Sweet & Spicy

Sometimes love begins where healing does.

After a fire takes my parents and leaves me carrying scars I’m not ready to show the world, I escape to Puerto Vallarta with a fiancé I no longer trust, hoping distance will quiet the grief.

It doesn’t.

What does help is an unexpected assignment—and the man who comes with it.

Diego San Román is a rising-star chef with flour on his hands and warmth in his smile. Grounded. Kind. A little guarded. Interviewing him is supposed to be professional. Temporary.

Instead, it becomes cooking lessons, shared meals, and conversations that make the world feel steady again.

When Diego asks me to pose as his date at a high-profile event, I say yes—telling myself it’s just pretend, just a favor between friends.

But pretending has a way of opening doors.

As the spotlight brightens and the truth threatens to surface, I’m forced to face the question I’ve been avoiding:
Is protecting my heart worth staying in something already broken?

Or is love—slow, patient, and unexpectedly sweet—worth the risk of starting over?

A heartfelt, feel-good closed-door romance filled with food, healing, and a slow-burn connection that proves love can rise from the ashes.

Perfect for readers who love:
Fake dating · Celebrity chef romance · Healing after loss · Second chances · Closed-door chemistry · Found family · Sun-soaked settings

Discover a story where sweetness meets strength—and love is the boldest recipe of all.