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The Cake Series #2
CAKEWALK
Socially conservative Texas is the backdrop where success and nonconformity cannot coexist for Bryan, a Black divorced father of two kids, Lindsey, the athletic golden child, and Lance, the unorthodox queer thespian.
Bryan's mother is prideful, domineering, homophobic, and loves bragging to her high-society girlfriends about Bryan's accomplishments and promotion to VP at a large multi-national oil/gas company. Bryan vigorously steers clear of conversations with his mother about more grandkids and eligible Black women because Bryan has been secretly dating Nadia, a white transgender woman.
With authentic insight, Douglas Bell reveals in this autobiographical novel the harm we do to each other when social and family standards keep us from authentically loving or being loved. Cakewalk is a timely story of a man's journey to find long-lasting love as he fights through contemporary racism and maligned sexual and gender identity constructs as his biases are revealed while parenting a queer child.
Bryan's mother is prideful, domineering, homophobic, and loves bragging to her high-society girlfriends about Bryan's accomplishments and promotion to VP at a large multi-national oil/gas company. Bryan vigorously steers clear of conversations with his mother about more grandkids and eligible Black women because Bryan has been secretly dating Nadia, a white transgender woman.
With authentic insight, Douglas Bell reveals in this autobiographical novel the harm we do to each other when social and family standards keep us from authentically loving or being loved. Cakewalk is a timely story of a man's journey to find long-lasting love as he fights through contemporary racism and maligned sexual and gender identity constructs as his biases are revealed while parenting a queer child.
- GenresLGBT
318 pages, Kindle Edition
First published May 1, 2024
4 people are currently reading
51 people want to read
About the author
Douglas Bell
4 books16 followersDouglas Bell is a Black author based in Houston, Texas, writing literary fiction that centers Black male voices and draws upon the quiet wisdom of meditation—rooted in Buddhist philosophy—as a path to reveal our best selves.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 39 reviews
May 24, 2022
Rating: ⭐⭐⭐ ½
Genre: Literary Fiction + LGBTQIA+
This is the story of Bryan, an African American divorced man with two children. Bryan is successful in his career and is soon to be promoted. And for that to happen he has to keep his public image the way the corporation desires. With a secret relationship with a transgender girlfriend (Nadia) and a teenage son who wants to become a drag queen things will be hard for Bryan. He has to sort his priorities whether it is his career, public image, what society demands, or his own identity and the people he loves.
This story is about acceptance, self-acceptance, and acceptance of others. It is about accepting people for what they are, and not for what you want them to be or what society wants them to be. Whether this acceptance is about their race, gender, sexuality, class, etc. Through Bryan’s journey and his blunders, the readers get to see what these mistakes that he committed led to. Then how he eventually tried to rectify all his wrongdoings.
Like many men, and due to society and family pressures, Bryan too has lost his true identity. He had to bury his true feelings and desires to be acceptable in the eyes of others. For example, early in the book, we get to see what a homophobe his mother is. And the main character has to put up with her because she is his mother and loves her.
Bryan like every person is a flawed character. He makes mistakes and he even lost his way due to trying to become someone that he was not. His character felt very real. Actually, I think the author has done a good job with all the characters in the book by keeping them diverse enough and relatable. The story is not an easy read due to the subjects it tackles. There is a fair amount of Homophobia, Transphobia, and racism so be careful of these triggers. Overall, this was a thought-provoking reading experience for me.
Many thanks to the publisher Bumbershoot Press and NetGalley for providing me with an advance reader copy of this book.
Genre: Literary Fiction + LGBTQIA+
This is the story of Bryan, an African American divorced man with two children. Bryan is successful in his career and is soon to be promoted. And for that to happen he has to keep his public image the way the corporation desires. With a secret relationship with a transgender girlfriend (Nadia) and a teenage son who wants to become a drag queen things will be hard for Bryan. He has to sort his priorities whether it is his career, public image, what society demands, or his own identity and the people he loves.
This story is about acceptance, self-acceptance, and acceptance of others. It is about accepting people for what they are, and not for what you want them to be or what society wants them to be. Whether this acceptance is about their race, gender, sexuality, class, etc. Through Bryan’s journey and his blunders, the readers get to see what these mistakes that he committed led to. Then how he eventually tried to rectify all his wrongdoings.
Like many men, and due to society and family pressures, Bryan too has lost his true identity. He had to bury his true feelings and desires to be acceptable in the eyes of others. For example, early in the book, we get to see what a homophobe his mother is. And the main character has to put up with her because she is his mother and loves her.
Bryan like every person is a flawed character. He makes mistakes and he even lost his way due to trying to become someone that he was not. His character felt very real. Actually, I think the author has done a good job with all the characters in the book by keeping them diverse enough and relatable. The story is not an easy read due to the subjects it tackles. There is a fair amount of Homophobia, Transphobia, and racism so be careful of these triggers. Overall, this was a thought-provoking reading experience for me.
Many thanks to the publisher Bumbershoot Press and NetGalley for providing me with an advance reader copy of this book.
August 1, 2022
I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
Cakewalk is a through provoking novel talking the reader through the struggles of navigating the world as a black man who also happens to be in a relationship with a trans woman. This book does an extremely good job on making the reader actually feel for the protagonist as well as Nadia his girlfriend. The character development of someone who cannot help but do his best to be a perfect as possible in order to achieve the status, respect, safety social acceptance and money as a white person in a straight relationdship with a cis partner could more easily have is well done.
My reason for being unable to give this a higher rating is due to the lack of time spend between Bryan and his son with whom the relationship was a lot more telling rather than showing, since we got more short descriptions than actual dialogue between them. I also had certain issues with the pacing being really unstable and Bryans relationships with certain side characters not as well explored as they could of been. Overall a good yet tough important read, huge tws for: racism, trans phobia, mild misogyny, describtions of police brutality, violence against POC and homophobia
Cakewalk is a through provoking novel talking the reader through the struggles of navigating the world as a black man who also happens to be in a relationship with a trans woman. This book does an extremely good job on making the reader actually feel for the protagonist as well as Nadia his girlfriend. The character development of someone who cannot help but do his best to be a perfect as possible in order to achieve the status, respect, safety social acceptance and money as a white person in a straight relationdship with a cis partner could more easily have is well done.
My reason for being unable to give this a higher rating is due to the lack of time spend between Bryan and his son with whom the relationship was a lot more telling rather than showing, since we got more short descriptions than actual dialogue between them. I also had certain issues with the pacing being really unstable and Bryans relationships with certain side characters not as well explored as they could of been. Overall a good yet tough important read, huge tws for: racism, trans phobia, mild misogyny, describtions of police brutality, violence against POC and homophobia
December 10, 2024
3.5 stars
I realize now that I read the second book first and maybe that skewed my way of thinking...maybe. I loved this book, don't get me wrong. At first, it was a slog to get through and not because of the writing, but because I had major issues with Bryan. He was all over the place. I just didn't find many redeeming qualities. Yes, he turns it around in the end, but it just wasn't enough for me. Maybe that's because I saw my dad saying he would call and then not call or in fact disappear for awhile. So, for me, his kids should have been first before any relationship. I loved Nadia though. I wanted her to dump him sooner, but was so glad when she finally did kick him to the curb. If a man won't take you out to a restaurant and it's been four months plus of dating, then you are the side piece. In this case, he was clearly not okay with her being a trans woman. I cheered when she moved him aside.
I did think the meditation stuff was weird. It felt forced, especially when you read how Bryan is in his life. It just didn't match.
My favorite scene is when the cop pulls them over (still thinking about it), which I think is a great scene in the way the world works and how two different cultures have to navigate their very different responses to the situation and to themselves. You have a black man who is quite honestly afraid of being shot. You have a trans white woman who doesn't get immediate discrimmination due to her being white, but quickly gets hostility once the policeman figures it out that she is trans. They both handle responding to the officer differently, and to each other, because they don't know how the other feels. It was really well written.
Bell did say that I should read the second book first, but I'm too OCD for that to happen...and then I let it happen anyways. I really recommend this book (don't be scared of the 3.5 stars), and of course all the Houston stuff is top notch. Writing and the story is beautiful. I will say that the one thing I did like about Bryan is his attitude being a black man in the oil industry. I am also in Oil & Gas and feel differently than most people in this company. I understood his feelings, but obviously on a different level. So, I did get him.
