Thief Taker

Outlawed #2

by Sally Malcolm

London, 1784. The valet is a thief taker. His gentleman is a thief. Everyone is lying.

Elias Cole spent eight years hunting outlaws. Now he's certain the notorious highwayman Wessex is Viscount Rowsley. To prove it, Elias joins his household as valet to Rowsley’s distracting younger brother, Kit.

Christopher ‘Kit’ Duvall is resorting to desperate measures to save his family from ruin. He despises Society and has no need for a valet. But he recognises Elias immediately. Kit knows exactly what Elias is and who he’s hunting, because it’s him.

He is Wessex.

While playing the honest gentleman, Kit keeps his enemy close and quietly misdirects his suspicions. Elias is blind to Kit’s game, partly because he's too busy playing his own—but mostly because they’re falling in love…

Two men. Two lies. And a truth that will cost them everything.

Thief Taker is a slow-burn, enemies-to-lovers historical romance about two men lying to each other from the beginning—and falling for each other anyway.

Genres: Historical, Historical Fiction, Enemies To Lovers, Historical Romance, LGBT, Fiction, M M Romance

380 pages, Kindle Edition

First published October 6, 2026

About the author

Sally Malcolm was bitten by the m/m romance bug in 2016 and hasn’t looked back. It’s fair to say she’s obsessed with the genre. She has four contemporary m/m romances out, set in the fictional Long Island seaside town of New Milton.

She's also the author of eight Stargate novels and novellas, including the hit "Apocalypse" trilogy. She has penned four Stargate audio dramas for Big Finish Productions, including Stargate SG-1: "An Eye for an Eye" starring Michael Shanks, Claudia Black, and Cliff Simon.

Sally lives in South West London.

Reviews

[Rachael Hamilton · Rating 4 out of 5]

Historical romance but make it suspenseful, twisty, and mysterious. This was definitely a fun read.

Just two “respectable” men slowly unraveling into chaos completely unaware of what the other is hiding.

This was my first historical romance (admittedly, I haven't read many) that didn't have the most absolute wholesome angel characters to ever exist, so this was a fun change of pace. Still lovable just a little messier.

Elias and Kit are both well developed characters, and I enjoyed watching them unravel from polished and put together into problematic complex people who make mistakes and don’t always get it right.

I loved the tension created by the reader knowing the secrets while the characters were completely unaware. I was just waiting as they dug themselves deeper and deeper into a hole. This did create a more mystery thriller vibe than just solely a romance story.

Side note: I loved the phrase "gods teeth" being used casually during spice scenes. Thinking about how different dirty talk must have been during this time period was fun 😂 I will be integrating this into my vocabulary. My girlfriend better be ready, because I will absolutely be dropping this line on her.

I will say, I could have used a character list or something. I struggled a little with all the side characters and multiple of them being addressed by different name in different scenes. This did eventually resolve and become easier to follow.

Although this book does take some effort, I believe it was worth it, and I plan on picking up more by this author.

[Sandy Kay]

But let me explain. I AM going to finish this book, which for two chapters so far is 4.5 stars or so, excellent historical authenticity, already outstanding chemistry between the thief and the man determined to bring him down. I am just not in the right mood for what I know is going to be a book-long dual deception as they fall for each other, so, I'm putting this note up in the meantime, because I am so overdue on this ARC it's embarrassing. But. I want to read it in the right mood. Swear it will be soon!

[NicoleR.M.M. · Rating 5 out of 5]

I love Sally Malcolm's writing, specially her historical novels. The story's she writes of past times, feel very real and are thoroughly researched, which is probably why you feel transported right back to that specific period in history.
The Outlawed series, up till now, consisted of Rebel (a novella) and King's Man, and those 2 books are still, undoubtedly, among my favourite mm historical romances. Knowing there would be other books in this series, I had been (im)patiently waiting for the next one, and when Sally announced it in her newsletter, I just had to get my hands on it! Pre-ordered immediately, and then I also got the chance to read an advanced copy, lucky me!
And that's how I felt throughout the whole book, one of the lucky ones who got to read this early. These days I hardly request any ARC's like I used to, but this book was so worth it and I'm just so, so happy I was granted one by the author herself.

