This was one of those romance books where the plot moving us through the story was so thin that even decidedly steamy scenes couldn’t make up for it. This book was such a disappointment because the beginning was fun and sassy with all the letter writing. I thought I was going to be enjoying a lovely period romance. Then it just went right off the rails so quickly and felt horribly forced every moment after that.

Representation: female MC is bisexual.

Thanks Netgalley for the ARC of this book!

Even though I have yet to read the first book, I had greatly enjoyed this one. I am so thankful to have the chance to read this book and would love to read Cat Sebastian's other books.

I'm going to preface this that I haven't read the first book in this series, however I think The Perfect Crimes of Marian Hayes works as a stand-alone spin off of the first book. Thank you to Netgalley for the ARC!

Marian Hayes has just killed her husband and is on the run with the help of Rob, a highwayman who ends up being the legitimate son of her ex. (What a convoluted mess). Rob and Marian grow closer as they run all over the English countryside, trying to preserve Marian's integrity and also keeping Marian's legacy intact.

I'm going to be honest, I was a little bored while reading this book. Majority of the novel is Marian and Rob on horseback and in inns and just generally traveling. This is pretty accurate to the Georgian time period, but whew, it got a little tedious after a while.

I thought the two main characters were a little flat. There was some backstory, but the love story felt rushed and all of the sudden Rob's in love with Marian. Their enemies to lovers arc didn't quite pack a punch like I wish it had. The sex scenes were pretty good, and I appreciated the fact that Rob was a giving lover, preferring to let Marian take the reins. (We love a good man who's ready to fall at the feet of his lady)

The rest of the story, including the VERY brief heist, didn't really hit either. It was only two chapters and even then most of it was just Marian and Rob bickering (which I appreciate) and I wish it was longer. Overall, the book was just okay, but not something that I would pick up again.

This second book in the Queer Principles of Kit Webb series picks up partway through that plot. Rob has been exchanging increasingly silly and playful letters with Marian, Duchess of Clare, whom he was originally trying to blackmail. But when Marian shoots her ducal husband (not a spoiler, as it happens near the end of the first book) and needs to leave town, Rob steps up to help her. In spite of the fact that she is officially kidnapping him, that is.

Like most Cat Sebastian couples, Marian and Rob are refreshingly honest with each other about what they need in intimate moments. Their growing relationship is one of equality and scorching chemistry. But they come from very different worlds, and neither is sure they're what the other one needs long-term.

I was most of the way through this charming book before I realized that they're basically Robin Hood and Maid Marian. Rob is a somewhat-reformed highwayman who gives away his earnings to the poor. But this Marian is fully capable of committing her own crimes for worthy causes.

Thanks to Netgalley, the publisher, and the author for the ARC to review. All opinions are my own.

This book was a perfect charmer and a great follow-up to the first book in the series. I really liked Marian and Rob's oddball personalities, back stories, and chemistry. I will admit that I felt the book sagged a little after the halfway mark but the characters' charms really pulled through. This is shaping up to be a great series.

I liked Kit Webb, but I LOVED Marian Hayes. Marian and Rob's story was the historical disaster bi romance of my dreams. Swoony, funny, sexy.

after having read numerous fantasy books recently, i really needed a fun break and something a little bit lighter to enjoy. the perfect crimes of marian hayes was all of that and more; good fun with great representation, and excellent protagonists!

this book is a queer historical romance, which follows marian, our grumpy protagonist, who shoots her husband (he had it coming) and must escape so she is not arrested. along the way, she must ask rob, (our sunshine of the story) for help, and what ensues is a wonderfully fun and passionate tale with intriguing adventures and a swoony romance.

i really cannot express how much fun this novel is. i am an avid lover of historical romance, but knowing this is a queer story made it even better. the set-up for the story is perfect, the banter was top notch, and i found myself rooting for these characters throughout the entire thing. i thought the challenging of stereotypical time period norms added that something extra that some books ultimately lack, and the love for animals was a personal favorite aspect of mine. although the pacing was a little bit off, everything else made up for it (especially the letter writing)!

i have not read the first book in this series yet, but i am really looking forward to going back and reading it now.
i think cat sebastian has just become a new favorite author of mine!

thank you to netgalley and the publisher for an e-arc in exchange for an honest review!

