This series has quickly skyrocketed to the top of my favourite books I've read this year. The perfect cozy read that left me with all of the warm fuzzy feelings I could dream of while still keeping an engaging and high stakes plot. Absolutely perfect cozy fantasy!

A Pirate's Life for Tea by Rebecca Thorne, a fun book that is quirky yet imaginative. Its the next in the series that makes you want to read all of them.

While we're in the same world and with the same characters, Rebecca Thorne has done a fantastic job at writing a sequel that expands the world while still keeping the same cozy energy from the first book.

This took me a little bit to get to, but I ADORED this book. Rebecca Thorne is an autobuy author me me since I also loved the previous book in this series.

I didn’t think I liked cozy fantasy that much but this sapphic story has me hooked! It’s cannot wait for the next one

While I didn't enjoy this book as much as the first one (can't beat the book-and-tea shop setting), this book still had the same cozy feel and the same great characters. Rain and Key are still on-form and the new characters are fun, but I do miss the cozy warm hug feeling from the first book. However I also really like the hunt for the dragon eggs. Cozy fantasy needs to walk a fine line between plot and vibes, and this book does it well. The vibes are just not as perfect for me as the first book, but this book is still awesome.

A Pirate's Life for Tea by Rebecca Thorne is an absolute delight—a perfect blend of swashbuckling adventure, charm, and heartfelt moments. From the very first page, Thorne immerses readers in a vibrant, whimsical world where the lines between pirate escapades and tea-time traditions are delightfully blurred.

If you’re a fan of lighthearted adventure, complex characters, and a touch of humor, A Pirate’s Life for Tea is a treasure chest of delights. Rebecca Thorne has crafted a story that’s not just about pirates—but about the little moments of joy that make life, even on the high seas, worth living. Highly recommended!

⭐ Rating: 4.5/5 stars
🗓 Publish date: Oct 1, 2024
🌈 Representation: lesbian MCs, queer & non-binary SCs, queernormative world

CW/TW:
Violence, Kidnapping, Blood, Injury/Injury detail, Sexual content, Classism, Fire/Fire injury, Alcohol


As soon as I finished Can't Spell Treason Without Tea, I was desperate for more and was fortunate to snag an ARC for the sequel. A Pirate's Life for Tea “doubled the lesbians” and introduced two more POV characters, who I really enjoyed.

I didn't love this second book quite as much as the first, but I can't pinpoint why exactly. It was funny, charming, and full of adventure so I definitely recommend it! It just didn't quite grab my attention from the start like the first book did.

I did like the themes around accountability and the character growth of the characters (particularly Bobbie) was great to see. I appreciate when fantasy books can grapple with tougher topics like the ways police perpetuate systems of harm.

Excited for book 3!

One thing I like about Rebecca Thorne's Tea and Tomes queer romantasy books is they're cozy, but with just enough of an edge to keep you excited. They ride that line really well.

3.5 STARS

I had a lot of fun with this book! It was better than the first one, mainly because I now know what to expect (the first book wasn’t marketed right. And I think that it was a big problem), and because you can see the author getting more comfortable with her characters and becoming more confident in general. There is an ease that wasn’t there before, and I am so glad to be here for that.
Things are smoother and more fluid, and it was all quite fun.
We also have great banter and I love Kianthe and Reyna as a couple! It is so nice to see them again, and to see them become a more stable couple, now that they are somehow settled in their new life. And it is really nice to follow along their relationship and see how it evolves.
The parts where there two were together were, by far, my favorite.

But we have other interesting characters too, especially Bobby, a constable who stress-crochet. She was so perfect! And we have pirates!! How cool is that??
Truth be told, I was a tad bored when our two MCs weren’t together. Not too much, mind me, I didn’t think about DNF it but… but I preferred things when they were together.

That said, it is a nice and fun book (and some parts are really funny!), and I had an amazing time with it, and we have good characters and fun situations, and the book moves along pretty nicely. Now I can’t wait to see what they would be up to in the next book!

This was a fun lgbtqiap+ cozy fantasy story that is book two in the series. Having not read book one and not having time to go back to it just now I was leery going into this. I figured I’d be lost regarding plot and characters, but the author did a good job of properly introducing characters and backstories. There were two sets of MCs and while I quite enjoyed Kianthe and Reyna (the MCs from book one and the MCs of the series) I did not care for the other couple. Bobbie and Serina were quite annoying to me. I ultimately liked the story, but I’m not sure I’ll read more of the series.

