Okay so The Amalfi Curse was NOT my usual type of book, and yet… I devoured it. Like, I thought I was just dipping a toe into something historical and a little magical and suddenly I’m elbow-deep in sea witch lore, ancient journals, underwater treasure hunts, and cursing the Mazza brothers like they wronged me personally.
This book is such a cool blend of everything—romance, mystery, history, magic, and grief all tangled up in one big, wild, beautiful story. And Sarah Penner? A witch herself, obviously. Because the way she brought Positano and the Amalfi Coast to life… I swear I could taste the salt air and limoncello. I even found myself googling stregheria after I finished because I needed to know more. That’s how deep this one got under my skin.
The dual POV/time period setup was so well done. Haven and Mari felt so different but equally compelling. Strong women making impossible choices, following their instincts, battling loss and legacy, and somehow finding love along the way? Yeah, I was in it. And let’s not forget the handsome Italian man—chef’s kiss.
This book isn’t just a story—it’s a whole experience. Emotional, adventurous, magical. And yes, I cried. In the Dark. In my bed. Twice. Maybe three times. Don’t judge me.

The Amalfi Curse by Sarah Penner reminds me that I absolutely need to read more historical fiction. From the very first line, I was captivated by the duel timelines and could not put this book down.

This book follows a coven of witches of the sea who protect the Amalfi Coast from pirates and other misfortunes and many centuries later, a female archaeologist searching for treasure from the mysterious shipwrecks along the Amalfi Coast.

Sarah pens a fast-paced, edge-of-your-seat story and I found the different perspectives from Mari, Haven, and Holmes really helped flesh out the multiple storylines at issue. With the vibrant descriptions of the Amalfi Coast, I felt as if I was in Italy, watching the story unfold as a silent bystander, but desperate to be a part of this beautiful story of love and family and what it means to fulfill your destiny.

Thank you to Harlequin for the e-ARC and for the opportunity to fall in love with historical fiction again! This one is out on 4/29 and it should definitely be on your radar!

I loved the alternating timelines of the past (witches!) and the present (treasure hunting/recovery scuba divers). I feel that I was more invested in the past storyline, but I enjoyed Sarah’s writing overall. This is the 2nd book of Sarah’s that I’ve read (I still need to read the Lost Apothecary!) and I will continue to read everything she publishes!

A transformative novel filled with twists and turns and treasure! Magic is in the coastal air with two storylines and an interesting connection for a flair of historical fantasy.

A dual timeline between the mid-1800s and present day reveals the connections between a group of sea witches and archeologist teams vying for rights to search for shipwrecks caused by mysterious phenomena. This was a really enjoyable reading experience! Romance, intrigue, and magic! Thanks to NetGalley and Harlequin Trade Publishing for the ARC!

I love Sarah Penner and have read all her books so it comes as no surprise to me that this book was another hit. It follows the story of two women separated by hundreds of years, both of whom are trying to make their way in a world of men. The messages in this book are beautiful and impactful; this story shows us how important it is to have a tribe and to know your own worth. I would highly recommend this book.

A lot of strong elements here but ultimately missing something for me. I was, however, equally invested in both the past and present storylines. 3 Stars.

The Amalfi Curse brought together bits of history and the struggles of modern archaeology in a brilliant way! This duel timeline kept me on my toes and I loved seeing how they intertwined in the end!

In the modern day, we have Haven. A woman on the brink of her largest archaeological dive to date! Her father, recently passed, taught her everything she knows… and passed along a few secrets for her to find. But everything turns almost as soon as she arrives on the Amalfi Coast. A yacht sinks out of no where where she is supposed to dive, her fathers oldest friend, or enemy, is suddenly taking everything she worked so hard for and in the middle of it she meets a handsome man who introduces his mother… and somehow she is tied into everything happening.

