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The Amalfi Curse
Goodreads Choice Award
Nominee for Readers' Favorite Historical Fiction (2025)Powerful witchcraft. A hunt for sunken treasure. Forbidden love on the high seas. Beware the Amalfi Curse…
Haven Ambrose, a trailblazing nautical archaeologist, has come to the sun-soaked village of Positano to investigate the mysterious shipwrecks along the Amalfi Coast. But Haven is hoping to find more than old artifacts beneath the azure waters; she is secretly on a quest to locate a trove of priceless gemstones her late father spotted on his final dive. Upon Haven’s arrival, strange maelstroms and misfortunes start plaguing the town. Is it nature or something more sinister at work?
As Haven searches for her father’s sunken treasure, she begins to unearth a centuries-old tale of ancient sorcery and one woman’s quest to save her lover and her village by using the legendary art of stregheria, a magical ability to harness the ocean. Could this magic be behind Positano’s latest calamities? Haven must unravel the Amalfi Curse before the region is destroyed forever…
Against the dazzling backdrop of the Amalfi Coast, this bewitching novel shimmers with mystery, romance and the untamed magic of the sea.
Haven Ambrose, a trailblazing nautical archaeologist, has come to the sun-soaked village of Positano to investigate the mysterious shipwrecks along the Amalfi Coast. But Haven is hoping to find more than old artifacts beneath the azure waters; she is secretly on a quest to locate a trove of priceless gemstones her late father spotted on his final dive. Upon Haven’s arrival, strange maelstroms and misfortunes start plaguing the town. Is it nature or something more sinister at work?
As Haven searches for her father’s sunken treasure, she begins to unearth a centuries-old tale of ancient sorcery and one woman’s quest to save her lover and her village by using the legendary art of stregheria, a magical ability to harness the ocean. Could this magic be behind Positano’s latest calamities? Haven must unravel the Amalfi Curse before the region is destroyed forever…
Against the dazzling backdrop of the Amalfi Coast, this bewitching novel shimmers with mystery, romance and the untamed magic of the sea.
336 pages, Hardcover
First published April 29, 2025
4112 people are currently reading
131341 people want to read
About the author
Sarah Penner
5 books8,448 followersSarah Penner is the New York Times and internationally bestselling author of The Lost Apothecary and The London Séance Society. Her books have been translated into more than forty languages and her debut, The Lost Apothecary, has sold over one million copies worldwide.
A graduate of the University of Kansas, Sarah spent thirteen years in corporate finance and now writes full-time. In her free time, Sarah enjoys hiking, yoga, and cooking. She also sits on the Board of Directors at her local animal shelter, Friends of Strays. Sarah and her husband, Marc, live in Florida.
To learn more, visit SarahPenner.com.
A graduate of the University of Kansas, Sarah spent thirteen years in corporate finance and now writes full-time. In her free time, Sarah enjoys hiking, yoga, and cooking. She also sits on the Board of Directors at her local animal shelter, Friends of Strays. Sarah and her husband, Marc, live in Florida.
To learn more, visit SarahPenner.com.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 5,487 reviews
December 23, 2025
Just like I devoured Sarah Penner's previous historical fantasy works, I went into this book blind and completely enjoyed the two intertwining timelines. The story follows witches of the sea who protect the Amalfi Coast, and centuries later, a woman archaeologist searches for a mysterious treasure. I was sold from the first chapter.
The gripping, fast-paced storytelling, Mari, Holmes, and Haven's intriguing perspectives, the sea witches' powerful incantations, and the heart-pounding, thrilling fight against the Mazza Fratelli (Brothers) kept me on the edge of my seat. Haven's discoveries, her secret mission to honor her father's wishes, her blossoming love story with Enzo, and the detailed, alluring descriptions of Amalfi that made me want to book an immediate trip to Italy completely drew me into the story.
The past and present timelines perfectly intertwined, and the outcome was far more satisfying than I expected.
Here's a quick recap of the storyline:
Haven Ambrose, a skilled nautical archaeologist, makes an agreement with a startup tech company and assembles her own team of women archaeologists for Project Relic. Their mission is to dive around the Amalfi Coast in search of mysterious shipwrecks and relics. What her team doesn't know is that her recently deceased father had previously dived in the same location and discovered priceless gemstones. He left coordinates and underwater photos for Haven to help her find the treasures.
However, Haven didn't anticipate the tragedy at Li Galli, where a yacht sinks, killing eight people, including popular influencers. The project's chauvinist CEO assigns Conrad, an experienced archaeologist and rival of her father who once saved her life underwater, to lead a new team.
Haven grows suspicious of Conrad's maneuver to take over her project. Could he know about her father's secret treasure hunt and volunteered to search for it under the guise of a professional assignment? Determined not to leave Positano, she visits a diving shop to rent a boat and equipment, which leads her to meet Enzo and start her own adventure.
Simultaneously, the narrative takes us back to 1821, where a young, powerful sea witch named Mari finds herself in a dilemma. She plans to leave Positano with her sailor lover Holmes when dangerous, corrupt men begin hunting down witches to exploit their powers, kidnapping four of them.
Overall, this is an intriguing, innovative, and captivating historical fantasy that you absolutely shouldn't miss!
Many thanks to NetGalley and Harlequin Trade Publishing for sharing this brilliant fantasy's digital review copy in exchange for my honest thoughts.
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The gripping, fast-paced storytelling, Mari, Holmes, and Haven's intriguing perspectives, the sea witches' powerful incantations, and the heart-pounding, thrilling fight against the Mazza Fratelli (Brothers) kept me on the edge of my seat. Haven's discoveries, her secret mission to honor her father's wishes, her blossoming love story with Enzo, and the detailed, alluring descriptions of Amalfi that made me want to book an immediate trip to Italy completely drew me into the story.
The past and present timelines perfectly intertwined, and the outcome was far more satisfying than I expected.
Here's a quick recap of the storyline:
Haven Ambrose, a skilled nautical archaeologist, makes an agreement with a startup tech company and assembles her own team of women archaeologists for Project Relic. Their mission is to dive around the Amalfi Coast in search of mysterious shipwrecks and relics. What her team doesn't know is that her recently deceased father had previously dived in the same location and discovered priceless gemstones. He left coordinates and underwater photos for Haven to help her find the treasures.
However, Haven didn't anticipate the tragedy at Li Galli, where a yacht sinks, killing eight people, including popular influencers. The project's chauvinist CEO assigns Conrad, an experienced archaeologist and rival of her father who once saved her life underwater, to lead a new team.
Haven grows suspicious of Conrad's maneuver to take over her project. Could he know about her father's secret treasure hunt and volunteered to search for it under the guise of a professional assignment? Determined not to leave Positano, she visits a diving shop to rent a boat and equipment, which leads her to meet Enzo and start her own adventure.
Simultaneously, the narrative takes us back to 1821, where a young, powerful sea witch named Mari finds herself in a dilemma. She plans to leave Positano with her sailor lover Holmes when dangerous, corrupt men begin hunting down witches to exploit their powers, kidnapping four of them.
Overall, this is an intriguing, innovative, and captivating historical fantasy that you absolutely shouldn't miss!
Many thanks to NetGalley and Harlequin Trade Publishing for sharing this brilliant fantasy's digital review copy in exchange for my honest thoughts.
Follow me on medium.com to read my articles about books, movies, streaming series, astrology:
medium blog
April 18, 2025
PHENOMENAL!! Thank you NetGalley, Sarah Penner, and Harlequin Trade Publishing/Park Row for granting me access to this book in exchange for an honest review.
Wow! Just PERFECTION!!! What a beautifully written and captivating historical fantasy filled with forbidden love, powerful magic, sunken treasure, mysterious shipwrecks all set along the Amalfi Coast.
After devouring The Lost Apothecary, I eagerly anticipated Penner’s next adventure—and this one soared beyond every expectation. It’s her most dazzling work yet, and easily one of my top reads of 2025.🩵🩵🩵🩵🩵
The novel’s dual narratives, one unfolding in the vibrant streets and coves of modern day Positano, the other in a storm battered 17th‑century village, are woven together with flawless precision. Each chapter in the past mirrors and magnifies the mysteries Haven Ambrose faces in the present.
Haven, a fearless nautical archaeologist, arrives in Positano determined to recover the priceless gemstones her late father nearly found, and to probe the string of bizarre shipwrecks plaguing the coast. As she dives into sunken hulls and braves treacherous maelstroms, she uncovers an ancient legend of stregheria, a sea‑based magic once wielded by a woman desperate to save her love and her community. Could this same sorcery be the source of Positano’s latest disasters? Haven must unravel the Amalfi Curse before nature’s fury, and something far more sinister, devours the region.
In summary, this bewitching novel shimmers with mystery, romance and the untamed magic of the sea. I am utterly enchanted and wholeheartedly recommend it!! Infinite gleaming 🌟 ✨⭐️💫🌟!!!!!
Wow! Just PERFECTION!!! What a beautifully written and captivating historical fantasy filled with forbidden love, powerful magic, sunken treasure, mysterious shipwrecks all set along the Amalfi Coast.
After devouring The Lost Apothecary, I eagerly anticipated Penner’s next adventure—and this one soared beyond every expectation. It’s her most dazzling work yet, and easily one of my top reads of 2025.🩵🩵🩵🩵🩵
The novel’s dual narratives, one unfolding in the vibrant streets and coves of modern day Positano, the other in a storm battered 17th‑century village, are woven together with flawless precision. Each chapter in the past mirrors and magnifies the mysteries Haven Ambrose faces in the present.
Haven, a fearless nautical archaeologist, arrives in Positano determined to recover the priceless gemstones her late father nearly found, and to probe the string of bizarre shipwrecks plaguing the coast. As she dives into sunken hulls and braves treacherous maelstroms, she uncovers an ancient legend of stregheria, a sea‑based magic once wielded by a woman desperate to save her love and her community. Could this same sorcery be the source of Positano’s latest disasters? Haven must unravel the Amalfi Curse before nature’s fury, and something far more sinister, devours the region.
In summary, this bewitching novel shimmers with mystery, romance and the untamed magic of the sea. I am utterly enchanted and wholeheartedly recommend it!! Infinite gleaming 🌟 ✨⭐️💫🌟!!!!!
May 1, 2025
I’d been counting down the months like a kid waiting for Christmas, dreaming of a magical romp along the Amalfi Coast, courtesy of Sarah Penner. But when I finally cracked it open, it was less “mind blown” and more “mind mildly ruffled.” It feels like you’re sold a ticket to paradise, but when you arrive, the hotel’s half-built, and the pool’s a puddle. It’s not a disaster, but it’s not the grand escape I’d hyped up in my head either.
