Sweetness In The Skin

Pumkin Patterson dreams of a life beyond her Jamaican hometown. But what we dream of and where we belong aren't always the same thing...


'A dazzling coming-of-age novel with an unforgettable heroine' Red

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Eleven-year-old Pumpin knows a few things:

That her mother has never loved her
That Aunt Sophie does
That baking makes everything better
And France is a long way from her Jamaican home

What Pumkin doesn't know is:

What will happen when Aunt Sophie leaves for France
How far a mother can go to hurt a daughter
Why a secret can rot a family
That her cakes might just help save her life

Whatever happens, Pumkin knows she needs someone to love her.

But she just doesn't know who . . .

Review: 'Ishi Robinson's debut serves up a taste of Jamaica that will have you craving coconut drops, gizzada and sweet potato pudding . . . this engaging coming-of-age tale shows a challenging side of Jamaican life through the eyes of an appealing protagonist' * The Times *
I cherished every moment spent with Pumkin in this mesmerizing and poignant exploration of familial love and self-discovery. Robinson's narrative is infused with passion, delicately balancing stunning flavors and humor to create a feast for the senses. This captivating tale will linger in your heart long after the final page. An absolute must-read -- Abi Dare, bestselling author of The Girl With the Louding Voice
Delightful. This tender, humorous, coming-of-age tale celebrates the flavours and language of Jamaica -- Charmaine Wilkerson, New York Times bestselling author of Black Cake
The word-of-mouth sensation that's making waves . . . A searing coming-of-age novel set in 90s Jamaica that tells the story of irrepressible Pumkin Patterson . . . This luminous tale with its infectious heroine is perfect summer reading -- Irenosen Okojie * Stylist *
Vibrant, affecting and joyfully uplifting. I felt completely transported, and was cheering Pumkin along every step of the way! -- Lucy Diamond, author of Anything Could Happen
A dazzling coming-of-age novel set in the 1990s, with an unforgettable heroine -- Sarra Manning * Red *
A story of uplifting love and joyful Jamaican-recipes * Stylist *
Robinson is a tender and vivid writer, teasing out themes of identity, love, and the search for belonging. Sweetness in the Skin is a ode to the families we create for ourselves. Pumkin is a wonderful main character you are willing to succeed * Glamour *
Poignant and emotional, with touches of both humour and sorrow -- Julia Quinn, bestselling author of Bridgerton
This story by Ishi Robinson is a contemporary novel about family struggles, learning French, and, my favourite: baking. If those concepts don't hook you, I don't know what will. Sweetness in the Skin is perfect for anyone looking for a good ol' coming-of-age story, as it follows a young, lovable main character. * Buzzfeed *



Author Biography: Ishi Robinson was born and raised in Kingston, Jamaica. She has lived in Bern, Toronto, Rome, London and now lives in Berlin with her Czech husband. Her first published work was a short story in Jamaica's national newspaper when she was eleven years old. At seventeen, she sent a letter to her father from Switzerland that he thought was so funny he sent it to the other national newspaper, which snagged her a weekly column on teenage life in Kingston. She also previously wrote a weekly column on life as an expat in Rome for a now defunct online magazine. She got back into fiction writing in Berlin, from where she has published short stories in several online publications and one anthology. Sweetness in the Skin is her first novel.