Thank you to Macmillan Audio for the review copy!

If you are a fan of cozy fantasy, you’ve likely heard of this one already. But if you’re curious about the genre and looking for someplace to start, this one might be for you. If reading about characters opening a bookshop or cafe (or in this case - both) generally sounds like it will bore you to death, “Can’t Spell Treason Without Tea,” doesn’t focus on the store the way many cozies do. It’s there, and it’s definitely a big part of the plot, but more so as a plot device to help the characters get to know their new town, and to build that cozy found family feeling we all love so much.

There is a little more sense of danger in this one than other cozies I’ve read - Reyna abandons her post as a queen’s guard to embark on this quest for coziness, which is punishable by death. And the village gets attacked by dragons!

My only wish was that there was more of a focus on the romance. I wish we had gotten to see Kianthe and Reyna fall in love! Their meet cute was included in my audiobook as a bonus chapter, and I wish that was how the story had started.

For me, the added dangers took away from the cozy vibes, and I could never quite settle into the story. Overall, I liked it, but I would have liked it more if it were either cozier or more traditional fantasy, or more romantic!

🎧The narrator made some interesting choices that I didn’t love. For Reyna, the palace guard, she gave a very proper British accent. No one else spoke that way, and she was raised in the castle, so that just didn’t make sense to me.

In all honesty, I couldn't get myself to finish this book. I'm sure it is a great read for people who are a fan of “the cozy fantasy” genre because this definitely fits between the ‘legends and lattes’ - esque stories. I, unfortunately, wasn't hyped by the book.
That being said, the author has obviously tried to make this book feel like a warm hug and has SUCCEEDED. It is cute and heartwarming and light. Again, not for me, but I'm sure there are people who will love Can’t spell treason without tea.

DNFed at 50%

Unfortunately this one just wasn't for me. I found the writing style very jarring because of the use of really modern words (i.e. dating, girlfriends) in a fantasy book made it feel more like a contemporary romance than a fantasy book! I also couldn't see the main characters staying together in the long run - they barely knew each other and had a LOT to unpack. Therapy first, starting a business together later.

I loved the concept of the book and will try whatever she writes when this series is done.

This. Book! I really enjoyed this journey! If you love Legends & Lattes, this one will be even better! I got to meet the author at an event in Austin, TX and it was so cool to listen to her talk about her process and inspiration. This was the queer cozy fantasy I’ve been wanting!
My favorite part is that the two FMCs are in an established relationship at the beginning and that was honestly refreshing. I’m excited to see where their relationship and plot goes in the next couple books!
A lot of reviews complain about it not being cozy, and I really didn’t agree. Honestly Cozy Fantasy is what is cozy to you! Low stakes doesn’t mean no stakes. Like things still need to happen. I don’t know. I really enjoyed the premise of the book and how the plot went.
Definitely check this one out! It’s definitely worth the read. Don’t count it out based on the 1 star reviews. <3

Can't Spell Treason Without Tea is the first book in a cozy fantasy series by Rebecca Thorne. Released 7th May 2024 by Macmillan on their Tor imprint it's 352 pages and is available in paperback, audio, and ebook formats. It's worth noting that the ebook format has a handy interactive table of contents as well as interactive links and references throughout.

This is a lovely, immersive, well written cozy fantasy with F/F romance. A royal mercenary and a high ranking magic user just want to be together, to have a cozy bookstore with a big fireplace, tea and baked goods and nothing is going to stand in their way if they have anything to say about it.

It's full of magic and world building and if the characters are maybe a tiny bit tropey, well, that's why readers *love* cozy fantasy. Inevitable comparisons will be drawn between this series and Travis Baldree's wonderful Legends & Lattes, and while it's true they share a niche genre, this series is not at all derivative and readers who enjoyed L&L will likely love this one as well.

