Can't Spell Treason Without Tea – 4 stars

#CantSpellTreasonWithoutTea is a cosy fantasy inspired by Legend & Lattes by Travis Baldree. So, if you like L&L, then this story is your cup of tea.

Reina is a private bodyguard of the Quinn Tilaine. One day she gets enough of her job and decides to run away from the Quinn and the Palace. Kianthe is the most powerful mage of this time, who offers her girlfriend Reina to run away together and open a nice book cafe. In their escape, they ended up in a small town Tawny with nice and cherished people around.
Can they live the dream of a peaceful life together? The story has a few twists and turns and I will leave it up to you to discover how Reina and Kianthe is going to handle it.

I have given 4 stars only because of a bit of a rushing ending. Overall, it is a nice cosy reading. It is easy to fall in love with Reyna and Kianthe, their relationship feels healthy and supportive. The side characters are likable too. It is a good book with a good plot and I’m looking forward to the next one.

Author: Rebecca Thorne @rebeccathornewrites
Publisher: Pan Macmillan | Tor @panmacmillan
Pages: 352
Pub Date: May 09 2024

Thank you NetGalley for providing ARC in exchange for my honest review.

#CantSpellTreasonWithoutTea #NetGalley

I've been keeping my eye on this book for a while and luckily got the chance to read it through an arc from Pan Macmillan.
First of all, I really loved the main two characters, Reyna and Kianthe, and their romance gave me all the giddy feelings. Their backstories are so interesting and I loved their character arcs throughout the story. The only thing I would say is that they did share some similar destructive traits, for instance with risk-taking when they both went past their limits and put themselves in danger, which caused anxiety and worry for their partner.
This had a great plot and stakes to carry the book, but it still had the cosy vibes with building this book & teashop and getting to know the villagers, who I really enjoyed getting to know. I especially loved the banter and humour in the writing.
I do think the ending was a bit sudden and abrupt, I was hoping for more resolutions in this book but it does set up well for the sequel, A Pirate's Life for Tea, which I am looking forward to.
I would recommend this to cosy fantasy fans, and as a big fan of Legends & Lattes, it definitely warmed my heart to see that Travis Baldree was thanked in the acknowledgments too.
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ 4/5

Thank you to NetGalley, Pan Macmillan and Rebecca Thorne for the opportunity to read this advanced reader copy.

Review posted to Goodreads and to be posted to Amazon, Waterstones and Instagram on release date.

𝓡𝓾𝓷 𝓪𝔀𝓪𝔂 𝔀𝓲𝓽𝓱 𝓶𝓮. 𝓨𝓸𝓾 𝓵𝓲𝓴𝓮 𝓽𝓮𝓪. 𝓘 𝓵𝓲𝓴𝓮 𝓫𝓸𝓸𝓴𝓼. 𝓒𝓪𝓻𝓮 𝓽𝓸 𝓸𝓹𝓮𝓷 𝓪 𝓼𝓱𝓸𝓹 𝓪𝓷𝓭 𝓯𝓸𝓻𝓰𝓮𝓽 𝓽𝓱𝓮 𝔀𝓸𝓻𝓵𝓭 𝓮𝔁𝓲𝓼𝓽𝓼?

𝑅𝑒𝓋𝒾𝑒𝓌: ☆ ☆ ☆ ☆

An absolutely cosy and beautiful book, with just the right balance of character and plot!

Reyna and Kianthe dream of opening a bookshop together, which is a dream that I’ve often had too. They succeed, whilst also discovering a world of adventure and community.

I’m a massive fan of cosy books, and this was was brilliantly done. Reyna and Kianthe were an amazing couple, with their relationship between emotionally mature and developed. They really balanced each other out, and I loved how they interacted throughout the book.

They were also really developed characters when apart, which is what I love to see. Reyna’s sharp mind and surety quickly made her a fast favourite, while Kianthe’s wit and inner strength was brilliant to read! I love how they existed as both individuals and partners equally well!

The larger plot was interesting and entertaining, with a great balance of high stakes and amusing characters. I liked how reluctantly Reyna and Kianthe were at becoming the ‘main characters’ but they were well suited to it!! I can’t wait to see where their adventures take them next!!

I'm a fantasy girl. I don't like books without a touch of magic or a little something supernatural, paranormal or not entirely normal. However, I don't always do well with the angst and heavy themes in the more epic fantasy stories. Therefore I sometimes really want and need a cozy fantasy in my life. So, when I came across this book on Netgalley I had to request my copy. Luckily Tor granted me a review copy and this week it was finally time to get started.

