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Cake Eater
For fans of raw celebrity memoirs, Bravo Summer House star Carl Radke gives listeners a look into his unfiltered journey of recovery, resilience and transformation.
Sober Carl isn’t fun—or is he?
Carl Radke’s path from reality TV’s party-loving star to a life centered around recovery has been anything but straightforward. Famous for his role on Summer House, Carl’s journey in the spotlight has forced him to confront personal battles under public scrutiny. Beyond the cameras, he’s faced struggles with addiction, the weight of toxic masculinity, the heartbreaking loss of his brother and a quest to find real joy in a world that equates fun with alcohol.
In this candid memoir, Carl opens up about a side of his life few have seen. With unfiltered honesty, he takes listeners through the highs and lows, from career shifts and family dynamics to finding peace in his recovery. Each chapter dives into the hard-earned lessons he’s gathered, proving that life can be fulfilling—even without a drink. His story shows that fun and authenticity aren’t only compatible with sobriety; they can thrive because of it.
Whether processing grief, navigating sober relationships or confronting the public’s perceptions, Carl’s journey is one of resilience, growth and self-discovery. Through vulnerability and humor, Carl redefines “fun,” reminding listeners that the most meaningful transformations come from within. This memoir is a must-hear for anyone seeking the courage to redefine their own path.
Sober Carl isn’t fun—or is he?
Carl Radke’s path from reality TV’s party-loving star to a life centered around recovery has been anything but straightforward. Famous for his role on Summer House, Carl’s journey in the spotlight has forced him to confront personal battles under public scrutiny. Beyond the cameras, he’s faced struggles with addiction, the weight of toxic masculinity, the heartbreaking loss of his brother and a quest to find real joy in a world that equates fun with alcohol.
In this candid memoir, Carl opens up about a side of his life few have seen. With unfiltered honesty, he takes listeners through the highs and lows, from career shifts and family dynamics to finding peace in his recovery. Each chapter dives into the hard-earned lessons he’s gathered, proving that life can be fulfilling—even without a drink. His story shows that fun and authenticity aren’t only compatible with sobriety; they can thrive because of it.
Whether processing grief, navigating sober relationships or confronting the public’s perceptions, Carl’s journey is one of resilience, growth and self-discovery. Through vulnerability and humor, Carl redefines “fun,” reminding listeners that the most meaningful transformations come from within. This memoir is a must-hear for anyone seeking the courage to redefine their own path.
160 pages, Hardcover
Published December 30, 2025
44 people are currently reading
587 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 14 of 14 reviews
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
the only thing that comes close to rivaling my love of reading is, unfortunately, my love of bravo's summer house
(thanks to the publisher for the e-arc)
(review to come)
(thanks to the publisher for the e-arc)
(review to come)
November 8, 2025
As a Summer House fan, I was excited to read this one! Carl has always been open about his addiction, and Cake Eater gives an intimate look into his sobriety journey. The writing is pretty simple, and it feels more like he’s telling his story than trying to make it an immersive read.
Overall, it's a quick and heartfelt read for fans who've followed his journey on the show.
Thank you to Netgalley and Rising Action Publishing for the arc! All opinions are my own.
Overall, it's a quick and heartfelt read for fans who've followed his journey on the show.
Thank you to Netgalley and Rising Action Publishing for the arc! All opinions are my own.
March 22, 2025
So ready for this book🏃🏻♀️🏃🏻♀️
December 2, 2025
First thing: I fully appreciate how difficult it is to write a memoir, especially a memoir about addiction and eventual sobriety. Props to Radke for even attempting this type of feat.
He really does lay himself bare, so to speak, communicating frankly about his mental health struggles and his family trauma, and how that all led to the bad decisions he made whilst in the throes of addiction. He takes accountability and shows introspection and growth.
Unfortunately, he's just not a good storyteller. And that's fine! He has an interesting enough story to tell, but he doesn't have the skill to deliver it in a way that isn't mind-numbingly repetitive and inarticulate. There's enough material for a full-length memoir, but Radke's inability to wordsmith means that he will often begin a new chapter by rehashing the previous one. If I had a dime for every time the word "stuff" appeared, I'd be able to buy enough LoverBoy to supply a summer of parties.
I don't know if this is entirely true or intentional, but the way it's written, it sounds like Radke's big, rock-bottom, turning-point moment occurred while watching the January 6th insurrection. Which is weird, and kind of funny.
As for the Bravo of it all, I've watched Summer House enough to know what liberties he's taken with the reality we're shown on the show (where we get multiple perspectives, not just his own), so hearing his take on his separation from not just LoverBoy but Lindsay was an interesting spin, to say the least. His hard sell of Soft Bar in the final chapters was just as sweaty as it was on TV.
He really does lay himself bare, so to speak, communicating frankly about his mental health struggles and his family trauma, and how that all led to the bad decisions he made whilst in the throes of addiction. He takes accountability and shows introspection and growth.
