The Perfect Crimes of Marian Hayes, by Cat Sebastian, follows Marian Hayes and Rob Brooks as they deal with the fallout from Marian shooting her husband. Marian is the Duchess of Clare, and Rob had been blackmailing her with the information that the Duke had been married previously and thus Marian is not legally the duchess. Their correspondence lasts a few months as they banter back and forth with each other, ending with Marian kidnapping Rob to keep him from being present at the staged robbery of her husband. When the robbery goes wrong and she accidentally kills her husband, she and Rob flee to the countryside, sparks flying between them as they attempt to figure out how to move forward from there.

I loved reading this book.

The two main characters are absolutely wonderful. It's a grumpy/sunshine romance in all the right ways. They're both disaster bisexuals, but they're different types of disasters. Marian is pragmatic and collected, self-assured but still able to find the fun in their situation. She's carrying a lot of trauma from her marriage and pregnancy as well, and I just really appreciated the depth of her character; it touches on a lot of topics that aren't often discussed in these sorts of books. She's hesitant to actually admit to caring about Rob because of those issues. Rob is a really well-written foil to her in many ways; he's been a conman and highwayman for ages, stealing from the rich and giving to the poor, but is currently looking for a different occupation since his partner has decided that he's done with crime. Rob is definitely more laid-back that Marian, which makes the moments where she is suddenly more chaotic all the more interesting. Neither of these characters fits strictly into a single personality mold; they're both dynamic and human.

Rob is absolutely head-over-heels for her; he would probably do literally anything for her, while Marian is much more cautious to let him into her life. Their dynamic is so fun, and you really just can't help but ship them. They're adorable. I wish the book had been longer just to add room for more fluff between them, because I could honestly read another hundred pages just of them being cute together.

This book is set in 1751, and it's such a fun historical escapade. There is truly never a dull moment. The story shifts fluidly from action to strategy to simple character interaction and it's all done extremely skillfully.

I also just really appreciated the casual queer representation in this book. The two main characters are bisexual, and their best friends are gay men. This book felt in many ways like the adult version of the Montague Siblings trilogy in that regard, and I loved it, particularly since I don't think I knew about the queer representation going in.

I really can't recommend this book enough. It is so fun and just made me extremely happy to read. It's lighthearted while still confronting serious issues, and Sebastian balances those two sides of the book extremely well. I truly can't recommend this enough. It does have a few sex scenes if that's an issue for you, but you can likely skim them if you're not interested and not lose anything from the experience of the book. If you're remotely interested, pick up this book. You won't regret it. I'm giving The Perfect Crimes of Marian Hayes 5/5 stars.

If you're in the mood for a fast paced, antic filled, wild ride, I would definitely recommend this book. I think it was very different than a lot of books I've read from Cat Sebastian and I had a truly enjoyable time with it. There are fun and witty, banter filled letters at the beginning that sets up the story really well and then we're off to the races. There was certainly enough traumatic backstory that this book could have gotten really weighed down, but somehow Sebastian neatly dances around the edge of those topics and never dives too deeply into them. The few slow moments in the book are well done, but so brief. It's one of those books that I'm glad to have read, but I really don't know how to articulate my thoughts! I listened to it in one-sitting though if that tells you anything. Definitely a good book if you just want to get swept up in a whirlwind of a story!

I really enjoyed this one. I recently read the companion novel to it and I didn't enjoy that one so my expectations were pretty low. I think the highlight of this book were the characters. Both Marian and Rob were a joy to read about and I loved reading their romance and development.

The Perfect Crimes of Marian Hayes was such a fun ride! It was witty and sharp, while also being incredibly heartfelt and tender. This is book 2 in the series and though it can be enjoyed as a standalone, I think it will be a much more fulfilling experience if read in order.

Things to look forward to:
-Tropes like: grumpy + sunshine, road trip romance, forced proximity, epistolary, enemies to friends to lovers, there's only 1 bed
- Rob is such a sweetheart. He’s charming and welcoming to everyone he meets and has an adorable soft spot for animals. He is so gone for Marian right from the start and I loved how much care he took to make sure she was comfortable, safe, and supported.
- The intimate scenes. These were steamy in a way I haven’t quite encountered before and were done so well. I loved how Rob and Marian listened and spoke honestly with each other about what they wanted and needed. Rob’s eagerness to please and the praise kink were so hot.
- The found family. I LOVED how this unlikely group came together. They are ride or die no matter what and the amount of love they have for each other is amazing. Thanks to the Duke’s bigamy, the family tree is a bit twisty and turny, but no matter the official title or connection, this group is a family.
- A great retelling/spin on the Robin Hood and Maid Marian story

I both read and listened to this one and the narration by Joel Leslie was just as fantastic as it was in book 1. The different accents and voices used made it easy to differentiate between characters and so much emotion was conveyed in the performance. Definitely recommend experiencing this series on audio if possible!

