Underwater archeology, sunken treasure, Amalfi coast, strega incantations, good guys, bad guys, a little romance-what more could you want in a book! You are taken on a dual timeline journey where Haven is looking for ancient shipwrecks off the Amalfi coast in the present and in the past, you learn about the strega (witches) who protect the coast and the people who depend on the water for a living. The timelines are carefully crafted to connect by the end of the book where I found myself having numerous 'ah-ha' moments when I finally saw the connections.
Haven is a young, smart, and intuitive person who perseveres to find solutions to the problems she encounters, such as being let go from the dive project and figuring out how to keep working on the project anyway. Mari lived in Positano in the 1820s and she and her strega sisters protected the town and waters with their magic and incantations. Things go awry when the the Mazza brothers kidnap a little girl and Mari will stop at nothing to bring her back to her parents. There is a little romance between Haven and a local dive shop owner, Enzo, and his mother lives in a villa in the hills of the town. Haven and Enzo's mother develop a connection.
Having visited the Amalfi Coast and Positano myself, I feel the author created a detailed setting that brings you into the town. The characters are well developed where you cheer for most of them and despise the Mazza brothers. The book was mostly historical fiction and I felt the magical realism added to the story to give it a different perspective.
If you are looking for a lighter historical fiction that is compelling and engaging, I would highly recommend this book!

Thank you Harlequin Trade Publishing and Net Galley for a complimentary copy. All opinions expressed are my own.

Review will be posted to Goodreads, Bookbub, Twitter today. Review will be posted to Barnes and Noble and Amazon when published. Posts about the book will be posted to Insta and Facebook groups between now and pub date.

Wow! What a book! Sarah Penner’s books keeps getting better and better! This is my favorite of her three books so far! The Amalfi Curse is everything that makes a book great for me: suspense, romance, magical realism, great character development, and dual timelines. I could not put this one down! I would be interested to know how Ms. Penner came up with such a unique story line for her latest novel. This book receives all the stars from me!

Thank you, NetGalley and Harlequin Trade Publishing, for the digital ARC in exchange for my honest review. All thoughts and opinions expressed above are my own.

Sarah Penner is a prolific writer who knows who to draw the reader in and hold their attention! I enjoyed the dual timeline and the descriptive writing. Her first book still remains my favorite but this one is also excellent! A huge thank you to Park Row Publishing and to NetGalley for this ARC.

Before I say anything, can we take a moment to appreciate this cover?! So so beautiful!!! I may or may not already ordered a physical copy.
Now this book had a little bit of a slow start for me, but once I was in it, I finished the second half in a day! This is a dual timeline novel that takes place on the Amafli Coast in Italy. Haven is a researcher who is on a project/looking for her late father’s discovery of hidden treasure before she is pulled from the project to be replaced by her father’s best friend. Wanting to find her father’s discovery before him, she teams up with local dive shop owner, who she happens to fall in love with at first sight.
This story is told along side the story of forbidden lovers Mari and Holmes. Mari has magic powers to command the sea, but wants nothing to do with it. Holmes is a deck hand for the evil Mazza brothers, who promises to be her escape and the unexpected love of her life.
Both of these stories were so intriguing, and it was so exciting to see how the past intertwined with the present as the story progressed.
This was such a fun read for me! An easy 5⭐️!

"The Amalfi Curse" is a bewitching blend of family drama and historical intrigue that will sweep you off your feet. The dual timeline structure keeps you on your toes, seamlessly weaving between Mari's deep connection to the sea and Haven's determined quest to continue her father's groundbreaking discovery.

I found myself completely invested in both storylines. Mari's journey is fraught with danger and mystery, while Haven's path is tinged with loneliness and her constant fight for control in a male-dominated workspace. The love stories woven throughout act as a soothing balm, softening the tension and adding depth to both narratives.

Penner's talent for surprising her readers shines through with unexpected twists that shed light on the past. Just when I thought I had things figured out, another revelation would leave me gasping.

The immersive elements of this book are truly spectacular. From the heart-pounding dive into LiGalli's shipwreck to the mesmerizing scenes of the Streghe casting their spells, I felt transported to the Amalfi Coast. The way Penner intertwines the stories of women from different timelines is nothing short of masterful.