This book is about Elias Cole, who was a bit of a mystery in King's man. He's a thief taker and has been obsessed with a villain who calls himself Wessex, who, in daily life is in fact Kit Duvall, a noble who only takes from dishonest men who betrayed his brother in card games or who are a threat to their family estate. But Elias is a man who abides the law, and everyone who doesn't, is on the wrong side of it and deserves proper punishment - in these times that often lead to the gallows.
When Elias has his suspicions about the identity of Wessex, he infiltrates Kit's household and becomes his valet, not knowing how well they fit together, how for the first time since the loss of his brother, he's getting to know love again, and what it means to be loved.
Kit and Elias are very well developed characters, they feel human with their feelings of doubt, their inner conflicts, the things that drive them. They certainly became characters who will stick with me for some time after finishing this book!

The whole time I was on the edge of my seat. As a reader, of course you know that all the lies they tell one another one day will be revealed. And it will be at a moment that they are already too involved, too deep into their feelings for each other. You know the hurt and betrayal will be inevitable and I already started to ache for them long before it happened. And yes, of course this is a romance book, a happy ending is always where the story is headed, but it was just that I couldn't see how they were going to get there, with Elias so adamant to punish those on the wrong side of the law, with how desperately he wanted to be the one to catch Wessex, and when Kit already knew Elias was after him, but had to lie to him about every suspicious move he was about to make. But they get there, of course they do, and when it happened, well, Sally Malcolm managed to move me to tears, which is quite an accomplishment, since that's not something many authors are able to do.

I loved these men, I couldn't do anything other than root for them. Kit, who was such a sensitive, caring, sweet man, who wanted to save his brother and sister, the estate they grew up in. Who felt guilty for having abandoned them when he left for America. But he does everything he can to make things right. It's Elias that stands in his way of doing so, who is the biggest threat to his life. And yet, he falls for him anyway.
I loved how they developed feelings that were so real, that even when Elias tried to deny them, he knew he was lying to himself too.
And that ending...It was marvellous. In my opinion, it was exactly the ending I hoped for. And it's due to Sally Malcolm's excellent writing, that it moved me the way it did. The whole book, their developing romance, the feelings, their lovemaking, it is all so beautifully written, it's evident Sally Malcolm took her time writing this in order to turn it into the most wonderful book it has become. It’s easily one of the best books I read this year.

Many thanks to the author for this early copy in exchange for my honest review.

[Daje1968 · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5 rounded down to 3

When I requested this ARC from Gay Romance Reviews, it was because I recently discovered Sally Malcolm through her excellent book The Last Kiss and was very excited to read her newest novel.

Here is the thing about me and historical romance: even though I started my romance-reading career firmly planted in MF historicals, beginning one now almost inevitably feels like homework.

More than most romance genres, historicals need time to build the world, explain who everyone is, establish the politics and social structure, and generally get all the chess pieces onto the board. And British historicals have the added delight of one person potentially being referred to by their first name, last name, title, estate, and presumably whatever the hell else the peerage system feels like throwing at you. Jesus Christ, sometimes I need a whiteboard.

Thief Taker was no exception. So I am telling you right now: you have to do a little homework at the beginning. But it comes together pretty quickly, and once it does, the story really starts to unfold.

Sally Malcolm is a damn good writer. She creates layered, memorable characters, she clearly does her historical research, and there isn’t a speck of anachronism to pull you out of the story. I even had to look up “fart catcher,” which made me laugh far more than it probably should have. British humor is so up my alley.

So why 3.5 stars, rounded down to 3 no less?

Without spoiling anything, for my taste there was just too much external conflict. This book became seriously damn stressful, which is not really what I personally want from romance. People who love edge-of-your-seat, nail-biting plots will probably enjoy that ride more than I did.

But that alone wouldn’t have made me round down.
What really chapped my hide was that Malcolm layered all that external chaos with some truly Too Stupid to Live moments from both MCs. Again, I’m not going to spoil anything, but I thought they both made decisions that were so spectacularly bad that I actually complained about them to my husband, breaching my longstanding policy of not involving civilians in my MM romance addiction.

It became messy on messy on messy, the kind of plot where you’re at 85% and have absolutely no idea how the hell any of it can possibly be resolved.

And the answer is: it barely is.

