*Can't Spell Treason Without Tea* is a cozy and charming fantasy with an enjoyable premise—Reyna and Kianthe, two women with interesting backstories, open a book and tea shop in a picturesque village. The setting is delightful, and their chemistry as a couple is fun and engaging. The lighthearted tone and magical elements make it a relaxing escape. However, the pace can be slow at times, and the conflicts are resolved a bit too easily, which made it harder to stay fully invested. Still, it’s a feel-good read with plenty of heart, and I’m curious to see where the story goes next.

Loved this fun cosy book! I don’t think I’ve read anything similar to this before so it was a nice change!

This being sold as a cozy-fantasy might be misleading for some readers as there is quite a bit of action within this book which did not bother me at all, I would say this is more of a cozy adventure fantasy book. I know its being compared to Legends & Lattes a lot but I think that does this novel a disservice. If youre like me and one of the outliers in thinking L&L was a little too slow paced & plotless then this might just be the book for you!

The cozy vibes are definitely there but there is also a good amount of plot with plenty of action to sink your teeth into + a lesbian romance. I found this really enjoyable with a fun world and interesting characters.

Honestly, I know cozy fantasy isn't everyone's cup of tea (ha.) and I'm not sure it's mine either, but this was sweet. I generally enjoyed it, being able to completely shut off my brain while reading, which is a rare thing, but, to be quite honest, I ended up being ... a little bored. It was a lot of the same things over and over, and those aforementioned things ended up being resolved in ... a fairly simple and lackluster way. There's been this looming sense of danger, hanging over our heroines the entire story, and it's just ... done with, in one single conversation. Oh, well. I still had a fun time, but this just won't make my list of favorite-books-of-all-time.

Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for providing me with an ARC.

I really enjoyed this one! I'm not the biggest fan of cozy fantasy but I did like this one.
The author did a great job at balancing coziness and plot with some adventure being mixed in.

The romance was great, and I really enjoyed the dynamic between them.
I also really liked the world. I think the author has more books set in this world which I am very excited for.

Firstly, thank you to Netgalley for providing the audio book for review. Even though I ended up buying a copy and reading most of the book. The audio book just didn't click for me.

I was very excited for this book and had my preorder in for book two (which will get read as it's on my shelves but no idea when that will be) months ago. I have struggled with this book, coming back to it over and over and never quite reaching the expectations I had for it.

"Cosy Fantasy" is what the marketing for Treason kept selling me, but I don't think it fits. I think if I hadn't expected cosy I probably would have enjoyed this more. The story is also bitty and busy while having chapters where nothing happens.

Also, if the chapter headers hadn't told me which character was the focus I wouldn't have been able to tell. Their voices are rather similar.

I was so excited for this, so I'm probably more negative than if I'd gone in blind. I hope that when I do pick up book 2 I will enjoy everything more because I know what to expect..

I am very new to the cosy fantasy subgenre but my friend had been raving about this book since it was an indie publication, so I took the plunge!

I’m not 100% convinced I am the target audience for books like this, I enjoyed it but for me it felt like something was missing but I can’t really explain what? Maybe it was the fact that it didn’t feel particularly cosy but also didn’t feel as high stakes as regular fantasy? I don’t know! But I am glad I read it, even if only to be able to talk to my friend about it!

I had a lot of issues with this and I'm pretty disappointed because I thought it was going to be great fun. The writing was repetitive and did far more telling than showing, which made some of the things we were meant to believe unrealistic. We were *told* throughout the story that Kianthe is incredibly powerful, but we never really see it apart from during the dragon fight scene. We're also told that she and Reyna care deeply for each other, but I wish the author had shown us more of that in their actions and tender moments, rather than reminding us every other chapter. The dialogue, too, was cliche and overblown and felt like the author was trying to write the sort of fun, snappy dialogue we see in Hollywood movies (but unfortunately it very much missed the mark). The ending was also pretty anticlimactic (you want me to believe that the Queen, who we've been repeatedly told is dangerous and ruthless, just lets them go?), though I can see how it's being set up for the second book. Sadly, this didn't hit for me at all.

This is the perfect book to cosy up with by the fire this autumn with a hot drink and a cake! It’s a cosy, queer read with friendship, small town vibes and a good dose of action too. I really enjoyed the dynamic between our main characters and loved that we got to see both their relationship and their individual lives too. The only thing that bothered me a little was that there were multiple points where it felt like the story was coming to an end and then something else would happen to keep it going. I will however continue with the series as I’ve become invested in these characters and their world! I’d 100% recommend if you’ve enjoyed things like Legends & Lattes and The Dallergut Dream Deparment Store.

