I learned about two new topics reading this book - nautical archaeology and stregheria (magical ability to harness the sea). The story is told in two timeframes in Italy - 1821 and present day. It is a rich story with wonderfully development characters and an in-depth plot. I love this author and usually give her 5 stars, but I gave her 4 stars here, because I did not feel the "must finish" desire that I usually do when reading her work. Still, it is a fascinating and satisfying story. Thanks to NetGalley, Harlequin Trade Publishing, and Park Row for providing an ARC.

I approached The Amalfi Coast as a Sarah Penner fan (loved her first two novels) and a reader/educator who enjoys reading historical fiction set in Italy. This book didn’t disappoint; it is a gem.

First of all, the dual narrative works beautifully, weaving the two heroines narratives around an ancient mystery of sea-witches—love that concept. Both women have complex stories and are completely sympathetic, especially Mari, who touched my heart with her loving nature and self-sacrifice. Suffice it to say, I devoured the book in two days, and found the ending satisfying and fitting (I won’t say more in case any readers haven’t finished reading it). Also, I found the writing style very, very smooth, yet poetic in places, reflecting the complex nature of Italian culture.

Pros:
-the beautiful cover (it is haunting in its use of colors and shapes)
-the concise narratives of the two heroines—both of them are appealing and emotionally compelling
-the complex mystery (It unfolds slowly and carefully, then quite quickly, almost like Ms. Penner's image of the swirling seas)
-the ending

Cons:
Absolutely none

This is already one of my favorite books of Spring, 2025!

📚 ARC Review: The Amalfi Curse by Sarah Penner
Release date: April 29, 2025

Growing up I'd always wanted to be a marine biologist. I loved the idea of exploring the water, and of course hanging out with dolphins. A marine archeologist seems like another cool career, studying human history through sunken treasure. The premise of this book immediately hooked me in.

The Amalfi Curse is centered around historic treasure and the sea. This book has alternating timelines, one with the modern day FMC Haven, a marine archeologist. 1840's, Mari, a sea witch Strega, who curses unwanted sailors away from Positano, and Holmes, Mari's sailor lover.

I instantly loved the sea witches and the atmospheric storyline of Mari's family history. I liked the love/hate relationship to the sea and how this story is revealed.

Haven, the modern day FMC is looking for her late father's last unsolved treasure in the Amalfi Coast. She's dropped from Project Relic for her fathers former partner. Haven ropes in the hot local Enzo and his mom to help her solve the mystery.

I'm theory, with all of these elements I should have absolutely loved this book. But the execution is where it really misses. I was hoping for a bit more of a whimsical fantasy, or a bit more magical realism for Havens POV. It's my first book from this writer and I don't think I'm a huge fan of her writing style. The pacing and ending seem so disjointed it sort of falls flat with the third act twist. I'm not sure if parts of the ending in formatting were cut off, but it just sort of abruptly ends. I honestly wish for the build up that the ending wasn't so rushed. It really was going to be 4⭐s until that part.

This might be for you if you like quick, contemporary litfic with a bit of suspense and some witchy elements, and you're not too heavily invested in lore or fantasy, and you like HEA.

Thank you to Netgalley for the ARC.

Rating: 3.5⭐'s

#netgalley #amalficurse

I love Sara Penner’s books. The way she weaves her storytelling draws me in immediately. The Amalfi Curse has romance, magic and more. The story was interesting and haunting. It had me thinking about it even after finishing.

*****Publishing April 29, 2025*****

Sarah Penner explores the Amalfi Curse in her latest dual timeline book. The book begins in 1821 with the use of witchcraft by sea witches to hunt for treasure and help protect them and their community from pirates or unknown ships. When one of their own is kidnapped, will the sea witches be able to find her? This book alternates to the present day with Haven and her team of nautical archaeologists seeking to find the hidden treasure from ship wrecks off the Amalfi Coast. Haven is trying to finish out what her father hadn’t accomplished. Can she find what she came looking for, or will this project be cursed?

This book will definitely take you on an adventure! It has a little bit of everything from witchcraft to thrilling adventures, to romance, which makes it entertaining and will keep you turning the pages! I love how Sarah Penner connects the historical part of the story to the present day! A great book for book clubs as it will lead to many great discussions!

Thanks to Harlequin Trade Publishing (Park Row), I was provided an ARC The Amalfi Curse by Sarah Penner via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

Haven is a nautical archeologist who is researching shipwrecks after the death of her father, who left behind clues to a treasure he documented but couldn't recover before his passing. This leads her to Positano and the site of a numerous shipwrecks, which leads locals to believe the area is cursed. During her search, Haven uncovers the story of Mari, a sea witch, and her lover Holmes, whose points of view we read alongside Haven's.
I loved this book. Once I got familiar with the characters, it was hard for me to put down. The book has romance, mystery, some historical fiction, and a hint of fantasy. I also enjoyed seeing Haven's research process during her dives. The ending left me wanting more. I was sad when this book ended!

