Gabriele Mantegna spent two years in an American federal prison. He pleaded guilty to crimes (fraud, money laundering) to save his father, Alfredo, who was accused but was innocent. Since his release from prison he has had a vendetta against the man who betrayed his father, old family friend Ignazio Ricci. Gabriele wants to clear both his name and his father's, but he needs proof. So Gabriele secretly goes to Nutmeg Island, holiday home of the Ricci family, and makes copies of the documents/evidence of Ignazio's illegal dealings, which he knows are hidden in the basement under the Nutmeg Island chapel. But while he is there another crime is in progress. He hears a woman scream and he investigates. Inside the house a girl is bound and gagged. Gabriele overhears talk that the men may harm the girl so he sneaks in and frees the girl. They make their escape. But the girl seems familiar to him. It turns out she is Ignazio's daughter, Elena. (Gabriele and Elena's fathers had been close friends since childhood and Gabriele has seen Elena a few times in the past. He remembers her mostly as a tomboy.) He takes Elena to his yacht and plans his revenge... Gabriele decides that he will marry Elena, and she will have his child. Ignazio's beloved daughter will be his, which will disturb Ignazio greatly. Elena is totally against this but Gabriele now has proof/documents of her father's illegal activities. She will do as he says or he will take his evidence to the FBI. So they fly to New York to marry.

They stay in his lavish Manhattan apartment. Gabriele makes sure they are seen by the paparazzi, out on the town, supposedly "in love".

Elena is having a hard time believing what Gabriele says, that her father committed fraud and set up his oldest friend (Alfredo) to take the fall. She is a loyal daughter but Gabriele is starting to make her question things. Why doesn't her father set foot in North America anymore? Why didn't he help his oldest friend when he was being accused of fraud?

I thoroughly enjoyed this story! I liked the locations, Nutmeg Island in the Caribbean, Manhattan, Florence, Italy... I really liked the main couple. They had good chemistry. Gabriele was a wonderful and caring hero even when he was trying to get his revenge. Gabriele was even wondering if Elena could be innocent in all of this. She works for her father's car components company/empire and Gabriele thinks she had to know something. But she seems so naïve and sheltered, maybe he was wrong. I felt bad for his family. His father died, his mother had dementia (her husband's death accelerated the process).

I liked Elena. She was feisty at times but also cute and sweet. I liked the part when she and Gabriele visited his mother and how thoughtful she was towards his mother. I also liked the part when Gabriele surprised Elena at their wedding celebration party by bringing her relatives from Sweden over that Elena hadn't seen in years.

This was a very enjoyable book, my first read by Michelle Smart. I look forward to reading more of her books in the future. ( )