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SHORTLISTED FOR THE 2025 OCM BOCAS PRIZE FOR CARIBBEAN LITERATURE 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 -- 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 . . . -- Praise for Sweetness in the Skin ‘Serves up a taste of Jamaica that will have you craving coconut drops, gizzada and sweet potato pudding’ The Times ‘Wonderful, tender, vivid’ Glamour
SHORTLISTED FOR THE 2025 OCM BOCAS PRIZE FOR CARIBBEAN LITERATURE
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
--
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 . . .
--
Praise for Sweetness in the Skin
‘Serves up a taste of Jamaica that will have you craving coconut drops, gizzada and sweet potato pudding’ The Times
‘Wonderful, tender, vivid’ Glamour