At the Island's Edge
A Novel
by C. I. Jerez
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Pub Date Mar 18 2025 | Archive Date Apr 01 2025
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Description
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?
A Note From the Publisher
Advance Praise
“C. I. Jerez’s enchanting novel At the Island’s Edge is a captivating and poignant debut about a young mother’s struggle to heal from the scars of war following her deployment to Iraq as a US Army medic. Jerez’s deeply moving prose dives into the realities of war for women in combat, the complexities of serving while balancing motherhood, and the sacrifices made. This heartwarming novel captures the beauty of Puerto Rico’s culture and leaves us wanting more!” —Robert Dugoni, author of Suspense Magazine’s 2018 Book of the Year, The Extraordinary Life of Sam Hell
“C. I. Jerez’s At the Island’s Edge is an astonishing debut—an eloquent, moving, and heartfelt story about a young mother’s efforts to claw herself back from the precipice for the sake of her young son, even as she is convinced that she is beyond redemption. Jerez’s compelling prose and deep insights into Puerto Rican culture elevate this thoughtful and thought-provoking novel. I loved this book!” —Karen Dionne, author of the #1 international bestseller The Marsh King’s Daughter and The Wicked Sister
“Rich with culture, vivid characters, and elegant prose, At the Island’s Edge is a knockout debut by an author who is sure to leave a bright literary mark on this world. I was swept away.” —Boo Walker, bestselling author of An Echo in Time
“C. I. Jerez’s debut novel is a fresh and immersive delight. Somber and heartfelt, At the Island’s Edge offers a flawed but substantive protagonist plagued by the psychological trauma of war as she returns home to face her family’s failed expectations. It is also a love letter to the island of Puerto Rico and its people, a richly woven tapestry, filled with wonderfully palpable details. From beginning to end, I was utterly transported.” —Barbara Davis, bestselling author of The Echo of Old Books
“At the Island’s Edge is one of those rare debuts illuminating such poignant truths that the story is guaranteed to captivate readers. I fell in love with Sergeant Lina LaSalle as she and her young son found refuge, redemption, and new beginnings on the lush island of Puerto Rico. You will too.” —Christine Nolfi, bestselling author of The Secret Library of Hanna Reeves
Available Editions
| EDITION | Other Format |
| ISBN | 9781662523427 |
| PRICE | $16.99 (USD) |
| PAGES | 399 |
Available on NetGalley
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