I read this book along with several members of my dnd group, partly because the cover art just grabbed us, and partly because certain similarities in the description to members of our own party resonated enough to make us curious.

This book is just a purely delightful slice-of-life in a fantasy world. Viv is an orc and retired adventurer who wants nothing more than to open a coffee shop, and she happens to be in a part of the world where no one has encountered coffee before. She is a lovable character, even if she doesn't fully realize it, and that makes her very relatable. It takes hardly any time at all for members of her new community to pull towards her and start to form real bonds of friendship, and to share in her dream.

It's a cozy, low stakes read. The perfect escape for when reality feels a little too much and you need to dive into a book that takes you to another world, and just feels like a warm hug. I enjoyed seeing the way certain appliances and technology were handled in the book. (Not gonna lie, my bard character is now very interested in an Arcane Amplifier). As well as the very obvious love for both coffee and pastries that just permeates the pages, and the emphasis on community and found family that is so sweet and heartwarming. In short, I absolutely adored this debut novel by Travis Baldree, and am hoping to see more in this world (or others!) in the future.

For fans of House on the Cerulean Sea, another cozy fantasy read!

An orc retires from the questing life and opens up a coffee shop. Literally sweet and left me smiling at oh so many scenes. There is a little romance but no hints on who or how. Spoiler free makes it so much better. The characters are charming and well developed. The plot unravels at a good pace. The world building is easy to visualize. The ending left me wanting to know more about the characters but also happy with the ending. Wholesome <3

If you need a book that warms your heart like a hot cup of coffee on a cold day, pick this up!

I really needed Legends and Lattes last night. It’s a gently domestic fantasy about an Orc who retires from the mercenary life to open a café. It asserts in the very best way that the true treasure is the friends we make along the way. It’s a hug. It’s a cuddle. It’s the smell of coffee and cinnamon, and the rumbling purr of a cat.

Viv is ready to hang up her sword. She wants to spend the rest of her life serving coffee, a drink few people have heard of. She has a secret ingredient, a magical McGuffin that she thinks will bring her luck.

Viv is kind and patient. She draws to her people who value her kindness and patience. She offers people opportunities and let’s them know they are valued. There is a very sweet Sapphic romance, but the book itself isn’t a romance (the romantic relationship is not central).

Years ago when I was doing research for the Master’s thesis I never finished, I interviewed an American living in Ethiopia about how to do business ethically in a country where bribes were considered a normal part of business and life (there’s a whole conversation to be had about corruption and colonialism, so no judgement on the Ethiopians). He said the key to getting by without paying bribes was to be consistent about not paying bribes. You could not pay one bribe to expedite some thing you needed, and then go back to not paying bribes. If you were known to not ever pay bribes, you would get what you wanted eventually.

One of Viv’s challenges is to keep her sword on the wall. As she is challenged by the local crime syndicate and a mercenary she used to work with, she can solve her problems with her familiar tool – violence, or she can try a new and unfamiliar approach that involves talking. She has mixed success, but in the end, she comes out better off.

The love for coffee, pastries, and kindness came shining through. I could smell the café as Baldree described it’s wares and feel the warmth between characters. I hope we get more stories from this world.

Review update: Legends & Lattes made such a delightful splash that it was picked up by McMillan-Tor/Forge for rerealease in November. I am delighted that the wonderful story has been left untouched, but a short story from Viv’s mercenary days has been added. In the short story, “Bodkin,” Viv is working with a team, including Roon, Gallina, and Fennus, who we met in Legends & Lattes. Viv has already started thinking about life beyond being a mercenary, but hasn’t met coffee yet. The group is chasing down a shape-shifter who stole something of value. The group is tasked with bringing back both the thief and the stolen item. They can bring back just the stolen item, but that’s of less value financially and for their reputation. Through the short story the pieces of Viv’s retirement and next life start to come together.

I hope the acquisition and release by Tor.com means we will get more from the Legends & Lattes world.

I received this as an advance reader copy from the publisher via NetGalley. My opinions are my own and freely given.

A wondrous thank you and a huge hug for NetGalley and Macmillan/Tor-Forge for granting me the opportunity of reading this egalley! 🤎

Legends & Lattes proved just the loveliest of books—and one I am already rereading just because I cannot bear to leave Thune and Viv and her little band of misfits just yet. (Seriously, I need a Thimble in my life so so desperately. 🥹)

That said, while technically high fantasy, do not enter this story expecting swashbuckling antics and daring endeavours…or maybe the latter? But not in an epic adventure sense.

