If this story sounds like chaos from first glance, that’s because it is—and in the most delightful way possible.

I loved this. I have such a soft spot for “Kit Webb,” to the point where I honestly wasn’t sure how this book would compare. I was a bit hesitant to have a second book in the series following different characters, just because I loved Kit and Percy so very much. But this was another incredible installment, and I had no reason to fear!

The banter, once again, is top-notch. The characters are utterly ridiculous. But there’s also a great balance between that element of satire and also the characters being extremely well-rounded and heartfelt. Rob and Marian definitely make you laugh and they have a light-hearted dynamic between them, but they’re both fully-realized people who are running away from their own problems and learning how to face them, both together and as individuals.

Rob, for example, carries himself as this masterful, fearless rogue who can commit any crime and have the victim be thanking him for it at the end—which is true. But he’s also very lonely and he leans into that easy charm because he wants to feel wanted, accepted, and liked. Marian, on the other hand, is very no-nonsense, keeps very high walls around her, and maintains very firm boundaries about how far she’s willing to let people in, especially because she’s recovering from an emotionally abusive marriage.

So really her relationship with Rob is a long-term study in how trust herself, trust other people, and trust that there are good people who will take her at her word, see her for who she is, and want her to feel safe. So yes, this is a super fun romp with about criminals committing light crime throughout the countryside as they fall in love and try to run from their past, but much like the first book it also has a lot of great messages about finding yourself.

On a slightly different note, I would also like to say that if you enjoy adult romances that employ praise kinks, you will definitely enjoy this. Without getting too graphic, I would also love to point out that this story does a great job of exploring queerness and queer relationships as being something that defies the norm, that goes beyond societal expectations, that goes against the grain and revels in that difference, especially in how this pairing approaches sex.

Again, I’m not going to get into specifics, but Marian is a character who has sex-related trauma, which means she has very different ways of approaching intimacy in order to feel safe. I love how that was shown so tenderly in the story and I really appreciate that this romance celebrates and centers the experience of unabashedly queer sex, among all the other wonderful things it's doing.

Reading this was such a joy. It further solidified the fact that Cat Sebastian is one of the definitive voices in queer historical romance. This book definitely reminded me that I want to read so much more of Sebastian's back list in addition to these front list gems!

Queer Representation? Check
Hot steamy scenes? Check
Madcap adventures in the criminal world? Check
Enemies to Lovers where no one is a jerk? Check

I mean ... let's be real, with all of those things going for it, this one had to be good. The witty banter is just the icing on the cake. I loved the dialogue and word play, the mental and physical challenging of each other because it was all tempered with a caring emotional investment. Highly recommend.

This book picks up right after the events of Kit Webb, and features the enigmatic Marian, who was Percy—the protagonist of the first book’s best friend… and stepmother. Yes, that’s right: Marian married the much-older Duke of Clare and became her childhood best friend’s stepmother. But clearly, the union was not a happy one because it ends with her shooting her ducal husband.

And now it’s time for Marian to tell her story. This is actually the perfect opportunity for one of those cliched “record scratch: you’re probably wondering how I ended up here” situations. Because as the description states, Marian goes from Duchess to highwayman’s companion in a madcap adventure.

Okay, technically, Marian has kidnapped Rob, but he goes along willingly because he needs to make sure that nothing bad is going to happen to her. This book could easily be subtitled “Two Fools in Love” because despite the fact that their relationship began when he attempted to blackmail her, they just can’t manage to feel any animosity towards each other.

This book was a delight from start to finish. It is equal parts tenderhearted and hilarious, with minimal angst—but a double dose of Big Feelings. Oh, and I forgot to mention the best part: there are CATS!

I would absolutely recommend The Perfect Crimes of Marian Hayes. As I have mentioned several times already, readers need to begin with the first book in the series. I do hope you’ve heeded my advice, but if not, you were warned. As much as I loved Kit Webb, I do think that this book outshines its predecessor. Cat Sebastian has been one of my favorite authors for a long time, and this book—overflowing with heart-- is one of the reasons why.

I received a digital ARC of this book from Avon/NetGalley.

