This book was a super pleasant surprise. I'l be honest, I picked it for the cover but what was behind that cover was a well crafted, intriguing historical fiction. Absolutely loved the two intertwining timelines! I'm a sucker for dual timelines but this one was particularly well done. It was a little on the too slow of a slow burn side but I'll be recommending this all day to our patrons.

Okay, so The Amalfi Coast totally hit the spot. I didn’t go in with huge expectations—I just wanted something a little atmospheric, a little mysterious, with a good setting—and it delivered in the best way.

First off, the Amalfi setting? Chef’s kiss. Penner really nailed that sun-drenched, slightly haunting vibe. It wasn’t just a pretty backdrop either—it actually played into the story in a way that made it feel like the coast itself was part of the mystery. You could practically feel the sea breeze and hear the distant church bells while things started to unravel.

The story had just enough suspense to keep me pulled in, but what I really liked was the layering of past and present. The characters felt more fleshed out than I expected, and I found myself actually caring about what happened to them (which doesn’t always happen, let’s be honest). It wasn’t just a "whodunit"—it had heart, too.

Penner’s writing is easy to get into, but there’s this slightly lyrical, moody tone that gives it an extra edge. Like, it felt thoughtful without trying too hard to be “literary.” Some lines even made me pause and reread, which is always a good sign.

Sarah Penner transports readers to Italy in her latest, The Amalfi Curse. We get dual timelines, present day and the 1800s, following two strong female leads. The Amalfi Curse is historical and magical with mystery and romance.

Mari, our FMC for the 1820s storyline, has the magical ability to control the ocean. Mari along with other women in her village practice their witchcraft in secret to protect their village. Haven, our FMC for the present-day storyline is a nautical archaeologist investigating shipwrecks and hunting for a lost treasure.

I was able to quickly become immersed in both stories — leaning a little more interested in the present-day storyline. I liked the writing and the topic felt well researched. The descriptiveness included has me yearning for a trip to Italy. The story had a solid build up. However, the ending for me felt like it came together too quickly and all at once. But I’d recommend - especially if you like strong female leads, historical magical realism, and dual timelines. Oh and the cover is stunning!!!

I wanted to like this book more than I did, but I think books with multiple timelines really aren't for me for the most part. The story didn't really work for me, but I thought the characters and setting were interesting.

“We descended from the sirens, who lived on those islands and we are the only women in the world who inherited power over the ocean.”

Heavy on the history and light on the magic, Penner returns to a style that made me fall in love with her debut The Lost Apothecary. Again, the duel timeline works as the 19th century and present day timelines each feature feminist stories and mirroring themes, questioning the fluctuating definition of treasure.

1821- on the shore of the Amalfi Coast, Mari DeLuca is the reluctant leader of the stregheria, a small group of women who have inherited a talent to harness the power of the ocean. The Mazza brothers, known for their thieving and murdering agendas are determined to stop the “witches” protection of their village of Positano.

Present day- nautical archeologist Haven Ambrose and her female team sign in to investigate the area with more than its fair share of shipwrecks in search of some answers and possibly treasure. Misogyny and corporate greed enter the chat as the plot picks up the pace toward a propulsive finale, intersecting the two timelines.

Scuba diving enthusiasts and coastal Italy devotees will especially enjoy the details of this well researched new novel.

In present day Haven, an archeologist, is living on the Amalfi Coast preparing for an expedition underwater photographing sunken ships. But she’s harboring a secret mission: finding treasure her late father discovered just before his death.

In the 1800s, Mari, the leader of a group of sea witches, is looking to escape the Amalfi Coast, angry at the sea after the death of her mother and sister at its hands.

The women’s lives intertwine throughout as Haven uncovers more than her father’s last discovery and dives into the history of what the locals call the Amalfi Curse.

Sarah Penner once again weaves a gripping mystery. The reader often discover the secrets of the past through the eyes of the present characters. The story is well thought out and written in this way.

The characters are also strong women, as I’ve encountered in Penner’s other work. Which is always empowering and makes for an interesting read. We see how these women navigate and often overcome male dominated time periods and industries.

However I felt that the story focused a little too much on the romance aspects. It felt like that piece, especially in the present day, took away from the story. I understand that meeting Enzo is integral to Haven’s discovery, but it almost felt too rushed and unrealistic to me. Especially when Haven is introduced as a focused, career-driven woman.

Overall I enjoyed this novel. The magical realism is well-done, immersing the reader to the point where you don’t question that these women’s powers exist within a contemporary world.

