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The Courtesan's Lover [Paperback]

Gabrielle Kimm
4.7 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (19 customer reviews)
RRP: £6.99
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Book Description

24 Nov 2011

Francesca Felizzi, former mistress of the Duke of Ferrara, is now an aspiring courtesan. Astonishingly beautiful and ambitious, she revels in the power she wields over men.

But when she is visited by an inexperienced young man, it becomes horribly clear to Francesca that despite her many admiring patrons, she has never truly been loved. Suddenly, her glittering and sumptuous life becomes a gaudy façade.

And then another unexpected encounter brings with it devastating implications that plunge Francesca and her two young daughters into the sort of danger she has dreaded ever since she began to work the streets all those years ago.


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Product details

  • Paperback: 512 pages
  • Publisher: Sphere (24 Nov 2011)
  • Language: English
  • ISBN-10: 0751544558
  • ISBN-13: 978-0751544558
  • Product Dimensions: 12.8 x 3.2 x 19.5 cm
  • Average Customer Review: 4.7 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (19 customer reviews)
  • Amazon Bestsellers Rank: 114,791 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Product Description

Review

A glorious tale of dangerous love in 16th-century Italy (Sarah Broadhurst, The Bookseller)

A heartwarming story of love and redemption (Historical Novels Review)

This passionate story resounds with historic truth and makes for a vibrant journey around the Naples of the past (Italia)

You'll love this . . . Four stars (Cosmopolitan)

Book Description

A sensual story of dangerous love set in Naples, by an author making sixteenth-century Italy her own

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Customer Reviews

4.7 out of 5 stars
4.7 out of 5 stars
Most Helpful Customer Reviews
9 of 9 people found the following review helpful
5.0 out of 5 stars Another wonderful novel from Gabrielle Kimm 26 Nov 2011
Format:Paperback
'The Courtesan's Lover' is another wonderful novel from Gabrielle Kimm. I read, and loved her debut novel; 'His Last Duchess' and had been eagerly awaiting her next book. The wait has been well worthwhile and I have not been disappointed.
'The Courtesan's Lover' takes the reader back into the rich world of 16thc Italy.

The book is beautifully and descriptively written. As in her debut novel, Ms Kimm brings the characters in this book vividly and sensitively to life, and I found myself instantly engaged by them.

Enchanting, sumptous, touching, tragic, and uplifting. - I loved this novel and found myself completely caught up in Francesca's turbulent life. I shared her joy and her pain. A fabulous read.
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6 of 6 people found the following review helpful
Format:Paperback
The Courtesan's Lover is Gabrielle Kimm's second novel, whose heroine, Francesca, first appeared in Kimm's debut novel, "His Last Duchess". She has now moved to Naples, where she has become a courtesan. Through an encounter with a young man (given a tryst with her as a birthday present) she finds herself questioning her way of life. I shan't give away any more of the plot - suffice it to say that this novel is rich with twists and unexpected directions. What makes Kimm's novel special is her unfailing eye for detail. She writes about 16th Century Naples with an almost cinematic view, so that you not only see the pictures, but are aware of the sights and sounds and smells of the city. She evokes the strange life of a high class whore vividly, and though there is a certain amount of graphic sex, it is never prurient, and is an important tool in the telling of Francesca's story. Added to the sumptuous descriptions of place are more fascinating characters, whose histories one really cares about. My favourite is Modesto, Francesca's servant and protector, a castrato who can no longer perform, but each of these people come alive, and their stories evolve through the pages of this book, so that one really cares what happens to them. There are plot developments which carry this tale way above the normal romantic fiction, and some moments (deep under the streets of Naples) which are truly disturbing. I loved this novel, and thoroughly recommend it to anybody looking for an exciting, touching, beautiful and memorable book. A GREAT Christmas read!
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3 of 3 people found the following review helpful
By buffy
Format:Paperback
What a great sequel to His Last Duchess. The Courtesan's Lover is vibrant, exciting, full of intrigue and I couldn't put it down. It is beautifully written, full of sumptuous description that really takes you back to 16th Century Italy. The attention to detail is excellent and the story line is unexpected and surprising. Franchesca is a character that you really want to get to know. She is naughty, but at the same time, she is wise, and full of life. A really good read that I would thoroughly recommend. A great Christmas present!
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2 of 2 people found the following review helpful
5.0 out of 5 stars Dazzling - even better than her debut! 3 Feb 2012
Format:Paperback
I loved Gabrielle Kimm's debut, His Last Duchess. But if anything, The Courtesan's Lover was an even more enjoyable read for me, due to its riveting storyline and its wonderfully complex characters. Kimm's protagonist, Francesca is an unexpected delight - beautiful, intelligent and ambitious, but at the same time warm and devoted to her two young girls.

