Reviews with content warning for Gun violence - The Queer Principles of Kit Webb

What a fun read! This is am easy to follow story where Percy, the nobleman, gets blackmailed and wants to ruin his dastardly father's reputation, and enlists the help of a previously famous ruffian Kitt. The story develops to where Percy and Kitt have a relationship with one another, romantically and platonic in my opinion. The reader hears both sides of the story, with chapters from both Kitt and Percy's pov. I do wonder what Marian was up dmto though during the entirety of this book- given the ending. I loved how Kitt took the time to talk to Percy's about class and how rich people/landlords/oligarchs don't make things better for the common people. Kitt is a proletariat to the end and I love him for that. I love that Percy took the time to listen and change. I love them both ❤️

Content Warnings

noellelovesbooks's review

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adventurous emotional fast-paced

4.25

Content Warnings: Explicit sexual scenes, blood, violence, loss of loved ones [adults and children], alcoholism, ableism, and homophobia.

I actually hadn’t really heard anything about this book until I saw a summary of the second book [The Perfect Crimes of Marion Hayes] which is due to release in early June. Having been offered an ARC of book two, for being part of Avon’s influencer program, and loving to fully immerse myself in worlds I knew I needed to get my hands on this book and jump in before reading book two.

We first meet Kit, a retired Robin Hoodesque highway robber, as he’s running a coffee shop and leading a lawful life. Having retired, after sustaining an injury that prevents him from being as mobile as he used to be, and reliant on a cane, Kit tries hard to forget the thrill of highway robbery and be happy with his life as a business owner.

Percy desperately needs to have a book stolen from his father, if he ever hopes to ensure the safety of himself and a close friend. Whatever secret the book holds, which he assumes since the book is always on his father’s body, Percy needs and will do whatever it takes to get it…even hiring a retired highway robber and having his father held up at gunpoint.

Kit has had a lot of tragedy in his life and has trouble opening up to, and trusting, new people. He has no idea how Percy found him or knew his highway persona. No longer confident in his ability to rob, which comes from a combination of still adjusting to his disability as well as being afraid of losing anyone in a heist due if he’s not able to perform like he used to, Kit refuses to perform the heist for Percy. Though he refuses to perform the heist himself Kit is happy to train Percy so he’ll be able to pull it off himself, along with some of Kit’s closest friends.

One of the things that made me happiest, while reading, was that although Kit has never been romantically, or sexually, attracted to a man before meeting Percy…he never once questions the attraction they share. There’s never a moment of homophobia or self-hate…he’s just open and accepting that he is attracted to Percy and Percy is attracted to him. Not even a moment of hesitation, from the start he mentally acknowledges his attraction and never denies his attraction to Percy. I loved this so much.

I adored this book and look forward to seeing what all unfolds in book two. If you’re looking for a historical romance with disability and queer rep that involves a highway robbery and a grumpy sunshine romance…I highly recommend giving this book a read!

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20sidedbi's review against another edition

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adventurous funny hopeful lighthearted fast-paced

Plot- or character-driven? A mix
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? Yes
Diverse cast of characters? No
Flaws of characters a main focus? No

4.75

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unsuccessfulbookclub's review

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emotional funny hopeful lighthearted mysterious fast-paced

Plot- or character-driven? A mix
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? Yes
Diverse cast of characters? Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.25

Do you ever try to hire a highwayman to rob your a-hole dad and then end up falling in love with him? I know. It happens to me all the time.

If you are looking for a low-angst, lighthearted, exciting, sweet sweet sweet sweet, queer love story set in Georgian England with deep social messages about the landed gentry and the inequalities present in every day life: this is the book for you. Basically, Cat Sebastian said “Be gay, do crimes? I gotchu.”

As far as Hissy RoNos go, this one takes some common character types and flips them in a wonderful way. The way Kit and Percy fall for each other and the way they communicate is super swoony and soft, even though both of them have more at stake than may appear at first. It’s a slow-ish burn but the payoff is oh so worth it. 🔥

⚠️Word of warning: there is a sequel to this book coming out this year called The Perfect Crimes of Marian Hayes. Yes, Marian is Percy’s childhood friend and his stepmother in this book. DO NOT look at the synopsis for Marian’s book if you are reading The Queer Principles of Kit Webb - it has major spoilers for Kit’s book.

👍🏻Recommended for fans of the Princess Bride, hijinks and soft love stories.

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bisexualwentworth's review

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Plot- or character-driven? A mix
Strong character development? It's complicated
Loveable characters? Yes
Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.0

I really enjoyed this book! I’m always here for anti-capitalist and anti-aristocracy sentiment in historical romance or anywhere else, and Cat Sebastian absolutely delivered on that front.

