Legends & Lattes

Legends & Lattes by Travis Baldree started out as a self-published novel and was so successful that it was picked up by a traditional publisher and is currently being translated into 9 languages.  I’m not sure how it got on my radar, but I’m so glad it did!

📜Summary📜

Worn out after decades of packing steel and raising hell, Viv the orc barbarian cashes out of the warrior’s life with one final score. A forgotten legend, a fabled artifact, and an unreasonable amount of hope lead her to the streets of Thune, where she plans to open the first coffee shop the city has ever seen.

However, her dreams of a fresh start pulling shots instead of swinging swords are hardly a sure bet. Old frenemies and Thune’s shady underbelly may just upset her plans. To finally build something that will last, Viv will need some new partners and a different kind of resolve.

A hot cup of fantasy slice-of-life with a dollop of romantic froth.

💬My Thoughts💬

I absolutely loved this book!  Everything was on point – the characters, the setting, the friendships that develop, the slow burn romance, the twists and turns of the plot.  I enjoyed following Viv as she left the life of an adventurer and began a new life as an entrepreneur, and I especially liked how she was able to create a community for herself and develop strong relationships with a trusted few.

Reading this book took me back to my teens and twenties when I lived for fantasy and science fiction. If you like cozy or slice-of-life fantasy, I highly recommend giving Legends & Lattes a read.

Most Anticipated 2025 Book Releases

I have added several books to my TBR that are being published this year, and these are the ones I am most excited about.

Fiction:

  • Beg, Borrow, or Steal by Sarah Adams (When in Rome #3)
  • More or Less Maddy by Lisa Genova
  • What Happened to the McCrays? By Tracey Lange
  • There’s Something About Mira by Sonali Dev
  • The Bookstore Keepers by Alice Hoffman (The Once Upon a Time Bookshop #3)
  • Bonded in Death by J.D. Robb (In Death #60)
  • Open Season by Jonathan Kellerman (Alex Delaware #40)
  • We All Live Here by Jojo Moyes
  • Show Don’t Tell by Curtis Sittenfeld
  • Sunrise on the Reaping by Suzanne Collins (The Hunger Games #0.5)
  • Lethal Prey by John Sandford (Prey #35)
  • Flirting Lessons by Jasmine Guillory
  • Great Big Beautiful Life by Emily Henry
  • My Friends by Fredrik Backman
  • Gryphon’s Valor by Mercedes Lackey (Kelvren Saga #2)
  • Totally and Completely Fine by Elissa Sussman
  • Wedding at Bella Beach by Kate Wentworh (Bella Beach #7)

Nonfiction:

  • Becoming the Pastor’s Wife by Beth Allison Barr
  • Queer & Christian by Brandan Robertson

What books are you looking forward to this year?