Loving in Midrand : a novel

by Mbalenhle Ntuli

Thirty-one-year-old Anele Gumede has vowed that engaging in a relationship in Midrand is the equivalent of an extreme sports tournament. After moving back home to Soweto in the hopes of rebuilding her strength from a breakup, it does not take her long to find new love that sends her back to Midrand with Mbuso Khumalo. Her life brings more complexities when she has to deal with Lerato, Mbuso’s ex-girlfriend who is currently pregnant with their first child and is determined to do anything to have him back in her life and complete her picture-perfect family.

Thando Kunene, a successful investment banker who also happens to be next-door neighbours with Anele from back in Soweto, finds himself entangled in this love predicament when they all rebuild their lives in Midrand. Loving in Midrand proves that relationships built in Midrand are not for the faint-hearted. Do these four have what it takes to break the cycle and live in cordial harmony in

a town where many relationships have gone to die?

Genres: Romance

299 pages, Kindle Edition

Published October 25, 2020

Reviews

[Claire Hondo · Rating 2 out of 5]

It had un-necessary drama plus i failed to connect with Mbeso and Anele like their relationship and everything, i actually understood Lerato more her position from the beginning

[Ntombi Letlojane-Sibande · Rating 4 out of 5]

I enjoyed this book

[Ame · Rating 4 out of 5]

First and foremost, African literature is a personal fave for me. This book is no exception! It is a wonderfully written love story of 2 couples. Is it realistic? Absolutely. And there are some life…and love lessons in there for everyone. If a man loves you, he will love you with all your flaws and will always forgive you. The love journey isn’t easy. Co-parenting works. Don’t try change someone when you’ve established a solid relationship/marriage. The list is endless. However, the synopsis gave me the impression that Anele’s love story was the core of this book. From my perspective, Lerato’s story was the centre. I don’t know if I was disconnected from Anele’s love story once Lerato and Thando met… but yah. Somewhere down the line I found myself even more interested in Lindelwa’s love story with Esethu and she only had 1 chapter in the whole book. Don’t get me wrong, Anele and Mbuso’s story started of well and good but somewhere somehow I missed something. Nonetheless, it was an amazing book. Definitely going to read it again this year.

[Faseeha Esmailjee · Rating 4 out of 5]

Really enjoyed this fresh and modern writing with the typical South African drama!

[Nomfundo · Rating 4 out of 5]

Such a well written,easy to follow novel.
Enjoyed exploring the realities of relationships

[Nqobile Msiza · Rating 4 out of 5]

Life, my friends, is far from a walk in the park. It's a wild, tangled mess of twists and turns, and this story captures that beautifully. It's like a crash course in the complexities of existence. But fear not, for amidst the chaos, there are moments of pure joy, heartache, and personal growth. We all stumble, we all fall, but it's how we pick ourselves up and learn from our mistakes that truly defines us.

If this book is any indication of the actual love stories in Midrand, then love in that place is a full-blown sport! It's a game where the rules are constantly changing, and you never know what curveball life will throw at you next. But hey, that's what makes it exciting, right?

[Thembeka · Rating 4 out of 5]

Really enjoyed this book. Easy flowing read, loved Mbuso from the beginning. Nice twists, would have loved to know what became of Dudu but enjoyed it and would look out for more books from Mbali, loved her writing style

[Refiloe Nkadimeng ********** · Rating 4 out of 5]

The drama in the book is what makes it a captivating. Modern age problems, relevant and touching on current dramas that young couples go through.