The Baby Dragon Bakery is the second book in the cosy fantasy series - The Baby Dragon. It follows Lavinia and Theo who we met in book one.

This is a friends to lovers book and it I felt was done so well. There was yearning there was fun, there was a little bit of spice but it shows the love and friendship that Theo and Lavinia have for one another.

This to me is the perfect cosy fantasy book with a sprinkle of romance and magic. We got to see characters from book one as well as Sparky the baby dragon. The relationships not only between the main couple but between Lavinia and her mother were some of my favourite scenes and honestly this felt like being wrapped in a warm hug.

I am in love!! What really makes it stand out is the magical little world Quereshi creates - baby dragons living alongside everyday life at the cutest bakery which is such a fun and unique twist.
Beyond the fantasy though, it's the characters that really win me over. Lavinia's quiet longing for her best friend Theo feels so real and heartfelt and watching their friendship slowly turn into something more was beautifully dont. The slow burn romance had just the right mix of tension and warmth, making it impossible to put down.
Plus, the setting is like a warm hug, with small town vibes with that sprinkle of magic that makes the whole thing feel special. I can't wait for book 3!

Similarly to the first book the set up and world is incredibly fun and unique, however the writing style is quite lacking, while easy to read the conversations between characters doesn't feel connected whatsoever and the characters way of speaking all merge into one.

3.5*

I really wanted to love this as much as the first but it didn’t quite live up to it for me.

The story still gives the cozy small town vibes and I absolutely love the dragons.

I really loved Lavinia and Theo as friends but them together just didn’t do it for me - I felt the friends to lovers just wasn’t right for them! I loooooved the relationship between Theo and Lavinia’s family though - this was lovely - how included and loved they made him feel!

However… I absolutely love the South Asian culture and I love Theo‘s fusion of cultures within his baking. As individual characters I loved them but together just didn’t hit the right note for me.

I loved the first book sooo much so naturally I was excited to get this one but unfortunately I wasn't as invested, the cosy whimsical vibes were there yes but the miscommunication trope has always been a hit or a miss for me and unfortunately this time it was a miss; it was too frustrating that by the time I got to the end of the book I wasn't as interested in the romance plot between Lavinia and Theo even though I loved them as friends so much

“My heart beats for you.”

Thank you to Avon Books UK for an advanced copy of this book in exchange for a honest review.

Lavinia has it all. A loving family (complete with adorable pet baby dragon). A place at university training to be a magical animal vet. And a part-time job at the enchanting Baby Dragon Cafe. The only thing she doesn’t have is her one true love: Theo. Theo is the local baker and her best friend. On paper, they’re perfect: he’s funny, she’s witty. He’s sweet, and she’s a little salty. That’s why they’ve been friends for as long as they can remember. They’ve never been without one another – and it’s clear to everyone that they’re meant to be. Everyone except Theo. Because when Lavinia finally makes her move, he pulls away. Lavinia is devastated. Has this friendship gone up in smoke? Or will Theo finally realise that he wants them to be more than friends?

Lavinia knows what she wants and I certainly admire her for that. She’s bubbly and her sunny personality is certainly infectious! She is incredibly passionate about her career path and it is incredibly obvious that she is proud of what she does. Her connections with her family too were so heart warming to see. I really enjoyed getting to see the unfolding story from Lav’s POV. She has this way of looking at the world which is incredibly interesting and engaging, which heightened my excitement for the story. Sure, there were a few moments where I wanted to give her a kick up the backside but I actually appreciated those moments. No one is perfect, after all!
Theo is such a sweetheart. He is incredibly kind and caring, always looking out for others and putting them before himself. I loved that we got to see him really bolster his confidence here whilst simultaneously also working through some deeply rooted issues. We get to see him bravely face his emotions and the reality that things need to change for him. I loved his interactions with everyone. You can really see that he has such a warming and welcoming personality. He draws you in and you never want to leave his company. I do hope we get to see more of Theo in the future!

Having enjoyed The Baby Dragon Café so much, I was beyond ecstatic to receive an eARC of the second book in the series! I loved that this story is entirely its own whilst still interconnecting beautifully with the first book. The plot is certainly sturdy, bringing all the great cozy vibes that I loved before. It has a great flow to it and I found myself eagerly sinking into Starshine Valley each time I picked up my Kindle. Perhaps my only gripe is the fact this felt a little lacking on the fantasy this time around and that perhaps contributed to this feeling more YA than Adult for the majority of the book. Don’t get me wrong, I still loved this book but when the only fantasy really comes from a few baby dragons scattered around, I found myself wanting more. But something that excelled for this story was the mental health rep - specifically for a male leading character. Far too often, the male characters and how they are doing is overlooked. I was beyond thrilled to see this wasn’t the case here! Character wise, Qureshi has once again done a brilliant job. We got to see glimpses of our main duo before but I loved getting to be in their heads and seeing things from their point of view. What I also really enjoyed was seeing the original duo from the previous book in a different light! Seeing them from an outsider’s POV was fantastic! There was, of course, a lot of romance here! I am not the biggest fan of the miscommunication trope but the way this was such a great best friends to lovers story certainly made up for it, in my opinion. There is such an emotional depth here from both characters that was great to see unfold - especially as they started understanding their own feelings and where their hearts were guiding them. We got a little spice here as well. Is it bad I wanted more from it? I think it was incredibly sweet but I almost wanted some explosive chemistry! The ending was a great wrap up of everything that occurred here. The epilogue was a little short in my opinion, but I still think it added what it needed to. I am incredibly excited for the next instalment in 2026!

Overall, The Baby Dragon Bakery is a fantastic second book in this whimsical series.

