This was just what I needed given the stress I’ve been feeling lately, and I wish I hadn’t waited so long to read it. It was such a cozy read that I almost teared up at how comforting it is. The story focuses on Viv, whose 3rd person perspective we get, as she sets about opening up a coffee shop in the city of Thune, a city whose residents have never heard of coffee. She was previously a mercenary but doesn’t want to die in battle the way most orcs do, and she is guided to Thune by myths and songs about a special stone she possesses that she hopes will help her succeed.
The book is lovely from start to finish. There are some moments of tension and danger, from both a criminal element in Thune (the kind who insist on payment to make sure nothing bad happens to your business) and a former colleague, but the heart of the book is about Viv’s journey of starting her coffee shop and meeting great people along the way.
I loved all of the side characters that Baldree introduced, especially Cal the carpentry hob and Thimble the ratkin—who is also the shop’s baker. They’re supportive of Viv and contribute a lot to the shop, though not as much as Tandri, who for all intents and purposes is Viv’s business partner.
My favorite part, though, is the evolution of the café from a place that just serves plain coffee and lattes to one that serves iced coffee and various baked goods. My heart warmed each time Tandri updated the chalkboard list of offerings because it was a sign of things working out for Viv. While a lot of the book feels kind of slice of life, it never felt slow or boring. If you are interested in character-driven novels or cozy books, this is definitely one to read. 4.5 stars rounded up to 5.