Let’s start with the shiny bits. Penner’s got a gift for painting a scene, and the Amalfi Coast in this book is a freaking postcard come to life. We’re talking cliffs kissed by golden sun, waters so blue you’d swear they were photoshopped, and Positano lookinglike a Windows wallpaper that you're not entirely sure it's real and bit some artists rendering. I was ready to ditch my couch for a vespa and a gelato, pronto. The setting’s so lush and vivid it’s practically flirting with you, and I’m here for it. Big props to Penner for making me smell the lemons and feel the sea breeze through words alone.
Now, the plot? It wanders like a drunk Nonna. We’ve got two timelines: a coven of sea witches in the 1800s and a modern-day archaeologist digging up trouble. Sounds cool, right? It could’ve been a wild ride, but instead, it’s like following a GPS that keeps rerouting mid-sentence. The jumps between past and present gave me whiplash, and not the fun kind. I wanted a tight, twisty tale, but this felt more like a scenic detour that forgot where it parked the main point.
Characters are where it gets dicey. Mari, the 1800s sea witch, is a total badass. She’s slinging spells, wrestling with love versus duty, and making me root for her like she’s my long-lost sister. Her story’s got grit and heart, and I’d read a whole book just about her. Then there’s Haven, our modern archaeologist, who’s… fine, I guess? She’s chasing treasure and smooching some dude named Enzo, but it’s about as thrilling as watching paint dry on a yacht. Haven’s got all the potential of a sparkler but ends up fizzling out like a damp match. I wanted fireworks, not a flicker.
The magic system, stregheria (aka oceanic witchcraft), had me intrigued. I mean, witches channeling the sea? Sign me up! But it’s like Penner handed me a shiny new toy and then forgot to include the batteries. It’s there, it’s cool in theory, but it never really pops. Same goes for the titular curse’s mystery: it feels like a cheap sweater from Shein and not the cozy knit one it sold you. I was hoping for a spellbinding gut-punch, but I got a gentle tap instead.
All in all, it's just.... Okay. It’s got a killer setting and a few shining moments (shoutout to Mari), but the plot’s a bit of a stumble, and the magic doesn’t quite enchant. It’s like a weekend getaway that’s fun but forgettable, not the epic odyssey I’d been daydreaming about for months. If you’re into historical fiction with a sprinkle of magic and a killer backdrop, give it a whirl. Just don’t expect it to be the literary equivalent of Nonna’s secret sauce. Pack light, enjoy the view, and call it a day.
Let’s start with the shiny bits. Penner’s got a gift for painting a scene, and the Amalfi Coast in this book is a freaking postcard come to life. We’re talking cliffs kissed by golden sun, waters so blue you’d swear they were photoshopped, and Positano lookinglike a Windows wallpaper that you're not entirely sure it's real and bit some artists rendering. I was ready to ditch my couch for a vespa and a gelato, pronto. The setting’s so lush and vivid it’s practically flirting with you, and I’m here for it. Big props to Penner for making me smell the lemons and feel the sea breeze through words alone.
Now, the plot? It wanders like a drunk Nonna. We’ve got two timelines: a coven of sea witches in the 1800s and a modern-day archaeologist digging up trouble. Sounds cool, right? It could’ve been a wild ride, but instead, it’s like following a GPS that keeps rerouting mid-sentence. The jumps between past and present gave me whiplash, and not the fun kind. I wanted a tight, twisty tale, but this felt more like a scenic detour that forgot where it parked the main point.
Characters are where it gets dicey. Mari, the 1800s sea witch, is a total badass. She’s slinging spells, wrestling with love versus duty, and making me root for her like she’s my long-lost sister. Her story’s got grit and heart, and I’d read a whole book just about her. Then there’s Haven, our modern archaeologist, who’s… fine, I guess? She’s chasing treasure and smooching some dude named Enzo, but it’s about as thrilling as watching paint dry on a yacht. Haven’s got all the potential of a sparkler but ends up fizzling out like a damp match. I wanted fireworks, not a flicker.
The magic system, stregheria (aka oceanic witchcraft), had me intrigued. I mean, witches channeling the sea? Sign me up! But it’s like Penner handed me a shiny new toy and then forgot to include the batteries. It’s there, it’s cool in theory, but it never really pops. Same goes for the titular curse’s mystery: it feels like a cheap sweater from Shein and not the cozy knit one it sold you. I was hoping for a spellbinding gut-punch, but I got a gentle tap instead.
All in all, it's just.... Okay. It’s got a killer setting and a few shining moments (shoutout to Mari), but the plot’s a bit of a stumble, and the magic doesn’t quite enchant. It’s like a weekend getaway that’s fun but forgettable, not the epic odyssey I’d been daydreaming about for months. If you’re into historical fiction with a sprinkle of magic and a killer backdrop, give it a whirl. Just don’t expect it to be the literary equivalent of Nonna’s secret sauce. Pack light, enjoy the view, and call it a day.
July 22, 2025
—— 𝟓 ✰ 𝐬𝐭𝐚𝐫𝐬. 🌊
📖/🎧┆𝐓𝐡𝐞 𝐀𝐦𝐚𝐥𝐟𝐢 𝐂𝐮𝐫𝐬𝐞 𝐛𝐲 𝐒𝐚𝐫𝐚𝐡 𝐏𝐞𝐧𝐧𝐞𝐫
🏷️┆𝐆𝐞𝐧𝐫𝐞: 𝕎𝕠𝕞𝕖𝕟’𝕤 𝔽𝕚𝕔𝕥𝕚𝕠𝕟, 𝕄𝕒𝕘𝕚𝕔𝕒𝕝 ℝ𝕖𝕒𝕝𝕚𝕤𝕞
📆┆𝐃𝐚𝐭𝐞𝐬 𝐑𝐞𝐚𝐝: 𝟟/𝟙𝟝/𝟚𝟝 - 𝟟/𝟚𝟘/𝟚𝟝
📋┆𝐒𝐲𝐧𝐨𝐩𝐬𝐢𝐬
「 “Haven Ambrose, a nautical archaeologist, has come to Positano to investigate the mysterious shipwrecks along the Amalfi Coast. Upon Haven's arrival, strange maelstroms and misfortunes start plaguing the town. Is it nature or something more sinister at work? Haven begins to unearth a centuries-old tale of ancient sorcery and one woman's quest to save her lover and her village by using the legendary art of stregheria, a magical ability to harness the ocean. Could this magic be behind Positano's latest calamities? Haven must unravel the Amalfi Curse before the region is destroyed forever.”」
⊹ ࣪ ﹏𓊝﹏⊹ ࣪ ˖ ⊹ ࣪ ﹏𓊝﹏⊹ ࣪ ˖ ⊹ ࣪ ﹏𓊝﹏⊹ ࣪ ˖
ᴍʏ ʀᴀᴛɪɴɢ: ★★★★★
ɢᴏᴏᴅʀᴇᴀᴅꜱ ʀᴀᴛɪɴɢ: 𝟹.𝟾𝟿 ☆ ꜱᴛᴀʀꜱ
ꜱᴘɪᴄᴇ: 🚪
ꜱᴇᴀꜱᴏɴ: ☀️
ᴘᴀɪʀ ᴡɪᴛʜ: ʟɪᴍᴏɴᴄᴇʟʟᴏ 🍋 & ᴏʟɪᴠᴇꜱ 🫒
ᴡᴏᴜʟᴅ ʏᴏᴜ ʀᴇᴄᴏᴍᴍᴇɴᴅ?: ✅
⊱ ────── {⋆ ‧₊˚♪𝄞 ⋆} ────── ⊰
ɴᴏᴡ ᴘʟᴀʏɪɴɢ: ᴍʏ ʙʟᴏᴏᴅ — ᴇʟʟɪᴇ ɢᴏᴜʟᴅɪɴɢ
0:24 ———♡——— 3:54
╭───
┆
╰⪼ and I'm caught in the crossfire of my own thoughts, the color of my blood is all I see on the rocks as you sail from me. alarms will ring for eternity, the waves will break every chain on me, my bones will bleach, my flesh will flee, so help my lifeless frame to breathe.
⊱ ────── {⋆ ‧₊˚♪𝄞 ⋆} ────── ⊰
ʀᴇᴀᴅ ɪꜰ ʏᴏᴜ ʟɪᴋᴇ:
🌊 ꜱᴇᴀ ᴡɪᴛᴄʜᴇꜱ
🫒 ꜰᴏʀʙɪᴅᴅᴇɴ ʀᴏᴍᴀɴᴄᴇ
🌊 ᴀᴍᴀʟꜰɪ ᴄᴏᴀꜱᴛ ꜱᴇᴛᴛɪɴɢ
🫒 ᴡᴏᴠᴇɴ ᴅᴜᴀʟ ᴛɪᴍᴇʟɪɴᴇꜱ
🌊 ᴍʏꜱᴛᴇʀɪᴏᴜꜱ ꜱʜɪᴘᴡʀᴇᴄᴋꜱ
🫒 ᴘᴏᴡᴇʀ ꜰᴇᴍᴀʟᴇ ᴄʜᴀʀᴀᴄᴛᴇʀꜱ
⚠️TW: sexual assault, suicide, suicidal ideations, grief, death, death of a parent, violence, kidnapping
⊹ ࣪ ﹏𓊝﹏⊹ ࣪ ˖ ⊹ ࣪ ﹏𓊝﹏⊹ ࣪ ˖ ⊹ ࣪ ﹏𓊝﹏⊹ ࣪ ˖
💬┆𝐓𝐡𝐨𝐮𝐠𝐡𝐭𝐬
• The Amalfi Curse has been one of my most anticipated reads of this year. I’m pleased to say that it delivered… and then some. Sarah Penner knows exactly how to get me every damn time with her captivating writing. After I finished this book, I felt like I had just gotten back from taking a trip to Positano. That’s how immersed her writing makes you feel. I don’t know what this woman puts in her books, but I want it injected into my veins. Dare I say this may have earned a spot on my favorite books list?
• I know this might not be everybody’s cup of tea, but for someone who loves the Amalfi Coast (my husband & I honeymooned there so it holds a special place in my heart) and loves a good nautical historical fiction (is that too niche?), this was just one of those rare perfect reads for me. I mean, Italian sea witches who originated from sirens?! Pretty much sums up my aesthetic in book form. I love sirens, I love witches, put them together and *chef’s kiss* 🤌🏼 Also, I’m convinced I was a strega (sea witch) or siren in a past life. Makes sense being a Pisces and all, right 🙂↕️
• I’m not gonna write a long review right now (I might come back to edit this ya never know with me) because it’s currently 3:41 AM, but I had to stay up to finish this book, I simply could not put it down. If you want a atmospheric read with mystery, romance, witchery, adventure on the high seas, underwater treasure hunts, badass powerful women, & an Italian coast setting that will have you craving a limoncello, then this book is for you, my friend 🫵🏼 I fear this is going to now put me in a reading slump because how can any of my other summer tbrs top this masterpiece?
