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.

A new Cat Sebastian! My absolute favorite romance author writing today. Will be recommending this one far and wide.

Cat Sebastian is one of my favourite historical romance authors — I know that when I pick up her books, I’m in for a fun romp of a time, and The Queer Principles of Kit Webb is no exception.

Lord Holland, also known as Percy, is desperate to get his hands on a book that his father, the Duke of Clare, never lets out of his sight, thinking it might be the only way he can save himself and his stepmother, a close friend. The only way to do so is to seek help from Gladhand Jack, an infamous highwayman who has pulled off some of the most notorious crimes. However, Gladhand Jack has left his life of crime behind and now goes by Kit Webb and works as a coffee store owner. Kit refuses to participate in the robbery, but agrees to help Percy plan it, the two men must set aside their differences, and attraction, to pull off the heist of a lifetime. But very soon, their plans go horribly awry…

While a large part of this novel revolves around planning a robbery, the heart of it the romantic development between Kit and Percy, and I was absolutely there for it. The flirtation involves a wide array of outrageous costume, changes, communicating during pouts of pugilism, bonding over how corrupt the aristocracy is, and protecting a tiny little spider in the corner of a coffee shop. And once the two have flirted enough, Kit and Percy come to understand one another despite their difficult pasts — a life of crime, and a life of immense aristocratic privilege that benefits from the abuse and exploitation of the lower class.

Sebastian’s books always do an incredible job of discussing class issues, and how the aristocracy continually abuse their power, and we have those same discussions in The Queer Principles of Kit Webb. Kit has a personal vendetta against the upper class, while Percy has to come to terms with understanding that the life he has led was on the backs of the less privileged, and one he’s not even entitled to anymore. So the question becomes: what do you do with a life that has become upended? Do you carry on in your self-imposed misery, like Kit does, or do you hold tight to a life that you’ve always known, like Percy? Or do you find the courage to take a chance and leave it all behind for the good of yourself?

The Queer Principles of Kit Webb is a typical Cat Sebastian book: it has a beautiful romance, humour for days, silly hijinks, and two very different men learning what love is. I highly recommend picking this up the second it’s out! You won’t regret it!

Cat Sebastian takes readers back to Georgian England with her latest novel, The Queer Principles of Kit Webb.  It’s a lively tale laden with wit, sparkling dialogue and insightful social commentary; the two leads are superbly characterised and there’s a vibrant secondary cast, too.  In fact, when I was only a few chapters in, I thought I’d be awarding the book a DIK, but unfortunately, the plot gets rather convoluted in the second half in a way that didn’t seem all that well thought-out, and that knocked the final grade down a notch or two.  But it’s still an entertaining read.

After taking a bullet to the leg, highwayman Gladhand Jack ‘retired’ from the business of highway robbery and now runs a moderately successful coffee house in London.  It’s a comfortable – if unexciting - life, and a year after his retirement, Christopher – Kit – Webb is bored.  He doesn’t really want to go back to his old life of thievery and trying not to get killed, but he can’t deny that he misses the activity and excitement – or that he’s getting more restless and foul-tempered by the day.  Which is why, when something that looked like first-rate trouble – an exquisitely dressed young gentleman complete with powder, patches and an elaborately adorned wig - walks into the coffeehouse,  Kit is instantly intrigued.

Edward Percival Talbot – Percy to his friends – is the only son and heir to the Duke of Clare.  Or rather, he was, until information recently came to light revealing that his father’s marriage to his mother was bigamous.  After living for some years on the Continent, Percy returned to England after his mother’s death to discover that his obnoxious father had married his (Percy’s) childhood friend Marian (seemingly against her wishes), that he has a new baby sister – and that his father married his mother – and now Marian – while he had another wife still living. The first blackmail letter arrived a month earlier, setting out the facts and demanding money, and now Percy and Marian have two months to come up with a plan.  Neither of them wants to pay the blackmailer. Percy knows that paying up will mean spending a lifetime in fear of exposure and is inclined to make the truth known on their own terms; Marian thinks paying the blackmailer will let Clare off the hook for what he’s done and she wants revenge, to bring him as low as humanly possible.

