What I Liked: This is an amazing queer romance book with a ton of representation. This book deals with things much heavier than expected in romance novels, but Sebastian tackles issues of class, sexuality, and gender beautifully. Without a doubt, the strongest thing about this book is the characters, especially the relationship between Marian and Rob. It’s not often you two main characters who identify as bisexual, open and honest discussions about ensuring your partner is safe while having sex, and the possibility of pegging (!) a partner later. I love the way the two of them spoke to each other and I found that my favorite moments in the book were when they were allowed to be vulnerable with one another and expose their true selves. I ALWAYS appreciate a romance that takes the grumpy/sunshine trope and switches it up, which Sebastian does wonderfully here. Rob is a mush ball who rescues cats and loves holding babies while Marian is the gruff, sensible one. I fell in love with these two and their banter.

What I Didn’t Like: The whole premise itself was a bit weak and the ending wrapped up too nicely for there to be much of a mystery element here. Also, the obstacles that Rob and Marian thought were going to keep them apart weren’t that great to overcome so the stakes didn’t seem that high.

Who Should Read It: Historical romance fans will enjoy this book, as will fans of romances that play with traditional gender roles in sexuality.

Review Wrap Up: I enjoyed reading Marian and Rob’s story after being teased with it so much in “The Queer Principles of Kit Webb.” The sex-positive attitude of the characters was a pleasant surprise, and the adventure was fun. I would recommend this book for romance fans but although it’s billed as a standalone, I would advise reading the first book to fully enjoy this one.

Favorite Quote: “You have been busy,” he murmured, thinking of what a waste it was that in all the thousands of love poems written across the ages, nobody had ever thought to catalogue their beloved’s proficiency in crime.

The Perfect Crimes of Marian Hayes is the follow up book to The Queer Principles of Kit Webb. I did not know this before I started reading it and was confused about a handful of things until I pieced them together. This is all my fault and not the book's, however I recommend reading that first before this. The characters from that book are not only in this book, but things that happened are referred to quite heavily.

It has an interesting plot. It starts out epistolary, with them writing letters to each other, one blackmailing the other. I loved the banter and that Rob is pretty much gone for her before he even meets her in person. They essentially have met their matches. I'm also a fan of the Robin Hoodish behavior from them both.

I was pleasantly surprised by how much lighter this was than I expected, considering the content. I enjoyed reading it and would read more from Cat Sebastian.

Thank you to Avon and Harper Voyager and NetGalley. I voluntarily reviewed an early copy of this book.

I received a copy of this book for review from NetGalley. I'm going to quickly start by mentioning that the cover art is so joyful, and I love it. It sets the tone for what looks like an action- filled romp (which is true), but because it is by Cat Sebastian, it is also a deeper story of two morally gray characters who are just trying to navigate life and love without adding too much more trauma to their tolls.
For someone who is a highwayman, blackmailer, and occasional killer, Rob is the most cinnamon roll to ever cinnamon roll, and I just want to gently cuddle him. He is all in from pretty much letter one, and his whole life plan is loving and taking care of his family by whatever means necessary. Marian is a collection of jagged-edged knives in a waistcoat, and he loves and accepts her for exactly who and what she is. She justifiably has a few trust issues, but in one of the most romantic ways possible, he woos her by being reliable and gentle. It's sweet and lovely, and I am here for it.
While steamy, this is not a conventional historical romance. They have a great power dynamic and chemistry, but there will never be a happy baby epilogue. If you have been waiting for two chaotic people to find and take care of each other, than this is the book for you. It is well written, well plotted, and a great time. I loved it, and will be going back to re-read many times.