Audiobook Review
Overall 4.5 stars
Performance 5 stars
Story 4 stars

CW: murder, traumatic pregnancy, postpartum depression (implied), parental abandonment, parent with alzheimer's (implied), abusive relationship (past), gun violence, theft, blackmail

*I voluntarily read and listened to a review copy of this book*

… and so begins the story of Rob and Marian, the best friends previously seen running around the margins of The Queer Principles of Kit Webb finally get t share their side of the story!

The second book, which reads very much as a Part Two, continues the charmingly chaotic crime spree as we now follow our duchess of grump, Marian and her ever so chipper blackmailer, Rob as they traipse across the English countryside, fall head over heals in love, plot burglaries and escape the hangman’s noose. Secrets previously unresolved are finally exposed and answers to very pressing questions are graciously revealed.


These beautiful, bickering, bisexual disasters are beyond adorable. Just like Kit and Percy from The Queer Principles they are so earnestly smitten with one another that it’s verging on adorable, sappy, love-stricken, puppy-dog-eyes sweetness. But there’s always a sharp, biting, kiss with a fist vibe that is laced in there as well thanks to the raven haired murderess (don’t hold it against her, please) that is Marian.


Both of the main characters are dealing with their own internal and external struggles throughout. Marian is suffering what would most likely be considered postpartum depression and healing from trauma induced by her former husband. Rob is still reeling from the fallout of a long held secret finally being revealed. Their bickering is adorable, their healing is inspiring, and their reluctant attraction makes for the most beautiful pining!



BOOK: The Perfect Crimes of Marian Hayes
AUTHOR: Cat Sebastian
GENRE/TROPES: historical, queer (bi mc’s) romance, crime and stuff, lots of emotional baggage, grumpy/sunshine (more like emo goth girl and put every wee animal I can find in my pocket and take them home with me, adorable man child… 🤷🏻‍♀️)
CW: ptsd, ppd, pregnancy trauma, marital abuse
RATING: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

I shouldn't be surprised by how much I loved THE PERFECT CRIMES OF MARIAN HAYES given how much I enjoyed THE QUEER PRINCIPLES OF KIT WEBB, but Cat Sebastian managed to catch me unawares and absolutely delight me.
My heart has a huge soft spot for bisexual disasters, especially ones who have a tendency to be... up to no good. Rob and Marian have delicious chemistry – their dialogue and letters are just plain FUN to read, and it's obvious why they like each other!
This is such a good summer romance read!

Marian has shot her husband, the Duke of Clare, and turns to the only person she trusts to help her, the thief who is blackmailing her–who she has kidnapped and left tied to a bed in a rented room.

This is the sequel to The Queer Principles of Kit Webb which I loved. The timeline of the stories overlap a bit, and you definitely need to have read the first book before reading this one. Marian and Rob fall for each other over the course of a few weeks of exchanging letters regarding the blackmail.

What I loved about this book:
Both MCs are bisexual and they have a sexual dynamic you don’t often see in historical romance between a man and a woman.

Marian had a traumatic pregnancy and childbirth which has affected what she wants sexually and Ioved the way her enthusiastic consent was so important to Rob.

Marian has complicated feelings about motherhood and doesn’t feel like she’s bonded with her baby the way a mother should. This is so common among new mothers and isn’t something I see talked about much. I loved that it was included here.

I loved the “eat the rich” theme.

The book is very funny and romantic.

I loved the found family aspect at the end, but wished there had been more of Percy, Kit, Rob, and Marian together. Maybe a longer epilogue.

This was a fantastic duology and highly recommend to anyone who loves queer historical romance!

***Thank you to Netgalley and Avon Books for sending me an e-advanced reader copy of The Perfect Crimes of Marian Hayes by Cat Sebastain! All thoughts are my own.***

4.5 stars!

The Perfect Crimes of Marian Hayes takes place during majority of the same timeline as The Queer Principles of Kit Webb, just from Marian and Rob's point of view that we don't get from the first book.

