“Gilmore Girls meets... Baby Dragons?”
If you enjoyed the Laurie Gilmore books but found yourself reaching to your fantasy TBR... look no further. This series of books is SURE to hit the sweet spot! I found this book an adorable, sweet, hug of a book! From adorably imaginable baby dragons to all your favorite tropes, The Baby Dragon Cafe was just what I ordered! I cannot wait to explore more tales within this adorable world that Qureshi has built! Seriously, this was such a lovely palette cleanser cozy fantasy that is the perfect sweet spot for those who enjoy the cozy romances that rage on tiktok like The Pumpkin Spice Cafe, to those who need a sweet fantasy to relax into after the psychological trauma of The Poppy War, or those who want something even sweeter than Legends & Lattes. Thank you Harper Collins as ever for my gorgeous copy of this sweet treat!

Saphira Margala runs The Baby Dragon Café, an inviting small-town spot that allows customers to bring their baby dragons in to snack and relax. As cute and cuddly as that sounds, though, young draggos are a handful, often setting furniture on fire or knocking things over. But Saphira doesn’t mind; she just wants to be around them as much as she can. Even when one of the little monsters destroys her café’s espresso machine and threatens her livelihood.

Aiden Sterling is from a wealthy, respected family who raises and races dragons. They have high expectations and a legacy to pass on; Aiden, however, is an introvert who would much rather spend time in his garden. But when his beloved brother passes away and leaves him with a baby dragon, he finds himself questioning everything.

Cue the meet-cute: Aiden’s adorable but badly-behaved dragon Sparky virtually crashes into Saphira’s life, and Aiden asks her to train the baby monster. She needs money to repair her café; he needs help with Sparky…and so a deal is struck that will change their lives in all the best ways. Ohhh, how I love a forced proximity trope, especially when it involves a grumpy but shy guy and a loving and bubbly girl. The chapters alternate between Saphira and Aiden’s perspectives so you get to see them fall for one another from both sides (this is not a spoiler, the promise of HEA is baked right in). You also get to see how they both see themselves and how they present to the world, even when there are so many more layers to explore.

The Baby Dragon Café is an endearingly cozy read that will keep you smiling all the way through. The story hits many popular romance tropes that feel familiar but are never tiring; while some parts verge on saccharine sweetness, it’s a refreshing respite from all the darkness and strife that seems to be pushing in from all sides right now. But while it is a warm & fuzzy story, that doesn’t mean our leads don’t have emotional depth. Their pasts are filled with pain and doubt—but instead of being bitter, everyday they choose to live and do better, for themselves and others. And that’s what makes you root for them every time.

Having a desi lead in Saphira is a joy; it’s lovely to see the ways she honors her dearly departed grandmother Nani-Ma by opening a café and following her dreams. The small details and nods to her heritage are woven in with care, especially when it comes to the delicious drinks and sweet treats. You’ll soon wish you could visit Saphira’s café for real (or at least wish there was an accompanying recipe book). And the way Saphira is welcomed into Aiden’s family with open arms is incredibly healing; to be accepted and loved just as you are is a beautiful thing, and The Baby Dragon Café plays right into that feeling.

The romance will keep you blushing, remaining super cute and sprinkled with magic. You’ll feel safe in its embrace and giggle as Aiden and Saphira go back and forth in their feelings. Aiden is a classic romantic hero; handsome and shy but wonderfully devoted underneath his grumpy façade. And Saphira is the plucky heroine who brings sunshine wherever she goes—it’s a match made in romantasy heaven. The stakes never feel super high when the characters are faced with obstacles but it fits within this fantasy world. Sometimes you need to sink into the pages of guaranteed HEA and enjoy its comforting small-town charm—and at The Baby Dragon Café, you’re always welcome.

I liked this book. It was hard to get into at first, but it was a very cute story overall. I will definitely be buying a physical copy for my shelf.

I thought this was a really cute, cosy read. At times a little cheesy, best described as Hallmark vibes.
There were some lovely characters , the romance within was a sloooow burn but ultimately really sweet

The Baby Dragon Cafe is a super cosy, cute, low stakes Romantasy story. Marrying How To Train Your Dragon and The Pumpkin Spice Cafe (when it comes to vibes at least), it’s a fun, sweet, smile-inducing read that will warm your heart.

Saphira lives in a world where mythical creatures are part of everyday life. After her grandmother passes away, she uses her inheritance to follow her dream and open a baby dragon cafe. As she’s not part of the dragon elite, this is as close to owning a dragon she’ll get. That is until Aiden walks in. The moody, socially awkward stud has a baby dragon who needs training, and when Sparky has a spark with Saphira, Aiden proposes she trains him. But as Saphira gets closer to Sparky, will the gap close between her and Aiden?