Cat Sebastian brings readers another book with the theme “be queer, do crimes” in the form of The Perfect Crimes of Marian Hayes. It’s a companion novel to last year’s The Queer Principles of Kit Webb, with the two sharing the over-arching ducal bigamy plot and taking place simultaneously. You can read this as a stand-alone, but I do recommend reading both to get a fuller picture of the situation and the relationships among the characters. And both books are just so dang delightful.
Rob and Marian are both wonderful characters, in all their chaos and complexity. I was instantly endeared to Marian, a woman with the gumption to shoot her vile husband. She’s prickly (for understandable reasons), but she’s a good person at heart, showing her love for those who deserve it in her own way. I was particularly moved by her complex relationship with motherhood, and how it isn’t always an instant bond between mother and child, but there's a gray area between that and complete dysfunction.
Rob is an absolute delight who won me over right away, from his extremely flirtatious nature when “blackmailing” Marian to his willingness to make sacrifices because he believes it’s what Marian wants. He also loves kittens, and animal-lover heroes are always a plus.
Sebastian also continues her trend of subverting historical romance tropes and expectations. The commentary on wealth and class is obvious, what with this story being a loose retelling of Robin Hood. I also really liked the way it explored sexuality in such a progressive way. Marian doesn’t care for penetrative sex, but it’s not treated as something she’ll get over with the “right” person because he has a magic penis, but rather one of many examples of how she and Rob prioritize each other and their happiness and needs in all facets of their lives.
This book is just as fun as its companion novel, but with even more depth of character (especially on Marian’s part). If you enjoyed the first one, I think you may love this one. And if you love historical romances with prickly heroines and sweet heroes, and want a side of crimes committed in the name of justice, you should absolutely keep an eye out for this one.

Nothing says romance like a little blackmail!

So when I requested an arc, I wasn't aware this was a second book in a series, so that's my bad. I also am not the biggest historical romance fan, BUT despite my being dumb and this not being my typical genre, I REALLY FREAKING LOVED THIS BOOK!

Marian and Rob are wonderfully written, and I love the banter between them. Their chemistry, which we all knew was gonna be great because BLACKMAIL, was 🙌🏻. The romance and steam is well done, so no complaints there. This was fun and lighthearted and wonderful!

Down for more Cat Sebastian in the future!

Marian has no wish to be the duchess she is. Rob has no wish to be a duke although he has inherited the title.
Marian Hayes, the Duchess of Clare, just shot her husband. Of course, the evil, murderous man deserved what was coming to him, but now she must flee to the countryside. Unfortunately, the only person she can ask for help is the charismatic criminal who is blackmailing her—and who she may have left tied up a few hours before…
A highwayman, con artist, and all-around cheerful villain, Rob Brooks is no stranger to the wrong side of the law or the right side of anybody’s bed. He never meant to fall for the woman whose secrets he promised to keep for the low price of five hundred pounds, but how could he resist someone who led him on a merry chase all over London, left him tied up in a seedy inn, and then arrived covered in her husband’s blood and in desperate need of his help?
As they flee across the country—stopping to pick pockets, drink to excess, and rescue invalid cats—they discover more true joy and peace than either has felt in ages. But when the truth of Rob’s past catches up to him, they must decide if they are willing to reshape their lives in order to forge a future together.
Cat Sebastian has written another good book.
I received a complimentary copy of this book from the publisher and NetGalley. This in no way affects my opinion of this book which I read and reviewed voluntarily.

The Queer Principles of Kit Webb was one of my favorite reading experiences last year - just a wonderful surprise of a book that gave me all the feels. Given this, I tried really hard to go into The Perfect Crimes of Marian Hayes without any expectation that it would match my Kit Webb experience, which was good, because it didn't, but that doesn't mean that this book doesn't have immense value of its own.

In a story that runs parallel to the events of Kit Webb, we finally get to see what Marian and Rob were up to for much of the first book, particularly after Marian shoots her husband. (I will say that this book relies heavily on the idea that the reader also read Kit Webb, which probably makes it confusing for those who haven't). Forced to flee to the countryside, Marian "kidnaps" her blackmailer Rob so that she'll be accompanied on her journey, but it turns out Rob is a very willing participant in said kidnapping, having slowly become quite smitten with Marian during their written blackmail exchanges which serve as the meet-cute for this story. Thus this book establishes early on my most favorite thing about it: a reversal in the traditional power dynamics we are accustomed to seeing in historical fiction. Marian is very much in control here, and this extends to every facet of the book, including the bedroom scenes. This, paired with a reversal of the typical grumpy x sunshine dynamic with Marian being the prickly and sharp one and Rob being our golden retriever, is really what made the book special to me.