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️/5 stars.

Thank you to Park Row and NetGalley for the ARC copy in exchange for an honest review.

I really enjoyed Sarah Penner's debut, and I've been looking forward to read more of her work ever since. I admit that I still have to read her previous book, but I couldn't resist adding her newest story The Amalfi Curse as soon as I first heard about it. Then again, I always have a weak spot for stories set in Italy... Plus, the dual timeline, the diving angle and the witchcraft element sounded all fascinating. And I have to say that this story has only put this author even firmer on my radar!

The Amalfi Curse uses a dual timeline structure, which I admit doesn't always work that well for me. I usually prefer one much over the other, but thankfully this story turned out to be an exception and I loved both timelines equally. There is the 1821 timeline with its focus on the sea witches, the magic as well as a forbidden romance... This timelines has multiple POVs, although the main focus is on Mari and her complicated situation. The present timeline mainly focuses on nautical archeologist Haven, who is currently in Positano both on a job and on a mission to find the secret treasure her father failed to retrieve before he died. This timeline also had romance, although it wasn't as present.

One of the things I loved about The Amalfi Curse is without doubt the Italian setting. The Amalfi Coast really comes alive in both timelines, and I loved the many descriptions of the village of Positano in both the past and present. There is a strong focus on the sea of course, with the sea witches in the 1812 timeline and the sunken treasure and diving in the present. I especially loved the mention of the magic of the sea witches and learning more about the curse and everything the magic entailed... The witchcraft element is without doubt one of the main reasons this story ended up standing out to me.

Both timelines have plenty moments of suspense along the way, and as a result it was VERY hard to put this story down. I was fully invested in what was happening to the women in both timelines, although if I have to choose only one timeline I think the 1821 one is just a tiny bit more engaging with the very present witchcraft and imminent danger the women are in. I also loved the chapters set on board of the ship... But the present timeline with the diving scenes and treasure hunt was very entertaining as well.

I don't want to give away too much of the story, but what I can say that if you enjoy rich, immersive and well developed dual timeline stories with a dose of magic as well as romance, I cannot recommend The Amalfi Curse enough.

“There are women in Positano with special…abilities. We practice something known as stregheria. Witchcraft. Have you heard about it?”

Sarah Penner’s latest novel, The Amalfi Curse, does not disappoint! Sprinkled with magic and strong female characters that readers have come to expect in Penner’s writing, The Amalfi Curse is her best novel to date.

The story follows Mari, a strega living in 1820s Positano, and Haven, a diver determined to fulfill her father’s last wish of exploring the wreckage along the mystic Amalfi coast. As you travel between 1821 and 2025, each point of view intrigues, leaving readers wanting to read one more chapter.

Thank you Harlequin Trade Publishing for providing this book for review consideration via NetGalley.

Sarah Penner returns with The Amalfi Curse, a sweeping dual-timeline historical fantasy that combines gothic mystery, forbidden love, and powerful witchcraft—all anchored in the rugged beauty of the Amalfi Coast. If you’ve read The Lost Apothecary or The London Séance Society, you’ll recognize Penner’s signature style: immersive settings, richly layered plots, and unforgettable women grappling with secrets that refuse to stay buried.

In The Amalfi Curse, we meet Haven Ambrose, a modern-day nautical archaeologist who arrives in Positano on a deeply personal mission. She’s not just researching ancient shipwrecks—she’s chasing the trail her father left behind before his mysterious death at sea. When strange whirlpools, natural disasters, and unexplained tragedies begin to plague the region, locals whisper of an old curse. Haven, grounded in science and logic, doesn’t buy it—until evidence surfaces that challenges everything she thought she knew.

Parallel to Haven’s story, we follow Mari, a powerful sea witch in 1821. Mari is torn between love and duty, risking everything to protect her people from those who would exploit her gift of stregheria—an ancient form of oceanic magic passed down through generations of women. Her choices ripple across time, setting the stage for the present-day events Haven is trying to make sense of.

Penner excels at intertwining past and present, not just as alternating timelines but as narratives that bleed into one another, each enriching the other with emotional weight and tension. The chapters shift perspectives between Haven, Mari, and an American sailor connected to both, with Mari’s lover’s letters adding further depth and resonance.

What makes this novel shine isn’t just its plot (though the treasure hunt, mystical revelations, and slow-building romance are compelling), but its atmosphere. You can practically taste the salt in the air, hear the crashing waves, and feel the pull of something ancient beneath the surface. Penner brings the Amalfi Coast to life with sensory detail that’s as haunting as it is transportive.

