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Diplomatic Ties
A gripping story of power, ambition, and the price of desire.
From the bustling township of Mamelodi to the heart of European diplomacy in Brussels, Mbali Langa has fought for every opportunity – and sacrificed more than she cares to admit. As a rising diplomat with a sharp mind and an unwavering ambition, she is no stranger to the delicate balance of power and persuasion.
But when an illicit affair threatens to shatter her career, and hidden enemies begin to close in, she finds herself trapped in a game where trust is a luxury she can’t afford. In Brussels, behind the polished façades of diplomacy, lies a dangerous world of secrets, betrayals and high-stakes deception – where one wrong move could cost her everything.
Caught between duty, love and the weight of her past, Mbali must decide just how far she’s willing to go to secure the future she’s always dreamed of.
From the bustling township of Mamelodi to the heart of European diplomacy in Brussels, Mbali Langa has fought for every opportunity – and sacrificed more than she cares to admit. As a rising diplomat with a sharp mind and an unwavering ambition, she is no stranger to the delicate balance of power and persuasion.
But when an illicit affair threatens to shatter her career, and hidden enemies begin to close in, she finds herself trapped in a game where trust is a luxury she can’t afford. In Brussels, behind the polished façades of diplomacy, lies a dangerous world of secrets, betrayals and high-stakes deception – where one wrong move could cost her everything.
Caught between duty, love and the weight of her past, Mbali must decide just how far she’s willing to go to secure the future she’s always dreamed of.
299 pages, Kindle Edition
Published September 9, 2025
2 people are currently reading
26 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 3 of 3 reviews
January 27, 2026
determined to make this a good year for the books 🙂↕️!
this book took me down an emotional spiral. there were moments where I was frustrated at Mbali and moments where i felt terribly sorry for her. especially towards the end.
this isn’t just a story about a black from Mamelodi realising her dream of becoming a Diplomatic. it’s a story about how ambition can be the ticket to our big break, the place where we can finally breath from the challenges we inherit or it can be the noose that grips us so tightly we end up self-sabotaging.
at the beginning i struggled with how a girl so smart so focused, could make such ridiculous decisions when it comes to her love life. mbali puts herself on the line, compromising herself in that affair with the Minister of Foreign Affairs, but can equally be level headed in honouring herself and her dreams when she chooses to end her relationship with vusi.
part 1 had me JUDGING mbali. but in the end i saw exactly what mpho was trying to achieve with this book. for many of us who don’t come from “ideal” backgrounds, our dreams become much deeper than the desire to just live our lives, they become the only way to break free from whatever it is we’ve witnessed and experienced, while simultaneously being underpinned by duty, love and the weight of where we come from.
in mbali’s story, i learn that without recognising and healing from our past, we’ll constantly be running and fighting even when what we want is right in our hands. it is exhausting and a self debilitating way to live.
somewhere between all that ambition and tenacity is the importance of rest and self preservation. you might not have it all, but you’re definitely not where you were yesterday, and for today, perhaps that’s enough.
we’re doing our best. there’s no need to operate from a place of fear. it sits like a huge lump in your throat, constantly holding you hostage.
i love the author’s note: “this is a book about what happens when survival becomes personality. when ambition is not shaped personal dreams but collective debt. when love doesn’t register simply because there’s no place for it.”
this book took me down an emotional spiral. there were moments where I was frustrated at Mbali and moments where i felt terribly sorry for her. especially towards the end.
this isn’t just a story about a black from Mamelodi realising her dream of becoming a Diplomatic. it’s a story about how ambition can be the ticket to our big break, the place where we can finally breath from the challenges we inherit or it can be the noose that grips us so tightly we end up self-sabotaging.
at the beginning i struggled with how a girl so smart so focused, could make such ridiculous decisions when it comes to her love life. mbali puts herself on the line, compromising herself in that affair with the Minister of Foreign Affairs, but can equally be level headed in honouring herself and her dreams when she chooses to end her relationship with vusi.
part 1 had me JUDGING mbali. but in the end i saw exactly what mpho was trying to achieve with this book. for many of us who don’t come from “ideal” backgrounds, our dreams become much deeper than the desire to just live our lives, they become the only way to break free from whatever it is we’ve witnessed and experienced, while simultaneously being underpinned by duty, love and the weight of where we come from.
in mbali’s story, i learn that without recognising and healing from our past, we’ll constantly be running and fighting even when what we want is right in our hands. it is exhausting and a self debilitating way to live.
somewhere between all that ambition and tenacity is the importance of rest and self preservation. you might not have it all, but you’re definitely not where you were yesterday, and for today, perhaps that’s enough.
we’re doing our best. there’s no need to operate from a place of fear. it sits like a huge lump in your throat, constantly holding you hostage.
i love the author’s note: “this is a book about what happens when survival becomes personality. when ambition is not shaped personal dreams but collective debt. when love doesn’t register simply because there’s no place for it.”
December 19, 2025
Mpho Boshego’s Diplomatic Ties was a brilliant read.
Through telling the protagonist, Mbali’s story, Mpho captured the realness of a South African township life - Mamelodi. I felt every bit of the financial and emotional pressure Mbali, carried for her family - a girl who against all odds gets the university degree and for the first time has a chance to financial liberation but alas - Black Tax! When the responsibility of liberating not just yourself but your family falls solely on your shoulders.
With a degree in International Politics & Sociology and a job at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Mbali sets her eyes to being a Diplomat. During this time she gets herself entangled in two relationships - none of which were right for her and one of which had danger lurking closely. Soon she’s in a predicament that threatens to derail her life completely.
I was so frustrated with her naivety and stupid decisions but then again which 24 year old has never made life altering mistakes?
She gets posted to Belgium and the contrast between the opulence of Brussels and her humble beginnings in Mamelodi are apparent.
Remember the danger lurking closely, it follows her to Brussels causing a diplomatic scandal that nearly ruins her.
I could not put this book down.
Through telling the protagonist, Mbali’s story, Mpho captured the realness of a South African township life - Mamelodi. I felt every bit of the financial and emotional pressure Mbali, carried for her family - a girl who against all odds gets the university degree and for the first time has a chance to financial liberation but alas - Black Tax! When the responsibility of liberating not just yourself but your family falls solely on your shoulders.
With a degree in International Politics & Sociology and a job at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Mbali sets her eyes to being a Diplomat. During this time she gets herself entangled in two relationships - none of which were right for her and one of which had danger lurking closely. Soon she’s in a predicament that threatens to derail her life completely.
I was so frustrated with her naivety and stupid decisions but then again which 24 year old has never made life altering mistakes?
She gets posted to Belgium and the contrast between the opulence of Brussels and her humble beginnings in Mamelodi are apparent.
Remember the danger lurking closely, it follows her to Brussels causing a diplomatic scandal that nearly ruins her.
I could not put this book down.
December 29, 2025
Captivating story . Diplomatic ties is well written, captivating… I have a feeling that another book will follow…
To be cont ….
To be cont ….
Displaying 1 - 3 of 3 reviews