Though there is more sexual tension than narrative tension, The Baby Dragon Cafe provides a sense of wonder that drives the story. I wanted to know more about this land of magical realism filled with dragons, griffins and phoenixes, which sucked me further and further in.

The grumpy/sunshine element was gorgeous. Though obvious, it wasn’t overdone and I was rooting for them with a bashful grin on my face.

Though it is low stakes, it does include references to prejudice, self acceptance, classism, and belonging, which is handled lightly and beautifully.

This is a joyful, delightful read and I can’t wait to read the next two in the series.

Definitely a simple sweet, warm and cosy read, but unfortunately fell a bit flat for me. It didn't grip or hold me and felt the plot just sort of fell flat

Although The Baby Dragon Cafe is sweet and cozy with beautiful world building, it doesn't really go anywhere. It was a little bit TOO sweet and dragged in parts. Not bad, but I wasn't gripped.

I received a copy from the publisher in exchange for an honest review

3.5 stars

This book was every bit as cosy as the title suggests. The plot was cute, the romance was cute. I loved the little references to South Asian culture. My only problem was everything felt a little flat.

Saphira opens up a baby dragon cafe after her nani-ma dies and leave her some money. Her nanny-ma is the last member of her family, leaving Saphira all alone. While this was mentioned several times, I think the emotions weren’t fully explored. I can understand why the author might have shied away from this, because I think it would have negated the ‘cosy’ part of the cosy fantasy genre, but I also think delving deeper into those emotions would have strengthened the romance more.

I was also not quite sure where this world was set. Originally, I thought it was a completely made up world that resembled ours but was not ours. But then the author mentioned Pride and Prejudice and that threw me a little. There was also someone who went to school to study mythology, but mythical beings are literally part of the world, so what were they actually studying?

If you are looking for a cosy book that will make you smile, this will certainly fit the bill, but if you want something with a bit more substance, you might be a little disappointed.

Lovely idea for a cozy autumnal read! I adore coffee shops, I adore dragons and I adore a little town romance. The cover is also very fitting so overall a very marketable book for sure.
Saphira felt really fleshed out, she felt like a friend. I loved her dream for the cafe, her memories about her grandma and the little moments of culture. The friendship between Saphira and Lavinia was so wholesome too. It definitely gave me a relaxing reading experience - think blankets and candles.
I wasn’t as sold on Aiden or the romantic connection. I think he maybe just wasn’t as bold in my mind. His lack of connection with Sparky also meant it took a while really to warm to him.
Besides been cozy, there’s not a lot of plot - which is fine it you love a more vibey book (which is popular atm). No stakes, not even a rumble of trouble. Everything breezes by like capturing a few months of someone’s life.
It’s a cute story, just not my personal go to type of read. I needed a little more pace, something to keep me reading. Maybe more baby dragon antics too? Hehe

An absolutely scrumptious tale of love, friendship and believing in yourself - with dragons of course.
I raced through The Baby Dragon Cafe and I can't wait for the next two novels in the series. I look forward to returning to the joyful, positive world of Saphira, Aiden (not forgetting the adorable Sparky) and their friends.

When we first meet Saphira, she is welcoming, happy go lucky gal who is living her dream of owning a baby dragon cafe. However, money is tight and she doesn't know how she will make her dream work after trying to fix everything the rambunctious baby dragons break, or start on fire. When she meets Aiden, the local gardener and his pet baby dragon, sparks fly. Literally. His dragon Sparky is disobedient and he doesn't want to admit to his family that he needs help. When he asks Sephira to train his dragon he realizes he is in trouble of losing his heart to her, and maybe his dragon since he loves Saphira more than him. This story was adorable and cozy!

. ݁₊ ⊹ . ݁ ⟡ ݁ . ⊹ ₊ ݁.Thank you to NetGalley for providing me with an e-ARC for early review.. ݁₊ ⊹ . ݁ ⟡ ݁ . ⊹ ₊ ݁.

3.5⭐, a solid cozy romantasy. This is a short, easy to consume, feel-good small town romance with a thin layer of fantasy draped overtop. The characters were lovable and unique, with Saphira and Aiden being hopelessly down bad for each other. There was definitely love and lust at first sight, and the rest of the book is spent using the baby dragon as an excuse to push their romance forward. The way that Aiden's baby dragon, Sparky, was used as a plot pusher, somewhat upset me, because I never really felt like he was his own character, more like a dog in one of those Hallmark movies used for cutesy appeal. In fact, all of the dragons in this world feel like dogs, and as a cat person, it just wasn't for me. The cafe itself falls into the background pretty quickly and feels homey and warm but ultimately not as important as the relationship between Saphira and Aiden. I do think that lovers of Legends and Lattes will enjoy this, but it is more romance than fantasy, and way more horny than I was expecting. Looking forward to seeing the second book come out!