Unfortunately, he's just not a good storyteller. And that's fine! He has an interesting enough story to tell, but he doesn't have the skill to deliver it in a way that isn't mind-numbingly repetitive and inarticulate. There's enough material for a full-length memoir, but Radke's inability to wordsmith means that he will often begin a new chapter by rehashing the previous one. If I had a dime for every time the word "stuff" appeared, I'd be able to buy enough LoverBoy to supply a summer of parties.
I don't know if this is entirely true or intentional, but the way it's written, it sounds like Radke's big, rock-bottom, turning-point moment occurred while watching the January 6th insurrection. Which is weird, and kind of funny.
As for the Bravo of it all, I've watched Summer House enough to know what liberties he's taken with the reality we're shown on the show (where we get multiple perspectives, not just his own), so hearing his take on his separation from not just LoverBoy but Lindsay was an interesting spin, to say the least. His hard sell of Soft Bar in the final chapters was just as sweaty as it was on TV.
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
Let me start by saying that I have been a fan of Carl for years and I love a heartfelt memoir. I think the topics discussed are very deep and I am so proud of him for sharing his story. As a reader though, I have to admit that this is not a good book. It just plainly is not written well- the language is very repetitive and the order of chapters often does not make sense in terms of the timing of Carl's life.
There are a few great moments where Carl is very vulnerable and it feels very intimate to the reader. However, the majority of the points that he tries to make, he states them over and over-sometimes using the exact same verbiage as before. Multiple times, I had to question if I imagined reading the same passage twice but it turns out that it just was written twice in two different places.
This book is short, less than 200 pages, but honestly it felt so much longer because it was so cyclical. I am so, so proud of Carl for sharing his story, I just wish the book was better edited and likely shortened by 5o pages so that each memory is mentioned once and then the story progresses.
There are a few great moments where Carl is very vulnerable and it feels very intimate to the reader. However, the majority of the points that he tries to make, he states them over and over-sometimes using the exact same verbiage as before. Multiple times, I had to question if I imagined reading the same passage twice but it turns out that it just was written twice in two different places.
This book is short, less than 200 pages, but honestly it felt so much longer because it was so cyclical. I am so, so proud of Carl for sharing his story, I just wish the book was better edited and likely shortened by 5o pages so that each memory is mentioned once and then the story progresses.
November 14, 2025
This was an inspiring book while at times a bit repetitive in the stories/messaging. This was a book about addiction & recovery and your typical book you would find from a Bravolebrity. It reminded me of Mike The Situation's book about his journey with fame & addiction. There are no big salacious bombshells just a story of taking it day by day and overcoming life's struggle. It made me look at my own life and my relationships and how I can make changes to be a better person. I am inspired and grateful for Carl sharing his story and I know it will help many people.
December 31, 2025
I binged "Summer House" on Bravo in the last few years, so I was excited when I saw Carl had a book coming out. Do I think it's worth reading if you're a fan of the show? Yes. Do I think it could use a good edit because it felt repetitive at times and therefore didn't have the best flow? Also yes. It's clear that sober Carl is the best version of Carl - and I'm so happy for him that he's been able to find purpose in his journey. Thanks so much to NetGalley and Rising Action Publishing for the advanced copy in exchange for my honest review - it's out today!
December 5, 2025
Being a summer house fan this book had me hooked from the start,
I could hear Carl's voice when I read it and it is written more like a story and not as hard to read as some biographies can be
As a fan of the show I was so excited to get this book and being able to read about Carl's sobriety journey, however the issue I had is I felt it could be repetitive
Overall, definitely worth a read especially if you're a summer house fan
very grateful to netgalley and the publishers for this arc
I could hear Carl's voice when I read it and it is written more like a story and not as hard to read as some biographies can be
As a fan of the show I was so excited to get this book and being able to read about Carl's sobriety journey, however the issue I had is I felt it could be repetitive
Overall, definitely worth a read especially if you're a summer house fan
very grateful to netgalley and the publishers for this arc
December 25, 2025
I have loved Summer House since its inception and have basically watched Carl grow up on TV. His book was raw and full of heart, shedding more light than we had already seen on the depth of his addiction and the reasons behind his drug and alcohol use. I really root for him in his sober life path. This book is not, however, well written or edited. It is quite repetitive and skips around a lot. It is difficult to follow at times.
November 13, 2025
I love reading memoirs of people I've never heard of and this one was very good. It didn't flinch from talking about Radke's worst moments and showed his progress beautifully. 5 stars. tysm for the arc
December 30, 2025
So proud of Carl! I’m impressed by how honest he was about everything in this book. He has overcome more than I realized and has a great perspective. I really enjoyed listening to his story and how in tune he is with his authenticity. Nice work, Carl!
January 1, 2026
Carl’s raw and vulnerable narrative on his recovery is authentic. I applaud him for opening up to the public on discussing some challenging topics. Addiction or not, I believe anyone can benefit from reading this book.
December 20, 2025
Thank you to NetGalley for the advance review copy in return for an honest review.
December 31, 2025
Of course I needed to close out 2025 with some summer house content. I’m happy for Carl and think season 10 of summer house will be electric. Also need to go to softbar.
Displaying 1 - 14 of 14 reviews