I've thoroughly enjoyed Penner's previous works, The Lost Apothecary and The London Séance Society, but this is my favorite! The setting is gorgeous and Penner's writing truly brings the Amalfi Coast to life. As with her previous books, our female characters are strong, complex, and fascinating individuals with voices that feel unique.

Magical realism is one of my favorite sub-genres and it works so well within The Amalfi Curse, weaved into both our timelines and in the lives of Mari and Haven. The side-plot of romance we saw in both perspectives was a great addition to the story and I appreciate that while Penner includes romance in her stories, the FMCs really are the stars of the show, with romance as a cherry on top.

Ending thoughts/spoilers:

While some readers may be disappointed with an open-ended conclusion to a story - especially in regards to Haven's side - I thought Penner did a great job of setting up her ending, highlighting that the treasure she was seeking within the water, in the end, was no longer the primary goal and instead the adventure and companionship she found in Positano and Enzo was more important.

Fantastic read - makes me want to visit Italy even more - and I can't wait to see where Penner takes us with her next book.