*(📝) 𝐬𝐢𝐝𝐞 𝐧𝐨𝐭𝐞: 10/10 would highly recommend the audiobook if you’re like me and love Italian accents.
⊹ ࣪ ﹏𓊝﹏⊹ ࣪ ˖ ⊹ ࣪ ﹏𓊝﹏⊹ ࣪ ˖ ⊹ ࣪ ﹏𓊝﹏⊹ ࣪ ˖
⊹ ࣪ ﹏𓊝﹏⊹ ࣪ ˖ ⊹ ࣪ ﹏𓊝﹏⊹ ࣪ ˖ ⊹ ࣪ ﹏𓊝﹏⊹ ࣪ ˖ ⊹ ࣪ ﹏𓊝﹏⊹ ࣪ ˖ ⊹ ࣪ ﹏𓊝﹏⊹ ࣪ ˖
❝ “𝚃𝚑𝚎 𝚜𝚎𝚊 𝚑𝚊𝚜 𝚊𝚕𝚠𝚊𝚢𝚜 𝚋𝚎𝚎𝚗 𝚝𝚑𝚎 𝚍𝚘𝚖𝚊𝚒𝚗 𝚘𝚏 𝚖𝚎𝚗, 𝚊𝚗 𝚒𝚗𝚜𝚝𝚛𝚞𝚖𝚎𝚗𝚝 𝚒𝚗 𝚝𝚑𝚎𝚒𝚛 𝚊𝚒𝚖𝚜 𝚘𝚏 𝚍𝚘𝚖𝚒𝚗𝚊𝚝𝚒𝚘𝚗. 𝙾𝚗𝚌𝚎 𝚝𝚑𝚎𝚢 𝚛𝚎𝚊𝚕𝚒𝚣𝚎𝚍 𝚠𝚑𝚘 𝙸 𝚠𝚊𝚜, 𝙸 𝚜𝚞𝚜𝚙𝚎𝚌𝚝 𝚝𝚑𝚎𝚢 𝚠𝚎𝚛𝚎 𝚜𝚌𝚊𝚛𝚎𝚍. 𝙸𝚜𝚗'𝚝 𝚝𝚑𝚊𝚝 𝚠𝚑𝚢 𝚖𝚎𝚗 𝚏𝚎𝚊𝚛 𝚠𝚒𝚝𝚌𝚑𝚎𝚜, 𝚊𝚗𝚢𝚠𝚊𝚢? 𝙰 𝚠𝚘𝚖𝚊𝚗 𝚞𝚜𝚒𝚗𝚐 𝚑𝚎𝚛 𝚙𝚘𝚠𝚎𝚛𝚜 𝚝𝚘 𝚍𝚎𝚜𝚝𝚛𝚘𝚢 𝚝𝚑𝚎𝚖?” ❞
📖/🎧┆𝐓𝐡𝐞 𝐀𝐦𝐚𝐥𝐟𝐢 𝐂𝐮𝐫𝐬𝐞 𝐛𝐲 𝐒𝐚𝐫𝐚𝐡 𝐏𝐞𝐧𝐧𝐞𝐫
🏷️┆𝐆𝐞𝐧𝐫𝐞: 𝕎𝕠𝕞𝕖𝕟’𝕤 𝔽𝕚𝕔𝕥𝕚𝕠𝕟, 𝕄𝕒𝕘𝕚𝕔𝕒𝕝 ℝ𝕖𝕒𝕝𝕚𝕤𝕞
📆┆𝐃𝐚𝐭𝐞𝐬 𝐑𝐞𝐚𝐝: 𝟟/𝟙𝟝/𝟚𝟝 - 𝟟/𝟚𝟘/𝟚𝟝
📋┆𝐒𝐲𝐧𝐨𝐩𝐬𝐢𝐬
「 “Haven Ambrose, a nautical archaeologist, has come to Positano to investigate the mysterious shipwrecks along the Amalfi Coast. Upon Haven's arrival, strange maelstroms and misfortunes start plaguing the town. Is it nature or something more sinister at work? Haven begins to unearth a centuries-old tale of ancient sorcery and one woman's quest to save her lover and her village by using the legendary art of stregheria, a magical ability to harness the ocean. Could this magic be behind Positano's latest calamities? Haven must unravel the Amalfi Curse before the region is destroyed forever.”」
❝𝙸𝚗𝚑𝚊𝚕𝚎, 𝚑𝚎'𝚍 𝚝𝚊𝚞𝚐𝚑𝚝 𝚑𝚎𝚛, 𝚊𝚗𝚍 𝚌𝚘𝚞𝚗𝚝 𝚏𝚒𝚟𝚎 𝚘𝚛 𝚜𝚒𝚡 𝚜𝚝𝚊𝚛𝚜. 𝙸𝚖𝚊𝚐𝚒𝚗𝚎 𝚝𝚑𝚎𝚢 𝚏𝚘𝚛𝚖 𝚊 𝚜𝚑𝚊𝚙𝚎, 𝚝𝚑𝚊𝚝 𝚝𝚑𝚎𝚢 𝚊𝚛𝚎 𝚜𝚘𝚖𝚎𝚝𝚑𝚒𝚗𝚐 𝚊𝚕𝚝𝚘𝚐𝚎𝚝𝚑𝚎𝚛 𝚍𝚒𝚏𝚏𝚎𝚛𝚎𝚗𝚝 𝚝𝚑𝚊𝚗 𝚜𝚝𝚊𝚛𝚜. 𝙹𝚞𝚜𝚝 𝚊𝚜 𝚢𝚘𝚞 𝚊𝚛𝚎
𝚍𝚒𝚏𝚏𝚎𝚛𝚎𝚗𝚝 𝚝𝚑𝚊𝚗 𝚢𝚘𝚞𝚛 𝚏𝚎𝚎𝚕𝚒𝚗𝚐𝚜, 𝚢𝚘𝚞𝚛 𝚙𝚊𝚒𝚗. 𝚃𝚑𝚎𝚢 𝚍𝚘
𝚗𝚘𝚝 𝚖𝚊𝚔𝚎 𝚢𝚘𝚞 𝚠𝚑𝚘 𝚢𝚘𝚞 𝚊𝚛𝚎.❞
⊹ ࣪ ﹏𓊝﹏⊹ ࣪ ˖ ⊹ ࣪ ﹏𓊝﹏⊹ ࣪ ˖ ⊹ ࣪ ﹏𓊝﹏⊹ ࣪ ˖
ᴍʏ ʀᴀᴛɪɴɢ: ★★★★★
ɢᴏᴏᴅʀᴇᴀᴅꜱ ʀᴀᴛɪɴɢ: 𝟹.𝟾𝟿 ☆ ꜱᴛᴀʀꜱ
ꜱᴘɪᴄᴇ: 🚪
ꜱᴇᴀꜱᴏɴ: ☀️
ᴘᴀɪʀ ᴡɪᴛʜ: ʟɪᴍᴏɴᴄᴇʟʟᴏ 🍋 & ᴏʟɪᴠᴇꜱ 🫒
ᴡᴏᴜʟᴅ ʏᴏᴜ ʀᴇᴄᴏᴍᴍᴇɴᴅ?: ✅
⊱ ────── {⋆ ‧₊˚♪𝄞 ⋆} ────── ⊰
lıllılı.ıllı.ılılıılıı.lllııılı.
ɴᴏᴡ ᴘʟᴀʏɪɴɢ: ᴍʏ ʙʟᴏᴏᴅ — ᴇʟʟɪᴇ ɢᴏᴜʟᴅɪɴɢ
0:24 ———♡——— 3:54
⇄ ◃◃ ⅠⅠ ▹▹ ↻
╭───
┆
╰⪼ and I'm caught in the crossfire of my own thoughts, the color of my blood is all I see on the rocks as you sail from me. alarms will ring for eternity, the waves will break every chain on me, my bones will bleach, my flesh will flee, so help my lifeless frame to breathe.
⊱ ────── {⋆ ‧₊˚♪𝄞 ⋆} ────── ⊰
ʀᴇᴀᴅ ɪꜰ ʏᴏᴜ ʟɪᴋᴇ:
🌊 ꜱᴇᴀ ᴡɪᴛᴄʜᴇꜱ
🫒 ꜰᴏʀʙɪᴅᴅᴇɴ ʀᴏᴍᴀɴᴄᴇ
🌊 ᴀᴍᴀʟꜰɪ ᴄᴏᴀꜱᴛ ꜱᴇᴛᴛɪɴɢ
🫒 ᴡᴏᴠᴇɴ ᴅᴜᴀʟ ᴛɪᴍᴇʟɪɴᴇꜱ
🌊 ᴍʏꜱᴛᴇʀɪᴏᴜꜱ ꜱʜɪᴘᴡʀᴇᴄᴋꜱ
🫒 ᴘᴏᴡᴇʀ ꜰᴇᴍᴀʟᴇ ᴄʜᴀʀᴀᴄᴛᴇʀꜱ
⚠️TW: sexual assault, suicide, suicidal ideations, grief, death, death of a parent, violence, kidnapping
❝ "𝚂𝚘𝚖𝚎 𝚌𝚊𝚕𝚕 𝚞𝚜 𝚠𝚒𝚝𝚌𝚑𝚎𝚜 𝚘𝚏 𝚝𝚑𝚎 𝚜𝚎𝚊," 𝙸𝚖𝚎𝚕𝚍𝚊 𝚠𝚎𝚗𝚝 𝚘𝚗. "𝚆𝚎 𝚌𝚊𝚗 𝚍𝚎𝚌𝚒𝚙𝚑𝚎𝚛 𝚝𝚑𝚎 𝚘𝚌𝚎𝚊𝚗'𝚜 𝚜𝚎𝚌𝚛𝚎𝚝𝚜; 𝚒𝚝𝚜’ 𝚜𝚝𝚛𝚊𝚗𝚐𝚎 𝚖𝚘𝚟𝚎𝚖𝚎𝚗𝚝𝚜, 𝚒𝚝𝚜’ 𝚜𝚎𝚎𝚖𝚒𝚗𝚐𝚕𝚢 𝚒𝚗𝚎𝚡𝚙𝚕𝚒𝚌𝚊𝚋𝚕𝚎 𝚋𝚎𝚑𝚊𝚟𝚒𝚘𝚛𝚜. 𝚆𝚎 𝚞𝚗𝚍𝚎𝚛𝚜𝚝𝚊𝚗𝚍 𝚠𝚑𝚊𝚝 𝚒𝚝 𝚒𝚜 𝚜𝚊𝚢𝚒𝚗𝚐 𝚊𝚋𝚘𝚞𝚝 𝚝𝚑𝚎 𝚝𝚑𝚒𝚗𝚐𝚜 𝚝𝚑𝚊𝚝 𝚕𝚒𝚎 𝚋𝚎𝚗𝚎𝚊𝚝𝚑 𝚝𝚑𝚎 𝚜𝚞𝚛𝚏𝚊𝚌𝚎. 𝚃𝚑𝚒𝚗𝚐𝚜 𝚕𝚒𝚔𝚎 𝚠𝚛𝚎𝚌𝚔𝚜, 𝚝𝚛𝚎𝚊𝚜𝚞𝚛𝚎. 𝚃𝚑𝚎 𝚘𝚌𝚎𝚊𝚗 𝚛𝚎𝚟𝚎𝚊𝚕𝚜 𝚒𝚝 𝚊𝚕𝚕," 𝚜𝚑𝚎 𝚠𝚎𝚗𝚝 𝚘𝚗, "𝚝𝚑𝚘𝚞𝚐𝚑 𝚒𝚗 𝚊 𝚕𝚊𝚗𝚐𝚞𝚊𝚐𝚎 𝚏𝚎𝚠 𝚞𝚗𝚍𝚎𝚛𝚜𝚝𝚊𝚗𝚍.” ❞
⊹ ࣪ ﹏𓊝﹏⊹ ࣪ ˖ ⊹ ࣪ ﹏𓊝﹏⊹ ࣪ ˖ ⊹ ࣪ ﹏𓊝﹏⊹ ࣪ ˖
💬┆𝐓𝐡𝐨𝐮𝐠𝐡𝐭𝐬
• The Amalfi Curse has been one of my most anticipated reads of this year. I’m pleased to say that it delivered… and then some. Sarah Penner knows exactly how to get me every damn time with her captivating writing. After I finished this book, I felt like I had just gotten back from taking a trip to Positano. That’s how immersed her writing makes you feel. I don’t know what this woman puts in her books, but I want it injected into my veins. Dare I say this may have earned a spot on my favorite books list?