Although Percy is facing social ruin, and his entire life has been based on a lie, he’s firstly concerned for Marian and little Eliza and wants to make sure they’re safe and well taken care of before he focuses too much on his own situation.  To this end, he plans to steal a book from his father – and then use it to force him to pay him and Marian enough money for them to be able to live comfortably. (At this stage, we don’t know what the book’s contents are).  It’s Marian who comes up with the idea of getting Gladhand Jack to do the job for them – but after his first visit to the coffeehouse, Percy isn’t so sure the former highwayman is the right man for the job.

And, as it turns out, neither is Kit, although he’s tempted.  Very tempted – and by more than just the idea of one last job.  But he knows his own limitations and that his bad leg won’t hold up sufficiently for him to be able to pull off the robbery himself.  So he offers to teach Percy how to do it instead.

The first section of the story details Percy’s attempts to persuade Kit to help him, using a mixture of financial incentive and flirtation that stops little short of outright seduction.  The chemistry between them is palpable, the dialogue is superb – witty and very sharply observed – and I enjoyed their spirited conversations and the steadily growing affection and tenderness between them.

Kit and Percy are likeable, complex characters, complete opposites who shouldn’t work as a couple – yet they do.  Kit is an adorable grouch who has no idea of the esteem in which he’s held by those around him, and Percy hides a deep vulnerability behind his ostentatious outfits and witty conversation.  He makes little attempt to hide his attraction to men, while Kit is less concerned with what’s between a partner’s legs and, as he puts it, seldom goes to bed with people because he seldom meets anyone he really wants to go to bed with.

Both men are carrying considerable emotional baggage – Kit has experienced great loss, and Percy hasn’t known much love or affection - and have come to believe that they don’t deserve to be happy or loved. But as they become closer and begin to fall in love with each other, that experience – and the mutual support they can now offer – gradually shows them the lie and they begin to understand that they’re more than the sum of their past experiences and that together, they can be better than they were before.  I was pleased with their honesty and that they behave and speak like adults, discussing their pasts in a realistic, sensible way, and that there are no overblown dramatics.

The big problem with the book though, is the plot, which gets progressively more complicated somewhere after the halfway mark.  We don’t find out what’s so important about the book Percy wants to steal until really late in the day, and the way plot point after plot point is suddenly stuffed in in the last quarter of the story not only had my head spinning but contributed to an overall feeling of ‘is that it?’ when the book ended.  I understand there’s going to be a sequel , but this novel wasn’t originally billed as part of a series (and still isn’t) and I came away from it feeling vaguely disappointed at the way so many things have been left hanging.

In the end, I liked, but didn’t love, The Queer Principles of Kit Webb.  The romance is sweet, tender and sexy, and the setting of Georgian London is well-established;  I especially loved the descriptions of Percy’s sumptuous outfits.  The secondary characters – special mention goes to Betty, Kit’s employee, and Collins, Percy’s valet – are interesting and well-rounded, and the discussions as to the evils and abuses of great privilege are perceptive and, dare I say, timely.  Despite my criticisms, fans of queer historical romance will find plenty to enjoy here.

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What a great historical romance! I was totally captivated by the sights and sounds of 1700’s England in this great story of unlikely lovers from different social strata. By the end of the story, I felt so strongly about Kit and Percy that I nearly cried during the highway robbery! Their HEA was well-earned, and I especially liked that Percy worked to destroy his aristocratic legacy after Kit tells him about the experiences he’s had with wealthy landowners.
Very enjoyable!

