This book right here is why cozy fantasy is amazing and an ever-growing genre that became popular and better known after Legends and Lattes. I loved the premise of the two characters that had huge responsibilities in this fantasy world finally deciding to take care of themselves first and follow their passions while the world around them was going to eventually come calling.

Reyna and Kianthe (or Rain and Key) are incredibly cute and their banter and vibes feel like my own with @mandyisreading_ due to the number of puns involved. The humor is very much for me and I ate that up.

I love that this has very much set up the sequel which also comes out this year and I’m very excited for that!

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Thank you to @torbooks and @netgalley for the eARC! All thoughts are my own.

It's nearly impossible to read Can't Spell Treason Without Tea and NOT compare it to Legends and Lattes. On the surface, they have a lot of similarities: they are both cozy books about a warrior (a Queen's Guard in this case) who retires to renovate and then open a shop with a love interest, all while making new friends from a collection of strangers in the town.

Yet, for all the similarities, Can't Spell Treason Without Tea is unique and wonderful in its own right. Personally, there was a lot about this book that I enjoyed more. The magic system is fun and interesting. The relationship between the main POV characters, Reyna and Kianthe, is deeper and realistic, with a level of bickering that you only get in well established and loving relationships. Their communication and they way they are consistently working on their relationship was lovely and inspiring. The side characters are all well developed and the town itself is somewhere I wish I could visit!

This book felt queer and grounded and comforting. It's a story that I foresee visiting again many times!

Thank you to the publisher for the eArc. This was one of those stories that took me a while to get through, but was such a delight every time I picked it up. It didn’t inspire an obsessive need to see what happened, instead it gradually unraveled and told the cozy story it needed to. The best way I could describe this book is “fluff” but in the best way possible. Sometimes fluff can feel like a way for an author to add to the word count and not feel intentional. On the other hand, here it IS the purpose, with the softest, cutest sapphic romance at the heart of it. I instantly connected with Reyna and Kianthe’s relationship and loved seeing it, and all the domestic moments, throughout this book.

I will definitely be recommending this and look forward to reading the next one!

CAN’T SPELL TREASON WITHOUT TEA made a big splash when Rebecca Thorne self-published it, and I was thrilled to get an ARC in support of Bramble’s paperback rerelease. I’m always on the lookout for more fantasy that tackles common tropes from slightly different angles. Bonus points for worlds with normalized queerness!

I liked the cozier scenes very much, and grew deeply invested in Reyna and Kianthe’s new bookshop, their developing relationships with the townspeople, and their established romance. (Which, to my mind, holds enough of a place to make this a fantasy with a romantic component, but not enough that I’d rec the book as a romance.) I also eagerly awaited the moment when the two rival town leaders would quit fighting their attraction to each other.

The wider plot, with the dragon attacks and Reyna’s uncertain status as a treasonous runaway, didn’t land as well for me. It ups the stakes and lays the groundwork for further adventures, but it doesn’t break much new ground on the tropes and I was so much more interested in the bookstore that I didn’t invest in the rest of it until pretty far into the book. That kept the story in like-not-love territory for me.

That won’t be an issue for every reader, of course, and it wasn’t such a stumbling block for me that I won’t read Reyna and Kianthe’s next adventure.

I thought that cozy fantasies didn’t exist past Legends and Lattes Boy was I wrong. As I dive deeper into the cozy world, I have found another beautiful book written by Rebecca Thorne. Can’t spell treason without tea is just that! It has a beautiful atmospheric bookstore that also has a small tea shop. So make sure when you read this you have a nice big cup of tea!

Reyna and Kianthe want to open a bookshop that serves tea. The problem is their jobs. Reyna works as a personal guard to the queen and Kianthe is the most powerful mage in existence. So trying to have a quiet life isn’t possible. That all changes when Reyna is taken hostage and she decides that she’s over all of this and just wants to be with her girlfriend. So she decides to flee her current life and hide in a small town with her girlfriend. That's where they decide to open their shop and live their dreams but the queen won't have it. The queen throws the largest temper tantrum that could be the end of their cozy tale.

I have waited over a year to get my hands on this book! The first thing I want to note is that the two main characters are written so beautifully. Their love for each other knows no bounds and it was wonderful reading about it. I also love the dedication, “For anyone who really needs a cup of tea and a nice book. You’ve earned it.” That dedication couldn’t be more fitting for this book. Aside from all that, it's a well written love story in a very cozy atmosphere. If you also like small towns coming together then this slice of life is for you. When reading this book you’ll fall in love with the characters and all their problems.

While I wouldn't give this book a solid 5 stars I would give it 4. I loved the book but it also had some very slow parts to it that made me feel like the stoay was dragging but if you can get through those parts you will end up loving it!

