Can't Spell Treason Without Tea by Rebecca Thorne is currently one of the few books in the emerging genre of Cosy Fantasy, inspired by Travis Baldree’s Legends and Lattes. The book promises a low-stakes tale of mishaps and mysteries filled with conversations about comfort and hurt next to a warm fireplace… And it certainly delivers.
This is such a unique book with a story that every book lover dreams about living through, where a sapphic couple flees their chaotic lives to build a business that offers both tea and books. Thorne’s words drowned us in vibes so cosy we could swear we truly smelt the warm tea and fresh cinnamon buns.
This book was fantastic for many reasons and one of them was the relationship between the main characters – we meet Reyna and Kianthe two years into their romance and quickly get the feeling of just how much work they have put into their relationship to create space for healthy communication and partnership. Fantasy, at least in mainstream literature, is a genre that often offers angst and violence and very rarely centres queer relationships. We see ourselves in side characters if at all, and usually meet a tragic, bloody end. There is simply something special, then, about delving into all the charm of the genre (dragons, snow-topped mountains, mages and magic and exciting heists) while also witnessing two women living happily and comfortably together — as much as we love our sword-wielding sapphics (which Reyna still manages to be, gods bless).
Reyna and Kianthe are extremely layered as a couple, but also as individuals. The author makes sure that the two women can find their passions and independence free of their partner after they both leave the only life they have known behind as a royal guard and a mage, respectively (did we mention that Reyna carries a sword?).
Rebecca Thorne deserves a big round of applause for the gentle and remarkable way she leads Reyna and Kianthe through the story and the intriguing way she draws the reader in.
The next book in the series is called A Pirate's Life for Tea (yes, it has pirates!) and is coming out on February 23rd. We can't wait! We also have something fantastic planned with Rebecca, so keep an eye out for that. 👀
Rebecca Thorne is an author of all things fantasy, sci-fi, and romantic. She thrives on deadlines, averages 2,700 words a day, and tries to write at least 2 books a year. (She also might be a little hyper-focused ADHD.)
After years operating in the traditional publishing space, Rebecca has pivoted into self-publishing. She released her first w|w cozy fantasy in September, titled CAN’T SPELL TREASON WITHOUT TEA. She is also obsessed with TikTok, and will happily spend all day scrolling through videos.
When she’s not writing or avoiding writing, Rebecca can be found traveling the country as a flight attendant, or doing her best impression of a granola-girl hermit with her two dogs.