I really thoroughly enjoyed this book!
If I could describe it in just three words they would be warm, cosy and delightful.
I thoroughly enjoyed meeting all the characters and following the journey of the main characters throughout. This book is as welcoming as the townsfolk contained within.

This was a very interesting book. The premise ticked all the boxes for me, cosy fantasy, sapphic romance, dragons and a found family trope. However, I just didn't connect with it. Some chapters felt like filler chapters and I got really frustrated with the characters preaching to each other. I also feel like none of the story was resolved properly. There were no proper stakes! It's a shame as I was excited for this and had heard good things, I think I expected more.
However, I did enjoy the beginning and I know a few friends who would enjoy this book so I have recommended them!
Thank you for an eARC!

“You like tea, I like books. Let’s open a shop somewhere remote and forget the world exists.”

This book is the perfect winter read. It’s cozy and pretty slow paced, you just want to curl inside your blanket, and turn the pages with a hot mug to warm your hands. I savored it, took my time to read Reyna and Kianthe’s story.
In addition to being extremely cozy, with a subtle world building that looks more like a life building, that book teaches us that it’s okay to say no sometimes, that it doesn’t mean that you are weak or irresponsible. The rhythm allows us to breathe, despite the many events that happen. I loved the fact that for once we follow an established relationship. That changes the focus.
Both MC have pretty different ways to see life and what you can expect to deserve from it. But life threw them to responsibilities they never truly chose. When their way to look at their achievements change, that burn out threatens to show up, they finally change everything and open their shop… even if their safety isn’t better now, and they can’t expect for their past to forget them, neither for danger.
You can change the scenery, you won’t change who you are. But you might have the life you wanted for yourself.

I really enjoyed this book, i would be very happy to read the sequel when it comes out. I enjoyed the premise of this, set in a fantasy world it tells the story of Queens guard Reyna and the Arcandor, the mage of ages Kianthe who meet at the palace and fall head over heels for each other. One day they run away together and open up a Tomes and Tea shop, however they begin to be hunted by the Queens men and The Arcandor is tasked with keeping the dragons from burning their town down.

This contains a F/F main relationship and i loved every minute of that, it was romantic and sweet and genuinely heart warming and kudos to the author for not chucking in gatuitous sex scenes. The only thing i would say is that i dont really understand why the need for the pronoun paragraph about the Dairn, it made no sense to the story, it had no purpose really and i felt as though it had just been chucked in there for the sake of it. I was baffled by it for a few reasons, these people dont have flushing toilets but we are expected to believe they know what pronouns and non binary are? And the Dairn is a side character and is barely mentioned so i didnt feel it was necessary, there was a huge emphasis on the they them stuff but no conversation with the Dairn themselves about gender. It was the only thing in the book i was really baffled by.

Loved Visk and i cant wait to see the little Gryphon baby grow up, and i think there is going to be a M/M relationship between the Dairn and the Lord which you can see coming but would make absolutely zero sense.

That being said, i did enjoy it, i especially liked the dragon fight and the task the dragons set The Arcandor which should prove interesting and liked the little teaser at the end for book 2.

4/5 from me.

This book grows on you (ha, elemental magic puns). At first I was a bit underwhelmed. I liked the book/tea shop parts and the relationship between Reyna and Kianthe but felt like it was trying to set up too many plot lines.

However, as I got into it, I got attached to all the side quests and how all these things will continue is intriguing enough that I will probably read the sequel. The characters are loveable, both the protagonists and the people they meet along the way and I loved the descriptions of New Leaf.

I felt a bit thrown into the deep end with Reyna and Kianthe’s relationship at the start and almost wanted this book to be a sequel to a book of their meeting and their relationship developing. Because of that, I did really enjoy the short story at the end of the book but could have enjoyed it more if that had been the start of the story. I may just be being greedy though because I love a meet cute and it was refreshing to have the characters relationship established and the focus be on the other plot points.

Overall, this is a good and easy read! I’m a plot lover so I’m glad this has more worldbuilding and plot development than other cosy fantasies that are just vibes and vibes alone. Now to fantasise about my own lifelong dream of owning my own book/coffeeshop 💭

⭐️⭐️⭐️.75 rounded up to 4

This was fine. Most comparable to Baldree’s Legends & Lattes, and it does not live up to this comparison. I enjoyed the setting and the themes of tea and coziness, but found it to be such a long book for a simple tale.

I think this could have benefitted from being 100 pages shorter.

Very enjoyable cozy fantasy by Rebecca Thorne. the fact it is sapphic as well, means it ticks every box for me. The characters feel very alive, with enjoyable secondary characters and plotlines that help flesh out the world. There is a really good balance between maintaining pace of plot and allowing the cozy vibes to shine through.

I very much look forward to reading the sequel, and encourage anyone to pick up this book who wants a little bit of calm & tea in their life.

Can’t spell treason without tea - Rebecca Thorne.

