***I received an advanced reader's copy from the publisher through NetGalley in exchange for an honest review***

This book is a remarkable debut novel! With short chapters from multiple perspectives and varying timelines, a story about family, love, sacrifice, and secrets emerges. It‘s an unique look at racism in the Caribbean, as well as a raw dive into grief and sorrow for things lost and for the hurdles life places in the way. A five star read for me.

This might end up being one of my favorite books read in 2023, I just really connected with it. Bryon and Benny have just lost their mother, but the story really revolves around discovering who their mother really was and their relationship with each other. It is the multi-generational family drama that is a sub-genre favorite of mine. To be honest, I found the story of Eleanor's life pre-children the more fascinating and compelling chapters. There is so much in the book, a bit too much at points. Eleanor is the only really well-developed character, though I did really enjoy the other characters like Eleanor's childhood best friend and the housekeeper. There is food (the famed black cake), racism, the effects of colonialism, alcoholism, sexism, and a fractured sibling relationship. I don't want to give away other content warnings in case I spoil anything. There is a grief at the center that made me tear up at points, and also just the "now what?" feelings that accompany loss. It was a book that made me want to pick it up to find out what happened, while also bracing myself for the sadness ahead. The secrets revealed at the end left me smiling, and I am so glad I finally read this one. Thank you to Netgalley and Random House Publishing Group - Ballantine for the advanced copy.

Black Cake is a literary gem that will sweep you away on a captivating journey through the intricacies of family, identity, and the power of inherited legacies. From the moment I delved into the pages of this extraordinary tale, I was enthralled by the author's ability to weave together a story that is both heart-wrenching and hopeful. What sets Black Cake apart is the author's ability to infuse every page with emotional depth and thought-provoking reflections on the choices we make, the burdens we carry, and the resilience of the human spirit. Wilkerson's storytelling prowess is further elevated by her exploration of the significance of names and the threads that connect generations, reminding us that our heritage shapes us in ways we may not fully comprehend. In conclusion, Black Cake is a stunning triumph of storytelling that will linger in your thoughts long after you've turned the final page.

Eleanor Bennett has passed away and leaves an audio message for her children, Byron and Benny, revealing a checkered past. They ultimately realize that there was so much about their parents that they didn't know, but one thing that remained constant, is their love of the traditional Black Cake. As the daughter of a Jamaican mother, this was very familiar to me, as it served as the groom's came at my wedding. Learning of its original and an actual recipe, also had me intrigued.

Byron and Benny must mend their differences, in order to tackle the biggest secret of them all…another sibling. This part of the story tugged at my heartstrings, because each sibling was faced with issues of their own.

What I loved most about this book by @charmspen1, is the journey that she took the readers on. From the Chinese presence in Jamaica (my mother's first boss was an Asian lady by the name of Miss Chin), to the significance of swimming (I swear, my entire family is a fish…except me), to schooling in England, to jobs in Scotland and then the migration to America. I also loved how throughout it all…love won. My favorite character is a tie between Pearl and Gibbs. Pearl for truly being the keeper of secrets (for Matilda and Covey) and Gibbs, for never giving up on love. He was a stand-up guy thru and thru. My least favorite character was Mr. Lin, until I met Little Man. You'll have to read the book in order to know why.

I read this book in observance of Caribbean American Heritage Month, and I wish I could remember who to thank for sending me the paperback and @randomhouse for sending me the e-book. This is one book I will revisit and had earned a spot on my Best Books of 2023.

Thank you to Net Galley and Ballantine/Random House for the ARC in exchange for my honest review. This novel includes beautiful storytelling of a family and the historical traumas and misunderstandings. We start the story with Bennie and Byron, sister and brother who have learned that there mother has died They are back in Jamaica to listen to a reading of their mother's will and a note from the mother is included that shares family secrets that will change the way they look at their lives and all the things that have come before. I loved the way the author wove Black cake and other Jamaican culture into the story. I highly recommend this book. 4.5 stars.

I liked this book a lot. I wanted to LOVE it, but something was off. It has so many things I like: family secrets, historical and cultural context, short chapters, complicated characters, and female friendship. Reading it felt like being tossed back and forth on the waves. At times it was unsettling as the narrative moves quickly from present to past and from one character's POV to another's. But it was never confusing. A lot of current issues were brought up but there wasn't enough time to look at any of them in depth which made for less of an emotional connection to the story.

The main thing that bugged me was a few coincidences that led to the resolution. I really struggle with a book (or movie or show) when there are too many coincidences to move the story in specific directions.

BUT! I would still totally recommend this book and I practically inhaled it over the course of two days.

Black Cake by Charmaine Wilkerson was an amazing story. I had a hard time putting this book down. It is a must read. SO GOOD!!!!

This story will live in my heart for years to come. I loved all of the different point of views and how the different stories weaved together. The transitions were seamless and I loved how the certain symbols were weaved into every story. Black Cake is haunting but also stunning. Lovers of The Vanishing Half will also love this story.

