This book is a POWERHOUSE! Completely swept me away. Such an engaging and interesting read… I just couldn’t stop turning the pages….
Thank you to NetGalley and Random House Publishing group for the advance copy.

3.5 family recipe stars

This debut writer, Charmaine Wilkerson, shows great promise. This book has an intriguing premise with an audio recording at a parent’s will reading explaining who she really was and more about her family.

Byron and Benny are estranged siblings, now reunited to listen to the will and for their mother’s funeral. They are shocked to listen to her childhood and young adult story and realize that they really didn’t know their parents that well.

We read about their mother’s life on a Caribbean island and her time in England before she moved to California to raise her family. The book also talks about the importance of food and the legacy that it can create. In this case, a black cake recipe connects generations and siblings.

It isn’t clear if the siblings can process all this new information and reconcile their differences. I think both characters have a lot of maturing to do.

I did enjoy this story, but there were so many short chapters, different characters, and social issues that I occasionally lost track of who was who, especially as identities changed throughout the book. Great potential, but it wrapped up too neatly and just didn’t come together for me.

Sacred Secrets are Revealed…

I found Black Cake to be a thought-provoking debut wrapped in a deeply complex family drama that delved into the political, cultural, and generational challenges that Caribbean immigrants (and their descendants) faced in the UK and the United States.  The story opens with the attorney of a family matriarch gathering her two estranged children for the reading of her will.  They are required to listen (together) to a video she prepared shortly before her passing.  What ensues is a mind-blowing “confession” of sorts that causes shock, confusion, doubt, a boatload of angst – and a plethora of questions from the siblings.

The novel shifts from the current day with the siblings as they process their feelings, revisit family conversations and shared events with a new understanding, and drifts back to the past where their mother’s recollection of events reflect the history and culture of the Caribbean and the  (sometimes hostile) social and economic climate in the UK.  Her life is enveloped in realistic yet a tad bit dramatic - which was fine with this reader - I kept reading to see how it was all going to play out (there was a suspenseful/mystery vibe going on and I loved it).  Baked into the plot are heartfelt romances, lifelong friendships, and a glance into the redemptive aspects of love, sacrifice, and loyalty to a fault.

Themes of identity, belonging, concepts of “home,” social responsibilities/role modeling, etc. are explored at varying degrees from the differing viewpoints of the main characters.   These characters are flawed, but they are intelligent, driven, and likable – I felt for them and was pulling for them to find peace and happiness by the novel’s end.  Recommended for fans of historical fiction and family drama/secrets.

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for an opportunity to review!

MAKE THIS THE ONE BOOK YOU READ IN 2022!! 💥

Book 5 of 2022: “Black Cake” by Charmaine Wilkerson; Expected Release Date: Feb. 1, 2022

Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

**Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for an early digital copy of this book in exchange for my review.

First Impression 😍: Beautiful cover. I was instantly drawn to the movement, colors, and font. It wasn’t until after I finished the book that I realized how absolutely brilliant this cover is. I hadn’t even realized it was a woman or water. Just gorgeous.

📣 Review: I hope my headline grabbed your attention! I almost don’t even know where to start to share how much I loved this book. “Black Cake” has tradition, love, longing, and loss — it pulled at my heartstrings in all the right ways, from beginning to end. This was a beautifully written story told across several generations and through multiple perspectives. It dives into hard issues like abandonment, abuse, family disfunction, sexuality, racism, environmental protection… and honestly so much more.

In the end, this is the love story of a mother, a testament to loyalty, and to the resilience of women.

💥 I predict that this book is going to make top charts this year! I can only hope there are more stories waiting inside the mind of this debut novelist, and I’ll be first in line to read them when there is.

I thought this novel started out so strongly - I loved reading about Covey and the island and the swimming and was totally hooked. But then I thought it got too complicated - here’s the grandmother and buried treasure and famous swimmers and long lost secret after long lost secret and it was too much for me.

