chidera_Anyanwu

In the streets of Paris, Sophie Laurent, an aspiring pastry chef with a knack for disastrous love stories, decides she's done with dating. After her ex-fiancé dumps her for someone "more adventurous," Sophie retreats into her cozy life of baking and avoids romance like a soggy croissant.
But her well-meaning best friend, Camille, isn't having it.  She was determined to reignite Sophie's love life, Camille secretly signs her up for a trendy matchmaking app. What follows is a series of blind dates so bizarre they could only happen in Paris: a philosopher who won't stop quoting existentialists, a mime who communicates entirely in gestures, and a wealthy art dealer who seems more interested in his reflection than Sophie.
As Sophie navigates the chaos of modern dating, family expectations, and her dreams of opening her own Pâtisserie, she begins to question if love really is a recipe she can control-or if the best things in life happen when you let go and take a chance.
However, with its whimsical Parisian setting, laugh-out-loud moments, and heartwarming romance, One Awkward Date at a Time is a delightful tale of second chances, self-discovery, and finding love in the unlikeliest places..............

ONE AWKWARD DATE AT A TIME

The air inside the little café was thick with the aroma of freshly brewed coffee and the sugary sweetness of pastries just pulled from the oven. Outside, the streets of Paris bustled with their usual charm: tourists snapping photos of the Eiffel Tower in the distance, street performers playing violins, and vendors calling out the day's specials in melodic French accents. It was the kind of postcard-perfect day that should have lifted anyone's spirits. But for Sophie Laurent, it might as well have been raining.

Sitting at a corner table, Sophie stared blankly at the untouched pain au chocolat in front of her. Her favorite pastry, now cold, symbolized everything she felt about her life at the moment: stale and uninspired. Across from her, Camille Martin, her best friend and self-appointed life coach; was mid-sentence, gesticulating wildly.

"Sophie, you're twenty-nine! You're gorgeous, talented, and no offense; completely hopeless at this whole dating thing." Camille took a dramatic sip of her cappuccino before continuing. "You need to get back out there. Adrien is ancient history. And you…" she paused for effect, pointing her finger, "need to let Paris work its magic on you."

Sophie gave a dry laugh, leaning back in her chair. "Paris hasn't been magical for me since Adrien decided he wanted to explore 'other horizons,' which apparently included my Pilates instructor."

Camille winced. "Okay, bad example. But you can't let one jerk ruin your entire outlook on love."

Sophie sighed, running a hand through her messy auburn hair. "Love is overrated. Do you know what isn't? Butter. Butter never betrays you." She motioned toward the display of glistening croissants behind the counter. "I'm better off sticking to my baking. At least I can't get dumped by a crème brûlée."

Camille rolled her eyes. "That's it. You're going on a date."

"Absolutely yes. And not just one date. You're going to go on as many as it takes until you realize that love isn't dead."

"You sound like an Instagram quote right now."

"And yet I'm still right." Camille leaned in, lowering her voice conspiratorially. "I've already set up a profile for you on AmourApp."

Sophie's jaw dropped. "You didn't."

"I did. And your first date is tomorrow night."

"Oh, you can. And you will." Camille smirked, reaching across the table to pat Sophie's hand. "Trust me, darling. By the end of this, you'll thank me."

Sophie opened her mouth to protest again but stopped. What was the point? Camille was like a force of nature—impossible to resist. She let out a resigned groan and took a bite of her now-cold pastry.

"Fine. But when this goes horribly wrong, and it will, I'm holding you personally responsible."

Camille grinned, raising her cup in a mock toast. "To new beginnings and awkward first dates."

Sophie muttered under her breath as she clinked her coffee cup against Camille's. Somewhere in the back of her mind, she couldn't help but wonder if this was the start of a new adventure, or just another recipe for disaster. Either way, Paris was about to get a whole lot more interesting.

Prologue