The Courtesan's Lover

by Gabrielle Kimm

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.

Genres: Historical Fiction, Historical, Italy, Romance, Fiction, 16th Century, Renaissance

504 pages, Paperback

First published November 24, 2011

About the author

I am the author of three historical novels, all published by Sphere: 'His Last Duchess' (Sphere 2010), 'The Courtesan's Lover' (Sphere 2011) and 'The Girl with the Painted Face (Sphere 2013).

I live and work in West Sussex - writing and teaching English in a tiny performing arts school.

Reviews

[Anachronist · Rating 2 out of 5]

Synopsis:

16th century, Naples, the south of Italy. Francesca Felizzi has been a courtesan for ten years now. She earns a lot, owns two houses and generally enjoys a great popularity among men due to her stunning beauty and intelligence. She has several rich and influenced patrons, sumptuous dresses and three servants. Still, when she falls on the street people jeer, catcall or feign indifference at best. Nobody wants to help her. She is a sinner, the lowest of low. No courtesan ends well, no matter how popular or rich she is during her best years.

One evening Francesca, dressed up as a respectable young widow and accompanying one of her regular clients, discovers an entirely new world – the world of true friends, decency, propriety and peace of mind. And she falls in love at first sight with Luca della Rovere, a scholar and a respectable widower with two adult sons. It seems everything should divide them but Luca cannot forget that lovely, quiet widow and soon enough he is courting her like a man at least 20 years younger. What will happen when he finds out the truth about Francesca? How couldn’t he find it out?


What I liked:

I am really impressed by the amount of research done by the author. Her sixteen century Naples (Napoli) came to life for me and I was delighted by all these tidbits concerning ships, dresses, renaissance houses and habits of Italians, inhabiting them. I learned a lot!

In the first part of the book I liked Francesca Felizzi. She was definitely better than an ordinary whore and she took care of her daughters while working hard, almost too hard, to ensure her girls have a better future. When she returned from that fatuous evening during which she fell in love her reaction was heartrending. I also liked Modesto, her castrate friend and servant who also acted as her pimp and advisor. It was very touching that these two broken souls could count on each other even in the most difficult moments.

Also Carlo, a secondary character and a baddie through and through, seemed somehow nicer than he should. Maybe I felt so because he was a deceiving brat, a ‘Loki’ type and I always fall for them.

Oh, and the cover is lovely.

What I didn’t like:

I asked myself different minor questions while reading this one (translation: had several WTF moments) but I admit my biggest problems began in the second part of the book, after our lovely, hard-working courtesan fell in love with Luca. I know, love is basically a mental illness but does it have to make you so completely naïve and stupid? Does it, really?

Francesca abandons her profession all of a sudden, right after one evening spent in the company of her beloved. That much was at least understandable - she was in a shock and she didn’t want to be unfaithful to him even before they went to bed. However her complete lack of apprehension when it came to the reaction of her former patrons was surprising to say the least of it. After all she knew the best that they were a bunch of unsavoury (although rich and influential) types who hardly accepted a ‘no’ for an answer; still she thought that if only she informed them about her decision, writing a letter or sending her faithful Modesto with a verbal message, they will meekly thank her for her troubles, kiss her hand gently, leave a good-buy gift and find themselves another courtesan. Oh lady, who do you think you're fooling? I did wonder how you survived in that ruthless profession for 10 years at all and remained such a gullible, unpractical creature. In my humble opinion Francesca's best course of action would be lying low for some time, conducting business as usual or even better, feigning a venereal disease or, in fact, any disease (I know, I am cruel but it would cool down even the most libidinous customer, don’t you think?) and then, after selling her houses secretly she should have fled the city even before any of her clients got wind of her real intentions and sudden change of heart.

Then her next, surprisingly stupid blunder: she informs her two servants, Ilaria and Sebastiano, that they would be made redundant soon and then… she leaves her precious twin daughters in their tender care because she has to go on a much-expected date with Luca. No doubts, no second thoughts. Hello, earth to Francesca, have you ever heard of spiteful people who bear a grudge ? No? There are no spiteful servants in Napoli? Not even when they find out that after two years of more or less acceptable service they will be shown the door? Oh dear…and you are a courtesan, right?