I was so excited to read this book and it did not disappoint. I was hooked from the beginning and the writing is so descriptive i felt like I was in Amalfi on the coast!

Thank you so so much for this eARC. I adored The Lost Apothecary and knew that I needed to read this too. I love Penner's writing and how easily you are sucked into the story. I couldn't put it down.
I love the dual timeline, multiple POV of the sailor, the sea witch, and the current day diver. I always can't to see how her stories intersect at the end. The Italian setting was so atmospheric and made me feel like I was there, which to be honest, I wish I was.
I can't wait to read her next ones.

I was immediately sucked right into the book and loved the many layers it had and the timelines. This is magic realism at its best! Sarah Penner is an author I have read and enjoyed her books, but now she is at a whole new level of amazing with the Amalfi Curse. The timelines blended perfectly with the story of Mari and the sea witches , which was fascinating, as was the nautical aspect in, Haven's, timeline. From the beginning scene I wanted to learn more about their story and this book was so perfectly done! Historical Fiction is a favorite genre of mine, and this just took it to a whole new level with Jenner's writing and characters!

I really enjoyed this book, told through three different perspectives. It’s a story of community and relationships, with just the right bit of romance! Fun to read!

The Amalfi Curse
By Sarah Penner
Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Book of year: 06
Favorite Quote:
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.

First and foremost, thank you NetGalley and Harlequin Trade Publishing for the opportunity to read this ARC.
Sarah Penner delivers yet another masterpiece with The Amalfi Curse—a compelling, enchanting, and truly magical tale. The story weaves between two captivating timelines: Mari DeLuca, a Streghe in the 1820s, and Haven Ambrose, a modern-day nautical archaeologist.
One of my favorite aspects of this book, much like The Lost Apothecary, is how the narratives eventually intertwine. This storytelling approach has recently captured my imagination, adding depth and intrigue to the reading experience.
The Amalfi Curse was everything I hoped for and more—highly anticipated by both myself and a few friends. I can’t wait to see it on the shelves of my library, especially to admire its cover in person (I’m an absolute sucker for a stunning book cover!).

A story that starts with witches in Italy and ends with an entire area of sunken ships that locals say carries the "Amalfi Curse." Perfect for fans of light fantasy/magical realism and strong female characters.

Mari hates the sea, she always has, ever since it stole her mother and her sister from her. She can't wait to escape, but also can't help but feel guilty leaving. As a streghe, it's her duty to protect this island, but her heart isn't in it anymore. Promised to a man her father has chosen, but in love with another, she plans to flee and start over somewhere far from the sea. When they carelessly perform a spell in the open one night, someone sees, and the world as Mari knows it is forever changed.

Haven is about to start the project of a lifetime, an underwater research project with her own team in Positano. She's been planning for a long time and it makes it even more important since this is the last place her father dove before he died. He found something he wanted her to find and she can't help feeling like this is her only chance. When a yacht sinks and 8 people die, it kicks off a series of events that changes everything. What will she find if she keeps digging?

At times, this book was suspenseful and it made me nervous for Haven and Mari, in separate timelines. There were a lot of different appeal factors in this book. Dual timelines, even pacing, strong female leads...

Thank you to netgalley and the publisher for an ARC to review. ,

This is the best book she's written yet!!! Every character was so vibrant and had so much depth. The story was beautifully written across two different timelines, with absolutely no confusion. The parallels between the stories in each timeline were subtle but impactful. This book is going to stick with me for a long time. Will definitely be re-reading someday.

Sarah Penner has a fantastic ability of being able to intertwine the lives of women over dual timelines, I always love how she blends historical fiction, with the present day and a touch of magic realism.

The Amalfi Curse follows present day Haven who is a nautical archeologist following in her father’s footsteps. He was a treasure hunter who came upon a huge discovery just before passing away, so Haven has travelled with her team to the Amalfi coast in order to retrieve her dads found treasure.

Set in the 1800s we have sea witches, a small number of women living in a cozy coastal town who have abilities in which they can manipulate the ocean.

Over the span of the book you’ll see how these timelines intersect and how all the events of the past are causing an effect in present day.

Overall I enjoyed reading, some aspects of the beginning felt a little too slow burn for me but I still had fun reading.

Read if you like:
Coastal towns
Treasure hunting
Multiple timelines
Women focussed experiences
Curses and magical abilities
Unexplained mysteries

Thank you to HTP and Sarah Penner for the EARC!

