Book Review: Can't Spell Treason Without Tea by Rebecca Thorne
A cozy romantasy that has tea and books. What more could you ask for?
This was a cute book!
It was a quick, easy read that bounces back and forth between two main perspectives, Reyna (the queens guard) and Kianthe (the most powerful mage in existence). Two people who definitely shouldn't have relations, running off and abandoning their posts to build their dream life together.
"Run away with me. You like tea. I like books. Care to open a shop and forget the world exists?"
We're introduced to this story and these characters well into their relationship, launching us directly into their story of building a home and a shop together. These two characters really balance each other well, and I enjoyed reading about how they support each other in different ways and work through their own misgivings and struggles. And I adored reading about building something wonderful from the ground up - that's maybe my favorite part of cozy fantasies like this, it itches a scratch to run off and do something slightly irrational, like build a book shop/cafe/flower shop that may or may not bring in any income, haha.
I really appreciate the Meet and Greet chapter at the end, sharing with the reader how they met. Getting their introduction to each other was really sweet.
It was fun to watch them build their new lives and dance around the truth of who they are and where they came from originally. I did want a little more of the mystery they were meant to solve, and sometimes it felt like they got away with more than they should have?? I know it's a cozy fantasy (and it does that very well) but I wanted a little more tension. And dragons. Definitely more dragons.
"A person could work and work and work, and still never "earn" their dues. Sometimes success meant determination... and sometimes, it was just luck."
Overall, a fun quick read that I enjoyed reading, and I'm sure there will be more tension (and dragons hopefully??) to come in the sequel, A Pirates Life For Tea. But I liked it for what it was, and it gave me some warm cozies.
Rating: ★★★.5
Book Summary
- Title: Can't Spell Treason Without Tea
- Author: Rebecca Thorne
- Genre: Fantasy, Cozy, Romance, LGBT
- Who Should Read It? This is a curl-up-and-read-during-a-storm sort of book. Ultra cozy, cute banter, fun adventure.
Synopsis: 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 self-centered 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 murderous 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.