Finally I was very surprised by Luca’s easy acceptance of Francesca’s past. It was highly uncharacteristic for a man, even a man madly in love so in a state of advanced stupidity. I would summarize his attitude this way (it is a bit spoilerish so click to read or omit it):
“Ok, sweetheart, so you had two extramarital kids with some old, rich creep, you have screwed a countless number of people for money and half of the city knows you as basically an exclusive whore? Not a problem. We don’t have to go out at all or keep decent company, your past won’t influence my position at the University and I’ve always wanted to sleep with somebody like you. You took the virginity of my younger son? Oh, simply peachy, it was basically a favour, great to know he was in such professional hands his first time. He is in love with you and would like to repeat that experience? Puppy love, it will pass in no time. I trust you and I know you love only me, you are such a sweet girl, all forgiven and forgotten, now come and kiss me, darling…”

To me it rings hollow, especially from the psychological point of view. People need time to accept such earthshaking truths; people living in the 16th century were overall definitely more conservative and more observant when it came to religious laws and customs. Perhaps a complete libertine would actually enjoy such a situation but nothing suggested Luca was a libertine and even if he was he still had to think about his reputation, his colleagues and superiors at the university, his everyday aquaintances. I wouldn’t be surprised if that guy needed months, even years to accept such a colourful past of his beloved. Once again it would have been far more believable and easier if they (Luca and Francesca plus their families) had left Naples and started anew in another city.

Final verdict:

A nice novel which could have been better if not for the maudlin, improbable romance and some psychology glitches. If you like historical romance and those saccharine-sweeet HEA endings you might enjoy it. For me it had too high sugar content.

[Deborah Swift · Rating 5 out of 5]

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. In fact I would liken it to mulled wine - rich, deep and satisfying!

Set in a beautifully realised Renaissance Italy, it tells the story of Francesca Felizzi, a wealthy courtesan, who decides to 'go straight.' The first section of the book shows us her life as a courtesan - the glamour and the potential danger are neatly interwoven. For the book to work this part has to be believable and the author spends some time setting this up, so we understand just what a courtesan's life would have been like, right down to how a citrus fruit is used as a contraceptive device!.The setting of Napoli is impeccably researched; the nitty-gritty of Francesca's business is described frankly, but there is nothing here that would shock the average reader.

Once Francesca falls in love, the rest of the book is concerned with how her former clients interact with each other, and how each past encounter now poses a danger to the one true relationship in her life. The reader is kept on tenterhooks wondering which of her lovers will betray her. There are plenty of colourful characters, not least her servant Modesto, a eunuch, whose plight is both touching and sad. There can be few books that examine the tragedy of these young boys whose voices were preserved by the worst kind of intervention.

There is plenty of danger to add spice to this romance.
We fear for Francesca's life when she entertains the sadistic Michele - the client from hell, and fear for her daughters at the hands of the irrational Carlo, her lover's son. Gabrielle Kimm racks up the tension and the pace so it builds nicely to its conclusion.

The Courtesan's Lover is a well-written pageturner, a good old fashioned story with action, romance and a sumptuous setting. Very highly recommended.

[Katja · Rating 2 out of 5]

I'd love to give this book more stars because I think the basic idea has so much potential. The plot could go so many ways; it could focus on the forbidden love, always a crowd-pleaser. The story could be sensual, describing the everyday life of a courtesan. It could focus on the historical aspect, depicting the Neapolitan life very accurately. The story could be an adventure or even a comedy as Francesca tries to hide her occupation from Luca and his equals. But instead, the book combines all of these options and, sadly, quite poorly. There are too many characters and each one gets at least a couple of chapters. For instance Maria and Cristoforo could have been dropped and the story would have remained the same. There are also too many events so towards the end of the book the story has started to resemble a soap opera. The writing is very repetitive (like, how often DO people lick their lips?) which makes for a slow read. So, unfortunately my high expectations were not met.

[Elysium · Rating 4 out of 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.

[Judy & Marianne from Long and Short Reviews · Rating 4 out of 5]

Originally posted at: http://www.longandshortreviews.blogsp...


A lover! A patron or patrons yes, but a lover for a courtesan brings a wealth of different emotions and conflicts to the mix.

At first just surviving was Francesca’s number one desire and then surviving well by charging big fees for what she had, at one time, been forced to do for nothing seemed like a good way to secure her and her daughters’ futures.

In the sixteenth century, women and children could be used and abused or adored and cared for as the man of the family saw fit. Francesca had not been among those adored and cared for. As a courtesan she is desired by many but available to only a few. She is like both sorceress and temptress as she divines and meets the needs of each of her patrons—fulfills their fantasies and sends them on their way—no strings attached. Of course, she does keep her “Book of Encounters” for insurance.

