MoodReads - Romance Book Discovery
The Stacks
DiscoverMy ShelvesReading Stats
Sign upLog in
MoodReads - Romantasy Book Discovery

because goodreads doesn't
have a spice filter

Discover

  • Discover Page
  • Reading Stacks
  • Tropes
  • Moods
  • Creatures
  • Spicy Books

Get MoodReads

  • so what is it.
  • iOS App
  • Browser Extension
  • MoodReads Premium
  • Gift a Subscription
  • For Creators
  • Share MoodReads

Go Deeper

  • FAQ
  • Roadmap
  • Request a Feature
  • vs Goodreads
  • vs StoryGraph
  • Who Built This?

The Serious Stuff

  • Values
  • Privacy
  • Terms
  • Support

get emails when something big happens. no spam, just news.

© 2026 MoodReads. Built by a romantasy reader for romantasy readers.

rattle the stars, bitches.

Cover of The Secret Service of Tea and Treason

The Secret Service of Tea and Treason

by India Holton

🌶️fade to black·Dangerous Damsels #3
4.0 on MoodReads (1 rating)4.0 on Goodreads (15,380)

Rate this book

sign in to add to shelves, track reading status, and see your stats

find similar →
ReportSpoiler settings

Ending

reveal ending

Why Read This?The one-sentence sell. What do you get for showing up to this book, even when it's hard?

A delightfully fun and satisfying romantic comedy that delivers a perfect slow-burn HEA between two fiercely competent, emotionally guarded spies.

Synopsis

Two rival spies must brave pirates, witches, and fake matrimony to save the Queen. Known as Agent A, Alice is the top operative within the Agency of Undercover Note Takers, a secret government intelligence group that is fortunately better at espionage than at naming itself. From managing deceptive witches to bored aristocratic ladies, nothing is beyond Alice’s capabilities. She has a steely composure and a plan always up her sleeve (alongside a dagger and an embroidered handkerchief). So when rumors of an assassination plot begin to circulate, she’s immediately assigned to the case. But she’s not working alone. Daniel Bixby, otherwise known as Agent B and Alice’s greatest rival, is given the most challenging undercover assignment of his life— pretending to be Alice’s husband. Together they will assume the identity of a married couple, infiltrate a pirate house party, and foil their unpatriotic plans. Determined to remain consummate professionals, Alice and Daniel must ignore the growing attraction between them, especially since acting on it might prove more dangerous than their target.

book details below may contain spoilers. some hidden

At a Glance

The third and final Dangerous Damsels book follows two rival spies—Alice and Daniel—who go undercover as a married couple to thwart an assassination plot against Queen Victoria. India Holton writes autistic characters with warmth and care (she is autistic herself). The whole series is a Victorian romp with flying houses, ridiculous pirates, and weaponized politeness. Can technically be read standalone but references earlier books.

trope onetrope twotrope threetrope four

Book Details

spoiler protected·tap tags to reveal

Goodreads RatingThe crowd's verdict. Take it with salt, though. Some masterpieces are polarizing.

3.97 ★ (15.4k)

Page CountHow long the commitment is.

368 pages

PublishedWhen this hit shelves. Helpful for tracking vibes by era.

2023

Primary GenreWhat type of book this is. Romance? Fantasy? A 400-page therapy session disguised as a thriller?

Romantasy

PairingWho's falling in love? The gender makeup of your main romance. Helps you find your specific flavor of love story.

M/F

POVWhose head are you in? First person = deep in the feels. Third = watching from above. Dual = emotional whiplash (affectionate).

Third Person

Romance PacingHow long until they kiss? Slow burn = 300 pages of tension. Insta-love = page 12 and it's already chaos.

Slow Burn

CliffhangerEnding type: HEA = forever happy (you'll cry happy). HFN = happy for now (open to interpretation). Bittersweet = complicated feelings. Know what you're signing up for.

reveal ending

AudiobookCan you experience this book while driving? Washing dishes? Working out while emotionally destroyed? Check here.

AvailableCan you experience this book while driving? Washing dishes? Working out while emotionally destroyed? Check here.

Yes

FormatHow fancy is the audio? Standard = one narrator. Full cast = theater kids went off. GraphicAudio = a MoViE iN yOuR mInD.

Single Narrator (unspecified)

NarratorThe voice in your ears.

Elizabeth Knowelden

Narrator Count

Single

TropesPlot devices and story situations that drive the romance. These are the circumstances that throw characters together or create conflict, not how they personally relate.

spoiler protected·tap tags to reveal
fake marriage becomes realforced proximityworkplace romanceadventure romancerivals competingundercover/spy romanceonly one bed
RomanceMagicActionAngstWorld
Theme Constellation

Mood & Vibe

MoodWhat you felt reading this. Swoony? Gutted? Deliciously unhinged? The emotional fingerprint.

whimsicalhumorousromanticadventurousplayfulwitty

Writing StyleHow the author writes - prose style, dialogue approach, and narrative voice. This is about craft and delivery, not emotional effect.

wittywhimsicalbanter-heavyconversational

Story PacingDoes the story sprint or saunter? Fast = you'll miss sleep. Slow = you'll savor every word. Medium = balanced chaos.

fast

Emotional WeightHow much are you gonna cry? Light = fun feels. Moderate = real stakes. Heavy = bring tissues. Devastating = call your therapist.

