Cake Eater

by Carl Radke

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.

“In Cake Eater, Carl Radke invites us into a deeply personal journey through loss, growth, and finding hope again. It’s an honest, heartfelt reminder that healing takes time and self-compassion, but it’s within reach.”—Lori Gottlieb, Bestselling author of Maybe You Should Talk To Someone and New York Times "Ask The Therapist" columnist

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.

Genres: Nonfiction, Audiobook, Memoir, Biography

Audible Audio

Published December 30, 2025

Reviews

[emma · Rating 2 out of 5]

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)

[amanda eve · Rating 2 out of 5]

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.

[Harleen · Rating 5 out of 5]

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.

[Kevin · Rating 2 out of 5]

Big fan of Carl and am proud of his recovery. He is not a writer.

[szreads · Rating 5 out of 5]

So ready for this book🏃🏻‍♀️🏃🏻‍♀️

[Makenzie Arvidson · Rating 5 out of 5]

My heart belongs to Carl ❤️ (Arvidson, my spouse, but I also love Radke) I am giving this book 5 stars bc it takes courage to share your story and bc I just love him. So proud of him!!! And also Carl and I FaceTimed once so we’re very good friends and I don’t think he would want me to give less than five stars

[Jennifer Tyndall · Rating 4 out of 5]

Rating a memoir feels dumb because it’s someone’s actual story and life but I’m giving it 4 stars because I desperately wanted more about Summer House and his relationship ship with Lindsay because both of those things were a HUGE part of his life and recovery. Also SOMEONE needs to really start calling out Lindsay Hubbard for the gross narcissist she is and stick to it. Stop enabling people like her. I understand he wants to take the high road and I’m sure he’s done his fair share of roasting in real life, but still.

[Colleen Nowlan]

As a lover of celebrity memories, I will say this is one of the best I’ve read

[Shannon Bromberg · Rating 4 out of 5]

Really impressed by Carl! I loved hearing his stories about his young 20s, summer house, and sobriety. It was a really enjoyable read!

[Kelly Chappell · Rating 4 out of 5]

Pleasantly surprised! Carl made no excuses for behavior as some memoirs like this do, he was raw and honest. Also this is a great book to start the new year with especially me trying to do dry (or at least damp!) January!

[Emily · Rating 2 out of 5]

this is kind of one long college application essay and that makes sense because he got a full ride scholarship based on an essay. he also never even explains the title, which i know from mighty ducks / edina, MN. i wish he dramatized a few more scenes instead of just broad statements like “there were hard days” etc. but i am happy for carl’s journey and he does spill some good tea.

[Lindsey Smay · Rating 3 out of 5]

As a Bravo fan, I had to read this book. Although it feels unfair to be able to rate someone personal experiences, I am giving this a 3 on the strict basis of the actual writing. He was very open and vulnerable about his experiences and struggles, but it felt repetitive at times. Not only with the content, but the actual lines of the book itself.

[Jessica Mall · Rating 5 out of 5]

As a fan of Bravo and memoirs, 5 stars! Honest & vulnerable. I’ve loved watching Carl’s personal growth journey on the screen and hearing his story on the pages brought even more vulnerability.

[Maitland Wright · Rating 5 out of 5]

Nobody will ever make me hate Carl

[Carrie · Rating 4 out of 5]

I listened to the audiobook which Carl narrated.
I was actually really pleasantly surprised by this book, and it made me soften up towards Carl a lot. As someone with a parent in recovery who has been sober 30+ years, it really touched me hearing Carl talk about lessons that I have heard from my dad my whole life. It seems like he has really worked the program and that makes me happy and hopeful for him.

Hearing about some of the behind the scenes definitely made me look at his behaviors on Summer House in a different light and also made me appreciate his growth over the years, especially since getting sober. My dad has always told me that a big part of getting sober is finding peace with *yourself* first and it’s cool to get to watch Carl gain confidence and fulfillment as he progresses in recovery.

There were also some surprises in this book and I learned a few new things about Carl, including that he was a PA on Criminal Minds?!

My criticism is that the book felt very repetitive at times.

[Erika · Rating 5 out of 5]

I’m proud of anyone who has the guts to put their story out in a memoir— for anyone who’s merely tried to keep a journal or even be honest with a therapist, that takes chutzpah.

