Usually when I start on a Kleypas book, my mind starts wondering about the different ways I should praise the novel in my review. Halfway through reading this book, I had a good number of suggestions in mind, but it wasn't until finishing the book when I finally decided on what to talk about. 
 For a narrow-minded reader with absurdly impossible criterea for "good books", I should warn authors about something I really really hate reading up about in books that usually tend to make me ruin them in a hateful, bitchy, satirical review (not that my reviews are worth reading anyway, so being bitchy doesn't really have my intended effect on changing the world does it?). 
 Dear authors, if you could be so kind, do not ever make the male lead offer the position of a mistress to the female lead. 
 I find this completely insulting to the women around the world. I think that women from the past deserve equal amount of respect as women today. If the intended couple are meant to be with each other eventually, the very least the author could do is make readers like myself feel at peace that the husband-to-be would honour the wife-to-be and her wishes. If he couldn't do so in the first place, what could make anyone think he would do so after matrimony (ok this point completely doesn't make sense. People change, and respect and be earned, I know, but for once, I don't care)? 
 Unfortunately, in this book, not only is the coveted position of a mistress offered to Amanda, but by the author's ultimatum of insults that a writer could use to completely convince readers of a character's lack of any shread of intelligence, Amanda accepts the post with glee. *facepalm* 
 This book is by far the sickest yet, since the mistress thing plays a very important part of the book. Heck. 
 Oh, I don't want to give any spoilers here, but for readers who have read the book, another thing I hate about it is the number 5. Dear Kleypas, 5 is a very big number done't you think? Why? WHY?!!!!!!!!! 
 I also have problems with the female lead Amanda. Besides having been proven for the complete lack of intelligence and self-respect (see above), she really doesn't act as a mature 30-year-old, in my opinion. And it's not just in the way she makes decisions about life, but through her actions and words. Not sure here though, it could be a mere personal opinion. 
 For a book that revolves around writing and publication, this book sure does have very little mention of both. I was hoping for more in-depth information on the production of literary novels during those days, but you sure don't really see much of that here. In fact the book revolves around the theme of Amanda's life as a m------- (see above). 
 For readers who are more liberal, open-minded, and perhaps would have a longer, more peaceful life than me, if you can tolerate such nefarious themes in books (I have no idea how), then you might love this book. In fact, I rather enjoyed it before the m-word was mentioned. The conversations are humorous, the plot is adequately fast-paced. Kleypas has a way with words that absorbs you into the story, as if you were an active observer of the whole rigmarole rather than a passive reader. Thankfully I was not hypnotised by her story-tellings to be mislead into believing the - uh- elitism of a position as a mistress. 
 On the whole, the problems I had merely had to do with the construction of the plot. the narrative, character development etc were still captivating.