Series: The Queer Principles of Kit Webb, Book 2
Publisher: Avon
Genre: Historical Romance
Release Date: June 7, 2022
Source: Publisher
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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…
A highwayman, con artist, and all-around cheerful villain, Rob Brooks is no stranger to the wrong side of the law or the right side of anybody’s bed. He never meant to fall for the woman whose secrets he promised to keep for the low price of five hundred pounds, but how could he resist someone who led him on a merry chase all over London, left him tied up in a seedy inn, and then arrived covered in her husband’s blood and in desperate need of his help?
As they flee across the country—stopping to pick pockets, drink to excess, and rescue invalid cats—they discover more true joy and peace than either has felt in ages. But when the truth of Rob’s past catches up to him, they must decide if they are willing to reshape their lives in order to forge a future together.
Cat Sebastian returns to her world of Georgian era Robin Hoods in The Perfect Crimes of Marian Hayes. Marian and Rob’s story begins almost where The Queer Principles of Kit Webb ended, with a planned heist gone wrong. Now Marian must flee to the countryside and the one person she can turn to for help also happens to be the man who has been blackmailing her.
It’s grumpy meets sunshine for Marian and Rob, and I loved that Marian was the prickly one. I adored her serious nature and how she shows her love for people by taking care of them and putting everything in order. Rob, in turn, wears his heart on his sleeve for all to see and has no shame about it. He’s a charming thief and though blackmail isn’t something he normally engages in, he did so with Marian. The two of them first connect through the blackmail letters which were wonderfully funny and instantly showed the personalities of both protagonists. When Marian needs help, Rob is there to lend a hand and the two take turns taking care of each other. They were equals in every way, which I loved. They also understood and respected each other’s likes, needs, and boundaries, in bed and out, and the result is an utterly satisfying romance.
Rob and Marian are both at crossroads in this book and I liked that each had to stop and figure out what they wanted from each other and out of life. They find a true sense of joy, companionship, and freedom together which added depth to the romance. Their story is just plain fun and I absolutely loved that they carved out a life that works for them rather than let society dictate what their lives should look like. All in all, The Perfect Crimes of Marian Hayes was a delight and I hope Cat Sebastian has more books planned that are set in this world.
FTC Disclosure: I received this book for free from the publisher in exchange for an honest review. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.
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