In the past we have Mari, a strong willed and smart woman living in Positano. She hides the secrets on the water along with many of the other women in the village. And when it is all threatened to topple down by one indiscretion, a slip up, it could cost her everything. Including the man she loves.

Mari’s story was more interesting to me than the modern story, but I enjoyed them both. It was a little slow at times, but each chapter left you wanting to know what happens next!

Overall, I plan to read more of Penner’s work and would definitely recommend this to anyone who loves a bit of history, mystery, and magic!

Told in dual timelines, the book is filled with witches, sunken treasure, forbidden love, and a truly stunning setting. Penner’s writing is excellent in this book, her prose flows and her in depth details paint a beautiful picture that makes you feel as if you’ve been transported away. The blend of magical realism and historical fiction is done really well. Penner also gives such strength to women in the underlying themes of this book. Overall this was a great read that whisks you away from real life.

Oh how I tore through this book! I started this afternoon and am finished by bedtime. I ate it up. From the first chapter with Haven I was hooked. I needed to know what came next in the story. The dual timeline was a little heavy on the historical side but it really laid the groundwork for the present day timeline and I was fully invested by the third chapter.

This book is very approachable and sits more in the land of magical realism, with everything taking place in our world with most of our rules. Magic is present via the sea witches and the is explained in ways that is logical and believable… if you can wrap your mind around believing in magic. This book is historical fiction with dual timelines, witches and magic, some sea-based treasure hunting by archaeologists, lots of tension and intrigue, and love.

I really enjoyed the love stories we are shown. The chemistry between Enzo and Haven is so much fun. I’m such a softie for a good love story. From the first dive, I was cheering them on and was hopeful they continued to get page time together throughout the book.

This was my first Sarah Penner novel and I feel I will continue to explore her work based on how approachable and enjoyable this book was. I also greatly her appreciated her writing style and her vivid descriptions that transport the reader to the locations mentioned.

Thank you to NetGalley and Harlequin Trade Publishing for giving me with an advanced copy of this book to read and provide my honest review.

Thank you to NetGalley, the author, and the Publisher for an opportunity to read this book!

The newest book from Sarah Penner takes place in Italy and follows a duel timeline, one in 1821 and the other in present day. Haven has come to Italy as leader of a dive team that will seek to catalogue underwater wrecks. She has followed in her father’s footsteps and after his untimely death has vowed to finish his life’s work.

When she arrives in Italy, strange things begin to happen, and the dormant volcano Vesuvius threatens to erupt, causing chaos and suspension of all plans. However, is this actually the case? Or is there something else afoot?

The alternate timeline follows the inhabitants of the same area in 1821, when tragedy strikes their small village. While studying this story, Haven learns that at one time there existed those that could use magic to harness water, but have they all actually disappeared? Or are they in hiding?

I did really enjoy this book but I thought it was a bit unbalanced. The story that takes place in 1821 is very cohesive, but towards the end of the book I did feel like the present day story unraveled a bit. It became less about Hazel accomplishing her goal and more about the magic, but it was still a good read nonetheless!

I’d like to thank NetGalley and Harlequin Trade Publishing for sending me an ARC of this book.

I enjoy the way Sara writes when she leaves magic into the past and the present because most of the books I’ve read from her. There’s always like a time jump and it’s a story that connects to people from the past and the present so once again we’re dealing with the past in the present, but along with sailors and magic and witches, and I loved it!! Out two main females that we are focusing on our Haven and Mari, Haven is from the present and Mari is from the past. Our main males are Enzo and Holmes. Enzo is from the present and Holmes is from the past. Haven is searching for something that requires diving into a shipwreck, that ties to the Amalfi Curse, which introduces us to Mari and Holmes. I will say every time there was a chapter and it was from Holmes‘s point of view, I ate it up!! I loved hearing from him! I know that Haven is like our main character, but I loved hearing about Mari and Holmes‘s story it is so beautiful and tragic at the same time, absolutely adored it. I also loved how in the end Haven and Enzo have their time but they did have to distance for other reasons but Haven ultimately had to do what was best for her.

