Recently, I returned to the world of Rebecca Thorne’s Tomes and Tea series with the second book in the series, A Pirate’s Life for Tea. This sequel to the wildly popular Can’t Spell Treason Without Tea follows Kianthe and Reyna, our mage and retired bodyguard couple, as they leave the confines of their beloved tea and book shop to search for the dragon eggs needed to save their hometown. While on the hunt on the Nacean River, they encounter a beloved pirate and the former friend turned constable charged with catching her. Now Kianthe and Reyna have a side quest: turn these once friends now disaster lesbian enemies into lovers.
Kianthe and Reyna were such a great couple to read in their first outing, and I feel like they get even better in this one. Rebecca Thorne really honed in on what makes this couple so likeable and turned it all up to eleven. Their dynamic is so adorable and comes through beautifully throughout the book. Sure, they may be hunting for dragon eggs, dealing with obstinate politicians, and chasing an uncatchable pirate, but that doesn’t stop them from having fun. I loved Kianthe’s puns and all of her attempts at writing romance. Reyna’s scheming had me laughing the way you do while watching a friend do something too ridiculous to be believed. Their banter is also really great. It has this playful teasing quality to it that felt so incredibly real. It gives you a clear sense of how much they truly love each other and trust each other.
Accompanying our main teashop owning couple are a cast of supporting characters that are also a delight to read. Bobbie and Serina are a great enemies-to-lovers couple. My only wish is that Rebecca had given us more POV scenes with them. While I enjoyed reading their romance unfold from Kianthe and Reyna’s perspective, I wish we had more time with them and got to see some more of their private interactions. Serina’s crew of misfits were also a high point of the book. Each one of them felt unique and really well developed given the length of the novel. There were multiple moments in which I wished I could spend more time with each and every one of them. Even the Dastardly Pirate Dreggs, who only shows up in the third act, is a fun time.
The story is a lot of fun and does a really good job balancing cozy and safe with moments of swashbuckling and thrilling action. Most of it feels pretty cozy and light-hearted with silly hijinks here and there. Then come the big action set pieces that keep you on the edge of your seat as you’re reading even though you know your favorite characters will probably be okay in the end. It’s that right blend of cozy and fantasy action that I, someone who struggles with reading cozy and light novels, really like and want to see more of.
In summary, A Pirate’s Life for Tea is the perfect follow-up to the first book in the series. It gives us more time with a great couple while also deepening their development as characters and as a couple. Like its predecessor, it delivers a lighthearted and fun story that does not skimp out on the action. I cannot wait to see how the series continues in the third book, which I will probably start very soon.
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