Black Cake by Charmaine Wilkerson is a multicultural, multigenerational story that will take the reader from the Caribbean to England to Scotland to California. It is the story of bravery & survival, of friendship & family. It’s a story of new beginnings & old memories. It is one of the most unique books I’ve ever read.

what a beautifully written story!! I haven’t felt this content and at peace after reading a story since … I literally can’t remember when

this is a story about family, history and how our past can shape our future. this is a story about not letting other’s misconstrued notions about race, sexuality & gender define who you are. and this is a story about loss, grief and discovering who you are.

I immediately fell in love with every single one of these characters due to the author’s beautiful way of writing them and the circumstances they found themselves in.

the first half was a little confusing since we were introduced to so many characters with no certain way of knowing how they all connected until the middle - but once it all fell into place, I let out a content sigh (or dare I say - a breath I didn’t know I was holding LOLOL).

I would highly recommend this to anyone and everyone - a beautiful beautiful story that’s really all I can say wow

thank you to netgalley and ballantine publishing for the advanced copy in exchange for an honest review. I will be thinking about this one for a long time :’)

rating: 4.5 stars
wine pairing: for this one, I’m letting you choose. the wine that you grew up seeing and has fond memories with. :)

Black Cake is a generational saga about the melting pot of the world. This masterful debut took me from the Caribbean to Europe to California while using a boozey fruit cake to tie everything together - and I loved every minute of it.

If you enjoy books like Pachinko and Homegoing, this is a must read. It’s full of important lessons, family secrets and historical knowledge that help to explain the world we live in. It asks questions like, how well can you really know another person? And what are you willing to do to protect the ones you love?

There were also so many interesting subplots woven in flawlessly. Ocean conservation, colonization, racial stereotypes - it was all so beautifully done.

Grab this for your book club - it will provide endless and excellent discussion.

**Many thanks to NetGalley, Kathleen Quinlan at Ballantine, and Charmaine Wilkerson for an ARC of this book!**

Black Cake is a cake full to bursting with fruits, soaked in rum, and browned with sugar (hence the name.)

Sounds delicious, right?

Well, much like a first attempt at a new recipe that JUST misses the mark...Black Cake had all the promise and potential of a five-star delight...but couldn't quite get the blend just right.

Benny and Byron used to be attached at the proverbial hip, brother and sister who happily did everything together. Time and circumstance have led them away from one another, as Benny's life choices (from the personal to her career choice) have left her a bit ostracized from the family. Byron has taken the 'right' path, but still has so many questions about the past, his mother, and how life has led him to this place.

When their mother passes away, both children are summoned to listen to their mother one last time---via audio recording. What they don't expect is to find out not a breakdown of assets, or a traditional will, but that their mother was holding secrets-life-altering secrets-and has chosen to finally share them now. As her tales unfold, Benny and Byron are transported back in time, and a shocking series of events leaves them both reeling. This is not your typical inheritance---and Benny and Byron have choices to make. Will the interesting and unexpected turns of fate bring them closer together, once and for all? Or will their mother's stunning revelations prove once and for all that the past is MEANT to stay buried?

Black Cake is, if nothing else, a lesson in Identity: what it means to be who you are, how heritage can either define you or hold you captive, and how place and opportunity can shape your destiny. At first, I was deeply wound into Benny and Byron's story, and was intrigued by these narrators and their differing perspectives. The premise was sound, and I thought by story's end I would have a firm sense of WHO these two were and who they could become down the line. At first, the book felt balanced: we got small glimpses into mother Eleanor's life without losing hold of the present-day narrative.

As time went on, however, the central theme of the story became more and more divergent, as character after character was introduced, new locations and complications arose, and the book started to lose focus---and lose my attention. The dramatic 'twists' became a bit repetitive, and there was a heavy emphasis on certain themes such as abuse, without any true conclusion. Much like in Of Women and Salt, the moment I started to connect to a new character's story line, we jumped to another point in time, a new location, or back to present day, and it left me feeling a bit underwhelmed.