The storytelling is magnificent! This is a page-turner in the true sense of the word - I looked forward to bedtime every night, just so I could find out what happened next. In fact, I was very sad when the book came to an end. Alongside Francesca, other compelling characters fill the pages; in particular, Modesto was someone I wanted to know more about, as we grasped snatches of the strange and tragic past that led him to become such an important player in the courtesan's life. Perhaps, Mrs Kimm, you might give us a sequel ... ?
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2 of 2 people found the following review helpful
5.0 out of 5 stars Another Stunning Read.. 11 Jan 2012
Format:Paperback
After Francesca's tribulations in His Last Duchess, and in the knowledge that she was off to Naples to a life of high class prostitution, I was fairly certain that The Courtesan's Lover would be, at the very least, as exciting as its predecessor. And I was, of course, not wrong. However admirably Francesca strives to keep her dangerous working life separate from her domestic one, and to protect her beautiful twin girls from harm, clearly she is taking some devastating risks. Tension levels were high and woe betide anyone who spoke to me while I was reading this book. I became very fond of Francesca. I respected that she stoically and cheerfully accepted the personal sacrifices of her chosen career for the sake of her daughters. And then, when the time comes, has the courage to alter course, change all her values and face up to the consequences. There were some beautifully drawn relationships - two in particular strike me now. The one between Francesca and her manservant, Modesto, whose character, incidentally, was one of my favourites. And the one between Maria and Filippo, whose stale marriage was repaired by Francesca's skills. I loved that little sub-plot. Once again this book gave a stunningly detailed picture of life in Renaissance Italy in general, and of The Courtesans and Society in particular. As well as being another wonderful read, I learned so many interesting new facts - including the fascinating use of limes - that The Courtesan's Lover has to be a 5 star read and I only hope we are going to see another Gabrielle Kimm novel very soon.
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Most Recent Customer Reviews
5.0 out of 5 stars Unputdownable
Very well written and kept me interested until the end. The descriptions of Italy were very atmospheric and I could almost imagine I was there.....
Published 16 hours ago by Claire
3.0 out of 5 stars a time passer
good story happy ending not earth moving but worth the time to read the wife loved it so maybe a womans book
Published 27 days ago by rocky
3.0 out of 5 stars Predictable historical romance.
This is an interesting, historical romance, although it is an enjoyable read it is spoilt by being very predictable. A pleasant holiday easy read book.
Published 5 months ago by Lili
5.0 out of 5 stars Fantastic Read
I really enjoyed 'His Last Duchess' and was wondering how this would compare, so it was great that, once I started it I could barely put it down and read it in just two days. Read more
Published 9 months ago by AnnB
4.0 out of 5 stars Compelled to read on after slow start
Francesca is a very well regarded courtesan in Naples, 1564.

Her encounter with a young virgin called Gianni has an effect on her that takes her by surprise and her... Read more
Published 11 months ago by DizzyC
5.0 out of 5 stars Didn't let anything get in the way of reading this straight through!
This writer absolutely hits the spot with her historical fiction. It is pacy, gripping, sexy (as you would expect given the title), full of historical detail and with that trick... Read more
Published 11 months ago by EleanorB
5.0 out of 5 stars Fantastic follow up!
Having read and loved, Gabrielle Kimm's first book, His Last Duchess. I was really looking forward to the follow up. Read more
Published 12 months ago by George Allan
5.0 out of 5 stars The Courtesan's Lover - Gabrielle Kimm
Having enjoyed His Last Duchess so much I waited for this book for a long time and it was well worth the wait. Read more
Published 14 months ago by J. Arnopp
5.0 out of 5 stars A compelling sequel
The Courtesan's Lover is a compelling read that gives a tantalising insight into the life of Francesca Felizzi, 16th century Italian courtesan. Read more
Published 17 months ago by Angela Buckley
5.0 out of 5 stars Unputdownable!
The Courtesan's Lover is exactly the sort of book to keep you occupied over Christmas as you sip mulled wine before a cosy fire. Read more
Published 18 months ago by Deborah Swift
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