At its heart, The Amalfi Curse is a story about women—women with knowledge, power, and the courage to claim both. The emotional stakes are high, especially as both Haven and Mari confront legacy, loss, and love in the face of mounting danger. The novel doesn’t shy away from the darker themes of generational trauma, exploitation, and the ways myths are used to control or silence. But neither does it wallow in despair. It’s a story of reclamation, agency, and connection across centuries.

There are a few moments where the pacing dips or the shifts between timelines feel abrupt, and some characters outside the main trio feel underdeveloped. But these are minor quibbles in an otherwise deeply engaging and atmospheric read.

If you’re drawn to witchcraft rooted in folklore, mysteries with emotional depth, and settings that practically breathe on the page, The Amalfi Curse will sweep you away. It’s a book that lingers—not just for the story, but for the feeling it leaves behind.

4.25 ⭐️
What a wonderfully intertwining tale full of mystery, superstition, and history in an idyllic Amalfi coast setting. It’s a novel that I can simply describe as addictive— I did not want to put it down!

Told in dual timelines, it was very easy to follow and flows together seamlessly;

In current day, Haven is a nautical archeologist working on a project to map out several wreckages and treasure hunt in Positano’s Li Galli. Her trip starts off promising until a slew of elements combine to jeopardize it all…

The 1800s timeline mostly follows Mari, a young streghe (witch) that is continuously tormented by the very sea of which she has powers over. In fact, her life seems cursed, so she has a plan to escape it all until the horribly corrupt Fratelli Mazzi threaten her life and everyone/thing she loves….

My only criticism is that I would have liked a little bit more historical context or background on The Amalfi Curse and Li Galli, even if it was told as a foreword. Having to do some research on my own, I found that the remote and mysterious Li Galli Islets have been the subject of legend and myth for millennia, and figure into a number of ancient epic stories and poems. They do, in fact, have strong winds and hidden currents in this area which have caused many a shipwreck.

historical fiction x fantasy x love story

Read if you love…
-Weyward by Emilia Hart
-historical fantasy
-magical realism
-forbidden love

Love love love! The prose is beautiful and the SETTING was everything. 8 loved the emphasis on sisterhood!

I went into this completely blind and had no idea what it entailed. I just picked it solely because of the cover and let me tell you it paid off. This was unlike anything I have ever read. Witches, treasure hunters, forbidden love, and a freaking beautiful setting that that author perfectly portrayed. I truly felt tranpsorted into the story with the lovely way Sarah Penner was able to spin her words and kept me completely captivated. I felt like the dual timeline was very easy to follow and I never felt confused or like the story felt like it was lost. I am not usually one to pick up a historical fiction/fantasy book but this may be the book that changes my mind to dive in to this genre more!

Dual timelines, magic, vengeance, love, and determination.

Penner crafts for us two strong FMC and their quest to achieve their hearts’ desire. One seeks to reunite with her love and escape who she is. One is on a mission to continue her journey as a nautical archaeologist, and finish the journey her father desperately sought to see through. Both women have something to lose, yet both have strength and grit, and refuse to give up-even when everything seems stacked against them.

Penner also gives us a storyline filled with greed, pirates, buried treasure, and second chances. The dual tales come together seamlessly, and become interconnected-with the past bleeding into the present. And as the novel progresses, you get more of why these women are connected, and what it would mean if they let the “villain” win-further adding to the suspense and tension seeping through the pages.

Sarah’s gifted story-telling keeps you in its grip from start to finish. If you are a fan of strong female leads, ocean-themed tales, and fighting for love, this one’s for you. 4.5 stars.

This is my favorite read of 2025 so far! The adventure, mystery, history, and romance collide in this amazing read! Highly recommend to anyone who enjoys historical fiction, adventures, and books with a splash of magical realism.

Witches, treasure, forbidden love, and centuries-old secrets-The Amalfi Curse by Sarah Penner delivers all this and more in a gorgeously written dual-timeline historical fantasy that had me hooked from the first chapter.

In true Penner fashion, this novel seamlessly blends past and present through the lives of two unforgettable women: Haven, a modern-day nautical archaeologist determined to uncover her late father's final discovery, and Mari, a 19th-century sea witch guarding ancient magic on the Amalfi Coast. Penner masterfully weaves these narratives together, layering historical fiction with magical realism and a dash of romance in a way that feels both rich and refreshing.

