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Though now known for her children's books, Burnett was famous long before Little Lord Fauntleroy, The Little Princess, or the Secret Garden which were written much later. Secret Garden, Little Princess, Little Lord Fauntleroy: Three Complete Novels I don't know this particular paperback copy, so I cannot comment on that. I read the crumbling 19th century copy from the library, but since there is no review at all, I'll try to help. Read this book for the history of American politics, and the history of marriage, courtship, and womens' roles and rights. The story takes place in the parlor parties of Washington DC elite throughout one administration as the title implies. Woven into a "romance" story is a critique of marriage and courtship, and that is mixed in with the wheeling and dealings of early American politics from the woman's perspective, which the author apparently drew on her own experiences to write since she had lived in DC and participated in the parlor politics of the 1870s. If you like Jane Austen novels for the analysis and critique society rules and gender roles relating to courtship and marriage, you're likely to find things to like in this book, though it's view of relationships is darker. The main theme is that successful marriage depending on timing. Meeting the right person at the right time can lead to a successful marriage, but the opposite is also very true and leads to miserable marriages. If you do pick this book up, read it with the time period in mind and be aware that there is a lot of horrible Native American stereotyping.