Book Review

Hey, all! I wanted to share with you this book I read by Travis Baldree. It's about a half-orc named Viv, who has been a barbarian mercenary for most of her life. She's tired of the killing, and she's very aware that the next adventure could kill her. She's had enough. Viv has a plan for her early retirement, though. She opens a coffee shop in a city that doesn't even know what coffee is.

This book is about her "adventure" in starting up her business when she has absolutely no business know-how. She hires people--a hob, a succubus, and a rattkin--with a few more clues than her, and the entire gang of characters are wonderfully written and interesting. Together, they figure out a way to make the city love coffee the way Viv does, and her business slowly grows.

The back blurb on the book says, "A hot cup of fantasy slice-of-life with a dollop of romantic froth." There is definitely that. But there is also more, as old "frenemies" come into play, and Viv could lose everything that she worked so hard for.

This book is not your usual sword and sorcery fare, and I love it. It has small doses of magic and there are the occasional bits of action, but it is more about the characters, their dreams, their friendships, and their community. It is so refreshing. I give it a major thumbs up!

To purchase this book, you can find it on Amazon: