The Perfect Crimes of Marian Hayes

A Novel

By: Cat Sebastian

Narrated by: Joel Leslie

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…

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.

©2022 Cat Sebastian (P)2022 HarperCollins Publishers

Critic reviews

"Joel Leslie narrates a historical outlaw romance.... Leslie perfectly captures Marian's difficult and prickly personality, which she wields like a bludgeon, but he also does an exceptional job portraying her closely guarded vulnerabilities.... Leslie's skill at balancing humor and emotional moments creates several affecting scenes. A thoroughly enjoyable narration and a fun twist to the grumpy/sunshine trope." (AudioFile)

If I could only give ten stars!

The story was entertaining and different. The characters were unique and so much fun but…oh the audible performance! I simply LOVED it—so, so well done. I never laugh out loud and yet I was constantly bursting out with laughs. Again I loved this audible book and performance

superb

A superb telling of the second book in this series. many thanks to the author and performer for their compassion and humor in telling Marian and Rob's delightful journey from enemies to lovers.

If you love witty banter this is for you

I really really loved this book. the characters are so fun and make you fall in love with them. the initial exchange between Marian and Rob had me immediately sold. I also really enjoyed that they were adults with adult issues. It was honestly really nice to see smut scenes that didn't revolve around penetration with a hetero couple. The book was a delight and I finished listening to it within 2 days!

I don’t have the words

I don’t think I will have the right words to describe how much I enjoyed this book, but I’m going to try anyway. When I first read The Queer Principles of Kit Webb, I thought that I didn’t much like either main character at first but I fell in love with them as they fell in love with each other. Starting this book, already suspicious of Marian and Rob, I didn’t possibly think it could happen again. I was fully prepared to say it was fine, but I liked the first book more…Oh how I was wrong! I once again was charmed into loving these characters, their romance so raw and sweet and tender and different. Unconventional…the spicy was a bit unconventional too but it was so hot and just unbelievably real. It’s a bit boring when a sex scene feels interchangeable with any other. Following the romance novel formula, so to speak…but this THIS was so specific to the characters and their needs that I didn’t know whether to be turned on or cry from how beautiful it was. Both seem appropriate because it was still damn hot! The first book was m/m and this one is m/f and I read both depending on mood among other things so it was perfect for me that the author approached both with such skill. I didn’t quite realize the Robin Hood connection until I was almost through the book…Rob and Marian is a cute touch. Rob, the criminal, definitely has golden retriever energy and Marian is closer to black cat energy, but I didn’t feel like she was prickly towards him for too long. There really weren’t any moments I found myself growing bored and I chuckled to myself several times. I would read a hundred more books in this setting. Easily.

Practically Perfect

Cat Sebastian writes so well and her books are so delightful that each new one is a must purchase.

A retelling of Robin Hood & Marian for the queers

What could be more queer than Robin Hood and his band of merry men? This book, tbh. What a nice little story. I went into things not knowing what was in store, though I did read Kit Webb, but I didn't realize it was a loose following of a tale as old as time. Just excellent all around. VERY hilarious.

MF Being So Much Fun

I usually stick to MM romance, but CS does it once again with compelling characters and a plot twist or two.

Adult Romance In Cartoon Form

I’m not familiar with this genre of adult romance in a cartoon delivery. Importantly, not avatars, but old-fashioned cartoons. (Think Cinderella in a caper love story with sex scenes, as Marian Hayes is set in the 18th century). If the author omitted the adult content, it would be perfect for pre-teens.

I want to love this book…

… But I just can't get past the narration. Joel Leslie does this weird thing with his voice where he, like, over-emphasizes all his sentences. Everything feels Super Dramatic!!! all the time, in a way where I just want to shriek – "people don't TALK like that!" I love the story, and I love everything that Cat Sebastian writes, but God, I just can't stand listening to this recording.