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️/5

Thank you again to Avon Books UK for an advanced copy of this book. Yay for being part of Team Baby Dragon! Review will be live on my blog on release day and is available now on Goodreads.

Firstly, I absolutely adored the baby dragon cafe! I was so happy to be back in this world reading book 2. I do wish this one had a little bit more of the baby dragons in though, I definitely would have liked to see them more involved in the story line (I just can't get enough of the baby dragons 😅)

I am not the biggest fan of the miscommunication trope, so I feel like thats why I personally didn't love this one as much as book 1, but I'll definitely still be reading book 3, this was just complete personal preference about the trope! I do love a friends to lovers story though, and I did root for Lavinia and Theo throughout. It was a cosy, comfort read and I flew through it in a day.

If you're looking for a cute and cosy romance read with a small side of fantasy (and baby dragons!), this is definitely the series for it.

This was such a cute and fun book! I cant wait for the next one.
It was the perfect continuation from book 1 and had some amazing developments

E-arc provided by Netgalley

Do you hate a miscommunication trope? ✋️
Do you hate a third act breakup? ✋️

Then this book is perfect for you, not only was there a third act breakup it might have been the dumbest one I've read. Also same as with the first book but even more so you could replace the dragons in this book and absolutely nothing would change which begs the question where is the fantasy? I wanted to DNF this but I stuck it out and I'll probably read the last one since I am nothing if not a completionist

One of the best cosy romances I’ve ever read!! This was a beautiful read with my FAVOURITE friends to lovers trope!! It was also such an easy and relaxing read.

Lavinia and Theo are both lovely souls and they are genuinely perfect for each other. I really felt connected to them throughout the book and I think they compliment each other so well. This book literally had me kicking my feet in joy🥰 Sparky and the baby dragons will always have a special place in my heart they are just the cutest!!!

I did have to knock it down only slightly for the third act breakup that broke my heart🥹 it’s a trope I can rarely get behind unfortunately.

Side Note: I could devour all the food and drink that is spoken about in this book😋 I’m now craving Karak Chai😂

This will be a stunning autumn book for the fall 2025 release date🍂🍁 I also cannot wait for Book 3, this universe is incredible!!

If you’re a fan of friends-to-lovers, small-town magic, and baby dragons that steal the show, this book is an absolute must-read. Cozy, heartfelt, and brimming with charm—The Baby Dragon Bakery is a win!

This author is new to me, but I will be keeping an eye out for anything else they publish. I loved the story and the characters. The pacing of the story was great and the characters were relatable.

Such a lovely read. This is perfect for a cosy autumnal read with a warm drink.

A really heartwarming romance with super cute baby dragons involved and a few too many sweet treats!

The tension between the will they, won’t they is ideal for a classic romance book. This book is unique however with all the baby dragons flying around.
I did find it a little tricky getting to grips with all the different dragon types and their backgrounds but it made me just want to take more time reading the book.

It was really lovely following on from Saphira and Aidan’s story from the first book and is super satisfying as a reader when books do this.

Will definitely purchase when this is published!!

I really enjoyed The baby Dragon Cafe so was happy that I got the opportunity to ARC read this book.
For me there was far less 'fantasy' in this book and more of the cosy romance, with friends to lovers vibes.
I am a huge fantasy girlie but still really enjoyed this book as who doesn't enjoy a cozy romance book.
This book follows Lavinia and Theo. Theo gets jealous when Lavinia starts dating someone else but like all romance books there is lots of miscommunication and neither of them wanting to have the 'conversation'.
There are still magic and fantasy elements within this book as Lavinia vet school is for mythical creatures but this book is more leaning towards the romance genre.

It was so nice to return to this cozy and familiar world, among cafés, love, and baby dragons! 🥹🥹

I loved the main characters in this book, and on top of that, it's a friends-to-lovers story! What's more, she's a hopeless romantic, and I loved that about her! However, I found the book a little repetitive in some parts, and it has the miscommunication trope, which isn't one of my favourites. I believe it was only the presence of this trope that prevented me from loving the book. I would also have liked to see a little more of the dragons; I felt that they weren't as much of a focus as they were in the first book.

Other than that, it's beautiful, cute, and very cosy! I love this world and this trilogy! I want to read the next one SO MUCH!! I recommend this trilogy to everyone!! 🩷

The Baby Dragon Café is a charming read for those who enjoy cozy fantasies with a touch of romance and magical creatures. It's a gentle journey into a world where dragons sip coffee and love brews slowly. If you're in the mood for a feel-good story that warms the heart, this book is worth a visit.

If I could describe this book in one word, it would be charming. I love cozy little witchy books and this pretty much fits that. It is the second of a series and I did feel a little lost at first reading the characters but eventually (and fairly quickly) was able to catch up. It was adorable.

Thanks Avon Books UK, AT Qureshi and NetGalley for the ARC. All opinions expressed are my own.

I didn’t like this as much as the first which was really disappointing :’( This book is about two best friends who are both secretly in love with each other but don't actually realise. I really struggled to like the main characters. Lavinia is obsessed about falling in love the same as her mother. Theo has no self confidence thanks to his parents. There are some cute moments throughout. I just didn’t enjoy it as much :(

Cute and cosy, not really much going on but it is what it is & it does appeal t fellow cosy fun book lovers! If you liked pumpkin spice cafe and looking for a little book then this will be a treat for sure!

Just as cute as the first one.
It was so nice to return to Starshine Valley. I was so glad this was following Lavinia and Theo as I loved them both in the first book.
Sickly sweet and lovely with a sprinkle of baby dragons!
Not 100% sure the cottagecore cute romance stories are totally for me. I like a bit more bite to it, but these are perfectly marketed and you get what you expect.