Yes, there is a very hard-won HEA, but we only get a few pages of it, and there are still quite a few loose ends. I suppose that’s more realistic than having every problem tied neatly into a bow, but some of these loose ends mattered. After everything we were put through, I felt like we had earned more resolution.

A few related pieces of side commentary:

First, all this horrible shit is going down toward the end, the anticipated calamity has fully calaminated, and I kept thinking: Is anyone thinking about their sister Charlotte? Of course Kit cares about her, but honestly, out of everyone involved, she was the person who could have ended up the most completely screwed. An unmarried woman in that era had precious few options, and I felt like the men around her were oddly cavalier about just how precarious her situation was.

Second: fuck James.

Seriously. Fuck James.

You were grieving and then forced to become heir to a fortune you were lucky enough to be born into. Boo hoo. I found him pretty much irredeemable, and I actually wished Kit had felt a little more strongly about that too.

Also, historical romance has now convinced me that aristocratic men routinely gambled away entire family fortunes with approximately the frequency modern people lose AirPods. Were they all this bad at whist? I would love, just once, for someone to lose the estate through a terrible agricultural investment, gross property mismanagement, or a swarm of locusts. Give gambling a rest, gentlemen. All that inbreeding clearly made you bad at it.

And finally: I would absolutely read Salter’s book.
I love me a gambling hell owner from St. Giles.

[Caz · Rating 4 out of 5]

B+ / 4.5 stars

Sally Malcolm is one of my favourite romance writers, and her wonderful Georgian era historical, King's Man , was my book of the year in 2021. She’s published a few other titles since then (several written in collaboration with another favourite author, Joanna Chambers), but I know had always planned a sequel to King’s Man, which would feature one of the secondary characters in that book, Elias Cole, and his search for the elusive highwayman known only as Wessex.

Thief Taker is that sequel, and it’s a well-paced and enjoyable story with a cross-class/enemies-to-lovers romance full of longing and delicious sexual tension at its heart. Elias – the titular thief taker – has been trying to apprehend Wessex for months, but has so far been thwarted at every turn. The man is clever, good at what he does and very slippery; the fences he uses to sell his stolen goods are very tight-lipped and Elias has been able to find no clues as to the criminal’s true identity. But he has observed a particular pattern of behaviour in that Wessex does not seem to steal indiscriminately; all of his robberies have been from gentlement who belong to a particular set of the nobility, namely those who are friendly with Viscount Rowsley (heir to the Earl of Ashbourne), and Baron Marlborough (who was the villain in King’s Man). After months spent chasing Wessex around London and failing to apprehend him, perhaps it’s time for Elias to try something else; as the thefts are somehow linked to Rowsley, he decides to find himself a position in the viscount’s household. Servants, while treated as though they don’t exist by their employers, see and hear everything – if Elias can get himself hired, he will be able to observe the comings and goings of the house, hear the gossip and do some snooping around of his own that will enable him to get closer to uncovering Wessex’s identity and bringing him to justice.

Kit Duvall, younger son of the Earl of Ashbourne, returned from fighting in the American wars to find that his father was seriously ill and his brother was steadily pushing the family towards financial ruin. The loss of his wife and unborn child pushed Rowsley into such despair that he no longer cares what happens to him, and he’s fallen in with a bad crowd, at the centre of which is Marlborough, who encourages Rowsley to excess at the gambling tables and is plotting to defraud him of Ashbourne itself. Watching his brother on the verge of losing everything has driven Kit to desparate measures to try to keep the family afloat, and for months now, he’s been living a double life as a member of the nobility – and a gentleman of the road, stealing money and valuables from Marlborough and his set.

Elias has no trouble getting hired as a footman, and, in the absense of another candidate, becomes Kit’s valet. Elias has been operating under the assumption that Rowsley is Wessex, and the more he learns about the family’s parlous financial situation the more convinced of that he becomes. But he’s also becoming deeply enamoured of Kit – no matter that they’re master and servant, no matter there’s no future for men like them – and while he is intent on upholding the law, he’s conflicted, knowing that when he eventually has enough evidence to arrest Kit’s brother, doing so will surely break Kit’s heart.

