I liked rather than loved Legends and Lattes, giving it a high 3 stars, and I went into this prequel feeling a little afraid that it wouldn't be as good and I wouldn't enjoy it. It proved quite the opposite - this book, I loved. 

Perhaps the bookshop setting had a little bit to do with why it worked for me so well as like all bibliophiles I love bookshops. Mostly though I think it was the characters, the friendships, the acknowledgement that relationships don't necessarily have to last a lifetime to be important. In the acknowledgements Baldree states that he hopes the book "interlocks with Legends & Lattes in a way that makes both stories better, while still allowing them to stand on their own", and I definitely feel he achieved that. 

While L&L is accurately advertised having low stakes, and what small bit of plot was included in the book was actually my least favourite part of the story, B&B has somewhat higher stakes and more plot and is all the better for it. It's still a cosy read but it's set at a very different time in Viv's life and the action and danger feels entirely appropriate. 

I bought the Broken Binding special edition of the book and I'm so glad I did, I really enjoyed this.