I jumped into this book not having read the first of the series because I was drawn to the teaser of the characters and premise. I loved Marian and Rob. Sebastian had to keep reminding us that they were both 'less desirable' by pointing out Robs criminal behavior and Marian's sharp features and even sharper personality. If she hadn't we might just fall to mush for both of them. I think of Rob like "Robinhood' with his red hair, freckles, and penchant to 'redistribute' the wealth using criminal methods. He is the cinnamon roll hero, full of genuine charm, deep affection, great patience, and unending loyalty. Marian is not a cookie cutter heroine, even of the 'witchlike' variety. Sebastian does such a wonderful job of bring her to life with unexpected complexity. She's a quiet force of only 22 years of age, who shoulders responsibility far beyond what you would wish for a girl her age. As the story progresses and the layers are revealed, she is intriguing and unpredictable. The denouement is so satisfying and sparkling that I hope there are more stories of this band of thieves to come.
Thank you so much for the ARC!

This book is EVERYTHING. I live and breathe books and I would be happy to never read another book and just live in this one. It's that good. But more than that it's the perfect book *for me.* Like Cat Sebastian knew it's been rough lately and wrote it just for me. I'm predicting it makes it *at least* into my top 5 books this year.

It’s a cleverly disguised Robin Hood and Marian book. It’s the *perfect* Robin Hood and Marian book. I want to paper my walls in quotes from this book (and I probably highlighted enough to do just that - a full 11 single-spaced pages of them!!) and just live in this story from now on. Is this because I love Robin Hood stories? Yes, partly. But also I love queer love stories and Cat Sebastian's writing in general, and the Queer Principles of Kit Webb in particular, so this was just the happy convergence of all of my favorite things.

This is an *excellent* queer love story. Both leads are bisexual and Marian is probably some flavor of asexual and the dynamic is very much a dominant/aggressive/in charge Marian and a submissive Rob who only wants to please her. That stable scene! She pins him against the wall! Flip the gender status quo of historical romance why don’t you? I LOVE it.

I love how Marian is the prickly and closed-off and responsible one in this relationship, and Rob is friendly and charming and is distracted by kittens. And, now that I think of it, this is yet another case of me falling completely for a grumpy / sunshine trope.

Another reviewer pointed out that this book in a nutshell is ‘disaster bisexuals’ and ‘be gay do crime’ with a side of ‘eat the rich' and if that isn’t Marian and Rob I don’t know what is. I can't top that as a description.

I see hints of future books of 'be gay do crime' and i just want to say YES PLEASE. And baby Eliza will be raised by four doting queer parents and immersed in planning of heists before she can talk. I desperately want more books in this world, with these people.

*Thanks to NetGalley and Avon and Harper Voyager for providing an e-arc for review.

I really enjoyed it! I blew through it in less than a day. It was fun to revisit the events of The Queer Principles of Kit Webb from another angle. I loved the epistolary element of Rob and Marian's romance. Cat Sebastian does a great job with dialogue and humor and relationships.

This was a very cute story! When I saw the cover and title, I knew this would be right up my alley, having a love story, a murder plot, adventure, and just enough old-timey language to keep me interested but not feeling stupid for not keeping up.

I preface my review with I didn't read the first book in The Queer Principles of Kit Webb series, but this second story in the series read very well as a standalone.

What I liked about the book:
1. I love that their "meet-cute" is through letters of him attempting to blackmail her and her essentially telling him to get f*cked. Their quippy exchange they establish through the letters does not die down once they are in person, and I love it.

2. I love the Robin Hood moral code everyone lives by in this book. Standing up for those less fortunate, even it means breaking the law, is something I can definitely get down with morally....Ok, and I just realized as I'm writing this his name was Rob (as in Robin Hood) and her name was Marian (as in Maid Marian)....

3. The MCs are great. I love that neither of them are typical MCs.

Marian is a strong, determined, and grumpy person, who doesn't have the "typical" attachments a mother would be expected to have towards her child. I love this representation because it shows that all mothers aren't doting and overfilled with mothering being their greatest purpose in life.

Rob is social and submissive. This definitely comes through with him declaring his love for her first and in their lovemaking. Submissive males is not usually my thing, but I can say that Rob worked quite well for me here.

4. The steam was good. It was sweet and wasn't fade to black. You could also feel by their acts done (and not done) how emotionally intimate the scenes were, rather than just hurrying to get to the good stuff.

5. LGBTQIA+ representation!

Why it didn't get 5-stars:
1. I wish we had more backstory on Marian and her family. I don't know if more of this was present in the first book of the series, but somehow I doubt it as it wasn't her book. Same with Rob. I feel like we got the reader's digest version of their backstories, but I wanted more.

