Love a historical road trip? Banter? Add in good natured criminals and crimes for the “right” reasons? Then Cat Sebastian’s The Perfect Crimes of Marian Hayes is the perfect steamy historical read. I loved every minute of it, and would happily spend more time with these characters if I could.

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Rob and Marian meet when Rob begins blackmailing Marian. The initial letters between the two are a hilarious way of updating the reader on the important points of the story from the previous book in the series, The Queer Principles of Kit Webb. Essential backstory has never been so entertaining. (That said, I highly recommend reading The Queer Principles of Kit Webb first. Not only is it another fantastic story, but some of the timeline overlaps with this book, and it makes it easier to grasp the engaging plot.)

They finally meet in person when Marian kidnaps Rob. Her goal is to keep him from interfering in her friend/stepson Percy’s heist of his father the Duke’s carriage, not knowing that Rob has been roped into helping his friend Kit with the scheme. Needless to say, things don’t go as planned. Naturally, the next step is for the two to road-trip across wintery England. High jinx, banter, and the appearance of only one bed ensues.

I’m having a hard time expressing just how much joy this book gave me. The humor is lighthearted, even in the most serious situations. The characters are strong and likable, even when (especially when?) they don’t conform to the strict standards of the 1750s. While the main characters in this book are MF, in true Cat Sebastian fashion they both identify as bisexual.

Rob sums up Marian’s character best when he realizes “What a trick it was to be able to say I beg your pardon in a way that meant f*** off and die, and to look serene and saintly while saying it.” Marian is in the unenviable position of having to care for and protect her family while being forced into the the very narrow box of an upper crust lady. Rob can see through her tough exterior, and loves her because of it, not in spite of it.

This book was amazing. It pulled me out of a reading slump and transported me into the midst of a great adventure. The twists and turns, and banter kept me entertained, but it’s the characters that have ensured The Crimes of Marian Hayes holds a special place in my heart.

I voluntarily read and reviewed an advance copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

{I received an advanced copy of this book on NetGalley in exchange for an honest review!}
Cat Sebastian really said be gay do crime! In The Perfect Crimes of Marian Hayes, her follow-up to The Queer Principles of Kit Webb, Sebastian takes us back to Georgian London, following the events of Queer Principles. In Perfect Crimes, we return to learn Rob and Marian's story, following these messy, traumatized bisexuals as they work through the aftermath of questionable decisions and life-changing revelations. We learned in Queer Principles that Rob is the kind blackmailer whose threats to reveal the Duke of Clare's bigamy caused Marian and Percy to turn tangentially toward a life of crime. At the beginning of Perfect Crimes, Marian kidnaps Rob to stop his blackmail scheme and leaves him tied to a bed while she deals with her own plans. Since she is a reluctant criminal and not well-versed in bondage knots, Rob escapes, but he decides to return to her side to help her finish what she started, and thus begins their journey into each others' hearts!

While these books are about different couples and could ostensibly be read as standalones, they really build on each other and make something queer and rollicking and beautiful when paired. Immerse yourself in the Webb-Holland-Hayes-Brooks found family and learn what it means to let someone in again and find the life you truly desire.

Content warnings for intimations of sexual trauma, and the processing thereof.

100% LOVE this book! Adorable MC's, both MC's bi, and non P-in-V s*x which is a rarity outside of lesbian romance! The characters are sweet and mischievous and I'm here for it.

‘The Perfect Crimes of Marian Hayes’ was sweet, swoony, and so much fun. Absolutely loved getting Marian’s story! Definitely recommend!

Murder, blackmail, robbery, and a slow burn queer romance! This novel has so many wonderful elements and characters. If you loved The Queer Principals of Kit Webb you’re going to love The Perfect Crimes of Marian Hayes, fingers crossed we get another novel that will follow Betty!

quick and flirty, i personally never felt particularly worried about these characters and their chances to score the lives they desire, but it's part of the genre i suppose. the team turns into leverage by the end, which i thought was hilarious and very charming

I loved Kit Webb so you know I screamed when I received an ARC for Marian’s story.

Rob and Marian are *chef’s kiss*. Cat Sebastian has perfected the art of historical romance. I need more books in this series because I am not done with Kit, Percy, Rob, Marian, or Betty.