The story, then, is essentially a kind of cat-and-mouse game in which Elias and Kit are dancing around each other while they attempt to deny the mutual attraction that has been building between them since they met (even before they met as Elias and Kit if you count the sparks flying between Elias and Wessex in the first chapter!) The author does a good job of making their deceptions plausible; Elias has effectively hobbled himself in his investigation by being so sure his quarry is Rowsley, so we see him actively twisting facts to fit his own narrative, working harder as the story progresses and he’s actively working to convince himself it can’t possibly be Kit. And Kit, who recognises Elias as the man who almost apprehended him that night by the Fleet Ditch, decides to play along until he can work out if Elias knows Kit is Wessex, or if the thief taker has another reason for his presence in the household. That said, the deception does go on maybe a little bit too long and was stretching my credulity just a little bit too much before we get to the reveal, to the extent that their secret-keeping started to feel less organic and more about what was convenient for the plot.

Elias and Kit’s romance is nicely done, though, with sizzling chemistry from the get-go and a gradual development of mutual attraction and trust underpinned by a genuine emotional connection. Of course they both try – and fail – to deny what’s happening between them; their social status and the fact they’re both men would be obstacles enough, but readers knows what they’re both hiding, which adds an extra layer of tension to it all, and the eventual confrontation when everything falls apart is absolutely (and deliciously) gut-wrenching.

The author’s attention to historical detail is excellent; much like KJ Charles, Ms. Malcolm clearly knows her stuff and very subtly incorporates information about the social conventions and politics of the time in a way that feels very natural and adds much to the overall setting of the story. I enjoyed the book a great deal, but the one thing that didn’t quite work for me was the ending; I can’t exactly put my finger on why, but it felt somewhat inconclusive. Marlborough is dealt with rather conveniently, and while Ashbourne is saved, the family fortune is still gone and we get no sense of what Kit and Elias are going to do with their lives. (Is Elias still a thief taker? Has Wessex retired? Do they have any money to live on?) There’s an excellent, heartfelt scene between Kit and his brother where they are finally able to talk honestly about the rift between them but again, there’s no indication of where things might go with them or if they’re going to work together to salvage what they can from the mess. Their father is still very ill and their sister Charlotte is still trying to cope with that and the fact that they’re almost broke. I don’t need the minutiae, just a few sentences to explain their plans for the future, perhaps.

Sally Malcom is a terrific writer with a real gift for creating emotionally charged, angsty romances, and three-dimensional, memorable characters. Despite my criticisms, I enjoyed Thief Taker and would certainly recommend it to anyone looking for a queer historical romance with plenty of yearning, a twisty plot, and flawed but likeable protagonists who are both trying to make the best out of a difficult situation.

[AngstLover-Jing · Rating 3.75 out of 5]

A thief taker falling for the very thief he swore to catch—this bound to have enough suspense to keep me hooked till the end. As always, the writing is the author's strong suit, but this book really needed to be trimmed by at least a quarter to tighten the pacing and maximize the tension.

Another issue: even though I read the previous book, the cast of characters was still so massive it had me scratching my head. I constantly had to use the search function just to go, 'Who the f*** is this guy again?!'

And with Elias's level of detective work—treating a deadbeat, debt-ridden viscount as a serious suspect, and failing to recognize Wessex after getting physically up close and personal with him TWICE—he should probably quit this job. Bro, this is just not your calling. That whole plot point felt way too forced and lost me.

Elias and Kit's romance did have some sweet, gentle moments, and the angst after the big identity reveal hit all the right spots for me. But overall, it still didn't quite reach top-tier status for me.

The story had some seeds of real depth, but unfortunately, it barely scratched the surface. Plus, the ending left way too many loose ends—like @Daje said, it definitely didn't give readers enough emotional payoff after all those messy conflicts!

Despite my laundry list of complaints, I still read it in one sitting, and I'll definitely pick up the sequel if there is one.

[Lily Suzanne]

I tried but I just cannot get into this book. There are so many games and I’m not able to concentrate enough so I keep getting thrown off. I hate to not finish because I was so excited for this but the entire issue with Kit’s family is putting a major damper on whatever romance may come to be.

ARC received for review
All thoughts and opinions are my own

[Kathleen in Oslo · Rating 4 out of 5]

I've been waiting for Wessex and Elias's story for ages, and this delivered! Not as good as the excellent book 1, but satisfying nonetheless -- although a more fleshed out ending would have pushed it closer to 5-star territory.

