This is women's fiction on steroids. Four smart, accomplished women juggle friendships with each other, relationships with men, babies, and major careers, trying to have it all by the age of thirty and keep it all under control. Secrets abound and men do not always do the right thing. All of this makes for a great fun read.

The 30th Candle was written fourteen years ago… and it shows.

A novel about four women - best friends - on the cusp of their thirtieth birthdays, presents an opportunity for identity and commiseration. Indeed, these four women - intelligent, witty young women of colour - present a spectrum of personalities that may well have been the reader’s good friends.

After a slow start, The 30th Candle picks up speed and, despite the relentless obsessions with brand names and appearances, becomes a very readable page turner. And yet, it never feels quite like the South Africa I know - or the peers I know.

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The maidens find their knights ( or escape the ogres), and in the end their divergent paths all becomes similar again. First, there is the harmful rhetoric of “oh dear all the good men are gay” - and then the gay man isn’t ACTUALLY gay, anyway. Not to mention the good-looking exchange student whose strong queer undercurrents are conveniently left to dissipate.
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Granted: not every novel about modern women of colour must be a social commentary, but if presented as a contemporary novel (“updated” as per the author’s note), it is perhaps not unreasonable to hope for an “updated” social milieu.

I’ll always appreciate Makholwa as a South African author, but The 30th Candle is just not my favourite of her works.

Absolutely loved this book!

The authors writing style is amazing!

I look forward to reading more from them!

I received a complimentary copy from the publisher and all opinions expressed are entirely my own.

This is a thrilling fast paced read about love, friendship, adulthood and choices . 30th candle follows Linda, Dikeledi, Nolwazi and Sade who are pursuing love and success in the city of Gold (Johannesburg) and everyone knows life is hard we all need friendship. The 30th year ushers in a whole lot of mess that could tear a friendship from one waiting for the one, one hiding a terrible secret there seems to be enough drama in their lives.

I loved that it was an honest take on what it means to be 30 , to be a friend and to be self-assured. It's an ode of "I got you" to everyone enjoying their dirty 30s or on the brink.

Actually rating: 3.5

I highly recommend starting a book with no expectations at all, because Angela Makholwa’s The 30th Candle was a really pleasant surprise. Although she is a renowned writer in this part of the world, this was my first Makholwa, and I’m glad I picked it up.

Four friends are about to turn 30. They’re successful women who’ve passed various milestones, or hope to, and they have all of the expectations you will remember (or have) around the big three-oh. What transpires for each of them isn’t what they imagined, necessarily; but this is a book with happy endings. And if you’re expecting fluff and steam—there’s some, but also trials and sadness, humour, warmth, and deeply human experiences.

The 30th Candle has been adapted, and there’s a film out on Netflix (Love, Sex, and 30 Candles) which I haven’t watched yet—will fix that this weekend. Hopefully it’s at least as good as the book. The edition I read is a revised one; the original novel came out in 2009, and this edition is updated for global readers.

Thank you to NetGalley and Amazon/Lake Union Publishing for a fun and engrossing diversion.

Thank you to NetGalley, Amazon Publishing UK and Angela Makholwa for the advanced reading copy of this book. I was initially drawn to this book as I will be turning 30 myself in the next year, and it sounded like a fun light-hearted book. Although this seems to be the case, I found myself struggling to get into the book and could not finish. It may have been the number of characters and the alternating perspectives of each chapter that made it hard for me to follow.

I found it very difficult to get into the story, I think I don’t mesh with the style of writing. I found the dialogue stilted my ability to fall into the story.

Reading Challenge Prompt: A bipoc author.

This read by Makholwa was a delightful surprise for me, as I had never read any of her work before. I enjoyed it so much that I will definitely seek out more of her books in the future. The story was well-written, and I found myself invested in the characters. The four female protagonists were unique, and their strengths and weaknesses were equally portrayed, creating a drama-filled tale that explored secrets, deceit, and the bonds of friendship. I was so engrossed in the story that I finished it within 24 hours, eager to discover how it would end. I was not disappointed! Despite the complexity of the plot, I found it to be a positive aspect of the book.