Special thanks to NetGalley and the publishers Avon and Harper Voyager for the opportunity to read this book. The review above is representative of my honest opinions. The book comes out June 7, 2022!

4 stars!

This is my second book from Cat Sebastian, but I had no hesitation picking it up because I liked The Queer Principles of Kit Webb and The Perfect Crimes of Marian Hayes didn’t disappoint with this story that was charming and emotional.
The chemistry between Marian and Rob grew so naturally over time and it was utterly palpable since beginning.
Just, if you're a fan of any kind of historical romance, go and read this.

Special thanks to NetGalley and Avon and Harper Voyager for sharing this ARC with me in exchange for an honest review.

This book is an enchanting piece of Georgian England with two incredible main characters that bring the story filled with nefarious acts and romance to life.

First, I adore the queer representation in this book, and I find that even as time progresses, there is still not an abundance of LGBT+ characters in historical fiction books. The characters are strong, with Marian a headstrong woman making her own way in the world, and Rob serves as a remarkable counterpart. Their tension together, as well as some sweet moments, create an interesting and generally uncommon dynamic.

The plot adds the intrigue, where an attempted kidnap and accidental murder leads to Marian escaping the city to the countryside in case someone suspects her of the murder, and Rob accompanying her, despite just being kidnapped.

The only fault I find in this story is that the majority of it is spent traveling across the countryside, and while this was very likely accurate to the time period, the act of traveling put a slight halt in the story. The two characters were often also separated by the distance; however, their relation makes up for it.

Overall, this book was a splendid standalone the entails a sprinkling of crime, intrigue, and romance, making it a good book to get out of a reading slump.

Perfection! I absolutely adored Marian and Rob’s story — truly two flawed but lovable disasters at their best (and worst), with a healthy dose of “be gay, do crime” thrown in for good measure. The chaotic energy between Marian and Rob was magnificent and magnetic — I was thoroughly charmed by them both, from beginning to end. Hugely entertaining and I closed the book with a giant grin on my face.

While this story follows a separate couple than The Queer Principles of Kit Webb, the two books very much function as a duology, with two HEAs but one overarching plot and are best read in order.

5⭐️ First let me say that when i requested this book i did it because i saw the cover and automatically loved it. I went into the book blind but at the end i really enjoyed it. If you’re looking for a quick and fun read this is your book! One of our main characters, Marian Hayes, who is also the duchess of clare shot her husband and now she is on the run. The only person who can help her now is a very charming criminal. Rob, who is our charming criminal, was my favorite throughout the read. The whole story was well written and I applaud Cat Sebastian for it. I can’t wait to see what her next project is. Thank you to Avon, Harper Voyager, and Net Galley for the eARC!

a novel that really revels in the language of the setting but doesn’t set up any of the romance right
like i just didn’t get enough info of them two together to truly believe they fell in love?? it was all way too sudden
i suppose they fell in love on their numerous horseback rides but those all happened off the page so we didn’t get a strong build up
they’re fine as a couple ig but the conflicts in the story seemed so low stakes, the murder part was brushed over, and the pacing was just wack
I WANTED A NON PROBLEMATIC BONNIE AND CLYDE DYNAMIC AND I GOT A LIMPING HISTORICAL ROMANCE INSTEAD

The Perfect Crimes of Marian Hayes is the perfect standalone sequel to The Queer Principles of Kitt Webb!

TPCOMH opens up with an Interstitial containing the infamous blackmail letters between Marian and Rob, and honestly I reread the letters several times. They really set up the main duo's relationship and I knew this book would be a favorite after I read the first handful.

After the collection of letters, TPCOMH starts off with Marian kidnapping Rob, shooting her no-good husband, and joining forces with her blackmailer who she recently kidnapped. And the hijinks and shenanigans don't end there, as the two travel across the English countryside, they get into all sorts of situations and grow closer. I really thought that nothing could top Kitt and Percy's romance in book one (The Queer Principles of Kitt Webb), but these two do.

On the note of TQPOKW, even though this book is technically a companion / sequel, it really does stand on its own. Yes, this one does spoil and continue some plot points for TQPOKW, but the two books can be read as standalones.

I'm really hoping that this isn't the last book for this cast of characters! (I would love to see a Betty, Marcus, or Flora novel(s) or a novel/novella with Kitt, Percy, Rob, and Marian). This cast of characters is just wonderful.

