I liked Phyllida, though I definitely see the problems that you did. I was sort of hoping for a slower buildup to "hey sex with a girl is not awful" instead of the instant "omg let's have sex here now" that they had, but if that'd been the only shortcut the book took i would have been fine with it.

I was impressed with the author's ability to create the milieu for her characters. She had a lot of words and phrases and actions that were very of-that-time, which too many books that purport to be of that time don't have. Too bad she didn't focus a little more energy on the plot, which seems to be as simple as any Harlequin, with a third Object Of Lust added in.

One of my favorite websites reviewed this book when it came out as a self-published novel. I think their grade of C+ was very fair. http://www.smartbitchestrashybooks.com/index.php/weblog/comments/phyllida_and_the_brotherhood_of_philander_a_bisexual_regency_romance/