This maybe kept the tease going too long -- both Wessex (aka Kit) and Elias are keeping secrets from the other and, at a certain point, their not coming clean feels more narratively convenient than emotionally cohesive. (Also, Elias convincing himself that taking Wessex in at the end will somehow help Kit is extremely convoluted logic.) But the confrontation, when it finally comes, is worth the wait (read: wrenching). I did think that MacLeod got off easy, insofar as that makes any sense; or maybe, not so much that he got off easy, but that the way it played out was a bit too neat, bordering on anticlimatic. On the other hand, by that point there had already been 300+ pages of duplicity and mustache-twirling, so at least it moved things along.

Overall, I liked the connection between Kit and Elias, even if the "will they/ won't they" (then: "they do, but have a crisis of conscience") got a bit tortured after a while. But my main gripe, and the reason this installment doesn't reach the level of book 1, is the ending, which: why even bother with an epilogue, if it gives us nothing on what Kit and Elias are actually doing with their lives? Crucial to both these men's characters are that they are driven by a sense of protectiveness and justice for their families: Kit, to help dig his family out of the hole his brother dug for them; Elias, to avenge his own brother and bring criminals to the law. Kit's whole Wessex thing is a function of this protectiveness! Yet while the family's fortunes are not materially better at the end than at the beginning, we get very little sense of how Kit, or Elias, are facing this next chapter in their lives. It's all LiveLaughLove, and -- happy for you crazy kids! But, like . . . what are you doing? How are you earning money? Are you still criming? Are you still thief taking? Does anyone give a shit about poor sis and infirm dad? Kit! Pull yourself together, bro!

So, yeah: pacing-wise, this could have cut out a round of the tortured conscience/ must keep my secret-carousel, made MacLeod suffer a bit more, and buffed out the ending for Kit and Wessex. But for all my bitching, I did thoroughly enjoy this, and was very happy to be back in this series' world. And now: a Salter and Hal book, please!

I got an ARC from Gay Romance Reviews. This is my honest review.

[BevS · Rating 4.5 out of 5]

Another well-written historical story from Sally Malcolm to complete part 2 of the Outlawed series. I did wonder how she'd be able to do a complete 180° as far as Elias and Kit's life trajectories were concerned AND get rid of that brutish liar, cheat, thug and murderer Marlborough, but she managed to combine most of the plot lines really well, and now all we can do is await the final part of the trilogy, which features a certain Mr Hal Foxe.

[Shawna · Rating 4.25 out of 5]

When I was reading this book, I was gripped. However, I had a lot going on in the past month and when I happened to put the book down just before a part I knew was going to be tough, I admit that I got a bit blocked about picking it back up. While I did have some things that kept me busy and took priority, I definitely prolonged the point because I knew stuff was about to go severely sideways.

"What's wrong?"

"Book characters are having difficulties, and I have secondhand stress."

That type of thing. So, my review for this book I kindly received as an ARC is shamefully late, but I must say that despite the prolonged hiatus, I did really enjoy it overall. Clearly, I was invested enough that I got up and metaphorically walked around the block a few dozen times before completing it because I felt a lot for these characters. I will say, a bit more backstory on both sides might have had me sutured in earlier, but the feelings and action carried me through.

This book is equal parts history and romance, which often makes a book like this more compelling and attractive to me. Historical fluff is all well and good, but when you get something meatier like this, especially when it reframes history a bit and reflects our current situation at the same time . . . I appreciated the writing and research and balance it must have took to keep both the plot plotting and the emotions simmering.

My avoidant tendencies are my own and not the book's fault; I definitely recommend this book and will probably revisit it soon to more firmly connect the first section to the more tense rising action and conclusion. Many thanks to GRR for the review copy!

[Joyfully Jay · Rating 3.75 out of 5]

A Joyfully Jay review.

3.75 stars

Thief Taker is the second novel in the Outlawed series by Sally Malcolm, but can easily be read as a standalone. Set in 1754, the book focuses on thief takers, the eighteenth century’s version of a bounty hunter, or at least a variation thereof. Elias is a man dedicated to the law, for reasons that are hinted at but never fully explored. His relationship with Kit is charming, but the overall plot tends to lag and there were times when I found the story too sluggish.