I realize now that I read the second book first and maybe that skewed my way of thinking...maybe. I loved this book, don't get me wrong. At first, it was a slog to get through and not because of the writing, but because I had major issues with Bryan. He was all over the place. I just didn't find many redeeming qualities. Yes, he turns it around in the end, but it just wasn't enough for me. Maybe that's because I saw my dad saying he would call and then not call or in fact disappear for awhile. So, for me, his kids should have been first before any relationship. I loved Nadia though. I wanted her to dump him sooner, but was so glad when she finally did kick him to the curb. If a man won't take you out to a restaurant and it's been four months plus of dating, then you are the side piece. In this case, he was clearly not okay with her being a trans woman. I cheered when she moved him aside.
I did think the meditation stuff was weird. It felt forced, especially when you read how Bryan is in his life. It just didn't match.
My favorite scene is when the cop pulls them over (still thinking about it), which I think is a great scene in the way the world works and how two different cultures have to navigate their very different responses to the situation and to themselves. You have a black man who is quite honestly afraid of being shot. You have a trans white woman who doesn't get immediate discrimmination due to her being white, but quickly gets hostility once the policeman figures it out that she is trans. They both handle responding to the officer differently, and to each other, because they don't know how the other feels. It was really well written.
Bell did say that I should read the second book first, but I'm too OCD for that to happen...and then I let it happen anyways. I really recommend this book (don't be scared of the 3.5 stars), and of course all the Houston stuff is top notch. Writing and the story is beautiful. I will say that the one thing I did like about Bryan is his attitude being a black man in the oil industry. I am also in Oil & Gas and feel differently than most people in this company. I understood his feelings, but obviously on a different level. So, I did get him.
February 17, 2022
Thanks to Netgalley for an advanced copy of this story.
I read this in one sitting.
It's devastating that the actions and choices made within this story through fear are such a harsh reality in this world.
When you have never had to fight with others for the right to be yourself and have always been open about your sexuality, it can admittedly be hard to read the main characters story without cringing.
Unfortunately, this is still the world we live in, despite the leaps and bounds that have occurred, and hopefully will continue to occur.
I loved Nadia for her "I don't take crap" mindset and for sticking up for herself. I endeavour to be as strong and brave within my life journey.
A great story about choices, and the harsh reality of hiding who you are, and the repercussions of these choices.
I thoroughly enjoyed this.
The only thing that I could possibly say is that there were periods of time that passed quite quickly that I struggled to wrap my head around, though that could have also been the fact that it was an ebook copy so I wasn't able to flip between the dated sections.
All in all, a great read.
I read this in one sitting.
It's devastating that the actions and choices made within this story through fear are such a harsh reality in this world.
When you have never had to fight with others for the right to be yourself and have always been open about your sexuality, it can admittedly be hard to read the main characters story without cringing.
Unfortunately, this is still the world we live in, despite the leaps and bounds that have occurred, and hopefully will continue to occur.
I loved Nadia for her "I don't take crap" mindset and for sticking up for herself. I endeavour to be as strong and brave within my life journey.
A great story about choices, and the harsh reality of hiding who you are, and the repercussions of these choices.
I thoroughly enjoyed this.
The only thing that I could possibly say is that there were periods of time that passed quite quickly that I struggled to wrap my head around, though that could have also been the fact that it was an ebook copy so I wasn't able to flip between the dated sections.
All in all, a great read.
January 6, 2022
This is a novel about a divorced father of two with a successful career in which he’s climbing the corporate ladder. It starts with a meal at a restaurant with his mother who is overtly homophobic. While reading, I saw where this was going. I liked where it was going. It’s a fine read about the internal struggles to be who you are on the inside and show that real, authentic person on the outside. I appreciate and want that message to be shouted from the rooftops for all to hear and emulate about being yourself and I appreciated the subject of trans relationships and the societal and often familial cruelty LGBTQIA+. The writing was a bit robotic and repetitive and expected (for me) although I think for some readers, this may be a necessary approach for this subject. I think the book could have lost 100 pages and perhaps worked over a bit more as the sentence structures were repetitive enough that I noticed. I loved the description at the end of the historical significance of the Cakewalk and it was fun to reflect back to the plot points as it relates to my newly-formed understanding of that word! I so appreciate the advanced copy from Bumbershoot Press.
March 5, 2022
Content Warnings: transphobia, racism, homophobia, outing, panic attacks, sexual content
I had a hard time getting into Cakewalk from the start. I’d requested it because it was marked as transgender fiction on BookSirens, but I found myself worried when I finally got around to reading the summary. Did I really want to read a book centered on trans experience from the perspective of the self-loathing cis boyfriend?
Cakewalk is follows Bryan, a straight cis black man who has abstained from doing anything that could portray his as deviant or other. He prides himself in his work and cherishes his relationship ship with his outwardly homophobic mother, and doesn’t want to do anything to rock the boat. But Bryan is dating a white trans woman, Nadia, and he doesn’t want anyone to know. The book is about the lengths he’ll go through to keep his normal and fit in in a world that doesn’t even value him.
Honestly, it’s wild. As a black person, I get it. It’s so difficult being seen as equal or capable in white dominated spaces, and it’s so easy to fall into the trap of trying to be seen as one of the good ones but Bryan takes it so far. He’d rather lie and go along shitting on other marginalized people than stand up for them or even himself.
I think stories about transphobia are best left to the trans community. This book could do with some sensitivity readers. From the acknowledgements, it seems like the author us good intentions with this, but it fell completely short. I’d like to pick this authors brain about what his thought process was here.
I don’t recommend this book to trans people. I don’t really know who I would recommend this book for because of how much transphobic language there is. Black people may find, like me, that the depiction of the black community wasn’t unrealistic.
Just so that it’s clear, straight men aren’t queer because they’re with a trans woman. And in case you missed it at the end, trans women are women and referring to their partners as anything but someone who dates women is transphobia and misgendering.
Thank you to BookSirens and the publisher for providing a free copy for me to review.
I had a hard time getting into Cakewalk from the start. I’d requested it because it was marked as transgender fiction on BookSirens, but I found myself worried when I finally got around to reading the summary. Did I really want to read a book centered on trans experience from the perspective of the self-loathing cis boyfriend?
Cakewalk is follows Bryan, a straight cis black man who has abstained from doing anything that could portray his as deviant or other. He prides himself in his work and cherishes his relationship ship with his outwardly homophobic mother, and doesn’t want to do anything to rock the boat. But Bryan is dating a white trans woman, Nadia, and he doesn’t want anyone to know. The book is about the lengths he’ll go through to keep his normal and fit in in a world that doesn’t even value him.
Honestly, it’s wild. As a black person, I get it. It’s so difficult being seen as equal or capable in white dominated spaces, and it’s so easy to fall into the trap of trying to be seen as one of the good ones but Bryan takes it so far. He’d rather lie and go along shitting on other marginalized people than stand up for them or even himself.
I think stories about transphobia are best left to the trans community. This book could do with some sensitivity readers. From the acknowledgements, it seems like the author us good intentions with this, but it fell completely short. I’d like to pick this authors brain about what his thought process was here.
I don’t recommend this book to trans people. I don’t really know who I would recommend this book for because of how much transphobic language there is. Black people may find, like me, that the depiction of the black community wasn’t unrealistic.
Just so that it’s clear, straight men aren’t queer because they’re with a trans woman. And in case you missed it at the end, trans women are women and referring to their partners as anything but someone who dates women is transphobia and misgendering.
Thank you to BookSirens and the publisher for providing a free copy for me to review.
February 8, 2022
This book was very problematic for me. I almost didn’t finish it several times, and in the end I had to skim A LOT. The only reason I was determined to finish it was so that I could write this review and warn others. It felt very homophobic, transphobic, and reeked of toxic masculinity.
Genitals were referred to several times as an oak tree.
Luckily, it got better towards the end as Bryan focused on his relationship with his son Lance, but this was a rough read for me.
I did enjoy the author’s note at the end about the origin of the word “cakewalk.” I would suggest either leaving this topic to those with lived experiences or communicating a lot more with the LGBTQIA+ community to get better feedback. I wish I had better things to say. Maybe I wasn’t the right reader for this book.
I’d like to thank Book Sirens for giving me a copy in exchange for an honest review.