Ex-highwayman Kit Webb has retired to run his London coffeeshop but is approached by Percy, Lord Holland to retrieve a book from his mother that has incriminating information about his father, The two men start out seeming to be complete opposites, but as they end up working together they find that a strong attraction develops between them. I really enjoyed the slow burn romance between them and the secondary characters who make up their world. The only exception is the character of Percy's father, who is the villain of the book, but remains a pretty shadowy character without any real motivation for his actions other than moving the plot along.
On the whole, this is a lovely, believable building of the relationship between Kit and Percy and I really enjoyed the book because of it.

This was such a fun book to read. I really enjoyed seeing Kit and Percy interacting with each other and with other people. I think the characters were well developed and the plot was very cool. I was a bit confused about where the plot was going at certain times, but I think that might have been the point.

4.25 Stars

Content Warnings at end of review

Thank you to Netgalley and Avon and Harper Voyager for an arc of this book.

When Percy finds out he is an illegitimate heir to his father's dukedom and he is being blackmailed, he enlists the help of Kit, a past-highwayman/present-coffee house owner, to help him rob his own father. Both men begin on a journey toward discovering what is really important to them.

Okay, this book was so cute. Percy and Kit both ended up being big softies, which I was totally not expecting at the beginning. The romance is adorable, and I really love the lessons that they learned and taught each other.

The adventure in this book is also exciting, but it takes a little while to get to that point. Kind of a slow start in that way, but it is worth the pay off!

Overall this book was a cute historical romance!

Pub Date: June 8, 2021

Content Warnings
Graphic: Sexual content, Alcoholism, Blood, Child death, Death, Grief, Gun violence, Homophobia, Religious bigotry, and Violence

Thank you to NetGalley and Avon for the ARC of this book!

Cat Sebastian brings the 18th Century to colorful life in The Queer Principles of Kit Webb. When Kit, a retired highwayman, and all-around criminal, is approached by haughty and aristocratic Percy to perform a robbery for him, he's initially very settled into a firm no. But Percy doesn't give up easily, showing up to Kit's coffee house in all of his finery - sill socks and powdered wig an all - to convince him of the plan. Kit finally agrees to help, but what follows is a series of secrets that grow heavier by the day and a blooming romance that gets hotter by the night.

I enjoyed both Kit and Percy as characters. They were the perfect foil for each other. Kit, a grumpy and stubborn man and Percy, a sarcastic and haughty one. They worked well against each other, and the slow burn of their relationship was incredibly satisfying to watch.

The overall plot of the story involves a heist, yes, but there's definitely an undercurrent here about classism and how the underclass are treated as disposable. Kit comes from a world where people like him, his family included, have been squashed beneath the very fine heels of Percy's family in a quest for wealth and power. Seeing them have to work through that dynamic gave the story more depth.

Some parts of the plot were a bit convoluted and went unexplained. I would've liked to see more of Marion's motives, along with a couple of the other characters. The story felt a bit unfinished in that regard, like I was missing a piece of the puzzle.

Still, a quick and entertaining read!

The Queer Principles of Kit Webb is a perfect trifecta of adventure, mystery, and queer romance.

Having given up his thieving ways a year ago, Kit Webb is surprised when a stranger enters his coffeehouse not only knowing his secret life of crime but wanting to hire him. Reluctantly telling the stranger (and himself) that his highwayman days are behind him, that doesn’t deter the ever-persistent and chatty Percy from continuing to show up to Kit’s coffeehouse. Percy might be the son of a Duke, but he has quite the complicated past and getting Kit’s help is the only way Percy can think to save himself from the dreary life of a commoner. Percy’s persistence pays off, and soon the looks passed between Kit and Percy are less out of apprehension and more out of curiosity and a little bit of lust. But as mysteries remain unsolved and plans go belly up, Kit and Percy soon realize that maybe the only thing that will go right for them is their growing attraction to each other...

