Review – Legends & Lattes (Legends and Lattes, Book 1) by Travis Baldree (5/5 stars)
Reading Level: Adult
Genre: Fantasy
Length: 296 pages
Publisher: Tor Books
Release Date: June 7, 2022
ASIN: B0B3755RV9
Stand Alone or Series: 1st book in the Legends and Lattes series
Source: Borrowed ebook from Library
Rating: 5/5 stars
“After a lifetime of bounties and bloodshed, Viv is hanging up her sword for the last time.
The battle-weary orc aims to start fresh, opening the first ever coffee shop in the city of Thune. But old and new rivals stand in the way of success — not to mention the fact that no one has the faintest idea what coffee actually is.
If Viv wants to put the blade behind her and make her plans a reality, she won’t be able to go it alone.
But the true rewards of the uncharted path are the travelers you meet along the way. And whether drawn together by ancient magic, flaky pastry, or a freshly brewed cup, they may become partners, family, and something deeper than she ever could have dreamed.”
Series Info/Source: This is the first book in the Legends and Lattes series. I borrowed this on ebook from my library.
Thoughts: I absolutely loved this book, it was everything I hoped it was going to be and then some. I was hoping for a fun, cozy, fantasy read and I got that plus some intriguing magic, amazing characters, and a bit of a mystery.
The story follows Viv, an orc who is tired of battling things and wants to retire to something else. She decides to open up the first ever coffee shop in the small town of Thune. This is quite the endeavor since no one in Thune has even heard of coffee. The way she ends up drawing some quirky but passionate people together to make her dream a reality, is hilarious, heartwarming and just pure fun.
This book has it all; humor, friendship, love, mystery, magic, and some action. The characters in here are amazing and this was just such a feel good book. This is the definition of cozy fantasy and I enjoyed every second of reading this. At its heart this book is about everyone finding a place to belong, even if they don’t follow society’s expectations.
This was very well written and hard to put down. I ended up reading this very quickly. It’s easy to relate to and engage with the characters. I definitely wanted to go and visit Viv’s coffee shop by the time this was all done! There is a short story included at the end of the book as well that delves into Viv’s life before she left fighting.
My Summary (5/5): Overall this was an incredibly fun fantasy read and I enjoyed every minute of it. I loved the characters here, the humor, the mystery, the magic, it was all such a wonderful story. This story leaves you feeling happy and hopeful. I would recommend it to anyone who’s looking for a cute and fun cozy fantasy read. I am eager to see what Baldree comes up with next.
