The Baby Dragon Bakery

The Baby Dragon #2

by Aamna Qureshi

Will it be a recipe for romance? Or a friendship up in flames?

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?

The perfect dual POV, friends-to-lovers cozy fantasy, with HEA guaranteed!

Genres: Fantasy, Romance, Dragons, Cozy Fantasy, Romantasy, Friends To Lovers, Contemporary

352 pages, Paperback

First published August 28, 2025

About the author

Aamna Qureshi is a Pakistani, Muslim American who adores words. She is an award-winning and USA Today, Amazon, and Times bestselling author who grew up on Long Island, New York, in a very loud household, surrounded by English (for school), Urdu (for conversation), and Punjabi (for emotion). Much of her childhood was spent being grounded for reading past her bed-time, writing stories in the backs of her notebooks, and being scolded by teachers for passing chapters under the tables. Through her writing, she wishes to inspire a love for the beautiful country and rich culture that informed much of her identity.

When she's not writing, she loves to travel to new places where she can explore different cultures or to Pakistan where she can revitalize her roots. She also loves baking complicated desserts, drinking fancy teas and coffees, watching sappy rom-coms, and going for walks about the estate (her backyard). She currently lives in New York. Look for her on IG @aamna_qureshi and Twitter @aamnaqureshi_ and at her website aamnaqureshi.com.

Reviews

[Alya · Rating 3 out of 5]

✨️ ARC REVIEW ✨️
The Baby Dragon Cafe by A.T Qureshi
Publication date: August 28th 2025

Thoughts
Honestly? I wish the author left it at the first book and called it a day🙈 I loved the first book so much but this one just didn't feel the same; the cosy whimsical vibes were still there sure but I wasn't as invested. I've mentioned before, personally for me the miscommunication trope is a hit or miss; and well here? I hated it, it frustrated me so much I struggled to want to pick it up. I love Lavinia and Theo as friends and individuals but by the time I got to the end I was so over them and the entire plot. 😭

TROPES
▪︎ Childhood friends to lovers
▪︎ Small town
▪︎ Bakery romance
▪︎ Dual POV
▪︎ Cosy fantasy
▪︎ Low spice

Many thanks to NetGalley and publishers for the ARC

[Sophie · Rating 3 out of 5]

This friends-to-lovers is a contemporary romantasy as cosy as it is a quick read. Perfect for fall! 🍂 Unfortunately, while it was a lovely return to Starshine Valley, I enjoyed the first book far more.🐉

She was his brightest star, the guidepost from which everything else took direction. If he lived a hundred lives, he’d find her in every one; the way sailors unerringly found the North Star in the night sky no matter the century.

[ Contains some spoilers ]

PLOT SUMMARY
24-year-olds Lavinia Williams and Theo Noon have been best friends since they were children. Lavinia is an aspiring magical animal veterinarian studying in her second year of vet school while interning at the Animal Hospital. Theo has a business degree but is a baker who works at the Rolling Pin Bakery, which supplies Saphira’s Baby Dragon Café, where Lavinia works once a week though he has recently lost his passion for the job. The two have liked each other for years.

At the engagement party of Saphira Margala and Aiden Sterling, Lavinia attempts to kiss Theo which causes him to panic and flee. Lavinia is heartbroken as she feels pressure to find a romance like her parents found when they were her age. She is determined to find someone before the winter, believing if she doesn’t find it by then, she never will.

Lavinia gets the idea of dating her kind and mature coworker Calahan Goode, a PhD student in Folklore and Mythology. She immediately enlists Theo to help her who, believing he is undeserving of her, has to watch on while she falls for someone else. But when fate keeps deciding to throw them together, and things come to a head, will they choose each other?

And that was how Lavinia found herself enlisting the help of her best friend (who she had feelings for) to help her get with someone else (to get over aforementioned feelings).
Which wouldn’t be complicated. Or messy. And that wasn’t a bad idea.
Not at all.

This is told from the third-person past-tense POV of Lavinia and Theo.

OVERALL OPINIONS
ㅤ🍞🩺 a dough-lightful return 🩺🍞
Returning to Starshine Valley felt like catching up with old friends. It was delightful to see familiar faces like Saphira, Aiden, and a no-longer-so-little dragon Sparky. Their public displays of affection were a charming addition, and I loved that Saphira was rooting for Lavinia and Theo all along. Aiden saying the wrong thing about Lavinia’s breakup then being reprimanded by Saphira made me laugh.

The happy couple sang to each other as they danced, their eyes locked, smiles wide on both their faces. Once, Lavinia had thought Aiden to be awkward and stoic, and while he was still more the strong and silent type around everyone else, with Saphira, he was as dazzling as her, two stars shining in the night sky, sparkling together.

My suspicions about the plot for The Baby Dragon Bookshop (Book 3) have been proven correct, that it will be about Luke Hayward and Emmeline Sterline: Luke runs a rival chimera-roasted coffee company Tempest to Emmeline’s dragon-roasted coffee Inferno. I did rather enjoy Luke’s little quip (he clearly knows he annoys Emmy).