Let me start with all the positive things. The writing style of this book is lovely and most of all easy without it feeling childish. I really flew through the book and it was a really quick read. I also liked how much thought went into world building. It's quite clear this world is huge, it's clear there are a lot of political issues in this world and the world is also filled with interesting creatures like dragons and griffins.

The plot of this book is actually also quite simple. Reyna is a guard of a not so good queen. Kianthe is a powerful mage and most of all they're in love. They run away to start a simple life running a book- and tea store in a small town. All the conflict in this book is caused by people or circumstances trying to get in the way of their calm happily ever after. Some conflicts are small and a little ridiculous. Others are bigger and might be lethal if not handled properly.

And I think therein lies my main issue with the book. Since those characters know so well what they want, since they're in a happy and committed relationship, and they love each other for who they are, there is little to none personal growth in this book. It's more of an adventure book. I also never really felt like I could connect with the characters on an emotional level. I also never really felt like I started caring about them.

If you like adventures in a fantasy world you might enjoy this book, if you prefer more character driven novels, like me, this book might not be the best choice.

Cosy fantasy is a subgenre I've only recently discovered and while not my favourite cosy book I found Can't Spell Treason Without Tea an excellent read.

The story revolves around Reyna, a former Queens guard and Kianthe who is an all powerful mage and their quest to escape their current lives and open a relaxing tea and bookshop. While the story is reminiscent of other fantasy titles it moves along at a fast pace and is always engaging. The thing I enjoyed most was that the main characters are delightful, Kianthe in particular was wonderfully written and continues the tradition of fantasy mages being a bit unpredictable, you never knew whether she would come out with an cheesy pun or threaten to burn everything around her. The Griffon Visk was also a favourite of mine, Rebecca Thorne showed real skill in making a character that can't talk so likeable.

I enjoyed the world building in this novel, descriptions of locations always gave you a good idea of what the characters were seeing or experiencing and there was enough history and customs explained to help flesh out the world.

Unfortunately there were a couple of things that didn't quite connect with me. With the tea/bookshop being a main story point I felt the stakes were at times very high for a cosy story, I think this is definitely a fantasy adventure rather than a cosy fantasy slice of life.

The other thing is that I wish some of the side characters had a bit more time in the story, in future novels in the series I hope we get to spend more time with some of the townsfolk.

All in all a thoroughly enjoyable high fantasy adventure.

Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for an copy of the book in exchange for an honest review.

Directly inspired by Legends and Lattes by Travis Baldree (as mentioned in the acknowledgments), this is a cosy fantasy. Reyna is a palace guard to a cruel queen and Kianthe is the all-powerful Mage of the Ages. Together, they run away to a remote town that is occasionally attacked by dragons, and set up a bookshop that sells tea.

As well as trying to keep a low profile, there is a mystery to solve involving missing dragon eggs, as well as bandits, debt collectors and palace spies to deal with. This is set up as a series, so don’t expect everything to be resolved by the end.

I read this right after finishing Iron Flame. Needless to say, I needed a low (ish) stakes and cosy vibes fantasy to calm me down and take my mind off of…all the things (gestures wildly). Some points are slightly under-developed but I would read this again and will happily read the upcoming sequel.

Release date 9th May.

This book was far cosier than you’d think a book with treason, danger, and spies could be and it was a charming small town read. I enjoyed following Reyna and Kianthe as they started a life together in a close knit village away from their obligations, finally able to be together, though not without risks. Anything with a community vibe really draws me in and I loved to see the two women making friends and bringing others together as they settled in. The talk of tea and baked goods was giving me cravings and I could happily have curled up in Reyna and Kianthe’s shop with a book and some treats.

Fans of Legends & Lattes are sure to find something familiarly cosy in this book.

This book was so adorable! I loved every second of it and I wanted more. Reyna and Kianthe were so adorable and badass! I literally want to open up my own book and tea shop. This is a low-stakes cosy book and it was perfect. The pacing was slow, which is how it should be, but I loved the slower moments just as much as the more action-packed ones. These characters grew on so quickly, I never wanted to put it down. Luckily I swapped between the book and the audiobook so I could keep reading even when busy!

Thank you to Tor and the author for a ARC copy of this book.

Going in I knew that the author had been inspired by Travis Baldrees cosy books Legends and Lattes and Bookshops and Bonedust and there is a definitely a similar vibe but I feel this book has more action in it than its inspiration and I enjoyed that element. It helped the story move at a faster pace but there are cosy elements to this book that I enjoyed.