light

Energy RequiredCan you read this on a Tuesday after work, or do you need a full Saturday and three cups of coffee? Low/Medium/High.

low

VibesOne perfect sentence that captures the essence. Like: 'Fae politics meets forbidden romance with zero chill.'

pirate seaspage turner

Characters

spoiler protected·tap tags to reveal

FMC ArchetypeWho is she? The female main character's core identity/role. Assassin? Healer? General Badass?

assassinice queen

MMC ArchetypeWho is he? The male main character's core identity/role. Your exact flavor of book boyfriend.

cinnamon rollsecretly softspy/thief

Relationship DynamicsThe interpersonal dynamic between the main characters. How do they relate to each other? This is about character energy and connection style, not plot situations.

rivals to loversmutual piningbanterintellectual connection
This stuff might hit different. No shame in needing to know what's coming. (6)▼
spoiler protected·tap tags to reveal
child abuse (referenced)violencegun violenceemotional abusepregnancy / childbirthabandonment
Browse books by content warning →

World & Setting

spoiler protected·tap tags to reveal

World TypeWhat kind of world are you stepping into? High fantasy = full secondary world. Urban fantasy = magic in modern cities. Portal = starts here, goes there.

steampunk / gaslamp

Primary SettingWhere does the story physically take place? Court intrigue = palace. Dark academia = campus. Cozy witch vibes = small town. This is about location, not world rules.

manor house / estate

Fantasy CreaturesWhat supernatural beings populate this world? Fae courts, vampire covens, dragon riders, or just regular humans doing their best.

witches/wizards/warlocks

RepresentationIdentity representation in the book. LGBTQ+, race/ethnicity, disability, neurodivergence, body type, age and more.

neurodivergent MCneurodivergent LIautistic MC/LI

Reading Context

spoiler protected·tap tags to reveal

Emotional PayoffWhat you get for showing up. The catharsis, the growth, the 'I'm a different person now' moment. This is why the hard books are worth it.

romantic fulfillmenttension finally satisfiedpure joyfeel-good

Best Time of YearSeasonal mood rings for books. Summer romance reads different than winter gothic.

anytime

When & Where to ReadContext matters. Some books are Beach Trip energy, others are 3am Bedtime spiral-reads. Trust.

palate cleanser readbedtimesick daylazy Sunday

Dangerous Damsels

The Wisteria Society of Lady Scoundrels

#1 The Wisteria Society of Lady Scoundrels

The League of Gentlewomen Witches

#2 The League of Gentlewomen Witches

The Secret Service of Tea and Treason

#3 The Secret Service of Tea and Treason

this page is just the start

  • import your Goodreads or StoryGraph TBR. we tag every book with spice, tropes, CWs, mood, all of it
  • tell us a vibe (“enemies to lovers fae, high spice”) and BookMatch finds the book
  • 4,000+ romantasy books searchable by 45 fields
  • book clubs, reading challenges, and a community of readers who get it
free account

Quick Facts

Spice LevelThe heat scale. 0=wholesome, 1=kisses, 2=fade-to-black, 3=tasteful spice, 4=explicit, 5=you need a cold shower. Know thyself.🌶️fade to black
PagesHow long the commitment is.368
PublishedWhen this hit shelves. Helpful for tracking vibes by era.2023
GoodreadsThe crowd's verdict. Take it with salt, though. Some masterpieces are polarizing.3.97 ★ (15.4k)
EndingEnding type: HEA = forever happy (you'll cry happy). HFN = happy for now (open to interpretation). Bittersweet = complicated feelings. Know what you're signing up for.reveal ending

SeriesThe series this book belongs to and where it falls in the reading order.

Dangerous Damsels #3
Similar picks →

My Notes

Loading...

Short Takes

quick 280-character reactions for this book. drop a thought, rate the vibe, keep scrolling.

Sign in to share your take.

Loading...

Book Chat

live reactions, hot takes, screaming into the void about The Secret Service of Tea and Treason

Similar Books

Cover of A Marvellous LightKU

A Marvellous Light

The Last Binding, #1

Freya Marske

🌶️🌶️·dual POV·✓
forced proximityworkplace romancecursed love interest
Cover of The Ornithologist's Field Guide to Love

The Ornithologist's Field Guide to Love

Love's Academic, #1

India Holton

🌶️🌶️·third person
rivals to loversforced proximityonly one bed
Cover of The Very Secret Society of Irregular Witches

The Very Secret Society of Irregular Witches

Sangu Mandanna

🌶️·third person
forced proximityhidden identitycaretaking romance
Cover of The Midnight Bargain

The Midnight Bargain

C.L. Polk

💕🚪·first person
forbidden lovecompetition romanceinstant attraction
Cover of Song of the Forever RainsKU

Song of the Forever Rains

Mousai, #1

E.J. Mellow

🌶️🌶️·third person
fake datingforced proximityhidden identity
Cover of Sapphire Flames

Sapphire Flames

Hidden Legacy, #4

Ilona Andrews

🌶️·first person·✓
slow burnforbidden lovehidden identity
Cover of A Dark and Drowning Tide

A Dark and Drowning Tide

Allison Saft

🌶️🌶️·third person·✓
enemies to loversrivals competingforced proximity
Cover of Apprentice to the VillainKU

Apprentice to the Villain

Assistant to the Villain, #2

Hannah Nicole Maehrer

💕🚪·dual POV
boss/employeevillain gets the girlforced proximity