The Amalfi Curse by Sarah Penner
Historical, women’s fiction
Pub day: 4/29/25
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

“Sometimes, the greatest treasure to be found is…love.” 🤍

🌊🪄💎🤿 🐠

I adored this story. It’s set in the Amalfi Coast, which I’ve had the pleasure of visiting last year. The real place is breathtaking which made the setting of this book even more beautiful to me. The setting, magic, treasure hunting, love story….all made this such a fun escape, I loved it so much! I could almost taste the salt in the air, and feel the sea’s breeze on my face.

I really enjoyed the past and present timelines and different POVs. Each kept my interest and I was racing to get back to each storyline to find out what happened next.

This is my first book by this author, and I have fallen in love with her writing. I will be reading her backlist immediately!

Thank you to @htpbooks @htpthehive and @sarahpenner for my gifted advanced copy! All thoughts and opinions are my own.

I loved this book! The lore, the diary entries, the interconnected characters, the setting, just everything was fantastic. Seeing the storyline of love being the best treasure of all play out through each characters story kept me really sucked in. Having lost my dad suddenly, I really related to Haven wanting to feel that connection to her dad and not give up on what she set out to finish on his behalf. As a parent, I really understood why Imelda and Savina felt compelled to do what they did to protect their children despite knowing the cost to themselves to do so.

The only thing keeping me from giving this a 5 star rating is that the ending felt really rushed. I wanted to see more of a conclusion to the Conrad story and have a look into Project Relic’s dives. Maybe this was left more open ended to make way for a sequel?

I haven’t stopped talking about this book since I started reading it. Do I give up reading books and go learn to scuba dive so I can go to Italy and live my mermaid dreams?!?

The Amalfi Curse is a unique blend of history, suspense, and magical realism that will keep you glued to your seat until the satisfying conclusion! It took me a few chapters to get my sea-legs in the beginning, but once the characters and settings were introduced, I was locked in and couldn't put this one down. There are two timelines, both set near Positano on the Amalfi coast. The historical timeline takes place in the 1820s and is full of maritime details, including swindling merchants, lovelorn sailors, and even witches who practice their magic in the sea. The modern timeline focuses on Haven Ambrose, a nautical archeologist, who comes to the Amalfi coast to continue her father's legacy and finish his research on shipwrecks in these turbulent waters. I loved the way the timelines ended up connecting, and the writing is beautifully done. Highly recommended if you enjoy historical suspense! Thank you to Netgalley, Harlequin/Park Row Publishers, and author Sarah Penner for the librarian preview copy.

I'm going to need a nap today and it's completely the fault of Sarah Penner. I was awake until 2:30 am finishing an ARC of her upcoming novel, THE AMALFI CURSE. Could. Not. Put. It. Down. Amalfi Coast (If you've visited, this will take you right back. If not, you'll be aching to go!). Sea witches. Dual timeline. Intrigue. Betrayal. Forbidden love (in one timeline). Maybe fated love in the other? Shipwrecks...sunken treasure...twists...turns...and OMG, what just happened??? This book has it all. I gasped. I cheered. And I turned the final page with a big ole happy smile. Pretty sure I'll be reading this one again. :)

Highly recommend!

ARC received from publisher via NetGalley.
Full review to come.

I was pleasantly surprised at how much I enjoyed this book and how the plot lines weaved together!

It took me a long while to get invested into the story with the slow beginning. But once I got interested, the story was all I could think about! The book was a quick read, easy to follow along, and sent me on a rollercoaster of emotions learning about the different characters. I loved how the characters all had their own unique journeys that were able to come together!

I will absolutely recommend this book to others!! Thank you Netgalley and the publisher for an eARC copy!