Modesto, Francesca’s house servant, nurse, pimp, bodyguard and faithful friend, sees the two of them as ‘the seedless and the strumpet’ against the world. His story is compelling. He can sing with the voice of an angel, albeit a sad angel.

Luca della Rovere and his sons Carlo and Gianni, without knowing it, change the course of Francesca’s life as well as the lives of all those who depend on her for a living. Gianni, the virgin, who shows her compassion like she has never known before has a profound effect on her life. Carlo, who fences illegal goods for privateer s and lives a life style that could get him burned, creates the most anxiety-ridden episodes in the novel. His associates chill the blood. And then there is Luca, a university professor—ten years a widower, who creates a tingling of surprise and need in Francesca every time he walks into the room.

The many secondary characters entangled in the evolving of Francesca have secrets and fears that create astonishing sub-plots that affect the main plot. The political and religious power enters into the motivation of many of the characters. Miguel Vasquez, a patron of Francesca, lives in fear of losing his place of power if his secrets are discovered, a fact that comes in handy for Francesca as the story unfolds. Signor di Cicciano, another patron, wild, depraved, and unpredictable brings terror and chaos into the primary characters lives. Filippo and Maria’s story, though somewhat twisted and dark, intrigues. Most charming of all are Beata and Isabella, Francesca’s twin daughters. They wiggle their way right into the reader’s heart. When they get caught in a forbidding situation, it sends the heart pounding.

Gabrielle Kimm weaves together a tale of opulent living, depraved living, and lascivious living with characters that seem to come alive on the pages of The Courtesan's Lover. In a few places the verbiage slows the story and it seemed the bad overwhelmed the good too much of the time. But the story is rich with emotion and throbs with life. Even though some of the scenes are horrifying and some are sordid, the descriptions are so vivid that the reader’s senses are brought to full alertness with smells of the filthy and the fine, with the touch of fine satin and silks then the hurt of harsh hands, the taste of gourmet food, sounds of happy giggles and angelic singing and sounds of a fight to death in a filthy tavern on the waterfront. Ms. Kimm manages a tangle of characters with amazing skill as she weaves in a touch of history and mores of the time with intrigues and clandestine doings that captivate and sometimes takes one’s breath away. The happy-ever after for these lovers is hard won and precious.

[Sue Uden · Rating 5 out of 5]

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.

[Victoria · Rating 5 out of 5]

I absolutely loved this book! I've had it on my bookcase for two years now but continuously overlooked it. On a whim, I decided to give it a chance. Having read His Last Duchess a couple of years ago and enjoying it, I bought this as it sort of follows on from there. Although Francesca is a minor character in the first book, she's developed by the end and the story continues through her in this book.
I initially thought that the title was a bit naff. In fact, I don't think the title is anywhere good enough for this book. I'm not thrilled with the cover either. BUT, never judge a book by the cover!
This is an awesome tale. There are so many characters, all of whom are extremely well developed and very cleverly linked together due to their relationship to one woman, Francesca Felizzi. Although there are such a large amount of people involved in the story, it never once becomes confusing or daft. The whole book is brilliant. I love renaissance Italy and this has everything for me: love, mystery, action...what more could I ask?
I've bought Ms Kimm's next novel already. I can't wait to crack on with it.

[Carol W · Rating 4 out of 5]

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 usual confidence and professionalism begins to crumble.

She is asked to accompany one of her clients to a lavish event posing as his widowed cousin in place of his wife who prefers not to attend. Francesca sees this as another transaction and a one off, but a chance meeting with Gianni's father could see her deception exposed and change her life forever.

I have to say this novel has been on my shelf for a while.
There is a slow start that did not hold my interest, initially, but I did feel this was not one to give up on completely but one to put back on the shelf for a later date.

So glad I did. When I re-read from the beginning, the story took a little while to get going. Once Francesca met Gianni I was compelled to read on and see how this meeting would affect her future.

4.5 out of 5 for me. I loved it!

