Travis Baldree is a full-time audiobook narrator who has lent his voice to hundreds of stories. Before that, he spent decades designing and building video games like Torchlight, Rebel Galaxy, and Fate. Apparently, he has now written one book. He lives in the Pacific Northwest with his very patient family and their small, nervous dog.
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 rivals old and new 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, a flaky pastry, or a freshly brewed cup, they may become partners, family, and something deeper than she ever could have dreamed.
The big selling point of this book are the characters, and the way they move through the world to make Viv's coffee shop dream a reality. Viv was relatable, and I appreciated her straightforward narration. I didn't feel like I needed to know about her past to enjoy and empathize with her desire to make a new future for herself. Tandri, Cal, and Thimble are good coworkers but even better friends, and I loved watching Viv's relationship with them develop over the course of the novel, after all the trials they endure together. I loved the regulars, especially Hem and Durias, and how they help contextualize the story and contribute to the true meaning of community.
I absolutely loved the concept of this book. Opening a coffee shop in a place where people don't know what coffee is? Brilliant, and I was obsessed the entire time. In fact, every time a new character tried coffee, I was on the edge of my seat waiting for their reaction. I loved the high fantasy setting, but the low stakes. In my opinion, they were low but not too low. No one was going to die a bloody death, but opening a business is no easy feat, and Viv definitely faces her fair share of obstacles. The stakes were definitely there, low and not nonexistent, which kept the mostly character-driven narrative compelling.
While it is implied that Viv and Tandri get together by the end, I love that the romance isn't the sole focus of the story. Viv's journey of accepting her second chance and building her business and making friendships with the people of Thune is what this book is about, and it absolutely delivers on that promise. Romance, of course, is part of it, but it's the whole thing. I think to consider it a romance, when it's clearly a slice-of-life fantasy novel, does the entire book a disservice. Of course, I love romance stories and I would have loved to see more of Tandri and Viv, but because it wasn't the sole focus, I felt okay with where things were left—and who knows maybe Travis Baldree will return to Thune, and to Viv and Tandri, and we'll get a brand new story in a sequel.
I loved Legends & Lattes, and there's probably so much more I could say. The newly published book by Baldree in this universe is a prequel novel, Bookshops & Bonedust. I'm not sure I'll be checking that one out—I just love the characters in Legends & Lattes so much!—but never say never!
*This review can also be found on my Goodreads page*
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