Black Cake opening lines: He should have known it would come to this. He should have known the day that hak gwai wife of his ran away from home.
My blurb:
Benny’s mom could surf waves most men would steer away from. The water was her friend, but it also held her secrets. Now Benny is home to hear what the lawyer has to say. Her mother is dead and her brother, Byron is barely talking to her. But there is a Black Cake in the freezer waiting for them. And they have to get through the past to know when to share it.
Black Cake
Eleanor Bennett won’t let her own death get in the way of the truth. So when her estranged children – Byron and Benny – reunite for her funeral in California, they discover a puzzling inheritance. First, a voice recording in which everything Byron and Benny ever knew about their family is upended. Their mother narrates a tumultuous story about a headstrong young woman who escapes her island home under suspicion of murder, a story which cuts right to the heart of the rift that’s separated Byron and Benny. Second, a traditional Caribbean black cake made from a family recipe with a long history that Eleanor hopes will heal the wounds of the past.Can Byron and Benny fulfil their mother’s final request to ‘share the black cake when the time is right’? Will Eleanor’s revelations bring them back together or leave them feeling more lost than ever?
My verdict:
What a wonderfully written book about true love, and where it can take you. The novel touches on the awful issue of women having to give up their babies for adoption if they were unwed during a certain period of history. The story has a lovely ending that might see you grab a box of tissues. Now all that is left for me to do is bake a Black Cake.
Publishing information:
Disclosure: I was sent the book to review by Penguin Random House South Africa. I was not required to write a positive review. This post is in line with my blogging policy.
Inspiration published on Lavender and Lime April 17:
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- 2020: Tortilla Chips
- 2019: Zibaldone
- 2017: Hot Cross Buns Pudding
- 2016: Polar Loop Fitness Wearable
- 2015: Win Tickets To Parklife Cape Town
- 2014: Yoghurt Pastry
- 2013: ‘Making’ Our Own Champagne At Weltevrede
- 2012: Ginger Prawns On An Apple And Tatsoi Salad
- 2011: Food Quiz Number 51 For A Friday
- 2010: Food Quiz Number 26 For A Friday