Thank u to Sphere for a review copy

[Farrah · Rating 3 out of 5]

Gabrielle Kimm brings back one of her characters from The Last Duchess, Francesca Felizzi, the former mistress to the Duke of Ferrara. The Courtesan’s Lover can be read as a stand alone as Francesca is now a sought after Courtesan living a life of luxury and raising her two twin daughters. She has beauty, ambition, smarts, and power over men yet lacks real love until meeting a certain young man and soon after his father. She realizes she wants more and to have it must give up what she’s known. This realization and need to change brings anger to some she must reject which brings danger to her and her girls. Will she and her girls survive the dangers and will she finally have genuine love returned? I recommend you to follow along the pages to discover what Francesca discovers in the end. For those afraid of what they’ll encounter among the pages because of the title, do not fear, it’s only enough to help you understand the lifestyle but not enough to have you blushing too hard. Kimm does an excellent job with giving you just enough.

[Tanzanite · Rating 4 out of 5]

4.5 stars

http://shelfandstuff.blogspot.com/201...

[Violeta Petrovska · Rating 5 out of 5]

Книгава ја ставам ДЕФИНИТИВНО на врвот за оваа 2013 година, поздрав друштво, препорака за сите од срце!!!!

[Marie80 · Rating 5 out of 5]

Уште нешто прочитано по препорака на Вики и можам да кажам дека не ме разочара!!!Баш како што и очекував прекрасна приказна!

[Lucy · Rating 3 out of 5]

Just as a warning, I didn’t read the book this is meant to be a sequel to (His Last Duchess) but I feel this book stood very well on its own. Maybe I’ll say something different if I read the first book because it does reference some things which happened in the last book but doesn’t dwell on them too much.

This book left me so conflicted because, on one hand, I absolutely loved most of this book. I loved the characters and how their stories intertwined together, how the different POVs led you to seeing the characters in different ways so you never got just one side of the story. Modesto was a special favourite of mine and I would have loved to see more of his and Francesca’s forcibly-platonic relationship. The setting was gorgeous and very well done, I want to read more books set in this time because of how well the book did the setting.

On the other hand, with the same intensity I also hated the romance. It wasn’t because I disliked the people involved in the romance. Francesca was a heroine I rooted for and I didn’t completely hate Luca (although I found him a little dull at times and couldn’t see what Francesca saw in him) but I despised how the romance was written. It was always lauded up as this big starstruck romance and even other people were thinking about how they had never seen love like it – Francesca and Luca had barely known each other a week! I really expected Luca to reject her when he found out her secret because in everything we had seen about Luca so far, that was the reaction which made the most sense. Having Francesca be rejected but then rising out of the pain and open to finding love where her heart was closed before (not necessarily with Luca) – I would have loved that ending.

The romance was out of touch with the rest of the book and was a big case of telling not showing. If it had ended a different way, I probably would have given this book five stars, but how the romance was written dragged it straight down.

Three stars it is.

[Marina Đorić · Rating 5 out of 5]

The Courtesan's Lover features Francesca Felizzi and her twin daughters from His Last Duchess in a whole new light. Francesca is lucky to have a few trusted friends but unlucky in that she has many potential enemies. This novel embodies the phrase `keep your friends close and your enemies even closer'. The depiction of the decadence, depravity and degradation of life as a courtesan is cinematic. The clever plot twists, turns and deliberately leads the reader astray. There are excerpts from Francesca's `Book of Encounters' which add further spice to this satisfying read. I found myself spell bound late into the night on more than one occasion. When the book ended I felt as saddened as if it was time to say goodbye to a dear friend. I do hope that I am wrong and that it is merely a `bye for now'.

[Eve · Rating 2 out of 5]

Not the worst representation of sex workers, but very obviously not the best.

Author definitely does not care at all about her characters and is using all of their trauma for plot building.

Men aren't shit. Not a single one of them, even the better ones repeatedly have sick sexist monologues. Unnecessary.
We know men from the past were misogynistic.
You don't have to tell us that every two pages.

For some unknown reasons tho, all of these women hate themselves and blame themselves.
Don't know what that's about.

[Stefani · Rating 1 out of 5]

So far this year, I feel like I've been reading the same book over and over again. Which means I should try and read some different genres in March.

[Katherine Smith · Rating 3 out of 5]

An enjoyable story, hard to really lose yourself in so it's a good beach read.

[Tracey · Rating 2 out of 5]

I found this a slow read . The plot was very involved with a lot of characters that weren’t alway easy to keep track of.

[Indi · Rating 3 out of 5]

It dragged on a little bit towards the end but otherwise a thrilling story with not as many indecent moments as you would think

[Carrie Slager · Rating 4 out of 5]

I’ll be honest with you guys: the only reason I bought this book was because it was on sale at 3 books for $10 and I needed a third book to get the discount. The cover of my edition was hideous and the blurb sounded somewhat interesting but pretty stereotypical. That’s why I didn’t really pick up the book until I was on my holidays around Christmas. And lo and behold, Gabrielle Kimm surprised me.

