Directly translated, Ntliziyo Ungumkhohlisi means ‘heart, you are a deceiver’ – a rather shady accusation to level against the organ responsible for pumping blood through our bodies.
In this introspective novel, author Bongani Luvalo pieces together the life of 30-year-old Mkhuseli Majola in post-Covid Ekurhuleni.
On the surface, Mkhuseli embodies success. He has achieved what many young boys from Katlehong dream of: a solid education, a high-paying job, an MBA, a luxury apartment in a ‘larney’ suburb, and a car with a powerful engine.
Yet beneath the polished exterior lies a quiet longing that even his MBA research cannot help him rationalise.
His home is stylishly curated but cold, despite sunlight pouring in through expansive windows. Perhaps it was the stillness of the mandatory Covid-19 lockdown that forced him to confront questions he had long avoided.
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Did the warmth of the love shared by his parents ever truly take root in his own heart? Or maybe it isn’t that deep. Maybe the man simply needed the grounding presence of friends, a braai stand, and a few beers.
As lockdown regulations ease, Mkhuseli steps back into a world eager to make up for lost time. Love, desire, and connection suddenly feel within reach again.
This is where Luvalo cleverly interrogates familiar clichés. ‘There are plenty of fish in the sea’, we often say, but the novel suggests we may have misunderstood the phrase. Its deeper meaning is not about endless options, but about refusing to fixate on a single possibility when life’s opportunities are often broader than they appear in the moment.
Another cliché is ‘Love should be easy.’ The novel suggests that meaningful love often requires discomfort, vulnerability, and growth – not just ease.
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The book also raises a timeless question: Is chemistry directly proportional to compatibility? Luvalo explores how intense chemistry paired with low compatibility can be thrilling yet unstable, while high compatibility without chemistry may feel safe but uninspiring.
Beyond romance, Ntliziyo Ungumkhohlisi thoughtfully weaves in themes of brotherhood, family, and loss, grounding Mkhuseli’s emotional journey in community and memory.
Luvalo’s debut book, A Father, A Stranger – Mzansi Memoirs of Fatherhood, introduced readers to his reflective and socially conscious voice.
Beyond writing, he is a speaker, entrepreneur, parenting coach, social commentator, and the founder of the Cool Dad’s Foundation.
With Ntliziyo Ungumkhohlisi, Luvalo delivers a relatable and emotionally layered story that speaks to modern masculinity, post-pandemic vulnerability, and the deceptive pull of the heart.
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