I also love a book that examines a "harsh" or "cold" female character without ever forcing her to change her ways. I particularly liked how Marian thought about motherhood and how she demonstrated her love for her daughter in her own way. I also liked how Marian's trauma from her terrible marriage and a childbirth experience that nearly killed her was handled - this is a key part of understanding her character, but it's not all of it, and I liked how the book gave her space to explore these feelings in tandem with the other facets of her background and personality. On a related note, I loved how the author wrote the sex scenes in this book, allowing both characters to express their needs and holding space for Marian's disinterest in pentetrative sex, something I haven't seen in a romance before.

While everything Marian and Rob in this book worked so well for me, I can't say that the plot really did, even if the book's commentary on the aristocracy and wealth distribution was engaging (what a fun spin on Robin Hood and Maid Marian!). That said, this was a fun and thoughtful follow-up to Kit Webb, and if you loved that book, you should check this one out, too.

Thank you to the publisher for an advanced copy. All opinions my own.

Thank you NetGalley for an ARC of this book!
2.5 stars rounded up - I enjoyed the wit and banter throughout the book but I honestly can’t tell you anything that happened. The characters were alright but my favorite part of this book was the letters from the Interstitial at the beginning.

Heat Factor: We’ve got praise kink!
Character Chemistry: Sometimes two wrongs DO make a right
Plot: When Marian accidentally-on-purpose kills her husband, she goes on the run. And kidnaps Rob so he can aid and abet her. After all, he had been blackmailing her, and who could better help her escape the law than a criminal?
Overall: I love me a good highwayman roadtrip book!

I should say, right up front, that I have not read The Queer Principles of Kit Webb (it’s on my list, ok???). From what I can tell, the timelines of the two books overlap, but the main problem with my not reading the books in order was that I was confused about why everyone hated the Duke so friggin much. (Some of the backstory eventually became clear, but not all of it.) So if you really care about being clear on all the characters’ motivations, I would not recommend you read Marian Hayes as a standalone novel

The basic premise of this book is that Rob discovers that he is, in all likelihood, the legitimate heir of the terrible Duke of Clare, and he is not impressed. He likes his life of crime, thanks very much. For some reason, his reaction to learning about his parentage is to start blackmailing the Duke’s third wife, the eponymous Marian Hayes. Even after finishing the book, I continue to be baffled by this plan; in my defense, other characters also seem baffled by this plan, so maybe it was a bad plan all along. Anyways, Rob and Marian strike up a friendship of sorts through their correspondence. And then, a robbery goes terribly wrong, Marian shoots the Duke, and heads off into the country with Rob in tow. That gets us to Chapter 3.

What follows is a rollicking road trip with superb grumpy-sunshine chemistry between the leads. Rob loves being surrounded by people and charms everyone he meets. Marian is icy and self-contained. Of course, this means that when Rob flirts with Marian, Marian brushes it off because “Rob flirts with everyone.”

But appearances are not everything—Rob and Marian are more similar than is obvious at first glance, and find that they are excellently matched, not least because they both have a tendency to push people away. I loved the characterization in this book, especially Marian’s ambivalence about motherhood.

I do want to make it clear that although this is a male-female romance pairing, I would call this a queer book (and not just because Rob and Marian are both bi). Rob and Marian negotiate sex and consent so carefully and gently, and come to an arrangement that is mutually satisfying (and does not include penetration for Marian).

My final takeaway? I enjoyed reading this book. Despite some plot holes, it was fun. Great characters and witty prose combined to pull off a win.

I voluntarily read and reviewed a complimentary copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own. We disclose this in accordance with 16 CFR §255.

This review is also available at The Smut Report.

Thanks to the publisher and Netgalley for the complimentary ARC. All opinions provided are my own.

#SundayShelfie + Review

You know that thrill you get when someone’s writing is just really, really good? I had it often when reading Cat Sebastian’s The Perfect Crimes of Marian Hayes.

Sebastian is someone who’s writing I just *delight* in, to an extravagant amount. There are so many lines in this ARC that I wanted to share as evidence of how good it is—like one about cake & religious icons—so many moments when I felt a smile growing & also greedily thought, I *H A V E* to get a copy of this for my shelves.

This book picks up action-wise during and after The Queer Principles of Kit Webb, taking Marian Hayes and Rob Brooks as its focus. After shooting her duke bigamist-husband, Marian “kidnaps” the charming Rob Brooks (formerly a highwayman who has been presumed dead for a year) & they travel to visit her sick father & prepare for any fallout from the shooting.

