Book Review: A Pirate’s Life for Tea by Rebecca Thorne

I received a review copy from the publisher. This does not affect the contents of my review and all opinions are my own.

A Pirate’s Life for Tea by Rebecca Thorne

Mogsy’s Rating: 3 of 5 stars

Genre: Fantasy, Romance

Series: Book 2 of Tomes & Tea

Publisher: Bramble (October 1, 2024)

Length: 444 pages

Author Information: Website

Why are cozy romantasies a mood read for me? There’s just something about their heartwarming stories with their low stakes. They’re a nice break from the genres with darker and heavier themes that I generally prefer, and they are the perfect escape when the moment is right. Happily, I had the second book of Rebecca Thorne’s Tomes and Tea series on hand. I dove back into the world with A Pirate’s Life for Tea, looking forward to catching up with Reyna, Kianthe, and the gang.

The story picks up as our newly engaged couple find themselves drawn into a swashbuckling adventure while helping their constable friend Bobbie on the case of some stolen dragon eggs. Their quest takes an unexpected turn, however, when their investigation leads them to encounter Serina, a former farm girl turned river pirate. Lately she has been giving the law enforcers of Arlon a lot of trouble, carrying out raids up and down the banks, stealing food to give to the poor.

But then, plot twist! Turns out Bobbie and Serina have a history. They were childhood friends, and maybe something more. But now one has been tasked with apprehending the other and putting her behind bars. As the hunt intensifies, things for Serina go from bad to worse as her escapades earn her the ire of a corrupt lord who is using his influence to pressure our protagonists into helping him capture her—and he’s not likely to give Serina the benefit of the doubt if he gets to her first.

If you enjoyed the first book, there’s a good chance you’ll like this sequel. A Pirate’s Life for Tea continues capturing the quirky charm of the characters as well as the cozy laid-back atmosphere of the series, packing the plot with the usual hijinks and shenanigans that ensue, but this time with a bit of that high seas flair. Sweet romance is in the air too, and not just between our lovely duo Reyna and Kianthe. Amidst the ever-present danger of Arlon’s forces and the mystery of the missing dragon eggs, they somehow also manage to find time to play matchmakers for Bobbie and Serina.

As you can probably tell, the actual conflicts in this book are thin and the story lacks the weight of a truly gripping adventure. Much of the entire plot feels like an excuse for a girls’ day out, having our characters playact at being adventurers when they are, in fact, very bad at their jobs. Bobbie’s investigation skills are a joke, for instance, and Serina is a truly terrible pirate. Reyna and Kianthe seem to delight more in their gossip and meddling in the romantic lives of their friends rather than, ya know, getting an actual mystery solved.

You just get a sense that these are not serious people, but perhaps that’s the point. It’s just a group of friends enjoying life, enjoying love. Like I said, the series leans heavily into the light-hearted and chill low-stakes vibes. Another member of their ragtag crew may get her chance at romance, and even with all that’s going on, there’s always time for a tea break.

Ironically, in the end, where the book fell short for me was in delivering what I had expected the most—more Kianthe and Reyna. While they’re still as sweet and supportive as ever, there’s very little development in their relationship dynamic here. Instead, the spotlight shifts to other characters, which might be satisfying to some readers but left me feeling underwhelmed. Given how central their love story was in the first book and all they went through to be together, it would have been nice to get a more substantial sequel to remind us why we’re pulling for them.

All told, A Pirate’s Life for Tea is a solid continuation of the series for fans who loved Can’t Spell Treason Without Tea, even if it didn’t quite recapture the full magic of its predecessor for me. That said, it does a good job keeping the same warm, feel-good vibes, and the camaraderie among the characters. Still, it hit the spot and that’s what matters.

Moe on The BiblioSanctum:
Review of Can’t Spell Treason Without Tea (Book 1)