Can't Spell Treason Without Tea

Lovely as always - reread because I just got the third book and it's been a while.
Oops, I never reviewed it the first time...I wanted to get to the next book too much to stop to review. Fascinating world, great characters - I love that they have figured out how to keep their relationship working by asking how the other feels about a problem and then actually listening to the answer (and not interrupting, or even speaking, until the answer is complete). A couple times this doesn't quite work, mostly because the speaker hasn't figured out how she feels about the matter at hand yet - but talking it out still helps. Kianthe is very powerful in her magic and has considerable influence because of it - but she still feels invisible as herself, show more the person. Reyna also feels invisible but in her case - until they run away - that's a good thing (her mad queen is _nasty_ and being unnoticed is a very good idea). So they have to work on who they are (false names play a part) and what they are to each other. Very much closed door on the sex front - it's clear when they have (and haven't) been intimate but it's never on page, more than an occasional kiss and slightly less occasional innuendo. Weird mysteries (that only get bigger and more complex in the next book) in their chosen town (it was _supposed_ to be a backwater, of interest to no one. Oops). Bandits and dragons and two competing lords and politics up the wazoo; manipulation and reverse psychology, but only of bad guys. Mostly. Much less cozy than Legends and Lattes - national-level politics, and magic and danger larger than that. But the protagonists really want the cozy, not the power and grand stage, and do their best to keep to their chosen paths. I greatly enjoyed it, immediately read the second book, and reread it in prep for the third book (didn't want to be confused and there's plenty of opportunity for that). show less

Reyna, high-ranking officer in the Queen's guard, and Kianthe, the most powerful mage in the Realm, run off together even though that is, you know, treason. They pick a sleepy border town of uncertain sovereignty to start their new life as proprietors of a tea shop/bookstore, and make friends with the locals. Their adventures don't end, however, as the town is home to two feuding (and flirting) bureaucrats and is periodically attacked by dragons. Not to mention that the queen is not very happy about her bodyguard's defection.

A nice story, if a little too long. The characters are enjoyable but their logic doesn't quite hold up - they're way too insecure in their relationship for people who have been dating for years, and Reyna tells show more everyone and their mother her real name when she's supposed to be laying low. The big, dangerous confrontation with the dragons comes exactly halfway through the book, which makes the pacing feel off, but I wonder if that's an inherent part of the “cozy” genre - dramatic scenes spread throughout the story instead of building tension up to one particular climax. Not to mention it allows more time for healing and comfort. I didn't love the ending of this book but I did like the amount of mystery that is left for subsequent books in the series. show less

I've recently developed a real taste for all things cosy - whether mystery, romance or fantasy - maybe because of how utterly full-on real life has been in these past few months, maybe because they feel safe and comforting and leave me buzzing with warm, fuzzy, positive feelings. Or maybe both. Regardless, when I read the blurb for Can't Spell Treason Without Tea, I immediately knew I had to read it, because it sounded exactly like the type of book I would love. Perhaps that's why the disappointment I felt over this book stung worse than others, but it was probably the worst let-down of the year so far.

For starters, I feel this was mislabelled as cosy fantasy. The fact that the main characters drop everything to open a bookstore and tea show more room in a remote town is not enough for this to be a cosy fantasy: the main plot lines are rife with danger and the stakes are high - life-threatening even - involving both a vengeful royal and dragons, whereas everything related to Reyna and Kianthe's new life is so easy and conflict-free it would almost be laughable if it weren't boring. This is, essentially, a fantasy with some cosy elements and, in truth, not even a great one at that.