TPCoMH is a rich & sexy cornucopia of tropes:
🖤 Road Trip
🖤 Some Epistolary
🖤 Forced Proximity
🖤 Oops I blackmailed you to lovers
🖤 A tiny bit of the forbidden (though that’s not really a big dissuasion bc our leads have big IDGAF energy)
🖤Some Deception Plot

& a dynamic between MCs that honestly makes my wings soar & my whole reading persona lusty: she is severe & uptight & authoritative & he LOVES IT & thinks she is PERFECT. When I tell you I loved how this became part of their intimate moments...

There’s so much to love about this romance: the humor (honestly I cracked up all the time), the care (from both of them), Marian’s fierceness & what this book says about motherhood & parenting in general, the found family this group makes 🥺🥺🥺🥺🥺, & what it means to choose yourself.

I loved it & adored it.

5 ⭐️. Release date: 06/07.

CWs: lots. The Duke’s bigamy and general lack of compassion. She was very sick while pregnant & worried about her emotional connection to daughter. Murder. Shooting. Probably more I haven’t noted.

ID: an ebook sits on a crowded white bookcase in between other Cat Sebastian books & Joanna Shupe books.

Thank you so much to Avon and Harper Voyager for this advanced copy!

In a week that wasn't filled with a lot of sunshine, this book was just a fantastic cozy warm blanket. Building off of the delightful characters and banter in the Queer Principles of Kit Webb, Cat Sebastian has written a wonderful follow-up, filled with all the things we loved in the first book and then a bit more.

Given the seemingly dire way the book begins (male lead kidnapped and tied to a bed, female lead covered in the blood of the husband she had shot), this story quickly takes a turn towards the fun. Marian and Rob are so lovely and caring for each other, even as they say the driest things to each other and their friends. Their "road trip" out of London was far too short and I wish the entire story could have been them traveling from inn to inn, adopting random animals, and getting out of scuffs. I appreciated that the "big reveal" was not actually something that kept them apart, acting more as a hurdle for them to overcome and accept because, really, what could they do about it, they were already in love?

Rob's honesty and feeling felt refreshing and it was great to read a grumpy/sunshine novel where the male lead is the sunshine and the female lead was the grumpy "cold" one. Do we get more books with this merry band of misfits? I hope so. Their "eat the rich" mantra is so great and not over the top, just a group of people who have the audacity to care for other humans without asking for anything in return. Again, refreshing.

Really, my only complaint is that the book is over and somehow isn't becoming a movie or series and I'm sad that maybe there are only two books here? Does Betty get a book? I hope so, she absolutely deserves her HEA after dealing with this crew, a crew I would gladly put up with any day.

I didnt love this book. Sometimes the plot got super confusing and I had a hard time following along. I also thought it was a bit longer than it needed to be. It wasn't awful, but I wouldn't necessarily recommend it.

Every time I think I can't possibly love Cat Sebastian's writing even more she has to go and prove me wrong. The Perfect Crimes of Marian Hayes is the much anticipated follow-up to The Queer Principles of Kit Webb, and it lives up to and transcends expectations. That said, I would recommend reading The Queer Principles of Kit Webb before diving into this book because I think you will understand the story and get the most out of it that way. Trust me, it's no hardship to read the first book. It's excellent. And if you have read it, don't worry, there's plenty of Percy and Kit in this book and they are, of course, delightful.

Summary:
The Perfect Crimes of Marian Hayes picks up where book one left off -with Marian having shot her husband, the Duke of Clare, and running off to her father's home in the company of the man who attempted to blackmail her, Rob Brooks. The journey is filled with banter, inns with one bed, kittens, and a growing affection that neither of them can escape. They also do crime.

I think that Cat Sebastian is writing some of the best of historical romance right now. This book alone manages to deliver a satisfying and believable romance between nuanced characters while having a conversation about personal morality, wealth disparity, and the sexual expectations between people. This book is fun, and sexy and powerful, especially in the face of the capitalist society that most of us (at least in the States) live in. I highlighted so many passages while reading this and it's a book I know I will return to more than once.

