Yay, i have finally got the time to catch up (i've replayed from Ch.2 or so to get a sense how the game would feel now with the earlier tweaks/additions)
The "romance & tutoring montage" does help to smooth out Tristan introduction and the associated plot line with Titus's influence. There's a bit of silliness to it since the game talks how it unfolds over next few weeks, which effectively means that meantime, whatever development Brigitte is undergoing is apparently stuck in limbo, but it's easy enough to look away from and ignore.
RIP Louis, and turns out the darkest part of the "darker path" of Brigitte's escape is having your long-time dom give zero fucks and not even flinch when you get shot in the throat right in front of her and keel over. After all the good times you two supposedly had, that's just cold, Siobhan. ._.
on a side note, the "torture" on the "darker path" doesn't update Brigitte's spank and double penetration counters even though she clearly gets to experience both ;/
On Esther's side, go Esther, you're your own woman now. "No one will make me their pawn anymore, I'll look the way
I want!" *proceeds to conform with society's genital shaving standards* o-kay... (i'm just kidding, Esther, if that's what you want, that's fine)
also:
Tis a sad day when i find myself on the same page as Titus, but it's what it is. Preach on, Titus. Hopefully more people will recognize Jonquil's ineptitude, in mentorship and in general.

(i don't have any profound observations or anything to add to what was mentioned by earlier posters; as far as the plot goes, all seems quite ok at the moment)