Genitals were referred to several times as an oak tree.
Luckily, it got better towards the end as Bryan focused on his relationship with his son Lance, but this was a rough read for me.
I did enjoy the author’s note at the end about the origin of the word “cakewalk.” I would suggest either leaving this topic to those with lived experiences or communicating a lot more with the LGBTQIA+ community to get better feedback. I wish I had better things to say. Maybe I wasn’t the right reader for this book.
I’d like to thank Book Sirens for giving me a copy in exchange for an honest review.
January 21, 2022
This book was difficult for me to get through. I felt like the book was dry, and a bit repetitive. Did did enjoy reading about the history of the cake walk.
March 19, 2022
Where to start with this book? I’ve found myself having mixed feelings for the whole entirety of this novel, but let’s start with the positives. I don’t think I’ve ever read such an in depth character exploration of a character with such flawed behaviors and thoughts, which was extremely fascinating as both a psychology student and member of the LGBTQ+ community. Normally, people with bigoted or alienated points of view are painted almost as caricatures, not giving them any kind of depth. Luckily, this was not the case. We could constantly see how flawed Bryan’s train of thought and actions were, but thanks to the exploration of his character in various areas of his life, we are able to better understand his psyche a lot better.
We were also able to see the intersection of race and gender identity which, under my point of view, was gracefully done, not painting neither Nadia nor Bryan as the bad guy. Both of them are flawed and learn (and will keep learning) about each other's experience.
Now onto the not so positive part. The topic that irked me the most was the constant suggestion that Bryan is part of the LGBTQ+ community. This is something that is addressed in multiple occasions, but in the end, the final message keeps being “well maybe I’m in it, maybe I’m not” which wouldn’t be a problem if he was questioning his sexual orientation / gender identity, but that isn’t the case. I still get the aftertaste that that statement is in reference to his attraction to trans women, which is simply not okay. Furthermore, another topic that could’ve been handled better were the fallouts. I understand they were merely there to further character development, but I found that Jerry and Bryan only highlighting the good side of the harassment and getting fired, neglected the issues they faced entirely.
Lastly, I don’t think I can ignore how lightly the author glossed over the change in Bryan’s mind. We have been inside Bryan’s mind and flawed ideas for around 75% of the book, which was then resolved in less than a chapter. It seemed almost hasty in comparison to the amount of time and pages dedicated to more irrelevant situations.
Overall, a great character-focused book with great flaws but also great strengths.
We were also able to see the intersection of race and gender identity which, under my point of view, was gracefully done, not painting neither Nadia nor Bryan as the bad guy. Both of them are flawed and learn (and will keep learning) about each other's experience.
Now onto the not so positive part. The topic that irked me the most was the constant suggestion that Bryan is part of the LGBTQ+ community. This is something that is addressed in multiple occasions, but in the end, the final message keeps being “well maybe I’m in it, maybe I’m not” which wouldn’t be a problem if he was questioning his sexual orientation / gender identity, but that isn’t the case. I still get the aftertaste that that statement is in reference to his attraction to trans women, which is simply not okay. Furthermore, another topic that could’ve been handled better were the fallouts. I understand they were merely there to further character development, but I found that Jerry and Bryan only highlighting the good side of the harassment and getting fired, neglected the issues they faced entirely.
Lastly, I don’t think I can ignore how lightly the author glossed over the change in Bryan’s mind. We have been inside Bryan’s mind and flawed ideas for around 75% of the book, which was then resolved in less than a chapter. It seemed almost hasty in comparison to the amount of time and pages dedicated to more irrelevant situations.
Overall, a great character-focused book with great flaws but also great strengths.
January 5, 2022
Cakewalk is a fabulous novel - both deep and light, a page-turned with sexy banter that also engages with racism, transphobia, and workplace politics.
Saying Cakewalk hits my sweet spot is apt: Nadia, the protagonist's love interest, is an aspiring baker. Her journey to open her own bakery acts as a metaphor for her self-actualization and underscores many of the challenges faced by transgender people. The protagonist, Bryan, is also on a quest for self-acceptance, though at first he's so entrenched in denial that he isn't aware of the journey beckoning to him, or of its urgency. He's proud of his accomplishments as the highest paid Black engineer at a chemical company, and as a parent to two teenaged children, even though he dislikes interacting with their mother, his ex-wife.
The novel opens with Bryan taking his Mama to a cool new restaurant. There's a Bathroom (anti-trans) Bill proposed for the city, right before Trump declares his candidacy. Desperate for more grandchildren and a successful Black daughter-in-law that fits her mold (she herself is a successful businesswoman) Bryan is scared that she would disown him if she knew about Nadia. The fact that they are greeted by a non-binary host is the first of many unexpected twists in this scene, which is rich in detail, extremely suspenseful, and truly funny.
With a promotion on the line that increases Bryan's visibility at work - including his nominally
single status; Nadia pushing (reasonably) to meet his Mama and merge their friend groups, and trouble with his son, the stakes are high. I devoured every word and cannot wait for more from this talented author!
Saying Cakewalk hits my sweet spot is apt: Nadia, the protagonist's love interest, is an aspiring baker. Her journey to open her own bakery acts as a metaphor for her self-actualization and underscores many of the challenges faced by transgender people. The protagonist, Bryan, is also on a quest for self-acceptance, though at first he's so entrenched in denial that he isn't aware of the journey beckoning to him, or of its urgency. He's proud of his accomplishments as the highest paid Black engineer at a chemical company, and as a parent to two teenaged children, even though he dislikes interacting with their mother, his ex-wife.
The novel opens with Bryan taking his Mama to a cool new restaurant. There's a Bathroom (anti-trans) Bill proposed for the city, right before Trump declares his candidacy. Desperate for more grandchildren and a successful Black daughter-in-law that fits her mold (she herself is a successful businesswoman) Bryan is scared that she would disown him if she knew about Nadia. The fact that they are greeted by a non-binary host is the first of many unexpected twists in this scene, which is rich in detail, extremely suspenseful, and truly funny.
With a promotion on the line that increases Bryan's visibility at work - including his nominally
single status; Nadia pushing (reasonably) to meet his Mama and merge their friend groups, and trouble with his son, the stakes are high. I devoured every word and cannot wait for more from this talented author!
September 1, 2023
Interesting and page turning novel
“Cakewalk” is a compelling novel penned by Douglas Bell. The story revolves around Brian Hicks, a divorced man with two kids who goes ahead with a new life. After his breakup, his mother strives to find a suitable woman for him. But Brian has already met Nadia, a transgender woman. So, he's trying to tell his mother about his relationship but he’s rather doubtful about that. Still, he manages to do it.
It's a story that puts forward some current issues regarding people’s perspective genre and raises awareness about that. Throughout these pages, you’ll experience a mixture of emotions, from sadness to bliss. It’s definitely a page-turning novel. The author’s writing style is neat, very engaging and leaves a lot to think about. I highly recommend it.
“Cakewalk” is a compelling novel penned by Douglas Bell. The story revolves around Brian Hicks, a divorced man with two kids who goes ahead with a new life. After his breakup, his mother strives to find a suitable woman for him. But Brian has already met Nadia, a transgender woman. So, he's trying to tell his mother about his relationship but he’s rather doubtful about that. Still, he manages to do it.
It's a story that puts forward some current issues regarding people’s perspective genre and raises awareness about that. Throughout these pages, you’ll experience a mixture of emotions, from sadness to bliss. It’s definitely a page-turning novel. The author’s writing style is neat, very engaging and leaves a lot to think about. I highly recommend it.
Review of advance copy received from Publisher
🥃 ARC Review: Cake Walk (2nd Edition) by Douglas Bell
Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️✨ (3.5/5)
Vibe: Provocative, Heartfelt, Transformative
Spice Level: 🌶️🌶️ (Deeply emotional intimacy grounded in the vulnerability of self-discovery.)
Reviewed by The Bourbon Sipping Bibliophile
It is rare to find a story that manages to be both a "rollercoaster ride" of tension and a quiet meditation on the human spirit. Cake Walk is a "riveting read" that demands we look at the blind spots in our own lives while celebrating the courage it takes to live authentically.
🥃 The Pour
The story follows Bryan Hicks, a man who has spent his life being the "golden boy" for his mother and a "model of politeness" in his corporate career. But beneath the "perfectly-knotted" ties and luxury Jaguar lies a man "carrying love in one hand and fear in the other."
