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youshouldreadthisif 's review for:
Futbolista
by Jonny Garza Villa
emotional
hopeful
reflective
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Oh my goodness, what a fantastic book! FUTBOLISTA is easily my new favorite JGV.
Futbolista has all the exhilarating emotional build-up and catharsis I expect from a sports romance and also rings so true to the kind of big self-discoveries that are so common in the first year of college, living independently for the first time and being forced to consider new perspectives and information. Gabi—romantic, earnest Gabi—is such a great protagonist, and I love love loved the wholesome masculinity of his character in this setting. Gabi cries; he's comfortable and confident expressing his emotions; and his comfort with physical closeness and affection with Vale, even before he realizes he's crushing hard, is satisfying.
I was also really pleased with how JGV wrote the almost-romantic arc with Leana. Gabi is still pursuing Leana a full 30% into the story, and I was admittedly skeptical of this, worried that the development of Gabi's relationship with Vale would suffer for it. But I am happy to have been so wrong! JGV writes a convincing, satisfying arc for Gabi and Vale, without ever dismissing or devaluing Gabi's earlier feelings for Leana. This last point, that the queer-presenting relationship is not written as more worthy than the straight-presenting one (that never came to fruition), is so important for a bi-awakening book, and I commend JGV for that.
I love when queer sports romances tackle the near-compulsory heterosexuality and performative masculinity ("give your team jacket to a girl to wear") of sports, especially male sports, and that JGV gives us this exploration in combination with that of homophobia in Mexican fútbol fans and at the college, rather than professional, level is both unique and satisfying. JGV has this special affinity and talent for writing super specific Tejane Mexican-American communities, and, as a native Texan myself, I love getting this kind of insight into my home state. Truly, where else are you going to read about the Texas A&M-Corpus Christie fútbol team?
For those who are interested: this book is horny and open door, but not particularly explicit in its descriptions of what you can see through that door.
Major, MAJOR thanks to Levine Querido and Netgalley for the advance copy of this title!
Futbolista has all the exhilarating emotional build-up and catharsis I expect from a sports romance and also rings so true to the kind of big self-discoveries that are so common in the first year of college, living independently for the first time and being forced to consider new perspectives and information. Gabi—romantic, earnest Gabi—is such a great protagonist, and I love love loved the wholesome masculinity of his character in this setting. Gabi cries; he's comfortable and confident expressing his emotions; and his comfort with physical closeness and affection with Vale, even before he realizes he's crushing hard, is satisfying.
I was also really pleased with how JGV wrote the almost-romantic arc with Leana. Gabi is still pursuing Leana a full 30% into the story, and I was admittedly skeptical of this, worried that the development of Gabi's relationship with Vale would suffer for it. But I am happy to have been so wrong! JGV writes a convincing, satisfying arc for Gabi and Vale, without ever dismissing or devaluing Gabi's earlier feelings for Leana. This last point, that the queer-presenting relationship is not written as more worthy than the straight-presenting one (that never came to fruition), is so important for a bi-awakening book, and I commend JGV for that.
I love when queer sports romances tackle the near-compulsory heterosexuality and performative masculinity ("give your team jacket to a girl to wear") of sports, especially male sports, and that JGV gives us this exploration in combination with that of homophobia in Mexican fútbol fans and at the college, rather than professional, level is both unique and satisfying. JGV has this special affinity and talent for writing super specific Tejane Mexican-American communities, and, as a native Texan myself, I love getting this kind of insight into my home state. Truly, where else are you going to read about the Texas A&M-Corpus Christie fútbol team?
For those who are interested: this book is horny and open door, but not particularly explicit in its descriptions of what you can see through that door.
Major, MAJOR thanks to Levine Querido and Netgalley for the advance copy of this title!