I liked both main characters, and I thought they had a good dynamic. I also really like the 18th century as a setting. I think it’s under-utilized in historical fiction, and this book fully took advantage of the time and place.

Also sidenote but yay lube!

Some of the plot twists felt simultaneously predictable and a bit clumsily executed, but I didn’t really mind.

The pacing was weirdly slow for a book with such an exciting plot, and I do wish that there had been literally any racial diversity, but overall I really enjoyed this one and will be reading the sequel when it comes out!

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just_one_more_paige's review

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adventurous lighthearted mysterious fast-paced

Plot- or character-driven? A mix
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? Yes
Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

4.0

What we have here is one more prime example of "Paige has abandoned the perilously high stack of books on her TBR pile next to the bed at home in favor of a spur of the moment library book" reading choice. And after basically speeding through this in one day, I can tell you that I'm not even sorry, not one little bit. (But really, I have to do something about that stack at home, as it's reaching unsafe heights.)

Kitt Webb has left his days as a highwayman behind him, what with the loss of his best friend and the leg wound that plagues him And he's now living the life of a (more-or-less) respectable coffee shop owner (minus the fact that his closest friend/shop assistant using it as a meeting place for the people she works with that are looking to fence hot items). Percy, Lord Holland, and his best friend Marian, are looking for a highwayman of Kitt's reputation to help with a very delicate job: stealing an item from his father in order to bring him down (he's a horrible person, really) and simultaneously save Percy's own name/future. Kitt refuses to actually do the job, but does offer to help Percy learn enough to do it himself. And, of course, their time spent together leads to a deeper bond being formed...one that gives both Kitt and Percy a new idea of what their futures could look like, together, even though it's nothing that either of them planned for or expected.

This is the first historical romance I think I've ever read, if I'm being honest. I mean, I (of course) binge-watched Bridgerton with the rest of the world, but I never read the books they were based on. I tend to lean more into contemporary and paranormal/fantasy romance, when I'm in the mood for something steamy and entertaining. But here we are. And it was awesome. Kitt and Percy were a great opposites-attract pair, with all the aspects of completely opposing backgrounds and realities and outlooks that make that trope so good. Combined with the way they interacted, all sullen and sarcastic covering up insecurities about how vulnerable their real feelings for each other left them, was *chef's kiss* as an interpersonal vibe. (I do love a snarky writing style though, so color me a bit biased there.) Plus, the slow burn and sexual tension build was excruciating and the sex scenes, when they finally arrived, were steamy and made the wait worth it. Let's hear it, too, for the bi male lead - not one I usually see and I was here for it! As far as the greater plot, surrounding the romance aspects, it was super fun. The planning and prepping for a road-side robbery was dramatic and adventurous, just the right amount of added danger and intrigue (as all the stories unfold).

The slightly deeper point of discussion in the plot, which gave rise (I assume) to the pun/double meaning in the choice of title, focused on the difference between principles and manners. It was based on the underlying trope of lawful versus right with the "uncouth highwayman with principles based around doing good" (the Robin Hood vibe) pitted against the "fancy, rich landlord who acts very proper but takes advantage of people." In this case, it was explored in an interesting way between Kitt and Percy, as Kitt opened Percy's eyes to how bad his father actually was (IRL, past Percy's own knowledge), while Kitt learned to accept that a person is not solely who/what he was born as, and can change (for the better). This addressing of class difference and obscene wealth versus extreme poverty played it's part well as an external complication. And I really appreciate the way Sebastian was able to build to an ending where Kitt and Percy could coexist in a relationship moving forwards without having to pretend those issues weren’t/aren’t there, but also within reason considering the characters backgrounds and personalities.

What a read! Spectacular, page-turning fun, sprinkled liberally with humorous dialogu and lots of sexy eyeing/side-eyeing (and more). The period drama, like sword-fighting and titled land-holders and castles and carriage robberies and fantastic ladies of the night side characters (I'm a sucker for those) and clothing, was all so entertaining. Despite being able to guess where things were going (as in, the plot twists were not as *gasp* shocking as they could have been), I was completely swept up in this dramatic plot adventure romance. A great impromptu library book choice!

“Love, while a fine thing, might be little more than an accident. It was what came next that mattered.”

“This was what he wanted - the chance to be known for the worst of what he was and to be held dear anyway, the ability to trust a person as more than an ally.”

Content Warnings

ashleycmms's review against another edition

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adventurous emotional funny hopeful lighthearted mysterious tense medium-paced

Plot- or character-driven? A mix
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? Yes
Diverse cast of characters? N/A
Flaws of characters a main focus? No

4.0

Content Warnings

kayles514's review

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adventurous emotional funny hopeful inspiring lighthearted mysterious tense medium-paced

Plot- or character-driven? A mix
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? Yes
Diverse cast of characters? No
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.0

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