C.S. Humble closes the curtain on the Peregrine Estate Trilogy with a thunderous, blood-soaked finale that is as tender as it is ruthless. Baroness of the Eastern Seaboard is a genre-defying work — equal parts queer love story, brutal western, and supernatural fever dream — all wrapped in the smoky haze of a world where emotion is a weakness and power is measured in bullets.

At the heart of this explosive conclusion are Larry Cornish and Sven Erickson, two elite gunfighters locked in a secret love that defies the brutal, hierarchical world of the Gunfighters Guild. The Guild’s twisted meritocracy — climb the ranks or die trying — is a chilling backdrop to their romance, which is both achingly beautiful and fundamentally doomed. In this world, love is not only forbidden; it is lethal.

When the Guild’s cruel rules force them apart, their separate paths spiral into peril and moral decay. Sven’s journey into the shadowy domain of the enigmatic Baroness is filled with psychological horror and visceral dread. Humble crafts the Baroness not as a mere villain, but a gothic force of nature — seductive, monstrous, and wholly unforgettable. Meanwhile, Larry’s vengeful descent into the underworld of brothels and broken men is raw, righteous, and tragically cathartic.

As with the previous entries in the trilogy, Humble’s prose sings with poetic grit. The action is razor-sharp, cinematic, and pulse-pounding, yet never overwhelms the deeply human core of the story: the desperate fight to hold onto love in a world that only knows power, hierarchy, and loss.

Thematically, Baroness of the Eastern Seaboard is a powerful meditation on masculinity, desire, and the cost of defiance. The romantic bond between Larry and Sven isn’t just a subplot — it is the driving force, a rebellion in and of itself against a society where vulnerability is fatal. It’s rare to find such a fearless, unapologetic portrayal of queer love in speculative fiction, especially one rendered with such aching sincerity and narrative weight.

This final installment doesn’t just stick the landing — it leaves a crater. Humble offers no easy answers, no tidy resolutions. Instead, he delivers something better: a brutal, beautiful reckoning that feels both timeless and urgently modern.

For readers who want their fantasy with teeth, their romance with fire, and their heroes with real scars, Baroness of the Eastern Seaboard is a must-read.

The Baroness of the Eastern Seaboard expands the lore and scope of C.S. Humble’s universe in all the best ways. Set against a backdrop of creeping supernatural danger and political maneuvering, we follow Larry and Sven as their pasts, and the choices that shaped them, come into sharper focus. The House of the Gun Guild’s inner workings are brought further into the light, adding layers to the already rich mythology. Along the way, we check in (briefly) with familiar faces like Ashley Sutliff and Gilbert Ptolemy, while Sarah Lockhart continues to be as sharp-tongued and formidable as ever.

Humble’s prose is as lyrical and vivid as always, balancing action with moments of quiet emotional resonance. The world feels bigger, the stakes higher, and the connections between characters deeper. I loved every page and can’t wait to see what comes next, though I’m still very much hoping for more from the Black Wells series to drop next.

I received an eARC of the Baroness of the Eastern Seaboard in exchange for an honest review through NetGalley.

Again, C. S. Humble is one of my favorite authors. I've given all his books 5 stars so far and I expected no less for this one. I did have some doubts in the beginning. I felt the relationship between Larry and Sven a bit too cheesy, but I have learned to trust Humble in his characters and I'm glad I did.

In this third book of The Peregrine Estate trilogy, we follow Larry and Sven, the Nine and Eleven respectively in the Guild of gunfighters. They, being in a relationship, have been called to the House of the Gun to answer to the Gold Pins for the future of their positions in the Guild. Meanwhile, Oliver Maine challenges a Gold Pin. Judge Ellison of The Peregrine Estate comes to the Guild to request one gunfighter for assist in his work.

I didn't connect with Larry and Sven as much as I have previous characters, but I do still love their story. I still say my favorite is Ptolemy, who isn't in the main part of this book. I also really enjoy Oliver Maine, but I do wish we could see more of him. I have not read the two books following The Massacre at Yellow Hill, but I do hope to get more of Maine at some point; if not in those books, maybe Humble will continue to expand on this world.

Even though I still give this book five stars, I think it is mostly the expansion of the world and the prose that puts it there. I wish I had been able to connect more with Larry and Sven and I think I was getting there more towards the end, but their dialogue with each other in the beginning took me out of the story a little. But trust the process! I promise it's worth it.

Horror? I think not.
This is a love story.
Another beautiful story from C. S. Humble. I loved it. I particularly liked what he has done with with dueling – the Gunfighters Guild. What a concept. A great story with beautiful writing and vivid descriptions with well developed characters. An epic love story, a horror about to be released on the earth, a worthy adversary, heartbreaking betrayal and sacrifice and a lot more – all culminating in a short and brutal gunfight.
I will be reading all the other books in this series and anything from C. S. Humble in future.

I received this book as an arc through netgalley and have only read this book and number 4 in the series. If you are as obsessed with the Dark Tower novels by Stephen King as I am, then you will love this book. The character development and scene depictions are magical. I cannot wait to read the rest of this series.

🐴🌅🩸Love & Horror🩸🌅🐴

Can we say, perfection?

Just a couple quotes that had me gagged, biting my pillow and kicking it up in bed.

"For as long as my life was my own, I gave it to you"

"Let your anger blossom, spring. Let it flourish
in our secret garden"

"I care so little for the whole of the world, now that you have become the world to me"

"I cannot believe you are in the world while I am in it. To have you is everything"

EXCUSE ME!!!! THIS IS A HORROR BOOK!!!
😩❤️✨️

This was so beautifully written, a love letter signed with blood. A story told about two Gunners, trying to defy society while also kicking ass. Did I mention this is a horror romance WESTERN??? 🤠❤️🩸

Ok, now that we got that out of the way, this was such an epic story that I did not want it to end. But once it did i was left so satisfied 😌 I literally cannot wait to hear more people thoughts on this saga, and to read the remaining books. I'm simply obsessed and have not stopped thinking about Larry and Sven! Also we get prospective from the other side (villain) and I was invested and would love a how-they-got-to-here story about them.

This was such an awesome way to wrap up the saga, I cannot wait for my preorders to get here and meet and read about the other characters involved!

I would love to thank NetGalley, Shortwave Publishing and C.S. Humble for allowing the opportunity to read and review this awesome ebook arc!

I had the distinct pleasure of reading this early and what can I say except... *perfection*. We have a sexy, sapphic villain. A heartfelt romance between two cowboys. Gunfighters. Ancient rituals. Impeccable writing. Epistolary elements. BISSSSSH LISTEN TO ME JUST READ THIS I AM NOT PLAYING WITH YOU!