The unabridged audiobook has a run time of 11 hours 36 minutes and is capably read by series narrator Jessica Threet. She has a well modulated voice and does a surprisingly good job of the disparate fantasy acents. Her voice is a tiny bit sharp to actually fade into neutrality during the read, but it's not at all intrusive and there aren't any accents that come across as patently fake or forced. Sound and production quality are very high throughout the read.

Four and a half stars for both the book and audiobook. Highly recommended for fans of cozy fantasy. There -are- violent scenes with battle descriptions. There is some light sexual content, but nothing NSFW. With two books out and a third due out in late first quarter 2025, it would be an excellent choice for a series binge or buddy read.

Disclosure: I received an ARC at no cost from the author/publisher for review purposes.

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.

Thank you so much to Netgalley and the publisher for so graciously providing me qirh this e-ARC! I am very thankful and once read will update this review placeholder with my thoughts and also review on my Social medias.

lol… yeah, after reading legends & lattes I’m sorry to say this is basically low-grade fanfiction of that. oof. i mean. it wasn’t bad, but… it wasn’t good...?

the book can’t decide whether it’s cosy or high-stakes, and though i was intrigued by the premise of a vengeful queen she wasn’t actually present much. except at the beginning, and of course at the end. which is a whole nother can of worms -- this big thing looming over them resolved /that/ easily? c'mon. it just felt too shallow and simple.

An absolute delight of a book! I recommend it to everyone that breathes on it! I can’t wait for book two!

I loved the cozy energy of this book, while there was some stacks none of them were too high that it was tense. I loved the energy that the town had and the mystery of the dragons. I cannot wait to see what comes of all the stories that have been opened in this world and see what next for these two!

Cute cozy fantasy read. It was a quick read with fun characters. I'm intrigued to read the next book.

thank you for an arc of this book!!

love a good cozy fantasy book in between my epic fantasy reads. this was just what i needed and i can’t wait for more books to come out!

Can't Spell Treason Without Tea by Rebecca Thorne is as wonderful as everyone claims. Reyna and Kianthe get sick of their lives in court and run away together to open a bookshop that serves tea. How can anyone resist a read like that? The book is a mystery/cozy/sapphic love story that pulls the reader in through Thorne's wonderful characterizations and world-building.

Thanks NetGalley, Tor Publishing Group, and Bramble for this arc

3/5 stars

I was so excited about this, but it got so boring in places I ended up taking way too long to finally finish this. I think the writing just wasn't strong enough for the story. A lot of things just happened, and it was like we all just went oh ok and moved on. This could have been more exciting and still held onto the cozy vibes easily! When Raina was running away from the Queen we should've been on the edge of our seats, but it was so anticlimactic, and it didn't get better for me from there. Maybe cozy fantasy actually isn't my thing? I need less vibes more plot? I'll continue with this series as there are things left unfinished, but I am not holding out hope it'll be much better with stronger writing than this one.

This book was wonderful. Cosy and comforting with books and tea and just the right amount of danger. This is the sort of book to fall in love with. Reading this book as an audiobook was a delight and made it ten times more cosy. I would also definitely recommend curling up with a blanket and a cup of tea while reading in whatever format you pick.

The characters truly felt like my friends by the end of it. It’s definitely the sort of book I can see myself going back to. It also looks like it’s going to be a series, so that is really exciting as well. The bookshop truly felt like a magic place as well. It really felt like somewhere I would like to go and have a cup of tea and peruse a book or two! It was perfect.

The more dangerous plots were also brilliant. The constant threat of the queen finding Reyna was always there in the background and the subplot with the dragons also gave a nice bit of action in the centre of the book.

I cannot wait for the next book and to see more from these characters.

While the idea behind this was good, the execution was very lacking. The characters were pretty bland despite the fact they're a guard and a super powerful wizard. The focus should have been on the overall plot of building this shop and staying undercover because everything just felt like scenes thrown together. Every "problem" between the main characters was solved same page and no development of their relationship. I get the stakes have to be low for a cozy fantasy but this was just boring.

