Love that.

A really sweet, queer sports romance.

Gabi is the cocky and loud, but sappy soccer star while Vale is just the most supportive nerdy boyfriend ever. There was a good balance between the romance, the sport and Gabi’s road to self discovery and I loved the philosophy talk in there.

The main flaw was the mix ups in football terms, which threw me off a few times. It’s goals not points and red card rather than red flag. Also at one point Gabi corrects Vale when he says “goalie” and says it’s “goalkeeper” - the term goalie is regularly used.

Was this admittedly my first Jonny Garza Villa book? Yes. Am I obsessed with their writing and plan to check out their backlist as soon as I can now? You better believe it!

Gabi and Vale's story was so beautiful and emotional as Gabi came to terms with his queerness throughout the book and Vale stood by his side and guided him through the turmoil. I found myself rooting for Gabi to overcome the machismo stereotypes and be the football/soccer player he wanted to see represented in the world. Being brave enough to step up and embrace yourself, especially after threats from those around you, makes it hard but even more worthwhile in the end when you can fully embrace yourself and live your life the way you want to. Through Vale and
the dreaded sociology class, Gabi finds that he still has much to learn about himself despite what he had initially thought. I genuinely loved all of the characters and as someone who is from south Texas and used to have family in Corpus Christi I was able to truly connect a lot with the details of the location and a lot of other details of the story. Jonny's ability to balance emotional and heartbreaking moments with lighthearted and fun moments is incredible and I'm sure that I'll be thinking about this story of self discovery for a long time.

I certainly cannot attest to any of the football/soccer details in the story as someone who is only somewhat familiar with the sport, but I found it to be entertaining nonetheless. While not being scored on for so many games in a row does seem a tiny bit of a stretch as some others have mentioned, I can't say too much since a goalie I used to watch from my alma mater was a freshman who very rarely was scored on and was top ranked in the country with major awards.

This was such a great read and I will certainly be seeking out more Jonny Garza Villa stories in the near future!

I absolutely loved this queer sports romance! It was such a fun read and I enjoyed every minute of it. I can not wait to read more from this author!

On the one hand, this was a solid romance with lovely characters. But on the other, the sheer amount of wrong details about football as a sport is comical, even I noticed as someone who hates the sport but grew up in a house that had it on constantly. You score goals, which become points in the league, no one talks about how many points they have accumulated. Its bizzare and consistently took me out of the narrative. Which is a real shame as there's a lot of potential here.

Did I read this book or did it read me!?!? Holy crap y'all Jonny Garza Villa kintsugied the crap out of me throughout Futbolista!!! I was invested from the first page. Gabi's the kind of once in a life time character that changes you at your core. He's funny and flirty and full of so much love. His story is about more than football and falling in love. It's about learning who you are, coming out while coming of age, and reconciling the fact that the world doesn't always want you to be who you are. Gabi doesn't want to be the player that changes the game, but maybe he has to.

Gabi and Vale's romance is everything I wanted— no needed— and more. It's slow, built off a genuine friendship, and not to quote the bible but it's patient, kind, protective, trusting, hopeful, and persevering. While so many awful, hateful things are happening to Gabi, Vale becomes home for him. They have tough conversations and get to know each other so deeply that their love feels inevitable in the end. If I loved someone even half as much as these two love each other, I could move mountains.

Read this if you like sports romance, Latine and queer representation, a love that heals, finally understanding philosophy (if only just a little bit), young men just trying their best, and crying (a lot).

Thank you to Netgalley and Levine Querido for an eARC of this book in exchange for my honest review!

I wish I could give this book a 6 star review because the way that Jonny Garza Villa took my emotions on a roller coaster of a ride in "Futbolista" could fill an entire therapist's notebook.

There are so many incredible facets of this book that all compile together to build a highly memorable story. One of my biggest pet peeve with most college sports romances is the lack of sports content and the lack of academic content but "Futbolista" gives its readers BOTH and fully invests in fleshing out both parts of Gabi's life. The football moments embodied all the warm camaraderie of found family within a team, the high competitiveness of games, the toxic masculinity of male sports, and the immense pressure it takes to succeed as an athlete. Each of these aspects feels so thoroughly explored within Gabi's story, and it is truly a master class in writing with the way that the author ties together football and philosophy theories.