An absolute delight! This is Cat Sebastian at her best: hilarious banter, lots of tenderness, everyone is queer, real character growth, a thoughtful exploration of power dynamics.

This novel is a companion novel and introduces the reader to new characters while also having callback to other characters we know. This book was a little slow to get into, and I didn't really care much about what happened with the characters. That being said, it was fun and mostly light.

I was absolutely thrilled and delighted by this book! I imagined it would be hard to follow The Queer Principles of Kit Webb but I was happy to find I liked it just as much.

I would recommend reading Kit Webb first, since it introduces all the characters and this is a continuation of the original plot. It also ends on a bit go a cliff hanger for Marian and Rob, and this book starts us off right where it left.

I admit I wasn't terribly attached to Marian and Rob in the first book, but that definitely changed. Most of the book is them just talking to each other, which is exactly what I wanted! Marian is such a delight, she could be considered prickly but is really just quite witty and sarcastic. Rob on the other hand, is our dramatic little puppy who wants everyone to love him, but also to be pushed around and told what to do by Marian. There is an overarching plot, but really the conflict is the difficulty of exposing yourself to another person, and trying to heal from your past trauma's. It brings a sense of relatability to a very fun silly plot.

And my goodness the chemistry! The way Rob talks about Marian as if every "odd" thing about her is absolute perfection I die! Both Rob and Marian are bisexual and have a very nice open relationship about it. The sex is also super fun and more inventive than usual.

We end in a HEA for all our characters and I could not be happier! Cat Sebastian is truly a talent and I am so happy to have read this latest installment.

I received an ARC from Netgalley for my honest review.

It’s not my favorite, but if you loved the first, this one will be great! I’m glad we got a storyline for Marian, she was my favorite character when I read the first.

I can't help but laugh. The Perfect Crimes of Marian Hayes ended up committing the perfect crime as it relates to my reading patterns. As a general rule, I don't like epistolary novels (this starts out as epistolary) and I always *always* think the first in a series is the best of the series (exception being ACOTAR, obvs). She broke both of them. It was a clean break and one I didn't even notice until much later than I should have.

Marian Hayes clearly has zero cares to give about my "rules" or anyone else's for that matter. This novel was funny, and cute, and charming, and adventurous, and the Robin Hood/Maid Marian vibes it gave me had my heart squeezing throughout. (Rob! My heart!)

I do recommend reading the first in this duology(?), The Queer Principles of Kit Webb, first. The story basically starts exactly where Kit Webb leaves off and it'll answer a lot of questions for you right off the bat. Triggers would include: a difficult pregnancy, blood, murderous intentions (and actual murder, maybe?), a rough marriage and a right a good time.

All this to say, GIVE ME YOUR NEXT BOOK CAT SEBASTIAN! I'm ready!


Thank you to NetGalley and Avon for a review copy. It was my pleasure.

Thank you to Netgalley and Avon/Harper Voyager for providing me with an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

This book was so much fun to read! It is so rare to read a book that truly screams bisexual rights, but this book absolutely did. It was so exciting to learn more about Marian after her appearances in the first book, and even Rob ended up being a much more compelling character than I expected. This book is humorous and tender, if a bit anticlimactic. However, that honestly didn't bother me much because I was having such a good time watching Marian and Rob romp around and commit crimes! Even if you aren't generally into historical fiction (which I am not), this book is still a totally enjoyable read.

rounded up to 4 - because it is a good book.

First Thank you NetGalley and Publisher for allowing me to read this book in exchange for an honest review.

Let me start by saying, I did not read book 1, the story of Kit and Percy. I will say that, although it's nice to have as a back story, it does not take away from this book.

What worked for me: the Robinhood aspect The moral code by which Rob lives. I loved Rob's character. The story/Plot

What didn't.... I know I'm in the minority, but honestly Marian. The author completely changed the roles on me, and FOR ME, this distracted some. I like strong heroines, but Marian was just not easy to relate to. Example - there is a scene when Marian and Rob kiss (not a spoiler, we all expect a kiss - look at the cover). But Rob, was more laid back (dare I use the word submissive) and unsure of the next step, and Marian was the more assertive character. I just didn't like how this part was written. Now, don't get me wrong, I'm okay with gender roles or anything LGTBQ, what I'm talking about was Marian's gruff and Rob's character is so endearing, that she just irked me at times. Maybe if the author would have fleshed Marian's character more. I do love how Marian did everything to protect her family (her father), I loved that about her, but other than that, I just found her cold when compared to Ron's quirky and friendly personality.

