“The Amalfi Curse” by Sarah Penner is a magical novel that will take you to Italy’s legendary coast and share some of its story along with histories of shipwrecks, treasures, pirates and mysterious happenings. There are dual timelines, both very interesting, and strong female characters. I loved the mysteries, the romance and the struggle of good vs. evil. The setting was beautiful too!
Mari DeLuca was a ‘stregha’ or sea-witch living in Positano in the early 1800’s. She and other women in the village protected their community with their powers over the ocean. Mari fell in love with Holmes Foster, a sailor, and planned to run away with him and leave the village forever. But Mari’s father wanted her to marry a wealthy, uncaring man and was determined get his way… In the current day timeline, Haven Ambrose is a nautical archeologist who explores shipwrecks and tries to find underwater artifacts. She hopes to locate a treasure that her father had photographed on a previous dive, but meets many obstacles as she arrives at the Amalfi Coast. Her research leads her to Mari DeLuca’s story. Haven also meets Enzo, a cute dive shop owner, who helps her learn more about the Italian village and its charms.
I loved the magical stories of Mari and Haven in “The Amalfi Curse.” Their adventures kept my interest and the mystery and romance worked well together. This novel would be a great beach read. It’s a fun escape with believable characters and enough twists to keep it interesting.
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