• I know this might not be everybody’s cup of tea, but for someone who loves the Amalfi Coast (my husband & I honeymooned there so it holds a special place in my heart) and loves a good nautical historical fiction (is that too niche?), this was just one of those rare perfect reads for me. I mean, Italian sea witches who originated from sirens?! Pretty much sums up my aesthetic in book form. I love sirens, I love witches, put them together and *chef’s kiss* 🤌🏼 Also, I’m convinced I was a strega (sea witch) or siren in a past life. Makes sense being a Pisces and all, right 🙂↕️
• I’m not gonna write a long review right now (I might come back to edit this ya never know with me) because it’s currently 3:41 AM, but I had to stay up to finish this book, I simply could not put it down. If you want a atmospheric read with mystery, romance, witchery, adventure on the high seas, underwater treasure hunts, badass powerful women, & an Italian coast setting that will have you craving a limoncello, then this book is for you, my friend 🫵🏼 I fear this is going to now put me in a reading slump because how can any of my other summer tbrs top this masterpiece?
*(📝) 𝐬𝐢𝐝𝐞 𝐧𝐨𝐭𝐞: 10/10 would highly recommend the audiobook if you’re like me and love Italian accents.
⊹ ࣪ ﹏𓊝﹏⊹ ࣪ ˖ ⊹ ࣪ ﹏𓊝﹏⊹ ࣪ ˖ ⊹ ࣪ ﹏𓊝﹏⊹ ࣪ ˖
❝ "𝚂𝚘𝚖𝚎𝚝𝚒𝚖𝚎𝚜," 𝚜𝚑𝚎 𝚌𝚘𝚗𝚌𝚕𝚞𝚍𝚎𝚍,
"𝚝𝚑𝚎 𝚐𝚛𝚎𝚊𝚝𝚎𝚜𝚝 𝚝𝚛𝚎𝚊𝚜𝚞𝚛𝚎 𝚝𝚘 𝚋𝚎 𝚏𝚘𝚞𝚗𝚍 𝚒𝚜 𝚕𝚘𝚟𝚎.” ❞
⊹ ࣪ ﹏𓊝﹏⊹ ࣪ ˖ ⊹ ࣪ ﹏𓊝﹏⊹ ࣪ ˖ ⊹ ࣪ ﹏𓊝﹏⊹ ࣪ ˖ ⊹ ࣪ ﹏𓊝﹏⊹ ࣪ ˖ ⊹ ࣪ ﹏𓊝﹏⊹ ࣪ ˖
April 27, 2025
i enjoyed this so much! gave me very similar vibes to THE LOST APOTHECARY and i’m always in awe of how many side plots + genres Sarah Penner can weave into a 300 page book!
read if you like: good settings / Italian coast, magical realism (witchcraft/spells), forbidden romance, adventure and “treasure hunting” vibes, themes on family and friendship, multiple POVs
the setting of this was a VIBE! and this book was so quick to read—it pulled me in immediately and i finished in 2 sittings. it flips from the 1800s plot to current day and i was equally as invested in both POVs which is rare (usually i care about one way more than the other). there was romance, there was mystery, there was magic, there was Italian exploration and limoncello, there was friendship, there was adventure… like it truly had it all!
and the way she weaves it all together at the end 👏🏼
🎧 the audiobook is a full cast/mainly narrated by my faveeee Saskia Maarleveld and i’m kinda sad i didn’t experience that version, but physical was a blast as well!
my only “complaint” from making this 5 stars would be that with so much going on, it’s a bit harder to feel REALLY attached to one character/plot/etc but that’s also not necessarily a bad thing. i was just missing that emotional connection with 1-2 characters bc there were a handful of them.
TLDR; deff worth the read!!
read if you like: good settings / Italian coast, magical realism (witchcraft/spells), forbidden romance, adventure and “treasure hunting” vibes, themes on family and friendship, multiple POVs
the setting of this was a VIBE! and this book was so quick to read—it pulled me in immediately and i finished in 2 sittings. it flips from the 1800s plot to current day and i was equally as invested in both POVs which is rare (usually i care about one way more than the other). there was romance, there was mystery, there was magic, there was Italian exploration and limoncello, there was friendship, there was adventure… like it truly had it all!
and the way she weaves it all together at the end 👏🏼
🎧 the audiobook is a full cast/mainly narrated by my faveeee Saskia Maarleveld and i’m kinda sad i didn’t experience that version, but physical was a blast as well!
my only “complaint” from making this 5 stars would be that with so much going on, it’s a bit harder to feel REALLY attached to one character/plot/etc but that’s also not necessarily a bad thing. i was just missing that emotional connection with 1-2 characters bc there were a handful of them.
TLDR; deff worth the read!!
June 7, 2025
Fancy a vacation on the Amalfi Coast while staying in one of its iconic pastel-colored villas overlooking the sea, sipping limoncello, and inhaling the intoxicating scent of bougainvillea?
I’ve got just the summer read for you: The Amalfi Curse by Sarah Penner. You may know her from The Lost Apothecary (2021) and The London Séance Society (2023), both of which I enjoyed.
Once again, Penner effectively utilizes a dual-timeline narrative to weave the stories of a red-haired strega del mare (witch of the sea), Mari DeLuca, in 1821, and a second-generation nautical archeologist, Haven Ambrose, in present day.
A shipwreck off the Amalfi Coast near Positano links the two timelines and protagonists.
With suspense and allure aplenty — pirates, underwater exploration, threats of Mount Vesuvius erupting — Penner did an admirable job of keeping me glued to the page.
However, an abrupt shift/twist well toward the final quarter of the novel, left me scratching my head at her choice in direction. I’ll give credit where credit is due though: Penner did manage to tie it all together with a great big bow.
If you enjoy historical fiction with a bit of magic, romance, and adventure thrown in, spend part of your summer in Positano with The Amalfi Curse.
August 19, 2025
Enchanting, magical, & utterly immersive!
From the moment I opened THE AMALFI CURSE by SARAH PENNER, I was intrigued by the world she was building. Ancient sea magic, mysterious shipwrecks, and whispers of the past made me curious to see where the story would take me. I could not stop reading once I started to fully connect with it.
💭 Mood reader moment: I literally stopped in my tracks when I saw this one. The title immediately caught my eye, and the nautical touches with glints of gold on the cover made my heart skip a beat. I could not resist picking it up and holding it in my hands, imagining diving straight into the story. That thrill of excitement, purely from the cover, was irresistible, and I am so glad I followed it.
I was deeply immersed in both timelines. It took me a little while to fully connect at the start, but once the story grabbed me, I was completely pulled in. I love it when a book surprises me and delivers that fully satisfying feeling only the very best stories can. The presence of the sea witches added an air of mystery, while Haven’s quest for answers in the present kept me eagerly turning pages. The romantic elements in both timelines were poignant, each unfolding with emotional depth amidst the unfolding mysteries.
There were moments that made me pause, moments that brought a smile, and moments where the beauty of the writing resonated deeply. And the conclusion… it left me with a sense of satisfaction and a heartfelt connection to the story.
Key Impressions
📚 An alluring Amalfi setting, vivid and transporting.
💡 A dual-timeline mystery layered with treasure and secrets.
🌊 Sea witchcraft at the core, powerful, haunting, and unforgettable.
❤️ Romances in both timelines that felt natural, tender, and meaningful.
✨ An ending that was heartfelt, gave me goosebumps, shivers, and left me feeling satisfied.
This is a captivating and immersive read that carried me away and held me under its spell until the very last page. I highly recommend THE AMALFI CURSE by SARAH PENNER if you are craving a story rich with history, magic, and emotion.
Norma’s Stats
Cover: Striking and irresistible, I could not leave it behind. The gold accents and nautical details perfectly hint at the magical and historical layers of the story.
Title: Evocative and fitting, capturing both the mystery and the allure of the Amalfi Coast.
Writing/Prose: Immersive, vivid, and flowing beautifully. Sarah Penner balances rich descriptions of the sea, magic, and village life without slowing the pace.
Plot: Magical, suspenseful, and layered with dual timelines, intriguing secrets, and a gentle, believable romance in each era.
Ending: Heartfelt, deeply satisfying, and emotionally resonant, tying together the threads of both timelines with warmth and clarity.
Overall: A lush, enchanting, and spellbinding read that I was completely swept into. 4.5 ⭐️
📖 Owned copy, physical.
From the moment I opened THE AMALFI CURSE by SARAH PENNER, I was intrigued by the world she was building. Ancient sea magic, mysterious shipwrecks, and whispers of the past made me curious to see where the story would take me. I could not stop reading once I started to fully connect with it.
💭 Mood reader moment: I literally stopped in my tracks when I saw this one. The title immediately caught my eye, and the nautical touches with glints of gold on the cover made my heart skip a beat. I could not resist picking it up and holding it in my hands, imagining diving straight into the story. That thrill of excitement, purely from the cover, was irresistible, and I am so glad I followed it.