Sometimes, you can also tell a lot from an author's note, and it was clear here that Wilkerson did her research about the time periods, cultures,and professions she explores in the book. Her final words alone confirm that Wilkerson is a strong and gifted writer, and that if the execution of this one had been a bit tighter and a bit cleaner, the emotions could have taken center stage and carried the novel.

While the novel's through line is purported to be solely Eleanor's recipe for cake, this book touched on so many other deep themes, without quite giving any of them the depth they needed to sing. I have every confidence this author has more intricate and interesting stories to tell, so I look forward to seeing what she writes in the future---when she hopefully gives her ideas just a LITTLE bit longer to bake.

3.5 stars, rounded up to 4

Such a fantastically crafted multi-generational novel. This book has so much packed into it- certainly a heft feat, and yet Wilkerson made it work so seamlessly. This book touches on themes of grief, identity, family, Carribean culture, multi-generational story telling, immigrant experiences, Black history, familial acceptance, struggles with sexuality/rape/abuse, and so much more. I have yet to read a book like this, and I highly recommend it for fans of character-driven stories that offer many POVs and nonlinear timelines. This was VERY well done.

“The three of them sit there silently for a moment, thinking of small but profound inheritances. Of how untold story shape people’s lives, both when they are withheld and when they are revealed.”

Black Cake is a breathtaking family saga that eloquently spans time and place. It’s told in a resonant narrative that alternates between siblings in present day while interspersing historical chapters of their mother’s life. The alternating points of view culminate into a deep dive of cultural heritage, family dynamics, missed opportunities, loss, and redemption.

There is just something so heartbreaking about a family that loves each other fully and yet still falls apart. I could not stop yearning for reconciliation for these characters.

It’s no surprise to me that this book is already being adapted as a Hulu series, and Oprah and her Harpo Productions are involved.

I’ll finish by saying that I’m really surprised that this is a debut novel as it reads like a work by a seasoned author. I’ll definitely be watching for what this author does next.

My thanks to Random House Ballantine Books for the opportunity to read this book before its February 1 publication date.

Siblings Benny and Byron, estranged for years, fulfill their mother’s last wishes by meeting to listen to an audio recording of their mother telling her life story, including the secrets she held onto for decades. It was quite the story she tells, starting with her life on an unnamed island in the Caribbean, how she ended up in England, and finally the U.S. I was totally invested as the story moved between the past and the present, although the multiple alternating timelines/characters/timelines became confusing, even more so as the story progressed.

I enjoy stories with well-developed characters and plots that deal with sensitive and thought-provoking issues. I understand the author wanted to highlight how people’s lives have been defined by violence, secrets, sacrifice, and prejudice. I appreciated the meaning behind the cultural significance of food and a recipe handed down for generations.

There are books with characters who have issues that are woven organically and subtly into the plot. And then there are issue books. Unfortunately, this one reads like the latter. Multiple coincidences drive the plot forward and the author indulges in the “kitchen sink” style of storytelling, with every possible social issue thrown in for dramatic effect, bordering on the ridiculous and causing some eye-rolling from this reader. I don’t enjoy the heavy-handed approach, which keeps me from becoming invested in a story or caring about the characters.

Wow. ‘Black Cake” by Charmaine Wilkerson is a fabulous debut novel. Kudos to this new author for for such an engaging and well written novel. A definite must read.

“Who I am is your mother. This is the truest part of me.”

This was one of the most beautiful books I’ve ever read. Every time I would tell myself it was time to put the book down, to take a break, to pay attention to something else, my eyes would skate to the next page anyway, and inhale as many words as I could before I eventually had to force myself to stop.

I fell hard and fast in love with this book. With the characters, with the love and loss, and the painfully beautiful monotony that is life. With the history, heritage, secrets. And especially with the descriptions of motherhood, and what we would do, as mothers, to make sure our children don’t have to endure what we did.

