Member Reviews

I loved the laid back but still interesting pace of this!
The slow building of characters and the coffee shop itself were fun to follow, with little tricks and treats all over the place.

For some reason I think of the manticore from Onward as the main character…

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Funny, heart warming and cozy, I could see what all the hype was about as soon as I started this book.

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This was such a fun, short cosy low stake fantasy read and exactly what I needed in between huge fantasy books. With the vibes this book has, Legends and Lattes is perfect for an autumnal read.

Thank you so much for this early copy

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This was so cosy! I loved how low-stakes it was, and the coffeeshop setting and its domesticness when compared to the fantastical lands and creatures.

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The first time I sat down to read this book I couldn't get into it, but I hoped this was a case of wrong book at the wrong time.

I later bought the book and this time I got straight into it. You know how sometimes a book it hyped up so much it can never live up to it? It isn't the case with this book, it didn't disappoint and I'm so glad I gave it a second shot.

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The story introduces us to Viv, an orc barbarian weary of her life of adventure, who decides to open the first coffee shop in the bustling city of Thune. For me, what makes it particularly enchanting is its small, yet deeply developed cast of characters, each bringing their own flavour to Viv's endeavor. The novel thrives on the dynamics between Viv and her newfound friends, highlighting themes of friendship, trust, and the unexpected kindness of strangers. The mouthwatering descriptions of the café's offerings are enough to make anyone's stomach rumble, marking this book as a must-read for those in search of a feel-good story that celebrates the beauty of life's simpler aspects. Cosy fantasy at it's finest.

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Viv, the orc barbarian, has been an adventurer for decades, but now it’s time to stop. Moving to the small city of Thune, Viv decides to become an entrepreneur and set up the first coffee shop, despite no one there having ever heard of coffee! But Viv will need help to do this; no one can run a business completely alone. However, Viv’s dark past might be catching up with her…old rivals cannot leave well enough alone and soon Viv finds herself caught between the life she once lived and the life that she so desperately wants.

Legends and Lattes is the first cosy fantasy that I have ever read and now, I must say, I have a new favourite genre. This is sort of the Becky Chambers of fantasy (and anyone who knows me, knows that is high praise). Travis Baldtree paints a vivid world of Thune, a mixed and diverse town filled with different races and people. I got a real Dungeons and Dragons feel whilst reading this book - the sort of cosy vibe when adventurers have down time and just spend time enjoying themselves. I almost felt like this book was giving me a hug as I read it. I loved the descriptions of the pastries and coffee and found myself salivating and in desperate need of a cinnamon roll pretty much the whole way through.

The cast of characters is also wonderful! Viv herself has a sort of spiky exterior being a hulking orc barbarian, but quickly you realise she’s an absolute softy with a heart of gold. Again, teaching us not to judge a book by it’s cover, succubus Tandri is an intriguing member of the team and one to be reckoned with. My favourite is definitely Thimble the ratkin who turns out to be a genius baker, capable of delivering beautiful pastries and biscuits that draw folk from the entire city.

For anyone who loves the cosy fantasy sub-genre, this is an absolute must read. I demolished this in a day and loved every second. 5 out of 5 stars.

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I absolutely loved this from start to finish. This is a wonderfully wholesome, cute and cosy fantasy.

We meet Vic our retired adventurer, hell bent on opening a coffee shop in a city where no one even knows what coffee is! Along the way on her new adventure she meets friends and foes and the underbelly of a brand new city, hell bent on screwing up her plans.

The world-building is phenomenal, it really immerses in the story, the characters are well-written and their relationships with each other, proving that the plot isn't the main point to this story, it's the characters and their journey together and gosh they are so likeable.

I love this book, perfect for a cosy night in.

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I finally got around to reading this! This was a fun, light fantasy book and the perfect pallet cleanser. However, not much actually happens in this one. It is mostly about a coffee shop opening and there is an issue with an adversary with a little bit of found family thrown in. I was definitely expecting more from this book due to all the 5 star ratings. It is good but it was a bit if a miss for me.

Thank you to Netgalley and Pan Macmillan for an advance copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

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Sadly, I really can't get into the whole cozy fantasy genre. There's just not enough going on for me to really enjoy it. Thus I didn't really enjoy this book, as it doesn't have a lot of story going for it. Which I get is the genre, so I wholeheartily say it is a me problem.

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Legends and Lattes is the cosiest read for D&D fans across the world and I loved every second. Many Thanks to NetGalley and Pan Macmillan for an eARC in exchange for an honest review.

