Reviews with content warning for Fire/Fire injury - Legends & Lattes

A sweet and fast read. Does a great job or cultivating a cozy mood, just as it was marketed. I did mostly through the last 40% and can't help but think it could have been a short story. But I understand why people love it as it is, too.

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beau_b_reading'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? Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.0

I picked this up as a cozy read, and it was! As a D&D nerd I can appreciated the setting a lot, and it wasn't too distracting either (as often the case in high fantasy). There were a couple language/spelling mistakes but I could quickly brush them off thanks to the engaging story and lovable characters. Very cute, very wholesome and a pleasure to read :)

Side note: I would probably like this book more of I drank coffee lol

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timetotalkbeauty's review against another edition

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adventurous funny inspiring lighthearted medium-paced

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

4.5

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itsjayprobaby's review against another edition

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hopeful lighthearted reflective 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? Yes

3.5

I went into Legends and Lattes with high hopes for my first read in the cosy fantasy genre, and maybe it's my high expectations that let it down in the end but I was unfortunately left a little disappointed.

There are plenty of good things to be said for the book. I absolutely adored the characters, and really routed for Viv's success the entire time. I didn't go into this book knowing there was an LGBT+ romance, so that was also a pleasant surprise for me as a queer reader, and Viv and Tandri's romance was a perfect slow burn. The cast of characters was interesting, and I felt like each filled their role in the story well.

The book certainly was a high fantasy with low stakes exactly as it promises, and I think this was ultimately it's downfall for me. The prose isn't badly written by any stretch, but it is very simple which, for me, feels a little out of place in a vibrant high fantasy setting.

Baldree does an amazing job of bringing modernity into the high fantasy setting and nothing at all felt unreasonable about Viv opening a coffee shop with what amounts to all the mods and cons, including a bard with an electric guitar and amp. I think that in itself is a skill to be applauded, but unfortunately I felt the actually fantasy parts of the world where often under described, with some lore mentioned but never really explained or expanded upon.

My biggest issue was that I did feel that the overarching plot fell a little flat. It almost felt like the author was too afraid of losing the cosy vibe by adding in too much suspense or drama, and while that is a valid concern, the way that each problem Viv and Co have to overcome is resolved with a literary snap of the fingers felt both predictable and underwhelming. I definitely would have preferred just a little more tension, and I think the story could have handled that without losing the essence of a cosy, feel good story.

Overall a good, comfortable read with a happy ending that made me smile. I would definitely recommend this book to readers that want something light and feel good where any tension is resolved quickly and without lasting damage. If you, like me, need a more substantial plot to keep you interested in the beautiful cosy backdrop then you may also find yourself struggling to finish this book (though it is definitely worth it in the end).

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simonefk's review against another edition

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hopeful lighthearted medium-paced

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

4.5

I'm very new to the fantasy genre and I had seen Legends and Lattes described as cozy fantasy. That describes it perfectly. It's a fantasy world, lots of fantasy characters/races that I was unfamiliar with but low stakes, no battles or fights.

Viv, the orc barbarian leaves behind her life of violence and bloodshed to open a coffee shop. It's so wonderfully described I found myself wanting to visit! The character development is fantastic as well as the relationship building and the story itself is hopeful and heartwarming.

I really enjoyed Legends and Lattes and I'm glad it's receiving well earned attention and recognition.

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jessicalarson125's review against another edition

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hopeful inspiring lighthearted

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

5.0

it’s cute, it’s cozy, my brain doesn’t have to have thoughts in it, 10/10

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beepboopbup's review against another edition

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hopeful lighthearted medium-paced

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

5.0

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hello_lovely13's review against another edition

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adventurous hopeful lighthearted 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

3.0

This was fine. I was expecting the plot and structure of the book to be different, so for the first half I was a little disappointed. There were definitely some endearing moments, but I found myself a bit bored for most of it. Viv's past kept being mentioned, as well as her past self, but I don't think that there was enough established for when she "went back to her old habits" in the third act conflict (honestly, she was just justifiably upset, and, yes, lashed out a bit out of anger and hurt, but it didn't have the implications it stated it did); I think if her more destructive thoughts were more prevalent in the book, then perhaps it would have had more of an impact. Viv's relationship with Tandri was sweet, and I really liked Thimble (the baker). In regards to the conflict of the book, I found it weird that the first part of it was resolved at the halfway mark (

with the Madrigal

), and then shifted to

Fennus

; I just don't like how this was set up. I think that I will read the others in the series if I am ever in the mood for an easy read, but this wasn't anything that will particularly stick with me.

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