Cat deftly balanced a fluffy, funny historical romance with danger and blackmail and highwayman shenanigans, added in some beautifully rising levels of emotional and sexual tension, and then took me out at the knees with the tender intimacies of mundane things. This wasn’t just another steamy histrom—it was so. much. more.

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

REVIEW: The Queer Principles of Kit Webb by Cat Sebastian deserves four glowy, warm, fuzzy stars ❤️ I absolutely loved this m/m queer romance set in the 18th century.

Kit Webb is a former highwayman turned coffeeshop owner, and he has no interest in getting back into crime. But then the son of his mortal enemy, Percy, Lord Holland, asks him for help stealing something from his father that would help Percy get revenge.

Kit wants nothing to do with the robbery but agrees to teach Percy how to do it himself. Sparks, inevitably, FLYYYYY.

WHAT I LIKED
❤️ This was steamy and sweet at the same time, and I loved the romance between Kit and Percy. I hate comparing every queer romance to Red White & Royal Blue and try not to, but Kit and Percy have a lot in common with Henry and Alex (respectively) while still feeling very wholly themselves and I loved that about them.
❤️ The side cast didn’t overpower the full story but still took on personalities of their own that made quiet moments worth it.

WHAT I DIDN’T LIKE
❤️ There’s a sort of mystery woven into the entire story from beginning to end, and it’s a little disappointing. I found it very obvious from the start and didn’t enjoy the reveal, which distracted from everything else that I really enjoyed.

All in all, though, The Queer Principles of Kit Webb was delightful. Happy book birthday!

This was a delightful read that very good at being both exciting and extremely sweet.

Watching Kit and Percy slowly fall in love with their perspectives from their vastly different lives was lovely. All the stolen glances and flirtation in the coffee shop and while sparring just built up the excitement in wondering when they were finally going to admit their feelings to each other. I have only read one other book by Cat Sebastian (The Lawrence Browne Affair), but it's clear that she's wonderful in building up tension in a way that makes a wonderful romance.

I found the plot of this book exciting, and was invested in finding out who was blackmailing Percy. I thought the eventual reveal was excellently done and really weaved the story together.

I was also very interested in Marian as a character. I really wanted to know what she got up to when she was able to sneak away, and I hope there is a continuation of the story because she was just such an interesting character that I want to know more about. There also seemed to be some loose ends that weren't really tied up at the end of the book so I hope that is pointing to a sequel of some kind.

Here is my tiktok on the book: https://vm.tiktok.com/ZMeET5pfJ/

Overall this was a very sweet and romantic book and I loved reading about Kit and Percy falling in love, but there are also so many side characters I am very interested in the lives of.

A reformed highwayman falls for a lordling in this very cute historical romance. Kit Webb has left thieving from the rich behind since a gunshot to his leg left him disabled. He is now the grumpy proprietor of a coffee shop. Meanwhile, Percy is plotting to steal something from his aristocratic, land-owning father (he has reasonably good reasons, and also his father is awful) and is determined to draw Kit out of retirement for the job.

This is a bit of a slow burn as the two fall for each other, with a pretty strong supporting plot and quite a lot of lighthearted moments. In terms of representation (though the specific terms are not used for obvious reasons), Percy is gay and Kit is demi-sexual, pan-romantic, which is cool to see in a hero. There are a couple of steamy scenes toward the later part of the book. Overall, I enjoyed this although there were parts that dragged a bit with all the training in fighting etc. I think a lot of people will have a good time with it though. I received an advance copy for review via NetGalley. All opinions are my own.

A retired highwayman is pulled in for one last job by an aristocrat too tempting for his own good in The Queer Principles of Kit Webb. After a job went terribly wrong, Kit put his role as Gladhand Jack behind him and now makes his living as a respectable coffee shop owner. He’s bored out of his mind and more than a bit grumpy when a flamboyant lord waltzes into his shop and makes a tempting proposition: he knows Kit’s alter ego and wants to hire him for a heist that tempts Kit beyond belief.