I have to say I was a little nervous to read this book, since The Queer Principles of Kit Webb didn't by any means wow me. I had trouble staying interested in it long enough to enjoy the story. But I'm so glad I enjoyed this book much more. I really liked both Marian and Rob's perspectives and who they are as characters. It was nice seeing the whole cast of characters, but not having it centered on them because I don't think I would have enjoyed it as much. Marian and Rob's relationship is nicely explored and developed and I think they were great to put together.

If you liked The Queer Principles of Kit Webb, I definitely think you will like this book even more. As someone who wasn't a fan of the first book, I'm so happy with how much I enjoyed this one. The Perfect Crimes of Marian Hayes is available now!

This was a lot of fun. I’m glad I read The Queer Principles of Kitt Webb first because this book runs concurrent with it, and I’d have been very confused if I hadn’t. These two books (because it’s difficult to talk about one and not the other) are about what it means to be a family: biological, found, made. Plus, Marian and Rob are really quiet funny in their interactions.

I received a copy of this book from the publisher through NetGalley. All opinions are my own.

Pretty early on while reading The Perfect Crimes of Marian Hayes, I knew I was going to love the book. Not only was I super intrigued in Rob from the last books, but I also instantly fell in love with Marian. And their letters? There's a chunk of the book which details their letters which I cannot get over. It's a fabulous writing technique which reveals so much about their personality. It feels like a throwback to epistolary novels and it made my heart melt.

I loved the wit, the vulnerabilities, and the sarcasm! So when I was able to see their interactions play out in real life - not via letters - I was totally smitten. Immediately I adored the tangled mess they found themselves in. The ways it interacts with The Queer Principles of Kit Webb is delightful. Seeing through both of their POVs, I loved the cinnamon roll of Rob and his affections towards stay animals. And then we have Marian who feels the weight of the world on her shoulders as she tries to save her family.

Utterly delightful! With each Cat Sebastian book, I'm amazed by how unique the characters are and how quickly I fall in love with them. Rob is a highwayman with a heart of gold, here to take from the rich and give to the poor. Marian is no one's fool and is out to get justice for herself, her family, and others who have been harmed by the aristocracy. Together they're the ultimate sunshine/grumpy dynamic and, what's really wonderful, is they both adore those traits in each other. The story is full of "be gay do crime" vibes, domestic moments, romance, action, and banter. I also like how the traumas that both Marian and Rob survived are dealt with in the story. I'm also such a big fan of queer m/f romances; in this book both characters are bi (though that term isn't used) and they're completely open about talking about their sexuality and desires. Their chemistry is off the charts and their love story is swoon-worthy, spicy, and super fun!

What an utterly unexpected delight this book was. Not that I doubted I would enjoy it - Cat Sebastian’s books are always an automatic purchase for me, even without knowing what the book is about, and I always love the books themselves. But The Perfect Crimes of Marian Hayes — in particular Marian herself — was so lovely and affirming and made me feel seen in ways I actually never thought I’d experience. But, more on that in a bit.

This book is honestly the equivalent of “be gay, do crimes” and “eat the rich” with a grumpy/sunshine romance and I love that for the author and for the reader. It was so much fun! I loved every minute of the adventure and crimes portion, but also the absolutely wonderful and nuanced characters and their development, and then the found family and the romance between Rob and Marian. The romance was very much about being seen and loving people for who they are and understanding them and what they need to feel safe and cared for, and showing one’s love with quiet deeds rather than just with grand words.

Another not small thing that I loved about this book was that there weren’t exceptionally high risks of trauma or unhappiness for the characters, and while there was some angst, it wasn’t enduring or deeply unhappy to read. I knew the characters were safe with the author, and honestly as my heart really can’t take too much unhappiness these days, this book was so lovely and filled me with joy since I didn’t have to be too anxious about what would happen to Rob and Marian (and the rest of their queer found family.)

And oh, how I loved Marian Hayes. A queer woman with a traumatic past, who feels things deeply but seems to find warm and overt displays of emotion and affection somewhat maudlin, who has a keen sense of right and wrong but more importantly justice, at turns acerbic and grumpy, and who is entirely unexpected? I love her. I also loved that her happy ending was being with someone she trusted and with whom she felt safe, and who didn’t mind at all that she didn’t enjoy penetrative sex or even always want to have sex at all. I want that for myself someday, and thank Cat Sebastian for giving me that unexpected joy of seeing my greatest hope live out on the page.

There are definitely hints of more books to come and I really hope that Cat Sebastian does write more, because I find myself desperately hopeful to see more of these characters that I care for so much.

4.5 stars

This book is a hilarious adventure-romance with a sweet love story! It is an excellent follow up to “The Queer Principles of Kit Webb”, the first book in the series, which I do recommend reading first.