Francesca is a main character that you can’t help but love. She plays the carefree courtesan well and interacts on a more personal level with all of her clients but on the inside you can tell she wants something more out of life. Even if she doesn’t know it in the beginning, Francesca always wanted a better life for herself and for her daughters in particular. When she suddenly falls in love with the upstanding father of a young client things suddenly spiral out of control and she realizes just how empty a life she was living before. In Luca, she suddenly sees everything that her life could be and despite the fact she’ll have to live modestly without her courtesan’s income, Francesca is determined to make a new life for herself. It’s actually a rather touching journey and of course not everything goes according to plan for our main character.

Francesca is very well fleshed out and she’s definitely the main character but Gabrielle Kimm also lets us see things from the eyes of the other characters, most notably Luca and Modesto. Luca is a kind of upstanding old patrician who thinks Francesca is a pure and innocent widow; at the same time he has a lot of depth and can be very progressive for a man of the time. Modesto (in my opinion) is far more fascinating. He’s a gifted singer, which meant in 16th century Napoli that he had been castrated before puberty so that he would always have a pure, high voice with the power of a full grown man’s lungs. He’s nominally Francesca’s servant but he acts as both a pimp and a caregiver. It’s his war with his feelings for Francesca with the reality of his situation (particularly the fact that she loves Luca) that makes him almost as fascinating as Francesca herself. Yes, I’m sort of a sucker for tragic figures.

This is not a fast-paced book, even by historical fiction standards. It’s very interesting, especially because Kimm seems to know her way around 16th century Napoli so well. There are just little details from everyday life that make the whole book far more interesting and make the characters and their world come alive. The whole time I read The Courtesan’s Lover I felt like I was in Napoli along with Francesca, Modesto and Luca. And considering the fact that I knew almost nothing about the time period coming into the novel, that’s no mean feat. So while the book is not fast-paced it is a thoroughly enjoyable read because the plot itself is interesting.

I wouldn’t say that the plot is unpredictable but it does have the occasional surprise. Some wrenches get thrown into the works but I think it’s pretty easy to predict the ending of this book. But you know what? Sometimes you just need a guilty pleasure read, one that will suck you into a whole new world and make you fall in love with its characters even if you can predict what’s going to happen at the end. Even though I didn’t know it at the time, that’s exactly what I needed so I’m very glad that I picked up The Courtesan’s Lover by chance. If the blurb intrigues you and you get a chance to buy the book, go ahead. We all need a little more lighthearted romance in our lives sometimes.

I give this book 4/5 stars

[Cynthia Mcarthur · Rating 4 out of 5]

In Gabrielle Kim's latest novel, The Courtesan's Lover, Francesca, the former lover of the deranged and violent Duke of Ferrara, has fled from him to Naples where she has set herself up as one of the city's finest and most-sought after courtesans. She has it all-two beautiful homes, several wealthy clients, the best clothing, opulent furnishings, and most importantly, security for her twin daughters. All is well with Francesca, her manservant, Modesto, who has a past of his own, and their life-style until Francesca pretends to be a demure and widowed cousin of one of her regular clients in order to accompany him to a play and dinner. There, Francesca meets Luca, an unremarkable but sweet man by all accounts, and her world and point of view are turned upside-down. Not able to concentrate on a word of the play or a bite of her dinner, Francesca knows she must have this man, but legitimately, not as a whore. What other way can she accomplish this except to give it all up? And so she does, and so angers many of her former clients who swear to seek revenge for their rejection. Meanwhile she has kept up the pretense of widowhood in order to keep seeing Luca. Much to Francesca's dismay, at her first visit to Luca's she discovers that his beloved son is none other than the virgin she deflowered only weeks before, at his sardonic brother's expense.
With Luca's son agreeing to keep Francesca's secret, she continues her relationship with Luca only to feel more and more guilty, knowing for sure that Luca would never consider being with a former whore. After weeks of keeping up the pretense, Francesca and Luca return from an outing to find that someone has kid-napped Francesca's cherished daughters, so all set out in a frantic search of the city for the girls. Francesca returns to the house where she once worked, thinking the girls may have gone there. She arrives to find her devious and angry former client and his precious knife waiting for her to make her pay for declining his attentions. After a vicious attack, and a long search, the girls are found and Francesca is found lying in a pool of her own blood on the floor. Luca looks to Francesca for explanation, and he is given the truth at last. The girls are safe, Francesca will live, but will Luca stay? And will the men who kidnapped the girls and attacked Francesca pay?
Once again, this was a delicious story. The chapters alternate from Francesca's first person point of view, which seems very real and earthy, to the other character's third person points of view. Francesca is an amusing and matter-of-fact character, so it was very interesting to see her stumble her way through the pretense of widow hood, but the reader also cares for Francesca, and wants to see her succeed and be happy. There are a lot of secondary characters in this novel, all of whom are interesting and vital to the plot, though I have not mentioned them in this review. There is a lot of action in this story, a lot of soul-searching on all of the character's parts, but it blends in so well with the action that it never gets boring. This was a very readable and enjoyable book. I look forward to Gabrielle Kim's next book...