This book also tackles different views of parenthood (especially with Marian and Rob's mother) and has the very Robin Hood-esque "steal from the rich to give to the poor" mentality when it comes to thievery. Honestly, this book has so many things going on but it handles it all really well.

All in all, Cat Sebastian delivers another perfect Georgian England rom-com with a cast of unforgettable (& LGBTQ+) characters!

Special Thanks to NetGalley and Avon for the eARC of The Perfect Crimes of Marian Hayes! I really enjoyed reading this delightful tale!

[This ARC was provided by NetGalley! Thank you to the publisher for letting me read this!]

So, I will preface this review by saying that despite this being a book two, I haven't read the first book! I haven't even heard of it before, nor the author! I'll also say that historical fiction isn't usually my thing. There's just something about the way it's written so often, even romances, that's so stiff that I can't stand it. Like, objectively I understand and respect why people like that! It just isn't typically for me.

That said... I ADORED this book. I requested to read it at a whim because the cover art was SO cute and caught my eye, then I read the description and got even more interested. And THEN I saw that the book is LGBT. I was sold. So this is me coming from someone who read this as a standalone novel.

Personally, I think any romance that starts out with blackmail means you're in for a ride. And God, what a ride it is. The only real "critique" I even have of the book is that it can be a bit confusing working timelines/events out at first, but once you settle into the story that issue goes away!

I lovingly compared this book to baked goods when describing it to my friends. It's just something rather lighthearted and delicious and it feels GOOD reading it. Like is it something world-shattering? No! And not everything has to be! The book touches and alludes to some serious issues such as the way women are treated, especially in this time, and it never feels DISMISSIVE or brought in for drama. But it doesn't bog things down at all, or make things depression porn if that makes sense? Like... this book feels HOPEFUL, even when it's down to earth and matter of fact about the struggles that Marian and Rob face.

Speaking of the struggles of women, that's part of the issue I sometimes have with historical romance. I sometimes find that authors take the historical setting as an excuse to write about and handwave incredibly uncomfortable misogynistic behavior from their male protagonists. It just... yeah, it's accurate. But it sucks to read. Like I don't feel good reading that. Rob, on the other hand, is SUCH an enjoyable male protagonist specifically because he actively works against every single one of those offputting characteristics common in historical romances while still being the picture-perfect portrayal of a flirtatious, charming rogue.

He's just so earnest in the way he feels about Marian, even when he's playing cat and mouse with her. ESPECIALLY when he's playing cat and mouse with her, because that's part of the charm of their relationship-- and Rob is certainly the mouse, and he definitely likes that.

And I ADORE Marian. She's a fantastic character with a lot of nuances. Her relationship with the concept of motherhood is something I particularly enjoyed reading about even if it wasn't a main focus, and I love how the author handled that thread by making her incredibly sympathetic and just... human in her insecurities. I also LOVE her expressions of boundaries, and I love that there was not a SECOND where Rob questions or pushes them.

On that note, the steamy bits were VERY good. If that's something you care about, I found they were fun and lighthearted and tasteful in all the right ways (and that's coming from someone who doesn't particularly care about steamy bits always being tasteful haha), sometimes downright tender. And if anybody isn't so much of a fan of reading the steamy bits of books, I found that you can skim them very easily and you won't really lose much from the experience!

Anyways, it's genuinely so nice reading about two canonically queer characters surrounded by other queer characters in a lovingly chaotic found family setting.

Needless to say, I've been gushing to all my friends about this book since I received it.

I do plan to eventually circle back and read the first book about Kit! I really adored this little family the author built up, and if more entries are added I'll definitely give them a go! I am curious if we'll ever see a f/f focused book if so, since that would check off the three major boxes haha. But yeah! What a solid book. What an ENDEARING book.

Literally what a delight.

I got an arc in netgalley. It has a good story line. Not what i expected but i did enjoy it. It was an easy read for a relaxing afternoon or two.

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…..

I didn't expect this book to be so good. An incredible historical novel and for sure, Cat Sebastian's writing was the strong point in this story.

The characters are wonderful and very well constructed. I would definitely like a Rob in my life, he's the cutest character there is (needless to say he's my favorite right?)

I would like everyone to read this WORK OF ART, this book is wonderful and super fun.
Many thanks to NetGalley for the ARC in
exchange for an honest review.