Stirred Awake: A Small Restaurant, a Man Who Pays Attention, and the Hardest Thing She's Ever Made (Curvy Café Chronicles Book 2)

She built her restaurant to be seen exactly as much as she chose.
Then he wrote about her — and the whole city came looking.

Sofia Rossi has spent her life feeding people so she never has to be known by them. Now she's opened Ritorno, twelve perfect tables in Montréal's Little Italy, a room designed so the food does the talking and she stays safely behind the pass.

Marco Vitelli is a food writer with a rare gift: he doesn't just taste the plate, he tastes the cook. One glowing piece and Sofia's quiet dream is suddenly the thing the whole city is talking about — reservations booked for weeks, strangers photographing her through the kitchen window, everything she built to control now wide open.

And Marco has a secret. He pitched her as the story that would make his career before he ever tasted her food — before he fell for the woman behind it.

When Sofia finds out, she does what a Rossi does best: she shuts the door, pulls the restaurant inward, and nearly kills the very thing she loves to prove that being seen means being used. Now Marco has to give up the story of a lifetime to prove she was never a story to him at all.

The second book in the Curvy Café Chronicles — a warm, swoony second-chance-at-being-known romance about a curvy chef, the man who sees straight through her, and a Little Italy neighborhood that never minds its own business.

Readers who love this book get:

A confident curvy chef adored at the center, not the edges
A hero who sees her completely — and can't look away
Restaurant-world atmosphere you can taste
A slow-burn simmer with a secret at its heart
The whole meddling Rossi family & Little Italy
A grand gesture that costs him everything
Guaranteed HEA — no cheating, no cliffhangers

Can be read as a standalone. One-click and pull up a chair.

Praise for Stirred Awake...

"A gorgeous slow-burn romance with rich atmosphere and genuine emotion. Sofia and Marco’s story unfolds with patience and depth, making every moment feel earned. A beautiful, comforting read."

"Loved every page. The chemistry is subtle but powerful, and the restaurant setting gives the story so much warmth and texture. Sofia is a fantastic lead."

"A tender, emotional romance that builds quietly and stays with you. Great characters, strong writing, and a setting that feels alive. Highly enjoyable from start to finish."

About the Author:

Helena Moreau writes swoony, slow-burn romantic comedies about strong, curvy heroines, cinnamon-roll men, and the beautiful chaos of falling in love when you least expect it. When she’s not baking up fictional wedding disasters or writing flirty banter at midnight, she’s drinking too much coffee, misplacing her phone, and pretending not to cry at strangers’ love stories. She believes in messy feelings, happy endings, and second chances—preferably with frosting.

Also check out the hit Curvy Brides Club series by Helena Moreau!

About the Publisher:

At BLOCKBUSTER STORY PUBLISHING, we believe in the power of a great story to captivate, entertain, and inspire.

Our authors are focused on writing, not chasing likes and followers, building author websites or obsessing over social media—they're here to create and share unforgettable stories.

We publish books for readers, not algorithms. If you’re looking for bold, entertaining stories that put the art of storytelling first, you’ve come to the right place.