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For my part
1) I don't see any objection to separate "play money" accounts and a joint account. As long as both partners get play money it is a good way to reduce the tensions that can occur over "but why would you want *that*" purchases. I recently started doing that for our accounts--we each get the same amount of play money each month, and if I want to save mine up to go to a science fiction convention, I can be sure I'm not hurting the household accounts or depriving my husband of his opportunity to spend on stuff he enjoys. So I don't see any problem there.
2) I do think that a big expensive gift (depending on one's finances, even with the recent price drops a Kindle may seem expensive--and the perceptions of the giver, the receiver, and the immediate family all matter in this) coming from an admirer may 1) make the recipient uncomfortable, which is probably not what you had in mind and 2) create tensions with your wife (who might fear, however unreasonably, that this person is a competitor for your affections) and your friend (who might fear, however unreasonably, that you are a competitor for his wife's affections.)
If you are part of a reasonably large circle of friends, such a gift might be more appropriate if the whole group is willing to chip in something toward it.
It is obviously intended as a kindness--to create delight. But you might want to consider how it might inadvertently cause trouble.
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