I wouldn't necessarily classify this as a cozy fantasy - it's political system is a little high-octane for that. The reader is given no time to adjust as they are thrown into a world of way too many important characters and systems to keep track of. Unfortunately, this novel did not live up to the hype...

This is the perfect cozy fantasy for fans of Legends and Lattes. I really enjoyed this audiobook, and the story is full of mystery, fantasy and lots of tea! The ending left on a cliffhanger, and I am excited to follow these characters in the next book of this series. If you are fans of dragons, bookstores and romance with no spice, this is the perfect book for you.

Can't Spell Treason Without Tea is out now.

Thank you to NetGalley and MacMillan Audio for the opportunity to review Can't Spell Treason without Tea. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

I’m a little delayed in posting my review, but thank you Macmillan Audio for providing an ALC via Netgalley! This review will cover both the story and the audiobook narration.

NOVEL
⭐4/5

Can’t Spell Treason Without Tea involves Reyna, a member of the queen’s guard, and Kianthe, the most powerful mage on the continent, leaving (mostly) behind their lives to open a bookstore in a tiny, idyllic town. If you love cozy fantasies, then this is definitely appealing.

However, those who are expecting a fully cozy story like Legends & Lattes may feel a little misled with CSTWT. While the bookshop/tea aspect is very cozy, there are a ton of high stakes that extend far beyond the small town (specific examples can be found on my GR review). Some issues were also resolved in convenient & cozy ways, which proved a little anticlimactic after building tension. (But who knows, maybe those resolutions will become un-cozy in the next book?) I enjoy both cozy and high-stakes stories, but readers expecting solely cozy might be disappointed.

I enjoyed the character building, and this definitely is great if you like character-driven stories. It was refreshing to see the leads already in an established relationship, so we got to see their growth without the burden of a “will they, won't they.” Reyna & Kianthe discover each other & themselves, learning that their identity is what they make of it, not the expectations placed on them by others. Our main couple also had banter that made me chuckle, and they have wonderful communication methods with each other to solve any interpersonal issues that may arise. The small town has many residents, and I enjoyed seeing them all open up as well.

Not all characters had as much growth though. The antagonists in particular were very one-dimensional and quite predictable, leading again to that anti-climatic feeling.

I like the magic system and classification! It was a very fun and unique separation of all the types of magic and how they’re approached and ranked.

CSTWT employed many mysteries, yet nearly all of them were left unsolved! While it definitely makes a great segue for the next novel, especially when considering the epilogue, it felt unsatisfying and a bit of a tease to not have at least one point resolved or not brushed off.

Another plot gripe I have is the time skip. I’m generally not a fan, especially when I wanted to see some of the scenes that were skipped over.

Overall, this was a very fun read, and I couldn’t put it down once I started! The inspiration from Legends & Lattes is definitely there, and I love the trend of cozy sapphic couples. Between the story and the narration, this small town romance had me hooked from the beginning. If you like a mix of cozy and high-stakes mixed in with character driven stories, then this would be the book for you.

(Character rep: Sapphic MCs, NB SCs)

NARRATION
⭐5/5

Jessica Threet is a FANTASTIC narrator, and I am absolutely a new fan. Her narration truly enhanced the immersion and breathed more life into an already charming story. Threet completely committed to the characters, showcasing all of their highs and lows.

I really enjoyed the voices she used in particular for the two main characters, Reyna and Kianthe, as the drastic accent change helped differentiate between the two. It was also very easy to tell where new sections and chapters began. Threet’s diction is always clear with a bright tone, and her background in theater is most definitely used to her advantage.

As a fan of cozy fantasies, I really enjoyed this one! I loved the world building, and how the plot progressed. I also loved the added romance because that’s something I personally longed for when reading Legends & Lattes. The only reason why this wasn’t a five star read was because it’s being marketed as a cozy fantasy which usually means a high fantasy with low stakes, and yet this book had a lot of high stakes. There were a lot of tense action moments, and even moments where the characters were in trouble. I was hoping for something a lot more cozy with lower stakes, BUT it was still an enjoyable read!