Regardless, it is a good book and I really loved this author.

This was great. Perfect book read, it was funny and sharp and romantic. Marian isn't like any other romance novel heroine I've read before, and that really made this one stand out from others of the same genre. ESPECIALLY loved how Marian and Rob had relationships with the same sex and it wasn't a big deal at all, accepted as completely normal and average.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for an eARC in exchange for an honest review!

I want to preface this by saying that although I have several critiques on this book that I will be delving into, I truly did enjoy it. It says a lot about the heart of the story if I have a lot of critiques but still walk away feeling fond of it.

Unfortunately, I had not read the previous novel, so even though this can be read as a standalone I was quite confused at times on who people were and their dynamics. It wasn’t until halfway in that I knew and understood who Percy was in regard to them all. I think the author tried alluding to their individual relationships without outright saying it, and I don’t know if it is mentioned in the first one, but it would help to have it outright said. I also often thought Percy and Lord Holland were different people. Although it can be read as a standalone, I think everyone reading this would probably benefit from reading the first one which is about Kit who is also involved in this story. I’m personally going to go back and read the first one!

Next, I just really didn’t enjoy Marian as a character, though I definitely see the appeal of her to others. I’ve never been one to appreciate characters who are so harsh/sullen. She’s definitely the “grumpy” in the grumpy/sunshine trope. I feel if we had explored more of her past and trauma she would have felt more sympathizable. The problem is we don’t really get to know her past and only know her present self, but there’s not much that explains how she ended up as she is in the present. She just pales in comparison with Rob who feels fully fleshed out and developed. (This could also be that characters like Rob are more of my preference). I do like the representation that is brought forth with Marian though, her struggle to feel motherly toward her daughter and not having a desire for penetrative sex. I think anyone who relates to that will find Marian endearing.

As for Rob, he was truly the heart of the story though sometimes he did feel a little too good to be true. He’s also bisexual, and totally submissive and go-with-the-flow. I liked that take because you never see men represented that way in novels, especially stereotypically masculine men. However, it felt a little too much at times because he was willing to do anything for Marian and never really got upset with her for things that I think normal people would be hesitant about/reasonably upset. Such as her lying about her plan in confronting Lord Fanshawe, or even snapping her fingers in front of his face at one point. I’d loved to see more turmoil in their relationship or him being a little frustrated in the way she sometimes treated him. We’d all love for people to be that good hearted and chill but it doesn’t feel entirely realistic.

Finally, there wasn’t really any high stakes like I thought this would have. It’s truly a romance novel and watching two people fall in love and start to trust eachother, rather than them enduring something crucial together. The murder is skimmed over, with no repurcussions, and the encounter at the end took place in one chapter. The rest of the time we see them staying at inns or riding horses. If you go in with the expectation for romance then I think you’ll be plesantly surprised, if you go in with the expectation of Marian’s perfect crimes then you’ll probably be a bit confused.

Overall, I am a sucker for bisexual characters. I liked Rob as a person a lot. Marian does have some interesting representation that you never usually see in novels, and I really enjoyed the power dynamic between the two. It is the first book I’ve read with a dominant woman and submissive man. I want more of it!

Despite my hesitations on the novel, I will be recommending it to others and I would read another novel about these two.

From the very first letter between Rob and Marian in this book I was utterly hooked. Their chemistry bleeds through the page and had me clutching my phone so eager for them to finally meet and fall in love already. You give me an enemies to lovers romance, an only one bed road trip, throw in a heist or two, and wrap it all up in chosen family and I am SOLD! For the optimal reading experience I highly recommend reading The Queer Principals of Kitt Webb, then picking this baby up immediately afterwards. The two books blend so seamlessly into one another its like magic. The amount of queerness that exists in this group of criminals and friends is such a comfort. And the communication between Marian and Rob in their intimate moments means the WORLD to me. They may hide some things from each other but in those scenes they are vulnerable and they are safe. You can feel it, it wraps around you like a warm blanket. I would gladly read book after book of our merry band of thieves going on jobs, Marian learning how to be her own kind of mother with these men who love her there to help with Rob standing there by her side.