The worldbuilding is insufficiently developed, and when we do get any information it's usually through exposition, either in dialogue or in one of the main characters' internal monologue - of which there is a lot. I was also incredibly annoyed by the blatant attempts to be "woke" and diverse by continuously drawing attention to any elements pointing in that direction, some of which frankly made no sense in the context of a semi-medieval-feeling world. One clear example is a lengthy passage in which the use of pronoun pins by a very minor non-binary character is discussed. Pronoun pins, seriously?? Couldn't characters just, you know, use the correct pronouns? But perhaps was that too radical a choice for a fantasy world…

The main characters also came across as really bland. Any conflict between them is immediately resolved with a lengthy conversation and the use of great communication tactics, which of course comes with a side of commentary on just how good they are at communicating and a detailed list of all the things they do to keep such a good level of communication between them. The book is told in alternating POVs and, at least in theory, we're told just how different these two characters' personalities are but, in practice, I sometimes had trouble distinguishing between the two voices and forgot whose POV I was supposed to be following at that moment. I did like the idea of them having a pre-existing relationship, but I didn't really feel as if I got to see them being in love - though I was repeatedly told just how much they loved each other and how good they were together.

This was, essentially, the main flaw of Can't Spell Treason Without Tea for me: everything was told, nothing (or very little) was shown. The overarching storylines are not even resolved in this book, leaving everything hanging in anticipation for the next one, while the cosy fantasy plot is solved even too quickly: everyone in town immediately loves Kianthe and Reyna, including the local lords; the shop is magically fixed in one afternoon; suppliers are secured with one trip to the neighbouring city.

I listened to the audiobook for this one and I did like the narrator: Jessica Threet did a great job at trying to infuse some life in these characters and differentiating between them in some way, but she couldn't fix everything else that just didn't work here. It was a real shame as I was truly looking forward to this book and I think it had great potential, but it just ended up not working for me.

I received an advanced review copy of this audiobook for free from the publisher via NetGalley. This did not affect my opinion of the book in any way. show less

If you read "Legends and Lattes" by Travis Baldree and wanted to recapture that vibe with less sentient magical creatures in the everyday and more relationship figuring out and unfolding, this is for you. I say that in the best way.

I loved the coziness of this story, but the development of the primary relationship between the two main characters as they explore their new everyday life that they're building truly makes this stand out. I feel like anyone who has found beauty and love in the minutiae of ordinary life and routine will appreciate the inner monologues and struggles of this burgeoning romance. There are some great
"Couples therapy" kind of techniques and practices that demonstrate a healthy and happy love. I can't wait to read show more more of this series. show less

Originally posted on Just Geeking by.

Content warnings:
The author lists the following content warnings: violence, injury, swearing, near-death experiences.

Additionally:

This book contains scenes of blood, poison, tyrannical rule, a toxic relationship between a male friend/coworker and female friend/coworker, toxic workplaces and an emotionally abusive employer.

There are references to events off page: corpses put on display, spiked drinks, and death of loved ones.

Guarding the Queen is all Reyna has ever known. It’s the family business, and it was assumed from birth that she would follow in the footsteps of her mother. The thought of doing something else hadn’t crossed her mind until she met Kianthe, the Arcandor, the infamous Mage of show more Ages. Falling in love with Kianthe was a risk, and the two sneaked midnight rendezvous afraid that the Queen, not known for her mercy, would find out.

After a particularly nasty assassination attempt leaves Reyna realising just how expendable she is to the Queen despite her loyalty, Reyna decides to accept the offer Kianthe made to her – to run away and set up a bookshop with a tearoom.

Of course, Queen Tilaine is never going to just let Reyna go. Finding the seemingly perfect place in Tawney, a town with uncertain borders far away from the Queen’s court, the couple set up shop in an old bandit hideout. But life was never going to be quiet for the Mage of Ages, and Tawney, well, it’s a town that has more happening than they first realised, including dragon attacks.

Can Reyna and Kianthe help the town, avoid the Queen’s guards, and get their business off the ground, all while working out their relationship as a proper couple?

