Occhi Belli

by Tim Ross McDonald

Luca’s life was perfect until the death of his mother, Francesca. Spiraling deeper downwards into despair and drink, Luca decides to drop everything and move to Italy to begin a new life. There, he meets a beautiful and seductive Italian woman who has a mysterious and potentially dangerous past.

298 pages, Paperback

Published June 4, 2025

About the author

Tim McDonald grew up in eastern Washington State and has worked in copy editing, teaching and the restaurant industry. He lives in the Pacific Northwest and enjoys skiing, hiking, softball, reading, writing, cooking and spending time with family.

Reviews

[Susie Black · Rating 5 out of 5]

Seattle restaurateur Luca is the poster boy for the expression “the road to Hell is paved with good intentions.” On the surface, Luca has a seemingly perfect life–a successful business and a loving wife. Despite his intentions to stop drinking, alcoholic Luca is a slave to the bottle. After a DUI that totaled his car, which was the last straw for his wife, who filed for divorce, and his beloved mother’s death, Luca’s life dove into a steep downward spiral. In a last-ditch effort to save himself, Luca sells the restaurant and moves to Italy. But when he falls in love with a mysterious woman, her dangerous past sets off a firestorm of destruction and death fueled by lies and deceit. An ill-conceived decision his lover makes puts Luca on a collision course with death.
Tim McDonald penned a tautly written tale driven by love, loss, loyalty, obligation, betrayal, trust, family ties, and the inner strength one must summon to face one’s demons.
The fast-paced story features a cast of flawed, yet believable, characters who drive the plot. The complicated protagonist is a guy who doesn’t understand how good he’s got it until he squanders and loses it. A consistently poor decision-maker, Luca is not the easiest character to root for. This reader wanted to hug him on one page and throttle him on the next.
Luca’s lover’s race against time to destroy the bad guys before they destroy Luca, her, and her family all comes together in a heart-pounding climax that will leave readers breathless.
A classic case of good versus evil, Occhi Belli is a thrilling mystery fueled by redemption that will captivate readers who believe it’s not how you start, but how you finish that counts. This terrific book has more than earned the five-star rating I have given it.

[LeeAnn Lechelt · Rating 5 out of 5]

I loved the multiple storylines and character development. The book kept moving and didn’t become stagnant where I just wished it was finished. Throughout the book I could feel the feelings of the characters as though I also had experienced the same emotions. From sadness, love, to fear. Such a great read, highly recommend!

[Alyona Kargina · Rating 5 out of 5]

I spent many years in the restaurant industry and this definitely rings true! Very authentic and raw. Great character development. Would definitely recommend!