[What I liked:]

•Oh gosh! This book is hilarious! Both the dialogue & narration are full of witty lines, & I couldn’t get through a chapter without having to read something out loud to my roommate because it was so funny!

•Rob, one of the MC’s, is ridiculously charming in a genuine way. He’s so kind & sincere, & his motives are so unselfish, that his rather serious history as a criminal doesn’t make him unlikeable. His feelings for Marian (the other MC) develop in a way that feels natural.

•The plot covers some parts that were included in the first book of this series, but from a different perspective so it didn’t feel repetitive, & actually helped me understand some character motivations from the first book better.

•The plot also includes lots of action, disguises, despicable villains, & a sweet romance. Yes, there are a few bits where you need to suspend some disbelief, but overall the story holds together & the main character motivations make sense.


[What I didn’t like as much:]

•As the second book in the series, I highly recommend reading the first one before this one. That will provide a lot of character development backstory for some side characters, & it will make it easier to understand the plot of this book (at least at the beginning).

•Everything wraps up very neatly in the last 10% of the book, & while there is still a bit of interpersonal tension, the pacing feels slow compared to the rest of the story which is high on danger & risk.


CW: death, implied history of non-consensual sex

[I received an ARC ebook copy from NetGalley in exchange for my honest review. Thank you for the book!]

This was a TON of fun. Great banter, excellent situation set up, complex characters, and a believable romance. I truly enjoyed this read and look forward to the next from Cat!

This is the sequel to The Queer Principles of Kit Webb but actually this story is happening in tandem. Remember that highway robbery that they were setting up and had the adorable meet cute and romance, planning. Well.. we get to see what happened to Marian the Dukes young wife.

This book starts with a letter exchange between a man and Marian the Duchess of Clare and he's trying to blackmail her. But the letters start to turn flirty and she starts to look forward to her weekly correspondence from him.

Just when the event from the first book happens she has come in contact with this man and made it so he can't get in her way but after it all turns horribly wrong they escape to the countryside together.

Rob who is Kits best friend has the most witty banter and is so hilarious. But he has an ulterior motive for helping her out and their letters affected him too. And their steaminess was not your average which was interesting and I appreciated the rep.

This book was a great addition to their very complicated nontraditional found family. Will there be a book for Betty?

Thank you avonbooks and netgalley for the e-ARC for my honest and voluntary review.

I was immediately charmed by the writing style as I dove into this book, the second in a series in which I haven't ready the first book...which is becoming a habit of mine. Oops. Anyways, these two characters captured my attention from the beginning, and the banter drove the star rating up before I could even wrap my head around the plot of the story. Blackmail, murder, secret identity, and oh yes, the messy entanglement that is the heroine's situation with her husband, the duke. Don't worry, that doesn't last too long. I have heard great things about this author's writing, but this is my first book by them and I am impressed. It's not often that I can read a new book during a book slump and come out of it rating it 5 stars without a second thought. With everything going on in my personal life, not only did this book drag me out of a slump but it also managed to keep my mind off my stress for a few hours. Cat Sebastian knew the assignment and delivered.

Marian Hayes finds herself in a predicament. Namely, she is being blackmailed. Oh, and there is the pesky matter of having recently shot her husband, the Duke, after finding out she was not, in fact, his wife. Not legally, anyway. Her blackmailer? He's tied up on a bed...until he's not. Having delivered increasingly charming letters back and forth after the first blackmail letter, Rob Brooks is intrigued and halfway in love with this duchess already. The fact that she is clever enough to trap him and bold enough to ask for help after killing her husband is just icing on top of a very delicious cake. Fleeing together into the night wasn't the original plan, but as plans go, it's not a bad one. Especially as they spend more time in each other's company, find passion in each other's arms, and ignore the sense of impending doom awaiting them at the end of their journey. You see, Rob know Marian's secrets, but....she doesn't know his.

I loved these two so much, I highlighted almost every exchange...so basically the entire book. Their wit was evenly matched, and when their passion ignited, they were so equal in that as well. There wasn't a dominant one or submissive one but rather a partnership, which I greatly appreciated. She took charge at times, but he also did the same. There was a lot of emphasis about consensual pleasure, making sure she enjoyed everything without worrying about the risk of pregnancy, and Rob really stole my heart at that moment. He put her needs above his own. Another aspect of their relationship I found unique for a historical is that both were bisexual, having had partners of both genders before, but they treated it so casually. I love when things like that are natural in a romance, rather than making a big deal out of it. Stigma is gone, they can move on with their relationship, and make sure happiness is based on the soul's compatibility rather than the gender. It's a nice way of reading romance, and I greatly appreciated that.

