Legends and Lattes

by Travis Baldree

Paperback, 325 pages

English language

Published June 17, 2023 by Pan Macmillan.

ISBN:: 978-1-0350-0732-5

(243 reviews)

Worn out after decades of packing steel and raising hell, Viv the orc barbarian cashes out of the warrior’s life with one final score. A forgotten legend, a fabled artifact, and an unreasonable amount of hope lead her to the streets of Thune, where she plans to open the first coffee shop the city has ever seen.

However, her dreams of a fresh start pulling shots instead of swinging swords are hardly a sure bet. Old frenemies and Thune’s shady underbelly may just upset her plans. To finally build something that will last, Viv will need some new partners and a different kind of resolve.

A hot cup of fantasy slice-of-life with a dollop of romantic froth.

17 editions

Jaelyn reviewed Legends & Lattes by Travis Baldree

Review of 'Legends & Lattes' on 'Storygraph'

5 stars

I finally got around to this one and it was adorable. Viv, an orc barbarian with a life of slaying monsters, settles down to open a coffee shop using an ancient relic to bring fortune. Into her life comes a beautiful cast of characters including a succubus future-girlfriend and a rat who invents cinnamon buns among other things. It’s a cute, low-stakes cosy read.

penwing reads (they/them) reviewed Legends & Lattes by Travis Baldree (Legends & Lattes, #1)

Fun

4 stars

As lovely and fun as I'd been hearing.

Apollo reviewed Legends & Lattes by Travis Baldree (Legends & Lattes, #1)

A Fun Cozy Fantasy

3 stars

This novel is low stakes, cozy and good fun but not a lot more than that. At its best it approaches Callahan's Crosstime Saloon, but those best bits are quite sparse.

Carolin@buecher.pnpde.social reviewed Legends & Lattes by Travis Baldree

wonderful slice of life

5 stars

I love Thimble so much. ❤️

Lia reviewed Legends & Lattes by Travis Baldree (Legends & Lattes, #1)

Review of 'Legends & Lattes' on 'Goodreads'

3 stars

Ok this was cute and all but pretty forgettable tbh. And i didn't like the last third.

B. Haas reviewed Legends & Lattes by Travis Baldree

Review of 'Legends & Lattes' on 'Goodreads'

4 stars

A cozy fantasy about an orc who starts a coffee shop

satyajit reviewed Legends & Lattes by Travis Baldree (Legends & Lattes, #1)

Review of 'Legends & Lattes' on 'Goodreads'

5 stars

Wonderful addition to the CozyFantasy genre.

AnnaRaven reviewed Legends & Lattes by Travis Baldree (Legends & Lattes, #1)

One of the best I read in 2022

5 stars

Absolutely loved this book. Can't wait for the sequel.

patchworkbunny reviewed Legends & Lattes by Travis Baldree (Legends & Lattes, #1)

Review of 'Legends & Lattes' on 'Goodreads'

3 stars

This was cute, but a bit underwhelming having seen so many five star reviews. Every problem was resolved so quickly and easily, cleverly explained away by a magic stone.

anka.trini reviewed Legends and Lattes by Travis Baldree

Review of 'Legends and Lattes' on 'Goodreads'

2 stars

The actual story is only about 265 pages. The rest consists of an interview, acknowledgements and a short story/prologue called "Pages to Fill".

I enjoyed the first 80 pages or so. But as soon as the protagonist had established her little coffee shop I quickly lost interest. For me there's a difference between low stakes and no suspense whatsoever. Every problem is quite easily solved within two or three short chapters.

What kept me going was that I expected the novel to turn into more of a romance because every one kept talking about the sapphic love story. But that aspect is almost non existent, sadly.

The last two thirds were extremely boring and I was just hoping for the book to end. I only skimmed the last 40 pages or so because I wasn't interested at all anymore.

I read another review where they pointed out that if you didn't know what coffee and pastries were you wouldn't know after reading this book. And I agree with this person wholeheartedly. The tastes aren't really described. You're only getting vague implementations about the heavenly scent and tastes but aromas aren't depicted at all. And for a story that centers around the founding of a coffee shop that's just really sad.

I also think that the fantasy world in this book heavily relies on the reader's knowledge of other fantastic settings. The creatures aren't really described either. If you don't know what an orc or a goblin is in the first place, you won't after just reading this book.

In summary I felt like the author was able to convey some kind of coziness but I didn't get anything else from this book.

Kantolope reviewed Legends & Lattes by Travis Baldree (Legends & Lattes, #1)

A Cozy Cup of Warmth

5 stars

This is a fantastic January read for when the weather's bad and you're curled up inside. The plot is very slice of life focused, and it's as warm and cozy as the drinks described in the novel itself. Highly reccommend for anyone who feels they need to escape from real life for a couple of hours.

Kate reviewed Legends & Lattes by Travis Baldree (Legends & Lattes, #1)

Just what I needed

5 stars

Finally dipping my toe into the cozy fantasy genre and I loved it. I wanted to be in Viv's coffeeshop, drinking a latte and eating one of Thimble's pastries. A warm and cozy hug.

Bryan Redeagle reviewed Legends & Lattes by Travis Baldree (Legends & Lattes, #1)

A Fantasy Rom-Com

5 stars

"A novel of high fantasy... and low stakes"

You get exactly as it reads on the tin for this book. It feels to me like a romantic comedy in book form. An orc woman stops adventuring to start a coffee shop. What follows is hi-jinks, suspiciously convenient events, and mostly non-conflicts. Even the worst thing that happens to the main character in the book is not so very terrible in the end.

Unless you are bothered by same-sex relationships, nothing in this book is a game changer for fantasy nor will it challenge your view of the world. Personally, I loved it. It's like a warm cup of coffee in the morning.