The Secret Service of Tea and Treason is the third and final book in the Dangerous Damsels series and definitely my favourite book out of the three!

I had such a fun time reading this book with the fake marriage trope between two undercover spies, the humour, the forbidden romance, and all of the literary references. I was so invested in Alice and Bixby's love story and I love how the plot never went in a predictable direction. This series is truly unlike anything else I’ve ever read.

I would highly recommend this regency romance with pirates, witches, spies, and flying houses to any romance reader!

Alice Dearlove and Daniel Bixby are both at the top of the ranks over at the Agency of Undercover Note Takers, a secret government agency that is much better at espionage than they are at naming itself. When rumors of an assassination plot against the Queen surface, the two are forced to work together, pretending to be a married pirate couple in order to infiltrate a pirate house party and wreck any pirate murder plots against the Queen.

I’m usually not a slow burn girlie, but when the slow burn is accompanied by two main characters who are so effortlessly funny, I. Am. Obsessed. Alice doesn’t pick up on social cues and takes things very literally - to the point where Daniel has to point out (regularly) when something is an idiom. In addition, undertones and innuendos aren’t picked up on which leads to some hilarity when it’s obvious there are two different understandings of the same conversation.

Also, I will happily crown Alice the leader of the book lovers brigade. The way she turns to her books to regulate her emotions. The way she strokes her books for comfort. The way she straight up says that reading is not a hobby, it is a way of life. Need I say anything else?

This book (and the whole series really) is pure chaos in the best possible way. Nothing makes sense, but yet everything makes sense at the same time. When wanting to be friends with someone means that you are constantly trying to murder them, you know it’s going to be a good time and that’s exactly what happens in this book.

Such a fun read! I have thoroughly enjoyed this series and each novel on its own. Holton does a wonderful job at building a magical world that is just so outlandish and silly. These books are joyful. I loved the characters in this book specifically. Both Alice and Bixby seem to be neurodiverse and I really appreciated the way it was represented in the book. I related to Alice so much. Overall, a great read!

The following review was posted on my blog three days ago, on Sunday, April 16th, two days before publication. It was shared on Instagram twice and has already been posted on Goodreads. The blog post includes links to order the books and to its Goodreads page, so readers can add it to their to-be-read books.






“Tighter, (…) in case I break free and strangle you.”
(…) “I’m not scared of that.”
“Then why are you restraining me?”
“I’m hugging you.”
“But you’ve already done that.”
“Alice, sweetheart, you deserve all the hugs I can give.”

Genre: Romance, Historical Fiction, Fantasy
Actual Rating: 4.5 stars
Spicy Meter: 2 fire emojis
Content Warnings: Describes violence, ableism, and kidnapping. Contains sexual content.

“The Secret Service of Tea and Treason” follows Alice, also known as Agent A, and Daniel Bixby, also known as Agent B, two top operatives of the Agency of Undercover Note Takers as they are forced to go undercover as husband and wife in order to infiltrate a pirate party and hopefully save the Queen.

This is the end of a wonderful trilogy and oh, did India Holton end it with a bang. The Dangerous Damsels series is all for that enemies to lovers trope, and although fake dating had been mentioned throughout other books of this series, none of them really embodied it as truly as Alice and Daniel did. I am just glad this wasn’t an excruciating slow burn, I don’t think I would’ve been able to survive.

Alice and Daniel’s rival-ness was also unparalleled—in previous books we would get two main characters that were essentially working for contradicting organizations, but through “The Secret Service of Tea and Treason” we get to see two main characters that are forced to work together because they literally work for the same government agency. And touching on the subject of the other books of the series, it was great to see some old and familiar characters sprinkled here and there, it was such a fun addition.

I’ll be recommending this series for the longest of times, I am absolutely in love. I would give everything to read this series again for the first time, with its quick banter, comedic delivery, and admirable chemistry between the characters, this series will have your heart racing both for the steamy kisses and for the actual adventurous, action-packed scenes.

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Review posted as part of a blog tour.

