Legends & Lattes is one of my favourite reads this year. I was looking for something with a Becky Chambers Wayfarers vibe; cosy fantasy or sci-fi, and this certainly ticked the box!
The Plot
Viv, a battle weary orc, decides that she needs a change of pace and a chance at a life that doesn't present quite as a high a risk of death as her current adventuring ways. So, she has one last adventure, then goes in search of a place to hang up her sword and build a new life for herself, far from what she's used to or what others expect of an orc. She opens up a coffee shop. I ABSOLUTELY LOVE THIS. Before you even get into the finer details of the story and character development, you have someone who's career so far has been vastly different and is viewed by society as fitting into that very specific mould, going out and saying "No, I'm going to take a chance at change and prove that I can be more and do something different". An orc-owned coffee shop, which she built on a foundation of research in a library no less. When did you ever hear of an orc in a library? It's a book about breaking moulds and I'm here for it.
So, Viv sets out to find the perfect spot and gradually makes a success of her new business venture. Not without hurdles, but overcome with the help of new friends made along the way, giving others something they didn't know they needed, and creating a truly heart-warming bond with each of them.
I finished up really wanting to visit Viv's coffee shop!
The Characters
Viv goes out on her own, leaving her old crew behind her. She knows that she can't achieve what she wants without help, and seeks out help from people in her new community who can render services to make her coffee shop dream a success. Those new business relationships very quickly grow into meaningful friendships with varied characters, each bringing their own slice of uniqueness and a little romance, resulting in heart-warming exchanges and wonderful character development, overcoming obstacles together and growing stronger throughout. Her old crew, while still enjoying their adventuring lifestyle, later show support for Viv's new life, a heart-melting example of true friends sticking by you no matter what.
The World
The world is your classic Dungeons & Dragons setting, complete with races you'd expect and some plot and sub-plot references or developments. Except it mostly centres around the coffee shop and is made to feel cosy throughout, which is a really cool spin on an otherwise familiar adventuring and monster slaying world setting.
Plot or Character driven | Character |
Strong Character Development | Yes |
Lovable Characters | Yes |
Diverse Cast | Yes |
Pace | Medium |
Should I read it?
Yes
Get your copy here!
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