“You work at the Baby Dragon Cafe, don’t you?” Luke asked, cocking his head. “I think I’ve seen you there before.”
“Yes, I do,” Lavinia replied.
His lips spread into a smile, eyes glittering with mischief. “Tell Emmeline I said hi.” He looked pleased with himself.
“Sure,” Lavinia replied, and then he was off. There was no way Lavinia would be telling Emmeline that, or Emmeline’s blood pressure would shoot through the roof. Lavinia didn’t see Emmeline Sterling often, but she knew enough that Emmy was triggered every single time she heard Luke’s name. Saphira had mentioned once that the two went to university together and there was some history between them, but Lavinia didn’t know the whole backstory.

The preview for the first chapter at the end of this book also has my attention so I’ll stick around to read the next one, hopefully I enjoy it more.

ㅤ🍞🩺 just what the doctor ordered 🩺🍞
There were a lot of things to like about this story. I appreciated the parallel of each of them keeping an object of the other from the engagement party (Theo’s cologne; Lavinia’s scrunchie). The scene at the fall festival was one of the best as Qureshi really captured the cosy and cute atmosphere, and I love the idea of the rides being the mythical creatures.

This novel contains some surprisingly relatable moments. Despite being a fantasy, the realistic struggles of both Lavinia and Theo resonated with me. Like Lavinia, my parents got married around the age I am now and it does sometimes make you wish for the same sort of timeline and it can be difficult to watch others around me find their love. The advice her mother Beena tells her, that you cannot set a deadline on romance, was very poignant.

She knew that not everybody found romance in their life, and that to live without romantic love was not the worst thing in the world, but the prospect frightened her as it seemed to presage the worst kind of future: the idea of a very long life without any of the companionship that she had grown up witnessing in her parents.

While I felt a 24-year-old would likely already understand this, I do accept that her anxieties overrode her reasoning, which was reaffirmed by this moment where “deep down, Lavinia knew these things. They weren’t complete revelations. It was just a matter of choosing to believe in them rather than believe in all her anxiety-ridden ideals.”

Theo discovering that his hobby should stay as a hobby and not a career was something I understood where he was coming from – if you make it a career, you may lose your passion for it.

Qureshi provided some lovely representation. There was plus-sized representation through Lavinia’s body description, as she is short and curvy. And then there were the mentions of a lot of Indian recipes such as keema, kulfi, haldi doodh and ras malai. I could really tell Qureshi knew what she was talking about when it came to those, especially the kulfi as the descriptions of Theo making them were so vivid I could imagine the whole process.

ㅤ🍞🩺 less of everything and nothing new 🩺🍞
While I loved the world-building in the first book, it fell flat here. The first issue is that much of the information was a simple recap of the previous book, which, while useful for new readers, felt repetitive. The second, and more important, issue is that no new information was provided. The established world was not expanded upon, which felt like a missed opportunity given its potential.

If anything, there was less of everything, especially dragons, which is a big disappointment. This series is called Baby Dragon when they have become secondary characters. Without the occasional mention of them, this has slipped more into the contemporary genre. There were ample times to actually use Lavinia’s dragon Biter as the means to bring the two of them together: for instance, the draggo could have gone to the football game, or Theo could have played with the dragon and Lavinia’s brother, Alfie. The fact that Theo doesn’t even have a pet limits the expansion of the world-building too.

There hasn’t been much done to pave the way for book 3 (The Baby Dragon Bookshop) either. There was a little bit of information provided that has added intrigue for me: that being Luke broke her younger sister Millie’s heart, and that there was some history between them. Qureshi does briefly mention the bookshop in question called, Tales & Tails Bookshop (love the name!), describing it as “a bit rundown, but quiet and devoid of distractions”. Nothing else is said (though this raised I feel an issue with why the bookshop is mentioned by name but not the restaurant, or the ceramics store).

A few suggestions to consider (after reading the premise for book 3: Why not have an interaction between Emmy and Luke in this story (rather than her reaction to him being mentioned)? It would add more chemistry. Why not add a moment where Millie is in the story or, being a busy married woman, takes a moment to call Emmy?

ㅤ🍞🩺 simplicity and repetition in writing 🩺🍞
This was an issue I encountered while reading book 1 that has unfortunately continued over here. A lot of the language and descriptions feel too simple and, considering it is marketed as an Adult book, this makes it read like a Young Adult book – yet some of the content in here suggests otherwise. This makes not only the narrative feel too straightforward but the lack of complexity causes the characters themselves to feel more high school-esque in their behaviour instead of acting their own age (though, practising kissing on someone else instead of her boyfriend doesn’t sit right with me).

Like the first book, there were some repetitive points or cues, almost like each chapter was treated as a standalone instead of how it reads as an overall book. I’m constantly being reminded of things as if I had forgotten what I had just read a few chapters ago (at the most). I was told in Chapter 1 Lavinia only works at the Café once a week now because she is in vet school, and am reminded in Chapter 4 of this.