As someone who's never taken a philosophy class, I honestly can say this book firmly turns me off even the smallest inclination toward taking a class. And YET! This book approaches the allegory of the cave in such an easily digestible way, utilizing philosophy concepts to draw parallels to Gabi's life while ALSO providing a sneaky introduction of Vale to Gabi's life. I really enjoyed how the cave allegory becomes both a framework by which to why Gabi makes the choices he makes while ALSO serving to be a guideline that he follows in order to pursue his own happiness.

But my favorite part of this story is without a doubt the characterization and character arc for Gabi. His story is written in an incredibly empathetic manner, readers can immediately relate to some facet of his struggles from page one. He's a character that is just so easy to fall in love with & become incredibly attached to and as a result his highest highs become your highest highs...which also mean his lowest lows make you want to crash out and choke out some homophobes. I genuinely don't remember the last time, or if I ever, have become so upset at a character's pain that I cry in anger, but lemme just tell you this book did it for me.

To dive further, Gabi's struggles to couple his love for football with his authentic bisexual self were so raw and vulnerable. This is the first book I've read that details JUST how hard it is to be brave enough to be the "first" to break barriers, how sometimes it's easier to reject that part of yourself and return to a past version of yourself to make life easier, and how that can be a totally valid choice to make. Vale's constant support for Gabi, no matter where he was on his sexuality journey, was beyond warming, and I also loved seeing Perez and Kat be there to support Gabi throughout all his fights both internal and external. The final moment of Gabi's character arc culminated some truly tear-jerker conversations that had me sniffling (although let's be real, I was already crying by the 10% mark because of Gabi's loving relationship with his Pops!!).

Every single aspect of this book serves dual purpose within the greater story; each moment, each character, each scene is included so PURPOSEFULLY and I love how it all served to romanticize all parts of Gabi's life, making this book feel like a joyfully heart-wrenching indie film. This is truly a masterpiece of an adult debut, and I absolutely CANNOT wait to see what Jonny Garza Villa writes next!

http://booksbootsandbakeries.com/2025/02/18/futbolista-by-johnny-garza-villa/

I received Futbolista by Johnny Garza Villa as an ARC from NetGalley. This was my first time reading this author, and I figured, why not? Let’s give it a shot. Then, of course, I spiraled into the obligatory ARC panic—am I supposed to say I didn’t pay for this? Is there official wording? HELP. I think I figured it out... maybe. We’ll see if NetGalley kicks me out for not doing it right.

This book was a few solid hours of MM fun. It opens with a joke about balls (classic) and keeps that energy going throughout. This one delivers if you're into sports romances with some humour and charm. Its pacing and dynamic characters hooked me, making it an easy, enjoyable read. And it's the 'real' football, even if I would also call it soccer. I'm not going too much into the plot as it has not yet been released.

The story follows Gabi, a talented young football player. He’s disciplined yet charming and driven, and then he crosses paths with Vale at a house party. Vale challenges Gabi in unexpected ways, sparking a chemistry neither of them can ignore. Their romance unfolds through playful banter, tension-filled practices, and stolen moments, making their connection feel authentic and earned. It was a fun friends-to-lovers story, and I enjoyed it, even if it won't stay in my head a long time.

For some reason, I kept randomly renaming Gabi as Theo in my head. Why? Who knows. Maybe my brain just decided to cast a different lead. Regardless, as a non-Spanish speaker, I did have to Google some phrases, but that didn’t take away from the experience. It added to the immersion—like I was right there (probably on holiday!) trying to keep up with the banter and culture.

The story flowed well, and while it didn't crack my top-tier MM reads, it was absolutely worth the time. A solid, fun ride that made me curious about the author's other books, I will do an Insta stalk.

If you're looking for a lighthearted sports romance with queer rep and cultural depth, Futbolista is worth picking up when it releases in April. And if you see me reading more Johnny Garza Villa in the future, you’ll know this one did its job.

Brilliant, heartwarming, loved every bit of it, my first book by Jonny and it definitely wont be my last. Truly enjoyed this friends to lovers queer football romance, a heartfelt exploration of young love and identity. To be honest one of my favorite reads of the year so far.

Thank you to NetGalley and Levine Querido for this ARC in exchange for my honest opinion