While "The Amalfi Curse" feels different from Penner's previous novels, it's no less satisfying. The poetic ending beautifully resolves both Mari and Haven's stories, leaving me with a sense of closure and wonder.

Thank you, Park Row and NetGalley, for my free book.

Thank to you HTP the Hive for the complimentary advanced copy of this novel.

I really enjoyed this sweet story and was anchored (teehee) to the novel from start to finish. Reading this felt like reconnecting with an old friends. The Amalfi Curse was exactly the kind of comfort read I didn’t know I so desperately needed rn! Bonus points for also including a fun mystery.

I loved this book just as much as I loved The Lost Apothecary. Sarah has mastered the dual timeline and adds the perfect blend of historical fiction and magical realism into her stories. The Amalfi Curse was an incredible read. I devoured it in 2 days!

Wow! This book really took me on an adventure. I felt like I was there in Positano present day learning and uncovering all of these secrets. I absolutely loved the juxtaposition of these two timelines and how the legends of old influenced the present day in this story.

As someone who’s been to Positano I felt there was so much about the setting and the culture that was so accurately depicted and having the present day story with Haven made this feel so much more real. It seemed like something that could actually happen so much so that I had to look up if Sarah Penner wasn’t actually a deep sea diver living in Italy..

The history, the legends, and the culture was just so insanely realistic and imploring it didn’t even feel like fiction. I really thoroughly enjoyed reading this one and breezed through it in one sitting which I normally don’t do!

My only note is just a personal preference as a Romantasy reader I would’ve just liked to see a bit more spice, but I also appreciate that there’s a time and a place for that and I was so glued to this book because of the epic adventure and lore that I think that might have detracted from it if anything.

I would HIGHLY recommend this one and cannot wait for the special edition!

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for providing me this arc in exchange for my honest review! <3

I liked this one! The descriptions were so atmospheric that it felt like being transported to Positano, and I loved how the maritime elements added an air of mystery and adventure. The first half of the book moved a little too slowly for me. The dual POV structure was interesting, but I was more invested in one perspective than the other, which sometimes pulled me out of the story. That said, once the pace picked up in the second half, I was fully hooked and raced through the pages to see how it all ended. It had moments of brilliance, and I appreciated how transportive and unique it felt overall.

I loved the dual timeline of this story set on the Amalfi Coast of Italy. I connected and felt that I wanted more from the centuries old stories of the characters from the past. I did not connect as well to the present day storyline. Overall, I enjoyed this mystery story. Thank you to NetGalley and Harlequin Trade Publishing for the ARC opportunity.

This book had it all. Two engaging timelines and POV’s, Italian setting, a treasure hunt, romance and some magic. What more can you ask for?
It was a fun fast read with an original plot!

A fun story of sea witches and a treasure hunt! Sarah Penner is excellent at switching between narrators while maintaining interest in each story line throughout the novel. For The Amalfi Curse, I do wish the character development was a bit more in depth like I've read with her other novels. I wished I knew more about some of the side characters who were playing crucial roles in the advancement of the story. However, it was still a great read and I will recommend it to friends and family.

The Amalfi Curse beautifully brings together dual timelines, that tell the story of love, loss, a curse, witchcraft, and hidden treasure. Mari DeLuca is living in Positano in the 1820s. She, along with some of the other women in her town, are known as streghe del mare, witches of the sea, and they have the ability to affect the currents of the water. Haven Ambrose, in modern day, is a nautical archaeologist and has come to the Amalfi Coast to lead a research project on the many shipwrecks that have happened in the area, for so many years. When her project is taken over by a fellow archeologist with ulterior motives, Haven starts to discover Mari’s past and the link she has to the strange things that are still occurring on the Amalfi Coast over hundreds of years later.

I have been looking forward to reading The Amalfi Curse and it did not disappoint. Penner really brings the reader to this part of Italy with beautifully detailed descriptions. You can’t help but feel the sensations of the warm sun, the sand, and the salty smell of the sea. This was such an immersive setting for the book, and a great place to base the myth of sirens, who the streghe were said to be descended from.

