Reyna, an elite bodyguard to the Queen and Kianthe, the most powerful mage in the realm flee the Queendom to the small town of Tawney where they open a book/tea shop.

It is difficult not to compare this to Bookshops and Bonedust/Legends and Lattes as the storyline is very similar. Nonetheless, this was a light fantasy adventure, witty with a little romance, magic and a few dragons and griffins along the way.

This cosy fantasy was an easy listen audiobook and the narrator did a great job. She created defined characters with superb accents.

I did enjoy this but I think I had higher expectations. More Tea please!!

Thank you to NetGalley, the author and publishers for this ARC.

I find it always more difficult to empathise with an already established couple, especially when they are this similar in character, both stubborn, ambitious, don't take good care of themselves but worry about their partner..... and the beginning was quite slow paced, with the shop renovation and the cozy vibes of the friendly helpful village and new friends and such, loving tea and books (not sure which woman liked what) but then the mage-one is also summoned to save people from dragons and it felt a bit disjointed for me.
The narrator did a really good job, though, and I can imagine other people loving this. Maybe it just wasn't for me.

I thoroughly enjoyed this one. It's a great mix between cosy but with a touch of adventure. It's a great low stakes cosy fantasy. I love Reyna and Kianthe relationship and how they balance each other out. I loved how they found their place in the world by building their cosy little tea/book shop. In this process they manage to find a loving community. I'm looking forward to the next book to get answers to my lingering questions.
The narrator did an amazing job. She emerged me in the story and made it feel like I was really there. Very easy to understand while being very entertaining.

I really enjoyed this book!

This story is about a pair of young lovers whose dream it is to run away and open a tea/book shop. Reina is the Queens body guard and Kianthe is a very high ranking (if not the the most high ranking) mage in the assembly. Something happens and they actually follow through with their dream and run away. We follow them through the story as they make their dream a reality.

The characters are adorable together and their romance is very sweet and genuine. I especially liked Kianthe and her absolute adoration of her girlfriend. They’re both really likable, as are the rest of the other townsfolk. By the end I was really attached to all of them

The Plot is low stakes, though admittedly I was worried for a while at first because it didn’t seem like it would be. Though I suppose, Treason isn’t really low stakes in the best of circumstances. In any case, the bulk of the story is wonderfully heartwarming. The relationships they develop with the townspeople are wholesome and meaningful. There are some stakes in relation to Reina and her escape from the queen, nothing that you wouldn’t expect considering the way she left, and some other stakes with dragons. Overall they don’t weigh heavy enough on the story that I wouldn’t say this isn’t a cozy read. It kept things interesting and helps the story progress wonderfully.

The only thing I would say I didn’t enjoy as much would be that occasionally, the banter between characters threw me a little off with phrases that felt more suitable for a present day story rather an a fantasy one. However that could just be a me issue. It was somewhat jarring for me, though I suspect it might easily be overlooked by other readers.

Overall, I found this book really enjoyable and cozy. I am somewhat biased of the premise because I adore tea and books so much. Still, if you enjoy cozy reads, stupidly in love girlfriends, and a host of lovable characters, I would absolutely recommend this book.

The audiobook of this story is amazing. It truly felt like Kianthe and Reina were talking when the narrator read their parts. The pacing was perfect with no awkward pauses or rushed phrases. They truly did a wonderful job of keeping the listener engaged at all times.

Thank you to Pan Macmillan via NetGalley for sending me the ARC. This review is my true and honest opinion. Will be Posted to my Goodreads and Amazon and instagram when it is available.

Unfortunately I don’t think this book was for me. I had really high expectations for this book and that’s not the author’s fault. There has been quite a bit of hype around this book, however, it was boring. I struggled through the audiobook and found myself zoning out quite often and hoping it would be over soon.

Thank you for the opportunity to listen to this audiobook before publication.