I found this story full of so many experiences and perspectives. It is a multigenerational novel that traverses the sea from the Caribbean to the UK. A riveting story of love, identity, fear, celebrity, trauma, separation, reunion, and a family both pulled together and torn apart. It is easy to become invested in the characters even through the various name changes and at times the sometimes vast number of characters. It felt at times historical in context and overall was an easy intriguing read. Thanks to NetGalley and Ballantine Books for this ARC. This is my honest review.

I must confess that the only reason I finished this book was because I needed it for a prompt in a book challenge. I contemplated DNFing it at around 30% but I couldn’t find another book to replace it that interested me. Ultimately, I sucked it up and here we are.

I loved the idea and what the author was going for here, but this book was just TOO MUCH.

Estranged siblings reunite upon the passing of their mother. They must listen to a recording she left for them and then eat her famous black cake when the time is right (and they’ll know when the time is right.) As the book goes on, we learn of their mother’s many, many, many (did I say many?) secrets. This all sounds like it would be a great book, right? Alas.

First of all, there were just too many characters. There was also very little dialogue. You get the characters’ backstories but you never really come to know them or why you should root for them. I skipped so many pages just to get through it—to get to the point.

The recording/re-telling of the mother’s life was like a soap opera; it became ridiculous after a while. And yet somehow something with so much drama was really pretty boring.

This book also had just about every social issue in it you could think of. I love a good book about a social issue that makes a reader learn more about a subject or a new point of view or look at something in a new way, but there was no learning here. It was just issue after issue after issue, all tossed in with the main point of this story which TBH, I’m still not sure what that was.

TL;DR: I think the author had a great idea for a book and the editor fell down on the job.

I did not love this book as much as I was hoping to. It took a decent amount of the story for me to full feel invested in the characters lives. I preferred the chapters based in the past rather than the present, the present chapters made me lose some interest. That was more based on the characters than it was on the story. A little past the halfway mark I started to get more invested.

This book was thoroughly touching. By the end I had teared or cried for almost every character (except Johnny Lyncook. Forget him). The writing is beautiful, the characters become friends and fairly quickly. The connections between generations, personal histories and realities and the love a mother gave to her children and friends is deeply intimate, personal and touching. One of my favorite books of all time.

Finally got around to picking this up after hearing everyone rave about it for the last year. Sometimes when that happens, expectations are too high and it ends up being disappointing. That was not the case here. Hooked from the first page, I couldn't put it down.

I really enjoyed Black Cake. The mystery, the family drama and learning about other cultures. The back and forth timeline might feel a little choppy to some but I didn't mind it at all. Very entertaining story.

Thank you to Ballatine and Netgalley for an advanced readers copy of this book for my honest opinion.

The origin of black cake lies in British plum pudding, but the heart of black cakes lies in the Caribbean. For Benny and Byron Bennett, a black cake is a last gift from their mother Eleanor. A cake and a recording of Eleanor telling her story is their heritage. This book covers a lot social and political ground. Yet, the thread always winds back to Eleanor's story, which is emotional and compelling. Given that this is Charmaine Wilkerson's debut novel, I look forward to what she writes next.

Read my complete review at http://www.memoriesfrombooks.com/2023/03/black-cake.html

Reviewed for NetGalley.

Estranged siblings Bea and Bryon come together after their mother died. Ma’s lawyer has a video tape that is eight hours long and which must be heard together and in the presence of the lawyer. The tape tells the real history of their family, not the one that their parents had them believe all their lives. And they are told that they must eat the Black Cake in the freezer at the “right time.”

This wonderful book is beautifully written. It addresses so many issues including family beliefs, immigration, race, identity, sacrifice, tough decisions, sexuality, and the environment. And it does so in a way that doesn’t interfere with the story, but enhances our knowledge of the characters and the hard decisions they made in their lives.

I received this book as an ARC from NetGalley.

First things first: I really need to find a good recipe for black cake! This is the Caribbean treat that is part of family traditions. It is saved for important events such as Christmas, weddings, and anniversaries. It sounds delicious.

Charmaine Wilkerson does an excellent job of describing life in the Caribbean for a mixed-race girl, who suffers from racial injustice, a broken family, and many hidden details about her life.

The reader follows Covey, her children, and her friends through many years and ordeals. As the story unfolds, we learn about her surfing and swimming. We hear about her arranged marriage, abusive relationships, and her lifelong struggle for survival.

This was Charmaine Wilkerson's debut novel and I look forward to future books.

Charmaine Wilkerson’s novel Black Cake is the story of Eleanor Bennett’s past. Through the stories of her past she leaves in a recorded message to her children and the last cake she made that is in the freezer, her children get to know the mother they never knew, and in doing so, they get to know more about themselves. I voluntarily read and gave an honest review of this complimentary copy of this beautiful, well-written book full of secrets, family, friendships, loyalty, betrayal, and memories. This book will keep you reading to find out the answers to the secrets that have affected many of the characters' lives.

Thank You to Charmaine Wilkerson and Netgalley for the ARC. I had selected Black Cake months before my Book Club picked it for our discussion and read it with my group. While they all thought it was terrific, I found it just ok. I like the story on the island, and the life that was experienced in England, however the build-up to the final pages left me wanting it to not be so buttoned up.

It took me some time to get into this book, but in the end I thought it was done really well and was really interesting. The character development was fantastic, and the story itself was unique.