The number of times that Theo says that Lavinia deserves to be with a knight or a lord? I counted at least 4. It was the same thing regurgitated. Take the first example: “She deserved someone… much better than him, for sure—a prince from a fairy tale, or a knight in shining armor, or one of those fancy titled lords from the period dramas her mom liked watching.”
Then the second time it crops up is so similar to a tee: “She deserved a prince from a fairy tale, or a knight in shining armor, or one of those fancy titled lords from the period dramas her mom liked watching”
Then the third: “She deserved a fairy-tale love story, with a knight or a prince or a lord, because she was just like the heroines of the romance movies she loved”
While it’s good to drive a point home by saying it multiple times, this was emphasised far too much and in a far too similar way and is ultimately unnecessary to the plot as it doesn’t add anything. We know because of other reasons (and explicit statements) that he feels he doesn’t deserve her.

Another example is the repeated use of similar descriptions, such as “something dark coming over his expression” followed by “his expression darkened” just a few pages later. This is a small point, but it contributes to the overall feeling of a lack of stylistic variation.

Another thing is that a lot of the narrative lends itself to direct characterisation where Qureshi explicitly states what a character is doing. One example from this book is “He looked so happy that she smiled, feeling happy, too.” I think more things could have been shown and not told, like so: “His happiness was so contagious a warmth that a smile involuntarily spread across her own face”

ㅤ🍞🩺 to conclude 🩺🍞
This was a promising story, but I feel the narration really let it down. If Qureshi were to focus on expanding her world-building and incorporating more variety in her writing, it would undoubtedly elevate her work.

<< Positives >>
🠚 Lovely return to a familiar world
🠚 Relatable and poignant moments
🠚 Thoughtful character representation
🠚 Vivid descriptions of food
🠚 Wholesome Williams family
🠚 Beena is the best voice of reason
🠚 The friendship and support of Genivieve and Saphira to Lavinia
🠚 Longer epilogue this time
🠚 The café renovations would have been nice had there been more of a plot. It would have forced the two into working in close proximity to each other.

<< Negatives >>
🠚 Repetitive and simple writing
🠚 Lack of world-building expansion
🠚 Overuse of direct characterisation
🠚 Dragons become secondary to the plot and characters
🠚 Missed opportunities in plot setup
🠚 3rd-act breakup
🠚 The epilogue reveals Theo has cut himself off from his parents but I would have liked to have seen him stick up for himself/reprimand them first before this.

CHARACTERS
-ˋˏ ꒰ Lavinia꒱ ˎˊ-
↳ Rejected by men after they grow tired of you? Been there. Had someone break up with me and I had to go to class the next day? Been thereeee (it was even worse because I had a test). She has quite a few insecurities that bring about opinions that men get tired of her and she should put a deadline on obtaining romance.

-ˋˏ ꒰ Theo꒱ ˎˊ-
↳ His parents are the worst. I’m glad he finds his worth and cuts them off. He is a really sweet and devoted guy.

FAV QUOTES
• She was a hopeless romantic at heart, and yearned for a grand, sweeping love story. She did not simply want to fall in love, she wanted a *great* love. She thought about things like invisible strings and destiny being written in the stars and fateful encounters.
• No matter how small or inconsequential, or stupid or silly—he told her everything. It was how he lived his life; she was the air he breathed.
• Lavinia was downright exhausted by all the failed romances of her life—the way hope and excitement always slowly but surely gave way to rejection and heartbreak. She would rise from the ashes like a phoenix, ready to start again, and now she was getting tired of it.
• He’d had to leave immediately before he did something stupid, but that didn’t stop him from pressing the lipstick stain on his finger against his mouth, as if he could transfer the feel of her lips to his own.
• She shook her head. “You’re so silly! I don’t even know what I’m saying half the time. My opinion doesn’t matter that much.” | He looked at her like she was being absurd. “Your opinion is the only thing that matters.” A current ran through her spine at the intensity with which he said those words, how earnest his brown eyes were.
• Then, he entwined their hands. Theo blew air on their joined hands, and the clay dried a little. If they didn’t move, it wouldn’t crack. They had become a work of art themselves. Tenderness spread through her, and she looked up to find him looking at her.
• They had known each other for most of their lives, and she thought she knew everything there was to know about him, all his behavioral patterns and thoughts and feelings, how he would act and react—but this was uncharted territory. That scared her, but it thrilled her, too, in a deranged way; the way lightning might be exhilarating, despite all the ways it could devastate.
• The way he said her name was new, unlike anything she’d heard before, from him, or anyone else. It was almost like an oath or a prayer—something haunted or holy.
• He couldn’t think of anything else but her, and when he finally slept, it was her he dreamed of.
• “Lavinia, I’m in love with you,” he said. “I have been this whole time; I probably have been my whole life. I just never realized it, or never allowed myself to be because I was afraid of ruining our friendship, of losing you.”
• “My heart beats for you,” he said, bringing her hand to his heart. She felt it beating hard and fast against her palm. “Only for you.”
• Perhaps she would be fossilized like this. She could end up in a museum with a tag: “Local Girl Lost Will to Live After Breakup”.
• “Tired of you?” He was astounded.“If I was going to get tired of you, it would have happened when we were eight, Lavinia. Since then you’ve stolen all my favorite flannel shirts, and your hands are always cold, and you make me watch all those romcoms, but no, I could never get tired of you, or any of those things, or any part of you. Take all my clothes—everything of mine is yours! And if your hands are cold, it means I can make it my mission to keep them warm, and I don’t really mind those movies, since they teach me how to love you better.”
• “You’re everything to me. If I don’t have you, I don’t have anything. I love you so much. And you’re wrong—I don’t need a prince, or a knight in shining armor, or a lord. I just need you, my best friend, Theo, exactly as you are, exactly as you’ve always been. To me, you’re enough. You’re more than enough, and you always have been.”
• Being with Theo was even better than all the love stories and love songs she adored because this was real—this was hers. Theo was hers.

