Legends and Lattes by Travis Baldree | Book Review

Legends and Lattes by Travis Baldree is a cozy, light-hearted novel – a story of high fantasy and low stakes – as the cover describes. The book follows a battle-hardened orc, Viv, who decides to hang up her sword in favor of a slower life. She’s done with boss-slaying and ready to settle into a new life as a coffeeshop owner. The only problem is that no one in her town has ever heard of coffee.

My Rating for Legends and Lattes

Genre: Fantasy; Length: 296 pages

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I gave Legends and Lattes 5 stars because personally, I just really aligned with the premise of living a slower life. Viv is achieving all my life goals. It’s a relaxing fantasy novel and everything about this book is cozy and comfy.

This book has all the things I like – a coffee-shop, baking, a strong female protagonist, friendship, fantasy. What more could I ask for when it comes to Literary Baking Adventures? That’s why Legends and Lattes was my inspiration for my Holiday Bake Box!

This winter, I released a Cardamom Cinnamon Roll Bake Box and I took my inspiration for these cinnamon rolls straight out of the book! Thimble, the baking rattkin, conjures up these giant, fluffy, pillowy, delicious cinnamon rolls with a sweet, sticky icing that blows everyone away. I wanted to bring that to life with this baking kit.

Cardamom – besides being my favorite spice – pairs really well with cinnamon to evoke winter and Christmas vibes. In a nod to Viv and her coffee shop, I glazed these cinnamon rolls with a coffee icing. The cardamom adds a spicy, fragrant goodness that complements the coffee so well, almost like an Arabic coffee.

cardamom cinnamon rolls overhead — Cardamom Cinnamon Rolls with Coffee Icing, featured in our Holiday Baking Kit

Synopsis

Viv is up for the challenge though, and with a little help from some friends, she manages to open the first coffee shop in Thune. It soon becomes a home for weary travelers, bards, baking enthusiasts, coffee lovers, and a giant Dire cat. Old and new rivals get in her way, but they are no match for the strong band of friends and supporters that Viv has gained along the way.

My take on Legends and Lattes

Spoiler Alert!!!

This novel is quirky yet comfortable with an original premise that I haven’t seen before. I just find it so lovely that this orc decides to open a coffeeshop! I enjoyed reading about the fantasy world that Baldree built along with the interesting cast of characters that Viv comes across. The conflicts are minor, leaving you to just enjoy the journey and celebrate Viv’s success.

To no one’s, surprise, my favorite character was Thimble, the quiet rattkin who soon becomes Viv’s pastry chef at Legends & Lattes (the book’s title is also the name of Viv’s coffee shop). The descriptions of his cinnamon rolls, biscotti, and chocolate croissants were so satisfying. This book was foodie heaven. So much imagery…take a look at the coffee shop’s menu:

~~Legends & Lattes~~
~MENU~
Coffee ~ exotic aroma & rich, full-bodied roast – 1/2 bit
Latte ~ a sophisticated and creamy variation – 1 bit
Any drink ICED ~ a refined twice – add 1/2 bit
Cinnamon Roll ~ heavenly frosted cinnamon pastry – 4 bits
Thimblets ~ crunchy nut & fruit delicacies – 2 bits
Midnight Crescents ~ buttery foldover with a sinful center – 4 bits
– Legends and Lattes by Travis Baldree

You had me at “sinful center”. And only 4 bits? SOLD.

A note for audiobook people: in addition to listening to this menu being reiterated multiple times throughout the book, you also will unfortunately miss out on the wonderful pictures in the print version. My book club debated over what the “Thimblets” really were. Some thought they were cookies or scones. Based on the pictures, I’m pretty sure they’re biscotti.

Critique of Legends and Lattes

Low Conflict

I have really been in a low-conflict book mood lately. I’m not mad about it. But I recognize that not everyone is in that mood.

Like I said, I loved that this book was so chill, though not everyone in my book club did. Some people thought the lack of conflict made the book a little boring and felt like nothing really happened. It felt like Baldree spent so much time building a brand new world to just exist in.

The main conflict in the book is that as soon as Viv’s business starts seeing some success, she starts getting visits from the minion of a local gangster, “The Madrigal”. You think this is going to be a BIG deal, until Viv actually meets this mob boss and she turns out to be…not so bad. All the Madrigal wants is a cut of the profits in the form of a daily delivery of cinnamon rolls. I can’t blame her for that! Viv obliges and that problem is solved.

Then, a completely unrelated conflict emerges when Viv’s former rival starts to scope out her coffeeshop. He has his eyes set on the Scalvert Stone, that Viv won by slaying the Scalvert Queen in the prologue. Long story short, he attacks her coffeeshop but Viv is able to rebuild and everything is ok in the end.

The Scalvert Stone

Is it just me, or did we not get a really good explanation of what the Scalvert Stone does or why it’s so coveted? Please leave a comment if I missed something important in the book. Or is it that no one really know why it’s so valuable?

I hope we get more details on this in the prequel that just came out this fall.

Conclusion

Legends and Lattes is the perfect book for a quiet weekend afternoon sat reading by the fire with a mug of tea and some cinnamon rolls. However, if you’re looking for action and adventure, this probably isn’t it.

Personally, it was everything I needed. I gave it 5 stars for a well-built fantasy world, a medieval foodie heaven, and a solidly cute romance. Most of all, I am here for the life lesson. This winter, let’s take a page out of Viv’s playbook and take a step back. Slow down, and enjoy the cinnamon rolls.

For anyone who loves a series, Legends and Lattes also has a newly-released prequel, Bookshops and Bonedust, that was featured in my 2023 Fall Book List. Pick it up next if you loved this book and need more!