I was deeply immersed in both timelines. It took me a little while to fully connect at the start, but once the story grabbed me, I was completely pulled in. I love it when a book surprises me and delivers that fully satisfying feeling only the very best stories can. The presence of the sea witches added an air of mystery, while Haven’s quest for answers in the present kept me eagerly turning pages. The romantic elements in both timelines were poignant, each unfolding with emotional depth amidst the unfolding mysteries.
There were moments that made me pause, moments that brought a smile, and moments where the beauty of the writing resonated deeply. And the conclusion… it left me with a sense of satisfaction and a heartfelt connection to the story.
Key Impressions
📚 An alluring Amalfi setting, vivid and transporting.
💡 A dual-timeline mystery layered with treasure and secrets.
🌊 Sea witchcraft at the core, powerful, haunting, and unforgettable.
❤️ Romances in both timelines that felt natural, tender, and meaningful.
✨ An ending that was heartfelt, gave me goosebumps, shivers, and left me feeling satisfied.
This is a captivating and immersive read that carried me away and held me under its spell until the very last page. I highly recommend THE AMALFI CURSE by SARAH PENNER if you are craving a story rich with history, magic, and emotion.
Norma’s Stats
Cover: Striking and irresistible, I could not leave it behind. The gold accents and nautical details perfectly hint at the magical and historical layers of the story.
Title: Evocative and fitting, capturing both the mystery and the allure of the Amalfi Coast.
Writing/Prose: Immersive, vivid, and flowing beautifully. Sarah Penner balances rich descriptions of the sea, magic, and village life without slowing the pace.
Plot: Magical, suspenseful, and layered with dual timelines, intriguing secrets, and a gentle, believable romance in each era.
Ending: Heartfelt, deeply satisfying, and emotionally resonant, tying together the threads of both timelines with warmth and clarity.
Overall: A lush, enchanting, and spellbinding read that I was completely swept into. 4.5 ⭐️
📖 Owned copy, physical.
November 17, 2025
Fun fact - I’m a certified dual timeline HATER. I despise them. They almost never work for me—and yet, this one somehow worked.
Witches, sunken treasure, forbidden love, archeologist, AND a stunning setting.
I started this and finished it in less than 24 hours.
This is my first Sarah Penner book and it will not be my last. Her prose is gorgeous, she paints a lush picture that makes it easy to feel transported.
As for the dual timeline, as far as I’m concerned she’s a magician because I had no problem staying invested in both timelines and felt she really wove them together beautifully.
Definitely pick up this book if you’re a fan of…
- historical fiction
- magical realism and lighter fantasy elements
- archeologist + treasure hunts
- secrets and intrigue
- lush backdrops + vivid prose
- captivatingly woven dual timelines
- witches
- forbidden love
Thank you NetGalley and HTP Books for sending this book (eARC) for review consideration. All opinions are my own.
4.25⭐️| IG | TikTok |
Witches, sunken treasure, forbidden love, archeologist, AND a stunning setting.
I started this and finished it in less than 24 hours.
This is my first Sarah Penner book and it will not be my last. Her prose is gorgeous, she paints a lush picture that makes it easy to feel transported.
As for the dual timeline, as far as I’m concerned she’s a magician because I had no problem staying invested in both timelines and felt she really wove them together beautifully.
Definitely pick up this book if you’re a fan of…
- historical fiction
- magical realism and lighter fantasy elements
- archeologist + treasure hunts
- secrets and intrigue
- lush backdrops + vivid prose
- captivatingly woven dual timelines
- witches
- forbidden love
Thank you NetGalley and HTP Books for sending this book (eARC) for review consideration. All opinions are my own.
4.25⭐️| IG | TikTok |
March 10, 2025
Having loved my time on the Amalfi Coast, this book called to me. I've enjoyed a few of the author's other novels, and this was no exception. Sea witches from centuries ago thrive well into modern times but it's unclear how everyone is connected. Murder and revenge, dramatic tension and rivalry. The story has tons of levels, tho I struggled a bit with connecting to the characters from time to time. It comes together with some magical qualities and leaves you wanting more. Lovely balance between drama and reality, mostly falling into the ethereal and fantastical category.
June 13, 2025
"Powerful witchcraft. A hunt for sunken treasure. Forbidden love on the high seas. Beware the Amalfi Curse…"
Such an impressive mixture of two timelines, one as early as 1821 to present times. The history behind the kidnapping of four witches in the Positano Village in Italy was tense and suspenseful and I couldn't wait to find out their fate. The story centers around a woman and her forbidden lover.
Present times brings Haven, a nautical archaeologist, there to finish her dad's hunt for a mysterious shipwreck involving priceless gemstones. She started out with a team, but they canceled her plans and she decided to go it alone. This is where she meets Enzo, who owns a dive shop and their romance adds volume to the story and some mistrust. When strange occurrences began to take place, the village began to think she had something to do with it or the Amalfi Curse.
I'm not usually an ancient sorcery or magic fan but this was so interesting and addictive. I had trouble in the beginning of the audio due to its strong Italian accent and thought maybe it wasn't for me. After that the story began to flow with the beauty and landscape of the village and atmosphere.
Outstanding job by the narrators Saskia Maarleveld, Carlotta Brentan, Chris Andrew Cilulla and Eric Yang.
Such an impressive mixture of two timelines, one as early as 1821 to present times. The history behind the kidnapping of four witches in the Positano Village in Italy was tense and suspenseful and I couldn't wait to find out their fate. The story centers around a woman and her forbidden lover.
Present times brings Haven, a nautical archaeologist, there to finish her dad's hunt for a mysterious shipwreck involving priceless gemstones. She started out with a team, but they canceled her plans and she decided to go it alone. This is where she meets Enzo, who owns a dive shop and their romance adds volume to the story and some mistrust. When strange occurrences began to take place, the village began to think she had something to do with it or the Amalfi Curse.
I'm not usually an ancient sorcery or magic fan but this was so interesting and addictive. I had trouble in the beginning of the audio due to its strong Italian accent and thought maybe it wasn't for me. After that the story began to flow with the beauty and landscape of the village and atmosphere.
Outstanding job by the narrators Saskia Maarleveld, Carlotta Brentan, Chris Andrew Cilulla and Eric Yang.
January 23, 2025
I really hate writing 2 star reviews, I really do. But this book just did NOT live up to my hopes. Pirate-ship-sinking, Italian Sea Witches deserve better.💔
April 29, 2025
Available Now
I throughly enjoyed Sarah Penner’s previous books. I couldn’t wait to read this book set on the Amalfi Coast. This is a magical story that exceeded my expectations.
I loved reading books set in places that I have been. I could just imagine sitting at a restaurant looking out at the sea and drinking a lemoncello.
This story is told in dual timelines. 1821 Mari and current time Haven.
The Amalfi curse “ a nautical archaeologist searching for sunken treasure unearths a century old curse, powerful witchcraft and perilous love. “
Haven Ambrose a nautical archaeologist travels to Positano to pickup where her deceased father claims there are sunken gemstones. There is an accident where a yacht goes aground. What has happened?
1821 Mari protects Positano from intruders with her witchcraft, the legendary “stregheri”., a magical power of the sea.
The two timelines are woven together perfectly. I couldn’t put this book down.
It is perfect filled with magic, romance and even murder.
The book cover is so beautiful it just draws you in.
Take a trip to the Amalfi coast and meet Mari and Haven.
A perfect summer read.
Thank you to NetGalley and Park Row for this early readers copy.
I throughly enjoyed Sarah Penner’s previous books. I couldn’t wait to read this book set on the Amalfi Coast. This is a magical story that exceeded my expectations.
I loved reading books set in places that I have been. I could just imagine sitting at a restaurant looking out at the sea and drinking a lemoncello.
This story is told in dual timelines. 1821 Mari and current time Haven.
The Amalfi curse “ a nautical archaeologist searching for sunken treasure unearths a century old curse, powerful witchcraft and perilous love. “
Haven Ambrose a nautical archaeologist travels to Positano to pickup where her deceased father claims there are sunken gemstones. There is an accident where a yacht goes aground. What has happened?
1821 Mari protects Positano from intruders with her witchcraft, the legendary “stregheri”., a magical power of the sea.
The two timelines are woven together perfectly. I couldn’t put this book down.
It is perfect filled with magic, romance and even murder.
The book cover is so beautiful it just draws you in.
Take a trip to the Amalfi coast and meet Mari and Haven.
A perfect summer read.
Thank you to NetGalley and Park Row for this early readers copy.
May 10, 2025
4.25 stars
"Powerful witchcraft. A hunt for sunken treasure. Forbidden love on the high seas. Beware the Amalfi Curse…"
This dual timeline speculative historical fiction just may be Sarah Penner's best novel yet! I devoured this bewitching story in two days. Haven Ambrose is a nautical archeologist who travels to Positano in search of a sunken treasure trove of gems discovered by her late father. While there, some odd storms and happenings on the sea lead her to uncover a centuries old tale of stregheria - a coven of women with power over the sea. In the 1821 timeline, we learn of this power first hand.
This book has it all: strong female characters with magical powers, high seas adventure, a search for buried treasure, mystery, handsome men, romance, and a setting so descriptive that Sarah transports you to the Amalfi Coast. There are also mini cliffhangers at the end of each chapter, compelling you to keep turning the pages. The two timelines are seamlessly woven together to give you one of the best reads this summer! I highly recommend that you add this one to your beach bag! How can anyone resist that gorgeous cover?😍
"Powerful witchcraft. A hunt for sunken treasure. Forbidden love on the high seas. Beware the Amalfi Curse…"
This dual timeline speculative historical fiction just may be Sarah Penner's best novel yet! I devoured this bewitching story in two days. Haven Ambrose is a nautical archeologist who travels to Positano in search of a sunken treasure trove of gems discovered by her late father. While there, some odd storms and happenings on the sea lead her to uncover a centuries old tale of stregheria - a coven of women with power over the sea. In the 1821 timeline, we learn of this power first hand.
This book has it all: strong female characters with magical powers, high seas adventure, a search for buried treasure, mystery, handsome men, romance, and a setting so descriptive that Sarah transports you to the Amalfi Coast. There are also mini cliffhangers at the end of each chapter, compelling you to keep turning the pages. The two timelines are seamlessly woven together to give you one of the best reads this summer! I highly recommend that you add this one to your beach bag! How can anyone resist that gorgeous cover?😍
December 3, 2025
I’ll be honest: the moment I realized this book had magical realism, I had a tiny internal meltdown. That’s usually my cue to tap out. But plot twist: I actually… really liked this.