Thank you to NetGalley and Macmillan Audio for providing this audiobook to me in exchange for an honest review.

"Can't Spell Treason without Tea" is the first book in the Tomes and Tea series by Rebecca Thorne. It is a fantasy with mystery and romance. I really enjoyed it and highly recommend it if you like fantasy and don't mind sapphic romance. There is no spice other than kissing.

There is magic and griffins and dragons! There's a queen's guard named Reina, and the Arkandor, the most powerful mage of the age named Keanth. But they are really just two lovely women in love who want to run a shop with books and tea.

The big mystery is not resolved. I guess that will be in the next book or two.

Characters - 5/5
Writing - 4/5
Plot - 4/5
Pacing - 5/5
Unputdownability - 5/5
Enjoyment - 5/5
Narration - 4/5 by Jessica Threet
Cover - 4/5
Overall - 4.5.. rounding down to 4.

Thank you to Netgalley, Macmillan Audio, and Rebecca Thorne for providing this audiobook in exchange for my honest review.

Firstly, I want to thank NetGalley and MacMillan audio for providing me with an audio ARC of this book in exchange for my honest opinion. I found this book to be delightful! It’s got all the coziness of Legends & Lattes, with a bit more high stakes. While I love romances where you see the characters meet and get to know each other, I liked that Reyna and Kianthe’s romance was already established. You could see from the start that they both cared deeply for the other person, and that they were invested in what happened to each other. It made the stakes feel a bit more important. The banter and conversations between them was really sweet, as well. While the end kind of felt convenient (even for a cozy fantasy), and maybe wasn’t my favorite, I still really enjoyed my time in this world with these characters.

I'm obsessed with Reyna and Kianthe, I love cozy fantasy and sapphic stories so I knew I was pretty sure I was going to love this, but I'll admit I was a little skeptical about how it would read since the main characters were already together and it was a low stakes cozy fantasy. I am thrilled to say I'm obsessed with this book. The relationship between Reyna and Kianthe, watching them grow together and take the next step in their relationship made for a cozy swoonworthy romance, and the story had just enough stakes to not make it anxiety inducing but enough to keep it interesting. It's an incredibly hard balance to strike, but Thorne does it masterfully.
I listened to the audiobook, which was a masterpiece in general, but Reyna's accent was a work of art.

When Reyna leaves the Queen's Guard behind to be with Kianthe, she knows the Queen it's only a matter of time before her past catches up with her. Meanwhile Kianthe is putting off her duties as the Mage of the Ages. They've got plans together and it includes a teashop/bookshop in the middle of nowhere and living a quiet life. But of course there are dragons and problems with the ley lines and the Queen's guards are looking for Reyna. Can Kianthe and Reyna find a way forward making a life together, or will their past end both of them?

This is such a cute cozy book! The audiobook does so well at capturing the beloved vibes of this book!

Can't Spell Treason Without Tea by Rebecca Thorne
adventurous emotional funny hopeful inspiring lighthearted relaxing medium-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Character
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? Yes
Diverse cast of characters? Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

4.5 stars

An advance copy was provided by NetGalley and Macmillan Audio. All opinions expressed are my own.

When Reyna and Kianthe decide to open a book and tea shop together, they settle on Tawney, a border town in north. Missing dragon eggs, feuding local politicians, Kianthe’s responsibilities as the leader of the mages, and a queen who isn’t ready to let Reyna go from her service all complicate their plan for a simple life.

This book was charming and everything I want from a cozy fantasy romance. It isn’t a “meet cute, love at first sight” kind of romance. It’s more “We’ve been dating in secret when our complicated jobs allow us to be together; we’re already in love; now let’s try living together full time” kind of romance. Reyna and Kianthe come up against the typical “joining our lives together and considering how my choices will impact my partner” issues. With magic. And dragons. And gryphons. And an evil? queen.

The narrator did a great job bringing the story alive and the characters distinct.

Can’t wait for the next installment.