Bryan's world is upended when he falls for Nadia, a white trans woman. As their relationship deepens, Bryan is forced to navigate a "minefield" of societal expectations, from the blatant homophobia of his mother to the high-stakes politics of his engineering firm. It is a journey of a man trying to find "his authentic self" in a world that often demands conformity.
💕 What Hit the Palate Nicely
A Vital Perspective: This novel offers a "true and realistic voice" for the trans-amorous community, providing a perspective that is often missing from mainstream romance.
The Intersection of Identity: I loved how the book "meshes perfectly" the intersections of racism, homophobia, and spirituality. Bryan’s struggle isn't just about love; it’s about the "harsh reality of hiding who you are."
Buddhist Influence: The author’s background in meditation adds a beautiful layer of depth, encouraging readers to "transcend labels" and "simply be."
🥃 Where the Pour Lost a Little Proof
While the message and the "transformation" of the characters are powerful, there were moments where the complexity of the plot felt a bit heavy.
Pacing: Because the book tackles so many vital issues—racism, spirituality, and queer identity—the narrative flow can occasionally feel weighted down by the sheer volume of "lessons" and societal critiques.
Emotional Density: At times, the "rollercoaster ride" of external trauma felt so relentless that I wanted a few more quiet moments between Bryan and Nadia to just breathe and exist outside of the conflict.
🥃 Final Sip
Cake Walk is more than a romance; it is a "path toward deeper self-awareness and peace." It challenges us to let go of labels and embrace the "resilience needed to navigate life’s complexities." It’s an eye-opening read that stays with you long after the final page.
The Bourbon Sipping Bibliophile's Drink Pairing
🥃 The Authentic Spirit (A Layered Bourbon Sour) To honor a book about "shattering the panels" of a hidden life, this drink is about layers, clarity, and the "radical power of living in truth."
Ingredients
2 oz Small-Batch Bourbon (The "Bryan" element—refined and deep)
3/4 oz Fresh Lemon Juice (The "Tension" of societal pressure)
1/2 oz Lavender Simple Syrup (The "Spiritual" element—calming and reflective)
1 Egg White (The "Authentic Self"—adding a smooth, honest texture)
Garnish: A single orange twist and a dash of bitters.
Tasting Notes 🍸 Aroma: Floral and woody. 🍹 Palate: Initially sharp and complex, mellowing into a smooth, frothy sweetness. ✨ Finish: A peaceful, lingering warmth that encourages reflection.
I received a free copy of this book and am voluntarily leaving a review.
Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️✨ (3.5/5)
Vibe: Provocative, Heartfelt, Transformative
Spice Level: 🌶️🌶️ (Deeply emotional intimacy grounded in the vulnerability of self-discovery.)
Reviewed by The Bourbon Sipping Bibliophile
It is rare to find a story that manages to be both a "rollercoaster ride" of tension and a quiet meditation on the human spirit. Cake Walk is a "riveting read" that demands we look at the blind spots in our own lives while celebrating the courage it takes to live authentically.
🥃 The Pour
The story follows Bryan Hicks, a man who has spent his life being the "golden boy" for his mother and a "model of politeness" in his corporate career. But beneath the "perfectly-knotted" ties and luxury Jaguar lies a man "carrying love in one hand and fear in the other."
Bryan's world is upended when he falls for Nadia, a white trans woman. As their relationship deepens, Bryan is forced to navigate a "minefield" of societal expectations, from the blatant homophobia of his mother to the high-stakes politics of his engineering firm. It is a journey of a man trying to find "his authentic self" in a world that often demands conformity.
💕 What Hit the Palate Nicely
A Vital Perspective: This novel offers a "true and realistic voice" for the trans-amorous community, providing a perspective that is often missing from mainstream romance.
The Intersection of Identity: I loved how the book "meshes perfectly" the intersections of racism, homophobia, and spirituality. Bryan’s struggle isn't just about love; it’s about the "harsh reality of hiding who you are."
Buddhist Influence: The author’s background in meditation adds a beautiful layer of depth, encouraging readers to "transcend labels" and "simply be."
🥃 Where the Pour Lost a Little Proof
While the message and the "transformation" of the characters are powerful, there were moments where the complexity of the plot felt a bit heavy.
Pacing: Because the book tackles so many vital issues—racism, spirituality, and queer identity—the narrative flow can occasionally feel weighted down by the sheer volume of "lessons" and societal critiques.
Emotional Density: At times, the "rollercoaster ride" of external trauma felt so relentless that I wanted a few more quiet moments between Bryan and Nadia to just breathe and exist outside of the conflict.
🥃 Final Sip
Cake Walk is more than a romance; it is a "path toward deeper self-awareness and peace." It challenges us to let go of labels and embrace the "resilience needed to navigate life’s complexities." It’s an eye-opening read that stays with you long after the final page.
The Bourbon Sipping Bibliophile's Drink Pairing
🥃 The Authentic Spirit (A Layered Bourbon Sour) To honor a book about "shattering the panels" of a hidden life, this drink is about layers, clarity, and the "radical power of living in truth."
Ingredients
2 oz Small-Batch Bourbon (The "Bryan" element—refined and deep)
3/4 oz Fresh Lemon Juice (The "Tension" of societal pressure)
1/2 oz Lavender Simple Syrup (The "Spiritual" element—calming and reflective)
1 Egg White (The "Authentic Self"—adding a smooth, honest texture)
Garnish: A single orange twist and a dash of bitters.
Tasting Notes 🍸 Aroma: Floral and woody. 🍹 Palate: Initially sharp and complex, mellowing into a smooth, frothy sweetness. ✨ Finish: A peaceful, lingering warmth that encourages reflection.
I received a free copy of this book and am voluntarily leaving a review.
January 21, 2022
How do you find, never mind understand, yourself when you have structured your life and concepts of success around internalized oppression? That is what this novel boldly addresses head on. Whether it be an internalized anti-Blackness masked in respectability politics or myopic understandings of gender and sexuality, the novel starts with a heavy weight on the protagonist’s shoulders, and the journey is learning what it means to free himself of the burden to find truth and happiness.
The primary characters are interesting and complicated and messy (in a good way), and the journey is meaningful. And this perspective and story is not one we get to see a lot, which makes it all the more important. But, to be blunt, the writing wasn’t quite as confident as the ambition of the story. Narrative and dialogue both felt forced, and almost didactic in places. It did not feel natural, and while I still enjoyed the story the writing really kept it at arm’s length, almost an obstacle instead of really bringing me in. Also, in terms of overall plotting, without giving anything away I felt that certain revelatory moments happened in cliched and almost magical ways, and some character relationships that served as important story elements resolved very abruptly and neatly right at the end, without really earning it. The development of the main story, the constant up and downs of self-loathing and lust and wanting freedom and feeling unloved and judging others and being judged/abused by others, it was knotty and sometimes painful, moving back and forward in ways that, with stronger writing, would clearly be bringing the reader along the complicated and certainly not straight-forward journey that self-discovery often is. Still the overall journey was believable and earned, more or less, but there were certain relationships which really could have used more attention and could have developed and changed more throughout the novel, instead of in a convenient rush at the end.
Overall, I am super glad this novel was written. I haven’t really seen any other fiction that explores masculinity from this perspective, really showing how overwhelming and insidious the harm that the white cishet patriarchy that has shaped this country continues to have on historically marginalized communities. The novel brings up a lot of important things to think about and I am sure there are a lot of people who will see some versions of themselves or their loved ones here that they may not have seen elsewhere. So in that regard I recommend the book, but with the caveat that the writing is clearly that of a new writer who is still honing his craft. The subject matter and emotional heft of the story make me hope he will hopefully reward us with more thought-provoking, more finely-tuned, works in the future.
I want to thank NetGalley and Bumbershoot Press, who gave me a complimentary eARC in exchange for an honest review.
