Can't Spell Treason Without Tea by Rebecca Thorne

Can't Spell Treason Without Tea (Tomes & Tea Cozy Fantasies, #1)

by Rebecca Thorne

"You like tea. I like books. Care to open a shop and forget the world exists?"

All Reyna and Kianthe want is to open a bookshop that serves tea. Worn wooden floors, plants on every table, firelight drifting between the rafters… all complemented by love and good company. Thing is, Reyna works as one of the Queen’s private guards, and Kianthe is the most powerful mage in existence. Leaving their lives isn’t so easy.

But after an assassin takes Reyna hostage, she decides she’s thoroughly done risking her life for a manic queen. Meanwhile, Kianthe has been waiting for a chance to flee responsibility–all the better that her girlfriend is on board. Together, they settle in Tawney, a town that boasts more dragons than people, and open the shop of their dreams.

What follows is a cozy tale of mishaps, mysteries, and a crazed queen throwing the realm’s biggest temper tantrum. In a story brimming with hurt/comfort and quiet fireside conversations, these two women will discover just what they mean to each other… and the world.

Reviewed by annieb123 on

4.5 of 5 stars

Share

Originally posted on my blog Nonstop Reader.

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.

Last modified on

Reading updates

  • 29 June, 2024: Started reading
  • 29 June, 2024: Finished reading
  • 29 June, 2024: Reviewed