A review by natashaleighton_
Tea You at the Altar by Rebecca Thorne

adventurous emotional funny hopeful lighthearted relaxing medium-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? A mix
  • Strong character development? Yes
  • Loveable characters? Yes
  • Diverse cast of characters? Yes
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? No

5.0

With mischievous baby dragons, estranged parents,political intrigue and a whirlwind of wedding planning. The third book in the Tomes & Tea series, follows our fave tea shop owners as they tie the knot, and navigate a plot to overthrow Reyna’s tyrannical former boss, Queen Tilaine. And I must say it’s my favourite instalment soo far! 

Firstly, I do have to warn that action-wise this was a little calmer in tone than the swashbuckling events of A Pirate’s Life For Tea. But, the character development, pun heavy humour and general cosiness was unmatched (despite the stakes being soo much higher) — and gave me Legends & Lattes meets The Princess Bride vibes that I absolutely ate up with gusto! 

The in depth, character driven focus was once again utterly incredible and I loved getting to delve deeper into the backstories of some of my fave characters. But especially Kianthe, whose estranged parents give us an interesting glimpse into her childhood — and also that marvellously chaotic personality of hers, which we’ve all come to love soo much. 

I also enjoyed seeing Reyna in her element, taking charge and charming all the guests and keeping everyone fairly content (Kianthe’s parents and childhood bestie included.) 

But, I have to say Ponder (Reyna’s baby griffon) and her humorous rivalry with baby dragons, Gold Coin and Pill Bug, really did a great job at nearly stealing the show. Their antics were the perfect comic relief and, paired with Kianthe’s unbridled enthusiasm for the baby dragons — helped keep the tone fairly light, right up to the wedding itself (and that shocking cliffhanger ending.)

Oh, and did I mention the Dastardly Pirate Dreggs makes a fabulous return too?! Along with a few new (but very pivotal to the plot) faces. Their (Dreggs) adventurous and rather surprising past, had me more invested than any drama filled, reality TV show ever could and I’m honestly still in awe over all the revelations. I won’t go into to details for fear of spoilers, but I will say, I need a spin-off series following all of their antics ASAP. 

Overall, another wonderfully cosy and satisfying instalment, that surpassed all my expectations. All I need now is a copy of Alchemy and A Cup of Tea and I’ll be eternally gratified. 

Also, a huge thank you to BookBreak UK for the proof and my stop on the socials tour. 
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