The primary characters are interesting and complicated and messy (in a good way), and the journey is meaningful. And this perspective and story is not one we get to see a lot, which makes it all the more important. But, to be blunt, the writing wasn’t quite as confident as the ambition of the story. Narrative and dialogue both felt forced, and almost didactic in places. It did not feel natural, and while I still enjoyed the story the writing really kept it at arm’s length, almost an obstacle instead of really bringing me in. Also, in terms of overall plotting, without giving anything away I felt that certain revelatory moments happened in cliched and almost magical ways, and some character relationships that served as important story elements resolved very abruptly and neatly right at the end, without really earning it. The development of the main story, the constant up and downs of self-loathing and lust and wanting freedom and feeling unloved and judging others and being judged/abused by others, it was knotty and sometimes painful, moving back and forward in ways that, with stronger writing, would clearly be bringing the reader along the complicated and certainly not straight-forward journey that self-discovery often is. Still the overall journey was believable and earned, more or less, but there were certain relationships which really could have used more attention and could have developed and changed more throughout the novel, instead of in a convenient rush at the end.
Overall, I am super glad this novel was written. I haven’t really seen any other fiction that explores masculinity from this perspective, really showing how overwhelming and insidious the harm that the white cishet patriarchy that has shaped this country continues to have on historically marginalized communities. The novel brings up a lot of important things to think about and I am sure there are a lot of people who will see some versions of themselves or their loved ones here that they may not have seen elsewhere. So in that regard I recommend the book, but with the caveat that the writing is clearly that of a new writer who is still honing his craft. The subject matter and emotional heft of the story make me hope he will hopefully reward us with more thought-provoking, more finely-tuned, works in the future.
I want to thank NetGalley and Bumbershoot Press, who gave me a complimentary eARC in exchange for an honest review.
November 10, 2023
I received a copy of this audiobook in exchange for my honest review.
As an incredibly quick summary, because depending on where you are reading this review, you may not be able to see what this story is about, I will give you a quick recap. This book follows Bryan, an African American who is divorced, has two children, VP of a large, multinational oil/gas company in Texas, and is also secretly dating a transgender woman. Bryan's mother is very proud of her son and boasts about his accomplishments.
First of all, let me say, as a social worker in Texas, this book being offered to me was incredibly exciting. Just the content information alone had me saying yes please. This book contains many themes throughout it that is highly relevant across cultures and various experiences and having books like this out in the universe is incredibly important to those going through Bryan's experiences.
This book carries many themes throughout it which people often face, sometimes with no real solution in it. I do want to point out a few things. I want to preface this by saying, I truly believe the interpretation of this story is going to be different for every reader. Bryan's mother is incredibly homophobic. When you hear things growing up like "I don't mind gay people as long as its not my children" (this is actually something I heard growing up), any kind of feelings that would be considered "gay" can make the person feel guilty and react more harshly to their actions/thoughts/feelings. All people go through phases where they are defining their sexual identity. Our experiences around sexual identity as children greatly impact our experiences and our reactions as adults. Bryan's relationship with his son, and the double standards there, really show the perpetuation of generational traumas.
As I said, I had the narrated copy of this book. The narrator has a nice sound to him and he delivers well, however, I found I had to really really really focus on the book to get through it. I like when I can listen to a narrator and do other things and still be able to focus on what is being said. Alvarez's narration style is very smooth, and he kind of faded into the background and I would find myself disassociating and focusing on the task I was doing. I like background noise like the television and music (especially lofi) when I am trying to focus on tasks, and his voice just did the same thing to me. Other people will like it, but for me and my ADHD, that really takes away the book experience overall and I may be missing some key things from the story because of it.
Overall, I did like the story and am happy I got the opportunity for this book. I may have to give the physical copy a read, maybe my thoughts would be different or my overall interpretation might be different. Who knows.
Also, for the record, I went about this with more of my social work brain and not a casual reader. So my review may be incredibly different than others, sorry :(
As an incredibly quick summary, because depending on where you are reading this review, you may not be able to see what this story is about, I will give you a quick recap. This book follows Bryan, an African American who is divorced, has two children, VP of a large, multinational oil/gas company in Texas, and is also secretly dating a transgender woman. Bryan's mother is very proud of her son and boasts about his accomplishments.
First of all, let me say, as a social worker in Texas, this book being offered to me was incredibly exciting. Just the content information alone had me saying yes please. This book contains many themes throughout it that is highly relevant across cultures and various experiences and having books like this out in the universe is incredibly important to those going through Bryan's experiences.
This book carries many themes throughout it which people often face, sometimes with no real solution in it. I do want to point out a few things. I want to preface this by saying, I truly believe the interpretation of this story is going to be different for every reader. Bryan's mother is incredibly homophobic. When you hear things growing up like "I don't mind gay people as long as its not my children" (this is actually something I heard growing up), any kind of feelings that would be considered "gay" can make the person feel guilty and react more harshly to their actions/thoughts/feelings. All people go through phases where they are defining their sexual identity. Our experiences around sexual identity as children greatly impact our experiences and our reactions as adults. Bryan's relationship with his son, and the double standards there, really show the perpetuation of generational traumas.
As I said, I had the narrated copy of this book. The narrator has a nice sound to him and he delivers well, however, I found I had to really really really focus on the book to get through it. I like when I can listen to a narrator and do other things and still be able to focus on what is being said. Alvarez's narration style is very smooth, and he kind of faded into the background and I would find myself disassociating and focusing on the task I was doing. I like background noise like the television and music (especially lofi) when I am trying to focus on tasks, and his voice just did the same thing to me. Other people will like it, but for me and my ADHD, that really takes away the book experience overall and I may be missing some key things from the story because of it.
Overall, I did like the story and am happy I got the opportunity for this book. I may have to give the physical copy a read, maybe my thoughts would be different or my overall interpretation might be different. Who knows.
Also, for the record, I went about this with more of my social work brain and not a casual reader. So my review may be incredibly different than others, sorry :(
July 16, 2022
CAKEWALK is a fascinating ride for me.
There's bits of PRIDE culture that lodged into me, like the title for instance. And I enjoyed the cultural awareness highlights as they were sprinkled throughout. Rather than being seen as some magical fantasy-land (which can be the case sometimes in fiction), drag queens and LGBTQIA+ people are viewed as a part of life. It's not fetishized, it's accepted. Bell's trying his darndest to be respectful about it. What a wholesome attempt.
Bell does something that I appreciate from first-time novelists: he doesn't stray from making his protagonist imperfect. On the surface he seems to have it all, but he's a mess internally. Especially with his self-imposed transphobia and troubled relationship history. Given that the narrative is being told partially through his eyes, it means something when he mentally notes LBGTQIA+ history or struggles. It literally shows he cares for their needs too, even when he was personally struggling to do so during the earlier acts of the book. Aww.
Yet the approach could feel heavy-handed at times. Dialogue-heavy segments weakened the action associated with them. Lines that are meant to be sharp feel deflated because it's being subtly repeated within the same chapter. Sometimes not so subtly. Were this an audiobook, the plonky tempo between dialogue and exposition would make an odd listen.
The ending conflict was resolved so quickly. Why did it even bear mentioning (besides Bryan's open communication)? I wondered why I didn't quite feel the emotional weight attached to it. Probably because there could have been tension and more at stake for that final confrontation.
But hey. Sometimes I don't always get happy, fluffy endings with LGBTQIA+ media. I'll take it.
Bryan is someone who I want to hug and slug. His flip-flops from being real to his true values for so long while also dating a transgender woman baffled me. Kettle black much? But that is the point of a character's growth in fiction, I understand. I'll be curious to see how this book's sequel will pan out. Next time I hope Nadia receives more layers to better capture her growing faith and trust in Bryan.
CAKEWALK didn't wow me as I had hoped from its summary. At times it felt predictable, and I was sometimes bored with the characters. Even so, it's a novel that I appreciate reading. I learned from it, more than I was expecting. And most important, it got a little rise out of me. Which meant it got to me on some level. Glad to have taken the time to read it. I'm curious to pick up the sequel to see how Bell's writing improves.
I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
There's bits of PRIDE culture that lodged into me, like the title for instance. And I enjoyed the cultural awareness highlights as they were sprinkled throughout. Rather than being seen as some magical fantasy-land (which can be the case sometimes in fiction), drag queens and LGBTQIA+ people are viewed as a part of life. It's not fetishized, it's accepted. Bell's trying his darndest to be respectful about it. What a wholesome attempt.
Bell does something that I appreciate from first-time novelists: he doesn't stray from making his protagonist imperfect. On the surface he seems to have it all, but he's a mess internally. Especially with his self-imposed transphobia and troubled relationship history. Given that the narrative is being told partially through his eyes, it means something when he mentally notes LBGTQIA+ history or struggles. It literally shows he cares for their needs too, even when he was personally struggling to do so during the earlier acts of the book. Aww.