The story follows two timelines — one in the 1800s with sea witches off the coast of Positano, and one in the present day with a nautical archaeologist investigating a mysterious shipwreck. Normally dual timelines make me feel like I’ve walked into the wrong class, but here they’re surprisingly smooth and easy to follow.
There’s sunken treasure, curses, betrayals, survival, romance, and family secrets, all wrapped in gorgeous seaside atmosphere. I don’t usually get attached to books with this kind of premise, but I genuinely wanted to know what would happen to Mari and Holmes in the past, and Haven in the present.
My only real hang-up is the magical realism element — it’s done well, it’s just not my usual thing. But the book still pulled me in far more than I expected.
4 out of 5 stars — way higher than I thought I’d give it when I started. If you like coastal settings, layered timelines, and a touch of myth, this is a great pick. 🌊
The story follows two timelines — one in the 1800s with sea witches off the coast of Positano, and one in the present day with a nautical archaeologist investigating a mysterious shipwreck. Normally dual timelines make me feel like I’ve walked into the wrong class, but here they’re surprisingly smooth and easy to follow.
There’s sunken treasure, curses, betrayals, survival, romance, and family secrets, all wrapped in gorgeous seaside atmosphere. I don’t usually get attached to books with this kind of premise, but I genuinely wanted to know what would happen to Mari and Holmes in the past, and Haven in the present.
My only real hang-up is the magical realism element — it’s done well, it’s just not my usual thing. But the book still pulled me in far more than I expected.
4 out of 5 stars — way higher than I thought I’d give it when I started. If you like coastal settings, layered timelines, and a touch of myth, this is a great pick. 🌊
Read
May 15, 2025DNF at 40% — My eyes were tired of rolling
I wanted to love The Amalfi Curse - a book about sea witches, Italy, scuba diving, shipwrecks!? Sign. Me. Up.
But, alas, the sheer volume of historical inaccuracies and implausibilities made it impossible for me to finish. In an era where fact-checking is as easy as asking AI, I have very little patience for glaring impossibilities like these—especially in a published book that presumably passed through the hands of paid editors.
Historical timeline issues abound:
• Dialogue is littered with words and phrases that simply wouldn’t have existed in 1820, including organism, polar bear, Arctic, and police (used in a modern sense).
• Characters refer to mailing addresses and sending letters as if a working-class woman in 1820 Positano would casually hand her address to someone and expect mail to be delivered to her door. That’s not remotely how the postal system worked back then.
• Revolvers are used repeatedly—despite not being invented until 15 years after the timeline in the book. Even if the revolver had technically been invented, there were strict weapons regulations in the Kingdom of the Two Sicilies, especially for lower-class civilians. Random fisherman of Posita I wouldn’t all just casually have revolvers at their homes.
• Two teenage girls are said to scrub fish guts off the dock at midnight as part of their job. Not only is this historically implausible, but it’s also absurd within the context of gender roles and safety norms of the time.
Character inconsistencies and social implausibilities:
• Mari and her friends—including young children—are out on the beach at 4 a.m. looking for “trinkets,” and their families barely blink. Her father and fiancé are already awake and act like this is completely normal behavior for unchaperoned women and children in 1820s Positano?
• She owns and sails a boat with other women and children, and no men find this unusual? This strains credulity.
• There’s no explanation for how Mari and the other women are able to read and write—despite extremely low female literacy rates at the time.
• Her home is called a “villa,” even though the family has no notable wealth or status, and Positano was a relatively poor fishing village in that era.
• Mari is engaged to a man from Rome who’s supposedly wildly wealthy and high-status. But why then would such a man be courting a woman with no dowry, no title, and no social leverage?
The fantasy elements don’t even hold up internally:
• The men supposedly don’t know about the existence of the Strega, but somehow Mari’s father manages to marry two of them? When there are only about a dozen in the entire village and maybe 1-2 of an age he could marry.
• Why are their husbands and sons “not allowed” to know about the Strega’s powers in the first place? There’s no credible explanation for this secrecy beyond “just go with it.”
• And by the way—you can’t eat olives straight off the tree. They’re incredibly bitter and inedible without processing.
This book felt like historical fiction written by someone who loves the aesthetic but didn’t care enough to research the reality. A beautiful setting and a good premise can’t save a story this riddled with inconsistencies
I wanted to love The Amalfi Curse - a book about sea witches, Italy, scuba diving, shipwrecks!? Sign. Me. Up.
But, alas, the sheer volume of historical inaccuracies and implausibilities made it impossible for me to finish. In an era where fact-checking is as easy as asking AI, I have very little patience for glaring impossibilities like these—especially in a published book that presumably passed through the hands of paid editors.
Historical timeline issues abound:
• Dialogue is littered with words and phrases that simply wouldn’t have existed in 1820, including organism, polar bear, Arctic, and police (used in a modern sense).
• Characters refer to mailing addresses and sending letters as if a working-class woman in 1820 Positano would casually hand her address to someone and expect mail to be delivered to her door. That’s not remotely how the postal system worked back then.
• Revolvers are used repeatedly—despite not being invented until 15 years after the timeline in the book. Even if the revolver had technically been invented, there were strict weapons regulations in the Kingdom of the Two Sicilies, especially for lower-class civilians. Random fisherman of Posita I wouldn’t all just casually have revolvers at their homes.
• Two teenage girls are said to scrub fish guts off the dock at midnight as part of their job. Not only is this historically implausible, but it’s also absurd within the context of gender roles and safety norms of the time.
Character inconsistencies and social implausibilities:
• Mari and her friends—including young children—are out on the beach at 4 a.m. looking for “trinkets,” and their families barely blink. Her father and fiancé are already awake and act like this is completely normal behavior for unchaperoned women and children in 1820s Positano?
• She owns and sails a boat with other women and children, and no men find this unusual? This strains credulity.
• There’s no explanation for how Mari and the other women are able to read and write—despite extremely low female literacy rates at the time.
• Her home is called a “villa,” even though the family has no notable wealth or status, and Positano was a relatively poor fishing village in that era.
• Mari is engaged to a man from Rome who’s supposedly wildly wealthy and high-status. But why then would such a man be courting a woman with no dowry, no title, and no social leverage?
The fantasy elements don’t even hold up internally:
• The men supposedly don’t know about the existence of the Strega, but somehow Mari’s father manages to marry two of them? When there are only about a dozen in the entire village and maybe 1-2 of an age he could marry.
• Why are their husbands and sons “not allowed” to know about the Strega’s powers in the first place? There’s no credible explanation for this secrecy beyond “just go with it.”
• And by the way—you can’t eat olives straight off the tree. They’re incredibly bitter and inedible without processing.
This book felt like historical fiction written by someone who loves the aesthetic but didn’t care enough to research the reality. A beautiful setting and a good premise can’t save a story this riddled with inconsistencies
June 17, 2025
The first time I heard of the strega was through Tommie de Paola's children's book Strega Noona. Although this Strega, Noona, had nothing to do with the sea, but the Strege in Sarah's Penner's story sure do.
Initially, we meet Haven Ambrose, a nautical archaeologist,who arrives at the gorgeous town of Positano searching for shipwrecks and their possible treasure, following in her father's footsteps.
She meets obstacles but is still fascinated with both the wrecks and the strange story of a magical group of women, who were supposedly able to control the sea.
The streghe, all red headed women, is the story we travel back to 1891 as Mari tries to protect her town of Positano from men who are trying to kidnap the strenghe. This is where magical realism takes hold and puts us on a journey with evil men who want the power of these witches.
The two lines of this story blend the beauty of Positano with both legend and a modern day fearless woman. It's also a love story perfect for its beauty of the Amalfi region.
Will Haven be successful in her quest, and will the witchcraft of Mari and others travel down to the present day?
I can attest to the Amalfi region and its beauty (and the steps it takes to go anywhere!) as my husband and I were able to spend a week there.
Initially, we meet Haven Ambrose, a nautical archaeologist,who arrives at the gorgeous town of Positano searching for shipwrecks and their possible treasure, following in her father's footsteps.
She meets obstacles but is still fascinated with both the wrecks and the strange story of a magical group of women, who were supposedly able to control the sea.
The streghe, all red headed women, is the story we travel back to 1891 as Mari tries to protect her town of Positano from men who are trying to kidnap the strenghe. This is where magical realism takes hold and puts us on a journey with evil men who want the power of these witches.
The two lines of this story blend the beauty of Positano with both legend and a modern day fearless woman. It's also a love story perfect for its beauty of the Amalfi region.
Will Haven be successful in her quest, and will the witchcraft of Mari and others travel down to the present day?
I can attest to the Amalfi region and its beauty (and the steps it takes to go anywhere!) as my husband and I were able to spend a week there.
May 1, 2025
Happy publication day 🥳🎉🎧
Oh no! I hate when I come to review and I’m a very clear outlier. So while my review is an honest one, before I begin let me say that I’ve struggled to settle to anything in the last couple of days, so it really could be a me thing this time.
I absolutely hoovered up The Lost Apothecary by the author, and I had almost forgotten that this title was sitting on my NetGalley shelf, so when I realised and made the connection I was desperate to get started. It had everything that should’ve worked perfectly for me, a beautiful setting, a dual timeline, a longing to discover secrets from the past and a little bit of witchcraft. Sadly I was quite shocked when I realised I was almost 50 % in and nothing seemed to have happened and with no real clue as to where we were heading, nothing connecting me to the characters past or present, or I hate to say any real interest in the connection between present and past.
It wasn’t really until the 70% that I felt I could get invested in the story, for me that seemed far too late, however I really loved the ending which is what essentially made me round up from 2 to 3 🌟
The narration was nice, I’m quite sad this didn’t work very well for me.
Huge thanks to W. F. Howes Ltd via NetGalley for the opportunity to review this ALC 🎧
Oh no! I hate when I come to review and I’m a very clear outlier. So while my review is an honest one, before I begin let me say that I’ve struggled to settle to anything in the last couple of days, so it really could be a me thing this time.
I absolutely hoovered up The Lost Apothecary by the author, and I had almost forgotten that this title was sitting on my NetGalley shelf, so when I realised and made the connection I was desperate to get started. It had everything that should’ve worked perfectly for me, a beautiful setting, a dual timeline, a longing to discover secrets from the past and a little bit of witchcraft. Sadly I was quite shocked when I realised I was almost 50 % in and nothing seemed to have happened and with no real clue as to where we were heading, nothing connecting me to the characters past or present, or I hate to say any real interest in the connection between present and past.
It wasn’t really until the 70% that I felt I could get invested in the story, for me that seemed far too late, however I really loved the ending which is what essentially made me round up from 2 to 3 🌟
The narration was nice, I’m quite sad this didn’t work very well for me.
