I’ve been wanting to read this book for a while, due to the slew of positive reviews I’ve heard, but I never went through with actually buying the novel. When I was walking past my father’s desk one day and saw Legends and Lattes staring back at me, I knew it was calling my name. With permission from my father, I borrowed the book and finished it in one day. It was just the cozy story I was looking for. 

“Things don’t have to stay as what they started out as.” 

Premise of the book:

With a life full of battles and treasure, an orc named Viv decided that she has had enough. She has found a different calling: opening the first ever coffee shop in the city of Thune. Viv quickly realizes that she will need more than just herself if she wants this dream to become a reality. As both old and new enemies try to stop Viv from opening her shop, Viv begins to grasp just how much it will take to keep her shop together. 

“I was just thinking that you don’t have to forget who you were … because that’s what brought you here.” 

Pros/positives:

*Cafe setting*

The cozy setting of a small, local coffee shop was a perfect place for me to imagine during my February break. I love the idea that coffee and cafes are a foreign concept in this city. The cafe itself was a cozy environment, one I could practically imagine myself reading at.

*Plot*

This was one of the first actual low-stakes fantasy stories I’ve ever read. While it was high stakes for Viv, it wasn’t a life or death situation and nobody else was really heavily affected. It allowed me to immerse myself in a comfy world without high stress levels.

I enjoyed that it was a quick, heartwarming read. I valued the fact that this book has good chapter lengths as well, which made the book go by a lot faster. 

The plot itself was entertaining enough to keep me reading. It was more on the mellow side, which was what I was looking for at the moment. I found that it was a good ‘palette cleanser’ in between books, as it was a simple and easy-to-follow read. Viv faced real-world challenges, like not being able to attract enough customers. However, she also faced more…unique challenges, such as having someone try to steal her Scalvert’s Stone, which she has for luck.

The little story at the very end of the book was a nice wrap-up, like adding a little bow on top. It was a cute flashback to how Viv was introduced to coffee, which was actually a scene I was hoping to see in the book, as I was curious as to how Viv found out about coffee. 

*Main character*

I enjoy the main character, Viv, a lot. It is nice to read about a genuinely nice person, and not just acting kind to get something out of it. It was like taking a breath of fresh air. She is also finally a strong female character with actual muscle. Most ‘strong’ female characters are skinny, but you can see Viv’s muscles right on the cover of this book. I also heavily relate to Viv’s back problem. Since I have scoliosis, I feel her when she says that she needs to rest due to her back hurting. I don’t read about nearly enough characters with back issues.

The bond that Viv made with the side characters was also refreshing. You could see Viv get closer to the characters, due to her natural compassion, and they all formed an actual deep bond with one another. The found family they made was adorable, as each character brought their own talent. Viv was the barista, Tandri was the artist, Thimble was the baker, Cal was the carpenter, etc. I especially liked the friendship Cal and Viv made. In the beginning, Cal was suspicious of Viv and her motives, but after a few days of work together, Cal warmed up to her. His first indication of liking Viv’s presence was when he gifted Viv a sign for her restaurant that he made when he “had some idle time” (65). That was a gesture more than big enough for Viv to welcome him into her life as a close friend. 

“Failure to act was as much a decision as any other.” 

In between/neutral:

*Romance*

While the romance between Viv and Tandri was cute, it was also sort of forgettable. They had a nice bond and all, alongside the fact that they complemented each other well, but they weren’t the main part of my focus. I did like how supportive Tandri was of Viv’s dreams. When they weren’t getting enough customers, Tandri didn’t let that stop them from continuing. Instead, she helped make more advertising for the cafe, and she helped brainstorm more ideas for Viv to use to get more attention for the shop.

*Side characters*

Even though I loved the side characters’ relationship and family dynamic with Viv, I realized near the end of the book that some of them felt a little 2D. While some of them had a bit of work put behind them, others felt like they fell flat outside of being Viv’s friend. We knew about one thing for each side character, with a few exceptions for characters like Tandri and Cal.

“This is what I know, what I’ve always known. I just want to know something else, now. To be something else.” 

Cons/negatives: 

*World building*

There were some really good components of this world, like how coffee isn’t a thing in Thune or how Viv got a ‘Scalvert’s Stone’ to bring her luck, but I felt the novel was lacking in the actual depth of the world. Outside of the cafe, we didn’t see much of the rest of the city, let alone the world. This world interested me so much, so I wish I had gotten to see a little more of it. But, there is a prequel to this story, so I wonder if the prequel goes more into the world.

“It was like drinking the feeling of being peaceful. Being peaceful in your mind. Well, not if you have too much, then it’s something else.” 

Conclusion: 

Pros – Cafe setting, plot, main character

In between – Romance, side characters

Cons – world building

Overall – 3.85 out of 5

“She was smiling, and for the first time, the building, the city, this place… felt like hers. A place she’d still be tomorrow, the week after, next season, next year…. Home.”