I enjoyed the characters in this book, the setting was cute and cosy although it was more high stakes than I was expecting. I really enjoy cosy fantasy, this book was more active and exciting than is usual for cosy fantasy.

With so much being made of the queen and the danger they are both in this was resolved very quickly. I'm hoping for an expansion on this in book 2.

What a delightful wholesome fantasy read! I picked up Can't Spell Treason Without Tea to scratch that itch after finishing Legends and Lattes, and oh how well it did so! Fast-paced but wholesome, Reyna's decision to turn away from the years of service in the Queendom to live a quiet life with her girlfriend (and amazing Mage) Kianthe sets the plot in motion right from the start.

Of course, it doesn't last, but the dream of a bookshop with tea and baked pastries ends up building its side characters beyond the side characters away from merely 'noble' or 'healer' into more complex recurring visitors to the narrative.

This book was everything I hoped it would be! I'd heard such amazing things about it and going in with high expectations I was a bit worried but didn't need to be. This book is so cosy and wholesome and the characters are incredible! I love the setting of this and the different people we meet along the way.

Can't Spell Treason Without Tea follows Reyna and Kianthe as they want to escape to a small village to open a tea shop, but their jobs and histories are soon going to catch up to them. I was rooting for this couple from the very beginning and love the dynamic between the two. This book has everything from quiet, relaxing slice-of-life moments to fights with dragons and bandits. And not forgetting all of the tea-riffic puns of course.

After finishing this book I desperately wanted to visit these characters in the village, it all just felt so real and the characters so believable. I want to read the next one immediately! The magic system of this world also has me very intrigued; it's much more subtle than in other fantasy books and not everyone can use magic, but that made seeing it seem so much more interesting and enjoyable even when it's just used to do mundane things.

I really enjoyed the experience of listening to the audiobook for this. It was easy to differentiate between the characters and I could imagine it all playing out in my head like a movie.

Really looking forward to continuing with this series and I think Rebecca Thorne will be an auto-buy author for me going forwards.

Rebecca Thorne is a talented writer but this book just wasn’t for me. It only really got interesting for me personally in the short story at the end when the two main characters meet for the first time. I think perhaps cozy fantasies aren’t my thing, I kept waiting for something more to happen.

A cosy fantasy tale featuring two powerful women who fall in love: Regna; bodyguard to the Queen, and Kianthe, the most powerful mage in the kingdom. The pair want to escape danger and open up a cosy bookshop, serving teas and living a quieter life, filled with love and great company. The Queen is not so accommodating of their desires and threatens their blissful plans. Adventure and mishaps abound. A well narrated audiobook. #cantspelltreasonwithouttea #Rebeccathorne #netgalley #auduobook

Can't Spell Treason Without Tea is a mostly cosy, adorably romantic, and tea-rrific fantasy packed with puns, magic, and slow build drama.

I was enchanted by the partnership between Reyna and Kianthe. Not only are they immensely supportive of one another, they also have addressed the importance of communication when maintaining a relationship. They have established a rule to discuss their anxieties so neither has to dwell alone, and that captures the entire spirit of this book.

It was really interesting hearing the differences between the original version of Can't Spell Treason Without Tea and the new release - even if you've read this book before, it's well worth checking out again as there are many edits that change the atmosphere of scenes or add further detail. Plus the audiobook is so well narrated. Each character is distinguished by a particular voice, and it helps bring the story even more alive. It was wonderful hearing the back and forth banter between the main characters - it captures their love, fear, and anger so well. I really hope it's the same narrator for book two!

From dramas with dragons and the threat of execution to setting up tea shipments and training new help for the business, this story holds both quiet moments and tense political intrigue that will capture a wide variety of readers. If you enjoyed Legends and Lattes, A Coup of Tea, or Cursed Cocktails, you need to pick this one up.

🎧Audio Book Review🎧

Can't Spell Treason Without Tea
Rebecca Thorne

🌟🌟🌟🌟

I was drawn to this book initially because of the promise of books and tea - 2 of my favourite things!
I don't read tons of fantasy so was intrigued by the blurb and couldn't wait to dive in.