I was very excited to get my hands on this newest title by Cat Sebastian. She is, as far as I’m concerned, the reigning queen of queer historical fiction, and The Queer Principles of Kit Webb only adds to her already fantastic catalog of historical romance featuring gay, lesbian, and bisexual characters. Sebastian manages to pack many tropes into this novel, and I loved that, despite Percy being a bit flouncy at times, Kit Webb managed to not be campy at all. Between aristocracy falling for a commoner, falling for the hired help, falling for the criminal/bad boy, mysterious blackmailers, and family secrets, there is a trope for everyone in this book - and that’s on top of the really well done, slow(ish) burn queer courtship between Kit and Percy. I loved that Percy was unabashedly gay, especially in the 1790s. Kit was previously in a heterosexual relationship, and I loved Kit’s journey of easing into his first homosexual relationship with Percy. Kit just seamlessly accepted that he was attracted to a man and entered his first queer relationship without question or without feeling like he was a different person. Kit accepted his bisexualness with aplomb, and I loved that there was no second guessing it. It just was, and it was beautiful. The Queer Principles of Kit Webb is a fantastic story, full of romance, intrigue, and action, and will delight fans of Cat Sebastian as well as readers new to her novels.

This was a crazy, fun, queer historical romance that I devoured! I loved the relationship growth between the two characters, and I found their personalities to be utterly captivating!

Loved this from start to finish!

Cat Sebastian's The Queer Principles of Kit Webb is quite possibly the most honest story about highway robbery to hit the shelves since Robinhood. The retired legendary highwayman, Kit is just fine running his coffeehouse and not stealing from the rich until a young lord shows up with an offer he cannot refuse. Percy, the young lord in question, has found himself in need of a man who can rob his father so he may save his friend and he has found just the man to pull it off. Although Kit refuses to participate in the robbery himself, he is more than willing to teach the young lord how to pull it off. From lessons on how to throw a punch, to when to stop a carriage on the road, Percy is shaping up to be a fine student (in between bouts of shameless flirting). But will they be able to pull it off together as new revelations threaten their tenuous relationship?
In a tale riddled with deception, you would be surprised how adorably honest the main characters are with one another. Kit's coffeehouse is filled with patrons who love his gruff demeanor and questionable customer service skills. Percy's best friend and stepmother appreciates him, his valet is perhaps the best employee that has ever existed, and his younger sister is the only baby I will ever like in a romance novel. For the record, I would love novels from all three of them.
So it is no surprise to hear I also adore Kit and Percy. Kit's life as a cane user is well researched and specific. It helps that the rest of his character is fleshed out from the way he organizes his coffeehouse library to the treatment of the spider that lives rent-free in the staircase. His relationship with Percy quite frankly shouldn't work as well as it does. Percy wields his words and outfits just as well as he does a sword. His air of quirky strength hides a vulnerability in a way that you only develop if you grow up around people who either despise you or are indifferent to your presence. Nevertheless, I like them together and wish them the best of luck in the future.
I imagine the book will end up doing well for its plot and characters alone, but I will be interested to see the cover hit the shelves. I have been a fan of Cat Sebastian for a long time (and would highly recommend both the Regency Imposters series and the Seducing the Sedgwicks series), but this is her first illustrated cover. While illustrated covers have been in the historical space for a while, a majority of the illustrations are blackened silhouettes apart from To Love and to Loathe by Martha Waters. I am a big fan of the digital cover so I imagine the attractive artwork will only help boost sales.
If you are looking for brutal honesty about the cost of ducal estates on the working class this is the book for you. But seriously, you come for the highway robbery and stay for the comfort of found family. The Queer Principles of Kit Webb by Cat Sebastian is set to release June 8, 2021.
Thank you, Avon and Harper Voyager via NetGalley for providing the eARC of The Queer Principles of Kit Webb by Cat Sebastian in exchange for my honest review.

(Update: While this is not part of my review it appears I am unable to select the stars to rate the book below. I would have filled in 5/5 stars.)

Kit is a semi-reformed Highwayman just trying to run his coffeehouse. Percy is the son of a Duke with an axe to grind. They come together to defeat a common foe. As the plan starts to come together, so do their feelings for one another.