Such a cute little fantasy book. I normally read very heavy or very dark fantasy so this was a nice change of pace for me. I have recently been really into pirate stories so this was great. The story itself is very character and relationship focused. The story and the relationship was well developed and overall just a nice cute little read. And of course the story being queer just made it all the better.

This was a very fun fantasy romance. I would say the tone is somewhere between cozy and swashbuckling. Swashbuckling because it involves pirates, adventures, and quests, and cozy because none of the stakes are too high and the focus is on the relationships and characters. This makes it great for fans of Legends & Lattes and T.J. Klune and the like, and also for people who read The Adventures of Amina Al-Sirafi and would have been fine with a lower-stakes and sweeter story. If any of these are your thing, you will definitely enjoy this book as I did.

The story continues following Reyna and Kianthe, who learn of a pirate Selina who is stealing food that an official has been hoarding for profit and redistributing it among the poor and needy. They also go on a quest/journey to retrieve stolen dragon eggs. They also meet a number of fun characters along the way. And there is also a little sprinkling of spice. Though many preferred the first book (Can't Spell Treason Without Tea), which was admittedly cozier and cuter, I actually preferred A Pirate's Life For Tea, as I'm partial to a faster-paced plot and adventure stories.

I definitely recommend this book, and it would make a lovely fall read! (Or a read for any season, really.)

Thank you to NetGalley, Tor, and Rebecca Thorne for providing an e-ARC in exchange for an honest review. All opinions expressed are my own.

Rebecca Throne is becoming a one click author for me. I love all of their cozy and humorous fantasies and the sapphic love stories.

Rebecca Thorne does it again with this one. I loved Can’t Spell Treason Without Tea because of its humor and the cozy fantasy vibes. A Pirate’s Life for Tea continues that story and adds in some swashbuckling while maintaining the same level of dad joke humor that I love. Kianthe and Reyna are so cute together and work through a lot of stuff in this book of the series, while also playing a bit of matchmaking between two people (Bobbie and Serina) who find themselves on the opposite sides of the law.

Legends and Lattes drew me and many readers into the cozy fantasy genre, but the Tomes & Tea series is showing where this genre can truly go and shine.

Thank you so much to @bramblebooks for the ARC. All thoughts are my own.

3.5 ☆
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If you want a cozy fantasy, this book comes highly recommended! Plain and simple.
The audiobook was good, and the narrator did a great job bringing the characters to life.
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Thank you, Netgellay, MacmillanAudio, and Tor Publishing for the audiobook and Ebook in exchange for my honest review.

A Pirate's Life for Tea is the second book in a cozy fantasy series by Rebecca Thorne. Originally released in 2023, this reformat and re-release from Macmillan on their Tor/Bramble imprint is 368 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 former royal mercenary and a high ranking magic user diplomat 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. They got that in book one and now they're on a mission to save their hard-won independence and their town, and that means more diplomatic missions.

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 enjoy this one as well.

It's full of warmth and humor and the author is unapologetically LGBTQIA+ friendly, here's a quote:

"To the people who gave me one-star reviews because the first book "had lesbians." I doubled the lesbians in this one. Just for you."

The unabridged audiobook has a run time of 13 hours 5 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/PDAs, 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.

A fun, queer pirate fantasy romance perfect for fans of Travis Baldree's Legends and Lattes. While this book had it's cozy moments, the adventure removes it slightly from the true "cozy fantasy" genre. Readers will be excited to see Kianthe and Reyna again, and travel with them as they attempt to collect lost dragon eggs and engage in matchmaking shenanigans.

Lesbian pirates! Dragon drama! So many puns! Rebecca Thorne writes delightful escapist fantasy that's so refreshing to read. I love getting lost in the world of these characters and can't wait for the sequel.

I loved this continuation of Kianthe and Reyna’s story as well as the addition of Bobbie and Serina. This story picks up a little while after the events of the first book and follows Kianthe and Reyna’s mission to find out what happened to the missing dragon eggs. As the two discover some leads about the eggs they also come across piracy on the river. I loved reading about the two of them trying to figure out all the things that crossed their path and how they solved them. While this one did have some slightly higher stakes for multiple people it was such an easy read. I can’t wait to see these 2 get married and whatever happens next.

This book was an incredibly enjoyable read, and I absolutely loved the story. Strong plot and excellent character development are crucial for me, and Rebecca Thorne nailed both in this book. 'A Pirate's Life for Tea' delivered everything I craved, from pirates (but make them lesbians) to the thrill of hunting for dragon eggs.

If you are looking for the perfect escape into open seas and romance then I would high key recommend you add this to your fall TBR.

*Thank you to the publisher for the opportunity to read and review.