══════════ ⋆★⋆ ══════════

I received an advanced copy in exchange for an honest review and I’d like to thank Aamna Qureshi, Avon, and NetGalley for the opportunity. This has not affected my opinion in any way.

[elizabeth rose · Rating 3 out of 5]

🐉🧁 Whimsical, warm, and frosted with just enough magic—The Baby Dragon Bakery serves up a cosy friends-to-lovers romance with a hint of fantasy and a whole lot of heart.

Lavinia and Theo have been inseparable since childhood, but when unspoken feelings bubble up, their inability to communicate sends things into a spiral of awkwardness, jealousy, and missed chances. When Lavinia starts dating someone else, Theo’s jealousy grows—but neither of them seems ready to have the honest conversation they desperately need. While their dynamic is endearing, the heavy reliance on the miscommunication trope makes for some frustrating moments along the way.

This sequel to The Baby Dragon Café dials down the fantasy in favour of a cosier, romance-first story. Magical touches remain—like Lavinia’s vet school for mythical creatures and caring for an adorable baby dragon called Biter—but the focus stays firmly on the emotional journey.

Fans of book one will enjoy seeing Saphira and Aiden again, now happily in love and engaged—adding an extra dose of warmth and continuity for returning readers.

✨ If you enjoy low-spice, friends-to-lovers romance with just a sprinkling of whimsy, The Baby Dragon Bakery makes for a charming, if slightly predictable, comfort read. A soft, cinnamon-sweet story perfect for romantasy fans who prefer gentle magic and emotional comfort reads.

[Heather~ Nature.books.and.coffee · Rating 5 out of 5]

know that this is the second book, but it just sounded cute and I wanted to read it. I'm happy to say, it was definitely a cute, quick, comforting read. I loved the cozy, small town romance and was rooting for Lavinia and Theo to finally have their HEA! Their “friends to lovers” felt natural and was so sweet. The yummy bakery treats, the baby dragon, the whimsy…..it was such a feel good read. I have been craving a cozy fantasy and this was perfect. I will be grabbing the first book now for sure.

Thank you to the publisher and netgalley for the gifted copy. All opinions are my own.

[Cozy Puppy Reads · Rating 5 out of 5]

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.

[Anniek · Rating 4 out of 5]

I really enjoyed this romance. I will always be a sucker for a best friends to lovers romance, and it was so well done here. The character dynamics, setting and world building made for such a fluffy romance. I will say though that I would have liked for the fantasy element to play a larger role. I already said in my review of the first book that this is more romance than fantasy heavy, and that's even more true here. The baby animals are all very adorable, but they could have been a larger element of the story. I did like seeing so much of Saphira again in this book!

[Line · Rating 1 out of 5]

look, I don’t like giving bad reviews to books, but this really wasn’t very enjoyable for me. I wanted to DNF this book after the 60% mark, but decided against it because I did receive an early copy for free, so I did want to give the book a real chance.

I do have to be honest up front, I did not read the first installment in the series, so I had no real expectations for this. I ended up disliking it very quickly. The characters are 24 years old but they act like they’re still in high school. I found both the FMC and the MMC to be very whiny and immature. I found the writing very juvenile as well, and quite a lot of the dialogue made me cringe.

The book also has a problem with telling instead of showing. Especially in the beginning, for example: we’re constantly being told that Theo and Lavinia are best friends and that they have all of these inside jokes, but we’re not actually privy to any of the jokes, nor do we see many instances that really solidify their friendship.

The plot is just the characters lacking the ability to communicate with each other. If they’d just talk to eachother this book would have only been half as long as it is now. Not to mention, because they refuse to confront their romantic feelings for each other, the FMC ends up dating a (perfectly nice) guy, who she ends up cheating on emotionally and physically for most of the book.

So, unfortunately this book wasn’t for me. I do think the author has potential and I hope that in the future, the author will build plots surrounding something other than miscommunication and that she starts to trust her audience more to come to their own conclusions.

