A wonderfully cosy, fantasy romance with a low stakes, slice of life premise that (along with all the baby dragons) literally stole my heart.

I really enjoyed this one! I’ve been reading a lot of intense, epic fantasy lately so this was the perfect palate cleanser to keep me from slipping into a book slump. The stakes are low, the dragon content is high (and absolutely addictive in its cuteness.)

And our protagonists, Saphira (the sunshiny owner of The Baby Dragon Cafe) and Aiden (resident recluse & reluctant baby dragon owner) were both incredibly endearing.

I really liked Saphira, whose joy at getting to be around baby dragons was wonderfully infectious. With no family left, and having used her inheritance from her grandmother (Nani-Ma), to make her dream (of owning a baby dragon cafe) come true. It was soo heartening to see the found family-esque community she inadvertently builds. 

Plus her ability to coax Aiden out of his shy, reclusive (and grief stricken) shell was soo satisfying— as was the sweet, slow burn relationship that blossoms between them. 

But I have to admit, it was Sparky (Aiden’s chaotically inquisitive baby dragon) who stole the spotlight (and my heart) with his toddler-like antics and general cuteness.  I do also want to highlight A. T. Qureshi’s nuanced (and emotional) portrayal of rider/ dragon bonding which I found soo fascinating. And seeing how important this stage of development is for a baby dragon was really enlightening.

I’m genuinely super excited for the sequel (which will follow Saphira’s co-worker/bestie, Lavinia) and will be eagerly counting down the days until its release (which I believe is later this year.)

Overall, a cute, cosy and unputdownable read that I’m desperate to see turned into a TV show! 

Also, I have to say a massive thank you to Mel for sending me this, you’re the absolute best!