Travis Baldree - Legends and Lattes

Legends and Lattes is one of those novels where you’re not really sure what to expect - surely a story about opening a café, even in a high fantasy world, cannot be too interesting? However, I was pleasantly surprised from the first page - it’s a cozy, wholesome read with skilful writing that keeps the reader turning page after page.

Viv, an accomplished mercenary, is getting tired of the head chopping business. A chance encounter with a drink she’s never heard of before - coffee - allows her to dream for something more. Settling down in the city of Thune, where no one heard of the drink either, she works hard to make this dream a reality, making new and unlikely friends along the way. When someone from her past - not quite friend and not quite foe - returns to threaten this dream, Viv finds out just how valuable the life she built for herself is.

I think I need to start by saying I love Viv - while the idea of a mercenary retiring to open a quaint café is a bit ridiculous at surface, it works well, especially as she’s a fleshed out character, with doubts, fears and dreams. She’s resilient, and hardworking, however, finds it difficult to trust some of her new friends at first, and believes there is little else for her besides work. A lot of growth happens for her over the course of the novel and feels natural - in fact, I would say this is the primary focus of Legends and Lattes.

While relatively short, Legends and Lattes does w good job of developing the other characters as well. The friendships I alluded to above were fantastic to experience as a reader. As for the only romantic relationship here, it was rather sweet - honestly, I would love to see more of those two together, but the feelings developed by the characters in question are undoubtedly not rushed and thus feel grounded and real. 

The pacing worried me most going into this novel, however, it is very well done. Whether it’s waiting for Viv to make decor choices for the cafe, or the possibility of losing the place she and her friends built, I was equally invested. However, the added peril and danger introduce action and definitely up the stakes in what is otherwise a wholesome, cozy read.

With a gripping plot that proves low stakes stories do not have to be boring, Legends and Lattes is a fantastic read, worth every bit of praise it received. Highly recommend, even for readers who aren’t too fond of fantasy!

Rating: 10/10