Reviews with content warning for Violence - Legends & Lattes

This book was just a pleasant experience from start to finish. It advertises itself as “A novel of High Fantasy and Low Stakes,” and it absolutely delivers on that promise. I didn’t realize I was reading a “cozy” novel until about halfway through, but by then I was so invested in the characters that I didn’t even care.

If you have any background in Dungeons and Dragons or the Dragonlance book series, the world in this book will feel very familiar to you, but the great thing about it is that it’s not necessary in order to understand and enjoy the story. Pretty much the entire book boils down to an orc woman decides to give up being a bloodthirsty adventurer for hire and establish her own coffee shop. There’s very little conflict, tension, or stakes involved, and mostly just follows the orc as she figures out how to build and run the shop and how to make it successful, including them going through a whole charade of “discovering” modern coffee shop things like adding ice or pairing it with biscotti. It’s a lighthearted jaunt into the personal world of this one character and presents such a refreshing angle on a story universe that’s usually so focused on killing and plundering and adventuring and the like.

The characters are unique and relatable, and I found myself getting excited with them whenever they had a win. However, I knocked off a star because the ending was really unsatisfying. The author went through all the effort of setting up a villain of sorts, who does a terrible thing near the end of the story, but then there’s no final confrontation of any kind between him and the main characters. They essentially just deal with the problem he causes, and then leave things up to karma to deal with, which does happen in a very contrived epilogue at the end. It just left me feeling discontented, but it wasn’t enough to ruin the rest of the book since I enjoyed it so much.

Also, please note that there is some strong language in this book that just kind of comes out of nowhere starting at around the 2/3 mark. It personally felt really out of place in this traditional fantasy world. The book also features a LGBTQ+ relationship, so if that’s not something you’re interested in, this isn’t the book for you.

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loosegear's review

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relaxing medium-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Character
Strong character development? No
Loveable characters? Yes
Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
Flaws of characters a main focus? No

4.5

Cozy and low stakes, just as advertised.

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s_green217's review against another edition

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adventurous emotional funny lighthearted relaxing medium-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Character
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? Yes
Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.5

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themichellegray's review against another edition

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hopeful lighthearted reflective relaxing slow-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Character
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? Yes
Diverse cast of characters? Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus? No

4.0

While this has been pitched as a cozy fantasy book (which it undoubtedly is) the heart of the story is about starting over, friendships, and found family.

I'll be honest, it was a bit difficult for me to get into this book due to its slower pace. However, once I became familiar with the setting and characters I prolonged my reading experience since it offered a bit of safety to return to each day. Cal and Thimble both immediately stole my heart, there is crochet representation (LET'S GOOOO), and the ending really hit me in the feels.

Unfortunately, I didn't care for the additional short prequel story since I'm not connected to the original "crew" members or that side of Viv's personality. Based on this, I'm a bit worried that I won't enjoy the prequel novel but still plan to give it a try soon!

If you are looking for a warm and restful book, this should absolutely be on your radar!

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franzeerdbeerbacke's review against another edition

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adventurous emotional funny inspiring lighthearted fast-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Character
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? Yes
Diverse cast of characters? Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

5.0

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ebp's review against another edition

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hopeful lighthearted relaxing slow-paced

Plot- or character-driven? A mix
Strong character development? No
Loveable characters? It's complicated
Diverse cast of characters? Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus? No

2.5

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pixie_dust's review

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emotional funny hopeful inspiring lighthearted relaxing medium-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Character
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? Yes
Diverse cast of characters? Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus? No

5.0

This is the first 5-star book I read this year, and I cannot wait to read more. I also cannot wait to read more of Travis Baldree because this book is fantastic!

When I bought this book from the store, I already had high hopes that I would enjoy it, based on the cover and blurb alone. At first, the story felt too slow. But it slowly picked up pace as more characters are introduced, and you find yourself falling in love with the majority of them. I was so consumed reading this book that I felt sad when it was coming to an end. But like a warm mug of coffee, all good things must come to an end.

Cheers to sir Travis for the amazing book. I can't wait to read more of Viv and her adventures that go beyond bloodshed and violence.

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