Very cute and whimsical. Started strong and absolutely loved the incorporation of the multicultural ingredients and dishes. Hooray for representation! The descriptions were so wonderfully written. I didn’t realize there was a book before this one (same universe, different couple) but the author did a great job connecting the couple from book 1 to this one. My draw back was the repetitive miscommunication and constant avoidance of sharing feelings was very overdrawn. And the third act break up felt very anticlimactic and didn’t feel like the trauma was truly addressed.

Warning: you might want to think twice before reading when hungry! A. T. Qureshi's Baby Dragon Bakery is a heartwarming romance filled to the brim with delicious descriptions of warm fall drinks, delectable desserts, and savory meals. It’s definitely a light, cozy read to get lost in when you're tired of mundane reality and endlessly doomscrolling. Don't we all wish we could just unplug, go to the Baby Dragon Café and Bakery, indulge in some divine baked goods, and forget about our problems for awhile?

The author truly shines in her ability to craft vivid, mouthwatering descriptions of food, from the preparation process to creating utterly cozy meals. From murgh cholay to seviyan and gulab jamun, I was delighted by her inclusion of cuisine and desserts from her own culture. It was so special and fun to learn about new foods, and it introduced me to different things to try in real life. Looking up some of the dishes was a treat in itself.

With a best-friends-to-lovers trope, the author serves up a classic Hallmark-style romance between Theo and Lavinia with a heavy dose of yearning and longing. If you love a black cat / lone wolf-type of love interest (who's love language is baking and has a penchant for cooking!), you'll adore Theo's character.

You'll see familiar faces from the first installment, like Saphira, Sparky, and Aiden's family - and this charming continuation of the series is the epitome of a simple, cozy romance, proving that you don't need a complex plot or confusing family trees to write a truly captivating story.

This book is a perfect fit for fans of:
- Heartwarming, best-friends-to-lovers romance
- Stories where food is a love language
- A cozy fantasy with fall vibes
- Delicious food all throughout, from family meals and espresso drinks to desserts

With its focus on delightful food, sweet romance, and the special connection of found family, Baby Dragon Bakery is an absolute delight. I'm already looking forward to the next installment in this wonderful series!

Special thank you to Harper Collins, Harper360, Avon, and NetGalley for an advanced reader copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

#TheBabyDragonBakery #ATQureshi #HarperCollins #Harper360 #Avon #NetGalley

This world is such a sweet, cozy vacation from my usual epic fantasy/thriller world. I enjoyed coming back into this world and getting to see more of Saphira's development. I think it's a well done friends to lovers and the story really highlighted their individual struggles with connection and how they're working to overcome their traumas to come together. I would call this a romance with fantasy elements, rather than a fantasy romance because the book is more focused on the relationship between Theo and Lavinia than the dragons themselves. But the interactions with the dragons are done so well and they're so loveable that maybe I just wanted more of them. The flashback scenes were done very well and the author is so good about interlacing the story with South Asian cultural elements without making it feel heavy-handed. The cultural references blend seamlessly into the story instead of jumping out and seeming forced. Knowing there's another book coming helps me forgive the stuff at the end a bit because now I need to sort everything out so I'll have to read the next one but, I was a bit irked about how things happened towards the end of the book. I feel so honored to have been able to climb back into this world a few months early. Now if only baby dragon bakeries were real....

This book was a wonderful read. The imagery that A. T. Qureshi uses makes you feel as if you are in the scene with the characters. The whimsical nature of the setting and the worldbuilding give the book a sense of lightheartedness and comedy. The chemistry between Lavinia and Theo is electric. Their rapport is entertaining, and they are two kindred spirits. I loved Lavinia as a side character in The Baby Dragon Cafe, and it is beautiful to see how her character grows and changes in the spotlight of this book.

Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for the advance reader's copy of the book. I wanted to like this book, I really did, but this was not good. It probably doesn't help that I don't care for friends to lovers stories, and this one was chock full of lack of communication between the two main characters with a whole bunch of misunderstanding as the results. This book was honestly not for me, I'm sure there are others who will enjoy it, but I didn't. However, the little excerpt for the third book in this series was intriguing and I'm pretty sure that will be a good enemies to lovers which I do enjoy. 3 stars and that's only because of the baby dragons in the story.

I was very excited to be able to read book 2 as it seemed like it would be a perfect cozy romance read for the fall. I was worried that I would not enjoy it as much as the first book but it was still very sweet and fun. Lavinia and Theo are long time friends who have always cared for each other but avoided any conversation about what they truly mean to each other. Throw in a bakery and a baby dragon and you have the perfect cozy romance.