Sarah Penner casts a spell once again—this time across centuries and seas—in The Amalfi Curse, a beautifully woven tale of mystery, magic, and a little romance, all wrapped up in a haunting legend. Set against the sun-drenched cliffs and sapphire waters of Positano, this dual-timeline novel pairs modern-day ambition with historical resilience and just a touch of the supernatural.

In the present, we meet Haven, a nautical archaeologist eager to prove herself on a dream assignment. She’s not just diving for ancient treasure—she’s fulfilling a promise to her late father, one that may uncover more than she ever expected. But the waters of the Amalfi Coast hold secrets, and the so-called Amalfi Curse seems to be waiting for her.

Meanwhile, in the early 1800s, Mari—young, determined, and hiding her identity as a “strega del mare”—fights to protect her coastal town from ruthless pirates and the brutal Mazza brothers. Mari’s story hums with tension, danger, and forbidden love, all set to the rhythm of crashing waves and whispered spells.

And then there’s Holmes. Through his journal entries aboard a Mazza ship, he offers a sobering third perspective, capturing the harsh conditions of the seafaring world and the devastation caused by unchecked greed. His voice acts as a quiet bridge between the past and present, and while subtle, it adds a layer of depth that I really appreciated.

The feminist themes are beautifully interlaced throughout both timelines, highlighting the strength, determination, and sacrifices of women navigating male-dominated worlds. There’s magic here—not just in the curses and rituals, but in the way the stories of Haven and Mari echo one another across time.

My only quibble? The ending. After such an atmospheric build-up, the conclusion felt a bit too tidy and emotionally muted for my taste. I was hoping for a final splash and instead got a gentle ripple.

Still, The Amalfi Curse is a captivating read full of immersive details, rich characters, and timeless themes. If you love your historical fiction with a side of saltwater sorcery and strong-willed women, this one’s worth diving into.

I went into this book hoping for it to be a 5 star book and it did not disappoint! I had a few chapters where I was not necessarily thinking it would be that rating after all, but the overall reading experience and also how everything comes together (and I am not going to say more to not spoil the plot) made up the rating above. I liked the characters a lot and also the writing was really great! It was my first book by Sarah but I will definitely read her other 2 books as well!

The four main characters are Mari, Holmes, Haven and Enzo. Mari is strong, smart, passionate, capable - I could continue like this with a few more adjectives. I really liked how she stood up for Positano and the lengths she was willing to go to protect her city and her loved ones. Holmes is a sailor on one of the ships in the Italian seas at the time and in love with Mari. His role at first is a bit unclear but becomes clear during the progression of the plot. Haven Is a character who feels quite obliged to honour her father’s last project and see it through. She comes across as very smart and loyal to her father but also her friends and her values. I appreciated that about her. Enzo quickly becomes a friend to Haven, when she is looking for a diving partner to dive at Li Galli. He is Italian through and through, loves his family, good food and is a fun character.

I also need to say something about the cover art as well, as it is so incredibly gorgeous! I hope one day we will get a special edition of this one to put on the ‘pretty books’ shelf. Maybe, if I would need to make a comment on what I disliked a bit, I could say that the one or the other plot string here and there could have been connected with the main plots a tiny bit more, as there is the one or the other small question still left open at times. But, all in all, if you enjoy magical realism and historical fiction, do not look further and put this book on your TBR. I will recommend it to anyone who is looking for a book like this, as I really enjoyed the book and the storyline.

Thank you to netgalley and the publishers for allowing me to receive an arc!!

I’m really struggling with rating this either a 4.5 or 5 star. I absolutely adored Mari’s story and the archaeology aspect, but something about Haven during the last third, willing to black mail a certain person for a certain thing rubbed me wrong. However i support women’s rights AND women’s wrongs, so that could just be me. I am a huge history nerd and Sarah Penner has a FANTASTIC skill for merging history, romance, and enthralling stories. I do believe she is an auto buy author for me now. Especially surrounding women. This book also made me yearn to be in Italy mid-summer drinking limoncellos and overlooking the sea. One day I will make that happen.