ARC provided by NetGalley and Berkley Publishing Group in exchange for an honest review.

Publication Date: April 18, 2023
Small PSA: For my anime and manga lovers, this was a true ode to Spy x Family, with a lil’ twist. Grab this book if you’ve been enjoying that story.

I reviewed this for Paste Magazine, which is linked below. The Secret Service of Tea and Treason: India Holton’s Back with Another Delightfully Whimsical Romance

Hi and welcome to my blog stop for India Holton's The Secret Service of Tea and Treason! A big thanks to the publisher & Netgalley for making my dreams come true by giving me a complimentary e-ARC. All opinions provided are my own.

I hope you'll stick around for more reviews! Happy reading.


If you ever want to be just delighted by a book I recommend an India Holton fantastical historical romance.

I don’t reread often but these are the kinds of books I think I could happily reread.

Quips, dry wit, irony, literary allusions…not to mention the plots themselves, in which pirates fly houses & enjoy trying to assassinate each other in a friendly kind of way; reputation is everything (& so often cemented via dating thefts & the aforementioned assassination plots); & many of the leads are like “feelings, what feelings” (even as they’re thinking something that makes clear how soft their feelings for that one person actually are.)

Fun doesn’t begin to cover it.
​
In India Holton’s latest release, The Secret Service of Tea and Treason, out now, Daniel Bixby & Alice Dearlove are servant & spy leads who’ve been tasked with posing as married so they can foil a plot to kill the Queen.

There are a lot of problems with that task though, like the fact that they are attracted to each other, that they feel understood, that for the first time something / someone means more than the job that’s the only thing they’ve really had…

With neurodivergent rep, two leads grateful to find a home with each other, soooo much humor, so much book appreciation (but not Wordsworth, never Wordsworth!), lovely compatibility between leads, & a beautiful portrayal of strong female friendship at the end, this book shines.

5⭐️. Out now!

please see a trusted reviewer’s list of CWs.

[ID: Jess, a white woman with brown hair, wears a white floral dress, smiles, & holds the ebook. She stands in front of a green tree.]

The Secret Service of Tea and Treason was a fun, smart historical romance romp with a bit of magic, pirates, exploding spy gear, and a pretend marriage! Alice and Daniel had electric chemistry from their first encounter (as much as they protested the existence of it) and reading about their attempts to save the Queen added so much joy!
Note: I received an advanced reading copy via Netgalley, receipt of which did not impact my review.

🫖 Book Review 🫖

I'm so thrilled to be part of the pub day blog blitz for The Secret Service of Tea and Treason by @india.holton ! I hadn't read the earlier books in the series, but enjoyed this one so much that I will definitely pick up the others.

✔️Fake Dating /Marriage
✔️Forced Proximity
✔️Teaming Up to Solve a Mystery
✔️ Alikes Attract

I'll be honest, I'm not really a spy romance person and sometimes the blend of historical and fantastical with a dash of tongue-in-cheek doesn't work for me. I like those things in movies, however. There was something The-Princess-Bride-meets-The-Kingsmen about the storytelling and once that clicked in my brain, I was all-in. This book deftly captured the action and the fun inherent in these stories - not an easy task.

I loved both Alice and Daniel but then again I am a sucker for closed off characters who discover love-type feelings and almost don't know what to do with it.

This was a crazy Willy Wonka of a world. I give this book 4.5⭐️ and I am excited that I have the first two books to enjoy! Thank you @berkleyromance for access to this book!

Steam 🔥
Banter 🗣️🗣️🗣️🗣️
Swoon 💕💕💕💕

The third book in the Dangerous Damsels series is another wonderful addition. Set in Victorian England, I love the mixture of comedy, romance, and adventure that this series combines. Alice Dearlove, also known as Agent A is a fixer for A.U.N.T (Agency of Undercover Note Takers). Enlisted as a child, she has been raised and trained to be the sensible, reliable agent that she is. Agent B, Daniel Bixby, is the agency's investigator. When the two are put on a special mission to recover a weapon of destruction which is intended to be used to assassinate the queen, they are forced to go undercover as a married couple at a pirate house party. Fans of the first two books will be happy to know that we get to spend time with Charlotte and Alex, as well as Cecilia and Ned. I have to say this was the perfect conclusion to the series. Full of wild adventure, laughable turns of phrase, literary quotes, and a lovely romance, India Holton's iconic style shines. At the heart of this fun story, are our two main characters who start out quite broken and end up with not just romance but also a found family.