This book was so fun and so well written and I loved the characters so much. The beginning with the letters made me laugh out loud which is honestly kind of hard to do. Would absolutely recommend and I would love to read more books from this series.

The Perfect Crimes of Marian Hayes is a fun follow up by Cat Sebastian. I highly recommend reading The Queer Principles of Kit Webb first so you aren't missing anything. This book is a delightful and deep display of gorgeous banter we love in our historicals. I also loved the Queer representation and the new depths Sebastion is bringing to the genre. Marian is such a great, strong character and Rob is lovable with all his flaws. Highly recommend!

Thank you for the Advanced Read. All opinions are my own.

Cat Sebastian has great representation in this story with bisexuality and a positive representation of sex workers. I like the showcasing of the difficulties for women in history in trying to survive without a man. I think these issues are such an important part of history and how it impacts today.

I felt disconnected overall from the story. I received a free copy of this book and I am writing a review without prejudice and voluntarily. I am sorry to say that I did not connect with the characters in this book. You might, so please do not take my opinion as anything other than a reader who did not make a connection.

I received a free copy of this book and I am writing a review without prejudice and voluntarily.

Oh, wow. This was my first Cat Sebastian and it pains me to admit that this was extremely disappointing. I don't have many thoughts about this book because overall this was just so incredibly bland. There was no plot, the banter was not good, and the characters were basically saltine crackers. I wish I would have liked this morning but unfortunately I did not. I don't know if I would try her again because from what I've heard all her books are low angst and time is too short for boring books.

I loved the first book in the series and while this didn’t quite meet my expectations since I loved Kit and Percy so much, I still really enjoyed it.

My biggest issue with this book was I felt like there were long stretches where nothing was actually happening.

I received and ARC of this book from the publisher in exchange for an honest review.

The publisher archived the ARC on Netgalley before I could download it to my kindle, leaving me unable to read or review the book.

A continuation of characters met in The Queer Principles of Kit Webb and an homage to Robin Hood, Cat Sebastian is back for another fun, Queer, historical romance. Fans of Sebastian will not be disappointed. Marian Hayes' acerbity combined with Rob Brooks' charm and wit creates a wonderful chemistry between the two characters. However, this book suffers from pacing. The plot felt rushed and the emotional connection between the two characters seemed a little pat. Not Sebastian's best romantic adventure but not her worst either.

I don't think that Cat's written a book that I haven't loved and this one is no exception. Its a great sequel to Kitt's book. I hope we get more from this world.

"If you acted sweet, I'd think you were a changeling. I'd call for the doctor. I love every prickly, sour, difficult inch of you."

The funniest letter exchange between two very lonely people kicks off our story as Rob and Marian indulge in correspondence far outside the bounds of a typical blackmailer/blackmailee relationship. One's believed dead by his friends (entirely his fault) and the other is haunted by a stifling marriage that leaves her constantly on alert and even rightfully paranoid. Their hilarious, flirtatious letters range from insults to literary discussions to worry for one another's well-being and sanity. And so begins a love story between Two Bi Icons Who Steal Things and Wanna Learn To Do Other Stuff Good Too™.

The romance between them tells gender roles to go fuck themselves. We have Marian, who isn't much concerned with being likable, and Rob, who frankly lives for it. Marian needs to feel in charge, and Rob likes to feel helpful. Marian's rude, and Rob's a cinnamon roll. Their dynamic is adorable, and it's kind of a relief to read a story where neither lead questions the other's feelings or dedication. I think it comes from the fact that both are loyal and fiercely protective of their chosen people. It breeds trust and also ultimately prevents a big misunderstanding or fight between them in the final hour (divine).

A festive, Christmas day house burglary makes me want to add this to a "Best Holiday Romance" list just to be a chaotic nuisance to society. The criminal element of the story intertwines with social critique of the Georgian period and wealth disparity in general. I particularly liked an aside by Rob about how he dislikes charity for the way it asks recipients to prove their moral deserving of assistance, a standard donors are not held to for having heaps of money in the first place.

