Review: Legends & Lattes by Travis Baldree
Blurb:
A Novel of High Fantasy and Low Stakes.
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.
Review:
Legends & Lattes is Travis Baldree’s debut novel, which instantly became an absolute sensation within the book community due it’s fresh take on the fantasy genre. Travis later went on to write the prequel novel Bookshop and Bonedust, which is equally comforting to read. There is no set reading order for the two novels in terms of understanding the story; however, reading them in publication order will allow the story to land with a little more impact due to the epilogue in the prequel novel.
Legends & Lattes is a tale about an Orc named Viv who decides to leave her life of bounties and bloodshed to open up a coffee shop in Thune where the locals do not know what coffee is. Faced with this impossible task Viv sets to acquire an artefact that grants the bearer immense luck. With the help of the artefact, Viv enlists help from individuals with unique skill sets from different walks of life to make the coffee shop a success, unbeknownst to the problems that lay ahead.
It took me a couple pages to fully immerse myself in the story as I had to get used to Travis' writing style. However, when I got gripped, I couldn’t put the book down as I wanted to know what was going to happen next.
Normally I am not a fan of romance books; however, Legends & Lattes, the romance was not overbearing and did not feel forced. I liked how the relationship between Viv and Tandri slowly grew throughout the book and was not put across through insta love. Instead the two characters having to go through their struggles bringing in business to the coffee shop brings them closer.
Travis Baldree does a proficient job in including the construction process of the shop, going into detail of what was required to make Viv’s dream a reality. This information did not detract from the main story as it provided the reader with an immersion within the environment created. In addition to this, the marketing aspect to improve business provides a sense of realism to the story,showing that hard work and patience pay off.
Legends & Lattes offered me a moment of reflection, highlighting that no matter length of time you have known someone it doesn't really equate to them wishing the best for you or supporting your success. Fennus embodies this perfectly, illustrating that greed and jealousy are futile pursuits.
The main takeaway from this novel is that perseverance and planning pave the path to success, even when you come across some difficulties along the way. It is not the stumble or the failure that defines us, but rather the response to it. Travis did a brilliant job illustrating through Viv that life is filled with ups and downs, yet it is our resilience and the support of those around us that shape our trajectory.
In conclusion, Legends & Lattes is a great read with themes of friendship, romance and perseverance. If you are tired or just want to take a step back from the usual fantasy stories of battles, adventure, multiple POVs, magic systems and world building then this book is perfect for you.