The book is well researched and stands as a solid piece of historical fiction. Though this time period isn’t a favorite of mine, the author does an excellent job of drawing readers in and making them care not only about the main characters, but the world they’re living in. That can be a tough thing to do, so I appreciate that Malcolm seems to do this so effortlessly. But I struggled with the pacing of Thief Taker.

I enjoyed the characters and the historical flavor of Thief Taker. The romance is well executed and Kit and Elias are a compelling couple. Unfortunately, the pacing is problematic at times and while the lagginess never completely removed me from the story, it did partially mar an otherwise enjoyable novel. Despite this, I think Thief Taker will appeal to most fans of historical fiction and the positives are strong enough to outweigh the negatives here.

Read Sue’s review in its entirety here.

[Lisa · Rating 4.5 out of 5]

I really enjoyed this book. It has a mystery, betrayals, danger, passion, and romance. Kit Duvall, son of a viscount, has resorted to highway robbery to counteract the actions caused by his brother, the heir. Elias Cole is a man who hunts lawbreakers, often for a large reward. He insinuates himself into the Duvall household as a servant to better spy, but is shocked to find himself highly attracted to Kit, with the feelings seemingly reciprocated. Still, Kit is dealing with his brother's apparent ruin of the family fortune due to gambling debts. It's a tense story at times with a very satisfying HEA. Recommended!

[antonia🫧 · Rating 4 out of 5]

I received an ARC from the author via GRR & this review only contains my honest thoughts and feelings about this book.💐


My heart broke in so many ways with this book.

I can't even put into words all the feelings it made me feel.

Kit and Elias did get their happily ever after, but what they went through to get there? My god.

I have to admit however that Charlotte went through the most because of her brother's stupidity.



It could have been shorter and it did take me some time to get into it, but I'm so glad I did because it was beautiful.

[ButtonsMom2003 · Rating 5 out of 5]

I could write a long and detailed review but I’m not going to. I just want to say that I loved this book. It has action and adventure, a slow-burn romance, forbidden love, and danger and intrigue. At the end, Elias had to confront what he’d believed for years and reconcile that with his feelings for Kit.

Thief Taker is a fantastic story that had me on the edge of my seat more than once and I’m so happy that I was given the chance to read an advanced copy from Gay Romance Reviews.

[Lia Adams · Rating 3 out of 5]

I received an advance reader copy of this book and am leaving an honest review. As a long-time fan of Sally Malcom's work, I was eager to dive into this Georgian London historical romance. The atmosphere, rich historical detail, and initial tension between a thief-taker and his partner set a high-stakes, compelling stage.

Where the story faltered for me was in the central conflict and character consistency during the major plot turn. Early on, the characters’ moral frameworks and unspoken understanding felt grounded and complex. However, when the central reveal occurs, one protagonist undergoes an abrupt, explosive shift in attitude that directly contradicts his previously stated beliefs and actions. Because his reaction felt inconsistent with his established personality and earlier choices, the resulting angst felt somewhat manufactured rather than naturally character-driven. I almost quit reading at that point.

Additionally, the third-act separation drags out the emotional fallout longer than necessary, and some of the dialogue during key emotional and intimate beats felt repetitive compared to the author's usual sharp, evocative writing.

While the setting and high-concept setup have a lot of promise, the execution of the central conflict and pacing didn't quite land for me. Recommended for readers who enjoy intense angst and atmospheric historicals, but it wasn't my favorite release from this author. Thank you to the author and publisher for the opportunity to read an ARC.

[Tess · Rating 5 out of 5]

4.75 stars

Very much loved this! Good historical and the enemies to lovers, hidden identity, slower burn romance worked well.

[Fearne Hill]

A lovely read :)

[Taylor · Rating 4 out of 5]

Elias is looking to revenge his brother. Kit is looking to save his family from ruin. The set up is amazing. They hooked up to “get it out of their system” and we all know how well that goes. It was all very angsty. I could read a million more books in this series.


Before I started, I thought this one might be about Lord Rowley (Kit's brother, first introduced in King's Man. The more I read, the more I became convinced we NEED his story. He needs redemption.