Huge thanks to W. F. Howes Ltd via NetGalley for the opportunity to review this ALC 🎧
June 13, 2025
Two timelines, one beautiful coastline along with the legend of stregheria makes for one very intriguing novel.
In both timelines, we meet two very strong women. In 1812, Mari, a practicing strega( sea witch) uses her magic to keep the small island town of Positano safe from bad weather and pirates. The town has enjoyed prosperity for many years until Mari becomes entangled with the Mazza family who wants to use her magic for their own advantages. In present day, we meet Haven, who is on a secretly funded project to photograph some shipwrecks of the coast, as Amalfi has tons of them to explore. Before she can get started, a tragedy occurs on the sea as well as Mount Vesuvius is threatening to erupt. Doesn’t sound like a very good day to go underwater diving. Is there something behind all of these coincidences of tragedy?
As if that wasn’t enough, there is hidden love and romance, along with retrieved diaries. All combined, you have a very intriguing story of romance, magical realism, and historical fiction. Maybe give this one to try and see if its magical spell could win you over. As for me, I’m definitely going to be checking out some of the authors previous novels.
In both timelines, we meet two very strong women. In 1812, Mari, a practicing strega( sea witch) uses her magic to keep the small island town of Positano safe from bad weather and pirates. The town has enjoyed prosperity for many years until Mari becomes entangled with the Mazza family who wants to use her magic for their own advantages. In present day, we meet Haven, who is on a secretly funded project to photograph some shipwrecks of the coast, as Amalfi has tons of them to explore. Before she can get started, a tragedy occurs on the sea as well as Mount Vesuvius is threatening to erupt. Doesn’t sound like a very good day to go underwater diving. Is there something behind all of these coincidences of tragedy?
As if that wasn’t enough, there is hidden love and romance, along with retrieved diaries. All combined, you have a very intriguing story of romance, magical realism, and historical fiction. Maybe give this one to try and see if its magical spell could win you over. As for me, I’m definitely going to be checking out some of the authors previous novels.
December 4, 2025
A delightful tale of the sea, Italy, and long, lost secrets of a fishing village in the 1820s and the current day.
I’ve always been a fan of dual timelines and I find that often the older timeline is better than the modern timeline, but, for me, Ms. Penner handles both timelines wonderfully… and maybe the current timeline is a bit stronger. IMHO.
This adventurous novel features two main characters— Mari and Haven. I’ll be honest, I wasn’t a big fan of Mari in the beginning. She seemed selfish and felt sorry for herself, but you soon learn how difficult her life has been since she lost her mother. Yes, as her story unfolds (and Haven’s begins), I began to understand how brilliantly the author turns the tides on the plot and our 18th century heroine (hey, it’s about the sea, I had to get at least one pun in here). About a 1/3 of the way in, I was hooked! Managed to read this book in just a few sittings.
Highly recommend for historical fiction fans, lovers of Italy (Positano has shot right up on my travel bucket list) and lost treasure. And I’ll admit it’s about the power of women, to some extent, and I’m also a big fan of that too! Can’t wait to find out what Penner turns her imagination to next.
(Reviewed 9/23/25)
I’ve always been a fan of dual timelines and I find that often the older timeline is better than the modern timeline, but, for me, Ms. Penner handles both timelines wonderfully… and maybe the current timeline is a bit stronger. IMHO.
This adventurous novel features two main characters— Mari and Haven. I’ll be honest, I wasn’t a big fan of Mari in the beginning. She seemed selfish and felt sorry for herself, but you soon learn how difficult her life has been since she lost her mother. Yes, as her story unfolds (and Haven’s begins), I began to understand how brilliantly the author turns the tides on the plot and our 18th century heroine (hey, it’s about the sea, I had to get at least one pun in here). About a 1/3 of the way in, I was hooked! Managed to read this book in just a few sittings.
Highly recommend for historical fiction fans, lovers of Italy (Positano has shot right up on my travel bucket list) and lost treasure. And I’ll admit it’s about the power of women, to some extent, and I’m also a big fan of that too! Can’t wait to find out what Penner turns her imagination to next.
(Reviewed 9/23/25)
May 21, 2025
ChatGPT: write me a book about Italian sea witches and scuba divers… set half of it in 1820 for reasons, but don’t do any research into 1820s Italy. Also, make it a romance - just leave out anything romantic and keep the characters as one dimensional as possible.
Honestly wonder how this got published in its current state. Clearly the author has a better publicist than editor.
Honestly wonder how this got published in its current state. Clearly the author has a better publicist than editor.
Read
June 19, 2025Dnf @ 65%
I kept waiting and waiting for something to happen and at this point, I’m done waiting.
I kept waiting and waiting for something to happen and at this point, I’m done waiting.
September 25, 2025
“Greedy pirates went for all kinds of loot. Hungry pirates went for nets full of fish. Lustful pirates went for the women.”
― Sarah Penner, The Amalfi Curse
I drank this book down, like a warm and delicious margarita! Only it was better! And that’s saying something because I love a good margarita and sangria!
So I came to find out about this author because I read her short story, The conjurers wife. I fell in love with the story, so I pre-ordered this, but only just read it over the weekend.
What a find! And what an absolutely mystical, delicious, stunningly gorgeous book.
So if you’re wondering if this book is for you – look closely.
Do you like historical fiction? Check.
Do you like gorgeous melancholy stories that take place on the Amalfi coast of Italy? Check.
Do you like to read about the present and the past? Check.
Are you beguiled by sirens? Do they call to YOU? Check, check check and check.
So I devoured this book and read it in one sitting. I was really nervous about reading it because frankly, I thought it might be a little too cozy for me. I do not like cozy mysteries. I love eerie and sea rippling stories like this.
The story is about a bunch of young women descended from sirens. They all live on an island with other people who do not have the siren ancestry.
The girls all have red hair – long, luscious red hair, and all have to hide their powers from the men lest said powers lead to suspicion.
The narrator for the past is Mary, and boy or boy is she something!
But we also have a fascinating mystery going on in the present.
Haven must have the most exciting job I’ve ever come across. She’s an ocean researcher, and she has come to Amalfi to do a research project in the sea.
All roads will lead to the Amalfi curse .
What is the curse and how does it link Haven of the present and Mary of the past together?
This was so damn good. It’s like sitting in the tropical moonlight, drinking sangria – there I go again !! – and eating a delicious meal, while tropical stars shine down on you.
I will admit it was a little slow to start, and I will also say the book depressed me for a few reasons. It’s very dark so I was a little baffled by people saying this was a light summer read because I didn’t find anything light about this I have to say.
I mean before you even get to 20% there’s been a lot of pain. Also, was a real downer when the book ended, so I guess that’s the sign of a great book.
I have to say, I differ from a lot of this book’s reviewers because as much as I like Mary, I like Haven better!
I thought Haven was a bad ass, and I loved her strong sense of self, her vitality, and her feisty independence. I really enjoyed following along on her adventure, and I found myself getting more and more invested on how everything worked out for her.
There’s a book called the Wicked deep that I read several years back. That’s the gold standard for me as far as eerie books about sirens.
I’ve been looking for a book like that one and this is the closest I’ve come to finding it.
SPOILERS:
I really really enjoyed the ending. I was pleasantly surprised by it too. I really thought it would have an awful ending! I did not see the twist coming.
This book has everything I love in a book. It’s got history. It’s got gutsy adventure and it’s got really strong characterizations. It’s also the first full book. I’ve read in a couple of months, I’ve been reading a lot of short stories lately.
So I would give this a strong 4.5 stars and would definitely recommend it.
― Sarah Penner, The Amalfi Curse
I drank this book down, like a warm and delicious margarita! Only it was better! And that’s saying something because I love a good margarita and sangria!
So I came to find out about this author because I read her short story, The conjurers wife. I fell in love with the story, so I pre-ordered this, but only just read it over the weekend.
What a find! And what an absolutely mystical, delicious, stunningly gorgeous book.
So if you’re wondering if this book is for you – look closely.
Do you like historical fiction? Check.
Do you like gorgeous melancholy stories that take place on the Amalfi coast of Italy? Check.
Do you like to read about the present and the past? Check.
Are you beguiled by sirens? Do they call to YOU? Check, check check and check.
So I devoured this book and read it in one sitting. I was really nervous about reading it because frankly, I thought it might be a little too cozy for me. I do not like cozy mysteries. I love eerie and sea rippling stories like this.
The story is about a bunch of young women descended from sirens. They all live on an island with other people who do not have the siren ancestry.
The girls all have red hair – long, luscious red hair, and all have to hide their powers from the men lest said powers lead to suspicion.
The narrator for the past is Mary, and boy or boy is she something!
But we also have a fascinating mystery going on in the present.
Haven must have the most exciting job I’ve ever come across. She’s an ocean researcher, and she has come to Amalfi to do a research project in the sea.
All roads will lead to the Amalfi curse .
What is the curse and how does it link Haven of the present and Mary of the past together?
This was so damn good. It’s like sitting in the tropical moonlight, drinking sangria – there I go again !! – and eating a delicious meal, while tropical stars shine down on you.
I will admit it was a little slow to start, and I will also say the book depressed me for a few reasons. It’s very dark so I was a little baffled by people saying this was a light summer read because I didn’t find anything light about this I have to say.
I mean before you even get to 20% there’s been a lot of pain. Also, was a real downer when the book ended, so I guess that’s the sign of a great book.
I have to say, I differ from a lot of this book’s reviewers because as much as I like Mary, I like Haven better!
I thought Haven was a bad ass, and I loved her strong sense of self, her vitality, and her feisty independence. I really enjoyed following along on her adventure, and I found myself getting more and more invested on how everything worked out for her.
There’s a book called the Wicked deep that I read several years back. That’s the gold standard for me as far as eerie books about sirens.
I’ve been looking for a book like that one and this is the closest I’ve come to finding it.
SPOILERS:
I really really enjoyed the ending. I was pleasantly surprised by it too. I really thought it would have an awful ending! I did not see the twist coming.
This book has everything I love in a book. It’s got history. It’s got gutsy adventure and it’s got really strong characterizations. It’s also the first full book. I’ve read in a couple of months, I’ve been reading a lot of short stories lately.
So I would give this a strong 4.5 stars and would definitely recommend it.
January 19, 2025
Witches, magic, the sea, kidnapping, murder, and romance, what more could you ask for in a novel! I thoroughly enjoyed this dual timeline novel that takes place on the Amalfi Coast in the early 1800s and present day.
Mari is a streghe or sea witch in Positano. Mari and other women from her village use the power of the sea to protect their village and help them be prosperous. The only problem is Mari hates the sea and wants to leave her village. The sea took her mother and sister and she no longer wants any part of it. She has a plan to escape and find happiness when things go horribly wrong. In the present day, Haven is an underwater archaeologist. She has been exploring sunken ships since she was a little kid with her father. Before her father's death he thought he found a big find that might include treasure. Haven is determined to continue his legacy and find that treasure. What she does not expect is that bad weather will derail her plans and she will be thrown on course to solve a two hundred year old mystery.
