I received this book as an ARC from NetGalley

This book wrecked me. It's a beautiful, painful, funny, heartbreaking, hopeful story.

CW: this book deals with family separation, loss of a parent, and ICE.

Ander (they/them) has taken a gap year before he plans to attend a prestigious art school. They are using their time to do an artist in residence for a local group called Beautify not Gentrify. They meets Santi when their Tita hires Santi to work in their family taqueria. Ander and Santi try not to fall for each other but they're unable to resist falling in love. Ander paints murals and struggles with the racist 'advice' of their school advisor while they struggles to grow as an artist.

Spoiler

Santi is undocumented and in America alone. He was forced to leave his mother and sister behind at the border and continue to America on his own. He can't get a license and he's under constant risk of deportation. Despite all this he's determined to make the most of being with Ander.

Honestly, part of reading this book stressed me out. I could feel Santi's fear when ICE showed up, I could understand the visceral horror of Ander understanding what the reality of Santi's life was. It's very real for so many people, and reading this story really brought it home to me. It was a tough read. But it was SO good.

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And there were parts of it that were so funny too! I loved the dialog between Ander and their family and Zeke. Scenes of Ander and Santi painting together were amazing. And I also liked how well accepted Ander was. They wore pink cropped shirts and had pastel painted nails and no one gave them shit about it. MORE accepting families like this please. I loved the passion you could feel from the characters and how much richer a story it became the more we got to know them.

I think more people should read this story. I don't think a person could read something like this and not come out of it a better more compassionate person. I am very grateful to Jonny Garza Villa for writing and sharing this story.