This was SUCH a cute story. I want to run away and open my own book and tea shop!! Reyna and Kianthe are the sweetest couple. I loved how well they supported each other and communicated any doubts they were having.

The world building was actually really interesting too. I loved the dragon and griffon lore. I’m curious to see more in the second book and find out more about this world! (Also, I need to know more about Feo and Wylan!)

I recommend this book if you’re looking for a cozy sapphic fantasy with low stress and not overwhelming world building.

Thank you so much to Rebecca and Netgalley for sending me this book for an honest review.

A very charming story! It isn't quite as cozy as advertised, as I thought the stakes were pretty high, but I still enjoyed it. I liked Reyna and Kianthe's relationship, and honestly I did really like that it was already established! I think I disagree a bit that it is for fans of Legends and Lattes, but it does have some very lush descriptions of food and drink that I really enjoyed.

I received an advance copy via NetGalley.

Reyna is the private guard for a cruel queen. Kianthe is the most powerful mage in the world. They love each other. When Reyna has yet another near-death scrape with no respect or gratitude, that's it--she flees, and with Kianthe, they set up shop in a remote border village to create the tea-and-bookstore of their dreams. There are bandits to consider. That the squabbling local leaders. And the dragons that keep threatening to burn down the town. But through it all. Reyna and Kianthe's love is the constant.

The love story at the center of this is cute. I mean, this book is as formulaic and cozy as they come. I really enjoyed that aspect, and the village and the townspeople. The whole vibe is just lovely. What drove me bonkers, though, and kept jolting me out of the coziness was the worldbuilding. It just didn't make sense. A lot of emphasis was placed on the food and drink they were making, because that was a major part of the cozy vibe. This medieval culture was making things that didn't make sense. Yeah, yeah, I know, I should let it go, like enjoying a big turkey leg at a Renaissance Fair, but after researching this stuff extensively for my own books, it's really hard when it's not just one thing that doesn't make sense, but everything. Where are these supplies coming from? How are they eating these foods in THIS season? What about their winter stores? Do you realize how much butter goes into croissants--and that they didn't exist until the 19th century, which is weirdly out of step even in this secondary world? How do these people know what vanilla smells like?! Cocoa?!

I think most people wouldn't even notice these things, but for me they were like a flock of mosquitoes.

thank you to netgalley for the arc in exchange for a review!

usually my arc reviews are pretty long. but this book took me so long that i'm going to keep it short. i was bored. maybe its time to admit established relationship isn't my thing lol

When I saw that this story was being compared to TJ Klune and Legends and Lattes I knew I needed to get my hands on it and I am so glad that I did!

I can’t remember the last time I read a full synopsis of a book and am so happy I went into this one blind. I have heard from some that it's not as cozy as they anticipated but I felt it was the perfect amount. There is mystery and a small town and characters you are going to love!

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

I have dreams about my wife saying this to me regularly. This is my dream and I lived vicariously through Reyna and Kianthe to my heart's content. I loved both characters and the way they balanced one another. I loved that Kianthe is more sarcastic and takes risks and Reyna is more cautious and sweet. I loved they way the cared for one another. Trust me when I say that they are really going to make you swoon in the best way!

“I want you to feel loved without earning it. Because that’s how you make me feel every Stone-damned day.”

More and more I am loving the small town vibes in books. There are characters in the town of Tawney that surprise you and a community feel that I wish I had in real life! They are weird and things happen that they all work together to solve and I loved that. It gave me such a cozy feeling and a big smile on my face.

I also really enjoyed the fantasy and mystery elements and felt it was the perfect blend to make the story engaging and fun. I absolutely devoured the ending and I cannot wait to read the next book in the series!

This is the perfect book to cozy up with and I can’t wait to hear your thoughts!

Unfortunately this one wasn't for me.

The marketing material compared this to Legends and Latte's which was a 5 star read for me. I expected a cozy, sapphic story with found family, tea and witty conversations, but that didn't live up to the expectations. I didn't feel any romance or passion between our two FMCs, Reyna and Kianthe. There are dragons and illnesses and an unlikeable queen, which keeps the story from being a truly cozy one, in the vein of Legends and Lattes.

Sadly, I was just bored by this book. I even tried the audiobook and kept falling asleep. Reyna and Kianthe both run from their lives to open a tea shop /book store together. That’s pretty much it. Oh there are some dragons but they are just misunderstood. Will the Queen find Reyna and make her return to her guard duties? That is the biggest tense moment. No real romantic tension. Kianthe was just kind of whiny. I will not be reading book two. There is such a thing as too cozy!
Thanks Netgalley for the ARC.

This is a cute cozy fantasy book. It’s also boring as fuck. More than 400 pages and not a single thing of consequence happened. Even the supposedly high stakes precarity of their new hidden life was dull.

