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.

Thank you to NetGalley for providing me an ARC of this audiobook for an honest review. All opinions are my own.

I ADORED this cute little sapphic love story. Kianthe and Reyna had such a healthy relationship and I adored how they communicated so well. I loved the pacing of the story and the coziness of the vibes combined with stakes that kept the story moving. I also liked the setup for a sequel and am excited to read the next book. SPOILER: My only criticism is that the way Reyna's issue with the queen was resolved did not feel like a real resolution. Even though she says she's free to do as she wishes, I feel like she's low-key still working for the queen, which is not how I would define freedom. But perhaps she'll come up again in the next book and things will be more resolved END SPOILER.

The audiobook narration was INCREDIBLE. Probably my favorite audiobook I've ever listened to narration-wise. Also, the little one shot at the end of the audiobook.

"You like tea. I like books. Let's open up a shop somewhere and forget the world exists."

If you've played D&D and thought, "enough of this heavy action business. I want my character to settle down in one of the resupply towns to open up a book an tea shop" you will love this! There are a lot of sweet elements to the story. Reyna and Kianthe's relationship being already established and never questioned is lovely. There's a war horse named Lilac and multiple griffins!

Maybe I need more stakes in story, but this never fully drew me in. In fact, the audiobook bonus story of when Reyna and Kianthe met was maybe the most compelling thing here for me. I think ultimately it's because it can't quite figure out if it's cozy fantasy or regular fantasy, despite the "Tomes & Tea Cozy Fantasies" title of the series. While Reyna and Kianthe go off to start their shop, they don't have much plot happening in the town where they've settled - it all hinges on conflict from their former life - so I couldn't settle into the cozy town vibes fully. However, given that it's a series I'm hopeful that future installments will revolve around their new town more and acknowledge that cozy fantasy as a genre is still being defined.

As for the audiobook, the narration was lovely, clear, and crisp. The characters all have distinct voices. Jessica Threet does a lovely job!

Thanks to NetGalley & MacMillan Audio for the audio review copy.

Thanks to MacMillan Audio and Netgalley for the ALC.

Once I saw where Can't Spell Treason Without Tea was being traditionally published with gorgeous sprayed edges, I was immediately influenced and requested the audio ARC. I have also been deeply in my fantasy era now that I am done with this semester's classes, so this was the perfect read for me.

It is a cozy fantasy, very similar to Legends & Lattes by Travis Baldree. Similar plot except this one features significantly more action. I think that was my favorite part. I loved the court deception and the class distinctions that were at play. It made it so intriguing.

At the end of the day though, I ended up not *loving* it, but I was still entertained. It is a solid addition to the cozy fantasy genre, but I wasn't wowed.

Sweet & Cozy Fun

Thoughts💡
Sweet and fun with a hint of action and a giant slice of life. I really enjoyed the slow and cozy pace this book set. It had high fantasy elements and romance, but the focus was more about the two MCs building their life, integrating with their community, and creating an adorable little found family.
Now don’t get me wrong, there was a dramatic queen throwing an epic tantrum, dragons, magical creatures, and a dose of action. It just didn’t overwhelm the story and was more of a subplot. Yet, for all of its originality the thing that stuck out the most was how the author turned a phrase and delivered a poignant statement. I can’t wait to read more from her.
As for the audio, it was on point. Macmillan is quickly becoming one of my favorite audiobook producers. They find wonderful and unique narrators to deliver compelling storytelling that’s so talented that I swear I would listen to them read anything.

✨Note✨Previously indie published.

⚠️Content Warning⚠️
Mild Fantasy Violence

Stats📊
Characters 💙💙💙💙💙
Audio & Narrator 🎧🎧🎧🎧🎧
Fantasy: Sapphic Romance, Swords & Sorcery, Mage Magic, Hurt/Comfort, Slice of Life, Found Family, Cozy Mysteries, Magical Quest
Third Person, Past Tense, Dual POV

Thank you to Macmillain Audio and NetGalley for a free advanced listener’s copy. I received this copy in exchange for my honest review.

Sometimes it’s just nice to have the romance not be the conflict in the story. Having the story start with an established relationship really explored parts of romance writing that I personally crave more of! I love reading about couples communicating through tension and disagreements and coming back together the way real people do. Seeing a couple that knows each other so intrinsically just feels so cozy!

I’ve seen a lot of reviews saying that this is for fans of Legends & Lattes and I couldn’t agree more. I’d probably argue that this gave me more in terms of cozy romance. While there certainly felt like there was more narrative tension when the plot reminded you they were running away from an evil queen, it never felt disjointed from the less heavy parts of the narrative and watching the couple of Rayna and Kianthe navigate obstacles big and small fed my soul.

I must also say Jessica Threet absolutely devoured this book, she portrayed emotion so tenderly and passionately! I definitely have a new narrator crush.

I could not recommend this book more for a quick and fun romantic adventure in a familiar fantasy setting.

I am giving this book 4 stars, because I was intiruged that it took place around the time of dragons. The rest of the story not so much. It sounded like a bunch of high school students, dealing with high school drama. I am not into fantasy books, or romance maybe that with why I feel the way I do about this.

My rating is 4 stars

Okay so this book was absolutely adorable. I really loved listening to it in audiobook format, I think this was the perfect way to get into this book. I had a lot of fun listening and overall it had me in the cozy feels the entire time! The characters were all so much fun and had their own quirks and complexities that I really enjoyed listening to!

Definitely a book I would go back to for a quick, fun, and overall cozy listen. Thank you NetGalely for an eARC!