Stella di Mare

Tara Evans never planned on getting involved with a married man, but when Louie Morelli assumes control of the swank Miami Beach hotel she works for, Tara falls hard for the charismatic mobster, rushing headlong into a hot affair. Things heat up after Louie discovers that the hotel's former proprietor, Franco Santia, has been hustling hot diamonds. Soon a rare gem--a magnificent "blue diamond" is uncovered. The diamond is Franco's ticket to paradise, and he and his creepy pal, Manny, are desperate to get it back. After Manny accosts Tara, Louie "persuades" Franco to betray him. Then he devises a scam involving a famous filmmaker, an eccentric diamond dealer, a mysterious hit man, and his lovely lady, Tara.

Tara Evans never planned on getting involved with a married man, but when Louie Morelli assumes control of the swank Miami Beach hotel she works for, Tara falls hard for the charismatic mobster, rushing headlong into a hot affair. Things heat up after Louie discovers that the hotel's former proprietor, Franco Santia, has been hustling hot diamonds. Soon a rare gem--a magnificent "blue diamond" is uncovered. The diamond is Franco's ticket to paradise, and he and his creepy pal, Manny, are desperate to get it back. After Manny accosts Tara, Louie "persuades" Franco to betray him. Then he devises a scam involving a famous filmmaker, an eccentric diamond dealer, a mysterious hit man, and his lovely lady, Tara.

Patricia Bellomo writes about mobsters and millionaires in South FLorida and New Orleans. She writes the popular Mob Blog, available on her website, and is the author of three Louie Morelli novels. Although the books are part of a series, the sexy thrillers are non-sequential. Many readers prefer to start with Stella di Mare, which means Star of the Sea in Italian. It's a fast paced action thriller, with plenty of intrigue and romantic suspense. As Patricia says, "It's a bit like Soprano's meets Miami Beach."