Francesca isn't one of those women who dream of being a doctor or a lawyer. She wants to be a courtesan. Part of her desire to become a courtesan has to do with circumstance, but the other part is wonder. Throughout the book the reader will wonder if Francesca just wanted someone to love her, to care for her the way some of her "visitors" seem to care for their wives.

Francesca is not what she seems at first glance. She loves and cares for her two children, twins. She also cares for her "pimp," a eunuch who regrets his current state. When Francesca meets a boy she initiates into a sort of adulthood, he changes her for the better. She decides that what she needs is stability and love rather than the swinging doors. In a series of slightly confusing circumstances, I learned that Francesca has truly created a muddle for herself, a muddle that began with the boy.

THE COURTESAN'S LOVER is detailed when setting up the foundation of the story but becomes fast-paced making the events exciting and intense. Gabrielle Kimm has a wonderful way of making the reader care for the characters. I at first thought it would be hard to care for one such as Francesca, but was pleasantly surprised to find quite the opposite was true. This story is a wonderful way to see a different side of a lifestyle you may have unkind thoughts towards.