Now I need to go back and read the first book. I do this every time, reading out of order, and I do feel it would have been even better had I read them in order. That being said, feel free to read as I did and go backwards. It still works out well in the end.

I love this book with all my heart, it's a delightful lil romp with two bi disasters trying to commit crimes and only occasionally getting it right, but boy do they have a good time doing it.

It starts with the letters between Marian and Rob (that kicked off the first book in the series, the timeline gets a liiittle intermingled) and the letters are So Flirty I cannot

It's super engaging and fun the whole way through, but it's also low stakes and supremely non-stressful book to read. There's only minor miscommunication, there's a raggedy cat, the return of Rob's mother, and it's steamy but in a kinda fun and fresh way

So- I'm in, I'm about it, you should pick it up too (after the first one)

Thank you to NetGalley and Avon Books for the review copy provided in exchange for an honest review

It’s absolutely best to read Kit Webb before this book. While some of Sebastian’s books can work as standalones, I would’ve understood this one better if I’d read Kit first. That is most likely also why it took me a bit of time to settle into this story.

Sebastian excels at taking romance tropes and treating them in such wholly new ways that something that should be overdone seems brand new. In Marian Hayes, what could be a classic grumpy/sunshine is much more nuanced than that due to the many layers she build into her characters, more similar to The Lawrence Brown Affair or A Gentleman Never Keeps Score. No character is ever simplistic, superficial or cliche.

In The Perfect Crimes of Marian Hayes, the Duchess of Clare finds herself the unfortunate victim of blackmail by someone who claims knowledge that her husband is a bigamist. By engaging with her blackmailer, Marian sets into motion all manner of lawless adventure as she travels around Kent and eventually back to London. She falls in with Rob, her blackmailer, and they set about trying to right the wrongs of the aristocracy in a way that only outsiders can think is correct.

As usual, Sebastian writes beautifully, utilizing quirky and original dialog to help build the characters for her. It was refreshing the manner in which these two already “knew” each other before they actually met. Enjoyable and low-angst, though the resolution was a little confusing to me, in that perhaps I don’t really understand the English Estate Laws at the time.

A fresh look at a historical romance. The banter and chemistry between Marian and Rob were perfection. While I love the grumpy/sunshine trope, I especially love it when the stereotype is flipped with a grumpy heroine and sunshine hero. The love between the two main characters was so fun and authentic; mix all that up with some blackmail and minor crimes and this was just on overall fun historical read with some new twists on your traditional historical!

I loved The Queer Principles of Kit Webb but this book was actual perfection.

And this review is just gonna be a confusing rant because I have Feelings.

First of all, our MCs are two of the biggest disaster Bis I've ever seen. Second of all, MARSHMALLOW BOYS AND RAZORBLADE GIRLS HAVE MY HEART.

Marian Hayes is on the run after shooting her dastardly duke husband and on the way she's picked up her blackmailer, highwayman Rob Brooks. After exchanging letters for months (ya know... for the blackmail obviously) Rob feels like the only safe person Marian can turn to after she commits a possible murder.

This book. THIS BOOK. If you see any of my reviews on here, you know I read a LOT of historical romance but this is definitely my favorite of the year. Cat Sebastian writes queer histroms that also have heart. The author never lets us forget that like generational wealth isn't Good no matter how much we love to read about lords and ladies falling in love in ballrooms.

This book is hilarious and so so soft. The characters are obsessed with each other and I am obsessed with them.

Tropes You May Enjoy While Reading:
1. Sunshine/Grumpy - but also more like mean goth gf/golden retriever bf
2. Forced proximity (except you can't force these two)
3. Oh no, there's only one bed
4. Epistolary sections (I adore letter writing in books as a means of storytelling)
5. bi woman who prefers women and bi men who prefers men ends up together (like Howl/Sophie vibes, you can't tell me I'm wrong on either count)
6. HE HAS A PRAISE KINK AND SHE IS IN CHARGE

One thing I extra loved about this book was how the smut was handled. Cat Sebastian did not give us two queer characters for them to not switch it up. Marian experienced past trauma and didn't want certain things in the bedroom but Rob made sure she got to enjoy herself without fear that he would hurt her anymore (this made me feel really seen and I loved it so much with my little broken heart).

Anyway, I don't know. It's perfect. I think everyone should read it. I will be picking up Cat's whole backlist immediately.

Thank you to Avon and NetGalley for my ARC!