The Amalfi Curse

By: Sarah Penner

Narrated by: Saskia Maarleveld, Carlotta Brentan, Chris Andrew Ciulla, Eric Yang

“Sarah Penner transported me to the sea-swept cliffs of Positano and introduced me to characters I’ll never forget. A magical read!”—Emilia Hart, New York Times bestselling author of Weyward

Powerful witchcraft. A hunt for sunken treasure. Forbidden love on the high seas. Beware the Amalfi Curse…

Haven Ambrose, a trailblazing nautical archaeologist, has come to the sun-soaked village of Positano to investigate the mysterious shipwrecks along the Amalfi Coast. But Haven is hoping to find more than old artifacts beneath the azure waters; she is secretly on a quest to locate a trove of priceless gemstones her late father spotted on his final dive. Upon Haven’s arrival, strange maelstroms and misfortunes start plaguing the town. Is it nature or something more sinister at work?

As Haven searches for her father’s sunken treasure, she begins to unearth a centuries-old tale of ancient sorcery and one woman’s quest to save her lover and her village by using the legendary art of stregheria, a magical ability to harness the ocean. Could this magic be behind Positano’s latest calamities? Haven must unravel the Amalfi Curse before the region is destroyed forever…

Against the dazzling backdrop of the Amalfi Coast, this bewitching novel shimmers with mystery, romance and the untamed magic of the sea.

PLEASE NOTE: When you purchase this title, the accompanying PDF will be available in your Audible Library along with the audio.

©2025 Sarah Penner (P)2025 Harlequin Enterprises, Limited

Multi Genre Greatness

OMG this book is AMAZING! If you enjoy multiple genres, this one has so many wrapped into one awesome package. Mystery, suspense, historical fiction, magic, romance and WOW. LOVED IT!

Sarah Penner's Best yet!!

Adventure, Treasure,past & present, a little witchcraft set in the amazing coast of Italy, what's not to Love?!

Great story line and loved this book!

Loved it! Great duel storyline and loved the ending and how it all tied together to complete the package of the story.

Loved this book!

Oh my, I felt like I was back in Positano, climbing the never ending stairs between shops and restaurants. This book was such a wonderful escape. Loved the storytelling, the alternating narratives and the wonderful narration.

The characters

I devoured this once it was released. I fell in the with The Lost Apothecary & The Amalfi Curse was just as encapsulating. Is there another book coming from another characters POV!?

Very interesting! And loved the readers!

Story was very interesting and fun to listen to. If you’re looking for a nice summer read, this is a great option.

The audio is what got me thru the book.

Being a lover of all things in regards to scuba diving this storyline made my heart happy. The writing and factual information in regards to the sport is well written and provides significant influence on the characters and story. However, the rest of the journey with the dual timelines and coexisting characters was quite flat for me. I felt indifferent to the characters and what happened to them other than they were part of the story but not the main focus in my opinion. The performance done by the narrators is what saved the book from being a DNF as they did a fantastic job building the environment and characters. If I had just been reading the book I don't think I would have finished it.

Lush magical setting

This was a bewitching historical novel set in the lush landscape of Positano and the Amalfi coast! I listened to the audio and also read along on my kindle. The audiobook was a full cast, and I enjoyed the multiple POV’s!
The Amalfi Curse merges two beautiful timelines of Mari and Haven. I love dual timelines stories that just melt together so seamlessly! From the 19th century we have Mari, a powerful strega del mare (sea witch) descended from the sirens of the Li Galli islets. Present day, Haven Ambrose, a nautical archeologist that has arrived to Positano to do underwater research field work and explore shipwrecks. Although centuries apart, both women become connected through the unexplained uptick in shipwrecks around the Amalfi region from the 1820-1830’s, a phenomenon dubbed the Amalfi curse. Sarah Penner did an amazing job weaving together these two beautiful stories filled with multiple subplots, historical fiction, adventure, beautiful scenery and magical realism!

Check this book out if you like:
~Historical fiction
~Plot driven secrets
~A bit of magical realism and folklore

two timelines and a little witchiness

Enjoyable listen about strong women living in the present day and the 1800's. Divers looking for treasures from sunken ships off the Amalfi coast. Good narration.

Italy, pirates, forbidden love, buried treasure. All the things!

Set in Positano, Italy, this dual-timeline story from 1821 and the modern day combines mystery, romance, and Italian folklore. It features forbidden love, pirates, buried treasure, and family secrets. A group of women practices “stregheria,” ancient witchcraft, to manipulate the ocean and break a curse. Both timelines are emotionally rich and mysterious, with the modern plot revealing truths hidden beneath the sea and the past. Fans of magical, atmospheric stories will enjoy this book. The narrators did a fantastic job!