Aw gee! What a survival story. I felt like this started a little confusing, but it eventually gets going and keeps you along for the ride.

I was excited to read an early copy of this book, and wow! I cannot believe this was a debut. A sprawling family drama with a little bit of mystery thrown in, I could not put this down. I fell in love with all of the characters, their deep but complicated relationships, and the descriptions of the island nation where everything began. There are a fair amount of characters and POVs to keep track of, but I loved the way they all came together. A bit of a slow burn, but definitely a few surprise reveals along the way to keep things moving! Highly recommend, and I absolutely cannot wait to see what the author does next. Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the ARC!

BLACK CAKE is a fantastic novel that focuses on families and choices in a subtle but powerful way. It should not be a surprise that this multigenerational family drama made my favorite list! There’s much to be learned in this story and I was engrossed from the very beginning. Each character is well developed and the writing is beautiful. I can't wait for more people to fall in love with this story!

“Black Cake” Book Review @readblacknblog

How do you respond to a novel centered around the false narratives the characters create, that ultimately defined their lives. Left in suspense, excitement and concern, I breezed through these chapters feeling like I was an unmentioned character watching as it all played out. The author in her debut novel does not hold anything back. She lets loose topics of family dynamics, identity, diasporas of The Caribbean and the British, historical references, tradition, culture and food.

Connections and discoveries; hmm what about them? You realize that with every discovery revealed or expose somehow there was this distinct connection between the characters. From the origin of the Caribbean culture to the path of British migration it was thought of to be better off lived, but it turned out to be where ever you try to escape you realize you are still black. As much as centuries turn and evolve, the color of your skin still does matter.

What happens when people do not fit into the boxes that others have set for them? The author gives us complex, separation, tolerance, racism, tradition, sexual identity and normalcy as the epicenter of this intriguing story. Don’t allow anyone to box you in or limit you, but instead create your own narrative and live.

The burdens of keeping lifelong secrets can change the course of every path you take. The author shows Covey,also known as Eleanor; path of loss, loneliness, abandonment, chaos and trauma because of a secret she couldn’t reveal. One secret she could not keep was one of the “Black Cake.” The emotions and connections associated with the recipes, the origin, culture and tradition of this “black cake”pieces the story together. Who would think once a bouquet would travel through generations? The author‘s only hope was that the “emotional notes in the story will resonate with people of various backgrounds.”

Black Cake centers on two estranged siblings who reconnect after their mother's death. I was really excited to get into this book but unfortunately, it wasn't for me (unpopular opinion here!). I wasn't a fan of the writing or the book's structure, and it was a little slow for me. Thank you, NetGalley.

This story begins in the present with siblings, Byron and Benny dealing with their mother, Eleanor Bennett’s death. Once very close, the siblings have barely spoken since Benny walked out the day she tried to explain who and what she was to her family.

Neither of them wants to be sitting with their mothers’ long-time friend and lawyer listening to what their mother has left for them. Recordings of a story. Of her past and how they all came to be what they are now. A story that starts on an island and goes to London and California. A story of a girl who loved the sea. A girl whose drunken father sold her to a horrible excuse of a man. A girl who runs into the sea in her wedding dress to escape.

It is also about friendships, race, and betrayal. About long-held secrets and even a secret child. And of course, the black cake. Their inheritance. The cake they will share with their sister when they find her. Full of misunderstandings, secrets, and injustices, this is one of the most beautifully written books I have read. What a joy to have read this debut novel!

NetGalley/February 1st, 2022 by Ballantine Books

Gorgeous debut novel. The story takes you from 1950s (Jamaica - it's never names, but a Carribbean island) to Great Britain to California and back again. It's the story of Eleanor Bennett - the choices she made, the hardships she had to overcome, the love and family she ultimately found - and how those choices and circumstances affect her children. Who they are, who they think they are, and who they might yet become.

"We can't choose what we inherit. But can we choose who we become?

In present-day California, Eleanor Bennett's death leaves behind a puzzling inheritance for her two children, Byron and Benny: a traditional Caribbean black cake, made from a family recipe with a long history, and a voice recording. In her message, Eleanor shares a tumultuous story about a headstrong young swimmer who escapes her island home under suspicion of murder. The heartbreaking tale Eleanor unfolds, the secrets she still holds back, and the mystery of a long-lost child, challenge everything the siblings thought they knew about their lineage, and themselves.

Can Byron and Benny reclaim their once-close relationship, piece together Eleanor's true history, and fulfill her final request to "share the black cake when the time is right"? Will their mother's revelations bring them back together or leave them feeling more lost than ever?"

Thanks to NetGalley for the free ARC in exchange for my honest review.

I struggled to finish this one and I am sorry to say that this book just didn't work for me. I felt as though the writing was SOLID and I would alove to read more by this author. However, the story just felt slow and I was more than a little bored. I didn't mind the alternating view points with each chapter, but I just became too bored with the each of the characters.

Such a page-turner! I could not put this one down! This book follows the family drama of Byron and Benny as they navigate learning more about their family history. 10/10 recommend! Thank you to NetGalley and Random House Publishing Group - Ballantine, Ballantine Books for a copy of this book for an honest review.