Edward Percy, Lord Holland, is running out of time to save himself and his best friend (now stepmother) from losing everything. Kit is his only chance and though it takes him a while, Percy manages to convince Kit to teach him how to rob his father. The two men should have nothing in common and indeed, have lived incredibly different lives. Kit has known loss and heartbreak, but also has known love and friendship. Percy has survived growing up in a viper pit and knows how to keep everyone at arm’s length. He has blind spots a mile wide, especially when it comes to seeing what the rich and titled do to regular folk, but Percy isn’t a bad person. I enjoyed watching his eyes open and see Percy come into his own, into a man who is not only happy but comfortable living a life unlike he had expected. And Kit, who has a lonely air about him sometimes struggles to adjust to his disability, comes alive bantering with Percy. The two of them are an excellent match and they had extremely entertaining chemistry. Percy is gay and Kit is bi and both are fully aware of the dangers they face in 1750s London, but I really appreciated that there was no questioning or shame about their sexuality.

The one downside to The Queer Principles of Kit Webb is that the first half of the book is incredibly slow. I did enjoy how Percy tweaked Kit’s nose, but banter alone wasn’t enough to keep the story going. However, at the halfway point the book picked up and became incredibly addictive. Kit and Percy are both flawed, interesting, kind-hearted characters who have their own code they abide by. It was easy to fall into their romance and root for them to find the happily ever after they so deserved.

The heist runs through the background of The Queer Principles of Kit Webb and was the other issue I had with the story. It was fine, but not particularly exciting for reasons other than it brought Percy and Kit together. The climax of the story felt rushed and though I could see where the pieces were coming together I was still left wanting a bit more. I won’t spoil the story but a few things felt unfinished, though if Cat Sebastian plans to write a sequel (and the door is definitely left open for one) then I’m sure the bits left hanging will come together. Even with the issues I had, I still really enjoyed Kit and Percy’s story and devoured it in one day. I do hope to see them again in a future book because they’re such a delight and Sebastian penned a few supporting cast members who are just begging for a story.

I had a great time reading this book! The romance was so fun and i loved the historical aspect. One of my favorite things about this book was the disability representation. It was so amazing to see good disability rep in a historical novel. I appreciated how Kit was never viewed as less than or incompetent because of his disability, I also loved all the descriptions of how it was hard for him to go up and down the stairs and the descriptions of his leg hurting after a long day of being on his feet. The romance of this book was also very delightful. Kit and Percy had wonderful chemistry. I loved all the pining glances they gave each other. One thing about this book that I feel fell a little short was the action. The whole book is building up to Kit stealing the notebook from his father, but when that finally happened it was confusing and a little anti-climatic. I wish the ending was more clear but overall I loved this book and will definitely be recommending it to my friends (especially because the disability rep was so great!)

So I read a Cat Sebastian book, Unmasked by the Marquess, earlier this year and loved the story, which made me eager to read this new release by Cat Sebastian. Firstly, the illustrated cover is amazing. As a huge fan of illustrated covers, I was drawn from the beginning. The story itself is funny and heartwarming and includes banter between the two characters that was hilarious to read. I'm new in the Historical Romance genre, but this queer read was one of the best I've read thus far because I loved the characters and their internal struggles progress through the story. A great read for PRIDE.

This book was charming, but not the easiest to get through. I thought some of the dialogue was fun, but for the most part, the story seemed to drag. It also felt predictable, I was able to call the ending before I'd even reached the halfway point of the book. Overall, it wasn't the worst story and it had its perks, but it wasn't outstanding.

This was such a charming historical mm romance. Percy a very extravagant foppish young gentleman is trying to gain the services of Kit Webb or his highwayman alias. 

The last job Kit pulled left him injured and he declines but hearing who the target is he decides to help train the young lord. 

The close proximity in the training has Kit interested in other things. Percy was already flirting when he walked in the door. 

This was a sweet romance of two men, one who was trying to discover who he was while being blackmailed and the other finding new love after losing so much.

There was a heist at the end to retrieve something important which didn't turn out the way they expected. You can never plan for all the variables! 

Also, there were some steamy moments!