By the authors own admission this book was influenced by Legends and Lattes and you can tell that. That said this is no way just a copy of that book, far from it. Although there might be similarities, the way they are dealt with and the storylines are completely different. If you loved Travis Baldree’s book but found yourself yearning for a bit more… a bit more romance, a bit more action, a bit more tension, griffins and dragons! ….. then this book is most definitely for you. Yet keeps within the cosy, whimsical, fantasy realm.
I absolutely loved the relationship between Reyna and Kianthe. They each had their own unique personality traits, Reyna a Queen’s guardsperson and Kianthe a mage, yet came together as a couple in a beautiful way to try and make their joint dream of opening a book and tea shop a reality. Not surprisingly this doesn’t come without sacrifices, dangers, hard work and some awful puns! (Courtesy of Kianthe), and a lot of tea.

I honestly enjoyed ever page of this book. It’s full of pure wholesome fantasy. With queer protagonists, non binary representation, magic, sword fights, dragons and an adventure which will take you to straight to book 2.

So happy that I have had the chance to read this before its physical copy release in May, I will be buying a copy. Just need the second book now!

Cosy Fantasy becoming a fully fledged genre is a wonderful thing, but as it is still in its infancy I think that is meaning authors aren't fully sure where they can push their narratives. For me, this book suffered for that.

I loved the cosy fantasy take on lesbians moving to a remote village after meeting about 6 times to open a bookstore/plantstore/cafe - absolutely excellent take on everything lesbians are fantasising about.

I just don't think this world or these characters was fully developed on the page - these women are apparently both very powerful but can just....wander off? The magical system isn't set up particularly comprehensively and felt made up as we went along. The characters don't bounce off each other they way they could if this had a little more time in the oven.

That said, it's an easy, cosy read as promised. There is enough going on and it's good enough that I read hoping it would start to really catch my attention. The best bit was absolutely, hands down the griffons.

I want to thank the author, the publisher, and NetGalley for this ARC.

I read this book a while ago and now have the opportunity to read the new edition, thanks to NetGalley. “Can't Spell Treason Without Tea” does something that I rarely see in books, it has a couple that is already together and in love. So instead of wasting time making them fall in love, we can see them living their lives and trying to conquer their dreams. It’s a fun, cute love story, full of tea, magic, and dragons.

I was so looking forward to this one and unfortunately was left disappointed - I picked this up wanting to read a cosy fantasy (it really isn't at all) and low stakes but ended up with just fantasy with a hint of mystery.

What I enjoyed -
The banter and dynamic between the characters Reyna & Kianthe
Found family in the community
Dragons!

I found Reyna and Kianthe's relationship frustrating, they have been together for a couple of years but didn't feel the chemistry as a solid relationship should have by then and this was because we were always being told things about them, not shown

Over all, I would have liked this book more if it was categorised correctly and cut down by 100 pages. I loved the idea of this book but there wasn't enough to hold my attention to want to pick up a sequel.

Thank you to Net Galley & Pan Macmillan for an arc of this book in exchange for an honest review.

I would die a million times over for these lesbians. (Yes you can quote me on that).

I never thought there would be a cozy fantasy to top Legends and Lattes but Treason came in swinging!

The book had a great premise and the plot waa super intriguing but in the end the book just wasn't for me and I didn't not finish it.

A really delicious cozy fantasy. I don't think there is another way to describe this. It's got lovely characters, a really nice plot and there really is nothing to dislike about it. Definitely recommend - a cuddle in a cup

Personally I found this book to be a lot of fun which is the main reason for my high rating.

The storyline for me was interesting and had some interesting ideas. However, it was eerily similar to Legends & Lattes. I am not trying to accuse anyone of doing anything but the fact that there were so many similarities just made it seem a bit more predictable to me. I personally would’ve liked to see some more unique ideas included. I would hate for the cozy fantasy genre to start relying heavily on tropes.

Also, I thought that the conflict resolved a little bit too conveniently. The fact that this novel had such high stakes for a cozy fantasy (Rayna was literally about to get executed) suggested to me that there would be a clever resolution to the issue and there would be a major concluding scene. This however didn’t really happen and I found that the conclusion was a little bit underwhelming.

Finally, I thought that the magic system needed a bit more refining. There didn’t seem to be real clear rules to the magic meaning that I never really knew what was possible.

Despite all of my criticisms I did actually enjoy this book and will read the next one when it comes out. I think this book probably doesn’t have as much of a cozy feel to it as some other books in the genre due to the stakes which is something to bear in mind for other readers.

