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Where the Etruscan Sleeps
Former archaeology student Alessia Pacini doesn’t have time for a treasure hunt—she needs to pay off her family’s debt to a predatory financier. Yet a treasure hunt is exactly what an enigmatic stranger asks her to do. At gunpoint. Faced with losing the idyllic Italian farm that’s been in her family for generations, walking away from an archaeological job, no matter how shady, isn’t an option.
Gianmarco Mariani lives under his mafia boss uncle’s thumb. A job in Italy feels like a perfect escape from the daily grind in New York City. His uncle insists there’s a hoard of treasure buried in Tuscany that belongs to the Mariani family. Gian’s assignment is find it. He’s willing to eliminate anyone who gets in the way, but Alessia, tormented by her past, is a force of nature who makes him question not only his assignment, but his loyalty to his uncle as well.
As they follow clues to a treasure buried on Alessia’s vast family property, Gian’s intrusion and Alessia’s defiance infuriate the financier. Intent on getting his hands on not just the land but also the treasure, the financier turns to violent force, and the price rises far beyond gold or artifacts. Alessia and Gian are drawn into a deadly game, and the pull between them grows as perilous as the treasure hunt itself.
Gianmarco Mariani lives under his mafia boss uncle’s thumb. A job in Italy feels like a perfect escape from the daily grind in New York City. His uncle insists there’s a hoard of treasure buried in Tuscany that belongs to the Mariani family. Gian’s assignment is find it. He’s willing to eliminate anyone who gets in the way, but Alessia, tormented by her past, is a force of nature who makes him question not only his assignment, but his loyalty to his uncle as well.
As they follow clues to a treasure buried on Alessia’s vast family property, Gian’s intrusion and Alessia’s defiance infuriate the financier. Intent on getting his hands on not just the land but also the treasure, the financier turns to violent force, and the price rises far beyond gold or artifacts. Alessia and Gian are drawn into a deadly game, and the pull between them grows as perilous as the treasure hunt itself.
304 pages, Kindle Edition
Published November 12, 2026
About the author
Cate M. Turner
5 books94 followersCate M. Turner is an author from the heart of Ohio who’s fueled by tea, wanderlust, and a passion for all things historical and linguistic. When she's not plotting her next story, you’ll find her poring over dusty archives, dreaming up her next travel adventure, or researching yet another language. Whether uncovering untold stories from the past or creating new worlds, she loves weaving together threads of mystery, archaeology, and romance. Join Cate on this adventure—she promises it’ll be steeped in intrigue and brewed to perfection!
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Displaying 1 - 4 of 4 reviews
Review of advance copy received from Author
I like to thank the author for allowing me an early ARC!
This was a really fun story! Swoony, full of Archeological bits, and suspense. Which is all good for a story about a Italian college woman who's past may have something to do with a American man with ties to the NYC mafia.
Yeah, mafia stories are always a bit of 'ehhhhh' because you gotta hold some suspension of belief. And I think that's kind of what brings the story down. I don't mind him being a part of of the mafia, I just felt the mafia bit was underdeveloped and used as a tool to get the story from one point to the other.
But you had me with the smart female who knows her ancient history, leading him around the Italian countryside trying to piece together tombs and archeological findings in her backyard. She also had a really good family, developed and important to the story.
It's a stand-alone story for sure, and I don't regret reading it. I just wish the mafia part was a bit stronger in terms of background and the overall issue of his will he or will he not deflect / abandon that side of him.
This was a really fun story! Swoony, full of Archeological bits, and suspense. Which is all good for a story about a Italian college woman who's past may have something to do with a American man with ties to the NYC mafia.
Yeah, mafia stories are always a bit of 'ehhhhh' because you gotta hold some suspension of belief. And I think that's kind of what brings the story down. I don't mind him being a part of of the mafia, I just felt the mafia bit was underdeveloped and used as a tool to get the story from one point to the other.
But you had me with the smart female who knows her ancient history, leading him around the Italian countryside trying to piece together tombs and archeological findings in her backyard. She also had a really good family, developed and important to the story.
It's a stand-alone story for sure, and I don't regret reading it. I just wish the mafia part was a bit stronger in terms of background and the overall issue of his will he or will he not deflect / abandon that side of him.
Review of advance copy received from Author
This is a review for an ARC I received, but my opinions are unbiased and entirely my own.
As a romantasy/dark romance/dystopian girlie, I decided to pick this book as an ARC with the intent of exploring something different without loosing the romantic aspect. I have made the effort to review this without spoilers, so bear with me.
The two MCs are well fleshed and complex, in a deep way, and i definitely hopped into the italian world. I loved the moral challenges that went to war in Gian.
There is a cat!
I am giving this book 4 stars.
The backstory is well built, The romance element of the book is definitely central, and It was really cute and I loved it. It is a happy ending with no spice. A few details left me slightly confused, or had to guess what was implied, which kind of took me out of the story twice, but I chose an answer and kept going. It didn't make me DNF it, so it's minor details.
