Read Time: 2 Minutes
Legends and Lattes, written and narrated by Travis Baldree, is a wonderfully cozy slice-of-life style fantasy story that took me a little by surprise. Set almost entirely inside a coffee shop in some distant land, Viv has given up her barbarian ways and wants for something more. And she believes she’s found the right thing in this little-known brew of roasted beans from a distant land is the key.
Well, that and maybe a little luck from the ley lines underneath the former horse livery. There’s a lot to love in this story. Quaint and unrushed, yet so compelling, I finished it the day I started it.
Viv the orc pulls together a diverse mix of characters, a hob, a succubus, and a ratkin to round out her new team. Of course, it doesn’t take long for the local criminal underbelly to show itself. Viv isn’t one to back down, though.
Even though it’s set in the fantasy world, which often comes with stat readouts of the main characters, Travis turned this on its head and gave me a good chuckle. I missed the “stats” the first time, but the second time when they had improved, it clicked. Very well done.
Author, Travis Baldree, is probably best known as the voice behind many stories (in fact, I picked a pant-load of books in Audible’s most recent sale, and he’s behind a few of them), but if this is the kind of story he can write, well, he’ll be getting more of my money for sure.
His narration, as expected, was on point. I’ve found that author-narrated works can sometimes be hit-or-miss, but when the author is also a professional narrator, that takes care of that concern. Travis delivers the story with so much heart you can’t help but enjoy the heck out of this.
Likely a standalone novel as I think it can stand solidly by itself. I wouldn’t expect a sequel, but I’d certainly give something else written by Baldree a go. Grab a fresh coffee and get this in your ears. You’ll feel better for it!