[Romancing the Book · Rating 4 out of 5]

Posted on Romancing the Book's blog
Reviewed by Angie
Review Copy Provided by Netgalley

Francesca 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.}

[Samantha · Rating 4 out of 5]

Francesca was a well paid, sought after courtesan in a time of decadence and beauty. Her patrons pay for her time, and she rewards them with her body and her mind. After a chance encounter with a young man on the verge of manhood, everything begins to change. Her mind begins to betray her pocketbook with thoughts of what might have been. Her last act as a courtesan is to simply attend an innocent play with a patron whose wife refuses to do so. At this play she falls in love with a man who will forever change the course of her life, her love and her soul.

This book is beautifully written, including the scenes that you'd expect in a book with this title. There aren't any embarassing moments as a reader, the scenes are simply a part of the story, as expected. The story is a web of chance encounters that all get wrapped up in the end. As Francesca is attempting to change her life, she'll have to face everything that she is affraid of. The safety of her precious twin girls, the faith and friendship of a man who has so little to live for, the love of a boy who she turned into a man, the friendship of a woman who looked past her profession and finally the love of the man she would die for. The worlds oldest profession creates a backdrop for this tale, but isn't the only reason to read it. Read it because you have found love, are looking for love, or trying to remember the faith of your love. Read it if you have ever had a relationship with a friend who you would do anything for. Read it if you are a mother who loves your children more than you love yourself. Whatever your reason for reading this review, think about reading this book. It is longer than most books, but the web of people make it worth it. The web of lives that this book intertwines is amazing. Yes, Francesca is a prostitute, but it isn't who she is, it is what she does for a living.

As a side note, I picked up and started this book without knowing about the previous story. Francesca is a character in the first book, but I was never confused about something I may have missed by not reading His Last Duchess. Read this book, read both books, or don't read either. Its up to you, but in my opinion you should take the time to travel to this world.

[Laura Wilkinson · Rating 5 out of 5]

A moving story of illicit love, revenge and underground tunnels in sixteenth-century Italy

A minor character from Gabrielle Kimm’s fantastic debut takes centre stage in this, her second, novel. However, it is important to stress this is a stand-alone novel, though if you’ve not already done so I urge you to read His Last Duchess.
Former mistress to the Duke of Ferrara, Francesca Felizzi, has travelled south to Naples with her young daughters and reinvented herself as a courtesan. With all the trappings of a successful courtesan - the beautiful home, sumptuous dresses and glittering jewels - Francesca’s new life suits her well, until a chance encounter with an inexperienced and tender young client exposes her vulnerability: the absence of true love in her life. When Francesca falls for a respectable widower she turns her back on whoring and in so doing unleashes a terrifying fury, unwittingly placing the lives of herself and her daughters in jeopardy.
Kimm takes her time setting the scene and portraying the foibles of her large cast. The leisurely pace is enhanced by beautiful, sensuous prose and I’d recommend savouring this section because once Kimm ratchets up the tension there’s every danger that you’ll rattle through the second half of the narrative without pausing to enjoy the detail.
Francesca is an absorbing, satisfying lead complimented by her romantic, compassionate lover Luca. But the supporting characters are also real and nuanced: Modesto, Francesca’s loyal manservant, is touching and noble, and his backstory broke my heart; the relationship between a former client and his frigid wife is tender and moving.
The multiple narrative strands of this rich tapestry are woven with a skilled, light touch. The Courtesan’s Lover is sexy, moving and, at times, nail-bitingly tense. Peopled with memorable characters set against a stunning backdrop this is historical romance at its best.