Yet the approach could feel heavy-handed at times. Dialogue-heavy segments weakened the action associated with them. Lines that are meant to be sharp feel deflated because it's being subtly repeated within the same chapter. Sometimes not so subtly. Were this an audiobook, the plonky tempo between dialogue and exposition would make an odd listen.
The ending conflict was resolved so quickly. Why did it even bear mentioning (besides Bryan's open communication)? I wondered why I didn't quite feel the emotional weight attached to it. Probably because there could have been tension and more at stake for that final confrontation.
But hey. Sometimes I don't always get happy, fluffy endings with LGBTQIA+ media. I'll take it.
Bryan is someone who I want to hug and slug. His flip-flops from being real to his true values for so long while also dating a transgender woman baffled me. Kettle black much? But that is the point of a character's growth in fiction, I understand. I'll be curious to see how this book's sequel will pan out. Next time I hope Nadia receives more layers to better capture her growing faith and trust in Bryan.
CAKEWALK didn't wow me as I had hoped from its summary. At times it felt predictable, and I was sometimes bored with the characters. Even so, it's a novel that I appreciate reading. I learned from it, more than I was expecting. And most important, it got a little rise out of me. Which meant it got to me on some level. Glad to have taken the time to read it. I'm curious to pick up the sequel to see how Bell's writing improves.
I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
January 23, 2022
Thank you to NetGalley and Bumbershoot Press for the ARC of this book.
The synopsis from the book read "Bryan, a Black, divorced father of two, had finally achieved the career success he had
always dreamed of as the new vice president for a large multi-national energy company.
Unfortunately, his teenage son, an aspiring drag queen, does not fit into his public
persona. Neither does a secret relationship with his white transgender girlfriend, Nadia.
Caught between his pride and PRIDE, Bryan must decide where his loyalties lie before
his double life spirals and decides for him. If he isn't willing to risk the perception of
being different in a society that values conformity above all else, he will lose
everything most devastatingly, his son."
Given the subject of this book, I feel I have to add a Content Warning for transphobia, homophobia, racism, fetishising trans women, and internalised queer phobia.
In the context of the story, all of these subjects need to be approached but may still be upsetting to read, particularly within the first few chapters.
I loved this book. The characters are flawed and deep.
Bryan's journey from denial to acceptance is captivating due to the completely relatable struggle of so many people within the queer community.
Ultimately the message of this book is about self acceptance and the importance of chosen family & surrounding yourself with people who make you better.
There is many parts in this book where you flip flop being supporting Bryan and wanting to slap him across the face, but the journey he goes on to find his place while struggling to navigate both his black identity and his queerness keeps you wanting more.
Reading about Bryan as he teaches himself to overcome queer phobia and learn more about the queer community is very heartening.
I don't think I'd hesitate to recommend this book to anybody questioning their queerness as it delves deep into the feelings of not belonging, getting caught up in your own issues to the detriment of personal relationships, eventually learning to own your identity and accept the happiness and freedom that comes along with that, even if it's difficult to get there.
Queer stories are on the rise but black queer stories are still so rare. We need and appreciate these voices in the queer community. More of this, please.
The synopsis from the book read "Bryan, a Black, divorced father of two, had finally achieved the career success he had
always dreamed of as the new vice president for a large multi-national energy company.
Unfortunately, his teenage son, an aspiring drag queen, does not fit into his public
persona. Neither does a secret relationship with his white transgender girlfriend, Nadia.
Caught between his pride and PRIDE, Bryan must decide where his loyalties lie before
his double life spirals and decides for him. If he isn't willing to risk the perception of
being different in a society that values conformity above all else, he will lose
everything most devastatingly, his son."
Given the subject of this book, I feel I have to add a Content Warning for transphobia, homophobia, racism, fetishising trans women, and internalised queer phobia.
In the context of the story, all of these subjects need to be approached but may still be upsetting to read, particularly within the first few chapters.
I loved this book. The characters are flawed and deep.
Bryan's journey from denial to acceptance is captivating due to the completely relatable struggle of so many people within the queer community.
Ultimately the message of this book is about self acceptance and the importance of chosen family & surrounding yourself with people who make you better.
There is many parts in this book where you flip flop being supporting Bryan and wanting to slap him across the face, but the journey he goes on to find his place while struggling to navigate both his black identity and his queerness keeps you wanting more.
Reading about Bryan as he teaches himself to overcome queer phobia and learn more about the queer community is very heartening.
I don't think I'd hesitate to recommend this book to anybody questioning their queerness as it delves deep into the feelings of not belonging, getting caught up in your own issues to the detriment of personal relationships, eventually learning to own your identity and accept the happiness and freedom that comes along with that, even if it's difficult to get there.
Queer stories are on the rise but black queer stories are still so rare. We need and appreciate these voices in the queer community. More of this, please.
July 8, 2022
~Thank you to NetGalley for providing me an ARC in exchange for an honest review~
Whew, this was certainly a whirlwind of a novel. From the beginning, the reader is made aware of our main character, Bryan's, shortcomings. While, on the outside, he seems to be a calm, cool and collected soon-to-be VP of his company, with a luxurious home, expensive car, and upkept appearance, Bryan has secrets of his own that threaten his relationships with his family, his coworkers and his girlfriend, Nadia.
While this is clearly an own-voice novel about a cisgender, Black man trying to learn the plight of the LGBTQ+ community while grappling with his own sexuality and negative biases, it still made me uncomfortable, at many points, how much homophobia and transphobia was perpetuated by Bryan's words, actions and, most often, lack of action. Oftentimes, Bryan felt like a background character in his own story, which made him even harder to connect to. While I appreciated the author's attempt to demonstrate how political, systematic and socio-economic factors contributed to Bryan's bigoted behavior, I still had an extremely hard time sympathizing with his self-pity.
I want to compliment the author's writing ability (although I will not be commenting on the cringe-y descriptions during the many sex scenes...). I wish it was explained to Bryan much earlier in the novel that being attracted to a trans woman doesn't mean he's gay or bi or queer in general 'cuz that wasn't addressed until the very last chapter and it pissed me off throughout the entire story. I also wish we were given a more gradual transition (pun intended) between Bryan's old bigoted self and his new woke self because it was extremely jarring hearing all of this SJW jargon thrown around in the span of a couple chapters (and that's coming from an SJW!)
All in all, I would NOT recommend this for trans or queer folk, as there is a fair bit of homophobia and transphobia that, in the end, wasn't all that necessary to put forth the same message. However, I can tell that the author is writing in good faith, and I believe this book would better connect to men such as Bryan, so I can at least commend this book for attempting to dismantle harmful stereotypes and toxic masculinity, even if it did so clumsily.
Whew, this was certainly a whirlwind of a novel. From the beginning, the reader is made aware of our main character, Bryan's, shortcomings. While, on the outside, he seems to be a calm, cool and collected soon-to-be VP of his company, with a luxurious home, expensive car, and upkept appearance, Bryan has secrets of his own that threaten his relationships with his family, his coworkers and his girlfriend, Nadia.
While this is clearly an own-voice novel about a cisgender, Black man trying to learn the plight of the LGBTQ+ community while grappling with his own sexuality and negative biases, it still made me uncomfortable, at many points, how much homophobia and transphobia was perpetuated by Bryan's words, actions and, most often, lack of action. Oftentimes, Bryan felt like a background character in his own story, which made him even harder to connect to. While I appreciated the author's attempt to demonstrate how political, systematic and socio-economic factors contributed to Bryan's bigoted behavior, I still had an extremely hard time sympathizing with his self-pity.
I want to compliment the author's writing ability (although I will not be commenting on the cringe-y descriptions during the many sex scenes...). I wish it was explained to Bryan much earlier in the novel that being attracted to a trans woman doesn't mean he's gay or bi or queer in general 'cuz that wasn't addressed until the very last chapter and it pissed me off throughout the entire story. I also wish we were given a more gradual transition (pun intended) between Bryan's old bigoted self and his new woke self because it was extremely jarring hearing all of this SJW jargon thrown around in the span of a couple chapters (and that's coming from an SJW!)