So the story follows two adventurers who are just tired of the constant battles and fights, so decide to quit and open up a coffee shop.

The plot is genuinely wonderfully wholesome. It’s like a hug in a book and as someone that plays D&D quite frequently- my Characters would so love to just drop everything and open a bar/shop at this point. The writing style and pacing flowed well and it read so wonderfully I read it in a single sitting, hot coffee on standby.

The characters are fantastic, all well imagined and developed well throughout. My genuine only issue and the reason this didn't get 5 stars is because is it felt a bit rushed towards the end.

Honestly if you’re into RPG/Tabletop gaming or just want a cosy read with winter coming up- this one right here!

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I sat on this book for SO LONG and I have nothing but regrets for that. Hyped books always make me wary. Can it really be as wholesome and cosy as everyone says? Will I love it as much as I’m hoping? Yes and yes!

It’s not often I read books within the span of a day anymore but Legends & Lattes got that treatment. I couldn’t put it down.

Like many, Thimble was a huge fave. I loved every scene he was in!

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A lovely tale that made the finding and developing of a coffee shop exciting and compelling, with really loveable characters and a well-paced, engaging story. It had all the feel of a standard fantasy setting, with the charm of knowing that, no matter what happened, things would be right in the end.

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My review:⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

This is such a feel good book, with characters that I adored, and settings that came across so well!

I really enjoyed the setup, and I was rooting for the characters from the beginning!

This reminded me a little of Terry Pratchett, just for things from real life sneaking their way into a book, and making me smile at the idea of coffee addiction hitting a dungeons and dragons style world!

There's some found family, self discovery and coffee in the book! Proceed with glee!

I was given this book in exchange for an unbiased review, so my thanks to NetGalley and to Pan Mcmillan.

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This book has my whole heart and I love it so very much. It truly is a fantastic story you get completely sucked into, and so invested in each character without any high stakes scenes at all. I adored the cast, Thimble was my favourite, and watching them grow this little safe haven together was just adorable. =

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A superc-cosy low-stakes novel to curl up with on an autumn day! Easy reading at its finest, I can definitely see why this book is so loved by readers!

Thank you to NetGalley for letting me review!

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This was the coziest, warmest, cutest, low stakes fantasy book I've ever read in my entire life, and fans of Practical Magic or of autumnal cozy reads, will absolutely love reading this book.

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Viv spent her life killing monsters and looting treasures and had fun doing it, but now she feels it's time for something different. She decides to open a coffee shop and change her violent ways, but when old and new enemies appear, that decision will be put to the test.

I enjoyed reading this story, but I could tell it isn't necessarily my cup of coffee (for one, I actually hate coffee). In the beginning, the lack of action made me a bit bored with the book. However, as the story progressed and new characters were introduced, I couldn't help but be drawn in completely. (I even tried to drink coffee again, but unfortunately, the book didn't magically turn me into a coffee lover, although it certainly made me want to be one.)

What I really loved in this book were all the personal stories. The atmosphere of the place seems to attract the lonely and the troubled, and it slowly grows into a friendly community. With some very unlikely members, too.

Another theme that I enjoyed was how the problems that might be easily solved with violence had to be solved peacefully. It almost gave the story the POV of your common fantasy world dweller.

This is just a great heartwarming story that you can read to take a break after some grisly dark fantasy. I am interested to see what this newly popularised subgenre might bring in the future.

I received a copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.

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This book is a warm hug and a steaming cup of coffee and a group of friends. The pace is perfect, a slow day-to-day blossoming of an orc who dreams of spending the rest of her life doing something more meaningful than swinging a sword and the coffeeshop she builds from nothing.

I was sick in bed and I tried to listen to another more action-based audiobook and I couldn't focus on it, so I bought this one and I'm so glad I did. It was perfect for a day of feeling sick, lying in bed, letting myself get swept away in the warmth and the building and the companionship.

I can't believe I waited so long to read it, but then I also feel like I read it at the perfect time.

The audiobook is excellent; the author does a fabulous job reading it and bringing the characters to life. The voices are a little hard to differentiate, but it's clear who is speaking and I was never tripped up by it.

*Thanks to NetGalley and Tor for providing an early copy for review.

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Thimble is way too cute.
The beginning was really slow, I’m not used to rad cozy fantasy. I love reading novellas about characters I know doing mundane things but the fact that we didn’t know anything about the characters made it a bit harder to care for the whole story. At some point a got attached to them and started rooting for them too. I love all their relationships and can’t wait for more in this series.

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