[Sheree · Rating 4 out of 5]

4.5 stars

This was my first read by Gabrielle Kimm but it certainly won't be my last. I loved her writing style - a captivating historical setting, colourful embellishment, and enough sentiment to have you caring for the characters. Renaissance Italy, in particular 16th century Naples is described with the all the passion and vibrancy expected of this era.

Francesca Felizzi is a secondary character from Gabrielle Kimm's debut novel His Last Duchess but I can assure you The Courtesan's Lover is a stand-alone novel. I'll be picking up His Last Duchess simply because I enjoy Gabrielle's writing so much.

Francesca a talented courtesan is feisty, unconventional and independent, loving mother to twins and possessed of a quiet dignity that had me feeling both respect and compassion for her. With clients ranging from rich and influential to downright dangerous, Francesca and her manservant Modesto lead anything but a dull life.

When a young, inexperienced client stirs up feelings of dissatisfaction in Francesca along with the possibility of deserving and finding love, the story and Francesca's life takes a new and exciting path but ... the road to love is anything but smooth.

Kimm portrays Francesca with the frankness required to communicate the intimacies of a courtesan's life but the details aren't overly graphic and there's certainly nothing gratuitous. I cared about Francesca's manservant Modesto, he's a loyal friend and protector to Francesca and their relationship is quite touching. The story behind Modesto's castration is really sad, I was completely unaware that castration of young boys to achieve a soprano voice was only banned in 1903 ... how barbaric!

The Courtesan's Lover is a story to be both devoured and savoured, 500 plus pages flew by and by the end I was sad to say goodbye to Francesca and her family.

[Mirella · Rating 5 out of 5]

In 16th century Italy, Francesca Felizzi, former lover of the Duke of Ferrara, is one of the most sought after, shrewdest, and most talented courtesans in all of Naples. But she leads a dual life. When she is not otherwise engaged with her paying lovers, she is a loving mother to her two young daughters. Francesca keeps her two lives separate, and it is this which makes Francesca a highly believable and likeable character.

Modesto is a castrato, a loyal, dedicated, lonely man who truly loves Francesca and aids her unselfishly in her work and in her family life. Of course there is a list of Francesca 19s clients, some of whom are a bit quirky, some charming, and some who border on being outright dangerous. Although there are numerous sex scenes in this book, they are tastefully written and kept to a minimum.

Italian historical fiction is my favourite genre and I usually read numerous books in this category. Gabrielle Kimm did an exceptional job in adding a realistic and vibrant flavour to the setting. Throughout, there are sprinklings of the most fascinating characters. One scene in particular was most entertaining 13 poor Father Ippolito, who must battle his own lust each time he listens to Francesca as she confesses the details of her lurid life. When Francesca falls in love, she gives up her life as a courtesan, while keeping her past a secret. But fate conspires against her and soon, her secret is discovered. This sets off a hectic chain of events that is more than intriguing and adds suspense to an already fascinating story.

Gabrielle Kimm has penned an entertaining tale brimming with vibrant imagery, suspense, and poignancy. A definite keeper! And don 19t worry if you haven 19t read the first novel, His Last Duchess. This book stands alone and you 19ll have no problem falling into this very lovely story.

[Christy B · Rating 4 out of 5]

What a fabulous follow-up novel to His Last Duchess. In The Courtesan's Lover, Kimm has written a even more exquisite novel.

While this book is connected to His Last Duchess, it's not exactly a sequel, so it can be read as a stand-alone. In His Last Duchess, Francesca Felizzi was mistress to the Duke of Ferrara, and at the end of that book, Francesca scoops up her twin daughters and moves to Napoli. That is where we find her in The Courtesan's Lover. This is her story.

Despite the fact that the main character is a courtesan, the writing is not tawdry at all. There is just enough written that you know what's going on without every single detail. Working her way up the Courtesan ladder, Francesca has three clients that she sees regularly, and everything is going fine, until an encounter with a young man name Gianni. Suddenly, Francesca is shaken, and an encounter with another man puts her over the edge. All of a sudden, she is questioning what she is doing with her life.

When I saw the number of pages The Courtesan's Lover was, I thought this was going to be a stuffy historical fiction novel with an abundance of flowery detail, but it was none of that. It read so fast, that I finished it in only a few days. Even though one night I wasn't feeling so good, I couldn't put my nook down to stop reading. I was so engrossed. The characters, even the villainous ones, were given an individual voice, and I loved the way it was done.

