Four years ago, Bryan Hicks left behind a lucrative corporate job to open a bakery with his trans girlfriend, Nadia Brooks. In conservative Houston, Texas, they had to sue a transphobic landlord just to lease a space. Even so, the shop was humming along until the Covid-19 pandemic slowed their business to a trickle. Cash-strapped and desperate, Bryan turns to an unsavory character for a loan; when he's unable to pay it back, he's forced to rent out the bakery to an illegal trans strip show to make some extra cash. The dancers and customers trash the place, and one night it gets so rowdy Bryan fires a gun just to clear the store. How did his dream become such a nightmare? The novel moves back in time to tell the history of the bakery, from the first "love cake" Bryan made for Nadia to Nadia's Hail Mary effort to win cash in a TV baking competition. All the while, Bryan strives to be a supportive father to his queer son and his increasingly right-wing daughter.
Can Bryan save his bakery and his relationship with Nadia, or is he about to lose his love and livelihood in one fell swoop?
Bell's workmanlike prose captures both the tranquil atmosphere of the bakery and the wild energy of the trans party scene, as here, when Bryan and Nadia visit a strip club: "Now that they were inside, Nadia looked overwhelmed, standing very stiff. She looked scared to touch anything. Bryan grabbed her and led her through the mesh of bodies to the middle bar. He handed Nadia a beer, and they both turned around to check out the raw scene."
Industry Reviews
"The book shows its scaffolding in terms of plot and intention, but the author's portrayal of trans-cis and interracial relationships, plus the dynamics of Covid-19 and MAGA politics, give this novel a topical urgency. An earnest LGBTQ+ love story set against the turmoil of the pandemic." - Kirkus Reviews
"I really enjoyed this book. I was especially intrigued by seeing the different struggles that Bryan and Nadia experience that are different from the other. It was very thought provoking to see that Nadia and Bryan didn't always experience the same struggles as each other. It was really helpful to see that Bryan was on a continuous journey of learning how to navigate the LGBTQ community, while still being an ally and a protector of the community. It was nice that he wasn't always correct or sure of how to proceed in certain situations. It was a great way of showing that it's the willingness to learn that is the biggest effort a person can make towards true acceptance." - Beta Reader
"I loved Nadia's character! I appreciated her strength and how sure of herself she seems. She knows how to stand up for beliefs and defend herself." - Beta Reader
"Love Cake is wonderful! I couldn't put it down! It's fascinating to see the characters go through struggles that are familiar to everyone, as well as having to fight the daily prejudices they face. It's the story of two strong characters that together make an unbeatable couple!" - Beta Reader
