Both cute and chaotic all at once.
Definitely my kind of book. I love the setting so very much and it the book had me in an instant chokehold. This book fuelled my dragon era.

This book is a cute cozy romantasy. Think a romcom with dragons which is very different from current romantasy trends. It’s the kind of book for people looking for a romance with fantasy elements. Highly editable! Will read the sequel!

This book had such a sweet story with plenty of potential. Though it wasn't for me necessarily, I did love the characters and the world the story was built into. We have seen plenty of dragon stories lately, but none so cozy as this one with the bond between dragon and rider being a little less intellectual and more so like our most beloved pets.

The reason this book was not for me though, is that the story kept attempting to create tension by inserting a problem which ultimately fizzled out into not even being a problem at all. Because of this, the tension I think it was meant to create felt patronising almost because the "problem" isnt actually solved at all, because it ends up being non existant, meaning the character went through that anxiety for absolutely no reason. I feel that even though this is a cozy fantasy, the characters could have been better developed had they had at least one of these "big" issues be an actual problem rather than an anticlimactic fizzle out.

That aside, I am still very interested in reading more set in this world and seeing how the author develops over time. I know there is a sequel set to drop eitehr this year or next (I can't remember which), and can't wait to give it a read.

When Saphira opens The Baby Dragon Café in Starshine Valley, she’s quickly overwhelmed by baby dragons scorching her furnishings and bankrupting her dream. Local gardener Aiden arrives with his unruly hatchling Sparky and a proposal: pay Saphira to train the fire‑breather so the café can stay afloat . Together they navigate dragon‑roasted lattes, flying latte foam and a budding connection that simmers just as hot as Sparky’s flames .

This cozy romantasy blends familiar café warmth with whimsical dragon antics, delivering plenty of charm and laugh‑out‑loud moments when Sparky’s mischief peaks . However the pacing can drag between training montages and the romance feels predictable at times, making some scenes feel more filler than flavour.. While the world‑building of rival dragon families adds intriguing stakes, those subplots never quite take flight .

A cozy indulgence with heart but occasional flat moments.

What’s not to love about a cute romance featuring baby dragons? This is a sweet, cosy read about Saphira, who is struggling to keep her baby dragon café afloat due to the amount of burnt furniture (who could guess, baby dragons set things on fire?!).

I love the relationship between her and Aiden, and how they slowly developed feelings for each other. This was somewhat predictable, but the grumpy x sunshine definitely has its moments!!!

This was a very cute read. Its a closed door romance and it was very fun. I really like the premise of a cafe for chaotic baby dragons and it worked really well. The community/small town feel really came through and I loved the side characters but I wish there was more of them. The romance was very cute. It was grumpy x sunshine, and kind of felt like single dad x nanny except the child was a baby dragon. The only thing i did love was the ending. It was abit abrupt and felt a little disjointed. I think there needed to be a bit more build up to the end because it felt kind of random. Like I can see how we could get there but we were missing a lot of hints/build up so it just felt like it came out of nowhere.

Overall, I enjoyed the story but it needed a little more polishing at the end.

Fantastic, cute, cosy and sweet novel. What's not to love about a book with adorable baby dragons and a handsome brooding MMC?! Baby Dragon Cafe is an easy fun read full of heart. It's perfect for those wanting lighthearted fantasy and swoonworthy romance.

Cute baby dragons and an enjoyable romance.
This cosy fantasy is set in a small town, and is a very easy read.

I can't deny that I picked this one up to read because it just sounds and looks so cute. And I do so love my coffee so any books incorporating such lovely beverage would usually grabbed me.

These baby dragons are definitely cute or rather, they have their moments just like their hooman counterparts. The setting & especially the café was also quite beautiful and cosy. However, the story itself didn't quite grab me. I just felt that nothing really happened (maybe I should have expected that with a cosy fantasy?), that there was a bit of build up for this or that issue but then it gets sorted without too much fireworks or distress. As I described it to a friend, it felt like a daydream so if that's what you're after, I'd highly recommend it but do not expect any sort of quest or chosen one or any sort of drama.