Thank you Berkley Press for the advanced copy to enjoy!

I don’t know if I can write a review for this book aside from incoherent screaming. It’s as if each installment in this series gets better, and with each book India Holton finds a new way to have me laughing, swooning, and screaming.

Alice Dearlove, also known as Agent A, is the top operative of a secret government group dedicated to infiltrating the homes of pirates, witches, and more posing as household staff. The only rival to her steely composure and quick thinking is Daniel Bixby, or Agent B, her longtime rival. When rumors of an assassination plot circulate, the pair are made to work together. Tasked with infiltrating a pirate house party, the only thing that makes the endless stream of dangerous parlor games and *shudders* small talk worse is that Daniel and Alice must convincingly pose as a married couple. Determined to focus on their mission, they try to ignore the rapidly growing spark between them, but that doesn’t mean they can’t more fully commit to their role as husband and wife, right? It’s to maintain the ruse, peak professionalism, that’s all. Or is it?

This book was so, DANG, GOOD. I loved both Daniel and Alice from the moment they were introduced, and getting to read their perspectives was utterly delightful. I connected to Alice in so many different ways, and don’t even get me started on Daniel, who had me SWOONING. From Ned, to Alex, and now Daniel, India Holton is trying to kill me with her male leads. And Daniel and Alice together? Perfection.

Unsurprisingly, this story was unique and hilarious. I love seeing the Wisteria Society as supporting characters because they are SO chaotic, and I know I’m going to have a fun time whenever they show up.

I cannot stress enough how much I recommend this series. From the flying houses to the crazy and lovable characters, each book has a special place in my heart.

☕ REVIEW: The Secret Service of Tea and Treason 🗡️

SUMMARY: Rival agents go undercover as a married couple at a pirate house party to uncover the location of a secret weapon that could destroy the monarchy. Can they pass as pirates? Can they pass as married? Can they find the secret weapon before the other guests, who are also all casing the estate at every opportunity?

This is my favorite book of this series! First of all, I don’t recommend reading it as a standalone. There’s quite a bit of world building/backstory involved with aristocratic, piratical ladies who captain flying battle houses in pursuit of treasure, and it’s best to start with Book 1: The Wisteria Society of Lady Scoundrels.

The two previous books are fun, but I really enjoyed the Mr. and Mrs. Smith-style antics of Agents A and B: The mission is paramount, but there is obvious sexual tension there as well.

I also thought Agent A’s autism representation was really well done. It didn’t stop her from excelling at her job, but it did mean that she sometimes didn’t fully understand the nuances of certain situations. And the way Agent B doesn’t get frustrated but instead just accommodates her without her even realizing it… 🥰

This whole series is such a bizarrely fun, fantasy/historical/romcom mashup for the English Literature lover that I am shocked it even exists.

Thank you to @netgalley @berkleyromance and the author for an arc in exchange for an honest review! This book is available today!

⭐⭐⭐⭐.5

What a delight to be lost again in India Holton's quirky world. Book 3 in her Dangerous Damsels' series, THE SECRET SERVICE OF TEA AND TREASON, is my absolute favorite and can be read solo, but I'd recommend devouring the first two for an even more wondrous experience.

I guffawed at Holton's laugh-out-loud twists of the pen (A.U.N.T., the British agency that protects the Queen, riffs on that old '60s TV show, "The Man from U.N.C.L.E.") Charming humor is a Holton signature, as is slow burn romance, with phrases that hint at passion, sparking more fire than explicitness ever could.

