Category: Part of a Series

The Baby Dragon Bookshop by A.T. Qureshi

On By TracyIn Contemporary, New To Me Author, Paranormal / Fantasy, Part of a Series, Romantasy, Tracy's ReviewsLeave a comment

The Baby Dragon Bookshop (The Baby Dragon, #3)The Baby Dragon Bookshop by Aamna Qureshi

Tracy’s Rating: 3 of 5 stars

Series: The Baby Dragon #3

Release Date: February 3, 2026

Emmaline “Emmy” Sterling the owner of Inferno, a dragon-roasted coffee company decides to expand her business, she approaches Anh, the matriarch of the Trang family and learns that she is not the only coffee business looking for investors. Her nemesis, Luke Hayward, the owner of Tempest, a chimera-roasted coffee company. Her trouble with Luke started seven years ago, when he dumped her sister Millie, after they hooked up. To avenge her sister, Emmy caught Luke’s attention and after one date and night of passion, she dumped him in retaliation. Since then, she has gone out of her way to avoid him and forget he exists. Now to get Anh to invest in her company she must compete with Luke to open a coffee shop in the Tales & Tails Bookshop, the best coffee shop design will open the coffee shop and Anh will invest in their business. Now she has to see Luke almost every day for the next six weeks, and on top of that, her family is demanding her attention and she can’t say no. She is feeling the pressure and despite everything, she finds herself liking Luke, which is completely unacceptable – right?

Luke has been pining for Emmy for seven long years, when they met he had no idea she was Millie’s sister and he knows that he acted like a jerk when he broke up with her, but he knew they had no future and didn’t want to lead her on, but when he met Emmy, he felt something he had never felt before and was sure she was “the one” only to be dumped by her the morning after their amazing night together. He understood her anger but was sure that she would realize that they had something special. He seriously underestimated Emmy’s loyalty to her family – even thought her sister has long since married a man she is madly in love with and has several children. When Anh first proposes that they merge companies, Luke is happy to agree, but clearly Emmy does not and instead he agrees to a competition to win the investment, something he desperately needs to keep his business afloat and to help his very ill mother. But that doesn’t mean he can try to win Emmy’s heart at the same time – right?

I loved the blurb for this book and couldn’t wait to dive into the story, even though I hadn’t read the previous books in the series. Sadly, I just had a hard time getting into this book because I didn’t really understand the world the author has built – I don’t know the purpose of the dragons, I don’t know why there seem to be different “factions” of mythical beasts, and honestly, I didn’t like Emmy for most of the book. Overall, the premise of the book was great, and maybe if I had read the previous books and understood the world that the author built, I might have enjoyed this book more than I did – by the end of the story, Emmy did redeem herself, but by then, I had pretty much lost interest. So, while this book was a miss for me, I am sure this book will appeal to fans of cozy fantasy stories and have read the previous books, be sure to check out this book.

*I am voluntarily leaving a review for an eARC that I requested and was provided to me by the publisher/author. All opinions in this review are my own. *

Winter’s Season: A Regency Mystery by R.J. Koreto

On By BarbaraIn Barb's Reviews, Historical Mystery, New To Me Author, Part of a Series, Regency Era (1811-1820)Leave a comment

Winter's Season: A Regency Mystery
Barbara’s rating: 3.5 out of 5 Stars
Series: A Regency Mystery (Not sure if it is a series)
Publication Date: 2/17/26
Period: Regency London
Number of Pages: 300

Captain Edmund Winter, a veteran of the Napoleonic Wars, now serves as a “special envoy” for the Home Office—a sort of one-man police force who moves easily between London’s aristocracy and its working classes. As the foster brother of an earl and the son of a tenant farmer, Winter straddles two worlds, though he never seems entirely comfortable in either. That inner tension adds an intriguing layer to his character.

While capturing a vicious madman responsible for murdering prostitutes in London’s seedier neighborhoods, Winter stumbles upon another body—one that clearly doesn’t fit the pattern. The victim, though dressed as a maid and dumped in an alley, is unmistakably a gentlewoman. Winter quickly realizes she was not killed by the man he has just apprehended, raising the central mystery: how did a woman of her status end up murdered in such circumstances?

As Winter investigates, he uncovers a much more complicated portrait of the victim than expected. She was no sheltered innocent, and the list of suspects grows to include a lover from below stairs, an aristocratic suitor favored by her family, and even those closest to her. While I narrowed the culprit down fairly early, there were enough red herrings to keep the mystery engaging.

Where the book didn’t quite work for me was in the characterization. Several of the supporting characters had potential, but I never felt I truly got to know them. If this is the first in a series, that may improve over time. The story also felt different from my usual historical mysteries—not in a bad way, just unexpected. I generally enjoy a touch of romance alongside the mystery, and while there is a love triangle here, it never felt emotionally convincing. Even though Winter ultimately ends up with one of the women, the connection didn’t resonate with me.

That said, readers looking for a solid mystery with a dark villain and a capable, determined investigator may find a lot to enjoy here. I’d be curious to see whether Winter returns in future books or if this remains a standalone story.

I voluntarily read an early copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

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