I love a good cozy story, and certainly, if you want a cozy story with cute descriptions, a happy story where star-crossed lovers build their happily-ever after, discussions of tea blends and making friends, great! This is for you! But if you expect literally anything to happen with any kind of depth, you will be disappointed. This dragged for me so very much.

All Reyna and Kianthe want is to open a bookshop that serves tea. Worn wooden floors, plants on every table, firelight drifting between the rafters.… all complemented by love and good company. Thing is, Reyna works as one of the Queen’s private guards, and Kianthe is the most powerful mage in existence. Leaving their lives isn’t so easy.

But after an assassin takes Reyna hostage, she decides she’s thoroughly done risking her life for a self-centered queen. Meanwhile, Kianthe has been waiting for a chance to flee responsibility–all the better that her girlfriend is on board. Together, they settle in Tawney, a town that boasts more dragons than people, and open the shop of their dreams.

What follows is a cozy tale of mishaps, mysteries, and a murderous queen throwing the realm’s biggest temper tantrum. In a story brimming with hurt/comfort and quiet fireside conversations, these two women will discover just what they mean to each other… and the world.

This book is being suggested as "If you like Legends & Lattes..." and, although there is some similarities, this has a completely different vibe. There are truly life or death consequences, but the stakes for most of the book don't seem that high. The queen is a standard villain, she would twirl a mustache if she had one. I also have many questions about the dragon attacks.
As it is, I did enjoy this book. I expected everything to be okay at the end and I suppose that it is. There will be more in the series, though, so I hope the payoff is worth the wait.

Reyna is one of the closest bodyguards of the queen, Kianthe is the most powerful mage. They are in love but life and work keep them apart. After a near death experience, Reyna decides to commit treason and flee the palace to spend the rest of her life with Kianthe. Kianthe has begged Reyna to run away with her and open a bookshop that serves tea so now that Reyna has taken this leap of faith to leave the queen’s side, the two have decided to move forward with this seemingly unattainable dream. In the small quiet town of Tawny the ladies have set up shop and thought things were going their way. Life certainly doesn’t stop though and as each of their pasts start to catch up to them, it puts their relationship to the test.

Cute. That’s the short review. Truly I wished this book was more cozy and less romance. I knew there was love and romance in the book but I feel it is misrepresented as a “cozy fantasy steeped in love”. It was a romance book set in a fantasy world with cozy moments. That’s not to say the book isn’t good, it’s just not my cup of tea (ah, ah?! Get it??). Anyway, I enjoyed the supporting cast of characters and the relationships built between all of them. The cozy parts were my favorite. Overall, I would give this 3/5 stars. I may read the second book in the series but will go into it with different expectations.

I received this book from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

I haven’t read legends and lattes yet so I have nothing compare in this new genre cosy fantasy. But I think I like it here.

It took me a while to get used, but I didn’t want to stop reading. I really loved the gentle pace, it felt so relaxing and I didn’t realise that it was just what I needed.


Initially I wasn’t sure how I would rate this book because it was so different to what I normally read, but the characters grew on me. At times I wish the personality of the character you see by the end of the story shines through a bit earlier.

I really liked the way you could follow these two characters living the dream of fleeing the busy tough life to a quieter, peaceful life in a cute little bookstore with a little bit of magic. Maybe this type of book being so popular says a lot about today’s society but that’s a discussion for another day.

The books gentle pacing, good description forces the reader to slow down and take a break from the everyday world.

I now want to go live my dream now of opening a bookstore with a cute cafe and mythical creatures and magical plants.

Is the book perfect? No. But it’s a book that I needed. I loved the relationship of the two characters, and the side characters they meet. Would I like more… yes… but is that me being used to read so much more fast action paced books … probably.


I still don’t know how to rate it but I enjoyed it

3.5 stars

This book was strongly marketed with the lines “perfect for fans of Legends& Lattes” and things like that. I lost count of how many times I read the comparison between the two. But I think that this is a disservice to this one. Sure, they are the same genre, and there are similarities between them. I am the first to say that one of my favorite things in Legends & Lattes was seeing the MC building her cafè from zero. It was one of the best things in the book (in a book full of amazing things), and here, in Can’t Spell Treason Without Tea, seeing the two MCs building their bookshop/teashop, seeing how they put a lot of attention in the details, how the create something new from zero, or almost zero, and how happy they are about seeing their “creature” growing, it was amazing! So, sure, there are similarities.
But what I loved the most about Legends&Lattes, and what I think most people loved, reading the reviews, were the vibes. It is a low stake, almost as low as they go, and the whole book has a distinctive and unique vibe.
And you won’t find it in Can’t Spell Treason Without Tea. In this, they are quite different. Here we don’t really have low stakes. Sure, it is not a high stakes book, mind me, but the MCs have a lot more concerns than building their love nest and their new future. The external world intrudes way more here, and we have also more action, even if the book is still a cozy fantasy, and the coziness is there, the vibes are really different.