If you're looking for a queer historical, this book is for you. If you're looking for sex positivity and partners who take care of each other on a deep emotional level, this book is for you. If you like heroines finding their power even if it's outside of the law, this book is for you. If you're mad at capitalism, this book is for you. If you love a found family, this book is for you.

though The Perfect Crimes of Marian Hayes is described by the author as “two disaster bisexuals doing their worst” I just thought this book was the BEST! A “be gay and do crime” novel this was such a fun and amazing read, and I’m definitely going to check out the first book in this series. I love historical fiction, but historical queer fiction is even better! Featuring: kittens, crime, and Georgian London, this book had me laughing so hard and I just felt so seen as a grumpy bi dating a sunshine bi. Seeing two bi main characters (especially a bi man AND a bi woman) is so rare and beautiful and I can’t overstate how much I appreciate the representation. I ADORED this book and it’s 100% worth the read even if you haven’t read the first book (though I will shortly). This book will be out June 7th and you should check it out when it hits the shelves!

"Cat Sebastian returns to Georgian London with a stunning tale of a reluctant criminal and the thief who cannot help but love her.

Marian Hayes, the Duchess of Clare, just shot her husband. Of course, the evil, murderous man deserved what was coming to him, but now she must flee to the countryside. Unfortunately, the only person she can ask for help is the charismatic criminal who is blackmailing her - and who she may have left tied up a few hours before...

A highwayman, con artist, and all-around cheerful villain, Rob Brooks is no stranger to the wrong side of the law or the right side of anybody’s bed. He never meant to fall for the woman whose secrets he promised to keep for the low price of five hundred pounds, but how could he resist someone who led him on a merry chase all over London, left him tied up in a seedy inn, and then arrived covered in her husband’s blood and in desperate need of his help?

As they flee across the country - stopping to pick pockets, drink to excess, and rescue invalid cats - they discover more true joy and peace than either has felt in ages. But when the truth of Rob’s past catches up to him, they must decide if they are willing to reshape their lives in order to forge a future together."

High Georgian times where blackmail could lead to love!

I was not aware going in that this is really a sequel to The Queer Principles of Kit Webb, and so I did feel a little lost in the beginning and the relationships between characters felt quite confusing. I read the first chapter twice to try to get a grip on it, but still struggled a little.
However, once I got past that, I enjoyed this book. Rob is attempting to blackmail his father's (secret father) wife Marian, but she proves to be quite difficult to blackmail. Instead, she winds up shooting her husband the duke (who is terrible so it's fine) and "kidnapping" Rob as an escort to her father's home. Rob and Marian grow close throughout the journey, and have to figure out if being together is a feasible option for either of them.
While I did find a few passages a little slow moving, overall I really enjoyed Rob and Marian's characters and look forward to moving backwards and reading Kit Webb next!

Thank you to Netgalley and Avon and Harper Voyager for an ARC of this book!

I thoroughly enjoyed reading The Perfect Crimes of Marian Hayes! Marian, the wife of a duke, is blackmailed by Rob, the illegitimate son of the duke. Naturally, while Marian and Rob’s relationship grows via correspondence, the blackmail goes sideways. The result? A roadtrip-lite romance, complete with kittens, found family, and various crimes against the wealthy. Cat Sebastian really blessed us with a book built on the premise of: “be queer, do crime.”

I enjoyed the chemistry between Marian and Rob! Their banter was fun and their relationship was believable. Both characters had understandable motivations driving the plot. Without giving away too much of the book, Cat Sebastian wrote on page intimacy in a unique way that I haven’t read it before – I loved it!

Overall, this book was a real romp - a five star read for me!

Cat Sebastian continues her romp through Georgian England with the second half of her Kit Webb duology, The Perfect Crimes of Marian Hayes. Spirited, spunky, and perhaps a little too swiftly paced, it has a couple of flaws but is still worth a look.

Marian Hayes, Duchess of Claire, has shot her two-timing husband to (presumable) death. (When he married Marian he was still legally contracted to the mother of her good friend Percy (The Queer Principles of Kit Webb)).  She’d been forced to marry him against her will, and now believes him to be a murderer, so it’s no big loss. That’s just the very start of her unusual journey, which involves staying on the run to avoid the authorities. Maybe they’ll believe her story of self-defense – or will arrest her for murder.  But first they’ll have to find her.