The only thing that wasn't working (and maybe it is a me problem) was the miscommunication throughout the entire book. I know for others it might feel like yearning with a touch of drama but it felt juvenile for these childhood friends to be the worst communicators.

With that said, it is still a quick, light, cozy read for someone that wants fantasy but nothing to heavy.

I think this is my favorite friends to lovers romance I’ve ever read! I adore this cozy series and its small town vibes.
I love all these characters! The descriptions of baked goods were mouth watering!
I’m really looking forward to the next book. These are just so cozy and easy to read.

⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ – Sweet, Comforting, and Full of Heart

The Baby Dragon Bakery was an absolute delight from start to finish. I loved returning to these wonderful characters—and the dragons, of course—who bring such warmth and magic to the story. The writing flows so easily that it felt like the perfect cozy read, something to curl up with and savor. Heartwarming, fun, and comforting, it’s a story that left me smiling long after the final page.

The Baby Dragon Bakery is an adorably cozy romance that is a perfect fall read for those that enjoy romances with fantasy elements. Personally, my definition of a cozy fantasy leaves the reader more deeply entrenched in a fantasy setting while holding a lighter atmosphere and comforting plot. I still find that Qureshi executes the cozy atmosphere that leaves readers yearning for fall and the heartwarming experiences of a found family.
This is a wonderful addition to The Baby Dragon Cafe and will satisfy lovers of cozy romances. Read along to explore the relationship between Theo and Lavinia. I look forward to the third installment for the Baby Dragon universe.

I didn't think I'd love book #2 as much as I loved book #1 but I did!
I devoured this book!
Bestfriends to lovers- Dragons- PERFECTION!
Lavinia was the one constant in Theo's life and their friendship was always the most important thing, to both of them.
But Lavinia felt like she was running out of time to find love and started dating someone, which opened Theo's eyes. Lavinia has a choice to make... search for love, or open her eyes to what's been in front of her. The guy who she can be herself around and know she is loved.
Such a sweet story, I loved it!

I loved the first book and I was excited for this one to expand on the world's and the characters a bit more. However, with the different POV, the characters seemed flatter somehow. I wanted more of the world because its so imaginative and creative. The main plot boiled down to a miscommunication trope. Not bad, its still a cozy, cute, lighthearted read, but not quite what I was expecting.

After reading The Baby Dragon Cafe I was lucky enough to get The Baby Dragon Bakery as an ARC.

This book was very cozy and super cute. I love the town and the side characters. I loved all the dragons.

I just wanted more from the world in the story. This is a typical friends to lovers story.

Thanks to NetGalley and Harper360 for the ARC.

Absolutely loved this one. The absolutely coziest fallish read. It’s pumpkin spice and everything nice but with a dragon.

Review of The Baby Dragon Bakery by A. T. Qureshi – Rating: ⭐⭐⭐ / 5

Setting & Tone: A sweet, cozy continuation set in the quaint Starshine Valley. It gives all the small-town contemporary vibes with some tagalong adorable baby dragons.

Characters & Romance: Lavinia and Theo are longtime friends dancing around a spark that’s finally flickering into a flame. The dual perspectives shed light on their inner hopes and fears, even if at times Lavinia’s vivacity borders on overly saccharine and Theo skirts passive tropes.

Themes & Culture: The inclusion of South Asian cultural touches—in desserts, festivals, names—enhances the story's warmth and identity in a thoughtful way.

What Didn’t Work for Me: The story sticks close to familiar cozy-romance plots—there’s little surprise and minimal magical depth beyond the brief mentions of the baby dragons. The pacing occasionally lags, and overall it came across as repetitive.

Bottom Line: A comfy, gentle read perfect for afternoons with a sweet treat—especially if you love slow-burning friendships blossoming into something more and small town vibes. But if you're craving richer fantasy lore or faster pacing, this might feel too mild.

This whimsical sequel was absolutely delightful. A low/spice, friends-to-lovers romance perfect for a cozy fall day. I was also beyond thrilled to see Saphira and Aiden again!

I absolutely love this series. I love the romance but honestly can't get enough of the baby dragons. This was such a a good cozy read ❤️ I will definitely be reading more from this author 💕

The Baby Dragon Bakery is pure feel-good charm poured into book form. Lavinia’s life—juggling vet school, a part-time job at the magical café, her adorable baby dragon, and unspoken love for her best friend Theo—had me smiling the whole time. Watching their sweet, playful friends-to-lovers journey in that small town bakery, with dual perspectives and cozy vibes, was like a warm hug in book form.

Ok I sped through this!
This is a childhood friends, “it was always you”, romance!
I loveeeeed the friendship between Livinia and Theo.
Best friends since they were 8, they are everything to each other, supportive but not afraid of give advice or tough love. Livinia’s family treats Theo as one of their own, his family has just never cared.