All in all, I would NOT recommend this for trans or queer folk, as there is a fair bit of homophobia and transphobia that, in the end, wasn't all that necessary to put forth the same message. However, I can tell that the author is writing in good faith, and I believe this book would better connect to men such as Bryan, so I can at least commend this book for attempting to dismantle harmful stereotypes and toxic masculinity, even if it did so clumsily.
January 19, 2022
This novel is unlike anything I’ve read before in its presentation of blunt, honest and unique characters. It’s a deep look into a world most cisgender people know very little about.
The writing is brilliant and the depth of feeling is unparalleled. It ranges from sex to friendship to gender, from the big questions to the smaller ones. It’s emotional, dramatic and shows that Bell is a writer with many talents.
As I've been reading more literary fiction, one thing I really appreciate about it as a genre is that it gives me a glimpse into a fictional person’s messy life. This book really pulls that off well. These characters were so fully realized, interesting and messy, and that's what really pulled me into this story. I think this is the only book I've read that had the experience of being attracted to a trans individual as its center. I really liked getting into the headspace of people trying to understand what their gender means to them.
The relationships between the characters is what drove this book forward. But really, it was the individual characterization and each characters’ thought process that is what I truly enjoyed. If you're looking for answers about why characters make certain choices, you might not always be satisfied with the answer, but it was done in a way that seems very realistic and understandable. In concert with how it relates to being trans, it made for a very interesting topic to read about.
This is definitely a recommendation from me. Probably one of the most compelling and fascinating books I've read this year and I hope many more people will read and enjoy this as much as I did.
The writing is brilliant and the depth of feeling is unparalleled. It ranges from sex to friendship to gender, from the big questions to the smaller ones. It’s emotional, dramatic and shows that Bell is a writer with many talents.
As I've been reading more literary fiction, one thing I really appreciate about it as a genre is that it gives me a glimpse into a fictional person’s messy life. This book really pulls that off well. These characters were so fully realized, interesting and messy, and that's what really pulled me into this story. I think this is the only book I've read that had the experience of being attracted to a trans individual as its center. I really liked getting into the headspace of people trying to understand what their gender means to them.
The relationships between the characters is what drove this book forward. But really, it was the individual characterization and each characters’ thought process that is what I truly enjoyed. If you're looking for answers about why characters make certain choices, you might not always be satisfied with the answer, but it was done in a way that seems very realistic and understandable. In concert with how it relates to being trans, it made for a very interesting topic to read about.
This is definitely a recommendation from me. Probably one of the most compelling and fascinating books I've read this year and I hope many more people will read and enjoy this as much as I did.
September 7, 2023
A writer friend told me, “You have to chase your main character up a tree and throw rocks at him.” Douglas Bell has done this in spades (if you’ll excuse the expression).
Main character Bryan Hicks is locked in a world partly of his own making, but largely foisted upon him by American society, Black and white: transphobia, homophobia, racial bigotry, internalized homophobia, white privilege and white supremacy, class stratification, the demands of corporate upward mobility, family dynamics, and more. So many conflicts, so many misunderstandings and lies. Bryan is a tragic figure whose spectacular downfall is the result of all these seeds sown early in his life. But as other characters in the book say of themselves, a downfall is the best thing that ever happened—because it changed everything.
Anchoring his story at a specific time in history, Bell includes true life events that happened in real time as the novel unfolds: Donald Trump’s presidential candidacy and election; the Unite the Right rally in Charlottesville, Virginia; police violence against Freddy Grey and Sandra Bland; and others incidents.
Bell’s explanation of the term “cakewalk” in the end materials of the book, informs the whole work, and his Buddhist beliefs are an important element of his novel.
Bell is brilliant at portraying subtleties of the Black experience in America and nuances of transgender lives. His writing contains numerous striking metaphors: “As the chatter settled loudly into a groove, he lifted the needle on the record player off of his mind and reset it on white noise.” And his use of vulture imagery throughout the novel is revealing.
This book illuminates areas of American life that many of us are not familiar with. Let Douglas Bell open your eyes.
Main character Bryan Hicks is locked in a world partly of his own making, but largely foisted upon him by American society, Black and white: transphobia, homophobia, racial bigotry, internalized homophobia, white privilege and white supremacy, class stratification, the demands of corporate upward mobility, family dynamics, and more. So many conflicts, so many misunderstandings and lies. Bryan is a tragic figure whose spectacular downfall is the result of all these seeds sown early in his life. But as other characters in the book say of themselves, a downfall is the best thing that ever happened—because it changed everything.
Anchoring his story at a specific time in history, Bell includes true life events that happened in real time as the novel unfolds: Donald Trump’s presidential candidacy and election; the Unite the Right rally in Charlottesville, Virginia; police violence against Freddy Grey and Sandra Bland; and others incidents.
Bell’s explanation of the term “cakewalk” in the end materials of the book, informs the whole work, and his Buddhist beliefs are an important element of his novel.
Bell is brilliant at portraying subtleties of the Black experience in America and nuances of transgender lives. His writing contains numerous striking metaphors: “As the chatter settled loudly into a groove, he lifted the needle on the record player off of his mind and reset it on white noise.” And his use of vulture imagery throughout the novel is revealing.
This book illuminates areas of American life that many of us are not familiar with. Let Douglas Bell open your eyes.
May 1, 2022
This books blurb spoke to me and overall the author did not disappoint me.
Bryan a succesful black man is coming to terms with his gender identity aftet divorcing his wife with whom he has two children. Bryan has met this wonderful woman Nadia, who is his girlriend and happens to be a trans woman. He has to deceide what is important in live for him; being happy and in love or just wanting to keep pleasing a lot of people, including family, and denying and lying to who he truely is.
Nadia is a strong woman who wants to be her strong self and be accepted as she is by both Bryan and society.
The author does a great job in describing the internal and societal struggles Bryan faces with coming to terms with his new reality. I however found it grating how many times Nadia was mentioned as trans woman. She is a woman, why keep refering to her as a trans woman so many times throughout the book?
And I have to mention Lance, Bryan his son, who stole a little piece of my heart as Lady Degas with the support of his lgbtqai+ family and friends. After a heartfaltering action on Lance his part I found great joy in how so many persons came together to give Lance his first foray into the queer community.
For me the book could have been a fair few pages shorter due to the fact that some parts felt repetitive, but I applaud the author for writing this book with characters who seem realistic and faulted, as we all are, but find a way to be true to themselves.
I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
Bryan a succesful black man is coming to terms with his gender identity aftet divorcing his wife with whom he has two children. Bryan has met this wonderful woman Nadia, who is his girlriend and happens to be a trans woman. He has to deceide what is important in live for him; being happy and in love or just wanting to keep pleasing a lot of people, including family, and denying and lying to who he truely is.
Nadia is a strong woman who wants to be her strong self and be accepted as she is by both Bryan and society.
The author does a great job in describing the internal and societal struggles Bryan faces with coming to terms with his new reality. I however found it grating how many times Nadia was mentioned as trans woman. She is a woman, why keep refering to her as a trans woman so many times throughout the book?
And I have to mention Lance, Bryan his son, who stole a little piece of my heart as Lady Degas with the support of his lgbtqai+ family and friends. After a heartfaltering action on Lance his part I found great joy in how so many persons came together to give Lance his first foray into the queer community.
For me the book could have been a fair few pages shorter due to the fact that some parts felt repetitive, but I applaud the author for writing this book with characters who seem realistic and faulted, as we all are, but find a way to be true to themselves.
I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
January 7, 2022
Douglas Bell’s CAKEWALK hit me like a gorgeous day when the forecast calls for rain. In its particulars, I’ve never read a story quite like this one—boy meets girl, girl is trans, boy overcomes all sorts of obstacles (societal, familial, interpersonal) and loves girl despite every one of his own self-sabotaging barriers—but, I recognize something more powerful in what it shares in common with other books in the upscale commercial fiction genre: a funky, fashion-forward romp with two flawed humans struggling to stitch together a life that’s better off shared than separate. And I am here for it.
The two protagonists, Nadia—a white trans woman—and Bryan-an African American cisgendered man—are as well-crafted as they come, and full to the brim with equal parts idiosyncrasies and endearing charms. This couple’s supporting cast of characters, Bryan’s children and extended family & Nadia’s good friends who support and protect her, do not disappoint either. Fans of Sex and the City or Kevin Kwan’s Sex and Vanity will not want to miss Bell’s intimate portrayal of two people struggling to root their relationship when so many storms are angling to keep them apart.