When you've been reading as long as I have you know that no genre is new. Thirty five years ago I was eagerly reading regency, romantasy (not that it was called that then), cosy crime, vampire fiction, YA dystopia, dragon adventures, romcoms etc etc. It was a lot rarer to find much of any of said genres, depending what was in and out of publishing fashion, especially when reliant on libraries - although the year I spent in the States I gorged on a diet of regencies and cosy crime far superior to that available in the UK. What I mean is that, despite what TikTok claims, nothing is new.
Except, maybe, sapphic fantasy set in cosy cafes with a hint of peril. Because this is the second book in this oddly specific sub genre I have come across and read in a matter of weeks. Both books share a kickass heroine who wants to stop with the kicking and decamps to a small town far away from anyone who may know them, to do up a derelict building (described in loving detail), bake and make tea or coffee whilst fending off threats from former kickass life, fall in love with romantic opposite and settle into small town.
Does this work as a genre? It's clearly hit a nerve with the cosy vibe loving millenials as both books were previously indie published and have been picked up by major publishing houses. I can see why: there is something oddly soothing about the interior decor and baking detail crossed with peril.
So how does Can't Sell Treason Without Tea stack up as a cosy cafe sapphic fantasy? It was an okay read. The characters, both main and supporting worked, the decor/baking vibes soothing enough, the worldbuilding felt consistent. I was a little bored though and I think it's partly because the pace was off, the first half in particular very slow, and partly because the author lapsed into telling an awful lot which made the book feel more like a draft than the finished article. I kind of enjoyed it, but was impatient to get onto something else and, although this is part of a series, am unlikely to read the next.
Will I take a look at the next fantasy meets small town cafe and interior decor book that crosses my path? Possibly!

This is exactly the cosy fantasy I wanted it to be! Just a cute, non-problematic, medium-stakes read with a sense of humour and great LGBTQ+ representation.

I loved every page and couldn't put it down, devouring the whole book in less than 36 hours.

I loved the relationship between the two main characters (although a few 'dears' and 'loves' could do eith being edited out). For a cosy fantasy, the magic system was explained well and organically, without heavy explanations being needed.

I say it's a medium-stakes fantasy as there are a few overarching things that create a sense of peril so it's not totally low-stakes. This does mean that it makes sense that this is part of a series and not a standalone book.

I've pre-ordered a signed copy of this book and I'm so glad I did because I love it. It's like hot chocolate in book form.

4.5 stars rounded up to 5

Can't Spell Treason Without Tea shows that it isn't always that easy to leave your old world behind. The story follows Reyna and Kianthe, as they run away from their old lives to be together and live a more peaceful existence, filled with their love for tea and books. However, they don't get their happily ever after just yet, especially as new problems in the shape of dragons arise.

The inspiration that has been taken from Legends and Lattes is clear, and I'm glad that Rebecca Thorne did make it something of her own. The biggest addition is that it has more adventure. Where their shop serves as a centre where they return to, they occasionally leave town to deal with bigger issues than the brewing time of tea. Although I loved the plot, it did take away from the character interactions. The relationship between Reyna and Kianthe did get some action, but there was little about the customers coming in. I find that disappointing, as it was so well done in Legends and Lattes. The story is less about running a tea and book shop, and more just set in one.

The magic system and the world-building intrigued me, although it is a bit simple, making it accessible for people new to the fantasy genre, but might leave long-term fans longing for more.

The climax at the end did feel rushed. Some things are left unresolved for the next book, but as I loved this story and its characters, I'm happy to pick that one up and see what happens next!

4.5 stars - a sweet cosy fantasy with bookshops, dragons, griffons and lots of tea.

Reyna and Kianthe decide to runaway and open a bookshop and tea shop. Sounds perfect but Reyna is now on the run for treason and Kianthe is the leader of the Mages. Hiding in a small town Tawney they uncover found family and low stakes adventure.

I loved this story it had the perfect blend of adventure and plot but remaining on the cosy side plus a beautiful and healthy sapphic relationship between the two main FMCs.

The book leaves one plot point open for the next book to continue on with but it could still be read as a stand alone but I will definitely be picking it up.

Would recommend for readers looking to get into fantasy as it’s a very easy read. Similar to the very secret society of irregular witches and the house in the cerulean sea for the found family and magic vibes.

Can't Spell Treason Without Tea by Rebecca Thorne is a sapphic romance and cosy fantasy carefully woven together as one - perfect for fans of Travis Baldree and TJ Klune.

The cottage-core vibes are immaculate. Think homemade buttermilk and blueberry scones, freshly brewed rose and mint tea and piles of dusty books.

I desperately wanted to fall in love with this book, however, despite the dreamy setting and super sweet connection between Reyna and Kianthe, I felt that both the characters were far too similar at times and rather lacking in depth. I would often forget from which POV I was reading and have to go back and check, which took me out of the story.

Also, as their relationship was already established prior to the beginning of the book, I felt like we had skipped a huge part of their journey together. There were constant sweeping declarations of love throughout, however, I didn't have a strong emotional connection to the characters to be truly invested in the outcome.

There were also a lot of loose ends that I felt could have been tied up and therefore the ending felt anticlimactic