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His Baby Maker
"What are you, his baby maker?"
For decades, Candice secretly bore Daniel's children. Haunted by her eldest daughter's disdain, she pens down her life story, in the process confronting her past demons with the realisation that she and the children deserve more than the scraps that Daniel had been giving them.
As Daniel uncovers the depths of Candice's pain by reading her memoir, he grapples with his own traumatic history, political ambitions, and his biggest fear of losing Candice and the family they have built.
His Baby Maker is a raw exploration of two fractured souls fighting to maintain their family while battling inner demons. Will they find redemption together, or will their shared burdens tear them apart?
For decades, Candice secretly bore Daniel's children. Haunted by her eldest daughter's disdain, she pens down her life story, in the process confronting her past demons with the realisation that she and the children deserve more than the scraps that Daniel had been giving them.
As Daniel uncovers the depths of Candice's pain by reading her memoir, he grapples with his own traumatic history, political ambitions, and his biggest fear of losing Candice and the family they have built.
His Baby Maker is a raw exploration of two fractured souls fighting to maintain their family while battling inner demons. Will they find redemption together, or will their shared burdens tear them apart?
296 pages, Kindle Edition
Published October 6, 2025
1 person is currently reading
5 people want to read
About the author
Busisekile Khumalo
15 books375 followersBest-selling author of The Harvard wife, Nomaswazi, Lola's Heart and Fallen Candle
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Displaying 1 - 3 of 3 reviews
October 13, 2025
Hayi marn, khanime ndinibalisele!
Like Sarafina, you’ve just come back from the white-people suburbs after getting money from your mother — but unlike Sarafina, your mother lowkey resents you. She doesn’t even try to hide how she feels when you get on a bus, give up your seat for a pregnant woman, and then stumble straight onto someone’s lap as the bus turns a corner.
You apologise to the stranger and try to get up, but he’s a nice guy — tells you it’s fine, you don’t have to move until you both reach your stops. And when you finally do, he asks you to accompany him to his workplace since, well… you did just spend the bus ride sitting on his lap.
Little did you know that tall, lanky, handsome man would be the beginning of your end.
Days go by, and he’s all you can think about. At only 15 years old, you lie to him about your age because deep down you know—if he ever found out, he’d probably end whatever you two have going on. He’s much older, about seven or eight years older to be exact. What you have feels like a little fairytale, the kind that promises a happily ever after… until reality hits.
You find out you’re pregnant, and your mother drags you to his apartment—only for your perfect little bubble to burst into nothing but water.
He takes care of you through your pregnancy, jumps to your every need, and for a moment, you almost believe he’s the man you thought he was. But when you finally give birth to your daughter, he goes behind your back and has the hospital write his wife’s name—Nompumelelo—on your baby’s birth certificate.
You’re just 15, lying in a hospital bed after giving birth, when you lose your mother. Three days later, you lose your daughter too—to your baby daddy and his wife.
Candice’s life is nothing short of a rollercoaster from there on. Grief takes its toll, and she turns to alcohol to numb the pain—but it’s never enough, is it?
With Daniel out of the picture and no daughter to care for, Candice spirals. She drinks, she sleeps around—anything to quiet the ache inside her. Until one day, she wakes up in a hospital, her life hanging by a thread, only to learn she was drugged and raped… all because she refused to sleep with a man without protection.
When we met Daniel in The Harvard Wife, we met a narcissistic, heartless monster who killed Mpumi’s baby without batting an eye. A man who had a daughter he barely knew. A man who abused his wife, caused her countless miscarriages through his cheating and absence, and even pulled a gun on her—driving his own daughter to suicide.
But that’s not the Daniel we meet here.
In this book, we see Daniel Sisulu through Candice’s eyes and, for the first time, through his own point of view.
With a mother who worships her husband and a drunkard for a father, Daniel’s sister, Phindiwe, had to step in and step up to make sure her siblings never went without. One day, Phindiwe holds young Daniel at arm’s length, crouches to meet his eyes, and tells him he’s their family’s ticket to a better life. Imagine that kind of pressure at such a young age—but what could he do?
At fourteen, Phindiwe tells him it’s time to grow up and become a man. But little does he know what that really means for his innocence. She takes him to some old, scarecrow-looking woman and hands him over—on the condition that this woman and her people will help Daniel get into politics when the time comes.
It’s on that fateful day that everything changes for Daniel. He loses his innocence… and later, his conscience—when he kills his own father and watches him take his last breath.
His Baby Maker is a rollercoaster of emotions. From hating them in The Harvard Wife and The Princess and The Piper, I somehow found myself understanding Daniel Sisulu and even extending grace towards Candice as I got to see how she ended up being absent in Oyama’s life.