I picked up Can’t Spell Treason Without Tea by Rebecca Thorne because the title practically begged me to, and the synopsis backed it up. I was expecting a cosy fantasy that would be fun and interesting and was blown away by how good it was. Thorne’s writing is brilliant. From her characters to her plot twists and her world building, her writing was a delight to read and I love her style. Her unique narrative style fits well with the cosy fantasy genre, and I loved the way that the narrative slipped into omniscient narration at times, commenting on how Renya and Kianthe reacted to a situation later. For example, when they tell a necessary white lie to save a teenager from a life of crime, the narration mentions that it’s something that they never dissuade him of his belief.

Speaking of said teenager, the whole bandit subplot was such a laugh, and I enjoyed the way that Thorne seamlessly blended humour with romance and fantasy in this book. While this cosy fantasy definitely comes under the romantasy genre, there is a lot more happening other than just the romance. Also while there are a lot of displays of care, snuggles, hugs and kisses, that is the only intimacy shown on the page, although there are plenty of hints in the dialogue that more is happening off the page. I’ve seen other reviewers referring to the flirting scenes as being a lot more involved.

I don’t know if the author has reworked the book for this Tor reprint in 2024 or if other people have a much lower tolerance for scenes like this. But I did not find anything to be “inappropriate for a workplace”, especially one that is run by a couple that is clearly in love.

Can’t Spell Treason Without Tea also has great mental health representation, which was a nice surprise, and I was very impressed with how well these scenes were written. There is a focus on anxiety, intrusive thoughts and recovering from abusive and toxic situations.

What stops this book from being a full five stars for me is that I realised a bit of a big plot hole. Reyna is running for her life from the Queen, and a huge deal is made about how dangerous it is for her… and yet she doesn’t change her appearance at all? It also takes a while for both her and Kianthe to realise that Reyna running around with her Queen’s guard sword probably isn’t the smartest idea! Everything else in the book fits together very well, and Can’t Spell Treason Without Tea has one of the most daringly funny endings I’ve read in a long time. But that bit let it down for me, and once I realised it, I couldn’t stop going back to it.

I fell completely in love with the world and characters that Thorne has created, and can’t wait to continue the adventures of Renya and Kianthe in the next Tomes & Tea book!

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This is definitely a read-alike for Legends and Lattes, which I loved, but I found this one grating. I wanted to like it, don’t get me wrong, but the beats felt so similar, and the two leads were much too mushy about each other for my liking. (I’m not a big romance reader, so people being mushy in books makes me want to scroll scroll scroll past.)

Amidst the flickering candlelight of a quiet Sunday afternoon, I found myself reluctantly drawn into the pages of a tale that dared flirt with fantasy's seductive lure. I am one who prefers the boundless expanse of the cosmos—cold, dark, and unforgiving—but this, this was a different kind of darkness. The kind that lurks not in the void between stars, but in the shadows of dragon-haunted lands and forgotten towns of miscreants and magic.

The story beckons us into a realm where gallant knights and powerful mages, forever bound to serve higher powers, defy their chains. And, as fate would have it, a knight—sworn protector of the crown—dares to run off with a mage of immense power. Their love, fragile yet defiant, burns like the show more embers of dragon fire, smoldering beneath the watchful eye of a vengeful queen.

I must admit, my curiosity was piqued. What, I wondered, might unfold behind the veils of their clandestine union? Yet, instead of indulging in those tantalizing glimpses, the tale takes a loftier path—one of rebellion, of carving out new lives from the ashes of their former servitude. Together, they flee to a town on the edge of dragon territory, a place as wild and untamed as their hearts. Bandits stalk the streets, and the air is thick with the scent of dragon scales. Their challenge is clear: cleanse the town, find peace with the dragons, and above all, remain out of reach from the queen’s insidious grasp.

And though the pages did not burn with the intensity I craved, there was a heat nonetheless—the kind that flickers just out of reach, enough to stir the imagination. A fun read? Yes. A deep one? Perhaps not. But if ever a film were to bring the dragons' breath to life, I suspect it would sear with far more ferocity. Still, for a light indulgence, it was enough to make the hairs on my neck prickle and my mind wander into realms of fire and flight. Not a bad way to spend a quiet Sunday, after all. show less