[Juniper · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is such an intriguing premise: there’s duplicity and intrigue and chemistry all the way down here and Kit and Elias are compelling enough characters that they’re easy to root for even when *gestures towards intrigue and deception.* The historical elements are beautifully rendered and there’s plenty of fuel for the slow burn enemies to lovers arc as the story unfolds.

*I voluntarily reviewed a complimentary copy of this book.

[Jeanette Waters · Rating 4 out of 5]

I've been told that the difference between romance and historical romance is that the latter is more descriptive. And what happens when the author goes over the top and gets overly descriptive? A hot mess. Luckily, I love hot messes. You're never to old to learn tidbits of history and phrases. After all, almost everything I know about Regency England, I learned from Barbara Cartland!
Sally Malcolm is a new author for me and I wonder if all her works are this detailed. Elias Cole is a private bounty hunter, the thief taker from the title. For six months he's been chasing a particular highwayman, who he believes is Viscount Rowsley. It is the Honourable Christopher (Kit) Duvall that is actually Wessex. He robs coaches to fill the empty family coffers. An ill and dying father and a wastrel brother have drained them dry. A chance to infiltrate his enemy's home, Elias becomes the younger Duvall's valet. Kit recognizes Elias from an encounter in the sewers of London, but doesn't expose him. He realizes that Elias is there to trap him, and can't let that happen.
The book is a cat and mouse hunt. Enemies to lovers, they each set to seduce the other for their own reasons.When all their lies come home to roost, there's uncertainty and bruised feelings. Mortal danger and mortal loving too. The author does bring up the punishment for breaking the Buggery Act of 1553.
Elias and Kit have sweaty steam and spice. The story is fast paced. We see the evil of gambling away fortunes in great detail. And how it affects estate retainers, like Charlotte.
A job well done. I really enjoyed the book and look forward to more.
I received an advanced copy of this ebook and this is my review.

[Dee Layton · Rating 5 out of 5]

Let me tell you something I absolutely love these lgbtq romances that have a old storyline so like 17 1800s and let me tell you something this book was amazing.
This is book two in The outlawed series, if you have not read book 1 I do recommend you read book one before you do too because I like keeping the series together and I think there are some things in both that go together.
Now what drew me to this one not only because it was the series but in the blurb it said, "London, 1784. The valet is a thief taker. His gentleman is a thief. Everyone is lying." "Two men. Two lies. And a truth that will cost them everything."
I really loved everything about this book. Elias and Kit are absolutely amazing the enemy to lover's vibes is very strong in this book.
I feel like the storyline is kept through there I love how it's kind of a slow burn it takes them a little while to get to where they need to go but I also love that men being together in this time is something that isn't politically correct so I love how they navigate everything to be together once they do figure out that they are in love.
Overall absolutely amazing book love it can't wait to see how the series continues.

[Alicia · Rating 3 out of 5]

I'm trying to figure out why I didn't like this book more. I haven't read book one in the series, but the indication was that this stands on its own. The historical details seemed to be handled well (I'm no expert, but I've read enough historical romance to spot many of the common clangs), though I'm skeptical that a person not raised in service or having servants would have had the knowledge to pose as a valet, even with the assistance Elias received in the role.

Fundamentally, I think this story didn't work for me in a couple of areas. One was that I never really understood Elias's motivations. We got a bit of his backstory, but not enough for my tastes. Similarly, the rationale for Wessex seemed pretty thin to me. As a result, I never cared much about either of the MCs—and at that point everything falls apart. I kept reading, but it wasn't a joy. Perhaps this simply isn't the author for me, though I'm sorry to think so.

My thanks to Gay Romance Reviews for an advance copy of this book.

[LM]

ARC provided for free by Gay Romance Reviews in exchange for my honest review.

This book is great. Sally Malcolm is new to me but I’ll be reading more of her books now.

About this book though. It’s an historical romance with a mystery (which to me always seems fitting in historical romances) and the two MCs are both hiding everything important from each other. Like who they both really are. Elias hides his true profession to become a valet in order to catch a highwayman. Kit is the highwayman in question and the one who hires him.

Now, this book requires you to maybe take some notes. There are a lot of names and places and because it’s an historical novel, it’s got a whole world to build for you. It does all come together though.