It was beautiful watching Candice and Oyama’s relationship grow—from what it was in The Princess and The Piper to what it became in His Baby Maker. Sadly, I can’t say the same for Daniel. In true Daniel fashion, he didn’t change one bit. If anything, he managed to piss me off on multiple occasions. But I will give him credit—he tried with Oyama and Amandla, and I’d really love to see him try even harder.
One of my favourite moments in the book was getting glimpses of Sipho/Sphola’s wisdom and how he still manages to tame his tiny Nokwindla after all these years.
Overall, the book was such a lovely read, and i'm only giving it a four because of Daniel. As always, Busi poured her heart and soul into this one, and I can’t wait to see where Oyama and Daniel’s relationship goes. Hopefully, this means Busi will bless us with a spin-off featuring Oyama and Sphola!
Like Sarafina, you’ve just come back from the white-people suburbs after getting money from your mother — but unlike Sarafina, your mother lowkey resents you. She doesn’t even try to hide how she feels when you get on a bus, give up your seat for a pregnant woman, and then stumble straight onto someone’s lap as the bus turns a corner.
You apologise to the stranger and try to get up, but he’s a nice guy — tells you it’s fine, you don’t have to move until you both reach your stops. And when you finally do, he asks you to accompany him to his workplace since, well… you did just spend the bus ride sitting on his lap.
Little did you know that tall, lanky, handsome man would be the beginning of your end.
Days go by, and he’s all you can think about. At only 15 years old, you lie to him about your age because deep down you know—if he ever found out, he’d probably end whatever you two have going on. He’s much older, about seven or eight years older to be exact. What you have feels like a little fairytale, the kind that promises a happily ever after… until reality hits.
You find out you’re pregnant, and your mother drags you to his apartment—only for your perfect little bubble to burst into nothing but water.
He takes care of you through your pregnancy, jumps to your every need, and for a moment, you almost believe he’s the man you thought he was. But when you finally give birth to your daughter, he goes behind your back and has the hospital write his wife’s name—Nompumelelo—on your baby’s birth certificate.
You’re just 15, lying in a hospital bed after giving birth, when you lose your mother. Three days later, you lose your daughter too—to your baby daddy and his wife.
Candice’s life is nothing short of a rollercoaster from there on. Grief takes its toll, and she turns to alcohol to numb the pain—but it’s never enough, is it?
With Daniel out of the picture and no daughter to care for, Candice spirals. She drinks, she sleeps around—anything to quiet the ache inside her. Until one day, she wakes up in a hospital, her life hanging by a thread, only to learn she was drugged and raped… all because she refused to sleep with a man without protection.
When we met Daniel in The Harvard Wife, we met a narcissistic, heartless monster who killed Mpumi’s baby without batting an eye. A man who had a daughter he barely knew. A man who abused his wife, caused her countless miscarriages through his cheating and absence, and even pulled a gun on her—driving his own daughter to suicide.
But that’s not the Daniel we meet here.
In this book, we see Daniel Sisulu through Candice’s eyes and, for the first time, through his own point of view.
With a mother who worships her husband and a drunkard for a father, Daniel’s sister, Phindiwe, had to step in and step up to make sure her siblings never went without. One day, Phindiwe holds young Daniel at arm’s length, crouches to meet his eyes, and tells him he’s their family’s ticket to a better life. Imagine that kind of pressure at such a young age—but what could he do?
At fourteen, Phindiwe tells him it’s time to grow up and become a man. But little does he know what that really means for his innocence. She takes him to some old, scarecrow-looking woman and hands him over—on the condition that this woman and her people will help Daniel get into politics when the time comes.
It’s on that fateful day that everything changes for Daniel. He loses his innocence… and later, his conscience—when he kills his own father and watches him take his last breath.
His Baby Maker is a rollercoaster of emotions. From hating them in The Harvard Wife and The Princess and The Piper, I somehow found myself understanding Daniel Sisulu and even extending grace towards Candice as I got to see how she ended up being absent in Oyama’s life.
It was beautiful watching Candice and Oyama’s relationship grow—from what it was in The Princess and The Piper to what it became in His Baby Maker. Sadly, I can’t say the same for Daniel. In true Daniel fashion, he didn’t change one bit. If anything, he managed to piss me off on multiple occasions. But I will give him credit—he tried with Oyama and Amandla, and I’d really love to see him try even harder.
One of my favourite moments in the book was getting glimpses of Sipho/Sphola’s wisdom and how he still manages to tame his tiny Nokwindla after all these years.
Overall, the book was such a lovely read, and i'm only giving it a four because of Daniel. As always, Busi poured her heart and soul into this one, and I can’t wait to see where Oyama and Daniel’s relationship goes. Hopefully, this means Busi will bless us with a spin-off featuring Oyama and Sphola!
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
October 8, 2025
Finished the book early this morning, and this is my rating ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
Oh, what a journey of self-discovery, dealing with trauma and finding one's voice.