I love love and historical romance, contemporary romance, everywhere romance. I love how circumstances kind of left them in a place where they were a family in the end. They were able to forgive and to move on from the horrible punishments from the past.

Rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐💫

Steam: 🔥🔥

Thank you net galley and avon books for the e-ARC for my honest and voluntary review.

I received an advanced copy of The Queer Principles of Kitt Webb through NetGalley so I could share my review with you!

Content Warning: The Queer Principles of Kitt Webb contains scenes and discussions of infant death (off-page), alcoholism, chronic pain, gun violence, grief, homophobia, and death.

Kitt Webb, formerly known as “Gladhand Jack,” has left his thieving days behind. He is a reformed man now, one with a steady job and moral principles. Lord Percy Holland doesn’t have the luxury of such principles. He has to be willing to do whatever it takes if he wants to save himself and one of his closest companions. So, though it goes against every gentlemanly instinct in his body, Percy is forced to recruit Kitt Webb for help in his scheme. Percy needs to steal a book- one that once belonged to his mother- that his father rarely lets out of his sight. Though Percy was expecting plenty of challenges in this mission, he was not prepared for Gladhand Jack to outright refuse to steal the book for him. Nor was he aware that the once-notorious highwayman had given up crime and his criminal moniker to start a new life as Kitt Webb. All hope is not lost, however. Although Kitt won’t steal the book for Percy, he is willing to teach him the skills he would need to take it for himself. But, when their plans go awry, Percy realizes that he might have even more to lose than he originally thought.

You can get your copy of The Queer Principles of Kitt Webb on June 8th from Avon Books!

My favorite element of The Queer Principles of Kitt Webb was its slow build, both in the heist planning and in the romantic portions of the story! This pacing choice made it much easier for me to become immersed in the plot and world, while also allowing me to savor the build-up to the finale. Additionally, I found both of the leads to be extremely likable people, in spite of their storied pasts. Cat Sebastian did an excellent job of incorporating the theme of personal growth into this book, by emphasizing that both Percy and Kitt are greater than their past mistakes. The Queer Principles of Kitt Webb has earned its place as one of my favorite historical romance novels thus far!

My Recommendation-
If you loved The Gentleman’s Guide to Vice and Virtue and also enjoy adult novels, you have to pick up a copy of The Queer Principles of Kitt Webb! This steamy historical romance would be the perfect pick for anyone looking to spice up their reading!

Cute, in line with Sebastian's other work. I hope this does really well in trade printing because we need more published queer romance. This is a really fun historical and I hope we see a sequel because it does end with some big loose threads!

I really enjoyed this book! I've only read one other of Cat Sebastian's book but "The Queer Principles of Kit Webb" came through and really entertained me! I found that it was an easier read than her other titles, mostly because the dialogue and banter was so charming and effortless.

I did, however, guess the big twist and surprise barely halfway through the book. It was somewhat predictable but I don't think it ruined my enjoyment of the story. Percy's character development played wonderfully off of Kit's and I was happy to see that Kit's core morals didn't change even as he fell more in love with Percy.

I'm VERY curious about Rob and Marian and hope that there will be a sequel or spin-off of some sort.

I've read one of Cat Sebastian's previous books, The Soldier's Scoundrel, and I really enjoyed it. So I was excited to get the opportunity to read her latest book, The Queer Principles of Kit Webb. Actually, "read" is a rather bland description of what I did with this book - inhaled would be a more accurate term. Thank goodness the boss was out of the office yesterday, because no way I wanted to wait until 5 p.m. to continue reading this incredible story!

Kit Webb was formerly known as Gladhand Jack, a successful highwayman, until a severe leg injury put an end to his career. These days he runs a coffee shop, but he certainly misses his former occupation. He's a bit bored, until the day Edward Percy, Lord Holland, shows up, wanting to hire Kit for a job. The arrogant young aristocrat wants Kit to steal a book from his own father; the book belonged to his deceased mother, and now a blackmailer wants it...but it may also be Percy's savior. Kit refuses to be a part of the theft, but he agrees to teach Percy how to commit the crime himself. The fight lessons eventually turn into something more. When the theft goes awry and damaging information may be released, will Kit and Percy be torn apart?

