Okay, I'll admit I picked up The Amalfi Curse (#1,326) because of the novel's setting. Positano on the Amalfi Coast is a beautiful place, but as Haven Ambrose laments in the modern sections of the book, "Oh, those stairs!" (Maybe that's why I prefer Amalfi itself.)
I was surprised when I started reading it that it is actually a dual-time line story. Mari DeLuca lives in Positano in 1821, where she and a group of similarly gifted women clandestinely practice the arts of stregheria. They are sea witches, keeping their town safe and the fishing plentiful. But powerful merchant brothers have their eyes on the town with the aim of harnessing those powers for their own benefit.
Haven Ambrose is in modern-day Positano to lead a maritime archaeological expedition to map the many wrecks just off the coast using improved technology. The very first day in Positano, she and her dive safety master witness the inexplicable sinking of an enormous luxury yacht just off shore. Shortly afterwards, Haven receives a phone call dismissing her and her crew from the project. They have been replaced by a rival team whom Haven is convinced is after sunken treasure instead. Mari and Haven's paths are destined to cross in time and space...
Two love stories, two tales of perils, piracy and plunder, with a touch of magical whirlpools and control of the sea currents, all in a gorgeous setting. What's not to like, especially if you're reading it on the beach with a frosty drink close at hand?
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