I was also impressed by how much I learned about South African communities from the book. Although I have never visited the country or have any connections there, I appreciated the author's attention to detail.

This is a re-release from the original publication in 2009. I have heard that there is a screen adaptation of this book, but I have not seen it yet. I plan to do some research on it and watch it soon.

In the meantime, this read comes highly recommended and would make a perfect book club read!

Really enjoyed this book! The different stories of each of the women were written so well that the stories worked well on their own as well as intertwined with each other.

There were twists and turns even to the last moment which made it even more interesting to read.

What a great story about female friendships, with a colourful cast of characters. It was a fun enjoyable read.

I enjoyed this story of modern women looking for happiness, and love. Some of the subject matter felt very relevant and topical, and it was an interesting mix of romance, coming of age and high drama!

Four friends are about to turn thirty and when everything in their life should be going according to plan, the opposite seems to be happening. I found this to be an intriguing read. It’s a tale full of secrets, some that push the boundaries of friendship. It kept me entertained and I found the glossary of African terms at the end to be useful. I would rate this book 3.5 stars. Thank to NetGalley, Amazon Publishing UK and the author for the chance to review.

Phenomenal . . . truly remarkable and amazingly unpredictable
An absolute corker . . . totally engrossing and superbly written ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

I was drawn to this book because age 30 was a huge turning point in my life, just like it is for these 4 women, who are best friends living in South Africa (Nowalzi, Sade, Linda, and Dikeledi). It was originally released in 2009 but is getting rereleased in October with editorial revisions. I was given early access thanks to NetGalley. This book is full of drama and secrets between all of the characters, who are messy and flawed in their own ways. However, over the course of the book they all grow in different ways as they pursue their true happiness. I enjoyed how the author tied South African language and culture into this book. However, it did take quite a bit of time for me to get into it. The plot jumped around some and was hard to follow at times. I think this story would make a good movie.

Loved this story about 4 completely different women, all with very interesting backgrounds. I did find the South African character names a bit challenging to pronounce at first but soon got used to them. The storyline really starts to ramp up with intrigue halfway through which is why i ended up reading the entire book within 2 days. The girls really do get themselves into bother at times, testing their bonds of friendship, it did also have some emotional parts. It certainly had a bit of everything this book, i felt privileged to read it. I will undeniably pick another book by this author.

Thanks to Amazon Publishing UK and NetGalley for allowing me an advanced copy to read in exchange for my open and honest review. As always, my reviews will also be posted on Amazon, Goodreads and Waterstones and interaction on Facebook and instagram where possible.

This book starts a little haphazardly but I warmed up to each character quite quickly. This book follows 4 women on the cusp of turning 30 through the next 3 years when they finally outgrow their old flaws. I enjoyed reading about the South African setting, though the book could have been set in any culture for its universal 30+ women concerns. There is some heavy character development, though everything goes a little too smoothly sometimes. Overall, good read.

The 30th Candle by Angela Makholwa takes readers on a captivating journey through the lives of four friends on the brink of turning thirty. Linda, Dikeledi, Nolwazi, and Sade have always relied on each other, but as they approach this milestone age, their once steady lives begin to unravel, and hidden secrets threaten to shatter their firm bond.

Makholwa skillfully weaves a tale of friendship, love, and the complexities of navigating adulthood. The characters grapple with their own personal challenges: Dikeledi waits anxiously for a proposal, Linda finds herself back in the dating scene, Nolwazi guards a secret close to her heart, and Sade believes she has found her perfect match. However, as these secrets emerge, the strength of their relationships is put to the test.

The author delves into the intricate dynamics between love and friendship, forcing the characters to make difficult choices. Makholwa's storytelling is engrossing, keeping readers hooked as they eagerly turn the pages to uncover the outcome.

The 30th Candle is a compelling exploration of the complexities of modern relationships and the power of enduring friendships. Makholwa's writing is engaging, heartfelt, and relatable, making this novel a must-read for anyone seeking a story that delves deep into the intricacies of love, secrets, and the strength of bonds between friends.