I really liked the fact that there wasn't a huge amount of world building at the start - just enough to get to grips with who the characters are and what they stand for.
We then pick this up as the girls move to Tawney where we meet the residents and see the girls develop together.

Reyna and Kianthe's relationship was so sweet. Both obviously from completely different walks of life, but with such a great chemistry.
Reyna being in the queen's guard and Kianthe being the mage of ages, they both found it tricky to leave behind their responsibilities to live the life they dreamed of together.
So it was lovely to see them make a break for it and to hide out and open their own bookshop serving tea.

I was really rooting for them to be left alone and to be able to live this life together - but as they start to make friends and renovate their barn - action and adventure seeks them out....

The bookshop was just ideal - an absolute dream and I loved watching the pair create their new home.

Although the girls were our main characters, there was quite a cast of supporting characters who fitted into the storyline perfectly.
I loved Matilde and Gosling and especially loved Visc, Kianthe's griffin - and their storyline.....no spoilers!

This book was definitely focussed more on building the characters - but there were strong hints as to where the storyline might head in future books - I don't think this spoiled the book for me, rather just set up the next storyline and got me more invested in what will come next...

I sometimes find fantasy rather hard work and in need of major concentration to keep on top of the plot - but this was a lovely, easy read and I'm keen to read the next book in the future.



💕Thank you to the author, publisher and NetGalley for my ARC copy - this is my honest review 💕

I really enjoyed this audiobook. Treason Without Tea definitely addresses the same audience as the Legends and Lattes series but I would say that this is particularly for fans of cosy fantasy who like action. It feels like a great bridging novel from YA into adult fantasy. I really enjoyed the balance of magic in this book but could have done with more shop, book, and tea. It could have been an extra 100 pages which I don’t say often.

Will look forward to the sequel.

A cosy fantasy which had me hooked from the offset. I loved the characters and the setting. This felt like a warm hug. It reminded me of Legends and Lattes but with more action and dragons!

This a light fantasy book cadencing in the love life of a queen's guard and a powerful mage. Keeping all the politics and power aside, they only want to exist in the periphery of books and tea in a border town that does not fall in any jurisdictions. But there is always more to life than our daytime fantasies, and few things are too sweet to be true so easily.

The book articulately blends fantasy in a historical fiction setting with low stakes and small plot twists occurring at a steady pace. Read this book when you want an easygoing fantasy story with cozy vibes. The character development of both FMCs is fierce yet unique which highlights how people with the same traits can still be very different. The found family dynamics of a small town were another green tick in the cozy ambience of the book.

Though it does not end on a cliffhanger, there is another book in the series & I think I have to read it to fetch the unanswered questions this book has left me with.

Thank you @netgalley @macmillan.audio and @rebeccathornewrites for the ARC
Genre: #cozy #fantasy #lgbt
Rating: 3.5/5 ⭐️


CantSpellTreasonWithoutTea #NetGalley

I had high hopes for this as I've been more into Cozy Fantasy books recently! It did not live up to my expectations at all. The chemistry between the main couple was very surface level, a bit too corny for my taste. The writing style felt a bit like an info dumpy. I really wanted to like this but I just really didn't connect with the MCs.

Está claro que hay alguna relación indisoluble entre la fantasía cozy y el té, porque no hay libro que no se encuadre en este subgénero que no esté regado con litros y litros de infusión. Esto de por sí no tiene que ser malo, pero me gustaría que aparte de eso sucediera algo más en la novela y es algo que en Can’t Spell Treason Without Tea se echa mucho en falta. Un conflicto, algo que nos haga tener más interés por la historia, porque tanto buenrollismo altera menos la tensión que un vaso de agua destilada a palo seco.


