When sixteen-year-old Lucrezia de' Medici marries the fifth Duke of Ferrara, Alfonso d'Este, she imagines life with her handsome husband will be idyllic. But little does she know that he is a very complicated man. The marriage is fraught with difficulties from the start, and, as time passes, Lucrezia becomes increasingly alienated.

For Alfonso, the pressure mounts as the Vatican threatens to reclaim his title should the couple remain unable to produce an heir. Only his lover Francesca seems able to tame his increasing fury. But Alfonso's growing resentment towards his duchess soon becomes unbearable, and he begins to plot an unthinkable way to escape his problems.

Originally inspired by a Robert Browning poem, His Last Duchess gorgeously brings to life the passions and people of sixteenth-century Tuscany and Ferrara. It is a story you are unlikely to forget for a long time.

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About the Author

Gabrielle Kimm is the author of The Courtesan's Lover, Playing a Dangerous Game and The Girl With the Painted Face, all published by Sphere. She lives in rural West Sussex, and teaches English part-time at a small performing arts school.

Website: www.gabriellekimm.co.uk
Twitter: @gabrielle_kimm
Facebook: Gabrielle Kimm

Reviews
Gabrielle Kimm writes with a charm that entices us into a world of intrigue and dark undertones. She creates a passionate love story that gets under your skin, intimate and touching, against a backdrop of danger and treachery. Her vivid portrayal of Medici life is rich and wonderfully imagined, as she draws a skilful portrait of a fascinating time and place * Kate Furnivall, author of THE RUSSIAN CONCUBINE *
So captivating you'll wish you owned a lace bodice, waiting to be untied! * Now *
Fascinating . . . A gripping read, set against a backdrop of danger and treachery * Star magazine *
A stunning debut, rich in historical detail, that explores women's freedom, forbidden love and the passions and people of 16th century Tuscany and Ferrara * Irish News *
A stunning debut, rich in historical detail * Woman's Way *


Awards
Long-listed for Romantic Novel of the Year 2011 (UK).



Book Information
ISBN 9780751544503
Author Gabrielle Kimm
Format Paperback
Page Count 416
Imprint Sphere
Publisher Little, Brown Book Group
Weight(grams) 300g
Dimensions(mm) 196mm * 128mm * 27mm