Born and raised in a township in East Rand, Angela Makholwa is a bestselling South African novelist who started out working as a crime reporter. The case of a real life serial killer who approached Makholwa to write his story inspired her first novel, Red Ink, the first South African crime fiction written by a female black author. Acclaimed for her contribution to African literature, Makholwa is currently based in Johannesburg. The Blessed Girl is her fourth novel.

'I really, really loved it' - Marian Keyes

'Absolute heaven - I am cackling out loud!' - Nina Stibbe

'The most exciting new heroine I've read in a very long time' - Katie Fforde

Shortlisted for the Comedy Women in Print Prize

Blessed adj. [pronounced bles-id]

The state of being blessed, often referring to a person, usually female, who lives a luxurious lifestyle funded by an older, often married partner, in return for sexual favours.

Young, beautiful and ambitious, Bontle Tau has Johannesburg wrapped around her finger. Her generous admirers are falling over themselves to pay for her Mercedes, her penthouse, and her Instagrammable holidays. It's a long way from the neighbourhood she started out in, and it's been far from easy.

Along with making sure she always looks fabulous - because people didn't sacrifice their lives in the freedom struggle for black women to wear the same cheap T-shirts they wore during apartheid - Bontle's also hustling to get her business off the ground. And if that wasn't enough, her ex is still refusing to sign their divorce papers. It's not that she stopped loving him, but he was just so stubborn about wasting his medical degree on treating the poor.

Yes, Bontle gets the blues from time to time, who doesn't, the shrink keeps wanting to talk about a past she's put firmly behind her. And what she doesn't think about can't hurt her, can it?

I really, really loved it

The most exciting new heroine I've read in a very long time

Absolute heaven. I am cackling out loud!