Thankyou to Avon Books and Netgalley for providing me with an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

[Cláudia Oliveira · Rating 3 out of 5]

Foi tão bom voltar a este mundo tão cozy e familiar, entre cafés e dragões bebés! 🥹🥹

Adorei as personagens principais deste livro e, ainda por cima, é um friends to lovers! Para além disso, ela é uma romântica incurável e eu amei isso nela! Contudo, achei o livro um pouco repetitivo em algumas partes e tem a trope de miscommunication que não é das minhas favoritas. Acredito que foi apenas a presença desta trope que me fez não ter amado o livro. Também gostava de ter visto um pouco mais dos dragões, senti que não foi tanto o foco como no 1º livro.

Tirando isso, é lindo, fofo e muito cozy! Amo este mundo e esta trilogia! Quero TANTO ler o próximo!! Aconselho esta trilogia a todos!!

[Cyd’s Books · Rating 4 out of 5]

Thank you to the publisher and Netgalley for approving me to read this book, I’m rating it 4.0 stars.

Gosh this could’ve been 5 stars, I was having the best time but what happened near the end was so unexpected I was seething. I really enjoyed this, but you can’t do me like that when the vibes are good.

I did need this story, the cute elements of fantasy in the form of dragons and a wholesome story of friends to lovers. The story is well paced and I’m a sucker for dual POV. I also enjoyed how the story tackles the FMC and MMC’s individual struggles which do seem to blur into their friendship/connection to cause conflict.

I am recommending this story for lovers of a cosy wholesome romance with fantasy elements.

[Maddy · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book was the perfect sequel to The Baby Dragon Cafe! I absolutely loved the tension and yearning between Theo and Lavinia, the flashbacks to childhood memories of them two really were the best and helped develop the reader understand their relationship better.

I love and appreciate the little details of South Asian culture slipped into this book, from the amazing food descriptions to the mother daughter relationship between Lavinia and Beena - (the hair oiling scene made my heart melt)!

At times I did feel that conversations could be more developed between Theo and Lavinia, with the writing style being a little simplistic. In addition, the ending was rushed and I felt as though issues were being addressed on a surface level basis.

But I still really enjoyed this book! If you’re looking for a cosy book that feels like a warm hug, then look no further. I’m excited to read about the next characters storyline in Sunshine Valley!

Thank you to Avon Books UK for providing me with the ARC and for letting me be part of The Baby Dragon Club 🤭

[h i n d · Rating 3 out of 5]

It's not the book, it's me

- I loved the themes of growing up and the passage of time so much
- I enjoyed The Baby Dragon Cafe more than this one for purely personal taste reasons
- I'm not obsessed with the friends to lovers trope in general because it's sometimes super obvious and it frustrates me, however if you like oblivious mutual pining this is for you
- I found it just a little bit slow, idk if it's because we had more world building in book 1
- I love to see Muslim and especially hijabi authors thriving, support their books, please don't let my review deter you from picking it up

Thank you so much to the publisher for sending me an e-arc via Netgalley. All opinions are my own

[Jaime · Rating 4 out of 5]

A huge thank you to Avon Books and NetGalley for this EARC, I absolutely adored The Baby Dragon Bakery!

A cosy romance full of twists, turns and dragons!
I loved the journey through Lavinia and Theo’s friendship/relationship and actually preferred this book to the first as the characters felt much deeper and more padded out, although the ending was as I expected, it was never dull or predictable as it followed the two main characters and their growth through the book.
Can’t wait to read the third instalment!

4.5 ⭐️

[VickydpBooks · Rating 5 out of 5]

I really enjoyed this book better than the first one I love the storyline..

Blurb

Will it be a recipe for romance? Or a friendship up in flames?


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?

Tropes:



Friends-to-lovers 💝

Bakery romance 💝

Small town 🍂

Low spice ✨

[Cozy Sabie · Rating 5 out of 5]

First, thank you so much for the eArc and for being a prestige member of The Baby Dragon Club 🤭🤎

"If he lived a hundred lives, he'd find her in every one; the way sailors unerringly found the North Star in the night sky no matter the century."

GENRE: Cozy Fantasy
RATING: ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐/5
FORMAT: eBook Arc

Would I recommend to others?: YES! This book is a friendship to lovers trope with found family, cozy fantasy and romance. It is about finding love in your favourite person and loving them just the way they are. It is about seeing your favourite person as the perfect person in the world and not wanting to change anything about them.

Long Review:
The Baby Dragon Bakery is book two in The Baby Dragon series and I know I have yet to write my book one review but in summary: I LOVED it, finished it in 24 hours and would have been less if I didnt have to deal with life and responsibilities

Book Two or The Baby Dragon Bakery was just as GOOD and I LOVED it too. I loved getting to go through the experience with Theo and Lavinia, watching their friends-to-lovers trope thrive and oh boy, did Aamna take us on an adventure and a roller coaster hahah

This book is perfect for Autumn or Fall theme, which is around when it will be released and I think it will be a new Cozy Fantasy, Romantic Comedy Favourite:

"She loved the cafe's fall menu and all the fall flavours."

Lavinia definitely gets a lot of character development and we see her struggle with relationships, dealing with the fact that she may have to live her adult life alone, with no partner like she grew up seeing with her family. Not only that, she has enforced a timeline on finding a partner in order to meet someone and embrace the same life her parents have built for each other:

"In her mind, because Lavinia wanted a love lik her parents', she needed to follow a similar timeline."
"She loved love! Even so, loneliness echoed through her, a dull ache. She yearned for that desperately."