I was very excited about this cozy sapphic romance story. Unfortunately it is NOT a romance and although it does have some cozy vibes with our couple opening up their tea shop, its got a LOT of other stuff going on as well that I didn't really care about but you might if you go in with the right expectations. Basically this is a small world fantasy, NOT a cozy romance fantasy.

As the title suggest, one of the characters is committing treason by abandoning their post as a queens assassin or something. There is some political back and forth and more time spent dealing with all of that over opening up a teashop and having a cozy life or falling for eachother (as the romance is already established)

my Favorite part of the book was a bonus chapter that showed us how the couple first met and it was cute and wholesome and everything that I wanted for the rest of the book but didn't get. I was pretty set on not continuing the series until I read that scene and now I'm on the fence. I was not invested in the characters, although some of what was happening was interesting I didn't care as much as I would like and having read the bonus chapter I realize that it COULD have been everything that I was hoping for but wasn't.

Its honestly a disappointment. And I hate saying that cause I was pretty excited for it.

Reyna is a private guard for the kingdom but is bored with her job. It isn’t until the queen is flippant with Reyna’s life during a hostage attempt that she knows she is done with being the queen’s assassin. She knows that it is treason to leave but all she wants is to open a book and tea shop with her girlfriend, Kianthe. Now on the run, she and Kianthe must blend in which is hard for an ex-assassin and a powerful mange.
Overall rating 1 /5
The first chapter had me hooked and I was really hoping the whole book would have the same energy. However, this book was so slow and had no action until 50% through the book briefly. It revolved more around a normal everyday entrepreneurial relationship with some side magic. I felt it was more focused on Reyna and Kianthe’s anxieties of their possible deaths. It was also difficult to stay immersed in the book with the narrator's constant and exaggerated sound effects.
*Thank you to the author, Netgalley and Macmillan Audio for the audio copy. I am freely leaving my honest review.

Can’t Spell Treason Without Tea
Thank you to NetGalley and the Publisher Mcmillan Audiobooks with Bramble for a free version in exchange for an honest review. All thoughts are my own and reflect my own opinions based on what I read.

Reyna is a super cool BA guard that is basically told within the first chapter that the queen she serves under is ok with just sacrificing her to a would be assassin because Reyna is replaceable. So even though being a queens guard has been in her family for generations, Reyna is like FTS and rightfully leaves. Unfortunately, that’s considered treason.

Thankfully! Her girlfriend, Kianthe, is the mage of mages and is BA in her own way and knows the queen is toxic and has been trying to convince Reyna to run away together.

Thus they end up in Tawney. A cold village on the border of all three territories (3? Oh yes, there are also dragons!). There is a rep from each country (Ki’s and Reyna’s) staking claim over the village even though it’s kinda a backwater waste stop. Or is it?!

Enter in a cast of colorful characters, dragons on the hunt for their babies, a fake bandit ring, a griffin with an attitude, and two women who just want to sell books and serve tea. This was a cute intro into this world where the it feels like chaos is happening but also it’s not the kind of book that just kills off characters every other chapter (ahhem! Here’s to looking at you GRRM).

Read this is you like to mindlessly scroll your feeds for the aesthetic of cozy little life in a reasonable fantasy world. Don’t reason this if you expect 🌶️ 🌶️ from your characters or if you didn’t enjoy the 90’s live action fantasy tv shows that were amazing to watch in the morning getting ready for school but were kinda cheesy as an adult. I had a good time-perhaps because I haven’t reached peak cheese-fest yet. 3.5/5 stars. Will continue the rest upon release.

I enjoyed this audiobook! It was wonderful to get to sink into this world. I, too, would like to escape my responsibilities by opening a shop. While it dragged at some points, I thought overall this was super fun. I enjoyed the audiobook narrator immensely. 4/5 stars.

I absolutely loved this addition to the cozy fantasy genre and cannot wait for the sequel! Although it does have higher stakes than other books in the genre, it still feels very centered in its coziness.

Reyna and Kianthe want to open a bookshop that serves tea. They're both tired of the heavy expectations placed upon them. Reyna serves as the Queen's guard, and after an attempted assassin takes her hostage, she's ready to leave her old life behind. Kianthe is the most powerful mage alive, and the responsibility of it is overwhelming. When the two flee to a quaint village named Tawney and open a bookshop, they make new friends and form a bond stronger than ever before.

