Travis Baldree: Legends and Lattes (2023, Pan Macmillan)
English language
Published 2023 by Pan Macmillan.
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.
If you are in the mood for incredibly low-stakes and predictable cozy fantasy, this absolutely ticks all the boxes. The few twists are so trope-y they aren't even twists. I'm absolutely sure if this was set in the real world I would find it immeasurably dull.
A Tim Horton's French Vanilla of a book: cloyingly sweet.
Can't wait to read the next one
I thoroughly enjoyed this. There's just enough tension/conflict to keep me engaged, but not so much that I felt stressed for the character. It read really fast; I finished it in an evening. I appreciated how smartly Baldree wove in the world-building so that environment felt enormous without long exposition - this is my favorite way an author gives me setting. I can't say I really felt the romance angle, but this was a minor distraction. Some of the characters are so well done, that I found myself wanting to do fan art. This is rare for me, and I think a fairly high indicator of how lovable they were. (looking at you, Thimble)
Call this more of a 3.5, but I’m rounding up for the lesbians.
I needed this. Just some nice, low-stakes slice of life of an orc lady opening a coffee shop and making friends. It didn’t leave much of an emotional impression, but the ride was a cozy one and the characters appealing. It’s like a book version of a Hallmark movie, but with a fantasy glaze.
One thing that struck me as amusing was how it seemed like there was a lot more emphasis and attention given to the pastries that Thimble makes as opposed to the actual coffee.
(Listened to the audiobook narrated by the author, and oh man. I would do anything to listen to that guy read more. He nailed it!)
This was a lovely book, easy to read and heartfelt. I loved the characters and sense of community.
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.
As lovely and fun as I'd been hearing.
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.
I love Thimble so much. ❤️
Ok this was cute and all but pretty forgettable tbh. And i didn't like the last third.
Wonderful addition to the CozyFantasy genre.
Absolutely loved this book. Can't wait for the sequel.
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.
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.
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.