On the opposite end, we have Theo, who grew up alone with his parents never truly paying attention to him and always making him feel like he was the problem. He was put in a terrible position and ultimately, his parents made him feel like he was unwanted and they did not embrace nor love him as parents should. Throughout the story, Theo admires Lavinia and her positivity and it is like she is his little sunshine:

"In a way, he admired how hopeful she was, the positive outlook she had. It was a beautiful way to look at the world. He could be too pessimistic; he sometimes wished he had more wonder."
"He knew if he fell, there would be no one there to catch him, so he was always twice as careful. What if - in being so careful - he had missed his chance?"

Lavinia & Theo met when they were young and have built a friendship that has them together and keeps them going. Theo is a part of Lavinia's family and is just as close to her parents and brother. Together, they have found love, friendship and more in each other:

"It was like he was a part of her, and every time he was gone, there was an undeniable sense of something missing, but whenever he was with her again, everything felt right, how it was supposed to be."

Aamna meshes two people who grew up in different environment: one in an environment that enriched her, allowed her to become herself and provided her with examples of how to grow. However, Lavinia maintains her humanity because no matter how perfect your environment is, you are always going to have insecurities and we see these insecurities seep into her friendship & then relationship with Theo. On the contrary, you have Theo, who grew up in an environment that was toxic and placed doubt, pressure and lack of self confidence in him. Because of this, he appreciates Lavinia even more; however, he lacks the confidence to believe that he is right for her and ENOUGH for her.

And them coming together? The slow yearning, the roller coaster that Aamna takes us on to get these best friends into lovers was a whole emotional ride:

He loved her. He loved her so much that it physically hurt. There was no denying it or running from it."
"She was all he thought about, every moment of every day. He wanted to be around her constantly , and it was obvious, so glaringly obvious that he was in lover with her. He knew that these feelings had been deep inside him for a long time, taking root and growing, and now he was overcome by them."
"She was in lover with her best friend and everyone knew but him."

Its the way Lavinia converts Theo into a destiney, fate beliver:

"He had never believed in things like fate or being written in the stars before, but now, there was no doubt in hismind that there were invisible strings at work. How else could he have gotten so lucky to have her in his life? It was nothing short of a miracle."

And the way they completed each other? The way they shielded each other from other insecurities and filling in the gaps only life leaves in you:

"It was liberating. She didn't need to pretend anything: to be mature or serious or toned down. She could be silly because that was how she had always been around him; he knew her. He knew her completely. There was nothing to worry about. She felt utterly loved."
"With her, he could be himself. Growing up, Theo never knew who he was because his family never liked who he was, so he always tried on different hats, trying to gain their approval (not that it ever worked.) But with Lavinia, he felt his truest self. He liked himself best when he was with her."

This is a beautiful story of insecurities, friendship, love and finding your destined person to make you a better person and I enjoyed the journey so much, I cannot wait for book three already!

Thank you to Avon Books, Aamna and Netgalley for this early eArc in exchange for my honest review. Please keep in mind that all the quotations are from an eArc and may not reflect the final book.

[Betty · Rating 4 out of 5]

Yearning is back, and The Baby Dragon Bakery nailed it.

“Deep down, she always knew things happened for the best, but that didn't stop the reality from hurting.”


I would like to start with how Aamna Qureshi’s writing never disappoints; the baby dragon world is comforting on another level. I love the desi fusion desserts, the cute baby dragons and the amazing bond between the characters.

This book tells the story of best friends Lavinia, a vet-in-the-making, and Theo, a junior baker. Going from friends to lovers is obviously a very hard task; there are so many variables, and even a small mistake can end up in huge losses. Aamna takes all of those problems and writes some of the best angst out there. The angst was actually insane, and it was literally making me close the book and open it again and again.

Characters
Lavinia – packing it up coded
I absolutely love Lavinia. I love how passionate she is about being a vet. Her commitment to her dreams, the baby dragon cafe and her friends and family is admirable.

Theo – You’re On Your Own, Kid coded
I love reading about the desi fusion desserts Theo makes, even though I end up feeling very hungry. I loved how the author showed that you can switch career paths if it doesn’t work for you; that was an important reminder for me.

Romance (guilty as sin coded)
OH. MY. GOD. The angst was insane; I had goosebumps while reading this book. The cute fluff moments were absolutely incredible, and I loved Lavinia and Theo’s friendship. The little tidbits of their past totally made the book even better. I loved when Theo visited Lavinia’s house; those scenes were some of the best scenes in the book. Beena and Theo’s relationship was very heartwarming.

Saphira and Aiden's scenes were also adorable, and it was fun to see them from someone else’s point of view. The third book is going to be about Emmaline and Luke, and I really cannot wait!!

If you want to read a very low-stakes romance fantasy novel, you should pick this up.