If I had to give a critique of anything it would be the storyline layout. It felt a bit all over the place at times and an important element of the storyline was left open ended and I know it was used as a cliffhanger for the next book but I would have preferred a resolution when it had been brought up as much as it had. But its nothing that would put me off reading more and I will be sure to pick up the next book once its released.


So if you're into cosy books this is a good one to pick up.

I thought this was a fun and easy read, but the plot and characters were underdeveloped and I lacked the emotional connection with the book that I was hoping for in a cozy fantasy. The initial concept was fine and nothing too special in my opinion, mostly because I prefer epic fantasy and high stakes. However, the author threw in multiple storylines that were left incomplete at the end of the book, which made the ending feel abrupt and like an unfinished draft - this was honestly such a shame because I do love stories with random mishaps and plotlines along the way, as long as they're resolved. Also, the writing felt a little unpolished. There was a lot of telling and not enough showing, which meant I didn't feel the chemistry or depth of relationship between any of the characters, but mainly Reyna and Kianthe who we were clearly expected to root for. Despite this, I would read the hell out of a book about Feo, Wylan and the dragon mystery.

Thank you to NetGalley and PanMacmillan for providing a copy of this book for review. All opinions are my own.

I was just a little bored as we went through this, so it took me a long time to get through. I also couldn’t seem to connect with any of the characters, I just did not care for them. Also felt like the world building could have done with a bit more work

4.5⭐️This was a wonderfully whimsical and cozy fantasy that I loved from the first page. It was like a hug in book form and was an easy read with low (ish) stakes, likeable main characters and a lovely romance. This book managed to be well paced and exciting while still maintaining a calm and cozy atmosphere. I loved the world that was created and the side characters were fantastic and well rounded.

Cosy fantasies are quickly becoming a favourite genre for me! Can't Spell Treason Without Tea was inspired by Legends and Lattes (the author states as much in her acknowledgements) - and it is obvious however I found the plot to be sufficiently different and enjoyable. Reyna is Queensguard to an unhinged monarch, Kianthe the griffon-riding Mage of Ages. They fall in love and run away together, setting up a bookshop that sells tea in a quaint town that is also periodically attacked by dragons. The plot is easy going and slow-paced, driven by its characters who I adored.

The main "quest" doesn't really get off the ground, and I'm hoping that the sequel steps up in this regards as the premise is really exciting and i feel like a solod foundation has been laid to build on. If you're hunting for an action packed novel, this is not for you. It's an easy , wrap up under a blanket with a lovely cup of tea whilst it's raining and momentarily escape kinda book.

Firstly, Thank you to NetGalley for providing this ARC in exchange for an honest review.

I loved this! Sapphic cosy fantasy with Dragons, missing dragon eggs and evil queen and a tea shop which also sells/lends books. I want to visit and try the teas and pastries….. Reyna and Kianthe are fantastic characters and I loved their relationship and Kianthe’s bad jokes are brilliant. Would recommend and can’t wait for next instalment.

This was a bit underwhelming...

Can't Spell Treason Without Tea focuses on Reyna and Kianthe, a couple who have had very different life experiences. Reyna has worked as an elite bodyguard for a vengeful Queen pretty much all her life, which is how she meets Kianthe, the most powerful mage in existence. At the start of the book, both women run away to fulfil their ambition of opening a cosy bookshop/tea shop and we accompany them on this journey as they get used to this new lifestyle and get to know the people from Tawney, the small town they've chosen to settle in.

This cosy fantasy's debt to Travis Baldree's Legends & Lattes is evident and has been recognised by Rebecca Thorne in the original acknowledgements of the book. However, while Baldree's book maintained a really good balance of minimal but functional world-building, Can't Spell Treason Without Tea felt a bit too heavy-handed in its explanation of the world this story was set in. I did love the characters, but I felt like I expected more of the cosy and less of the fantasy going into this one. Overall, I love cosy fantasies, so it was nice to read another book in this subgenre and I loved Jessica Threet's narration of the book. It really made it come alive!

Thank you very much to Tor/Pan Macmillan for this e-ARC!

A cosy read with veryoveable characters. I like the style of writing, and feel overall it made for an easy comforting read.

