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The Courtesan's Lover
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The Courtesan's Lover
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The Courtesan's Lover
Ebook543 pages8 hours

The Courtesan's Lover

Rating: 4 out of 5 stars

4/5

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Currently unavailable

Currently unavailable

About this ebook

Francesca Felizzi knows she wields an immense power over men. Her patrons see only a carefree courtesan, and they pay handsomely for the privilege of her time.

Francesca never saw him coming, the man who cracked her heart open and ruined her for the job. But he's shown her what a gaudy facade she's built, and she doesn't know how to tear it down without taking her beloved daughters with her. The wrong move could plunge all of them into the sort of danger she has dreaded ever since her perilous work all those years ago.

An exquisite tale that explores the intricate nature of a mother's heart, The Courtesan's Lover draws you close and whispers in your ear. In the tradition of Sarah Dunant and Marina Fiorato, a compelling and vibrant tale from an up-and-coming fresh voice that readers will want to savor.

Praise for the novels of Gabrielle Kimm:

"Stunning"

"Captivating"

"Gets under your skin"

LanguageEnglish
PublisherSourcebooks
Release dateMay 1, 2012
ISBN9781402265891
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The Courtesan's Lover

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Reviews for The Courtesan's Lover

Rating: 4.1249998083333335 out of 5 stars
4/5

12 ratings3 reviews

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  • Rating: 5 out of 5 stars
    5/5
    This was one of several "freebie" books I picked up at the PLA (Public Library Association) Conference in Philly a few weeks ago. Although it looks like this book is already in print and for sale in the UK, it's not available yet here in the US. Kind of exciting--I've got a pre-publication, pre-edited copy! So fun!!!

    I loved this story--it was a bit on the sexy/risque side, but not overly much. I felt a great compassion for the protagonists and a seething hatred for the antagonists. I especially appreciated the way the loose ends were all tied up in the end!
  • Rating: 4 out of 5 stars
    4/5
    4.5 stars

    Francesca Felizzi works as a courtesan in Naples and is quite content with the life she is living. Then she has an inexperienced young man as a customer who turn out to be sweet and gentle. He makes Francesca to realize that she hasn’t never been truly loved, a thing that hasn’t bothered her before. But then she meets someone who turns her life upside down and makes her rethink her life.

    The Courtesan’s Lover is kind of a sequel to her previous book His Last Duchess but I haven’t read the first book and it still worked well as stand alone.

    I really enjoyed the book even if I have no idea which characters were real since I don’t know much about Italy’s history. I think I have to do some googling…

    I liked Francesca and I loved how she wasn’t ashamed of who she was and still managed to stay as a good and caring person and she really loved her daughters. There were few sex scenes but they weren’t graphic despite the character being courtesan.

    She had an interesting relationship with her castrato manservant Modesto. It wasn’t always easy for him and he had his own past to solve but it was nice that she had someone to trust and who really cared for him.

    I’ve really wanted to read His Last Duchess and now I just have to get it! And can’t wait for her next book too.
  • Rating: 4 out of 5 stars
    4/5
    Posted on Romancing the Book's blogReviewed by AngieReview Copy Provided by NetgalleyFrancesca Felizzi is one of those female leads you love instantly because she’s fierce, fun, and independent – and she doesn’t concern herself with what anyone else thinks about her. The men who pay extravagantly for the use of her body may think they’re the ones in control, but they couldn’t be more wrong. Modesto, her manservant and…”pimp”, is more like a best friend and bodyguard. He is loyal to his mistress unconditionally and sees her through some of her darkest times. You feel sorry for him when you learn what his father allowed to be done to him when he was little, but you have to respect him for always looking out for Francesca. There were times when I nearly almost caught myself longing for them to be together. The cast of characters in this book are so very, very intricately interwoven. Ms. Kimm seemingly goes out of her mind to prove that the saying “it’s a small world” was true even in the 1500′s. Or maybe it’s that you can never run from your past. Whichever it may be, Francesca meet every challenge head-on. At times I wish that I had read His Last Duchess so that I could have gotten to know Francesca better from before she became a courtesan, but as I read at the end of the book, this is a stand alone book, Francesca wouldn’t quiet down and demanded her story be told. I do hope that certain other characters demand their stories be told and further books are written from this time period and with these families. If there are any negatives to this book, it’s that at times it feels a bit too wordy, with the ending seemed a bit out of place; especially the Epilogue. I kept biting my tongue wondering if something horrible was going to happen, but it didn’t thankfully enough. Which reminds me, there are a few loose ends that could have been tied up and have me curious. Regardless of what can be loosely perceived as negatives, I enjoyed this book. If you’re looking for the one book you want to read this summer, make it The Courtesan’s Lover. At 528 pages long, you can read as fast or as slow as you want and still manage to have fun doing other things. {Although, I’m not sure what other things anyone would want to do besides read. Just, don’t listen to it via the Kindle’s text to speech option – hearing that robotic voice in either male or female repeating the f word or talking about sex was a bit creepy.}