Legends and Lattes (Review)

Book Information:

• Author: Travis Baldree
• Genre: Fantasy, Slice-of-Life
• Page Count: 254
• Year Published: 2022

Read This If You Like:

• Cozy Fantasies
• Coffee Shops
• Slice-of-Life
• Light Romance
• Villains getting justice in the most satisfying way possible
• Books about what happens to heroes after they retire
• Cute animals
• Delicious food

Synopsis:

Viv, an orc, has spent years going on epic quests and battling furious foes- but now she’s ready to put down the sword and retire from the constant bloodshed. Her plan? Move to the city of Thune and open a coffee shop, even though no one actually knows what coffee actually is. And so a new journey begins for Viv, one that doesn’t focus on loot and weaponry, but one in finding community and learning how to grow and manage her new business, one step at a time, even if there’s some challenges- and enemies- along the way.

Review/Opinions:

It’s the time of year where it’s getting cold out and most of us would prefer to stay inside with a good book, meaning that it’s a perfect time to read something more cozy and relaxed while we hide away from the snow. Cozy fantasy novels definitely fit these vibes, and Legends and Lattes is the coziest one I have found. This book does have a huge following around social media, and I find that most titles with any level of immense hype tend to be a bit overrated. But this is one that I think actually deserves its level of popularity. There’s a few minor critiques I have with this book, but as a cozy fantasy, it delivers the exact vibes I would want from a book like this. 

The main theme of this book is community, and it simply makes the story really wholesome and relaxed. As the chapters go on, we meet a bunch of characters that all have unique personalities and goals, and Viv ends up creating really strong relationships with all of them as they begin to frequent her shop. There’s even a cat who ends up taking up residence in the shop and an adorable mouse creature who creates all the baked goods. And that leads into my next point- there is so much focus on the food and drinks, and it all sounds incredibly delicious. Over time, the menu at the shop grows, and it’s really satisfying to see the progress Viv makes, considering she starts with only a few resources.

Despite the mostly lighthearted vibes of this, there’s still a decent amount of tension in the story. Without spoiling too much, most of it ends up coming from past partner drama and some organized crime in the town, which I believe fits the story well- it adds in some more connected plot to tie together the chapters that feel more like simple vignettes at points, and also gives the opportunity for some worldbuilding without it getting to the level of detail that it overshadows the story. The climax of the story was way more intense then the rest of the book and resulted in a huge tonal shift, but luckily there was still a happy and satisfying ending that fit the rest of the book. The villains are also dealt with at a level that it doesn’t change the vibe of the book too much- one of them is actually dealt with in a way that was sort of wholesome, and another unlikable character has a ending that has some dark undertones but is also super satisfying for the reader. I feel like the extra tension is also good for people who enjoy more plot-heavy fantasy novels, so it keeps their engagement if they aren’t a fan of this book not having the largest story.

This book did have a little bit of romance- but the way it was executed made it a little underwhelming. By the end of the novel, Viv ends up falling in love with her coworker at the coffee shop, Tandri, and it’s actually pretty sweet. Although I appreciate the sapphic representation with this romance, and I normally accept romance as a subplot, this one felt unnecessary. There’s no actual sign of Tandri and Viv falling for each other, no comments about their personality or attractive appearance- in fact, their relationship is still really strong without the romance. The only implication of them liking each other was at the end of the book, where they share one kiss. It felt like the author was writing them as just friends for the entire book and then just decided to add on a kiss at the end to either make the reader happy or gain more appeal with the romance readers. Ultimately, Tandri and Viv’s relationship would’ve been better if the romance was developed throughout the entire story, or if romantic implications weren’t included at all.

Overall, despite the small issues I had with this book, I believe that this book is one that is worth its popularity online and that fans of more relaxed novels as well as fantasy novels should read. It has a strong interconnected plot that is satisfying to see develop, as well as a wholesome focus on community and strong character relationships. This book also has a prequel, so it’s great to be able to spend more time with this setting!