As Alice and Daniel fake matrimony to save the Queen from assassination, I fainted from glee. Holton's newest in the now beloved series cements her as a must-read author for readers who love historical romantic fantasy with heart and wit. She's all that plus a steaming cup of Earl Grey and warm scones with jam and clotted cream.

One quibble: As I raced through this spirited romance, I could only think, "India, please write MORE scintillating stories that make readers quiver." In answer, she includes an excerpt of Book 1 of her next series, The Ornithologist's Field Guide to Love, coming Summer 2024. Huzzah!

I always enjoy explaining India Holton books to my friends. I start with the witty banter, the Jane Austenesque language, the polite manners, and end on the flying houses, the witches, and the pirates. And in book three, we have spies who pose as servants! Alice and Daniel are the best agents that A.U.N.T, or Agency of Undercover Note Takers has. And to prevent the assassination of Queen Victoria, they must pose as pirate and worse, as a married couple. This book is full of delightful and hysterical hijinks, slight danger, and a couple determined to fight their attraction to each other. This even leads to a “there’s only one couch” scene (when there was a bed in the room!). Both Alice and Daniel were orphans and raised to be spies and traumatized along the way. They know their organization won’t allow them to be together and so they work hard to avoid their attraction. However, pretending to be pirates literally pushes them into each others arms. And the delightful cast of side characters and their ribald jokes led to experimentation to keep up their cover. Don’t worry, our favorite pirates and witches from the previous books are back too. I’m disappointed this was the last book in the series but I’m excited for whatever India Holton writes next!

If you liked the first two books in this series, you will love this one as well. Alice Dearlove is Agent A and Daniel Bixby is Agent B and they are sent to steal a magical item from some pirates (and also halt the plans of some witches) to stop an assassination attempt on the Queen. While this novel is set in Victorian England, it also features magic, flying houses, pirates, witches, and spies. I did love that the two main characters were neurodivergent and had different presentations. I think at times the world-building was lacking, relying more on telling us rather than showing us, but it was still a fun read!

The Secret Service of Tea and Treason is a brilliantly crafted novel that is both entertaining and engaging. The story is filled with thrilling sleuthing shenanigans, explosive action, and, most importantly, radiant, romantic joy. I found myself adoring every page of this book, unable to put it down until the end.

Agent A, or Alice, is a top operative within the Agency of Undercover Note Takers, a secret government intelligence group that focuses on espionage. Alice manages a broad range of people in her role, from deceptive witches to aristocratic ladies and she does it all with composure and grace. Alice works with Agent B, or Daniel – and he’s her greatest rival. When they are tasked with their most difficult task yet – pretending to be married.
I can see why this is one of Buzzfeeds romance books to look out for in 2023! It was a lot of fun and had wonderful dialogue and bewitched characters. I didn’t realize when I picked this one up that it was part of a series – I am going to have to check them out. This one is enemies to lovers, and that is quickly becoming one of my favorite thriller tropes. I really enjoyed how this one wrapped up – it was the perfect end to Alice and Daniel’s story.

Thank you to the publisher Berkley Publishing, @berkleypub, Berkley Romance, @berkleyromance and Netgalley @netgalley for this e-ARC in exchange for an honest review.

India Holton ends her Dangerous Damsels series with a bang.

India Holton has become an autoread author for me. Her historical fantasy romances are imaginative, funny and smart. I use the words bonkers to describe them to friends. They are just a delightful read and you can’t be in a bad mood while reading them. THe Secret Service of Tea and Treason is no different.

In the final installment of India’s Dangerous Damsels series, the story focuses on secondary characters from the series: servants who are actually spies Alice and Daniel. Alice and Daniel have given their lives to their service: in fact they never had a choice. They were placed in service after being plucked from orphanages. Friends, hobbies, loves and life experiences are not encouraged or allowed in the service. Through their work with witches and pirates,however, Alice and Daniel begin to realize that there's more to life than work. There’s a fun mystery: who is plotting to blow up the queen? But really the book is more a joyous romp through Alice and Daniel learning about themselves, what they desire, and if they can make room for emotions and feelings in their organized lives. I absolutely adore Alice and Daniel together. India notes that both Alixe and Daniel are neurodivergent and that she wanted their experiences and relationships to be authentic to their experiences. Alice and Daniel begin their relationship as competitors, both trying to be the best agent, but when they have to work together on a mission they learn to respect, then like and then admire each other. They support each other in their successes but also help each other when situations become to much for them. I loved their romance because it was as much about being good partners and supporting each other as it was about their attraction to each other.

