Reyna and Kianthe dream of opening a friendly book shop together, serving the very best tea and cakes. Worn wooden floors, plants on every table, firelight drifting between the rafters – all complemented by love and good company. But Reyna is an elite bodyguard to a vengeful queen, and Kianthe is the most powerful mage in existence. Leaving their lives behind seems… impossible. Yet they flee to Tawney, a town nestled in the icy peaks of dragon country. There, they open the bookstore they’d always wanted.

What follows is a tale of mishaps, mysteries, dragons, and a murderous queen throwing the realm’s biggest temper tantrum. Through it, these two women will discover what they mean to each other – and their world.

I love that ‘cosy fantasy’ is becoming a legitimate genre in this crazy world. We’ve always had escapism through worlds of magic, mystical creatures and triumphing against evil, but in recent years it’s taken on this new form. All of those things: plus tea, hugs and often found family.

This is a tale of two women who could never be together under normal circumstances. One is the Head of a very stuffy, tradition-bound cadre of mages; the other a top guard to a ruthless Queen. The story begins as they both down tools, declare ‘screw it!’ and flee to a tiny border town, where they can hide and live together to fulfil their dreams with a bookshop-cafe.

Naturally things don’t go smoothly. There’s dragons, spies, thieves and political games still going on. Throughout it all, though, we have two very determined women who – to the amazement of everyone – are willing to give up their lives for each other (and for their new home).

This book is a delight. As a lifelong fantasy reader, I loved how the world-building sets a foundation while being secondary to the protagonists. There are challenges to face, of course, but it was lovely to see just how many are familiar ones to any reader: burning out from overwork, getting to know new neighbours, wondering where to find stock and if people will like their products…

While the two protagonists may be basically a Wizard and a Warrior in ‘fantasy trope’ terms, from those first moments when they essentially quit and walk away from their toxic day jobs, they’re wonderfully relatable. Reyna and Kianthe are both mature women, experts in their skill-sets, while also carrying the associated traumas of such pressure. I loved them both, and certainly understand their need for a quiet life together with a nice cuppa and a good book!

I genuinely do hope that this appeals to those who appreciate the fun of a cross-genre adventure. There are elements of hard fantasy and romantic-comedy. Quasi-medieval feudalism rears its ugly head, before being brought back to ground level as officials are shown to be just as fallible as anyone else. This is childhood fantasy brought into an adult mindset: yes, the world is tough, but you still need to follow your heart and find your dreams.

‘Can’t Spell Treason’ is a clever, contemporary story of love and humanity set in a world of wonder. I’ve been recommending it to those who enjoyed the whimsy of Baldree and Gaiman, and also those who wanted a bit more relatability from their Tolkien or Martin. Plus the solid undercurrent of Strong Women is a joy.

Curl up with your favourite beverage and enjoy.

Can’t Spell Treason without Tea is available now!

Cat is hosting a giveaway for a hardback copy, find out more on her socials HERE