My thanks to Harper Collins Australia for ecopy of book via NetGalley in exchange of my honest thoughts

Perfect for those who want a change from the serious dragon academy vibes, but still love dragon, and baby dragons are so very cute.

I received an ARC of The Baby Dragon Café, and it was the perfect feel-good read! If you love cozy fantasy with adorable dragons, a charming small-town setting, and a swoon-worthy grumpy x sunshine romance, this book is for you.

Saphira is a lovable, determined protagonist trying to keep her magical café afloat—despite the fiery chaos caused by her baby dragon patrons. Aiden, the grumpy but undeniably attractive gardener, is her complete opposite, yet their dynamic is full of heartwarming (and often hilarious) moments. Their reluctant partnership and the “we pretend we’re married” trope added just the right amount of tension and fun.

The atmosphere is pure comfort—cozy village vibes, warm drinks, and playful dragons making mischief. My only minor critique is that some parts of the story felt a little predictable, and I wished we got even more depth to Aiden’s character. But overall, it’s a delightful, uplifting read with an adorable romance and a guaranteed HEA.

Perfect for fans of Legends & Lattes and anyone who wants a low-stress, heartwarming fantasy escape! ☕🐉✨

I love me a good romantasy, add a Pokemon-esque dragon character and I’m onboard.

I loved the grumpy x sunshine trope and thought Aiden and Saphira had a great chemistry.

However, I found that the stakes were too low and I struggled a bit towards the finish life because it became draggy.

𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗯𝗮𝗯𝘆 𝗱𝗿𝗮𝗴𝗼𝗻 𝗰𝗮𝗳𝗲 ♡

‘𝘐𝘯 𝘢 𝘸𝘰𝘳𝘭𝘥 𝘸𝘩𝘦𝘳𝘦 𝘥𝘳𝘢𝘨𝘰𝘯𝘴 𝘧𝘭𝘦𝘸 𝘵𝘩𝘳𝘰𝘶𝘨𝘩 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘢𝘪𝘳, 𝘯𝘰𝘵𝘩𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘸𝘢𝘴 𝘵𝘰𝘰 𝘧𝘢𝘳 𝘰𝘶𝘵 𝘰𝘧 𝘳𝘦𝘢𝘤𝘩.’

when I saw the cover and the title for this book I wanted to read it immediately. Baby dragons? Sign me up.

Now this was a very adorable, cozy fantasy in a small town, so it’s perfect if you’re between books and wanting a quick low angst with no spice read. I read this within a few hours. I enjoyed the characters Saphira and Aiden and obviously the cute little baby dragons running havoc on Saphira’s cafe was a definite highlight. I want my own baby dragon 😭

✨small town
✨baby dragons
✨grumpy / sunshine
✨cozy vibes

“The Baby Dragon Café” by Aamna Qureshi is a delightful, cozy fantasy that combines the charm of magical creatures with the warmth of community.

The story centers on Saphira, who opens a café catering to baby dragons and their human companions. Managing young dragons proves challenging, especially with the constant threat of fire damage.

Enter Aiden, a local gardener more attuned to plants than his mischievous baby dragon. He proposes a mutually beneficial arrangement: Saphira trains his dragon, and he provides financial support to keep her café running.

As they collaborate, sparks fly—not just from the dragons—and a sweet romance blossoms. If you’re a fan of heartwarming tales filled with magic, endearing characters, and a touch of romance, this book is sure to enchant you.

જ⁀➴ ★★★☆☆ (2.5 ⭐️)

‎‧₊˚✧[ 𝘏𝘦 𝘸𝘢𝘴𝘯'𝘵 𝘢𝘯 𝘢𝘳𝘵𝘪𝘴𝘵 𝘣𝘺 𝘢𝘯𝘺 𝘮𝘦𝘢𝘯𝘴, 𝘣𝘶𝘵 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘪𝘮𝘢𝘨𝘦 𝘸𝘢𝘴 𝘰𝘯𝘦 𝘩𝘦 𝘧𝘦𝘭𝘵 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘥𝘦𝘴𝘪𝘳𝘦 𝘵𝘰 𝘱𝘢𝘪𝘯𝘵, 𝘪𝘧 𝘰𝘯𝘭𝘺 𝘵𝘰 𝘤𝘢𝘱𝘵𝘶𝘳𝘦 𝘩𝘦𝘳 𝘣𝘦𝘢𝘶𝘵𝘺, 𝘵𝘰 𝘪𝘮𝘮𝘰𝘳𝘵𝘢𝘭𝘪𝘻𝘦 𝘩𝘦𝘳 𝘧𝘰𝘳 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘸𝘰𝘳𝘭𝘥 𝘵𝘰 𝘢𝘱𝘱𝘳𝘦𝘤𝘪𝘢𝘵𝘦 ]✧˚₊‧

