I was worried going into this as I found Legends & Lattes slightly lacklustre but this was so far improved. It still manages to encapsulate the cozy-fantasy vibes of the first book but the stakes even being marginally higher made the book much more enjoyable. 

This felt very much like the middle act of a book which is exactly what it was designed to be. Unlike L&L I thought there was so much more plot here and that made the difference between the two. I loved all the different plots - the reviving of the bookshop itself, Viv's romance with Maylee, and the whole plot with Varine and how that developed. It still managed to stay low stakes as a prequel but there was something to keep you interested the whole way through. I also hugely preferred the relationship between Viv and Maylee than with Tandri in L&L - you could tell from the first meeting that their relationship was romantic and it developed nicely throughout the book. 

I also really enjoyed the unhappy ending and thought it was an interestingly compelling ending to a cozy fantasy book. Knowing from the start that Viv is going to leave and go back to Rackham before settling down and opening a coffee shop actually added to the relationships she built throughout this book and made you feel them much more keenly throughout. 

My biggest issue with this book was that none of this is ever mentioned in L&L to my recollection and it very much feels like a prequel that's been written for the sake of it and not because it was built into the original story. For a period of time that changed Viv's life so much, the fact that she never mentions Fern, Maylee or Satchel feels wrong, and it also feels like Murk would have been a much likelier place for Viv to settle down and open her coffee shop. 

Overall, a much improved story from Baldree and I think anyone who found Legends & Lattes slightly lacking will really enjoy this and should definitely give it a go.