Can’t Spell Treason Without Tea es la historia de una pareja un tanto inverosímil, una guardia real y una poderosa hechicera, que sueñan en secreto con huir y montar una librería con servicio de te. Porque claro, cuando eres capaz de derrotar dragones con el chasquido de dos dedos o vas aniquilando amenazas que penden sobre tu soberana, es muy normal pensar en pastitas de té.

En un mundo poblado de dragones y con intrigas palaciegas variadas, lo mínimo sería que hubiese algo de tensión, pero es que todo les sale rodado a las protagonistas. La guardiana que no debería dejar su puesto bajo pena de muerte se escapa del palacio con una facilidad apabullante, la hechicera ultrapoderosa que debería estar defendiendo el reino tiene tiempo para tratar las impermeabilidades del granero que convierten en librería, y las situaciones más conflictivas y peligrosas a las que se enfrentan son una herida infectada y una caída en altura (el PRL de la fantasía deja bastante que desear).

Las relaciones interpersonales que también deberían ser un pilar en este tipo de libros se dan por supuestas. Llegamos al pueblo y ya son todos amigos para siempre cual canción de Los Manolos. Y los dos supuestos gerifaltes del pueblo al que van a parar, enfrentados por el poder, ya sabemos cómo van a acabar desde el minuto uno. Cero desarrollo de personajes.

Mira que la narración de Jessica Threet intenta arreglarlo, pero el material de partida es bastante pobre. Me temo que Rebecca Thorne no va a estar entre mi lista de autoras que seguir.

Thank you Netgalley, Rebecca Thorne and Macmillian audio uk for the audio Arc of Can't spell Treason without Tea.
Narrated by Jessica Threet

What is there not to like about Can't Spell Treason Without Tea? Reyna and Kianthe take the risk of breaking their mundane lives as an elite bodyguard and a Mage and flee to a remote town of Tawney. To where they could make their dream come true and open a small, friendly bookshop, that seconds as a small lending library and a tea shop! . What ensues is a fun, lighthearted, cosy fantasy with dragons, a revengeful Queen and two people who see each other completely. And, of course, books and Tea!

I love the dynamics between Reyna and Kianthe ( love these names !) It's not all love and light, They both struggle, stripping themselves bare emotionally so they can see each other fully. They get things right, things wrong but because they keep communicating, They bond together so fully, it makes me feel wholesome .

This is a great little fantasy book that was Narrated by Jessica Threet, who's voice and pacing suited the narrative down to a tee !
4, rounded to a 5 for netgalley

Note to readers: this audiobook is best enjoyed with a steaming cup of chai and a sweet treat. Trust me now and thank me later!

Not all partnerships are created equal but cozy fantasy and audiobooks are an absolute power couple. As are our two main characters in this charming magical adventure. Reyna and Kianthe escape the daily grind of a high-powered mage and bodyguard, to enjoy the rural, anonymous life they've always dreamed of together. Their first Hiccup (wink wink) comes as our couple learns that the simple life becomes a tad more complicated when the sleepy town you choose to settle in to open your bookshop, just so happens to be plagued by dragons.

Don't let anyone fool you into thinking cozy fantasy always has to be mellow and low-to-no stakes, this is a lovely balance of relaxing slice-of-life style descriptions and the odd magical mishap to keep things interesting. I can definitely see the parallels between this book's format in comparison to Legends & Lattes and Bookshops & Bonedust. It is essentially the same story framework with different characters. However I must say, I personally enjoyed Can't Spell Treason without Tea more, as I like my cozy fantasy with an extra dose of mystery and magic - which this book definitely delivers.

Thank you to Macmillan & Rebecca Thorne for providing this book for review consideration via NetGalley. All opinions are my own.

This was a sweet sapphic cosy fantasy, that sometimes struggled with balancing high stakes and cosy feelings. For the length of the book I would also expect the plot to be resolved within one book, which is was not. The world is cosy, but shallow, and often doesn't make logical sense. Overall it's still a sweet and calm story, focusing on the relationship of the main couple, but doesn't quite pack any emotional punch.