I loved this book. It was fun, sweet, and the central plot was enough to keep me guessing. I haven't read much set in the mid-1700s and it was really interesting that Cat Sebastian didn't ignore the fact that it was illegal and taboo for two men to be in love at that time. The fact that this was always in the back of their minds kept their complicated feelings for one another grounded. It was not stated in the text, but I recognized some asexual traits in Kit. It was nice to see those traits as just fact in the story and not some huge character failing.

This was my first Cat Sebastian but certainly not my last. Thank you Avon and Netgalley for the ARC!

2021 Spring Bingo (#SpringIntoLoveBingo🌷): Happily Ever After

CW: [past death of infant child, past death of wife after imprisonment, past death of mother via cancer, on-page gunshot wound, on-page blackmail, evil dad (hide spoiler)]

3.5 stars

Not really sure how to rate THE QUEER PRINCIPLES OF KIT WEBB because I liked reading it, but I didn't love it as much as other CS books (unfortunate case of comparison rating, perhaps?). I would recommend it to folks who love outrageous 1750s British fashion (the wigs! the colorful and flamboyant clothing!), biting yet silly humor, and a critique about the infinite evils of aristocracy.

Despite what you might assume from the blurb: this is mainly not about a heist (which, yes, the actual robbery is there but not until the end). It's mostly about two men learning to love each other and find value in work despite their fraught pasts. For Kit, he's left thievery and highwayman robbery behind (well, mostly) and is starting anew as a coffeeshop owner. For Percy, he's grappling with the sins of his aristocratic heritage — a heritage that he legally isn't entitled to anymore. How does he transition into a commoner if his illegitimacy is revealed? Does he *want* to stay an aristocrat or would he prefer to make an honest living, one that isn't built from the destruction of peasant livelihoods and slave labor?

I really loved the discussion of class and privilege, topics that I can reliably trust to see in every Cat Sebastian historical. I can't wait for Marian's book (love the Robin Hood allusion with her and redacted)!

Disclaimer: I received a free e-ARC from the publisher in exchange for an honest review. I’ve interacted with the author on social media and in person, but these are my honest opinions about the book.

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

When I saw who the author of this book is—not to mention the delightfully soft seafoam cover & read the synopsis—I wanted it fiercely. Cat Sebastian books are one of my love languages.

The Queer Principles of Kit Webb by Cat Sebastian did *not* disappoint. It gave me everything I was looking for: outstanding chemistry, emotional intimacy, & smooching, *&* even some things I didn’t know I was looking for, & it’s a big HURRAY for me.

There’s a ballad about an indomitable, almost heroic highwayman, Kit Webb. He actually exists, minus some of the song details. But after a leg injury took him out of the highwayman business, he’s a coffeehouse owner.

That doesn’t stop him from being tempted though—in more ways than one—when Edward Percy Talbot, supposed heir to a dukedom, invites him to rob his father the Duke of a precious book he carries in exchange for funds.

You see Percy has just learned that his father is a bigamist & he’s being blackmailed to keep it a secret. But he & his stepmother, who grew up close, have hatched a plan that the supremely reluctant Kit Webb can help them pull off.

The magnetic attraction between Kit & Percy from the get-go gives me butterflies: two intimidating, seemingly unreachable people who can’t help but stare at the other. Can’t help but want.

I love how Percy is bratty—I believe the text says—but lovable, & how Kit gives him hard truths about what his family’s wealth has cost & is costing others. How the legacy Percy is so tied to has tied down others & thrown them away when they’re deemed useless. The scene at the estate Percy faces losing is so moving to me.

(With that being said, I do feel feel the text’s two references to the Duke’s “property” in the West Indies & the deeds of manumissions Percy later commissions are too briefly considered.)

Overall the dynamic between Kit & Percy is everything I love in romance. Kissing because they can’t help but kiss each other / emotional truths between people who just can’t keep it casual / & a HEA kind of love.

5 ⭐️. Release Date: 06/08

Thank you so much to NetGalley for an arc of this book in exchange for an honest review!