Present-day Haven Ambrose is on a mission to honor her father's legacy. With his mysterious coordinates and underwater photographs in hand, she returns to Positano and leads a team of women archaeologists in search of a sunken ship and the treasure her father believed was hidden beneath the waves. But when tragedy strikes near the dive site and a rival archaeologist with ties to her past is suddenly put in charge, Haven begins to suspect there's more at stake than a simple relic hunt. Her journey leads her to Enzo, a local with his own secrets, and the beginning of a suspenseful, magical unraveling of history.

Meanwhile, in 1821, Mari—a powerful sea witch-faces impossible choices as her village is threatened by the brutal Mazza brothers, who seek to exploit the magical gifts of Mari and her coven. Torn between fleeing to safety with her forbidden lover or staying to protect her people, Mari's decisions ripple far into the future.

What makes The Amalfi Curse so compelling is how intricately Penner intertwines these timelines. Every reveal in the past deepens the mystery in the present, and the pacing accelerates with just the right blend of tension, emotion, and intrigue. While the opening may lean toward a slow burn, it's worth every page as the story unfolds with atmospheric beauty and increasing urgency.

Penner's writing is lush and immersive-her descriptions of the Amalfi Coast are transportive, and her characters are complex, capable, and compelling. I especially appreciated how the novel celebrates strong women across eras, their bond to one another, and their power-both mystical and emotional.
Read this if you're drawn to:
* Coastal settings with a touch of myth
* Shipwrecks and sunken treasure
* Witches and magical realism
* Dual timelines with richly developed female leads
* Mystery, romance, and a hint of danger

This is the kind of book that stays with you long after you've turned the last page. Whether you're new to Sarah Penner or a devoted fan, The Amalfi Curse is an enchanting, thrilling adventure that belongs at the top of your TBR.

Sarah Penner is brilliant - her ability to weave the past and present together in a seamless tapestry is like no other. This story is set on the dreamy coast of Italy and reflects men exerting power over women, but also a close watch on the bonds of sisterhood. I will literally talk to anyone who will listen about this book! LOVE!

The Amalfi Curse is magical! I wasn't sure I wanted to read another book by this author because of the gratuitous sex in the last one, but I'm glad I read this. The prose is absolutely lush, and the attention to the nautical details is amazing. The dual timeline is well executed.

Although it's a longer book, The Amalfi Curse draws you in further and further until you absolutely can't put it down. I highly recommend this book, and will be recommending it to students who ask what I'm reading.

My first read by Sarah Penner and I'll definitely look at her other works now! Overall, I enjoyed The Amalfi Curse, and found it to be a unique and intriguing story. It's a dual timeline, multi POV historical fiction that also ties in romance, witchcraft, a modern day treasure hunt and so much more. What more could one ask for?! The setting was perfection and painted the most vibrant pictures in my mind of the location while reading, it's definitely somewhere I'd love to travel too one day and this read has confirmed it for me again! I also really liked the FMCs Hazel & Marie, they were strong, independent, and determined in each of their endeavors. I did find that I greatly preferred the modern timeline and POV to the historical. I also felt like the plot moved a bit slower than was necessary and there were times I was tempted to skip ahead a bit. All in all though, an enjoyable read and I could see it being perfect to read lake/Oceanside in the summer 😉
Huge thanks to Netgalley, Sarah Penner, and Harlequin Trade Publishing for this e-arc!

I have mixed feelings about this book. On the one hand, I loved the setting of Positano and it took me back to travels - sights, the sun, the aromas.
Then on the other hand, I felt like the characters weren't as well developed as I had hoped, and the switch between present day and the past was a bit confusing since it all sort of merged together. Thank you NetGalley and the publisher for access to this eARC.

I think this will be a stand-out summer title! Penner does such an amazing job in crafting stories with fantastical/magical elements that are very accessible to readers who might not typically enjoy the genre. Additionally, she has a knack for blending historical and contemporary plot lines that captivate without overwhelming readers with a steep learning/research curve.

The Amalfi Curse has sea witches, forbidden love, sunken treasure, centuries-old lore, and a page-turning mystery. And all of these amazing elements are set in the stunning Italian setting of Positano and the Amalfi Coast, as nautical archaeologist, Haven, has arrived to lead a research project studying the plethora of shipwrecks in the area. She is also secretly searching for treasure her late father discovered and when combing through local archives, she finds a water logged journal from the early 1800’s detailing a star-crossed love story. With dual timelines and a propulsive plot that escalates in stakes, I found myself saying ‘just one more chapter’ over and over! A perfect blend of romance, history, mystery, and magic, this book will resonate with all types of readers.