𖡼𖤣𖥧𖡼𓋼𖤣𖥧𓋼𓍊 𝐭𝐡𝐞𝐦𝐞𝐬 𖡼𖤣𖥧𖡼𓋼𖤣𖥧𓋼𓍊
☕️✨ Slow Burn
🌻✨ Grumpy x Sunshine
🐉✨ Dragons
🍂✨ Small Town
☕️✨ Fast Paced
🌻✨ Fake Marriage
🐉✨ Clean, Non-Toxic, Green Flags
🍂✨ Low Spice, with a lot of tension

Thank you NetGalley, HarperCollins Publishers Australia and The Author for the arc. I had fun reading the book! I can’t wait for the authors next book! The Baby Dragon Bakery!! Theo and Lavinia’s story!!!

┏━━━•❃°•°❀°•°❃•━━━┓

In a town where only generations of elite families, known as Drakkon, owned dragons, Saphira, wanted nothing more than to have her own. But unfortunately, her bloodline did not include such a thing. So what does, Saphira, a happy-go-lucky person do? Why she followed her dream of running a cafe that welcomed dragon riders and their baby dragons! This way she was around dragons daily. The Baby Dragon Cafe, is open for business!

Aiden didn’t sign up for it. When his brother and best friend, Denny, died, all that was left to remember him by was a dragon egg. When his parents meddled and hatched the egg, he didn’t want anything to do with it, but at the same time Aiden didn’t want the baby dragon to be trained on being apart of the illegal dragon racing. So when a chance encounter made Aiden see how his dragon became somewhat a different character, he enlisted Saphira’s help to train his baby dragon!

┗━━━•❃°•°❀°•°❃•━━━┛

I found the book easy to read and enjoyable, however, there were a few things that just didn’t work for me, or at least when I thought it did, it didn’t. There was a lot of ups and downs, which is why I rate this novel 2.5/5 ⭐️

Few of the things that just had me cringing was the fact that it felt like there was no dragon, just a baby. It had felt like the author was describing the actions of a baby/toddler more so than that of a dragon’s, due to its attitude and personality that it came across like that. Though the author used human baby/toddlers as an example to compare the baby dragon to, it did not feel like it was a dragon. Sometimes it felt as if the dragon was a pup or an actual baby, cause they needed to get a vaccination for some reason (not explained), or the fact that the baby dragon was being treated and carried as if they were a baby (which eventually the dragon grew bigger but somehow she was still able to hold the dragon). But hey I guess it makes sense. My question though was: where did it end? It didn’t.

The FMC, Saphira, kept calling the baby dragon, which was NOT hers, her baby. Ugh. It’d make sense if her and the MMC were actually dating, but they weren’t or at least not until around chap 20 which then would make sense, but it didn’t. Then it started to get a touch weirder and the FMC and the MMC started being portrayed as if they were the parents of this dragon, but hello? Only the MMC was technically. I just got so confused and it felt like that shouldn’t have been there, because Saphira was just the trainer of the baby dragon, which at some point the lines blurred and she started calling the dragon her baby.

Another thing that just kept me from liking the novel more, was the way some chapters were worded that it started to become predictable… for example, on one page, the MMC, Aiden, reacted to something his sister said, and the Saphira was like “hmm I wonder what that was about” like author, please. You didn’t have to hang it right in our faces. Let the tension keep building (like it did) but make it less predictable.
Besides that, the fact that a fake marriage was thrown in this novel felt like there were too many tropes going on at once. I enjoyed it, don’t get me wrong, it just felt so random in the book because it was thrown in there around 70-ish% of the book. It felt forced in other words. But woahhh the tense, the mild spice, this slow burn… it was killing me for sureee!