This is a story about changing your destiny and proving you can want something, can BE someone, different and more than the labels society slaps on us. We can choose and we can change and our pasts do not define our futures. But! It takes hard work, preparation, determination, passion and perseverance as there will definitely be hiccups along the way and you might trip a time or two hundred.

Truly though, I loved the simple idea behind the plot—a former bounty hunter (essentially?) turned entrepreneur, building this new-fangled thing called a coffee shop! 😂 And collecting every misunderstood, but quirky, brilliant character she meets along the way. (We not just talking elves and gnomes and dwarves and orcs here, there is a hob and a succubus and a rattkin and a dire-cat…) And I loved every one of these adorable characters (I also need an Amity in my life) and I particularly loved how Viv looked past the surface and recognized her new friends incredible potential—ultimately binding them to her through faith, trust and loyalty. Truth be told, if I could somehow find my way to Thune, I would absolutely be a regular at Legends & Lattes.

No questions asked: 🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟

Thank you, Tor Books, for allowing me to read Legends & Lattes early!

Tor, you made an exceptional deal acquiring this book because it's simply spectacular!

Legends & Lattes is a warm, buttery slice of fantasy goodness that needs to be enjoyed in your comfiest armchair with a fresh cup of pour-over. This is that cozy D&D life and I’m here for it

It lived up to the hype. Warm and cozy and sweet. The characters are likable, and I rooted for them every step of the way. Sure, the plot is a little predictable and sometimes a little slow, but that somehow added to the charm.

It's official, I need more Cozy Fantasy books in my life!

This was adorable, the characters were likeable, the story comfy. Frankly the only complaint I have is that it wasn't even longer!

Imagine the coziest D&D game possible. Viv is an orc who has retired from adventuring to open a coffee shop in Thune, a small city where no one has ever tasted coffee. Sure, she has mighty thews and a mighty sword, but what she really needs is someone who knows how to make a good pastry. There are conficts, and it would not be true to say that nothing happens, but mostly, this is the story of how Viv gathers a found-family of friends around her and introduces Thune to the delights of good coffee. This novel was originally self-published, but when Seanan McGuire tweeted about how much she loved it, her legions of readers bought it, and passed it around to their friends, and sales rose, and now it has a home with a traditional publisher. May Travis Baldree be blessed by a visit from the Money Truck for creating such a sweet, comforting fantasy.

Rounding up because I loved it! This is a nice gentle fantasy read if you’re feeling a bit stressed out and just want something fun with low stakes. An orc adventurer is getting too old for her trade but has a good plan for what to do next! She opens a coffeehouse and makes friends with her new neighbors. She has to deal with a few threats but really doesn’t want to be known as the orc who dealt with her issues the violent way. I read the ARC of the Tor edition just because I loved this so much I wanted to read the included short story. Go for this book if you just want a fun read with low stakes!

Legends & Lattes is such a cute book. There is something comforting about its straightforward plot and characters, as we see elements from both tropey fantasy (D&D particularly in evidence) and romcom/slice of life tales come together. The romance is certainly understated, but still just a bit adorable. The simplicity of the story does bring its limitations though: everything is very predictable and there really isn't much depth to any of the characters. Personally I would have also loved a bit more wackiness in how fantasy and coffeeshop stuff come together - there are a few fun alternative inventions and magical innovations, but a lot of the shop development plot could appear in a non-fantastical version of this story. This may not be perfect, but it will make for a perfect comfort read.

I got this when it was self published and it is the coziest little romance i’ve ever read. Petition for Baldree to flagship the “cozy fantasy” genre!!!


Come take a load off at Viv's cafe, the first & only coffee shop in Thune. Grand opening!

Worn out after decades of packing steel and raising hell, Viv, the orc barbarian, cashes out of the warrior’s life with one final score. A forgotten legend, a fabled artifact, and an unreasonable amount of hope lead her to the streets of Thune, where she plans to open the first coffee shop the city has ever seen.

However, her dreams of a fresh start filling mugs instead of swinging swords are hardly a sure bet. Old frenemies and Thune’s shady underbelly may just upset her plans. To finally build something that will last, Viv will need some new partners, and a different kind of resolve.

This is perfect for readers of heartwarming, relatively low stakes speculative fiction like that of TJ Klune and Becky Chambers. The characters are extremely lovable and the reading experience feels like having a nice cup of coffee and a cinnamon roll at your favorite shop.