This book was everything! It started a bit slow but wishing two chapters, I couldn’t put it down! Featuring a bit more danger and intrigue than Travis Baldree, Thorne has crafted a beautiful book about finding a family, discovering an identity, and creating a home.

I love cozy fantasy, and I was so grateful to NetGalley for the chance to read this one. I’m a picky reader, and I found this just lovely. The story was cozy and comforting, with enough perils and twist to make it interesting but not stressful. The characters were believable and no one was too perfect— both main characters grew and changed over the course of the book, rising to the challenges before them. I also liked that there was a sweet romance but not an explicit one. The chemistry was great and the attraction was natural, with excellent dialogue and relationship growth.

Five stars! Thank you!

4.25 stars.
This Sapphic cosy read has higher stakes than Legend and Lattes with a romance element, more plot dragons, small town, magic and of course a tea / bookshop.
In a way it was everything i wanted, but also it just didnt quite hit the mark.
The relationship between the two main characters was the cutest, and the relationship growth was a nice journey to see in books. What didnt quite hit the mark for me was possibly the meandering storytelling, with a lack of focus. It wasnt very obvious though, its just the overall feeling on why it wasnt a five star read.
I did really really enjoyed this and loved the ending act. I cant wait to read more about this couple.
Thanks to Netgalley and Bramble/Tor publishing for an eARC of this book for review

Thank you to Tor and NetGalley for the eGalley to review!

If you like cozy, domestic romance with a hearty dose of fantasy and a dash of danger, this is an excellent book for you. Reyna decides to desert her post as a Queen's guard to run away and start up a book and tea shop with her girlfriend Kianthe, who happens to be the most important mage in the world. They have to dodge suspicion or risk Reyna being executed for her treason. It's love of the deepest kind and reading it felt like being wrapped in a warm blanket by a fire with a cup of tea, especially when it came to the domestic bits. There are ups and downs for our two heroines but it is worth every bit of their freedom to have a life together.

I really enjoyed the plot and the characters, especially the ones who were rooting for our main couple (talk about an audience stand-in!). We're also treated to an open ending for a sequel and a special oneshot at the end. I'm excited to read more about this world.

I'm loving this new trend of queer, cozy fantasies, and this one is a nice addition to that growing genre!

Can't Spell Treason without Tea is a charming cozy fantasy that I think will appeal to many, but didn't manage to fully capture me.

The reason it lost me in places was almost entirely the lack of detail in the world. It felt very much like it was an AU fanfiction of something I couldn't identify, or if it wasn't, it was written by an author who had cut her teeth on fanfic, because there was almost no description given of the setting or of the characters in it. It had the sense a lot of fanfic does of relying on you to recognize the world and characters who appear in it so they don't need description or detail -- but of course, this world was new to me, so I could have used a little more grounding in it. Related to this, I couldn't understand all the world details as they developed; it's a high fantasy world full of bandits, dragons, etc, but a small town has enough people with literacy that the characters can afford to open a combination bookstore-library and have 4-5 people in it at all times. In Ch 15, Kianthe "orders a multitude of books" for the bookstore (sixteen crates of them!), but it isn't until Ch 16 that they mention the new technology of the printing press (which is new enough to confuse Reyna that the books aren't hand-written). Likewise, they had easy, cheap access to green tea and ginseng, vanilla and cacao, along with black teas. I think none of these would have confused me if they'd been worked in earlier and with more description -- I want to know how this world works, and what it runs on.

But this is a minor quibble in the grand scheme of things. It's well-written, with engaging and skilled narrative turn of phrase, and the main characters have a genuinely cute relationship. It's low-stakes, though higher stakes than some others in the genre (Legends and Lattes is the natural comparison) since the characters have to deal with local politics, bandits, dragon attacks, and of course, the queen sending people to try to kill her runaway guard -- but you can expect problems to be solved fairly easily with little stress to the reader. If you want a charming read to keep you company through an afternoon, this will definitely provide that!