Most people won’t experience the loss of a sibling while filming a wildly popular TV show or have our deepest secrets exposed without consent to that same audience. Regardless of the extraordinary circumstance, Carls story has many relatable experiences: intense pressure to fit in, be successful and project an image that you believe serves you best. The opioid epidemic. Realizing our parents are imperfect humans (and that the addiction gene is real). Living a double life and pretending to be okay when you aren’t. Being an outsider among the extremely privileged. Holding yourself to an impossible standard. The list goes on.

Despite seeing it play out on TV, it’s a warm feeling to confirm how many people were there to look out for him, especially Summer House producers. Assuming most readers keep up with the zeitgeist, we’re hopefully in a period of increasing accountability and moral responsibility shifted to the networks versus leaving participants floundering with newly found celebrity—fairness despite the power imbalance.

I’m proud to see Carl healthy and comfortable in his own skin after putting in the work and finding a higher purpose. It also serves as a reminder that recovery and sobriety looks different to everyone, and there’s no one way to accomplish that. I’ll disclose that I know the author from before TV times, so I’m biased, but I definitely would have left my review blank if I felt differently.

[Kathleen O’Neill · Rating 4 out of 5]

As a recovered alcoholic, I found Carl’s depiction of his addiction/recovery journey extremely guttural, raw and impactful. He expressed his grief and shame in such a heart-wrenchingly beautiful way. It was refreshing to hear a relatively famous straight white male get so vulnerable! Lol

My only two notes are that the last couple of chapters were rather redundant and I don’t believe it was necessary to refer to his recovery program specifically by name. Overall I loved it though and I’ll definitely be adding it to the list of books I recommend to newly sober folks!

[Kayla Brown · Rating 3 out of 5]

It’s very obvious Carl has done a lot of therapy and self reflection. This book is very honest and open and I appreciate that. From a literary standpoint, I found a lot of it repetitive he would bring up a topic like the Stephen debacle, and then say “more about that later” instead of just bringing it up later. It also felt like he tried adding a lot of foreshadowing saying how his partying was obviously a sign of something coming etc instead of unfolding the story and later talking about how his past gave all of the indications of addiction. There were also a few too many “you know?”s thrown in.

Overall it was an easy read and very informative. Well done for getting sober.

[Kate · Rating 5 out of 5]

Audiobook: I’ve watched summer house from the beginning and have seen Carl’s full story unfold on tv, but his book shows us behind the scenes. I can’t imagine having all his struggles and being on reality tv while going through it- I really respect him and his journey. I don’t know him, but I’m so proud of all he’s accomplished and how he’s turned his life around.

[Abbey Faust · Rating 3 out of 5]

I am happy to hear the accountability that Carl has. This has made him be able to grow throughout his life and recovery. It was interesting to learn more about him after being a fan of his on “Summer House.” Glad to hear about his change and can use his message for changes in all of us are possible.

[Anuva]

Not entirely sure how to rank this one so I’ll leave the rank for now but I really enjoyed this! Carl is my favorite Bravo guy and we’ve all watched him struggle so publicly for so long that this book felt like an ode to the next chapter in his life. Loved some of the insider tea we got but it wasn’t anything we didn’t already know.

[Kim · Rating 3 out of 5]

⭐️3.5⭐️ over the years of watching summer house, i haven’t been the biggest carl fan, but listening to his sobriety journey has given me so much more respect for him. looking forward to seeing his journey continue!

[Deborah · Rating 1 out of 5]

A very boring book but happy for you Carl ❤️

[Linnea Anderson · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5 stars! I’m a fan of summer house & was interesting to hear more about his story.

[Becca Penner · Rating 3 out of 5]

Rather repetitive but we love Carl lol

[Haley Klauba · Rating 4 out of 5]

Incredibly repetitive. Severely needs an editor to step in. But love Carl and his story is very moving.

[Anthony Alfano · Rating 4 out of 5]

I don’t think it was particularly well written but you know what? Good for him. I love Carl, always have, always will. I’m proud of the work he’s done, and this was a very inspirational book. It’s repetitive, meandering, but heartfelt, and that’s what’s most important.

[Megan O'Reilly · Rating 3 out of 5]

So much credit for being honest about his struggles... but it was very repetitive and not many stories.. just blanket statements..

[Hannah · Rating 2 out of 5]

I have to stop reading books written by people on reality tv

[Ashley · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5 stars. Definitely some toughie toenail moments, but proud of Carl for his journey and honesty. I was reading an ARC and there were some repetitive moments that I hope were maybe edited?