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3.26 AVERAGE
3.26 AVERAGE
adventurous
lighthearted
relaxing
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
N/A
Flaws of characters a main focus:
N/A
lighthearted
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
The idea behind the book? Adorable. The actual writing? Abysmal. The plot was there, but not enacted whatsoever. The big threat of being forced to race dragons? Solved in under 2 pages when the mmc finally just has a convo with his parents. No stakes whatsoever.
lighthearted
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
I do appreciate a cozy Fantasy, but I have to say this one was not for me. The one redeeming factor was the descriptions of the delicious treats made for the cafe, but that was about it. I found the story to be repetitive and difficult to get through, and the fantastical setting to be not as fantastical with all sorts of modern elements added in (like cell phones.) The dragons were cute, but rather secondary and could have been replaced with any other animal. It did read like more of a contemporary romance, and I am not a fan of contemporary romance, so that was definitely a factor in why I did not enjoy it. And overall I do feel like there was no depth to the story that spoke to me.
Thank you so much to NetGalley for the Arc!
Thank you so much to NetGalley for the Arc!
Let's start off by saying i wanted to love this book. But wanting doesn't change the fact that i spent half the time reading this book ranting to my friends about it.
While the premise could have really worked, because who doesn't like the idea of a world where dragons are like pets, the writing of this book cannot be ignored and pulls it down to a low rating.
I don't want to be mean to the author. I'm sure she worked hard on this story and it sucks to have people criticize your work. But i honestly felt like i was reading a 15 year old's wattpad fanfiction.
The repetitive word use became impossible to ignore on the first page and really pulles me out of the story. I hope I never see the words "baby dragon" "draggo" or "desire" again because I've read them enough in this book.
Additionally the sentences often felt clunky and unnatural. Never flowing into each other, but just ending very staccato.
The characters which should be in their twenties are acting and talking like a bunch if teenagers. Additionally we were hit by insta-love tropes, really weird horny thoughts and comments. And of course the romanticizing of overprotective feelings and jealousy which should always be a red flag.
And practically any issue in the book is solved within a matter of 2 or 3 pages, making it feel incredibly shallow and low stakes.
All and all it all just added up to a very frustrated read. I wanted to love it, but I ended up kind of hating it.
This book could have been good, instead I'll be putting it on my list of books to sell or donate. Because it was a chore to get through and I won't be doing that to myself again.
adventurous
emotional
funny
lighthearted
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
emotional
lighthearted
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
N/A
funny
lighthearted
relaxing
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
This was such a cozy and heartwarming read—I absolutely adored it! The Baby Dragon Café has all the charm of a slow-burn romance tucked into a gentle fantasy setting, where the dragons are more of a quiet magical presence than the main event. That said, the baby dragons do steal the show in their own way, acting as the sweet thread that connects the main characters and draws them together. Honestly, the story could’ve worked with a child or even a dog in that role, but the dragons add that perfect whimsical flair and help set this book apart from your standard slice-of-life romance.
The dynamic between the leads is a bit frustrating at times—there’s a lot of not-talking and circling around their feelings—but once they finally do open up, it feels very natural and well-earned. Their relationship develops slowly and sweetly, even if the passage of time is sometimes hard to track. A little more clarity on the timeline (maybe in the chapter headers?) would’ve helped, especially since the story spans weeks rather than days.
I’d highly recommend this to fans of cozy fantasy romance, especially if you liked The Spellshop but wanted a bit more focus on the romance. I’m definitely looking forward to seeing what comes next in this series!
The dynamic between the leads is a bit frustrating at times—there’s a lot of not-talking and circling around their feelings—but once they finally do open up, it feels very natural and well-earned. Their relationship develops slowly and sweetly, even if the passage of time is sometimes hard to track. A little more clarity on the timeline (maybe in the chapter headers?) would’ve helped, especially since the story spans weeks rather than days.
I’d highly recommend this to fans of cozy fantasy romance, especially if you liked The Spellshop but wanted a bit more focus on the romance. I’m definitely looking forward to seeing what comes next in this series!
lighthearted
relaxing
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
adventurous