Thank you to Netgalley for providing me with a ARC of this for a honest review,

A cozy fantasy, i really enjoyed the beginning of this book then by around 37 percent it started to feel like it was dragging for me. I adored the relationship between the couple and I loved the premise of this book before I even started reading it. The book started to pick back up for me at 50 percent. It was a great cozy fantasy which does lead into book 2 with the story which I'm glad to know as I had questions regarding the storyline. I don't think this book is the one for me as I felt bored at some points but the relationship between the main characters feels like it will keep flourishing in book 2 and be even stronger.

3.5⭐. Thank you NetGalley and Pan Macmillan for the ARC.

CSTWT is directly inspired by Legends & Lattes (as said outright by the author Rebecca Thorne in her acknowledgements), so comparisons between the two can be expected. I enjoyed L&L very much, and CSTWT slightly less so. While CSTWT nicely captures the relaxing, low-stakes vibe that comes with a cozy fantasy, it doesn't charm me as much as L&L. The main difference is that L&L's coffee shop is the heart of the story; it feels like a culmination of its cast's love and efforts in making it bustling and successful. In contrast, the tea/bookshop in CSTWT is mostly dressing. Once it is built and open for business, it just so happens to merely be a setting where interactions take place. So if you're expecting a similar-ish vibe of bookshop-running, time to realign your expectations.

CSTWT tries to set itself apart from L&L by focusing more on the outside forces plaguing the town of Tawney, where protagonists Reyna and Kianthe have settled in. There are two main external threats: the mystery behind the dragons attacking the town every now and then, and the tyrannical Queen whom Reyna has fled from, leading her to live a fugitive life. These two issues are understandably life-or-death situations, and actually make very interesting conflicts! But CSTWT feels like it's far too concerned with maintaining its "coziness", and therefore such stakes cannot possibly be any higher than the shop counter where tea is served. Both threats are resolved rather anticlimactically, and instead are delegated to "That's a future sequel problem" status. Despite the lukewarm so-called resolutions, these external issues managed to hold my attention when my interest waned at times (far too many times for my liking). so it did the job of getting me to read on.

The sapphic relationship between Reyna and Kianthe was delightful as a whole. Thankfully, author Thorne manages to add a layer of complexity by weaving in both women's insecurities in their roles in the other life's and differences in ideologies. Otherwise, it would've unfortunately been a pretty bland and safe romance.

3.25-3.50*

After a tough few years, comfort blanket reads have been my go-to so I've loved the rise of cosy fiction - be it mystery, science fiction or in this case, fantasy, I just can't get enough of low stakes, people driven stories.

In this addition to the subgenre we meet Reyna, a Queen's Guard and Kianthe, an all-powerful Mage who have run away together to set up their own bookish tea shop, far away from court intrigue and fighting. Along with a hardy band of supporting characters and loyal animal companions we go along with them on their adventures as they start their new lives together.

All the elements were there for me to have loved this book - books, tea, queer relationships, a great supporting cast of characters and adorable animal/creature sidekicks, but despite this combination there was something that fell a little flat and to be honest so whilst I liked it, I didn't love it. Also for me as a downside there was actually too much action for it to be truly considered cosy which is what I really wanted out of this.

I think at the core the relationship also didn't click in the way that others have in different books (i.e. in Legends and Lattes). A powerful mage and a queen's guard are two badass fantasy leads but their relationship lacked confidence and humour so the banter fell a bit flat and I felt that better connections were made with people like Tarly and Mathild. It did pick up towards the end but was a little bit too late unfortunately.

The world created however, is wonderful. It's vibrant and vivid with plenty of scope for further adventures in the future. The bookish tearoom is a wonderful idea and I loved when the book focused on them getting it fixed up and ready for business as that's when the story felt properly cosy and was exactly what I hoped for and wanted.

This was an ideal set up book for a series but doesn't read the best as a standalone. It's fun, with a fabulous setting and a lovely cast of characters. I wish it had clicked better for me but will still check out future instalments to see how the world develops and characters grow.

Thank you to Netgalley and Pan Macmillan | Tor for a digital review copy of "Can't Spell Treason Without Tea" in exchange for my honest and voluntary review.

This is a warm cosy read.. exactly what you need when you want to feel good. This was a delightful read full of whimsical feelings but also plot and tension..

It’s an easy read, easy to follow along everything you want when reading a story in the fantasy universe. Enjoyed reading the love and the relationship between the two main characters they were so likeable. I guess opening a bookshop doesn’t always go to plan.

The main reason why I loved this story was because of the side characters wish they were featured more in the story. Maybe more of them in the sequel ..and of course the dragons 🐉

can’t wait to read the sequel of this book. Thank you at net galley for the opportunity to read this arc
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