Release date: 28 August, 25

[nihaarika · Rating 5 out of 5]

4.75 stars (rounded up to 5)

I'm a huge fan of the friends-to-lovers trope and I'm a huge fan of Aamna Qureshi's writing, so of course, my excitement for The Baby Dragon Bakery was quite high. This book was everything that I wanted, and then some. I was so thrilled to be coming back to this world and experience Lavinia and Theo's story. There are many reasons as to why I enjoyed this book, but the yearning?? Let's just say, that was pure perfection. The yearning and the mutual pining was freaking adorable and the chemistry between the two was palpable.

When you're reading, you can clearly see and tell how much both Lavinia and Theo care for each other. They are both treading a very delicate balance in wanting to protect their friendship, and crossing that balance and watching them trying to keep, and subsequently fail, this balance is what makes this book such a great read. There's almost kisses, practice kisses and actual kisses, and all of them are so so good. I don't want to spoil but there's some really great jealousy scenes, especially on Theo's part, and those were some of my favs in the book.

All in all, The Baby Dragon Bakery was such a cute, cozy and comforting romance, and I cannot wait to have a physical copy of this in my hands!

Thank you Avon Books UK for sending me an e-ARC through NetGalley!

[Rubi · Rating 2 out of 5]

I was.....disappointed.

I usually LOVE friends to lovers for the deeper connections but......Theo and Lavinia acted like insecure teens and not in a flattering way.
I get that Theo had a history of feeling insecure dude to his upbringing but Lavinia?

Also, why did she think her guy friend would want to hear details of her dates and when she'd get kissed? Even if he was her best friend, thats weird. it's fine to share it went well, but to try to gush about it in detail and when you dont even mean half of it, it was just weird. The constant "she/he doesnt feel the same way" and "they deserve better" got on my nerves after being repeated so many times.
Too much inner monologuing lol

Then there was the toying with another man's heart just because SHE was on some bizarre timeline to "find love". Her feelings were all over the place and she kept thinking of and kissing or wanting to kiss Theo. No matter how they spun it, it was cheating. And instead of confronting each other, they kept tiptoeing around it, even AFTER they got together! SO frustrating.

I was just glad it was over by the end and felt duped about "dragons" because they were hardly around and didnt even have anything to really do with the plot. They barely appeared and it was more about a bizarre love triangle from a very fickle girl.

[Emma Ashley · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was such a cute and cosy read. I loved the small town place settings in the story and any books that have dragons in is a win for me. I loved the first book in the series and I enjoyed this one just as much. The author's writing is brilliant and the pacing was just right. I highly recommend it and I look forward to reading more by the author.

[zai · Rating 5 out of 5]

angst so good i felt hopeless at times
rtc

[Stormborn Bookshelf · Rating 2 out of 5]

2⭐️

The Baby Dragon Bakery has an undeniably cute and whimsical setting—baby dragons, magical baking, and a cozy shop that feels like it belongs in a fairy tale. I was initially drawn in by the charm of the concept and the delightful cover art.

However, as I got into the story, I realized I wasn’t the right audience for this book. The writing style felt more suited to a younger demographic, and I struggled with the pacing and dialogue, which didn’t quite resonate with me. Most importantly, I couldn’t connect with any of the characters, which made it hard for me to stay invested in the story.

That said, I think this book could really shine for younger readers or anyone looking for a light, fantastical read with lots of heart and sweetness.

I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily

[Megan · Rating 5 out of 5]

“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!

[Brittany · Rating 4 out of 5]

"The Baby Dragon Bakery", book 2 in the Baby Dragon series, follows Lavinia and Theo, best friends for life, who suddenly find themselves having feelings for each other. But when Lavinia gets rejected by Theo and starts dating someone new, will they be able to repair their friendship and find love along the way?

If you've read the first book, you basically know what you're getting into. Some things to be wary of before you pick up this series:
-It reads like teenage fanfic. This will not win awards for how it's written
-It features the miscommunication trope
-Lavinia is supposed to be such a smart character by has really one dimensional thinking. She's training to be a vet, but has this stupid idea that she absolutely has to be with her true love at age 24 because that's the age her parents met, and she makes a ridiculous deadline to have this happen
-The 3rd act breakup in this one was so dumb

That being said, I still really enjoyed this!
-It's a light, cozy read
-Features cute baby dragons (though not enough in my opinion! More dragons please!)
-Features a mmc who loves to bake and I think that's just the sweetest
-Perfect, fast paced romance
-Loved getting to see what the characters from book 1 were up to a few months later.

I can't wait for the next installment! I really think romance readers who want to delve into a light fantasy world will love this one.

Thank you so much to NetGalley and Avon Books UK for providing an ARC in exchange for an honest review!