First of all, the cover of this book is gorgeous and I felt like that tied in perfectly to the fantastic setting of this novel. I loved that the main character was an archaeologist and I really enjoyed reading about what she was doing. I also loved the underlying message in this book about women having power. I liked that Mari was part of a coven that had power and did what they could to help others. My favorite part of this book was how the author tied everything together weaving in mystery, action and romance. It was a fantastic book and I look forward to reading more by this author!
Thank you to Park Row/Harlequin Trade Publishing and NetGalley for this ARC.
Mari is a streghe or sea witch in Positano. Mari and other women from her village use the power of the sea to protect their village and help them be prosperous. The only problem is Mari hates the sea and wants to leave her village. The sea took her mother and sister and she no longer wants any part of it. She has a plan to escape and find happiness when things go horribly wrong. In the present day, Haven is an underwater archaeologist. She has been exploring sunken ships since she was a little kid with her father. Before her father's death he thought he found a big find that might include treasure. Haven is determined to continue his legacy and find that treasure. What she does not expect is that bad weather will derail her plans and she will be thrown on course to solve a two hundred year old mystery.
First of all, the cover of this book is gorgeous and I felt like that tied in perfectly to the fantastic setting of this novel. I loved that the main character was an archaeologist and I really enjoyed reading about what she was doing. I also loved the underlying message in this book about women having power. I liked that Mari was part of a coven that had power and did what they could to help others. My favorite part of this book was how the author tied everything together weaving in mystery, action and romance. It was a fantastic book and I look forward to reading more by this author!
Thank you to Park Row/Harlequin Trade Publishing and NetGalley for this ARC.
May 21, 2025
Haven is a nautical archaeologist who has come to Positano to investigate shipwrecks. Her late father had also dived and searched in this area, and he left her information about gemstones he had seen; however, he died suddenly before being able to extract them. Haven’s arrival is coinciding with some strange occurrences, a pleasure ship’s sinking, etc. strange weather and volcanic occurrences are being reported also, and those sponsoring the dive replace her team with a more experienced one. Haven isn’t leaving so quickly though…
In a separate timeline we meet a woman from the past, and her lover. Some of the women in the village have a mysterious magical ability to manipulate the sea, called stregheria. It’s been a closely held secret, but as some men discover this power, they try to take advantage of it. Haven learns pieces of the past and how the area is in danger because of the curse and powers.
I admit I had some difficulty getting into the book at first. The past timeline was harder for me to connect with, and going between the timelines, it look me a bit to fully engage. Once I read/listened to more about Haven though, the book became very interesting and the past and present timelines balanced each other. I found it entertaining and really enjoyed the gorgeous setting as well as the mysticism.
In a separate timeline we meet a woman from the past, and her lover. Some of the women in the village have a mysterious magical ability to manipulate the sea, called stregheria. It’s been a closely held secret, but as some men discover this power, they try to take advantage of it. Haven learns pieces of the past and how the area is in danger because of the curse and powers.
I admit I had some difficulty getting into the book at first. The past timeline was harder for me to connect with, and going between the timelines, it look me a bit to fully engage. Once I read/listened to more about Haven though, the book became very interesting and the past and present timelines balanced each other. I found it entertaining and really enjoyed the gorgeous setting as well as the mysticism.
April 30, 2025
It took me ten days to read The Amalfi Curse by Sarah Penner. Normally, I can really a book in one to three days, so when it takes me over a week because I never want to pick it up, that says a lot.
Like with her first book, The Lost Apothecary, I found myself much more interested in the timeline set in the past. In The Amalfi Curse, that’s with Mari and Holmes in the 1800’s- a time filled with sea witches, curses, murder, and revenge. If the story had been completely set in this timeline, told through only Mari and Holmes’ perspectives, I think I would have enjoyed this story a lot more.
Haven’s storyline in the present-day moved much slower and I never really felt interested in it. I was initially excited to see what Haven would discover while searching for sunken shipwrecks along the Amalfi coast and how it connected to Mari’s story, but felt rather frustrated by the end.
And though I enjoyed finding out how Mari’s story ended, the rest of what Haven discovered was quite a let down. In fact, her entire story was a bit of a letdown. Oftentimes, it felt like she was just summarizing what I had already learned in Mari’s chapters. Other times, her story just felt like filler.
I had such high hopes for this story and so I’m really disappointed I didn’t love it. If Haven’s storyline had been omitted and Mari and Holmes’ storylines had been developed more, The Amalfi Curse could have been a much stronger story and much more enjoyable.
Thank you Harlequin Trade Publishing | Park Row for an early NetGalley copy of The Amalfi Curse. All thoughts expressed in this review are my own.
2 out of 5 ⭐️⭐️
Like with her first book, The Lost Apothecary, I found myself much more interested in the timeline set in the past. In The Amalfi Curse, that’s with Mari and Holmes in the 1800’s- a time filled with sea witches, curses, murder, and revenge. If the story had been completely set in this timeline, told through only Mari and Holmes’ perspectives, I think I would have enjoyed this story a lot more.
Haven’s storyline in the present-day moved much slower and I never really felt interested in it. I was initially excited to see what Haven would discover while searching for sunken shipwrecks along the Amalfi coast and how it connected to Mari’s story, but felt rather frustrated by the end.
And though I enjoyed finding out how Mari’s story ended, the rest of what Haven discovered was quite a let down. In fact, her entire story was a bit of a letdown. Oftentimes, it felt like she was just summarizing what I had already learned in Mari’s chapters. Other times, her story just felt like filler.
I had such high hopes for this story and so I’m really disappointed I didn’t love it. If Haven’s storyline had been omitted and Mari and Holmes’ storylines had been developed more, The Amalfi Curse could have been a much stronger story and much more enjoyable.
Thank you Harlequin Trade Publishing | Park Row for an early NetGalley copy of The Amalfi Curse. All thoughts expressed in this review are my own.
2 out of 5 ⭐️⭐️
June 21, 2025
Well this was fun - Had it all! The glory of Positano, Italy. Powerful women sea witches. A love story. Sunken treasure. A woman in this timeline who is mourning the death of her father and is also at the mercy of powerful men. Another love story. The perfect quickie summer read. A delight for the senses.
June 9, 2025
Welcome to The Amalfi Coast. 🍋 ⛵️
Magic, buried treasure and a little dose of love, add the backdrop of Italy and limoncello. You have a perfect setting. May I add what a great summer read this was!!A book that doesn’t ask you to figure everything out but rather to sit back and enjoy all the “bits”.
This is told is dual timelines. The late 1700s and the sinking of an infamous ship, and in the now timeline of diving through the wreckage. Haven Ambrose, a nautical archeologist finds herself on this dive trying to find mysterious wreckage after her father’s sudden passing. Her dive is suddenly cancelled and yet she finds herself embarking on a story of legends, magic and ancestry secrets. All that leaves her feeling that the treasure may not be the most important part, but rather the past can predict the future.
I have read SP’s, The Lost Apothecary, and really enjoyed that as well. Not my usual genre, but sometimes you need something refreshing. 🍹 This delivered on all fronts.
Magic, buried treasure and a little dose of love, add the backdrop of Italy and limoncello. You have a perfect setting. May I add what a great summer read this was!!A book that doesn’t ask you to figure everything out but rather to sit back and enjoy all the “bits”.
This is told is dual timelines. The late 1700s and the sinking of an infamous ship, and in the now timeline of diving through the wreckage. Haven Ambrose, a nautical archeologist finds herself on this dive trying to find mysterious wreckage after her father’s sudden passing. Her dive is suddenly cancelled and yet she finds herself embarking on a story of legends, magic and ancestry secrets. All that leaves her feeling that the treasure may not be the most important part, but rather the past can predict the future.
I have read SP’s, The Lost Apothecary, and really enjoyed that as well. Not my usual genre, but sometimes you need something refreshing. 🍹 This delivered on all fronts.
June 27, 2025
Super, super boring. It’s supposed to be a historical-romance-fantasy, but I don’t think it did justice to any of the genres. The romance gave nothing. And Haven was just so unnecessary.
It’s not clocking to me how a book with such a beautiful cover can be so disappointing. Also, where’s the treasure that I was promised?
It’s not clocking to me how a book with such a beautiful cover can be so disappointing. Also, where’s the treasure that I was promised?
August 25, 2025
Ughhh I hate to do this and maybe this book just was not for me but it gave how do you sayyy 🧐 nothing!! It’s suppose to be a historical romance fantasy and it was not.
September 28, 2025
4.25 🌟
Mood/Seasonal Reading: summer or when on vacation
First of all this cover is stunning! Absolutely eye catching.
While the novel didn’t live up to the expectations set by such a stunning cover…it did come somewhat close.
This was a unique read I can’t say I’ve read much like it before. While I am the first to say I dislike dual timelines I think for the most part it worked here.
The author did an excellent job weaving together the past and present and stringing the reader along as we try and guess how they will eventually collide.
The magic and setting were both very vivid. The novel does a great job of keeping you sucked into its story and location for sure.
I’m a sucker for any sunken ships and treasure hunting stories so this portion of the plot was likely my favourite.
I think my biggest issue with this story is that I never felt truly connected to either of our main characters. When something bad happened I didn’t feel the same pull of emotions and I almost felt I was observing my way through the story instead of truly experiencing it. While it did a fantastic job of pulling out twist and turns I didn’t expect I think sometimes I didn’t love the directions it took. The ending was satisfying but I almost wanted more.
Overall, a very interesting, unique, and enjoyable read I can see many people giving a full 5 stars to.
Mood/Seasonal Reading: summer or when on vacation
First of all this cover is stunning! Absolutely eye catching.
While the novel didn’t live up to the expectations set by such a stunning cover…it did come somewhat close.
This was a unique read I can’t say I’ve read much like it before. While I am the first to say I dislike dual timelines I think for the most part it worked here.
The author did an excellent job weaving together the past and present and stringing the reader along as we try and guess how they will eventually collide.
The magic and setting were both very vivid. The novel does a great job of keeping you sucked into its story and location for sure.
I’m a sucker for any sunken ships and treasure hunting stories so this portion of the plot was likely my favourite.
I think my biggest issue with this story is that I never felt truly connected to either of our main characters. When something bad happened I didn’t feel the same pull of emotions and I almost felt I was observing my way through the story instead of truly experiencing it. While it did a fantastic job of pulling out twist and turns I didn’t expect I think sometimes I didn’t love the directions it took. The ending was satisfying but I almost wanted more.
Overall, a very interesting, unique, and enjoyable read I can see many people giving a full 5 stars to.
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