AnnaRaven reviewed Legends & Lattes by Travis Baldree
One of the best I read in 2022
5 stars
Absolutely loved this book. Can't wait for the sequel.
Paperback, 304 pages
Published Nov. 8, 2022 by Tor Books.
4 stars
(17 reviews)
High Fantasy with a double-shot of self-reinvention 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.
Kantolope reviewed Legends & Lattes by Travis Baldree
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
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.
Andy P. reviewed Legends & Lattes by Travis Baldree
Like a warm drink on a cold day
4 stars
Simple and cozy DnD coffee shop AU, and just what I needed.
Daryl76679 reviewed Legends & Lattes by Travis Baldree
Cute Little Book
4 stars
Cute book with some slice of life elements and of course lots of coffee. It feels like the pace is a bit strange, but I don't quite know how to describe it. 3.9/5, rounded up to 4.
WagesOf reviewed Legends & Lattes by Travis Baldree
Perfect for a chilly evening.
5 stars
What a lovely time! It left me feeling refreshed and joyful.
tastytea reviewed Legends & Lattes by Travis Baldree
Fantastic slice of café life
5 stars
Friends running a café. Very sweet. Lots of descriptions of pastries, so don't read it while hungry! 😉
Kevin Guertin reviewed Legends & Lattes by Travis Baldree
Review of 'Legends & Lattes' on 'Goodreads'
4 stars
I really liked this book. It was short and fun to read. It was actually comforting. It made me feel like I was tucked in a corner of a quaint hole-in-the-wall café reading a book even though I was in my living room. And now I want to quit my job and own my own coffee shop!
Books That Burn reviewed Legends & Lattes by Travis Baldree
Review of 'Legends & Lattes' on 'Storygraph'
5 stars
LEGENDS & LATTES pronounces itself high fantasy with low stakes, and it absolutely delivers. Viv has given up adventuring and now worries about things like building her coffee shop, attracting customers, explaining what coffee is, and other small intricacies of running a business in a new place, doing the everyday work that builds a cozy space for all who enter it peacefully. I love its take on a café cat.
As an orc, Viv deals with some conversational bumps as people tend to assume that the only thing she can be is the profession she’s left behind. Leaving adventuring as suddenly as she did left some hard feelings, and occasionally people from her former life show up whether she’s ready for them or not.
The worldbuilding assumes at least a passing familiarity with a D&D-style setting, and offers a lovely breath of fresh air which is something more exciting than …
LEGENDS & LATTES pronounces itself high fantasy with low stakes, and it absolutely delivers. Viv has given up adventuring and now worries about things like building her coffee shop, attracting customers, explaining what coffee is, and other small intricacies of running a business in a new place, doing the everyday work that builds a cozy space for all who enter it peacefully. I love its take on a café cat.
As an orc, Viv deals with some conversational bumps as people tend to assume that the only thing she can be is the profession she’s left behind. Leaving adventuring as suddenly as she did left some hard feelings, and occasionally people from her former life show up whether she’s ready for them or not.
The worldbuilding assumes at least a passing familiarity with a D&D-style setting, and offers a lovely breath of fresh air which is something more exciting than the life of an NPC and less tumultuous than that of an adventurer… in the form of a former adventurer whose goal now is to build and run a coffee shop. It’s not a trouble-free endeavor, but the logistics are quieter and the problems are solved with tasty treats instead of violence. Sometimes Viv struggles with the temptation her sword offers, for some problems which arise have a more violent solution available to her.
The only thing stopping this from being the metaphorical embodiment of a fuzzy blanket, a requested hug, and curling up with my favorite beverage is a couple instances of ableist language, the kind of thing I routinely note and dock half a star for, but which don’t mar my overall enjoyment of the book.
It begins and ends with the fiddly and interesting process of designing a space for a purpose, full of details about floor plans, furniture, carpentry, and soothing conversations. Viv proceeds from step to step in a soothingly methodical manner, quietly surprised when she succeeds in building a calm and welcoming space, and even more surprised when she gets friends along the way. This is a delight to read and a breath of fresh air.
As an orc, Viv deals with some conversational bumps as people tend to assume that the only thing she can be is the profession she’s left behind. Leaving adventuring as suddenly as she did left some hard feelings, and occasionally people from her former life show up whether she’s ready for them or not.
The worldbuilding assumes at least a passing familiarity with a D&D-style setting, and offers a lovely breath of fresh air which is something more exciting than the life of an NPC and less tumultuous than that of an adventurer… in the form of a former adventurer whose goal now is to build and run a coffee shop. It’s not a trouble-free endeavor, but the logistics are quieter and the problems are solved with tasty treats instead of violence. Sometimes Viv struggles with the temptation her sword offers, for some problems which arise have a more violent solution available to her.
The only thing stopping this from being the metaphorical embodiment of a fuzzy blanket, a requested hug, and curling up with my favorite beverage is a couple instances of ableist language, the kind of thing I routinely note and dock half a star for, but which don’t mar my overall enjoyment of the book.
It begins and ends with the fiddly and interesting process of designing a space for a purpose, full of details about floor plans, furniture, carpentry, and soothing conversations. Viv proceeds from step to step in a soothingly methodical manner, quietly surprised when she succeeds in building a calm and welcoming space, and even more surprised when she gets friends along the way. This is a delight to read and a breath of fresh air.
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