I really loved the relationship between Kit and Elias but I could have done with less external and internal angst.

HEA but not really detailed or IMO, long enough.

4 stars though.

[Susana · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.5 stars
To protect his family from a terrible fate, Kit Duvall is willing to take any necessary step, even breaking the law and risking his own neck... But he did not know it was his heart what he was about to lose
So... very nicely written story, a romance in a historical context, following the trope of opposites attract.. and you cannot be much more opposite than Kit and Elias, as they belong to two very different worlds, and their fate is that of the hunter and the prey. There is a lot of intensity in this story, anguish and problems which do seem to difficult to overcome. And yet, we get our happy ending at the end. Though I was a bit unsatisfied at the solution given, it felt hasty and not really feasible... But what is a romance without a happy end? A very sad story indeed
I received an ARC and this is my voluntary review

[Paula · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book is a tense, beautifully paced M/M Regency romance that delivers an engaging blend of high-stakes deception and slow-burn yearning. The writing is superb, engaging.

Elias Cole, a relentless thief-taker, is convinced that Viscount Rowsley is the notorious highwayman "Wessex." He infiltrates the household as a valet to collect proof—unaware that Wessex is actually the viscount's brother, Kit Duvall. Kit sees right through Elias’s cover immediately. Rather than running, Kit keeps his investigator close to misdirect the hunt, sparking a dangerous game of cat-and-mouse where secret identities and mutual intrigue quickly turn into deep attraction.

An excellent choice for fans of secret identities, cross-class dynamics, and clever enemies-to-lovers historical romance.

[K · Rating 4 out of 5]

I enjoyed this book - I liked the first 2 in the Outlawed series a lot, and this was enjoyable as well. Many others have summarized the plot, so I won't belabor it. The MCs for the most part were appealing, though Kit's "solution" to his family's money problems and Elias' obsession with Wessex both felt a bit extreme and made them less well rounded characters. James was also a caricature and so very unappealing. Both MCs had tortured backstories that came out in bits and pieces and didn't quite hang together. I'm fine with stories that ask for suspension of disbelief, but this one asked a few too many times, which is why it's a 4 and not 5.

[Ida Umphers · Rating 5 out of 5]

I am a total sucker for this kind of story where two characters who are falling in love are keeping huge secrets from each other because I love to see how the author handles the reveal scene where we know everything has to blow up and see if they go for an HEA after that and how deftly they can accomplish it. Here, we have the thief being hunted by the thief taker who has settled on the wrong man as the one he is after. Thief leads his hunter away from himself but is unable to keep a safe distance. Let's just say I was totally satisfied by the reveal here and where things went after that.

[Bluesky39 · Rating 4 out of 5]

I enjoyed this book and hope there will more in the series. Elias and Kit begin a relationship built on lies and subterfuge. One works for the law and one breaks the law. Yet, somehow, their relationship goes from enemies to lovers and, then, lovers to two men in love. I particularly liked Elias and his pain was real and believable as he wrestled with his actions and his conscience. To me, Kit wasn't as likeable as Elias but his dedication to his family and family legacy was admirable. I recommend this book to anyone who enjoys historical MM romance with suspense, angst and a touch of humor.

[Bb · Rating 4.75 out of 5]

Excellent book. Great plot and very interesting. I felt bad for both Kit and Elias and what each had gone through. Life can be brutally unfair. So glad they have each other and hope things will continue to improve with Kit's family. Sometimes we have to make agonizing choices. Both MCs were strong characters with really good hearts.

Would like to know what happens to Hartwell after he returns to America.

[Lynn Give 'Em Hel Vetica · Rating 4.75 out of 5]

Ugh I really loved this story! Elias is a Thief Taker and Kit is a thief. They shouldn’t work together and yet they do and so well. Watching them fall in love was so cute, even if it was at times painful. The ending was almost tragic and started getting me in my feels, but it eventually ended in a much deserved happily ever after.

The writing is really well done and all of the characters feel unique and well thought out. Sometimes secondary characters can feel quite one dimensional, but not in this case. All of the characters feel like they could be real.

A great historical romance and I highly recommend it. I’ll definitely be reading more from this author.

I received a copy of this book from Gay Romance Reviews, and this is my honest review.