Both Mari and Haven were strong female main characters. I felt invested in each of their timelines, and Penner did an amazing job in switching their POVs, at just the right time, to create suspense in both timelines. Mari and Haven also have complicated backgrounds when it comes to the sea, because of loved ones they have lost, which really drives their motivations in the book. I felt like there was just enough romance, in both women’s stories, that added to their character’s complexities, without overshadowing their strengths. And even though, at times, I was unsure how things would turn out for the women, I felt that Penner wrapped things up really well, and it was a satisfying conclusion for Mari and Haven.

If you love historical fiction, magical realism, mysterious tales of witches, hidden treasure, danger on the seas, and a touch of romance, then I would highly recommend The Amalfi Curse.

This book was so so so amazingly good! I loved all the different POV’s, and the way that two love stories are combined into one book. I know I personally was so so sad when I thought that Holmes was drowning in the sea and then a few chapters later to know that he went vet to Li Galli my jaw was just on the floor. This book made me feel so many different emotions from laughing kicking my feet crying I went through the wringer. But this will be a book that I will recommend infinity out of 10 for forever. I loved the twist about learning that Savina was Strega, and currently practicing, which was leading everything to happen in the water. And then, when Conrad called Haven at the end of the book, tell her that he had found fakes I was dying laughing because karma got him so good. These are just a few examples of why I loved this book so so much and beyond obsessed with. It cannot wait to read what else Sarah Penner has to write.🌊🐚🤿

I soft DNF'd this e-ARC at 45% until I can get my hands on the audio! I was enjoying it, but it was sloooow. I found myself skimming though one of the POVs because I wanted to get back to the other POV.

I'm predicting I'll end up giving this a 3 or 3.5 stars, once I get around to finishing it. I'm loving the vibes but can't seem to get through it on my own.

Sarah Penner has done a beautiful job mixing magical realism with historical fiction. This is a dual timeline story that blends the lives of two women set in different centuries. One of the characters Haven is set in present day while Mari is a sea witch from the 1800s.

How their stories are connected is one that is very intriguing to read about.

This story is well written sentence structure wise, however; the elements of the mystery missed the mark with the ending being fairly anti-climactic. If you are someone who enjoys stories that are a lot of research and not as much action then this would be an appealing journey for you.
In particular I felt that Haven's storyline was much weaker than Mari's and I found myself really slowing the pace whenever the Pov's switched.
Mari's story was dynamic, heart-wrenching, and overall just so well laid out that Haven's just felt jarring in comparison for me personally.

Overall this book was quick, enjoyable, and the authors careful research is very apparent in her weaving of character story-lines with history.

Sarah Penner's written another chocolate mousse - rich ingredients with a frothy feel. I loved the intertwined tales of Mari and Haven, both women who are extremely educated and capable in their talents, but who also feel very deeply.

4.5 Stars!

I absolutely love Sarah Penner's ability to combine history and a bit of magic, and the way I get lost in her stories. Add in a little treasure hunt, murder, and the dual timelines and you have another captivating story.

I'll admit that this one is a bit of a slow burn. The initial premise and chapters had me intrigued, but it was the build of the story that kept me hooked. By the end I could not put it down and was so eager to figure out the fate of Mari and how Haven finds her own treasure. This was such a fun story and one that will stick out as a favorite this year!

Thank you to Park Row/Harlequin Trade Publishing and NetGalley for this ARC.

I really love the duel timelines from this book! Sarah Penner does a great job at weaving stories together that excellently compliment each other. I was really invested in both the past and the present day timelines. This story was so perfectly atmospheric.

I also really loved the archeological aspect of the modern timeline. I felt like I was watching an episode of Expedition Unknown with Josh Gates.

I really enjoyed the premise of this book, but I felt like there were a couple pieces that didn't click. It also seemed to drag and linger in the middle. Why didn't Mal join up with Haven sooner if she was just waiting in Naples and her boss was so chill? I liked the flashbacks to Mari, but I wish there was a little more about what happened when all the Strega went to Venice. The ending seems a bit rushed. Overall I liked the scenery and the magical realism involved.