Publish date: April 29th 2025

What a fun book! I have to admit - the cover definitely drew me in, and then when I found out that it had to do with sea witches... well, hook, line and sinker! Mari's story is incredibly compelling and keeps up at a really nice pace. The modern story is more of a device, although I find it to be well used. There's just the right amount of romance, without overshadowing the mystery and adventure that feels lie the truth of the story.; Have already recommended this to multiple people. It was a really fun ride!

Years ago, I read Sarah Penner's The Lost Apothecary. This was the novel that sold me on Penner. Her most recent novel, The Amalfi Curse, comes close to being as compelling as the The Lost Apothecary, which means it is the sort of book to which I am most drawn--some suspense, some mystery, some magical realism, some romance. The location is perfection. The descriptions of the Amalfi coast remind me of my own visit. There is great beauty in the cliffs and stunning water, but The Amalfi Curse isn't a travel guide, although it could come close. There are witches, mermaids, the sea, storms, and well-developed characters and a complex plot.

The Amalfi Curse focuses on two women, Mari in the early 19th century, and Haven in a contemporary timeline. Thus there are 2 points of view to consider. The Amalfi Curse taught me about Stregheria, a common legend in Italy about women, who possess power over the sea. Stregheria can cause shipwrecks and thus can protect the port and Positano, the small village in which they live. Not all women possess the ability to control the sea, but those who do are at risk from raiders. Penner includes shipwrecks, treasure hunters, and a nice mystery to keep readers turning the pages.

Stregheria is an interesting novel, which will hold reader's attention. There are twists and turns leading to a satisfying resolution in both timelines. Thank you to Harlequin Publishers and NetGalley for providing me with this ARC. The comments above reflect my honest opinion. I do recommend The Amalfi Curse.

Exquisitely researched topics woven into a story of witchcraft, a bit of romance and treasure hunting. As with the author’s others books, this story was told with a present and past timeline, with a different but interlaced characters set in each. Haven, a nautical researcher (present) and is drawn to the mystery of the Amalfi Curse. She unearths more than treasure…Mari’s story (past) of her quest to save her lover. Intriguing, eloquent and unforgettable.

Is there a genre called Historical Magical Realism Romance Fiction? If not, it should be, and Sarah Penner should be its president. This is the second book I’ve read of hers, and I loved it almost as much as The Lost Apothecary. Almost… The Lost Apothecary holds a special place in my heart.

In this book, Haven Ambrose, a trailblazing nautical archaeologist, arrives in the sun-soaked village of Positano to investigate the mysterious shipwrecks along the Amalfi Coast. She’s also secretly on a quest to find a trove of priceless gemstones her late father spotted on his final dive. Upon Haven’s arrival, strange misfortunes begin to plague the town. Is it Mother Nature or witchcraft?

The story unfolds through parallel narratives spanning two timeframes. One is a flashback through Mari’s eyes in the 1800s, as a sea witch who has been protecting the Amalfi Coast from pirates. Now, she must make a difficult choice between saving her family and friends or bring with the man she loves. The other POV is present-day through Haven’s eyes, as she unravels the mystery of the curse and discovers how the past and present are intertwined.

As always, the writing is beautifully crafted and descriptive, with a focus on strong female characters. It’s so easy to lose yourself in Sarah Penner’s books. Thanks NetGalley, Hive Influencers, and Harlequin Trade for allowing me early access to this book.

MISS PENNER SLAYED THE BOOTS HAUS DOWN WITH THE AMALFI CURSE!!!!!!!! Absolutely iconic badass women in the forefront is something we need more of. And it’s truly the season of the witch! I knew I was enticed! But I didn’t know I would devour. Please have special editions and sprayed edges ready for this book because WOW! The girls are going to eat this UP! Booking a trip to Italy stat to recreate some scenes!

Penner has overcome her sophomore slump with this Magical read reminiscent of her debut novel, The Lost Apothecary.

This book has everything I love in a book:
Witches
Italian coastline
Secret Romance
Dual timelines
History
Sacrifice

The only thing missing for me was the development of a little love triangle with Conrad, Enzo, and Haven.

I appreciated the theme of career vs. marriage/family theme driven by the character of Savina. This is a very relevant topic of conversation among Millennials/ Gen Z. I also think it would have been entertaining to develop Savina into a super villain.

This book has a lot of fun Italian vocabulary so I recommend reading on Kindle for quick access to a dictionary.

Favorite quotes:

“ . . . I knew he was a man who’d fallen in love with a witch of the sea.”

“Sacrifice, Lia was quickly learning, was the greatest form of love.”

“Sometimes,” she concluded, “the greatest treasure to be found is . . . love.”