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I have realised that I don't think I am the biggest fan of fantasy version of real world things as I keep trying to real world-ify the magical bookshop and cafe as someone who works in a bookshop and cafe. I will say that I did enjoy the plot but found it hard to differentiate between the two main characters from a narrator stand point.

This was loads of fun. A cosy fantasy that is, as over-used as the term is these days, a real 'romp.' It's pacy and imaginative and spikier than most cosies I've read lately (in a good way!). Loved the sapphic romance. I wasn't immediately impressed by the narrator, but she quickly won me over. Can't wait to read the author's new book!

This book was the perfect cosy fantasy, and so very ideal for Autumn. It has a unique blend of adventure, romance and court intrigue, and I can't wait to read the next one.

The audiobook narrator did an amazing job with the different voices and accents, and I recommend the audiobook to any audio-reader.

Perfect for fans of Legends & Lattes, Thorne is a fantastic addition to the cosy fantasy genre.

Thank you to Netgalley for an audio ARC of this book, and to BookBreakUK for a physical ARC.

This is a really fun, lighthearted book. I enjoyed the characters and the world created.
The audiobook was well read and enjoyable.

I had to dnf this ARC as it was incredibly repetitive and wasn’t much a fan of both the audiobook and reading it myself through the physical proof I was gifted

I can't recommend this cosy read highly enough! Creative, heartwarming, and soothing as a cuppa. I've already recommended it to my friends and I bought a hard copy for myself!

Can't Spell Treason Without Tea felt like it was trying to be Legends & Lattes, but fell flat on its execution. It's hard to do a cosy, lowstakes fantasy when your protagonists have a highstakes conflict.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for providing an e-ARC copy of this book, in exchange for this honest review.

The audiobook Can't Spell Treason Without Tea by Rebecca Thorne is a true treasure! It's cosy and completely enthralling, just like curling up with your favourite tea on a winter afternoon. The story of Reyna and Kianthe is masterfully intertwined with sapphic passion, exhilarating adventure, and a hint of dragon magic, as they travel from their troubled pasts to opening a charming bookshop in a little village. Thorne's universe will please fans of TJ Klune and Legends & Lattes with its unexpected surprises and uplifting nature. This is the ideal option if you're searching for a cosy and endearing audiobook to lose yourself in.

Reyna and Kianthe dream of opening a friendly book shop together, serving the very best tea and cakes. But Reyna is an elite bodyguard to a vengeful queen, and Kianthe is the most powerful mage in existence. Leaving their lives behind seems . . . impossible. Yet they flee to Tawney, a town nestled in the icy peaks of dragon country. There, they open the bookstore they'd always wanted.

I was truly in the mood for this! After a whole week of tiring work days, it was so good to escape to the book and tea shop run by Reyna and Kianth, two of the most powerful people in this fantasy realm. Cozy fantasy seems to be gaining traction lately, and I’m ready for them all!

Reyna and Kianth made the perfect grumpy-sunshine couple. Their chemistry was palpable, the banters were entertaining, and the adventure was fun. I really couldn’t think it would be possible to open a bookshop in the midst of dangerous dragon attacks - perhaps in this world, you couldn’t be a bookseller if you weren’t either a royal assasin or a poweful mage!

The audiobook I listened to was narrated perfectly! I chuckled a few times listening to it. I’m truly looking forward to the sequel!

I enjoyed this story, but it took some time to get into it.
Would love to visit the magical bookshop/tearoom they have created :)

I just finished ‘*Can't Spell Treason Without Tea’* by Rebecca Thorne, and I’d give it three stars. It’s a really cozy, magical story with a cute premise—two women ditch their old lives to open a bookshop and tea shop in a charming little village. Sounds perfect, right?

The setting is definitely what I loved most. The way Thorne describes the village, the shop, and all the little details of their daily life made me want to curl up with a cup of tea and just soak it all in. It’s the kind of book that feels like a warm hug—super comforting and easy to get lost in.

But, honestly, the story was a bit slow for me. There were times when I felt like not much was happening, and I started to lose interest. I get that it’s meant to be a low-stress, cozy read, but I lost momentum to get the story going. And whenever a problem did come up, it seemed to get solved almost too easily. I never really felt like the characters were in any real trouble or had to work hard to overcome anything. I would’ve liked to see them struggle a bit more to make the story feel more engaging.

Overall, *Can’t Spell Treason Without Tea* is a cute, feel-good book that’s great if you’re in the mood for something light and relaxing. It didn’t totally wow me, but it was a nice escape for a while. If you love cozy reads with a bit of magic, this could be worth checking out.