In the fall of 2014, Reyna left her practice as a criminal appellate attorney with a nonprofit public defender's office where she'd worked for many years. It was time to try something new. What began as a lark when a friend asked Reyna to join her in a writing class at The Writing Institute at Sarah Lawrence College has turned into her passion. Reyna's first novel, a romantic legal thriller entitled Unreasonable Doubts, was published by She Writes Press in 2018 and was named a finalist in the Women's Fiction Writers Association Star Award for debut fiction. William Landay, bestselling author of Defending Jacob, called the novel "an intriguing blend of romance and legal suspense from a new writer to watch." In 2021, Reyna took a foray into children's literature. TouchPoint Press published her middle grade novel My Name Is Layla, which features a dyslexic protagonist and is a story about resilience and empathy. My Name Is Layla is for young readers -- and for all readers -- who are inspired by the idea of a kinder world. School Library Journal said "Layla's struggles at school and home are authentically depicted and readers who face their own challenges will relate." With Both Are True, Reyna has returned to contemporary fiction, the law, and New York City. If you love these three as much as she does, this novel is for you. Reyna is married to Pierre Gentin, whom she's known since her high school days on Long Island. Their two children, Ariella and Micah, are the light of their lives. . reynamardergentin.com