[Madison · Rating 2 out of 5]

I enjoyed bits and pieces of this book, but overall, I found it pretty disappointing. This had the same cozy vibes that I enjoyed so much in the first book, but that just wasn't enough to make up for literally EVERYTHING ELSE! The plot and the writing left much to be desired. The main characters, Lavinia & Theo, were both somewhat annoying and childish for absolutely no reason at all. I genuinely couldn't make myself like either one of them, and I simply found that I had no interest in their relationship. There was way too much miscommunication and they were both so freaking oblivious! Plus, this book was soooo repetative! It was beyond frustrating! There also wasn't nearly enough page time for the baby dragons. We literally barely ever saw the dragons, which was the primary reason I wanted to read this particular book. So basically, the only things I actually enjoyed about this novel were the cozy vibes and Lavinia’s family dynamics. Her family was very sweet and I did enjoy reading about them. After genuinely liking book one, this novel was a major disappointment. The author should've just left The Baby Dragon Cafe as a standalone.

✨Friends to Lovers
✨Slow Burn
✨Cozy Vibes
✨Found Family
✨Small Town Setting
✨Baby Dragons
✨Dual POV
✨Fade to Black

[ella ☆ · Rating 2 out of 5]

i could've written this. in grade 4.

the repetitive use of "she" and "he" at the beginning of each sentence will be the death of me.
She walked to the bakery. She grabbed a earl-gray-tea-dubai-chocolate-labubu donut hole. She ate it. She looked at Theo. She sighed. He would never like her. He was too cool. He rejected her.

This whole thing is just miscommunication. Honestly thinking back on it I have no idea how the author waffled on for a good 300+ pages about them.

The characters have literally no personality. If you could see their soul, it would be unseasoned chicken. The plot also resembled unseasoned chicken.

Also I have no idea where Theos career development thing was going. It was so freaking unnecessary. The authors just decided to shove it in there for some random ass reason.

It was just terrible overall. Theres 0 point in buying it at all. The cozy vibes were not there at all. Little mentions of dragons. The first book in this series was so much better and I was really really disappointed.

So yes overall, plot was bad and not executed well (all miscommunication including the weird freaking third act breakup where she ran away crying and they moped around. also the guy didn't even try to call her or anything what the helly?), the writing style was terrible, gotta teach this author what a compound sentence is istg, characters were so bad as well if they dropped dead i would step over their body. that's the only courtesy they get. the only time i was happy reading this was when the previous couple got mentioned. nothing special about this at all.

Now looking back on it i could've written it in grade 2.

2 stars because it could've been worse

[A Court of Stars and Sapphire · Rating 4 out of 5]

Another adorable and oh so cozy book in this series! I want to move to Starshine Valley!

I loved catching up with Saphira and Aiden from The Baby Dragon Cafe throughout this story while getting to know Lavinia and Theo better.

Lavinia is the smart, dedicated, and admirable FMC coming from a very loving and supportive family, complete with a baby dragon! Poor Theo doesn't have the best parents, they're pretty awful actually, but he's such a great guy. I wanted to give him the biggest hug!

Lavinia's mother is another character I must mention, because she was the best! She was such a caring mom and a guiding light to both Lavinia and Theo as they dealt with work, school, and relationship stress. She was the voice of reason and I loved her for that!

Overall, this is such a feel good story and it gave me all the fall vibes I love this time of year! Add this to your cozy fall TBR, if you haven't already!

[Alice Collinge · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.75 🌟 rounded up.

It was so sweet being back with the baby dragons and getting to see Lavinia and Theos relationship as besties as well as romance.

Seeing characters we'd got to know during The Baby Dragon Cafe and how they've grown was lovely and getting to appreciate the town and the community as well 🥰

My only bugbear, was how often we were reminded of the self imposed deadline for love, it was mentioned a few too many times in my opinion, but it didn't stop my enjoying the read.

Thank you to Avon for the physical proof of this book, it will be cherished!

[Mia · Rating 3 out of 5]

It's just an all-around cozy read. Whimsical and cute, a great read for autumn.

[Brittany Smith · Rating 2 out of 5]

I was very excited for this book, as I loved the first 'The Baby Dragon Cafe' but I was sadly let down. It was no fault of the writing, I just found the miscommunication absolutely frustrating. I will definitely still be reading the next installment!

Thank you NetGalley for the opportunity to read this book in advance!

[Ellis · Rating 2 out of 5]

this was super frustrating. it's one big miscommunication or lack of communication. and Lavinia was kinda annoying with her expectation of finding one true love by winter.

also I didn't like the narrators of the audiobook

[Gemma · Rating 4 out of 5]

I loved the cute, cosy feel of this friends to lovers’ book. I would recommend to anyone who wants a low stake, light fantasy, escapist romantic comedy. I really enjoyed the characters of Theo and Lavinia in the first book and couldn't wait for this one. This one is more rom com than the first and whilst we get occasional glimpses of the mystical creatures there is more of a focus on the two friends and their internal struggles. As Theo and Lavinia have been friends since childhood there are several flashbacks that are adorable; showing how their love has evolved over time. Theo as the Baby Dragon Baker means there is a lot more baking in this book and recipes which was an addition I liked. Qureshi has begun to build the world out more now, so we get to see old and new characters in a town; whilst this is being done by several authors now; I find her light fantasy and low spice a unique addition which keeps it fresh. I am so looking forward now to the Baby Dragon Bookshop and hopefully get to see Sparky flying with riders. Thank you so much to NetGalley, A.T. Qureshi and AvonUK for the eArc!