Can't Spell Treason Without Tea is a cozy fantasy book with low stakes and a slice-of-life story. Although there's tension in the book, it's nice to know that things will ultimately work out. If you need a break from dark, high fantasy and want a book with characters in an established relationship, this is a great one to pick up!

I also feel the need to compare the book to Legends & Lattes. Both books are brilliant, and I highly recommend adding them to your TBR if you haven't already. I'm so excited to read the sequel.

Thank you to NetGalley and Tor for providing an e-ARC in exchange for an honest review.

5/5

When Reyna and Kianthe first met, they instantly knew that they were meant to be together, and their dream to open a bookshop that serves tea becomes finally becomes realized when Reyna runs away from her post as one of the Queen’s private guards. After an assassin takes Reyna hostage and the Queens doesn’t seem to care, she decided she’s done risking her life for a self-centered Queen. Together, she and her girlfriend escape and settle in Tawney, opening the shop of their dreams. Following their journey making friends with the people in Tawney, opening their shop and discovering just what they mean to each other, and dealing with the Queen out for Reyna’s head - it’s a cozy fantasy worth reading for Spring.

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

This was such a great palette cleanser for me. I tend to read literary fiction and don’t really pick up fantasy that much, so sometimes I get in trouble because most of the literary fiction I read don’t have the happiest of themes. This was a great read that helped lift my mood up, visualized a dream of mine that I would love to have materialize in the future (opening a cafe bookshop), and show a real relationship. The romance in the book is well established from the beginning, so a lot of the story follows them figuring out their disagreements, learning to communicate better with each other, and seeing a real couple with real problems. It is very similar to Legends and Lattes, but I have to say that I loved this more!

Thank you NetGalley for the arc!

Y’all know by now, if it’s a cozy fantasy that involves beverages I will read it! Tea, coffee, wine, beer, milkshakes, cider, etc. I AM IN.

In Can’t Spell Treason Without Tea Reyna and Kianthe decide to quit their day jobs and run away together to a remote location to open up a bookshop that serves tea. Cozy chairs, floor to ceiling shelves, my kind of paradise.

The only problem is Reyna’s day job is being the Royal body guard to the Queen, and you don’t just get to quit under this Queen without problems.

There is a lot to enjoy here certainly. The relationship between the two women is sweet and caring, though there is an adjustment period as with all couples as they start to live together and work together. It’s satisfying wish fulfillment to think about running off and building a cozy space together with books and tea. I’m all about a cozy stress free life.

Even so, I found my expectations were a little too high for what this one delivered. I did listen to the audiobook, and while well produced, it was harder to follow along while doing chores or driving than usual for me, and at night the narrator’s voice put me right to sleep a few times. This may have been a better experience for me with the book in front of me to keep my attention, which I didn’t have this time.

I can’t quite put my finger on why I felt so distanced from the characters though. It’s the perfect recipe for me. But if I had to point to one thing, it might be that the plotting felt more episodic than moving towards a climax. We know there will have to be a confrontation with the queen towards the end, but instead of building towards those stakes there are just these neat things that happen.

Maybe it was just too cozy for me??

All that being said I know many of my friends here have loved this book and I did enjoy it, so definitely check it out if it sounds fun.

Can't Spell Treason Without Tea is a low-stakes, cozy, sapphic fantasy. While I didn't love it, this has more to do with the genre itself and less so the book. This is one of my first low-stakes fantasy books, and I don't think the genre is for me. However, these characters are really likeable, I love the found family aspect of the book, and the world building is quite well crafted. So while I don't expect to continue this series, I do urge readers who like this genre to pick up this book.
Thank you to Macmillan Audio for the audio ARC in exchange for an honest review!

This was fun and cute but not quite as “cozy” as I expected it would be. Still, not too dramatic or super high stakes so just a nice read and the narration was enjoyable. I’ll definitely pick up the next book.