By Bell’s deft hand, I was quickly led to take CAKEWALK for the simply human wonder that it is, a love story: universal and true.
The two protagonists, Nadia—a white trans woman—and Bryan-an African American cisgendered man—are as well-crafted as they come, and full to the brim with equal parts idiosyncrasies and endearing charms. This couple’s supporting cast of characters, Bryan’s children and extended family & Nadia’s good friends who support and protect her, do not disappoint either. Fans of Sex and the City or Kevin Kwan’s Sex and Vanity will not want to miss Bell’s intimate portrayal of two people struggling to root their relationship when so many storms are angling to keep them apart.
By Bell’s deft hand, I was quickly led to take CAKEWALK for the simply human wonder that it is, a love story: universal and true.
March 3, 2022
I must admit, I struggled with this book. I love the idea of bringing attention to the trans community but this was so redundant, the concepts and ideas being drilled into my head so much that it lost my attention. The writing style also didn't work for me as it was clipped and the dialogue seemed unrealistic and forced (again, to me, so I'm sure others might have found nothing wrong with it.). Another issue that took up space in my brain while I was reading it was his lackluster relationship with his children, to the point where he doesn't see his son for almost a year and then swoops in to save the day but what Lance probably needed was support throughout his self-discovery (though I know it was hard because Bryan was also going through his own self-discovery.) All in all, I pushed through because I was hoping to see some response to Bryan's mother and the abhorrent way she treated him but there was not any real closure in that area.
Thank you so much for allowing me to read this book, while I didn't love it, it was still an interesting read and there needs to be more discussion about this topic so a great jumping off point.
I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
Thank you so much for allowing me to read this book, while I didn't love it, it was still an interesting read and there needs to be more discussion about this topic so a great jumping off point.
I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
April 7, 2022
I am grateful to BookSirens and Bumbershoot Press for giving me an advanced reader’s copy of the new fiction book, Cakewalk. I also want to thank its author Douglas Bell for writing this book about these difficult subjects in society today: racism, sexism, homophobia, and LGBTQIA+ issues.
This has been a difficult review for me to write. I enjoyed reading the book. I thought it was well written and exceedingly provocative and interesting. However, I think it could have done without the extremely graphic and lengthy sexual positions and acts sprinkled throughout the book. I found them to be completely unnecessary and rather vulgar, disruptive and annoying compared to the easy flow and narrative of the rest of the book. I found them gratuitous and not helpful in any way to advancing the plot, the characters, or the focus of the book. The characters were well developed, if not all sympathetic, and the storyline flowed in a well-developed arc. I just really, really hated the jarringly graphic, sexually pornographic, incongruous sex scenes. Definitely not for the prudish or faint of hearts!
This has been a difficult review for me to write. I enjoyed reading the book. I thought it was well written and exceedingly provocative and interesting. However, I think it could have done without the extremely graphic and lengthy sexual positions and acts sprinkled throughout the book. I found them to be completely unnecessary and rather vulgar, disruptive and annoying compared to the easy flow and narrative of the rest of the book. I found them gratuitous and not helpful in any way to advancing the plot, the characters, or the focus of the book. The characters were well developed, if not all sympathetic, and the storyline flowed in a well-developed arc. I just really, really hated the jarringly graphic, sexually pornographic, incongruous sex scenes. Definitely not for the prudish or faint of hearts!
January 28, 2022
I enjoyed reading this book. I haven’t read many fictional books that focus on the LGBTQIA+ community so reading this novel was like a breath of fresh air.
I do agree with some reviewers that the writing is a little novice and predictable at times. There were some parts that might’ve seemed a little cliché and I also found some grammatical errors so having an editor take a second pass at the book might be a good idea.
Despite that, it doesn’t take away from the creativity of the story. Having grown up in Houston I appreciated the author’s use of city landmarks sprinkled throughout the story. The book was interesting enough to capture my attention and was an easy read that I could finish in a few days. More importantly it really helped me think deeper about the entire LGBTQIA+ community, their struggles, and the way they are portrayed in media and writing. I would definitely recommend this book and am looking forward to future works from the author.
I do agree with some reviewers that the writing is a little novice and predictable at times. There were some parts that might’ve seemed a little cliché and I also found some grammatical errors so having an editor take a second pass at the book might be a good idea.
Despite that, it doesn’t take away from the creativity of the story. Having grown up in Houston I appreciated the author’s use of city landmarks sprinkled throughout the story. The book was interesting enough to capture my attention and was an easy read that I could finish in a few days. More importantly it really helped me think deeper about the entire LGBTQIA+ community, their struggles, and the way they are portrayed in media and writing. I would definitely recommend this book and am looking forward to future works from the author.
August 30, 2023
I have just read such a remarkable work through this book, Cakewalk by Douglas Bell. This was a sensible novel with a subject that is not often discussed. I love how and honest this book is and how admirable the characters are. The setting was set in Texas and it's about the protagonist Bryan who is a vert successful man. His mother is very proud of him because of his achievements but when it comes to his love life, he doesn't easily share it to her. Bryan dated Nadia, a transgender woman who he felt connected with. I can definitely relate to this book because I know some transgender women and I feel their struggles in fitting with the society and the challenges they go through to be accepted as who they are. This was such a realistic book and it comes with important topics that we shouldn't disregard. As a whole, I enjoyed it a lot.
January 7, 2022
Did Not Finish (might pick it up again anyways though)
Cakewalk is great novel that tackles racism, homophobia and internalised homophobia.
I was lucky enough to receive an arc of this book but only got to about half the book because I've had to prepare for a big move to another country. The novel was paced quite well and the writing was great, never a moment where things were too underwhelming or overwhelming. The balance between the deeper parts of the story and the sections where it'd be filled with (great) banter was definitely appreciated.
I won't be able to make an in-depth review of the book for obvious reasons (the reasons being I didn't finish it) but from what I've read so far I'd definitely recommend it to others.
Cakewalk is great novel that tackles racism, homophobia and internalised homophobia.
I was lucky enough to receive an arc of this book but only got to about half the book because I've had to prepare for a big move to another country. The novel was paced quite well and the writing was great, never a moment where things were too underwhelming or overwhelming. The balance between the deeper parts of the story and the sections where it'd be filled with (great) banter was definitely appreciated.
I won't be able to make an in-depth review of the book for obvious reasons (the reasons being I didn't finish it) but from what I've read so far I'd definitely recommend it to others.
August 7, 2022
I must say this book absolutely had me by the first chapter. Each character represented someone i have have met or known and truly had me hooked. The fact that as I dove deeper into each page it was as if I was watching a movie of so many lives play out right before me. This up and coming author has truly snatched my attention and made me reflect on the perspectives of others as well as the symbolism throughout this read. If you want to laugh, cry, feel anger, empathy, and reflection on how and who you are as well as get a little hot and heavy this is definitely the right book for you. Step into a world you may have never known existed and watch the similarities of what all humans long for no matter the pronoun.
August 29, 2023
“Cakewalk” by Douglas Bell is a fascinating novel that explores the challenging lives of those who don’t conform to narrow societal expectations. The novel is set in a highly traditional Texan community, where an African American divorced dad of two and queer characters are struggling to get by. Bell does a fantastic job of depicting the struggles that those who don’t fall within the accepted norms of society face, ranging from dads who are homemakers, to African Americans, to anyone who doesn’t conform to binary gender stereotypes. Douglas Bell exposes societal prejudice, homophobia and transphobia in a powerful manner and makes readers think about and reconsider their own attitudes. This book definitely deserves 5 stars!
January 12, 2022
Bell describes a very nuanced struggle that as a cis man don't understand. The growth of a queer relationship, between two people and also their friends and family. Bell shows empathy in both the highs and lows as Bryan and Nadia navigate life together. I could tell that Bell did his research in the community and I learned helpful things that also make me more aware and can be a better ally in the community.
April 29, 2022
Genuinely one of the worst books I’ve ever read. So totally transphobic and homophobic from the main character who we’re supposed to be rooting for. The social issues mentioned are so on the nose that I laughed. I was enjoying it purely for that but Bryan just got so disgusting that I couldn’t stomach it anymore. Don’t know why the author chose to write on issues he clearly knows nothing about.
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