Isla Vulnerable: Based on a True Story

1st PLACE WINNER, C.I.B.A. HEMINGWAY AWARD

BEST 1st BOOK, INTERNATIONAL LATINO BOOK AWARDS

"An inherently compelling read from start to finish that deftly combines the elements of espionage and romance." —MBR Bookwatch

"Absolutely enthralling and entertaining. Kept me engaged to the very end." —Bare Books Podcast

"This would make a great, great film." —On the Bookshelf with Doc Kirby, WTBF

"A wonderfully rendered story." —Denton Record-Chronicle

In late 1950’s Cuba, the island’s allure as an elite global paradise was cloaked by a revolution that brought down its rich and powerful.

When a poor native farm boy named Victor Gomez is suddenly orphaned and adopted by one of the most influential families in his hometown, he meets and falls for Sarita Rodriguez—a fashion model and media empire heiress—just before Fidel Castro overthrows President Fulgencio Batista and takes control of the island. After Castro raids Victor’s new family’s estate and imprisons his father, Victor narrowly escapes and flees to the US where he accepts an unconventional, deadly deal as a spy to save his country. Still just a teen, Victor finds himself in a cycle of betrayal—struggling to find truth and purpose, while torn between protecting his now powerless parents, finding his disbanded biological siblings, and secretly pursuing Sarita as she rises to international fame from New York.

Based on the true story of the author’s family, Isla Vulnerable weaves a captivating tale of love, sacrifice, and human resilience in the face of extraordinary historical events—including the Cold War, the Cuban missile crisis, the CIA’s covert operations in foreign affairs, Operation Mongoose, and the assassination of JFK. A dynamic cast of real-life-inspired characters, meticulous attention to historical detail, edge-of-your-seat spy scenes, and a love story that transcends social classes compose an ideologically-unbiased, heartwarming, and cinematic journey in this author’s first published book. View Less