The gilded web

I've read a bunch of historical romances, at this point, and I hate to give 2 stars to the most explicitly feminist one, but here we are. First, I'll just say it plainly: not sexy enough! The protagonist and her love interest do have a genuine emotional connection, which is lovely, but this is by far the lowest ratio of eroticism to endless dialogue I've encountered. Second, I really do genuinely like that the protagonist balks once she realizes clearly that she's intended to transition from guardianship of one man to another (although her respectful-of-women-and-their-intelligence intended is a huge improvement from her tyrannical and bigoted father) and how trapped by convention women are even in the best of circumstances, but then...I dunno. I wish Balogh had pushed the limits of that tension further. Let Alex actually go off and be a governess! Then have a sexy reunion! Or have her challenge her fiance more directly about how they could fashion an egalitarian marriage! Instead we get a lot of her internal hemming and hawing, and not much actual plot. I am probably asking too much of something written in 1989, but a girl can dream.