This book is a M/M romance set in 1751 London. It's a nice change of pace from the usual Regency or Victorian settings. If you don't want to read this book because you don't care for M/M romances, you are doing yourself a great disservice. No matter what you are or whom you love, this book is a riveting story that is extremely sweet, witty and steamy. Yes, it's both sweet and steamy. I'm not sure which character I loved more; my favorite kept changing! Kit was married at one time, and he lost both his wife and child due in part to the actions of Percy's hateful father. He enjoyed his coffee shop, but he missed the excitement of being a highwayman. When he met Percy, he was reminded there was more to life than his current state. Percy was from an entirely different world than Kit. He was from a rich and noble family; however, his ducal father hated what he thought were Percy's proclivities, so Percy flaunted them. His best friend was his stepmother Marian, with whom he plotted against the duke. He too was bored with his current life, until he met Kit. Their beginning interactions were extremely witty and fun; even when they became close, their entertaining sparring and Percy's flirtations put a smile on my face. And when they became intimate, the heat was off the charts. This was truly a beautiful love story any way you look at it. I'm looking forward with great expectations to Ms. Sebastian's next book.

I received an ARC of this book courtesy of the publisher and NetGalley. I received no compensation for my review, and all thoughts and opinions expressed are entirely my own.

What a sweet queer novel. I love Kit and Percy and enjoyed their romance and banter. I wish we had more romance and slightly less about the heist. I wanted more one on one time with Kit and Percy. Overall, still worth the read.

The Queer Principles of Kit Webb is one you’ll want to read this Pride month! With a setting as beautiful as the English society, this MM romance is a slow burn, Kit Webb is a thief no more, giving up the life of pickpocketing and other devious crimes to be a coffeehouse owner. This all changed one day when Percy walks in with a proposition that Kit CANNOT refuse.
The author clearly described the setting, characters and events throughout. However; even though there were short chapters some parts were unnecessary. This novel felt like a race to finish and sometimes that race ran out of water or nutrients.

This book followed Kit, a former highwayman, and Percy, a member of the upperclass who wants to hire Kit to lead a robbery against his father.

I absolutely loved this romance book - adult romance can be a bit hit or miss for me because my taste is a bit more particular than most romance readers, but this book fit right in with my tastes. Romances that are heavy in yearning and tenderness are my favorites, and this one delivered. Kit and Percy are opposites in a lot of ways, but there was chemistry between them right off the bat and that only increased as the book went on. They are an amazing match in so many ways, and I enjoyed watching their relationship develop. The love, tenderness, and trust that they showed each other made my heart ache.

I did feel like I wanted some more answers from the end of the book, but I'm guessing that this will end up being a romance series and that future installments will answer some of these questions.

rating: 4.5/5 stars

more detailed review to come on my blog

4.5 Stars

Kit Webb had to give up his career as a highwayman, but that doesn’t mean the temptation to thieve is behind him. So when a stranger walks into his coffeehouse with an offer – to steal from the Duke, no less – Kit finds the idea enticing. Mentally, Kit wants to take the job. Physically, his injured leg says otherwise. So Kit offers to teach the stranger how to carry off the theft himself, and soon the stranger is a friend, a sparring partner, a lover. Kit and Percy are opposites in practically every way but falling in love can make a man do strange things, like disregard social norms, question old friendships, and stop burying the past. A fun, queer historical romance, The Queer Principles of Kit Webb is full of adventure, mystery, and sass.

Cat Sebastian always writes such well done queer historical romances, and The Queer Principles of Kit Webb is no exception. Sebastian manages to work multiple tropes into the story, but it never becomes over the top or too much. In Kit Webb, we see no less than seven major romance tropes interwoven into Kit and Percy’s romance: revenge, learning to love, different economic status, and several others that can’t be mentioned without spoiling the plot. All of these tropes come together beautifully, though, making the book hard to put down.