Thanks to Netgalley and Avon Books for giving me an ARC in return for an honest review.

First and foremost I will say, I really enjoyed this book. It was a great mix of fun, intrigue, adventure and human emotion. Accomplishing these things in a balance is something I don’t see often in books so I was very pleased to read it.

The pros of the book: (I will be vague to avoid spoilers, but I should hope that it is obvious that the two Main Characters start a relationship in the book)

-The two main characters were very enjoyable. I loved them both equally. I was a little nervous, I will admit, because the only other Cat Sebastian books I’ve read have been M/M books, so I was slightly nervous how they would handle a F/M relationship, as sometimes authors find their niche and leaving it doesn’t work out. I am very happy to be wrong here. The Characters make sense and feel whole as both separate and together. Marian is a Badass Strong Woman, taking on the hard stuff to get things done, however it is not written like the Stereotypical ‘Strong Woman’ 2d portrait that some current books and movies are using to shout their supposed inclusivity when still giving women characters the shaft. Rob was also equally as lovely, he was the lovable Charmer, but also had some great depth to him. I really understood how and why these two clicked so well.

-The sex scenes. I don’t want to say too many details because it does revolve around plot points but this book features to me great examples of how sex is a partnership, and can look many different ways. Also, sorry slight spoiler but Rob has a praise kink that Marian uses quite well and *unf* were those some great scenes, as that is different from the norm and was just good sultry writing.


-The Plot. It covers a lot, but didn’t drag. It moved quickly from one thing to the next, but also again, it felt like a natural progression of scenes and actions, and not a quick jumble of ‘We need this scene and then this one only so this one can make sense!’

And now the Cons. There isnt many, just one big one and it is mainly a me problem mostly.

This is a sequel to The Queer Principles of Kitt Webb, which I read. However I read that a while ago and my ability to remember details is not amazing, especially if I read a fair number of books in between.

This book starts before Kitt Webb in the prologue and properly begins directly after Kitt Webb ends.

Also there are a lot of references to people and plot points of Kitt Webb that can get confusing if you are like me, and don’t remember book details like that.

It’s gets better after the 1st 1/3 of the book I would say, as the story drifts away from the direct consequences of Kit Webb’s ending, but it still frustrated me a bit that I kept feeling like I was missing information and understanding of certain scenes but not remembering certain details.

So I would say it is not like a typical romance sequel where it is almost completely stand alone just with some overlapping characters, this one might be read better directly after a (re)read of Kit Webb.

That and the small feeling of not having enough closure at the end, but also getting the idea that there is not much more of a story to tell (at least to fill a whole book) kinda made the ending a bit meh. But not enough the sour the other 99.5% of the book.

Again overall, I highly recommend. It’s got great characters, great non-typical sex dynamics and scenes, and just was a fun and enjoyable read.

Reading this was a birthday gift to myself, as was Kitt Webb oddly this time last year. I remember being intrigued by the secondary characters and love that this pairing is Rob and Marian. It’s such a low bar but I just loved how Rob supported Marian in literally everything and how kind and sweet they are with each other despite being kind of enemies to lovers. Great banter and writing as always with Cat Sebastian.

Thank you Avon/Harper Collins and NetGalley for the ARC!

I needed an eat the rich book so badly, and this book is just a perfect perfect version of that. I generally always enjoy Cat Sebastian’s books because it’s so rare to read an HR that doesn’t see the amassing of wealth and titles as the perfect happy ending and she does a wonderful job with it here. I also liked the characterization of Rob and Marian; their back stories explain a lot about their motivations and what propels the story forward. Rob is a sweetheart, Marian is prickly for good reason, and I especially liked her unusual characterization as a mother (you’ll see what I mean when you read it). And the sex positivity in this book! So worth it. Having said that, I think it’s a tad too long and the pacing is a bit off - I was anticipating a heist but it shows up at the end for a very short period of time, and there’s a lot of going back and forth between London and Kent which tends to drag a little. All in all, I recommend - the romance wasn’t actually my favorite part as much as the general derision towards an exploitative elite was, and that’s pretty revolutionary for an HR in itself.