Battle-weary and bloody from countless bounties, our heroine Viv decides to retire her sword. Rather than accepting the bloody end most orcs expect, this mercenary decides to leave her band of adventurers to pursue her dream of opening up her own coffee shop.

In the opening pages, Viv goes head-to-head against a spider-like monster called a Scalvert Queen and swiftly buries her greatsword in its skull. Viv rips out the Scalvert’s Stone grown inside the beast (her reward for slaying it). With the treasure known to bring fortune to its owners, Viv leaves her friends without so much as a goodbye.

Seeking a fresh start, Viv moves to the city of Thune and begins making her dream a reality with the help of the Scalvert’s Stone, now buried beneath the floor of the abandoned stable she purchases. Soon, she opens up the first-ever coffee shop in Thune, but she quickly realises she can’t leave her old life behind without help. Along with a bestiary of new friends, Viv’s coffee shop is open much to the chagrin of some old and new rivals.

Both the readers and the characters learn that adventures don’t always require bloodshed. Sometimes they come in the form of flaky pastry and a freshly-brewed cup of coffee. And often the real rewards are the friends you meet along the way.

“Well-nigh to thaumic line, the Scalvert’s Stone a-fire, draws the ring of fortune, aspect of heart’s desire.”

High Fantasy & Found Family

In this D&D-style fantasy world, Viv brings an invigorating change to most orc characters who are often reduced to mindless monsters. Instead she is thoughtful, creative and kind – bringing light to the lives of many. In building her successful business, Viv meets carpenter Cal who helps her turn a tragic stable into a cosy coffee shop. Artistic Tandri joins as a waitress, Thimble becomes the resident baker, and the would-be bard Pendry is the cafe’s staple entertainer. Meanwhile, the dire-cat Amity is the volunteer watch-beast who would do anything for Thimble’s pastries. Through Baldree’s variety of magical creatures and well-developed characters, this book shows the significance of building your community and the support that a found family can offer.

Spilling the LGBTea

What made this book truly special to me was seeing actual representation of the LGBT+ community in the high-fantasy genre. Unlike many stories where queer characters are often neglected or relegated to subplots, the slow-burn romance here is actually between the main character and a succubus — whose personality isn’t reduced to being a seductress, but a delightful and kind person. Refreshingly,this novel doesn’t resort to enabling the harmful Queer Tragedy trope and instead celebrates relatable queer joy — making it one of the best romantasy (romance-fantasy genre) stories I’ve read in a long time.

A Novel that Nourishes the Soul

“It was like drinking the feeling of being peaceful. Being peaceful in your mind.”

With a sapphic romance that’s more wholesome than emmental cheese and a found family so sweet that Thimble uses it for baking pastries, it’s no wonder that Legends & Lattes was nominated for Best Fantasy by Goodreads Choice Awards.

The plot might not be as complex as other popular high fantasy novels but it delivers on its promise of cosiness and you can’t help but feel an intimate connection to Viv. Her simple dream of owning her own coffee shop touches us all — not to mention Baldree has a knack for writing such vivid coffee descriptions that you can practically feel its warmth running down your throat. He perfectly encapsulates “the glowing warmth” of the beverage to a startling degree — his descriptions are delicious and equally addictive.

Final Thoughts

“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.”

Legends & Lattes is the perfect cosy read to melt your heart and warm your soul. It reimagines the high-fantasy genre with a touch of mystery which carries over into the equally wonderful prequel novel, Bookshops & Bonedust. While Baldree further explores Viv’s past as a reckless orc hoping to become a ruthless mercenary, the author stays true to the first novel’s heartwarming cosy vibes with more magic, mystery, WLW relationships, and a new emphasis on the power of storytelling.

If you’re in a reading slump, I couldn’t recommend this more for a much-needed dose of escapism. This wholesome, low-stakes, high-fantasy novel is best enjoyed in your favourite nook on a cold autumn night, with a coffee of your choice by your side. Viv and her friends are some of the best company one could ask for and honestly this is a contender for one of my favourite books ever written.