This work investigates the nature of Victorian marriage by examining the private lives of five prominent couples to determine how power dynamics and social expectations shaped their domestic realities. Phyllis Rose, a literary critic and biographer, utilizes primary source documents including letters, diaries, and autobiographical writings to deconstruct the myth of the Victorian domestic ideal. She argues that these marriages were not merely social contracts but complex arenas where individual identity and gender roles were negotiated against the rigid backdrop of nineteenth-century morality.

Critics frequently praise the book for its sharp psychological insight and its ability to humanize historical figures through their private correspondence. Scholars often cite this work as a foundational text for understanding the intersection of biography and social history in the Victorian period.