This book's premise sounded really good. A cafe with baby dragons? yes, please! However, I decided to DNF as I found the writing style very simple and the storyline didn't hold my attention. The characters felt younger than they were, making them feel very simplistic. This book wasn't for me, but I understand many others love it.

I adored this book. Theres that dream inside so many women to own a cute cafe thats also a bookstore that also has magic and a garden and this dragon cafe scratched that metaphorical dream so good. I loved their romance and the author did such a good chance of keeping the tension so high without making it too much of a slow burn. She constantly gave us enough heat to keep me satisfied. Overall 5 stars.

This was absolutely the cutest thing ever! It was such an easy, cozy read—one of those delightful books you can curl up with and lose yourself in. I wish I could visit a baby dragon café! I could almost feel the swish of Saphira's skirts and hear the jingle of her bangles. I found myself wanting to play with Sparky in the dragon playground. And then there's the charmingly awkward Aiden! I'm eagerly anticipating book two!

I wanted to love this but i ended up having to dnf at 34%. I loved the idea of the book and was so excited to dive into it but everything was just falling short and I ended up skimming because I wasn’t invested in the story. But I can see why people would love this just wasn’t for me unfortunately

When Saphira opens up a cafe that welcomes baby dragons, she isn't expecting quite so many accidents. It turns out baby dragons can be a little troublesome. Baby dragons breathe fire, which ruins a lot more furniture! When Aiden, a local gardener, sees how great Saphira is with baby dragons, he asks her to train Sparky, his adorable but slightly naughty, baby dragon.

This was honestly the cutest, cosiest romantasy! I mean: cosy fantasy, romance, and baby dragons, what is not to love?! I absolutely flew through this one and read it in one day, I just didn't want to put it down.

I loved how the baby dragons basically get portrayed as toddlers! I also loved the romance aspect of this. It was a great addition to the already amazing plot line. I am so glad to see this is going to be a series, I am already desperate for the next book!

Go make your self a cup of tea and snuggle in to your cosy spot when reading this one because it is just so cute!

If you enjoyed Best Hex Ever or Pumpkin Spice Cafe but fancied something with baby dragons, low stakes and a really lovely romance plot, then you’ve got it! This was a really easy read and world felt so magical.

Saphira was so down to earth and relatable with her busy life and insecurities. And I really liked how the author scattered lots of little nods to her culture throughout too. The deserts sounded so lovely!

I perhaps would have liked the slow burn to burn slower, or for there to be a little more tension between Aiden and Saphira, but it was very much what was expecting. I also really liked that there was no spice in this. Sometimes I just want to read a cute romance without spice, and this was perfect!

Tropes:
• Grumpy x Sunshine
• One Bed
• Fake Relationship
• Small Town

The Baby Dragon Cafe is a super sweet, cosy, small town, romantic, light fantasy novel about baby dragons and a love story (no spice) between Saphira and Aiden. Saphira is the main female character who is sweet, kind and beautiful and she follows her dreams and opens up a gorgeous baby dragon cafe in Starshine Valley. Aiden is the main male character who is a grumpy gardener, quiet, awkward, closed off and from a privileged, rich background and the story continues with their relationship developing whilst training Aiden's baby dragon, called Sparky.

I enjoyed the South Asian references to yummy, delicious cakes, sweet desserts (gulab jamun) and hot drinks (karak chai) and the way the author described the cafe and brought it to life in this book. It was also very heartwarming the way the author described her relationship and memories with her grandmother (Nani-ma) and her relationship with her best friend Lavinia.

The Baby Dragon Café is a cute, fluffy, heartwarming, romantic, light fantasy novel with a HEA and will make your heart smile.
Thank you to Netgalley and Avon books UK for sending me the ARC.

Tropes:
• Grumpy Sunshine
• We pretend we're married
• Small town
• No spice

If you read the title of this book and think that it's pretty on the nose...you haven't seen anything yet.

There isn't much subversive or complex about the "Baby Dragon Café", but I doubt that there was ever meant to be.

I found it all to be too underdeveloped to create a solid experience. It's foundatiom reminds me more of the concept for a video game rather than an adult romance narrative.

Cozy reads still need to have some substance, and those moments in this book were just too few and far between. I liked Saphira and I wanted to see so much more of her and more moments of her culture tied into the coziness of the book but the dragon-owning world and the Café environment are like oil and water to me. They never blend in a satisfying way and much like the supposedly cozy Starshine Valley are too separated for my liking.