Francesca was an incredibly smart, savvy woman, and I was rooting for her through the whole book. Oh, and Gianni? I kind of hope that Kimm might write what happens to him in a future book. He was so cute and chivalrous, that I wanted to squish him.

[Colleen Turner · Rating 4 out of 5]

I am so glad I got to read and review this book for www.luxuryreading.com! Francesca Felizzi, the beautiful, quick-witted and caring courtesan we first met in Gabrielle Kimm’s novel, His Last Duchess, is back and center stage.

Two years have passed since she ran from the Duke of Ferrara and her life as his paid mistress, taking their twin daughters with her. Francesca is now enjoying the life of a well-paid courtesan in Napoli. When a chance encounter with the father of one of her patrons illicits feelings of longing and love she has never felt before, she must decide what she is willing to give up, and what she is willing to reveal about herself, for this new love and a possible future she has never imagined possible. As she begins to change her life she soon discovers that not everyone is willing to let her go so easily and her life, and the lives of her daughters, might be in jeopardy because of her past.

I absolutely adored His Last Duchess and was so excited to read The Courtesan’s Lover. Gabrielle Kimm does not disappoint and this book is juicy, dramatic and thoroughly enticing. Readers who tend to shy away from sexualized stories may feel uncomfortable with some passages but I found that Kimm was able to communicate the bawdy parts of the story without being vulgar. While there are a few characters that I thought could have been left out of the story to condense its length, everyone served a purpose and all details were neatly wrapped up by the end.

The book stands alone from His Last Duchess but I would definitely recommend reading both books because they are both wonderful. If you like racy but well written historical fiction you can’t go wrong with either.

[Louise Graham · Rating 5 out of 5]

Yet again Gabrielle has written another novel that is gripping, full of plot twisting pages, slightly sinister but packed full of romance (most not in the traditional way!) Set in Naples 1564, whilst the book is focused on the lead, Francesca Felizzi who was in His Last Duchess, she was only a very small part of that book and you certainly do not have to have read that book before reading The Courtesan’s Lover (mind you it is a great book so why wouldn’t you want too!!)

The book starts with Francesca doing what a good Courtesan’s does best, being the Mistress of some well to do and then we follower her life as she earns her living. Until one day, a new ‘Client’ makes her stop, think and realise what she is missing in her life. Can she go back to her old ways when there is something she wants more? Over a dinner one evening her whole world changes, but can she hide her past long enough for the real her to shine through?

I adored this book, from the moment I opened the first chapter I was hooked. Historical fiction is my favourite genre (as anyone who follows my blog now knows!!) Gabrielle has clearly researched the period in time and the role a Courtesan has to play. There are some very strong bonds between a few of the characters that are totally believable and extremely heart warming in places and heart wrenching in other, I particularly want to mention Modesto. There is far more to him than first meets the eye.

This really is a must read for anyone that like some grit to their novels they read. By no means a gentle romance but a real page turner that will have you hiding behind a pillow in places, crying in others and desperate for things to turn out ok in other.

Truly a fantastic novel and totally worthy to be my 2nd Book of the Month in 2012.

[Lucy Bertoldi · Rating 3 out of 5]

Let’s face it- when you’re going to read about a courtesan, you’re going to have to go through some racy and explicit stuff…but I’m glad to say that those parts were not a strong enough deterrent to keep me from reading on.
For sure there were some very disturbing parts and at times I wondered how all of Francesca’s ‘somehow inter-related’ clients could possibly ever find a suitable situation to these incredible scenarios…
This very intricate story of a courtesan living in Renaissance Naples at a time when the Spanish ruled is filled with mystery, crime, passion and a lot of degenerate behavior. That being said, the story also contains love of family, honour and caring.
There are several sub stories linked to the main plot revolving around this courtesan’s life changing decision brought upon by an awakening to true love. Francesca is the pivotal character from whom all others’ lives somewhat depend on; from clients, to servants, to her daughters (she has twin girls), to newly befriended ‘regular’ ladies, to criminals, chiefs of police…and the love of her life.
I quickly became immersed in the story, and although some of the writing lacked fluidity compounded with casual details needing extensive editing- I still longed to find out what would happen next. The intricacies of circumstances that would be incredulous in real life somehow ended up all working out in the end. Characters were exiled and others conveniently moved away, or killed off, lovers’ reconciliations - everything fell suitably into place.
Fiction set in an historical time when courtesans and villains took center stage. Indeed, this is the story of a ‘princess’ finding her happily ever after… Captivating after all!