This is a lovely queer romance with loveable characters, fun banter, and important conversations around listening to boundaries in physical intimacy. These limits are not treated as something to surmount but rather something to respect and that can ultimately still lead to enjoyment, connection, and creativity. With humor and adventurous spirit, you can see our characters take on society and seize their own futures outside arbitrary expectations. I had so much fun with this read. All hail Cat Sebastian, etc.

Funny, queer historical adventure romance. . . yes please! The banter was spot on and the spice scenes were some of the most honest and progressive I have ever read. Openness about past partners and sexual experiences, seriously loveeeee. If you like historical romance that isn't super stuffy this is the one. Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for an e-arc in exchange for an honest review.

This was a fun, well-written, and compulsive read. I enjoyed this one quite a lot and would love to read a series of work by this author. The characters were lovable, the story arc predictable but comforting. It was just overall a pleasurable reading experience.

Disaster bisexuals will literally always hit for me—and there's two of them?? Being gay and doing crime is THE way to make historical romance hot again.

Absolutely LOVED this title. Great action, Great characters. Solid plotting. One of the best parts of this title is the supportive male lead, especially in the bedroom. It is unusual to see such support in a romance and it just made me love the two characters more. After I finished this, I went and read book 1. Would have preferred to read them in order, but overall, a solid read. I hope we get to see more of these characters in a future book!

HOT. A very nice enemies to lovers story that I had a hard time putting down. Bridgerton vibes, but without the commitment of a long series - I would highly recommend checking it out!

A truly hilarious romance! The Robin Hood style/Bonnie and Clyde couple is a wonderful change in pace to a regency era novel! So much fun!

The story starts off with Marian, the Duchess of Clare, setting out to complete a bit of a convoluted mission. It involves kidnapping Rob, a man she has had an epistolary friendship with that started off with a bit of blackmail. Rob, a commoner and a sort of Robin Hood-esque criminal, recently discovered he is the son of Marian’s husband and that his mother is married to the duke, meaning the duke’s other children (and wives) are illegitimate. However, he has no desire to take on the role. Without revealing that he is the son, he writes to Marian, saying he knows about the other wife and child and demanding payment for his silence. Marian, however, has plans of her own as to what to do with this information.

Step one of her plan involves kidnapping Rob to prevent him for getting in her way. But Marian’s plan goes somewhat awry, and soon she is on her way to check in on her elderly, unwell father and figure out her next moves, Rob in tow, as the two figure out what comes next. Where Marian is aloof, Rob is warm, and the two make perfect foils for one another, solidifying their friendship and falling in love on the journey.

The plot of this one was a little winding, and it didn’t help that I didn’t read book one in this series, The Queer Principles of Kit Webb. While I totally had the context clues to fill in the gaps, I think those who read book one first will have a much better grasp of what is going on and why it’s going on. Nonetheless, the romance here was very special and made up for any issues I had with the book. I loved that both Marian and Rob are bi, and more than that, I loved Marian’s expression of sexuality. She doesn’t enjoy penetrative sex (as performed on her) and I haven’t seen that represented in a romance novel before. I also felt like Marian’s role as a mother was very interesting and representative. I don’t think she would have been a mother had she been born in the modern times, though she never expresses frustration at the role. She worries the emotion she feels towards her daughter isn’t necessarily right at times, but I think Marian loves strongly in her own way. To her, keeping Elizabeth safe was more important than being with her at all times.

This was a super fun read and the steamy scenes just did it for me. I definitely want to read Kit and Percy’s book, not just to fill in the gaps, but because I loved this one so much.

Rounding up to 4, but 3.5/3.75.

This book will make more sense if you read The Queer Principles of Kit Webb first. The two books have overlap and this book starts off where Kit Webb left off.

There isn't much going on in this book. I didn't see a clear plot. The beginning of this book gives Marian and Rob's perspective of what happened where the first book left off, which I liked. You see their relationship start and we see how the first book played out behind the scenes such as how characters were responsible for actions that set the first book into place. It was over halfway before something was about to happen, but it went just as quickly as it came.

Overall I enjoyed this story. I's like to see third book to see what mischief all the characters get into together.

Thank you NetGalley for the opportunity to read and review this book.