Of course, India’s books are filled with a host of other characters. I was so happy to see Ned, Cecilia, Alex, Charlotte and so many other familiar characters come back together in these pages. Getting to spend more time with these characters and seeing how they had all grown over the series was the perfect way to finish this book.

Thank you to Berley for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.

The Secret Service of Tea and Treason, Dangerous Damsels #3, continues the saga of flying houses, pirates and witches. This paranormal, historical romance is original, hilarious and a bit wacky. Agents, Alice and Daniel, are assigned to the same case, only they are rivals in their field.

These enemies are the vert best agents, and committed to every assignment. So for this mission they must act like a married couple which includes kissing and hand holding, building to combustable sexual tension. Alice is very studious, reading everything she could about love making but her readings haven't prepared her for the ways Daniel showers her with affection and desire.

Mayhem ensues as these special agents go after the pirates, and slowly fall in love.

The Secret Service of Tea and Treason is swoony and my favorite in the series.

Thank you Berkley Publishing for the complimentary copy.

India Holton seamlessly blends historical fantasy, romantic comedy, and espionage in The Secret Service of Tea and Treason . Alice Dearlove, known as Agent A is the top operative within the Agency of Undercover Note Takers, a secret government intelligence group. She is their best fixer. When rumors of a possible assassination attempt on Queen Victoria reaches the agency, Alice is assigned to the case. However, this time she won’t be working alone. Agent B, Daniel Bixby, the agency’s most reliable investigator, is also assigned to the case. Their undercover assignment is that of a married couple. They must attend a pirate house party and find the hidden weapon. Used to working alone and as a ladies’ maid, butler, or valet, this is new territory for the agents. The assignment doesn’t go smoothly.

Alice has no friends, is sensible, is naive, and has no hobbies other than reading whenever she can. Daniel also reads, is controlled, and is used to working alone. They rely heavily on orders, structure, and discipline. Both characters are more complex than they initially seem and go through transformations as the events unfold. Their banter is a highlight in the book.

The world building and characterization were great. While set in Victorian England, this novel also has witches and pirates with flying houses. It is filled with literary quotes and misquotes as well as humor, and it has a few steamy scenes.

Each chapter heading gives a list of major events without giving away too much. There are many characters in the book, but there is a character list at the beginning of the book. Additionally, if you’ve read the previous books in the series, some of the characters will already be familiar to you. My biggest quibble was that there were times when the story was more “telling” than “showing”. While the book is somewhat over the top, it also has more depth than one might expect with the level of romantic comedy involved. Woven throughout are threads related to loneliness, romance, grief, friendship, and found families.

Overall, this memorable and funny novel has adventure, romance, a mystery, and plenty of excitement. This is a book that I am going to remember. While this is the third book in the series, it can be read as a standalone. Each book features a different couple. Readers that enjoy historical romances with humor, pirates, flying houses, and witches will likely love this novel.

Berkley Publishing Group and India Holton provided a complimentary digital ARC of this novel via NetGalley. All opinions expressed in this review are my own. The publication date is currently set for April 18, 2023. This review was originally posted at Mystery and Suspense Magazine.

This book?! It caught me by surprise! It’s romantic, it’s history, it’s comedy it’s a great refreshing read! It’s written very smart! I haven’t read historical romance for some time because I always think it’s stuffy and boring but this isn’t! It’s modern and written like a Sherlock Holmes-ish vibe because of the smart heroines witty quick Jab banter. Alice is a force she’s funny and hilarious and Daniel as much as she pretends to not like him has to fake marry him to save the Queen. Lovers of Fake Dating will love this witty writing style! Thank you for this amazing ARC!