I loved both Kit and Percy as characters. Percy was unabashedly gay with no interest in even producing an heir if it meant faking it with a woman. Kit, on the other hand, was previously in heterosexual relationships and it was sweet to watch him fall so easily into his previously-undiscovered bisexuality. For Kit, the attraction was immediate, and his past relationships didn’t factor into his feelings for Percy. It was a breath of fresh air watching Kit enter his first queer relationship without question or without anyone treating him any differently.

The romance between Percy and Kit was hot, but also a bit of a slow burn. Their courtship took time, interrupted often by revenge plots and blackmailers. They seemed like total opposites, Percy being sassy and loud (in both attitude and attire) and Kit reserved and healing (from his past and from old wounds). But I wanted Kit and Percy to find their happy ending, even if it wasn’t immediately clear that they could even tolerate each other.

Outside of the romance, there was still plenty to keep readers invested. Kit and Percy had a heist to plan, revenge to get, and a blackmailer to expose. In addition to romance, the story is full of intrigue and action, making The Queer Principles of Kit Webb a fantastic queer historical romance for both fans of the subgenre and those who like a little mystery in their historical fiction.

I received an ARC from the publisher and am voluntarily posting a review. All opinions are my own.

The Queer Principles of Kit Webb is advertised as kind of a heist romance, and while that element is there, it is a bit misleading, given how slowly the book builds up to that point. However, unlike some of her other slower-paced, primarily character/relationship building vibe-y books, I really liked this one and the journey it took to get to that point.

The relationship arc for Kit and Percy plays with a few different familiar tropes from sort-of-enemies-to-lovers to opposites-attract and cross-class warfare. The two have to overcome some of their initial prejudices about one another to really fall for each other in spite of one being a former highwayman and the other being an aristocrat who has benefited from the abuse of the lower classes, thus justifying Kit’s former “dastardly” deeds. And the fall into love while planning the execution of the heist is not only emotionally revealing, but also just a lot of fun at the same time, with flirty banter, silly costumes, and other little moments around the coffee shop.

I did feel that once it reached the conclusion, with the mystery elements feeling a bit convoluted, and they didn’t entirely make sense. And I do feel there’s room for things to be clarified in later installments.

I generally really liked this one, in spite of its minor flaws, and it’s one of the rare occasions where I liked the aesthetic of the Georgian era (a period I was never a huge fan of previously) and the vibes of the relationship over any promise of the external plot. If you love a slower burn, fun vibe-y historical romance, I think you’ll enjoy this.

I received a copy of this book for review from NetGalley. I have yet to find a Cat Sebastian book that doesn't make me have soft and squishy feelings by the end. This book is sweet, funny, and utterly charming, and I adored every minute of reading it.
Edward Percy (aka Lord Holland) has a serious problem, and he needs a highwayman to solve it. His father is the worse kind of man, father, husband, and landlord, and Percy and his step-mother have a plan to stop him. That plan means that Percy needs to convince his local retired highwayman to help them, and if that requires him to be his most charming self, then so be it.
Kit and Percy together are absolutely perfect. I enjoyed their banter/flirting, and I loved their little family of criminals that they pull together. They are each fully developed, well rounded characters, who have hidden depths, and watching them learn about each other was part of the fun. The story was a delightful romp, and Percy's father was a pretty awful bad guy. I would highly recommend this book to anybody who wants a soft, sweet, enjoyable love story that also includes sword fighting, highway robbery, and sneaking around in black leather.

I’ll admit this book had me from the adorably charming cover, but Kit and Percy’s story dragged me in and wouldn’t let go. I said on Twitter that this is basically like if “be gay do crimes” was a historical romance, but it’s more accurately about the lead-up to the crime than the crime itself. Percy wants to plot a robbery against his father, who he suspects of having evidence that proves he was married once before (which would make Percy himself illegitimate), and he wants notorious former highwayman Kit Webb to help him do it. This book has got a delightful grumpy/sunshine throughline with a side of “let me teach you how to fistfight” and also “I’m annoyed by how attracted I am to you.” Simply delightful from beginning to end.