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...

'An engaging coming-of-age tale'
THE TIMES

'A word-of-mouth sensation . . . Luminous'
STYLIST

'An unforgettable heroine'
RED

'An absolute must-read'
ABI DARE, author of The Girl With the Louding Voice

'Tender and humorous'
CHARMAINE WILKERSON, author of Black Cake

---

For Pumkin Patterson, family is complicated.

There's her mother Paulette, who ignores her. There's her beloved Auntie Sophie, who her mother resents. And there's her grandmother, who has always played favourites.
Whenever tensions rise, Pumkin retreats to the kitchen - creating the Jamaican bread puddings and coconut drops that have always given her comfort.

When Sophie moves to France for work, she vows to send for her niece in one year's time. But in order to follow her aunt, Pumkin has a mountain to climb. Starting with the question of how she'll manage to escape her mother, and make enough money to get to Marseille.

Inspired by her skills in the kitchen, Pumkin turns to her community in the hope that she can sell enough sweet treats to bake her way out. But when her school and her mother discover her plan, everything she's worked so hard for may slip through her fingers . . .

---

'An ode to the families we create for ourselves . . . Pumkin is a wonderful main character you are willing to succeed' GLAMOUR

'A treat from start to finish' SARAH HAYWOOD, author of The Cactus

'I read this book with my heart in my mouth, hoping all of Pumkin's dreams would come true' BREANNE MC IVOR, author of The God of Good Looks

'A tender exploration of familial love, both the family you're born to, and the one you find along the way' CHARLENE CARR, author of Hold My Girl

'A story so rich and resonant I never wanted it to end' JULIETTA HENDERSON, author of The Funny Thing About Norman Foreman

READERS ARE LOVING SWEETNESS IN THE SKIN

'This. Was. Amazing! I was hooked from the very first page.' Reader review

'Absolutely charming. I read it on one sitting, I just couldn't peel myself away from the story of Pumpkin!' Reader review

'I enjoyed reading it and was rooting for Pumkin to find her way on her journey to herself' Reader review

'Funny and heartwarming. Highly recommend adding to your wish list of books to read next year' Reader review

'I have not enjoyed a book as much as this for a VERY long time! This has everything for me that I want from a book' Reader review

About the Author
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.

Reviews
'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 *
Sweetness in the Skin is a tender exploration of familial love, both the family you're born to, and the one you find along the way. Robinson has written a treatise on the effects of colourism and class divisions that is heartbreaking and raw, yet joyful. This vivid story transported me to Pumkin's world through an excursion of the senses, the sights, the sounds, and especially the tastes of Jamaica, taking me back to the one journey I took to my fatherland and leaving me yearning to return. -- Charlene Carr, author of Hold My Girl
Emotionally transportive. A story so rich and resonant I never wanted it to end. Pumkin Patterson has my heart as one of the most authentic and original voices I've ever met in the pages of a book. I loved her. -- Julietta Henderson, author of The Funny Thing About Norman Foreman
Sweetness in the Skin is a celebration of the Caribbean - our food, our language, and our people. I read this book with my heart in my mouth, hoping all of Pumkin's dreams would come true. -- Breanne Mc Ivor, author of The God of Good Looks
Robinson's debut explores a variety of themes, including colorism, generational trauma, class, and ambition, through the eyes of plucky Pumkin, who is wise beyond her years. Her struggles are authentic, as are the friendships she develops with the people who help her along the way. Readers who were moved by Abi Dare's The Girl with the Louding Voice will be inspired by Pumkin's journey. * Booklist, starred review *
Pumkin is a resilient protagonist who handles the discovery of her own identity, while dealing with issues of race, wealth, and social status, with more grace than is expected of a teenager. Her "never give up" spirit will endear her to readers from the first page. This triumphant and emotional debut from Robinson is recommended for readers who enjoyed Charmaine Wilkerson's Black Cake or Yaa Gyasi's Homegoing. * Library Journal, starred review *
Sweetness in the Skin is a mouth-watering delight of a novel, richly seasoned with the flavours, dialect and culture of Jamaica. Ishi Robinson's sumptuous writing is an utter joy, and the characters she's created are vivid and engaging. The twists and turns of Pumkin's quest to escape her predicament and realise her dream set my heart pounding as I raced to the satisfying conclusion. It's rare to find a book that's so thought-provoking, exciting and humorous in equal parts. A treat from start to finish! -- Sarah Haywood, author of The Cactus
A total triumph of a debut. Immersive and assured, with a central character you'll root for the whole way through and a fantastic sense of place. I loved it -- Niamh Hargan, author of Twelve Days in May
A beautiful celebration of the Jamaican culture and people, as well as an uplifting coming-of-age tale about a brave, resilient and resourceful young girl who refuses to let anything hold her back * CultureFly *



Book Information
ISBN 9781405956789
Author Ishi Robinson
Format Paperback
Page Count 368
Imprint Penguin Books Ltd
Publisher Penguin Books Ltd
Weight(grams) 500g
Dimensions(mm) 198mm * 129mm * 35mm