Overview

Three generations of women struggle with a curse unfairly placed on their ancestor in this gothic story of magic, queer love, and mother-daughter relationships, perfect for fans of Spells for Forgetting and Practical Magic. Three generations of women struggle with a curse unfairly placed on their ancestor in this gothic story of magic, queer love, and mother-daughter relationships, perfect for fans of Spells for Forgetting and Practical Magic. The Cole women are cursed. Each generation will birth a daughter, lose their love, and, as surely as the tide beats against the rocky shore, take her own life by giving herself to the sea. For generations, the Cole women have lived as outcasts, maintaining a lighthouse on a small island off the coast of New Hampshire. Ever since their ancestor was accused of witchcraft and cast into the sea hundreds of years prior, the islanders have ostracized the Coles, distrusting their rumored magic and their control of the lighthouse. Despite their mistreatment, the Cole women are compelled to remain on the island because they know that if a Cole woman does not light the beacon on Juniper Island, anyone who is out at sea will be drowned. Out of guilt and obligation, the Cole women live out their solitary lives on the island, knowing someday their recompense for protecting the people from the sea will be to die in the sea themselves. Told in three interwoven timelines in the late twentieth century, The Curse of the Cole Women unravels the lives of three women who struggle with their relationships with each other as they contend with the reality of their fates-is it truly a curse, or is it generational madness that drives Cole women to the sea? Readers will be swept into this evocative and moving story about challenging misogyny, finding community, and struggling with fate.

Full Product Details

9798892423809

Table of Contents

Reviews

Praise for The Curse of the Cole Women: “A layered, multi-generational novel full of intriguing women and the way curses, mental health, and love weave their way into our lives. Readers will be swept away by the complicated community of Juniper Island, and the intriguing and varying ways the Cole women have interacted with it and passed trauma along across generations. Full of poignancy and hope, The Curse of the Cole Women is a gripping and moving read that will stick with readers long after they put it down.” —Hazel Beck, USA Today bestselling author of Small Town, Big Magic

Praise for The Curse of the Cole Women: “A layered, multi-generational novel full of intriguing women and the way curses, mental health, and love weave their way into our lives. Readers will be swept away by the complicated community of Juniper Island, and the intriguing and varying ways the Cole women have interacted with it and passed trauma along across generations. Full of poignancy and hope, The Curse of the Cole Women is a gripping and moving read that will stick with readers long after they put it down.” —Hazel Beck, USA Today bestselling author of Small Town, Big Magic ""Lush, lyrical, and laced with foreboding, The Curse of the Cole Women is a gothic triumph—a haunting tale of inherited grief, forbidden love, and the quiet rebellion of women who refuse to be bound by fate. Perfect for fans of The Lighthouse Witches and Practical Magic, The Curse of the Cole Women will pull you under and not let go."" —Constance Sayers, author of A Witch in Time

Praise for The Curse of the Cole Women: “Poignant and impactful. This atmospheric exploration of sorrow and resilience will resonate with fans of Practical Magic and Spells for Forgetting. —Publishers Weekly “A layered, multi-generational novel full of intriguing women and the way curses, mental health, and love weave their way into our lives. Readers will be swept away by the complicated community of Juniper Island, and the intriguing and varying ways the Cole women have interacted with it and passed trauma along across generations. Full of poignancy and hope, The Curse of the Cole Women is a gripping and moving read that will stick with readers long after they put it down.” —Hazel Beck, USA Today bestselling author of Small Town, Big Magic “A heartbreakingly tender family saga spanning three generations of formidable women, touched with a luminous, melancholic grace. Thompson's transportive words will sweep you along on a journey of unquiet yearning, loss, and the redemptive power of love. The Curse of the Cole Women is a gothic tour de force.” —Paulette Kennedy, bestselling author of The Devil and Mrs. Davenport “An evocative and beautifully written story of a quiet yet dangerous power passed down through generations of women. Thompson expertly twines themes of mental health, generational trauma, and the healing power of love, all set on the rough and salty shores of an island filled with small town intrigue.” —Hester Fox, author of A Lullaby for Witches “An ancient lighthouse on a tiny island is kept by a long line of women who are plagued not only by an elusive curse but by a population who routinely shuns them. This intense and haunting multigenerational saga asks whether we can ever escape our family history or whether we are doomed to repeat the mistakes of our past. Atmospheric, lush and evocative, The Curse of the Cole Women will captivate readers and have them longing for a day by the sea.” —Lynda Cohen Loigman, USA Today bestselling author of The Matchmaker’s Gift and The Love Elixir of Augusta Stern “Lush, lyrical, and laced with foreboding, The Curse of the Cole Women is a gothic triumph—a haunting tale of inherited grief, forbidden love, and the quiet rebellion of women who refuse to be bound by fate. Perfect for fans of The Lighthouse Witches and Practical Magic, The Curse of the Cole Women will pull you under and not let go.” —Constance Sayers, author of A Witch in Time “A rich, layered story about mothers and daughters, mental illness, grief, and forbidden love. It follows the lives of three of the Cole women—Mabel, Rebecca, and Simone—over generations, and shows us how each of them navigates social isolation, love, and heartbreak . . . This is a powerful story with beautiful prose.” —Kelsey James, author of The Colony of Lost Souls

Praise for The Curse of the Cole Women: “A layered, multi-generational novel full of intriguing women and the way curses, mental health, and love weave their way into our lives. Readers will be swept away by the complicated community of Juniper Island, and the intriguing and varying ways the Cole women have interacted with it and passed trauma along across generations. Full of poignancy and hope, The Curse of the Cole Women is a gripping and moving read that will stick with readers long after they put it down.” —Hazel Beck, USA Today bestselling author of Small Town, Big Magic “An ancient lighthouse on a tiny island is kept by a long line of women who are plagued not only by an elusive curse but by a population who routinely shuns them. This intense and haunting multigenerational saga asks whether we can ever escape our family history or whether we are doomed to repeat the mistakes of our past. Atmospheric, lush and evocative, The Curse of the Cole Women will captivate readers and have them longing for a day by the sea.” —Lynda Cohen Loigman, USA Today bestselling author of The Matchmaker’s Gift and The Love Elixir of Augusta Stern “Lush, lyrical, and laced with foreboding, The Curse of the Cole Women is a gothic triumph—a haunting tale of inherited grief, forbidden love, and the quiet rebellion of women who refuse to be bound by fate. Perfect for fans of The Lighthouse Witches and Practical Magic, The Curse of the Cole Women will pull you under and not let go.” —Constance Sayers, author of A Witch in Time

Author Information

Marielle Thompson writes Gothic fiction that merges magic, romance, mystery, and historical fiction, weaving in modern themes that center women's voices and explore mental health. She holds two master's degrees in Romantic and Victorian literature and creative writing, respectively, both from the University of Edinburgh. Her debut, Where Ivy Dares to Grow (Kensington, 2023), is a Gothic time slip romance featuring dissociative disorder representation, based on her own experiences with the disorder. Her most recent novel, The Last Witch in Edinburgh (Kensington, 2024), is based on Scottish folklore and was featured and praised by several book influencers and industry professionals, including a starred review. Though born in New Hampshire, Marielle lived in Scotland for many years and now resides in Switzerland.

Tab Content 6

Countries Available