The book was captivating, and I'm even tempted to go read it again. I have to be honest, I was never a fan of Daniel or Candice from the first time they were introduced in the Harvard Wife, but they have redeemed themselves in this book, especially Candice. Even though I had wished for her to walk away from Daniel but I realized whilst reading, that as toxic and flawed their love was, they did deserve a second chance too.
Candice grew on me in ways that I never expected. I judged her before for allowing herself to be Daniel's sperm dish and be in the shadows whilst he was parading other women to the world. Why did he not choose her from the beginning? That was the lingering unanswered question.
Daniel is a self-centered prick. Everything has to go his way. I'm judging myself for forgiving him easily. Of all the male characters in your books, he annoyed me much. Nompumelelo doged a bullet, even though she got to experience his abuse, manipulation, and infidelities, but her reuniting with the love of her love was the best thing to happen to her.
I can spend the day writing an essay because I've got so much to say about the book.
I love how Busi always manage to feature characters from other books. I'm happy that everyone has grown and happy. I see Nomusa is still everywhere where the Levines are, another one that I don't like. Did she get married, or is she still roaming around and hoping to get a stolen moment again with Jarred? I'm hoping there will be a book about Ntsikelelo Hlongwane.
Busisekile is such a great author
Oh, what a journey of self-discovery, dealing with trauma and finding one's voice.
The book was captivating, and I'm even tempted to go read it again. I have to be honest, I was never a fan of Daniel or Candice from the first time they were introduced in the Harvard Wife, but they have redeemed themselves in this book, especially Candice. Even though I had wished for her to walk away from Daniel but I realized whilst reading, that as toxic and flawed their love was, they did deserve a second chance too.
Candice grew on me in ways that I never expected. I judged her before for allowing herself to be Daniel's sperm dish and be in the shadows whilst he was parading other women to the world. Why did he not choose her from the beginning? That was the lingering unanswered question.
Daniel is a self-centered prick. Everything has to go his way. I'm judging myself for forgiving him easily. Of all the male characters in your books, he annoyed me much. Nompumelelo doged a bullet, even though she got to experience his abuse, manipulation, and infidelities, but her reuniting with the love of her love was the best thing to happen to her.
I can spend the day writing an essay because I've got so much to say about the book.
I love how Busi always manage to feature characters from other books. I'm happy that everyone has grown and happy. I see Nomusa is still everywhere where the Levines are, another one that I don't like. Did she get married, or is she still roaming around and hoping to get a stolen moment again with Jarred? I'm hoping there will be a book about Ntsikelelo Hlongwane.
Busisekile is such a great author
January 2, 2026
I really enjoyed Daniel and Candice’s story. It’s beautifully written. I finished it in two days (blame house chores for the delay).
I especially loved how it the author used a manuscript/tell/it-all book by Candice (female protagonist) to handle flashbacks. That was so beautifully executed penned.
I never ever thought I would fall in love with Daniel (I hated that man so much from the past books in the Series). But in true Busisekile style, she peeled off the layers and made me understand him… and ultimately forgive him.
Anything with Oyama has my heart. I love how she is trying with her father. He deserves some grace shame uDaniel weNkosi.
My heart broke for Candice. What a painful life she has lived! She deserves all the healing in Mozambique with her brood and that beauty bar I can’t pronounce LOL.
I loved seeing cameos from the author’s other books. I loved how they played their role, moved the story forward and bowed out. They didn’t dilute Candice and Daniel’s voices.
My attachment issues had a problem with Candice asking for a break from Daniel. But their trauma bond runs deep hey! Tjo! Fragile me would never survive a tenth of the things those people went through. Also I didn’t like it when Candice hid the pregnancy from Daniel (He needed that more than ever. He needed some good news and grounding).
All in all, a masterpiece 👏
I especially loved how it the author used a manuscript/tell/it-all book by Candice (female protagonist) to handle flashbacks. That was so beautifully executed penned.
I never ever thought I would fall in love with Daniel (I hated that man so much from the past books in the Series). But in true Busisekile style, she peeled off the layers and made me understand him… and ultimately forgive him.
Anything with Oyama has my heart. I love how she is trying with her father. He deserves some grace shame uDaniel weNkosi.
My heart broke for Candice. What a painful life she has lived! She deserves all the healing in Mozambique with her brood and that beauty bar I can’t pronounce LOL.
I loved seeing cameos from the author’s other books. I loved how they played their role, moved the story forward and bowed out. They didn’t dilute Candice and Daniel’s voices.
My attachment issues had a problem with Candice asking for a break from Daniel. But their trauma bond runs deep hey! Tjo! Fragile me would never survive a tenth of the things those people went through. Also I didn’t like it when Candice hid the pregnancy from Daniel (He needed that more than ever. He needed some good news and grounding).
All in all, a masterpiece 👏
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
Displaying 1 - 3 of 3 reviews