When Yami’s father escapes their home in Havana through the Mariel Boatlift, her mother remarries and sends the rebellious teenager to live with grandparents in the sugar town of Bermeja. Abandoned by both parents, Yami comes to see herself as a second marriage orphan, the unwanted reminder of a failed past. Yearning for recognition and acceptance, Yami distinguishes herself as a scholar. But as she prepares for a career in the prestigious field of law, the fall of the Soviet Bloc creates a political tsunami that wreaks havoc on the island nation, throwing it and Yami into an existential crisis.

To keep the economy from total collapse, Castro legalizes foreign currencies, creating a schizophrenic monetary system in which people are paid in pesos but anything worth buying is sold in dollars. All over the country, professionals leave their practice to hustle for the coveted cash. Under these conditions, sexual tourism flourishes, giving rise to women called jineteras.

Yami speaks for these women—young, bright, educated, and desperate. With the perspective of time and physical distance, Yami takes us along on her journey from an ideal girl with dreams of career, love, and family, to a savvy business woman who understands that female beauty is just another perishable commodity in the dystopian landscape of Castro’s Cuba.

Written by Sara Alvarez Aiello 

Book Design by Antonio Aiello