Instead of trying to find your perfect match in a dating app, we bring you the “Author-Reader Match" where we introduce you to authors you may fall in love with. It's our great pleasure to present C. I. Jerez!
Writes:
C. I. Jerez writes award-winning contemporary/women’s fiction. Her website highlights “Storytelling That Makes an Impact.” And it’s an idea that remains at the forefront of her mind as she sits down to entertain and highlight important themes that can be explored from multiple angles. AT THE ISLAND’S EDGE tackles a woman’s identity in the military, Post Traumatic Stress associated with combat and how women process things differently, and raising a young child with special needs. She covers all of these areas beneath the umbrella of the Latino culture, highlighting the beauty of life in Puerto Rico when Lina, the book’s protagonist, returns home with her young son.
About:
I’m a clandestine introvert, secretly operating as an extrovert at various book related events. I love deep reflections on normally mundane topics and the kind of witty sarcasm that tells you how smart someone really is. I love to laugh, but I’m not afraid to cry in front of others, should the spirit move me. I’m a bit of a daredevil—hence my decision to join the Army in 2005. And I love to read every genre of book, especially when I sync up with an author who’s just focused on telling a great story. I love anything chocolate, but if I have a cocktail—I prefer not too sweet, like a good Irish whiskey.
What I’m looking for in my ideal reader match:
- Open-minded to different cultures
- Love amazing descriptions of delectable Latin meals
- Willingness to open your heart to characters who may be a little flawed
- Someone who can appreciate the beauty of humanity—in all its forms. My three main voices in this book are a Southern Gentleman from South Carolina, a fiercely loyal Puerto Rican mom, and a brilliant 9-year-old boy who loves Buddy Holly.
What to expect if we're compatible:
- A tribute to the beautiful culture of Puerto Rico and its landscape
- More books about proud, strong Latinas leading the journey in their lives
- A combination of characters from different backgrounds because in the U.S., we Latinos do not live in isolated neighborhoods. One of the best things about our culture is how we embrace others that are very different from us. Hence, Lina and her Southern Gentleman, Eli. And there’s more to come!
An Iraq War veteran returns to Puerto Rico to reconnect with—and confront—the past in a heart-wrenching novel about duty, motherhood, and the healing power of home.
As a combat medic, Lina LaSalle went to Iraq to save the lives of fellow soldiers. But when her convoy is attacked, she must set aside her identity as a healer and take a life herself.
Although she is honored as a hero when she returns to the US, Lina cannot find her footing. She is stricken with PTSD and unsure of how to support her young son, Teó, a little boy with Tourette’s. As her attempts to self-medicate become harder to hide, Lina realizes she must do the toughest thing yet: ask for help.
She retreats to her parents’ house in Puerto Rico, where Teó thrives under her family’s care. Lina finds kinship, too—with a cousin whose dreams were also shattered by the war and with a handsome and caring veteran who sought refuge on the island and runs a neighborhood bar.
But amid the magic of the island are secrets and years of misunderstandings that could erode the very stability she’s fighting for. Hope lies on the horizon, but can she keep her gaze steady?
Women's Fiction Family Life | Romance Military [Lake Union Publishing, On Sale: March 18, 2025, Trade Paperback / e-Book , ISBN: 9781662523427 / ]
C.I. Jerez is a proud Latina who was born in Miami. Her mother, a native New Yorker, blessed her with both Puerto Rican and Irish roots, while her father, a Cuban immigrant, inspired her to embrace the culture of the Caribbean. These multicultural influences, including growing up on the West Texas border in El Paso, have shaped her desire to bring Latina and Latino characters to life in her stories, including in her debut novel, AT THE ISLAND’S EDGE.
After graduating from the University of Texas at El Paso, she commissioned as a signal officer in the US Army and rose to the rank of Major before transitioning out of the military. She holds an MBA from Webster University and a doctorate in international business from Liberty University. When not writing, she serves as cofounder and vice president for Ashire Technologies & Services Inc., a cybersecurity firm specializing in securing federal information systems. She lives in central Florida.
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