When I finished this book, my own boy laid his head in my lap. I played with his curls, rubbed his temples, watched him relax, and thought deep and hard about this book. And simply put: I don’t have the words. It was special. This book was special. And I highly recommend it.

I normally can sit down and read a book in one to two sittings, but I really took my time with this book as it just felt special and I was right! I'm still not entirely sure how to put my feelings into words, this story was just absolutely incredible and had so many layers to it I'm still thinking about it a lot and trying to put myself in Benny's shoes, Byron's shoes, Bunny's shoes, so many people affected by one person. This is my first five year read in a while and one I certainly won't stop thinking about anytime soon!

Books can start off with a very strong story line and seem like the reader has come upon a five star read. However, in the book Black Cake, I descended down a road to where I was bored, confused, and wondering why the author felt she had to include every possible politically correct issue. Are social issues important? Indeed they are, but this compulsion of so many authors to included as many as they can into their story, often interrupts the point and poignancy of the story.

It made me sad that what would have been a fabulous story of family, ancestry, and the generational aspirations became mired in the miasma of beating the reader over the head. I loved the idea of food, in this case, Black Cake being a focus of the generations. We all have a particular food that always inspires us to look back in time, and pass it onto our children and grandchildren. I wish the story had concentrated more on that aspect, it creates such memories in us all.

Added to this were many instances depicted that were beyond coincidence, (the I can't believe this could happen again and again and again moments) plus the name changes were confusing, and the story structure of flipping back and forth between characters was uneven and jarring.

I feel a sense of loss seeing what started out as a fine story become staid and filled with the jargon of the time.

Jan and I had great hopes for this book but both of us were let down and hugely disappointed.
Thank you to the author , the publisher, ad Netgalley for a copy of this story

Now I want to try a piece of delicious black cake!


Family matriarch Eleanor Bennett has just passed away leaving her two children Byron and Benny a audio taped message that they must watch together. In keeping with a long standing family tradition, Eleanor has left a frozen black cake in her freezer which she requests be shared by the siblings at the time they feel is correct.


Byron is a well educate very proud man who has taken care of his aging mother in spite of his busy career as a oceanographer and popular social media figure. His sister Benny is a bit of a rebel, living life on her own terms. She has just been "let go" from her current job before arriving at her mother's memorial. Byron and Benny have not spoken in eight years. Benny has declined to take an active role in the family due to hard feelings she harbors against her relatives. Benny does not feel accepted by her family because of the path she has chosen to take. Clearly there is animosity between the two siblings as they meet at the office of Mr. Mitch who is the attorney representing their mother's estate.


This is a story of secrets, loss, love and forgiveness. "Black Cake" is a fabulous debut novel by Charmaine Wilkerson. It is a very interesting read and will be published February 1, 2022.


Thank you NetGalley and Random House Publishing Group - Ballantine, for the pleasure of reviewing this fantastic e-book. I appreciate it very much!

Fantastic read! So much more than I was expecting and so hard to put down. From family drama, to finding who you are, racial and cultural issues, lies and half truths this book will have you glued to each page trying to figure out who is really who, what really happened and how will it be resolved. This is a must read! Cannot give it enough stars!!

I received a complimentary copy of this book. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own. Thank you NetGalley, Charmaine Wilkerson and Ballantine Books for this edition and hearing my honest review. Looking forward to reading more with you
#partner

There is so much hype surrounding this book so I knew I had to read it. It definitely wasn’t my favorite but I can respect the hype for this one. It’s very different. It’s deep and I perfer more light hearted reads

I was drawn in immediately and couldn’t put this book down. Families are a challenge at best! Resentment, anger, frustration and love. Byron and Benny haven’t spoken in years, but are brought together to handle their Mom’s estate. Surprised by what they find out, they are confronted by their own beliefs, judgements and misunderstandings. Wonderful story with great surprises! A must read!!
Thank you Random House Publishing Group for allowing me to read this amazing novel.
A
I received a complimentary copy of this book, all opinions in this review are my own.