Why I didn't give it 5 stars: i wish the cat would have been a part of the scenes more. I was left wanting more, lol. I wish the details mentioned before would have been laid out more clearly. Maybe it's just me that's too thick to get it, but I enjoyed the book nonetheless. Lastly, some other very minor details that don't really matter were left unresolved, but I would have preferred closure on that.
But Overall, I had a great time with this book and I think if you love romance, and a mystery that will keep you guessing until the end, you will appreciate this book. While mystery solving trope isn't my own cup of tea, i liked the book. I enjoyed both characters and the unfolding story. I'd consider this story to be more YA leaning.
As a romantasy/dark romance/dystopian girlie, I decided to pick this book as an ARC with the intent of exploring something different without loosing the romantic aspect. I have made the effort to review this without spoilers, so bear with me.
The two MCs are well fleshed and complex, in a deep way, and i definitely hopped into the italian world. I loved the moral challenges that went to war in Gian.
There is a cat!
I am giving this book 4 stars.
The backstory is well built, The romance element of the book is definitely central, and It was really cute and I loved it. It is a happy ending with no spice. A few details left me slightly confused, or had to guess what was implied, which kind of took me out of the story twice, but I chose an answer and kept going. It didn't make me DNF it, so it's minor details.
Why I didn't give it 5 stars: i wish the cat would have been a part of the scenes more. I was left wanting more, lol. I wish the details mentioned before would have been laid out more clearly. Maybe it's just me that's too thick to get it, but I enjoyed the book nonetheless. Lastly, some other very minor details that don't really matter were left unresolved, but I would have preferred closure on that.
But Overall, I had a great time with this book and I think if you love romance, and a mystery that will keep you guessing until the end, you will appreciate this book. While mystery solving trope isn't my own cup of tea, i liked the book. I enjoyed both characters and the unfolding story. I'd consider this story to be more YA leaning.
Review of advance copy received from Author
*I received a complimentary advance reader copy from the author, and this is my honest review*
Calling all the nerdy girlies who were into archaeology as kids! This one's for us.
WHERE THE ETRUSCAN SLEEPS is a treasure-hunting archeological romantic suspense that doesn't shy away from gut-punching characters again and again for an emotional and heartfelt journey that truly pays off. It's like National Treasure meets The Godfather but with an FMC a la early 2000s Anne Hathaway roles.
It's difficult to live up to The Artifact Guardians series, but Cate did it again! I am such a big fan of Cate's previous books, and ETRUSCAN holds true to all of the author's hallmarks: fast but well-paced, heart-pounding action, delightfully nerdy and totally relatable FMCs, a morally-gray MMC who is well-crafted and sooo swoony, amazing banter, characters you can empathize with, and romance that pays off. And, of course, treasure hunts and archaeology! It's evident that Cate does her research. I find it unique to be able to thoroughly enjoy a novel while also learning all these amazing historical and archaeological fun facts!
Summary: Alessia is desperate to save her historic Tuscan family farm from a crippling loan, so when she discovers clues to a long-lost family treasure buried in the countryside, she dusts off her archeology gear and sets out to find it. Her skills are rusty, though, and using them digs ups the pain of her fiancé's death. It was easier keeping those emotions entombed, but right now, saving her family's livelihood is more important than her broken heart.
Gian will do anything to a little freedom from the mob-boss uncle who raised him after his parents were brutally murdered, including taking a job halfway around the world to track down a mysterious treasure that supposedly belongs to his family. When he arrives in the Tuscan countryside, he's ready to do whatever he has to in order to make his own name, even if it turns bloody. But he's thrown off by the charming Alessia; he knows he should keep using her for his own means, except the more they work together to find the treasure, the less he wants to use her. And the less he wants to follow his uncle's orders.
As Alessia and Gian close in on the treasure, the financier her family is indebted to gets more and more aggressive with attacks on her family. Alessia and Gian must overcome loss to find what's lost, but with every sacrifice they make to gain a clue to the treasure's whereabouts, the financier and Gian's uncle get closer to destroying them and everything they love.
With accessible prose and a well-woven plot, ETRUSCAN will easily absorb readers and not let them go. The author has an amazing talent of being able to transport the reader into the Italian countryside without inundating us with info-dumping, so when we meet Alessia in Tuscany, it's beautiful and believable as we hit the ground running (literally. there's a pig chase!). Gian is rough around the edges and more than a bit dark from his mafia upbringing when we first meet him, but the moral tension and common goals between him and Alessia make their love story easy to get behind. Normally, I'm comfortable with higher levels of steam and spice, but the romance in ETRUSCAN is so well-crafted that the pay-off is even more worth-it!
I absolutely loved this book (and everything Cate writes). Pick up WHERE THE ETRUSCAN SLEEPS, steep in the countryside of Tuscany, fall in love with wounded characters just trying to do the right thing...and track down some treasure!
Calling all the nerdy girlies who were into archaeology as kids! This one's for us.
WHERE THE ETRUSCAN SLEEPS is a treasure-hunting archeological romantic suspense that doesn't shy away from gut-punching characters again and again for an emotional and heartfelt journey that truly pays off. It's like National Treasure meets The Godfather but with an FMC a la early 2000s Anne Hathaway roles.