What a dazzling debut from author Charmaine Wilkerson. BLACK CAKE is a family saga filled with secrets, drama, but more than anything, love. I think it’s best to go into this story knowing next to nothing about the plot and to go on the journey as siblings Byron and Benny learn about their family and themselves. Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for sending an eARC of this gem. I can’t wait for people to read this soon. Book of the Month is offering this as a January pick, and I strongly recommend it.

It just became 2022, and I can confidently say this book will be one of my favorites of the year! I loved the writing, I loved the characters, I loved the history, I loved the story! This book touches on so many issues, so brilliantly, I couldn't put it down! What a captivating, awesome debut novel, I highly recommend it!

Thank you #BlackCake, #netgalley for the arc. Black Cake publishing 2/1/22.

This book had a lot of layers to it. Told by several characters, it was an easy book to get lost in. Byron and Benny learn about their mother’s secrets after she’s gone. It doesn’t matter who you are, every family has secrets, siblings fight, grow apart. Eventually something brings them all back together.
I thought this was a good book, I liked the way it was told and it certainly kept my interest to the end
Thanks to the publisher and Netgalley for the early copy

Estranged siblings Byron and Benny come together on the death of their mother, Eleanor, who has left them a traditional Caribbean black cake and a recording that reveals many secrets about Eleanor’s life starting with her real name. Sure to be a book group fav for all the discussion possibilities that should be accompanied by black cake.

This may be one of the most perfect books I've read in a long time. This is a story about history, a family's as well as a cultural history. I don't know if some readers may doubt some of the connections but I think that instead it powerfully shows gene culture coevolution throughout and I didn't think there was any element of the story left unexplained The roots ran deeper than just imagination. The author did her research and it showed. I can't wait for this to be on the shelves so I can recommend it over and over, in fact I already have!

Wow, what an amazing story. The author is a great writer that kept me quickly coming back for more.
This was a complex story about family and its many dynamics and how each one in the family reacted to what was dealt them.
Brother and sister Byron and Benny reunite after a long separation after their mother dies, having been called by their mothers lawyer to come and listen to a recorded message she had left them.
As we listen to the the story she has recorded, we are taken back to the mothers home in the Caribbean, then England before moving to the USA and what happened to her along the way and this brings us back and forth between her life and her two children's lives, and how the Black cake has been a thread throughout.
So much to discover, take your time and savor the beautiful story telling.
I look forward to another novel by this author.
I would like to thank NetGalley and Random House Publishing Group - Ballantine

This was about a family spanning multiple generations and their many secrets and dysfunctions. The characters were multifaceted and very real. They faced a multitude of hardships which profoundly shaped how they viewed the world and also how they reacted to it, both positively and negatively.

The writing of this was good, as was the character development. I applaud the author for handling difficult topics with heart and finesse. Unfortunately, I had much difficulty keeping focused while reading this and it did not hold my interest very well. I actually put it down to read something else for awhile and then went back. Perhaps it could’ve used some editing. I think that this in-depth character and familial study will actually appeal to many readers. The style and story just weren’t my favorite.

Many thanks to Netgalley, Ballantine Books and Charmaine Wilkerson for my complimentary e-copy ARC in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.

What a way to start off 2022 with Charmaine Wikerson's debut novel. And what a debut! I really enjoyed Black Cake, the twists and turns of the timelines, the character development and overlap of these connecting characters kept me on my toes.
Overall this is a story of the family secrets we keep, the utter love and sacrifice that we make to protect ourselves and our family, and the consequence that occurs when our pride and often our hard headedness keeps us disconnected from those that we love.
Overall, I loved how the story played out and the focus on the children of Covey. What I did miss and what I wish was a bit more developed was the loved between Covey and Gibbs. I feel this was skipped over as the timeline jumped and this would have helped me understand Covey's deep loyalty to him that kept so much distance between her and her daughter.

Welcome to the world of fiction Charmaine, I am so glad that you are here!

Thank you to NetGalley, Random House (Ballantine) and to Charmaine Wilkerson for this ARC!

This multigenerational tale pulled at all my heartstrings! I felt for Covey as she had to navigate all the curveballs thrown at her in her young life. I also hurt for Byron, Benny, Bunny, and Marble dealing with the aftermath of all the revelations.
Wilkerson does an amazing job of weaving together history, culture, and family and relationships. This is a book I will not soon forget!

I'm a sucker for a well-written story about people interconnected with each other.

Byron and Benny have lost their mother. Before she died, she left a recording telling them of her life they never knew. This leads them to examine what they knew of their parents and find a sister they never knew existed.

This book is incredibly well written. Different viewpoints flesh out this world and people, and various settings create a vivid picture. Everyone is fully fleshed out with their own faults and dreams. There is an equal blend of sorrow, joy, and hope for the future.

This review doesn't do this book justice of how well written it is. Just go read it.

This review is based on an Advanced Reader Copy provided through Netgalley for an honest review.

This story of a family is both heartbreaking and hopeful. Will appeal to anyone who enjoys books about family secrets and drama.