Rob Brooks is a born scallywag – a highwayman who picks pockets in his own time.  He’s been trying to blackmail Marian over her husband’s bigamy, but instead, they have instead developed an affinity for one another. When she shoots her husband, Marian decides to convince Rob to go on the run with her through the English countryside.

The twosome proceed to have a lot of fun drinking and picking pockets and avoiding the law – and nursing sick cats back to health. But it turns out Rob’s got a secret that ties him back to Marian’s husband.  Will they ever be able to clear her good name?

Well, when they’re having this much fun, why would they even want to?  The Perfect Crimes of Marian Hayes rollicks.  Its heroine is a serious grump, its hero is like a Georgian Autolycus, lighthearted and sly, and the bigger romantic of the two of them.  They ride across the countryside and banter on horseback and learn how to swindle with ease.  They are both delights to follow from start to finish.

Sebastian allows Marian her imperfections – she’s got a sharp tongue, she’s grumpy.  She is not a maternal person, yet she’d do anything for her daughter.  The book avoids clichés and instead allows merriness and love in.

The book does have some flaws. You really need to have read The Queer Principles of Kit Webb to understand the origin point of the blackmail plot and who everyone is, and the romance between Marian and Rob feels abruptly developed, but their personalities ultimately pull the book through and make it a completely worthwhile experience.  You have to take the bitter with the better, after all.

Again: who would want traditional when you have these two to read about? Rob and Marian practice light bondage and figure out how to avoid the kind of penetrative sex which might result in another near-deadly pregnancy for Marian.  She makes him swoon, he makes her fall.  And when it comes to a good Cat Sebastian novel, what more do you really need?

Buy it at: Amazon, Audible or your local independent retailer
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4.5/5 Stars
Cat Sebastian once again proves that she is capable of writing characters that are impossible not to fall in love with. I don’t know how she does it. I always end up loving them all and I RARELY read a book where I actually adore every single character.

This book tells us the story of Marian, a pants-wearing independent woman who has just killed her shitty husband and Rob, a marshmallow of a thief who is a pretty terrible blackmailer.

I would say the plot is light and the joyful fluff is heavy in this once, which I really don’t mind! I know when coming to Cat Sebastian for a read I am getting a hug and I will not end up sad and/or emotionally drained and I really look forward to and appreciate that from her books. Also there are kittens. Kittens AND rogues. I don’t know what else to say if that doesn’t entice you.

A note I also really wanted to make about this book, because it’s had me thinking quite a lot, is the relationship dynamic between Marian and Rob. I read a lot of romance and I have often steered clear of straight couple books because the heteronormative dynamic makes me a little uncomfy (that’s no fault to straight books, that’s just my teenage trauma and rampant bisexuality coming in to play.) But not once did I feel that uncomfy “ick” I often find myself getting from a man and woman pairing. First of all, the characters themselves are queer, so I already felt more comfortable going into this. The throwing of gender norms into the metaphorical ditch also brought me such joy and made the intimate scenes between these two feel so much more real and comfortable to me as the reader. They just love and respect each other’s comfort and boundaries so MUCH that I was totally comfortable reading it (And that was a genuine concern of mine going into this book.)

Overall, “be gay do crimes” with your found family and baby.

Final Note: This book is a sequel to “The Queer Principles of Kit Webb” but I don’t think anyone would struggle too much with reading this as a standalone, the only thing that could confuse people with not having read The Queer Principles would be the family relations/trees that were explained in the first. BUT if you haven’t read The Queer Principles of Kit Webb, GO DO IT NOW! That book introduced me to Cat Sebastian and is responsible for my having now read every single book she has ever written. It also has some disability rep in it that made my, as a cane using person, day. I beg of you. Read it.

Special thanks to NetGalley and Avon and Harper Voyager for the Advance Reader Copy of this book!

This Book was so fun. Going in I was not aware it was not a stand alone so you do not need context of the first book to understand this one. The characters in this book are the definition of "be gay, do crime". it was full of love and found family and was a lovely read. I loved the banter between the two main characters and the incorporation of the letters in to the story.
It also walked the line of being a progressive historical novel well.. Its a world that is similar to ours, but queerness seems to be more accepted, but you still run in to problems like having sex with out getting pregnant. I enjoyed it ALOT.
Thank you to and Avon ad NetGalley for a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review