Lavinia’s wanted nothing in life more than love, her parents met when they were 24 and knew from the first moment. She wants exactly the same love but as summer ends and her deadline approaches on her 24th year… she is getting desperate!

For the very same reason Lavinia wants an earth shattering love, Theo doesn’t believe he’s capable of it. When your parents ignore you, how are you to know how to love?
But now that Livinia is dating the perfect guy, is Theo ready to let her ride off into the sunset with someone else?

I won’t spoil all the things that happens but I loved this and can’t wait for book 3!

I started off really excited to like this book. I thought the first book was pretty enjoyable for a short cozy fantasy, and I imagined that would carry through with this one as well. I mean, it was already wholesome enough with a baby dragon cafe. But now a BAKERY? And childhood friends to lovers? Sign me up! It started out okay, but unfortunately, by the end, I was just really ready to be done with this. It drove me crazy.

First, the positives:
I absolutely LOVE this blending of fantasy-based yet still modern setting. It makes the world-building so interesting by having fantasy elements like dragons and griffins and other magical creatures, as well as people living in cottages, while still obviously having it all set in this modern alternate universe where we still have cell phones and coffee shops. It combines the best of both worlds of getting to pick and choose where to add more modern elements while still not losing the charm and folksiness of a cozy fantasy. It just works really well.

Arguably my favorite thing about this novella were the vivid descriptions of the coffee shop and the quaint downtown during the fall season. It was the perfect thing to make you feel transported and feel like you’re there as the leaves are changing and it’s approaching the time of enjoying baked treats and warm beverages and going to the harvest festival. Without a doubt, this is the author’s greatest strength in writing these novellas. If it were just this, I would be having such a fun time.

…Unfortunately

Most of this book centers around an incredibly angsty romance, which to me just dragged the whole thing down. And hey, don’t get me wrong, I love the childhood friends to lovers trope. It’s arguably one of my favorites. But I wanted more soft, sweet moments and yearning, whereas the relationship in this book felt much more imbued with jealousy and angst, which is not my cup of tea. And cannot stress enough: SO MUCH ANGST. For starters, the entire contents of this book rest SO heavily on the miscommunication trope. Both characters thinking the other doesn’t like them when they both clearly like each other, so then they proceed to spend the entire book brooding over the other, all because they both made assumptions rather than simply talking to each other. That’s not to say I’ve never read a book with angst before, but this, to me, was not the giggling and kicking your feet “Will they/wont they” kind of story. This read very young, despite the fact that both characters are supposed to be in their mid to late twenties. This actually read almost more like a middle grade.

Lavinia especially came off as incredibly young, childish, and naive and read more like an angsty teenager than mid-twenties. For one, she spends the whole book convinced that she needs to find the great love of her life by winter because that’s when her parents met and fell in love, which just feels like the kind of wishful thinking that a child would have and not a full-fledged adult. And just in general, she was VERY immature and dramatic in how she approached things, how she viewed her love life and declared that if she didn’t find love now, then surely she never would and she would never be happy again. It just felt really hard believing that Lavinia was an adult woman and not an overly dramatic teenager.

Final Thoughts
This had so much potential to be a sweet, cozy fantasy with a hint of romance. Unfortunately the romance aspect just didn’t land for me. It was incredibly cliche and read very young and angsty, like I was reading about the love life of a thirteen year old, not people well into their twenties. The characters themselves also didn’t feel fleshed out enough for me but rather very flat and one-dimensional. Because of that, there really wasn’t anything about these characters that felt special to me or that made me want to root for them. Sadly, this wasn’t a favorite.

Such a cute little whimsical cozy fantasy.

We've got friends to lovers, a bakery setting, jealousy, and baby dragons.

Our main characters here have been friends forever, but things get complicated when Lavinia (FMC) gets a boyfriend. It's the sort of situation where nobody wants to talk about it but it is very obvious. It does rely a lot on a rather miscommunication trope sort of set up and I am not a massive fan of that. I just find miscommunication tropes overdone (and they can be rather frustrating for the reader at times too).

I do think that the baby dragons are such a cute and fun addition to a cozy fantasy. And our FMC is in vet school for baby dragons too. We also get cameos from the main characters from the previous book, so that was cool. I always love a cameo.

This is cute and cozy, with much lower stakes for a fantasy. So if you want something chill and slower moving, I would totally recommend this. It is not a fantasy that will stress you out.

Thanks to NetGalley for the e-ARC of this book in exchange for my honest review! My Goodreads review is up and my TikTok (Zoe_Lipman) review will be up at the end of the month with my monthly reading wrap-up.