When I started this book, I was drawn by the comparison, and for the first 30% of it, given or taken, I was bored and I wasn’t reading something that I didn’t really want to read at the moment. It was not what I was promised! But slowly my interest grew, and I was curious to see what would happen next. And, always slowly, I grew affectionate toward Reyna and Kianthe. They are both bad-ass, they are strong-willed and powerful. Resourceful, too, and brilliant. But they are also kind, and caring, and I loved to see how they start to make friends with the people of the village. It was so cozy and so heartwarming. And I particularly loved their involvement with the two political figures of the small town (or village, or whatever). These two were also my favorite characters, and I wanted to see more of them around!

Following them around, when they started their new project, this amazing bookshop and teashop was amazing. And it was so cozy! And the same goes for their slowly becoming part of the community. I loved it! But that’s not all there is to this book. Because Reyna is a former guard for the (evil) queen of the nearby reign, and she hasn’t really resigned from her previous job, since resignement from the queen seems to have to happen in only one way: your death. (Be that by the hand of an enemy, or by the hand of the Queen herself). So you can imagine all sorts of problems this creates for our characters. And Kianthe is the highest and most powerful of the mages, and she can’t just disappear from the radar and be done with the world. Her position comes with a ton of responsibilities, and she just cannot shed them all.
So we have the outer world intruding, in more ways than one. And that’s not all. Because the small town has a problem. Or a couple of them. One is bandits, and the solution to this one is brilliant, and I loved it! But this was the smaller of the two. The other one is… dragons. (And yes, we have dragons here, yay!). They are attacking the village (not so yay!), and it is not nice to be under attack, in general, and even less nice when the attackers are enraged dragons. Our two MCs have not only to engage with their past and their responsibilities, but they need to find out why the dragons keep coming back, and try to find a solution. Hence, as you can see, we have some stakes in there, not only making peace with the past, and creating something beautiful and nice for your future.

In the beginning, I wasn’t the biggest fan of this book, that’s true, but slowly I started to know better the two women, and I loved to see them being part of a new community. Their arrival at the village helped the people there start to hope again, in a sense, it helped them feel again like part of a community, especially since the two resolved the problem with the bandits. And I enjoyed the banter, the humor, and the cozy feelings. And we have dragons, too! And griffon! I loved Visk, and I loved even more seeing him starting to build something too, as to say. It was nice, and griffons and dragons are cool! The romance part is also sweet, but my favorite things here were the secondary characters and the growing sense of community. I really enjoyed it!

Ahoy there mateys! I be in the minority with this one as it has 4 and 5 star reviews all over the place.  I tried to finish this multiple times and stopped at 26%.  I had many issues with this book.  The first is that the world building was so light.  I don't always care about this but for undefinable reasons it bugged me because I couldn't get a sense of how the world worked or the politics of the place.  The setting just did not feel real.  I also didn't like the characters very much.  There was no real chemistry with the two women despite the PDA.  Kianthe in particular irked me and seemed selfish.  I felt that both characters were naïve despite their supposedly tough backgrounds.  At times it seemed like I was reading about teens and not about grown women.  I was not cheering on anyone by the time I stopped reading.  I also thought the plot was rather slow to develop.  The more I thought about the plot and set-up the less it made sense.  Apparently this is the first book in a trilogy.  I read some spoilers for the next book and it does not sound good even with pirates and dragons.  Glad I stopped there.  Arrr!

Considering the description and contents of this book, I really feel like I should like it. Sapphic sword lady and hot wizard woman run away together to open a bookstore? Sign me up! But no matter how far I got in this book, I couldn't bring myself to like it. The characters, particularly Kianthe, felt extremely selfish. I dislike her SO much. I can't quite put a finger on why, but I couldn't stand her as a character. I like Reyna, and the rest of the townsfolk, but had to drag myself through Kianthe's chapters. I also couldn't get over the handwaive-y-ness of their shop situation. Maybe it's because I'm a bookseller, but I couldn't help going "it's not that easy! you can't do that!" This book is meant for people that want to run away from their corporate jobs to open a bookstore, not booksellers (and baristas) that know how difficult it is in reality. While I do think this book would work for other people, it just wasn't the right fit for me. Cozy fantasy just isn't my genre.

This was my second time reading Can't Spell Treason Without Tea and I still love it! I'm so excited that Bramble picked this up and I can't wait to see how the series continues. A huge thank you to Rebecca for joining me on my channel to talk about the series and writing.