When Saphira opened up her cafe for baby dragons and their humans, she wasn't expecting it to be so difficult or expensive. The constant need to replace furniture is cutting into her savings. Aiden is having trouble with his disobedient baby dragon. When he stumbles into Siphira's cafe he has the genius idea of having her train Sparky and he'll pay her enough to keep the cafe afloat.

I was really looking forward to this one, what with it being pitched as cosy Romantasy. I was quite disappeared as there was zero fantasy to this book, you could have easily switched out the dragons for dogs & it would be completely contemporary. The book from start to finish was just so cringe. The FMC would constantly call the baby dragons "draggos" & I hated it. I feel like she was very juvenile and a little annoying.

Every single time a problem appeared it was solved in 0.2 seconds, to the point where it just didn't feel like a problem at all. Through the whole book it was pointed out how she wasn't from a dragon family & didn't fit, yet at the end she climbed a mountain & then was all of a sudden accepted?

This book just really was not for me and I'm very disappointed. However I have also seen people love this so it's definitely for someone.

Thank you to NetGalley & the publisher for the e-arc.

This book had loads of potential but fell very flat.

The characters were juvenile, and the insta-love trope did not work.
The MMC was a walking redflag.

There was a sentence that was repeated word for word in the book twice which hints to the use of AI.

It reads like she wrote it as a teenager and got it published now she is an established author.

Positive for representation.

Cute, easy read with a really cute premise. Reminds me of cat cafes and how cute they are to visit. Loved the developing relationship between the main characters as well as the ling standing friendships portrayed in the book.

2.75⭐️The Baby Dragon Cafe was a cute and cosy small town romance that was basically the book equivalent of a Hallmark film. It was lighthearted with likeable characters - the baby dragons were adorable and I love the idea of a baby dragon cafe.

I feel like this was much more of a romance than it was a fantasy and as this was marketed as a romantasy I think a lot of readers will be expecting a much more prominent fantasy element. ( I don’t think calling this a romantasy is necessarily mismarketing, I think there is an issue around the term romantasy and how undefined/subjective it is and how broadly it is used)

For me, I did struggle with the romance in this because I didn’t feel the connection as much as I would have liked to and I wanted it to be a bit more developed which is why I didn’t rate this higher but I know that it will be well loved by fans of cute instalove stories!

this is a ya cozy fantasy that I believe would be perfect for a younger audience so although I was't super impressed and at times bored, I'd still recommend it. A very warm and sweet story that feels like a hug.

I'm heartbroken to say that this book was really disappointing. The idea of a cozy dragon cafe was SO appealing and I was really excited for this one, however, the "tell-not-show" writing was so bad that I couldn't look past it. The first chapter alone went back and forth between the present and memories of the main characters grandmother urging her to start the dragon cafe, and it went in circles from sentence to sentence for most of the chapter. And look, I'm all for a good book with less than perfect writing (I loved twilight as a teenager and I just finished Onyx Storm which is not a literary masterpiece by any means but I gave it 5 stars), as long as the world, or characters can support it. I'm sorry to say that the characters in this book were incredibly flat and boring. The romance also lacked all appeal., it felt like I was reading a fanfic by a virgin teenager. As soon as I read the line "Then he gently pushed her on her back, covering her body with his as they kissed and kissed" I gave up all hope.

This book felt like a hug. It was so fluffy and cute, as well as magical. I absolutely can’t wait for the next ones.
I don’t have enough words to explain how much I loved Saphira, Aidan, Sparky and just all the characters, the world building, the atmosphere and the author writing is just flawless.
I flew through the pages. 🫶🏻

This one was incredibly sweet, but as other reviewers have noted, it reads incredibly young, pretty much middle grade, except the characters are adults and there's a chaste romance developing. In theory that should be fine, but I think the adults were too childish for my reading taste. Loved the baby dragons, though, of course.

[ 3.75 🌟 ]

First of all, the title is so cute (and so is the cover)! I'm very happy to say that THE BABY DRAGON CAFE *absolutely* delivered on the promise of a cozy story and a sweet romance. Qureshi also really knows how to write sweet romantic moments; I highlighted so many parts while reading! Plus, who doesn't love a book about dragons — especially when you know that the stakes won't get *too* high.

I thought the relationship between Saphira, Sparky, and Aiden was so sweet, and I absolutely loved any description about Saphira's cafe! I felt like these were the moments I was most enveloped in the story, if that makes sense. I could clearly picture the setting and the vibe, which is a testament to Qureshi's writing!

However, I was a bit disappointed that the majority of the writing style often fell flat for me. It felt like a lot of telling and a bit of info dumping/repeating, i.e. the MC would be working through an obstacle but then that obstacle and the explanation would be mentioned multiples times pretty close together. I'm also not positive that a third person POV was the best choice for THE BABY DRAGON CAFE — even though we get both Saphira and Aiden's perspectives, it, again, just felt like a lot of telling over showing. This could definitely be a me thing!

Regardless of some sticking points, I would recommend this book for anyone who wants a cute romance, a cozy setting, and — of course — dragons!

I’m a little late to the party but now that I’ve read this one, I’m glad that I got the opportunity to! Thank you to NetGalley for the advanced readers copy.

