comfy fantasy, what more can you ask for? ( )

»After twenty-two years of adventuring, Viv had reached her limit of blood and mud and bullshit. An orc’s life was strength and violence and a sudden, sharp end—but she’d be damned if she’d let hers finish that way.
It was time for something new.«

Thus begins the story of Viv, a former orc swordswoman who retires from adventuring and opens a coffee shop, the eponymous “Legends & Lattes”, in the town of Thune. She makes friends with various fantasy creatures and faces challenges from a local crime boss and a former colleague who wants to steal her magical treasure. Rarely was a moniker, “High fantasy, low stakes” in this case, more apt because we’re not off on a conventional fantasy adventure.

Much more important in this entertaining and heartwarming novel are the relationships Viv and her friends build: In Thune, Viv is part of a small minority and doesn’t care about outward appearances and societal expectations. She follows her passion and doesn’t care about what others think of her. She also respects and appreciates the skills and talents of her friends and employees, such as Cal(amity) the Hob carpenter, Thimble the Rattkin baker, and Pendry the stonemason-gone-bard. Viv is a great example of a strong and independent person who can also be kind and compassionate.

Not only Viv shines brightly, but every major character is unique, well fleshed-out in a vivid and colourful world that beckons to anyone who has ever played (A)D&D or similar - you’ll feel right at home. Those characters are also immensely relatable…

»The rattkin shifted from foot to foot and stared longingly at the coffee machine.
“Coffee first?” he pleaded.«

Most importantly, though, is the slow, sensible way Viv, the orc, and Tandri, the succubus, grow together: They have a very sweet and natural relationship that develops gradually and organically. They start as friends and co-workers who support each other and share their dreams and fears. They also have a lot of chemistry and compatibility, as they both love coffee, art, and adventure. They are not afraid to show their feelings and affection, but they also respect each other’s boundaries and pace. I only would have wished to read a bit more about them.

»It was easy to see how one might mistake her nature for something purely sensual, how one might glean only what they most desired from that densely-twined rush of feeling.
Hers was a potent dialect of emotion, rich with meaning, comprehensible only to those intimately aware of its subtleties.«

In addition, this is a charming and uplifting read: The novel has a light-hearted but not shallow tone and a humorous style that makes it enjoyable and fun to read. While there is little action, there are many peaceful and relaxing moments…

»She leaned on the counter over a fresh chapbook, sipped her coffee, gazed at the blurs passing in the street, and gloried in a suspended moment of contentment.«

It may sound like the beginning of a lame joke (“An orc, a succubus, a hob, and a rattkin go into a cafe…”), this novel is much more than that and, to me, highly enjoyable and I certainly hope to return to this world.

Five out of five stars.

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Ceterum censeo Putin esse delendam ( )

The main character lives in some high fantasy world, but the story is just her trying to start a coffee shop in a town where no one knows what coffee is.
Not a lot happens in this book, but it was a charming story and I liked how they kept expanding the menu. ( )

Legends & Lattes is one of those fantasy novels I really needed to read at this time. A lot of fantasy that I usually read tends to be dark, vicious, emotional, bordering on grimdark, the type of fantasy that takes a toll on you after a while, so reading this was a breath of fresh air and I enjoyed it tremendously, realizing how much I really missed the more lighthearted and fun fantasy.

Viv is the main character and I thoroughly enjoyed her development as she retired from her work as a bounty hunter and decided to open up a coffee shop. Just the thought of a warrior wanting to do this type of job made me giggle throughout the book and as the gems kept pouring in, I enjoyed her transformation from battle-orc to coffee-orc. Due to a lifetime of bloodshed though, trusting people didn't come easily, and watching Viv learn to navigate friendships was interesting and it made me think a lot about retirement, especially as that is in the near future for myself. Viv is joined by a multitude of interesting secondary characters, Cal, Thandri, and Thimble, all of whom I developed a fondness for, and I was glad to see the lightness continue throughout the book, with the various characters having to overcome trust issues and learn what it really means to be a family. And oh my, the descriptions of the food Thimble cooked up! All I wanted was a latte and a cinnamon roll as I read, and not just a cinnamon roll, but a big, gooey one, like they talked about in the book. How can you not smile when you read those descriptions?

That being said, it is really easy to overlook the themes in this book. The book comes across as light and fun, but there were some very deep themes underlying everything; friendship, loyalty, deception, trust, self-confidence, family, etc... The author definitely focused on family and community, but he also subtly included the idea of growing out of your comfort zone, to try something new. Even when Viv had to deal with the harsher realities of owning a business, she showed us that there was another way to do business than the traditional way if you are willing to try, but you have to realize there are risks and there are hardships as nothing comes easy. And while I am a huge epic fantasy reader, and I like by battle scenes, it is easy to dismiss a lighter fantasy novel thinking it lacks tension, but there was conflict and the author never really lets up on the action; it's just a different type of suspense and action, something I enjoyed.

Verdict
Legends & Lattes was a treat to read. I knew very little about it when I started the book, so I was pleasantly surprised as the story progressed, pretty much reading it in one session. A feel good novel about a warrior who decides to take a chance on trying something new with her life, and I enjoyed every step of her development. For readers looking for something a bit lighter than your usual fare, I highly recommend this one. ( )

A charming and relaxing "cozy fantasy" with little to no stakes but lots of charm and heart. Could have used a bit more romance, but I enjoyed it. I originally dismissed it after reading a sample, so I think you need to be in the right mood to enjoy it. ( )