Honey inherits Velvet Claw Coffeehouse after her godmother Linda passes, a cozy little coffee shop in Emberfall, a monster town that has never had a human-owned business.
Winning over the locals is a challenge, but she isn't facing it alone. The city assigns her Fenlor, a quiet and steady orc who wants to help more than he lets on.
As Honey learns the magic of Emberfall and the secrets within herself, working beside Fenlor might be the thing that finally proves to the town, and to Honey, that she truly belongs.
*****Thank you to the author for providing me with an ARC in exchange for an honest review.
Espresso for the Orc is written in a cozy monster small town style, which is a trope I usually enjoy a lot. The premise and characters definitely had potential, and the idea behind the story was charming. Unfortunately, the execution left me wanting more.
One of the main issues was the pacing. Several important elements felt rushed, which made it difficult to fully understand the world or feel immersed in the story. Emberfall, for example, is barely explored. We only know that it is a magical small town, but the setting never really comes alive on the page.
The characters also felt underdeveloped. Honey is a barista, but beyond that, we learn almost nothing about her personality or background. The same goes for Fenlor. He is introduced as a magical orc, yet we never really get to know him as a character.
Most of the story unfolds almost entirely through dialogue, with very little description, world-building, or internal reflection. Because of this, it was hard to emotionally connect with the characters or feel truly inside the story.
This is a book with clear potential, but the lack of depth in both the world and the characters made the experience less engaging than it could have been.
Man this was so cute Honey was given the coffee shop by her God mother, she was a human handling a magical coffee shop so not everyone was welcoming. Fenlor the grumpy Orc didn't seem pleased about Honey but done his job but he soon starts seeing Honey in a different way. I had so much fun with the small cosy monster town and I hope we get to see more from this town!
This was such a cute cozy monster romance! It was a quick easy read i really enjoyed it! You have a human girl, a grumpy orc and a magical coffee shop with a little mystery to solve what more could you ask for! Definitely recommend!