It is a well known fact among the people around me that I am an absolute sucker for historical fiction romance novels. This book did NOT disappoint.

We follow the story of Kit and Percy. Kit is an ex-road man who runs a coffee shop and Percy is an aristocrat who needs a job done. Their love story plays out very naturally and does not feel forced or rushed in any way.

I loved both of the characters dearly and their stories were so interesting to watch play out. Percy was so charming and snarky and Kit was very caring and sweet. They definitely have a hold on my heart.

I feel as though the story had perfect pacing and kept you on the edge of your seat the whole time. No character in the book felt unnecessary or boring to me. I was infested in every single one of their stories. Especially Marian. This world was just so interesting and easy to get swept away in. I highly recommend you add this book to your reading list. It is definitely worth your time.

What an incredibly sweet queer love story! I quite enjoyed the chemistry between Kit and Percy, as well as their chemistry with all the supporting case of characters. I am so incredibly happy to see a queer love story where both main characters find happy ending especially in a time period not always suited to happy endings. Their willingness to be soft with one another is what captured my attention and held it throughout this novel.

The sex scenes were spicy but not overly detailed, and it seemed to surround the connection between the two characters. I also appreciated the lack of “instant love” between the two of them. There was definitely an immediate attraction along with their stubborn distaste for one another which I found too fun. I will always adore an enemies to loves plot any day of the week, and this book delivered. It made their journey to love and healing that much more interesting and fun!

I would happily read about more adventures with these two (and more Betty!) any time.

The Queer Principles of Kit Webb was an entertaining enemies to lovers MM historical romance. There were great discussions about class and privilege and I really enjoyed the character arcs of both Kit and Percy. It was a slow burn between them and I loved how their disdain transformed into more as they began to get to know each other better. My heart hurt for all that Kit experienced and lost, but I loved how he didn't deny his feelings or let them stop him from finding happiness. The intimate scenes were scorching hot between Kit and Percy and I appreciated how raw and honest they were. The ending was such a great way for our characters to both show their growth and move forward. I enjoyed Cat Sebastian's writing a lot, but the pacing was a bit slow at times and I'm hoping that a few of the loose ends will be addressed in future books.

The narration by Joel Leslie was excellent! I especially loved the gruffness he gave to Kit's voice and how gentle and emotional it was for the more tender scenes. The accents and contrast between characters was perfect. I appreciated how unique they all were so that there was no confusion as to who was speaking. The "enthusiasm" during the intimate scenes had me fanning myself. *bites fist* This was a truly wonderful audiobook!

Audiobook Review
Overall 4 stars
Performance 5 stars
Story 3.5 stars

CW: mentions of death of loved one and child in the past, grief, queerphobia, fighting/violence (gun, swords)

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

Thank you to NetGalley and Avon for the ARC in exchange for an honest review

CW: Grief (death of partner and child in past), grief (death of parent in past), violence, queerphobia

I would recommend this one if you're looking for (SPOILERS)

-m/m frenemies to lovers
-historical romance
-sloow burn
-opposites attract
-elements of forbidden romance
-grumpy/sunshine
-a heist
-flirting through fighting lessons

This was such a fun and tender read. I'm a huge fan when one or more of the MCs hates just being attracted to the other person and this had that in spades. The mystery kept me on my toes and was a great driving force for bringing these two together as they slowly admitted to their attraction.

Kit pulled at my heartstrings so much. He lost so much, then his best friend in an accident that left him with a limp. But he refuses to ever stop, reluctant to ask for help. And sunshine Percy trying to help his family no matter the cost to himself. If you're looking for a fun historical full of adventure and two people with undeniable chemistry pick this one up you won't regret it.

Rating: 4
Steam: 3

This was exactly what I needed to read when I needed to read it: a little troupe-y (coffeeshop! fighting and physical tension! someone makes a return from the dead at the worst moment!), fun, steamy, and a heist! I was very pleased.