José Rafael Barranco Rico, also known as JR Barranco, is a contemporary writer and the author of the novel Quim and Nina: A Love Story in Wartimes (Spanish title: "Quim y Nina: Una Historia de Amor en Tiempos de Guerra"), published in 2025. He is the grandson of Quim and Nina, the protagonists of his work. The novel is inspired by the true story of his grandparents, who were born in Barcelona, Spain. They fled Spain across the Pyrenees during the Spanish Civil War, arrived separately in Nazi-occupied France during World War II, and eventually escaped by ship; although originally bound for Argentina, they disembarked and settled in Venezuela, where they built a life and raised a family. Their children were Nuria, Jacky, and Liliane (the latter being the author's mother). The book blends real historical events with fictional elements; some names and situations were altered to protect the family's privacy. Barranco wrote the novel in collaboration with his younger brother, Freddy José Barranco Rico. In the acknowledgments, he mentions his mother, Liliane (who shared the story that inspired the book), his aunt Nuria, his uncle Jacky, and other close associates. JR Barranco is a relatively new independent author and self-publisher. He maintains a social media presence identifying himself as the "Writer of Quim and Nina", with links to Instagram, X (Twitter), and options to purchase the book on Amazon. His known literary work centers on this family novel, which preserves the memory of his grandparents and the legacy of resilience and the quest for freedom that they passed on to their descendants. In summary, José Rafael Barranco Rico is an author who has channeled his family's history into a novel combining fact and fiction—a story centered on love and survival spanning the Spanish Civil War and World War II, culminating in the family's settlement in Venezuela.
