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Reviewed by Heather Osborne for Readers' Favorite
The Courtesan by Killarney Sheffield is a short but sweet historical romance. Rachel Sholis leaves her home in Germany with her family on a ship bound for England. On the way there, their ship begins to sink and Rachel believes her family has perished. She makes it to land where she is brutally attacked and thrown into Newgate Prison. Her ordeal is far from over when she is purchased by a man, Mr. John, who forces Rachel into training to become a courtesan. Through this, she arrives in the arms of her protector, the Duke of Eastbourne, who cherishes Rachel not only for her body, but for her personality. Rachel still holds out hope that she will find her family and refuses to be tied down as a courtesan for the rest of her life. Will Rachel learn to trust her duke’s intentions?
Miss Sheffield weaves a beguiling tale of a woman thrust into an unfathomable situation. Rachel has to struggle to overcome the stigma of being a courtesan, but also come to terms with her lost religion. She is a strong willed heroine with the very best of intentions that often go awry. Although a quick read, I wanted to know more about Rachel’s religious background as a Hutterite. There is some mention about their beliefs, but not enough for me to really understand the meaning of the term. It would have also been interesting to learn more about the rights of courtesans at the time. I believe that The Courtesan would be fascinating with these added historical details. Aside from that, Miss Sheffield has done an admirable job weaving together a tale of forbidden love.
