In 1898, driven by dreams of fame and fortune, adventure and true love, three brothers left their beloved Calabria and all of its problems- including the Mafi a- behind. First stop is Marseille in France and then to the United States, where they hope to see their dreams come true.
Life in this strange new world challenges the brothers, and they find that even in their new home familiar demons pursue them. The Pittsburgh version of the Sicilian Mafia, known as the Cosa Nostra, relies on time-tested savage techniques to maintain control. The Cudoni brothers pull together to carve out a new, peaceful, and prosperous life, but their vow to never pay the Cosa Nostra extortion money comes with a high price.
One of the brothers, Filippo, is a lost soul torn between his homeland and his new home with a new love. In America, he loses his heart to Angelina, a tall, beautiful Italian girl. Their love is hot, passionate, and intense, but when her father learns of his plans to return to Italy he pulls them apart.
Filippo leaves Pittsburgh and throws himself into work and into the arms of his boss's daughter. Angelino hears of this and promises to marry Bruno Curcio, a coward at heart. When Tracy the boss's daughter gets serious, Filippo cools this affair and returning to Pittsburgh has a secret affair with Angelina just before her wedding to Curcio, who was nearly killed by the Cosa Nostra a few months earlier. Filippo attends the wedding but promises Curcio he will not interfere with them as he will be returning to Italy.
He renews a short relationship with Tracy but soon finds himself back in the arms and bed of Angelina and after a fight with Curcio and the Cosa Nostra he returns to Italy.
There he meets Rosina, a softly spoken, beautiful 'twin cousin' to Angelina who heals his broken heart. With a promise from Rosina that she will wait for his return from America he travels back to his hometown, but the Calabrian mafia, seeking revenge, are waiting for him just out of town. Leaving behind two dead Mafia men Filippo and two more of his brothers and a friend set off for America. He falls foul of the captain and crew and one night just before he enters his cabin he is hung by rope around the neck to the mast.