Book Feature: The Milanese Stars by author Pamela Q. Fernandes

I am pleased to announce a great book by Pamela Q. Fernandes, an author I met during my journey! She’s stopping by to tell us about her thrilling romantic suspense, The Milanese Stars, which released back in June!

Woo hoo! It’s always fun to discover new authors and books. 😀

Pamela is allowing us a look at her mysterious, suspenseful romance, The Milanese Stars, today.

Intriguing cover!

This is the blurb for The Milanese Stars:

The heist of the decade and yet, no one would have guessed… it was her.
The Milanese Stars are missing from the famous Buccatino boutique. When American insurance investigator, Samuel Keane is called in to liaise with the polizia, he finds the whole heist odd. Not only are the Milanese Stars, a set of five pink diamonds, not listed in the inventory of stolen items, worse, none of the surrounding owners witnessed a thing.
Samuel is anxious to solve the case and partners with local café owner, Vita, who has a very good vantage point to watch Buccatino.
As Samuel digs further into the history of the stars, he discovers Vita’s friends and her physically challenged sister are all connected to them.
The more Samuel investigates, the more dangers he and Vita face.
What will he do when he learns the heist of the decade isn’t about stealing pink diamonds… it’s about settling the score!

And here is an excerpt to tease you with.

Vita laid out the glossy brioches and colorful macaroons at the Café Milano, located on Via Rosa street, in time for the swarming tourists of Milan. The summer months proved good for business in Italy, but more so in Milan, when the music festivals, exhibitions, and the seas beckoned people from all over the world. Their exploration of this historical city fueled by food and drink from her café meant more money in the till. Hearing it ring made her heart skip.

These days another kind of tourist swarmed the area—Polizia. Hundreds of them. Ever since the renowned Buccatino store had been pinched last week, the place teemed with them. Pinched was an understatement, since the Carabinieri marched up and down the street too, flashing their badges and lights.

The door chimed. Vita looked up from the display counter and put a cup under the espresso machine. Half expecting her regular customers, she stood stunned when she saw the tall man in his tailored suit and polished leather shoes walking toward the counter. There was something different about him. He had an air of confidence as if he was used to being in command. His black suit fit snugly across his broad shoulders. The scent of his cologne hit her hard, a combination of pine forest and mandarin. He belonged to a different set. His kind of crowd didn’t come to her café for their morning cuppa.

Vita said the first thing that came to her mind. “Bon Giorno.” She took in the etched cheekbones, the strong nose, and the cleft in his jaw. His hair was a dark chestnut brown, combed to the left, and his eyes were whirlpools of gray with flecks of black.

He smiled. “Good morning, Madam. Can I get a cappuccino?” he asked, bending down to observe the display. “You got lots of delicious things here, but what’s the sweetest thing you have?” She noticed his eyes drift to her lips.

“It depends entirely on your taste,” she said, flashing her dimples at him. He was cute, she had to admit. He’d dressed in an exquisitely cut suit over a snowy white shirt and a thin blue satin tie. He was tall and lean. As he tapped his long fingers on the display, she couldn’t help noticing his engraved cuff links. And he didn’t have a ring on his left hand. Christmas had come early. She boxed in her excitement. He stepped closer to the counter and his scent filtered to her; she could almost taste him. If she were a dog, she would have drooled all over him. But she was Vita. Goofy, silly Vita.

“How about the salted caramel macaroon. I love sweet stuff.”

“Good choice,” she said, quickly regaining her senses, although her heart galloped with the mild flirtation. Heat suffused her. Did she just flirt back with him? Her? Maybe it was his cologne. Gosh, it drove her crazy.

“Would you like to have it here or take away?”

“Takeaway, please. I’m in a bit of a rush.” His eyes glanced over her café.

His deep, timbered voice, caused goose pimples to flare all over her. She observed him from the corner of her eye. He wasn’t a tourist, but he wasn’t Italian. His twangy accent revealed he was an American, but he wasn’t sightseeing.

Fear seized her. Could he be with the police? They didn’t dress like him though. They couldn’t afford to, and if they could, they wouldn’t flaunt it in public. Curiosity got the better of her, but she went with her gut, and her gut told her to keep her mouth shut.

“There you go,” she said. His fingers brushed against hers as he handed her three euros. She held her gasp and made a receipt. She itched to ask him who he was and what he was doing here. A million questions raced through her mind, the most important one being, ‘Do you have a girlfriend or do you even like women?’

She exercised restraint, biting her lip.

“That’s your receipt, and have a nice day, Sir.”

“I will. Thank you.” He paused. “Do you serve meals?”

“Yes, after eleven thirty, when the lunch hour crowd comes in.”

“I’ll be seeing more of you then,” he said and left. She watched him march out of the café onto the road. Women were turning their heads. Men nodded at him. Even old women smiled at him. She took two steps to the window and saw him walk to Buccatino’s—Don Giovanni’s diamond store. It sat diagonally opposite her café, across the junction.

Warning bells clanged in her mind. So, the handsome hunk had something to do with the store. The less she saw of him, the better. Because if he was here to catch the thief, he didn’t have to look too far.

Purchase Links:

Universal Reader link:  https://books2read.com/u/mBP5AO

Publisher:  https://touchpointpress.ecwid.com/The-Milanese-Stars-p105503897

Wow! ♥♥♥ Love the tension. This looks like quite a tale!

Awesome! Thank you for telling us about your book, Pamela! I know I can’t wait to read this romantic suspense!

Readers, don’t forget to pick up a copy of this awesome book! 🙂 Or you can add it to Goodreads!

Author Bio

Pamela Q. Fernandes is an author, doctor and medical writer. She writes romantic suspense, contemporary romance, women’s fiction, Christian non-fiction and speculative fiction. She also hosts the Christian Circle Podcast.

Pamela is the author of Seoul-Mates, Cinders of Castlerea, The Milanese Stars, Under A Scottish Sky, and Ten Reminders for the Single Christian Woman. She loves to practice the keyboard and bake brownies. In her free time, she binges on British crime shows and Hallyu dramas. You can find out more about her at her website.

Author Links

Website:  http://www.pamelaqfernandes.com/

Facebook:  https://www.facebook.com/pamelaqfernandes

https://www.facebook.com/authorpamelaqfernandes/

Twitter:  https://twitter.com/pamelaqferns

Amazon author page:  https://www.amazon.com/Pamela-Q-Fernandes/e/B00HWO5KX4/

Goodreads:  https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/7153318.Pamela_Q_Fernandes

Google+:  https://plus.google.com/+PamelaFernandes

Pinterest:  https://www.pinterest.com/pamfdes/

Publisher:  https://touchpointpress.com/authors/pamela-fernandes/

http://www.solsticeempire.com/products.aspx?categoryid=304

 

Thanks again, Pamela! We hope to see you back on ILRB sometime. 

Happy reading, everyone!🙂