₊˚⊹♡ || "𝙎𝙖𝙥𝙝𝙞𝙧𝙖," 𝙝𝙚 𝙨𝙖𝙞𝙙, 𝙫𝙤𝙞𝙘𝙚 𝙩𝙝𝙞𝙘𝙠. "𝙔𝙤𝙪 𝙨𝙝𝙤𝙪𝙡𝙙 𝙝𝙖𝙫𝙚 𝙣𝙤 𝙙𝙤𝙪𝙗𝙩𝙨 𝙖𝙨 𝙩𝙤 𝙬𝙝𝙖𝙩 𝙢𝙮 𝙛𝙚𝙚𝙡𝙞𝙣𝙜𝙨 𝙛𝙤𝙧 𝙮𝙤𝙪 𝙖𝙧𝙚, 𝙗𝙪𝙩 𝙞𝙣 𝙘𝙖𝙨𝙚 𝙞𝙩 𝙞𝙨 𝙣𝙤𝙩 𝙘𝙡𝙚𝙖𝙧, 𝙡𝙚𝙩 𝙢𝙚 𝙢𝙖𝙠𝙚 𝙞𝙩 𝙨𝙤 𝙣𝙤𝙬. 𝙄𝙩 𝙛𝙚𝙚𝙡𝙨 𝙡𝙞𝙠𝙚 𝙚𝙫𝙚𝙧𝙮𝙩𝙝𝙞𝙣𝙜 𝙡𝙚𝙖𝙙𝙞𝙣𝙜 𝙪𝙥 𝙩𝙤 𝙢𝙚𝙚𝙩𝙞𝙣𝙜 𝙮𝙤𝙪 𝙬𝙖𝙨 𝙟𝙪𝙨𝙩 𝙩𝙝𝙚 𝙥𝙧𝙤𝙡𝙤𝙜𝙪𝙚 𝙩𝙤 𝙢𝙮 𝙡𝙞𝙛𝙚; 𝙖𝙛𝙩𝙚𝙧 𝙢𝙚𝙚𝙩𝙞𝙣𝙜 𝙮𝙤𝙪, 𝙩𝙝𝙚 𝙧𝙚𝙖𝙡 𝙨𝙩𝙤𝙧𝙮 𝙗𝙚𝙜𝙖𝙣. 𝙇𝙞𝙠𝙚 𝙢𝙮 𝙧𝙚𝙖𝙡 𝙡𝙞𝙛𝙚 𝙨𝙩𝙖𝙧𝙩𝙚𝙙 𝙩𝙝𝙚 𝙙𝙖𝙮 𝙄 𝙢𝙚𝙩 𝙮𝙤𝙪. 𝙒𝙝𝙞𝙘𝙝 𝙞𝙨 𝙖𝙡𝙡 𝙩𝙤 𝙨𝙖𝙮—𝙄 𝙡𝙤𝙫𝙚 𝙮𝙤𝙪. 𝘿𝙚𝙚𝙥𝙡𝙮, 𝙥𝙖𝙨𝙨𝙞𝙤𝙣𝙖𝙩𝙚𝙡𝙮, 𝙢𝙖𝙙𝙡𝙮, 𝙄 𝙡𝙤𝙫𝙚 𝙮𝙤𝙪." || ⋆.ೃ࿔*:･

On the intimate side of the story it was good. And there were so many sweet moments that just made me smile. But like the fake marriage, there were some random scenes that were thrown in there. Some of it was weird and it could’ve been left out perhaps cause it felt like it waffled a little, but that’s probably just me (thinking of the part where they were petting a bee 🤦🏽‍♀️)
For each of the character’s POVs their intimate scenes felt repetitive on the wording front, and sometimes during other chapters, it’d just be worded differently. For example, his eyes darkened, he clenched his jaw, etc. a lot of these phrases were repeated quite often. Gotta spice it up ya know?