It's difficult to live up to The Artifact Guardians series, but Cate did it again! I am such a big fan of Cate's previous books, and ETRUSCAN holds true to all of the author's hallmarks: fast but well-paced, heart-pounding action, delightfully nerdy and totally relatable FMCs, a morally-gray MMC who is well-crafted and sooo swoony, amazing banter, characters you can empathize with, and romance that pays off. And, of course, treasure hunts and archaeology! It's evident that Cate does her research. I find it unique to be able to thoroughly enjoy a novel while also learning all these amazing historical and archaeological fun facts!
Summary: Alessia is desperate to save her historic Tuscan family farm from a crippling loan, so when she discovers clues to a long-lost family treasure buried in the countryside, she dusts off her archeology gear and sets out to find it. Her skills are rusty, though, and using them digs ups the pain of her fiancé's death. It was easier keeping those emotions entombed, but right now, saving her family's livelihood is more important than her broken heart.
Gian will do anything to a little freedom from the mob-boss uncle who raised him after his parents were brutally murdered, including taking a job halfway around the world to track down a mysterious treasure that supposedly belongs to his family. When he arrives in the Tuscan countryside, he's ready to do whatever he has to in order to make his own name, even if it turns bloody. But he's thrown off by the charming Alessia; he knows he should keep using her for his own means, except the more they work together to find the treasure, the less he wants to use her. And the less he wants to follow his uncle's orders.
As Alessia and Gian close in on the treasure, the financier her family is indebted to gets more and more aggressive with attacks on her family. Alessia and Gian must overcome loss to find what's lost, but with every sacrifice they make to gain a clue to the treasure's whereabouts, the financier and Gian's uncle get closer to destroying them and everything they love.
With accessible prose and a well-woven plot, ETRUSCAN will easily absorb readers and not let them go. The author has an amazing talent of being able to transport the reader into the Italian countryside without inundating us with info-dumping, so when we meet Alessia in Tuscany, it's beautiful and believable as we hit the ground running (literally. there's a pig chase!). Gian is rough around the edges and more than a bit dark from his mafia upbringing when we first meet him, but the moral tension and common goals between him and Alessia make their love story easy to get behind. Normally, I'm comfortable with higher levels of steam and spice, but the romance in ETRUSCAN is so well-crafted that the pay-off is even more worth-it!
I absolutely loved this book (and everything Cate writes). Pick up WHERE THE ETRUSCAN SLEEPS, steep in the countryside of Tuscany, fall in love with wounded characters just trying to do the right thing...and track down some treasure!
Review of advance copy received from Author
I received a complimentary copy of 'Where the Etruscan Sleeps' as an ARC so firstly, thank you to Cate M. Turner for entrusting this book for me to review.
Honestly, I was pleasantly surprised by this book. As a lover of all things archaeology (think Indiana Jones and a touch of Romancing the Stone!), this story scratched my need for adventure and romance. The mix of an idyllic Italian town and the dangerous mafia connections makes for a thrilling ride.
The FMC, Alessia, is a former archaeology student that is feisty, but driven by her curiosity and her love/need to protect her family. The MMC, Gianmarco, is sent to Alessia's town on a mission from his mafia boss uncle. The two are likeable and Turner develops there characters well. Both have trauma in their lives which is well-written, their backstory's showing great insight into their current lives.
The book is easy to read, keeping you wanting more. There is some great research done around the Etruscan's and ancient Italy that is woven throughout the story. It is definitely Indiana Jones-esque but with a great female lead. I also loved the dual POV and enjoyed the Italian and American cross culture references throughout the book.
If you have a sense of adventure, a non-spicy slow burn with detailed descriptions (please take me to Alessia's Italian town now!), this book is for you.
I've added Turner's back catalogue to my TBR list for when my need for adventure peaks!
Honestly, I was pleasantly surprised by this book. As a lover of all things archaeology (think Indiana Jones and a touch of Romancing the Stone!), this story scratched my need for adventure and romance. The mix of an idyllic Italian town and the dangerous mafia connections makes for a thrilling ride.
The FMC, Alessia, is a former archaeology student that is feisty, but driven by her curiosity and her love/need to protect her family. The MMC, Gianmarco, is sent to Alessia's town on a mission from his mafia boss uncle. The two are likeable and Turner develops there characters well. Both have trauma in their lives which is well-written, their backstory's showing great insight into their current lives.
The book is easy to read, keeping you wanting more. There is some great research done around the Etruscan's and ancient Italy that is woven throughout the story. It is definitely Indiana Jones-esque but with a great female lead. I also loved the dual POV and enjoyed the Italian and American cross culture references throughout the book.
If you have a sense of adventure, a non-spicy slow burn with detailed descriptions (please take me to Alessia's Italian town now!), this book is for you.
I've added Turner's back catalogue to my TBR list for when my need for adventure peaks!
Displaying 1 - 4 of 4 reviews