I just recently read The Queer Principles of Kit Webb and was so intrigued by Marian as a character that I was extremely excited to get this from NetGalley and read it immediately. This starts right in the middle of the action from the first book - Marian has just shot her husband and is going on the run. She is accompanied by Rob, a thief and former highwayman who has been blackmailing Marian. Their relationship starts in the form of blackmail letters, and grows from there. I found Marian to be a great character - a sharp, independent woman who has been pushed into a terrible marriage and, at the start of the novel, is the victim of a blackmailer. I appreciated her character growth, and I got some sunshine/grump vibes with Marian's practical cynicism and Rob's zest for life. A great romance (with plenty of adventure) with two very different, but very engaging main characters.

Cat Sebastian has such a way with words, her writing never ceases to impress me. The writing is tight, engaging and highly entertaining. And it was a most unorthodox romance but I really liked that about it.

This is the follow-up to Kit Webb which I have not read yet (but is on my TBR)… The book can stand well enough on its own without having read Kit Webb first but I do feel like I missed the meaning of several references and didn’t understand some conversations that I would like to have been clued in on. I think this will be a very rewarding reading experience for Kit Webb fans.

It starts out with the most hilarious epistolary (and antagonistic) back-and-forth between highwayman Rob and duchess Marian. They are equals in every way but in social standing. Their banter is so good and Rob is like a feminist Robin Hood. I am here 👏🏼 for 👏🏼 it 👏🏼 (Also… “Rob”? “Marian”? Stealing from the rich, giving back to the poor. I like it.😏)

Clever characters, irreverence, and disdain for the privileged upper classes are a few of the things I’ve come to expect from Cat Sebastian and this is has all of that. The colorful, well-drawn characters and fantastic dialogue were my favorite aspects of the book. Overall I think this is a really well done enemies to lovers trope and a very enjoyable read.

Tropes and other relevant info:
* historical romance (M/F)
* enemies to lovers
* slow burn
* forced proximity
* only one bed
* grumpy/sunshine
* cinnamon roll hero
* two bisexual protagonists

3.5 stars out of 5

Thanks to NetGalley and HarperCollins Publishers for providing the digital arc.

3.5
While this was an enjoyable read, it did make for a confusing one, especially if you haven't read the first (The Queer Principles of Kit Webb). It makes a lot of allusions to the first, and a majority of the characters are tied to to the events of the first book so that even though the second is about a different couple, you start out at a disadvantage if you don't have prior knowledge.
With that said, I loved the witty banter and the discussion of trauma, plus postpartum depression of a main character. The sex positivity is also present in this book.
In the end, though I acknowledge the positives this book has to offer, it wasn't for me. I had a difficult time empathizing with one of the main characters, and just couldn't fully get into some of the relationships in the book.