Overall, I did enjoy the story, just not as much as I hoped it would. If the flow of the characters love bloomed a little differently, then perhaps the story would’ve felt better instead of it feeling rushed.
The romance was really nice thought. Some of the sweetest things were being said that made my heart melt. And when it actually got to the spice, it wasn’t heavy spice which was nice for a change. I’d say it was either 1.5 or 2 out of 5 🌶️

I have to say I really wanted to like this book. The cover is so appealing and it sounded like a fun book. But I found it a bit boring and lacking in depth. It had the makings of a good book but for me it was just missing that spark. In its own way it is cosy and is cute but was slow to get started.

I must say it is not a book for me but could see a younger generation might enjoy it.

Thank you NetGalley and HarperCollins Publishers Australia for giving me the opportunity to read and review this book.

This is a cozy read. The dragon cafe was a cute idea. I enjoyed the slow burn between Saphira and Aiden and I loved Sparky. I would have liked more of sparky and the dragons but was a good read.

There is
* fake marriage
* slow burn
* small town
* grumpy x sunshine

Okay truth circle here my friends - This was a little bit of a struggle for me.
Don't get me wrong, I do like the idea of this story - A cute and fluffy romance in a Gilmore Girls-esque world where little baby dragons are pets equivalent to the likes of puppies and kittens. Our main female character Saphira (sunshine and sparkles galore) runs an adorable dragon café and when she runs into some trouble to keep things afloat - queue the only coffee machine in a café being destroyed by said dragons - along comes (gorgeous, rich, and awkward) Aiden to save the day and fund the repairs, while Saph trains his pet dragon in return and sparks fly...
This was a low stakes contemporary cosy fantasy where everyone gets their happily ever after with enough doors open to future storylines with side characters/interconnected series.

It was sweet and the low stakes made for an easy read - However... I wouldn't say this is classed as an adult book at all - it read very YA and quite simplistic - there were so many points that were repeated that it almost became insulting - yes I do remember that statement from 2 pages ago thanks no need to let me know again - and there was a lot of TELLING rather than SHOWING which made it really hard to connect with the characters and their feelings.
Our 'grumpy vs sunshine' is a little more just 'awkwardly shy vs extroverted' and the fake marriage lasts like 2 seconds before it's a legit relationship - which to be fair this is only a 300ish page book so understandable things can't be dragged out, but it did feel like not much even happened in the first half.
The end 15-20% of the book started to redeem itself as more started happening, and I did start to enjoy the interactions between characters a bit more, there was a little more action with the dragons themselves rather than them just being a prop - because let's face it without more interactions with the dragons this is just a standard meet-cute in a café where she ends up training his pet and the fall in love.

I DID like some aspects of this story. I just don't love it. I would probably recommend this to some teenage family members looking for a cute cosy fantasy romance (because the 'adult' content is pretty PG at most) as it's probably a nice stepping stone into the genre.

I LOVED this book!! Everything I expected from this book I got and then more. This cozy fantasy came at just the right time for me and I NEED the rest of the Series ASAP because I just couldn't get enough of this world and the characters.

Saphira, Aiden and Sparky have my whole heart. The cozy romance vibes were off the charts, the grumpy x sunshine dynamic was perfection, wrap it all up in a small town story and it could not be more perfect. I devoured this story in just a few days and already want to read it again and again.

LOVE LOVE LOVED IT

The Baby Dragon Café is an adorable and cosy fantasy romance with just the right mix of sweetness and charm. From the very first page, I was drawn into Saphira's world as she tries to keep her café running while wrangling mischievous baby dragons. The idea of a café where tiny dragons can roam freely is such a fun and whimsical concept, and I loved how it was brought to life.

Saphira is such a determined and lovable character, especially in how she honours her grandmother's wishes and works tirelessly to train Sparky. Her relationship with Aiden, the grumpy gardener with his own unruly dragon, added another layer of heart to the story. Their dynamic was engaging, and I enjoyed watching them navigate their differences.

The writing style felt light-hearted and almost childlike at times, making it seem like the perfect YA fantasy romance. If not for the occasional adult scenes, I would have easily recommended this to younger teens. The small-town setting, fake marriage trope, and dual POV made this book even more enjoyable.

Overall, this was such a charming and cosy read. If you love low-angst romance with a touch of magic and plenty of adorable dragons, this is definitely a book to check out!