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analenegrace's review against another edition
adventurous
emotional
funny
hopeful
tense
medium-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? Yes
4.5
This is my second read of this, and honestly, it's better this time around because my love for Cat Sebastian has grown so much!!
I adore this book! Kit and Percy are just such wonderful characters with so much personality and emotion that its impossible not to love them! I really appreciated how much care Sebastian took for Kit, in particular, who is disabled and a widower. She doesn't let Percy get away with being a part of the oppressor class and quite literally makes Percy come to terms with how harmful his lifestyle and family were. Percy's reckoning is super important for this book and also makes this book stand out in its genre.
I love heists and crimes against the rich, so the non-romance plot here was fun. It felt like the book never stopped, which is how I love my adventure novels!
Family, particularly chosen family, is so vital to the book and Sebastian writes it so beautifully!
Finally, Collins might be my favorite character in this book; he's just so silly and goofy and particular, and I love him!!!!
I adore this book! Kit and Percy are just such wonderful characters with so much personality and emotion that its impossible not to love them! I really appreciated how much care Sebastian took for Kit, in particular, who is disabled and a widower. She doesn't let Percy get away with being a part of the oppressor class and quite literally makes Percy come to terms with how harmful his lifestyle and family were. Percy's reckoning is super important for this book and also makes this book stand out in its genre.
I love heists and crimes against the rich, so the non-romance plot here was fun. It felt like the book never stopped, which is how I love my adventure novels!
Family, particularly chosen family, is so vital to the book and Sebastian writes it so beautifully!
Finally, Collins might be my favorite character in this book; he's just so silly and goofy and particular, and I love him!!!!
bookshelvesandtealeaves's review against another edition
adventurous
emotional
mysterious
medium-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
4.0
Ahh I loved this book! I’m really living for historical romances at the moment and this did not disappoint.
Opposites attract, grumpy x sunshine, that sense of forbidden romance, both because they’re men and because of the class difference. Throw in planning a highway robbery and a whole cast of fun characters and you have the perfect recipe for a good book!
I adored Kit and all his grumpy glory. He had so many layers, so many facets to his personality. He has this gruff exterior but gosh, he could be soft, and I loved watching him learn that he deserved softness. His struggle with how to still be himself while adjusting his life to suit his disability was so relatable. Also Kit saying “beg pardon” to the spider was just *chefs kiss* perfection.
Percy was great, too. It’s easy to be a sunshine character when you’re wealthy, but he has so much more going on beneath the surface. His relationship with Marian and their entire predicament made me feel more sorry for him than I could have predicted. Throw in a terrible father and a lot of confusion over the kind of person he is vs the kind of person he wants to be and I just wanted to give him a hug.
The highway robbery plot was a fun little thing to keep the story moving alongside the blackmail, and I was genuinely engaged the whole time waiting for it all to play out.
I need the second book now!
august_8's review against another edition
adventurous
emotional
funny
mysterious
relaxing
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
4.75
haley_j_casey's review against another edition
adventurous
funny
hopeful
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
4.0
lil_saddie's review against another edition
adventurous
emotional
funny
hopeful
medium-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? No
5.0
Loved it. No notes.
ashction's review against another edition
5.0
This is DESPICABLY romantic and soft. I am SICK. OBSESSED. SWOONING.
Kit Webb has (mostly) left his highway robbery days behind him. Once a legend, a physical injury and the death of his best friend in a job gone wrong has brought Kit to a standstill. He runs his coffee shop with quiet and gruff, but full of care for his patrons. Until one day, Percy Edward arrives with a request: to do one last heist to his father. Kit refuses, but the attraction between the two men continues to draw them to each other. Kit finally agrees to help Percy himself do the job. But when Kit discovers Percy is more than he's revealed, his feelings and the proposed heist become infinitely more complicated.
I picked this up mostly because it reminds me of Gentleman's Guide to Vice and Virtue. If you want to pick this up for the same reason, you'll certainly be pleased. Even if you AREN'T picking this up as a read-alike, you'll love this story if you love mouthy rich boys with hearts of gold, stoic baddies with a soft spot, and a good old fashioned heist. Bonus points for cute fighting scenes and the, frankly, fantastic sexual tension that thrums throughout only to turn into something much sweeter.
Truly, it started out very fun and swoony only to absolutely melt my heart to pieces. I'm definitely going to keep this one in my library. And I'm rather interested in unfolding the puzzle of two characters who get a companion sequel to this next year!
Kit Webb has (mostly) left his highway robbery days behind him. Once a legend, a physical injury and the death of his best friend in a job gone wrong has brought Kit to a standstill. He runs his coffee shop with quiet and gruff, but full of care for his patrons. Until one day, Percy Edward arrives with a request: to do one last heist to his father. Kit refuses, but the attraction between the two men continues to draw them to each other. Kit finally agrees to help Percy himself do the job. But when Kit discovers Percy is more than he's revealed, his feelings and the proposed heist become infinitely more complicated.
I picked this up mostly because it reminds me of Gentleman's Guide to Vice and Virtue. If you want to pick this up for the same reason, you'll certainly be pleased. Even if you AREN'T picking this up as a read-alike, you'll love this story if you love mouthy rich boys with hearts of gold, stoic baddies with a soft spot, and a good old fashioned heist. Bonus points for cute fighting scenes and the, frankly, fantastic sexual tension that thrums throughout only to turn into something much sweeter.
Truly, it started out very fun and swoony only to absolutely melt my heart to pieces. I'm definitely going to keep this one in my library. And I'm rather interested in unfolding the puzzle of two characters who get a companion sequel to this next year!
sbhumphreys's review against another edition
3.0
It was alright. I at least bothered to finish it? The writing was a little pretentious but in a “I’m trying to sound smart” sort of way—if I have to read the word “lament” one more time I might combust.
The plot was also very predictable. The foreshadowing was a bit heavy handed, which is fine I suppose. Maybe this was intended to be a more cozy read, but the stakes were too high for it to fall into cozy for me. That being said, the stakes somehow also are incredibly anti-climatic.
I do love some bi representation though. And the bi panic that came with it.
The plot was also very predictable. The foreshadowing was a bit heavy handed, which is fine I suppose. Maybe this was intended to be a more cozy read, but the stakes were too high for it to fall into cozy for me. That being said, the stakes somehow also are incredibly anti-climatic.
I do love some bi representation though. And the bi panic that came with it.
dwinareads's review against another edition
4.0
“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.”
Shut up shut up shut UP. Ugh, ADORABLE! FANTASTIC! Another delightful story by the genius that is Cat Sebastian! The official queen of queer historical romance! I will read everything she writes! EVERYTHING!
What wonderful characters, will real feelings and real issues and real personalities. I laughed out loud — CACKLED. I once again listened via audiobook and the narrator is excellent.
I read the second book before the first so I already knew certain plot points before I should, but it didn’t make this story any less enjoyable. I’m not a huge fan of historical romance, but make it queer and suddenly I’m into it I guess? We love to see it!
Shut up shut up shut UP. Ugh, ADORABLE! FANTASTIC! Another delightful story by the genius that is Cat Sebastian! The official queen of queer historical romance! I will read everything she writes! EVERYTHING!
What wonderful characters, will real feelings and real issues and real personalities. I laughed out loud — CACKLED. I once again listened via audiobook and the narrator is excellent.
I read the second book before the first so I already knew certain plot points before I should, but it didn’t make this story any less enjoyable. I’m not a huge fan of historical romance, but make it queer and suddenly I’m into it I guess? We love to see it!