Baby dragons (draggos), coffee, tasty bakery treats, beautiful flowers, a natural and enchanting love connection… what more could I ask for?

Other than realising that I may actually be a baby dragon, with the tantrums and snack eating, I really liked this world I was thrown into! I found the descriptions of the scenery of the valley and the dragons were so consuming for me too.

I did find that the dithering of the feelings on both sides of the MC’s a little blah because I just wanted them to confess their feelings or kiss or something much sooner, but I did enjoy their journey.

Sparky is a gem and I need him in my life, but I’ll settle for my orange floofy cat instead!

Would recommend for anyone looking for some cozy vibes, small baby dragons causing trouble and a natural romantic connection.

The Baby Dragon Café by Aamna Qureshi is the cozy, whimsical read you never knew you needed, perfect for fans of Pumpkin Spice Café and Legends and Lattes. The story follows Saphira, an optimistic café owner who runs a quirky establishment catering to baby dragons and their humans. However, despite her good intentions, things aren't going as smoothly as she hoped—baby dragons are more destructive than she anticipated, and the cost of replacing charred furniture is burning a hole in her pocket.

The plot is charming, and while the setting is delightful and the baby dragons are absolutely adorable, the book sometimes feels a bit predictable. Saphira’s sunny disposition is endearing, but Aiden’s brooding nature leaves much to be desired in terms of character depth. The romance, while sweet, doesn’t quite hit the emotional highs one might expect, and the pacing occasionally lags in the middle.

That said, The Baby Dragon Café is a heartwarming and fun read, with just enough magical charm to keep you turning the pages. It’s perfect for anyone looking for a light, easygoing story with a touch of fantasy.

3,5 rating

This is the very definition of cosy fantasy. The little dragons were so cute and the romance came about so easily. The writing style seems a little ya, but this definitely helps to make if easy to read and understand. A great transitional read for any romance readers wanting to dip into a bit of fantasy.

This was really a cute cozy fantasy read, but the pacing could've been a little bit more faster. Great for those looking for a slow/medium modern romantasy book.

This is the 1st book I have read by A.T Qureshi and i liked it!

I saw the cover for this book and i had to immediately sign up! Although I stand by the saying never judge a book by its cover, this one matches perfectly!

This story is a cute and cozy slow burn romance with no spice which honestly was a refreshing change!

I really liked this book and recommend it to anyone looking for a cozy slow burn romance with no spice.

Set in Starshine Valley, "The Baby Dragon Cafe" follows the cafe’s owner, Saphira, who is trying to keep her recently opened cafe afloat. Saphira’s cafe caters to baby dragons and their owners, but the baby dragons are rather destructive, so she’s had to dip into her savings more than expected for constant repairs. Enter Aiden and his baby dragon, Sparky, who is out of control but immediately takes to Saphira. Aiden is Sparky’s owner, but they don’t have a good relationship, and Aiden needs someone to train Sparky. Saphira seems like the ideal person for the job, and since she really needs the money, she agrees to do it. I really enjoyed learning more about these characters and following along with Sparky’s training. The writing is good, the author captures the main character’s emotions in a heartfelt way, and the storyline progresses at a good pace. The side characters are also very entertaining, and I’m glad to know this is just the first book in the series. I’ll definitely be on the lookout for the rest. If you’re looking for a lighthearted read and love baby dragons (I mean, who doesn’t?), this is the book for you.

This book was very cozy and sweet, but lacked a conflict. It is a good pallet cleanser, but I would have preferred a little more conflict. A good example of a little more conflict but keeping it cozy is the spellshop. I think that is the perfect cozy fantasy balance.

Unfortunately there was nothing original about this book at all. I was super excited for it however it was a let down. I internally cringed at the word “dragoos” in defence to dragons 😭😭

Thank you to Net Galley fro sending me a copy in exchange for a review.

The published version may have been edited to reflect how myself and others feel about this book.

I thought this was bland, the writing was very simplistic and the speech was wooden. There was a hint of chemistry between our main characters and the baby dragons were cute but overall it felt badly written with next to no plot. I will say that I liked the diversity but this doesn’t have much going for it.

I also hated the way the main character called baby dragons draggos.

I absolutely loved this little romantasy book.

I have not read much fantasy, so this was a really nice way into it.
I fell in love with Saphira and Aiden from the very start and I would move to Starshine Valley in a heartbeat.

Was a. beautifully written story.

I sat down to read this as Storm Eowyn was battering rain against my living room windows and my little girls were curled up on the sofa watching Disney films. This book is everything I love about the cosy fantasy subgenre. It was toothachingly sweet and wonderfully snuggly.

The Baby Dragon Cafe was bursting with happy vibes from the very first page. I could practically smell the pot of chai bubbling on the stove, the freshly baked cardamom and saffron buns, and the deeply rich notes of the dragon-roasted coffee swirling in the air.

Saphira is a beautifully written character bursting with light and Aiden, bless him, was an adorable little oddball. Their slow burning romance had me smiling from ear to ear and kicking my feet throughout. As for Sparky, well, I don't want to seem dramatic... but I would honestly die for him. Too much? Nah, completely justified.

The world is such a scary place right now and this book is the ultimate escape. It was such a lovely, immersive read that was over way too soon.