arini vlotman
ARINI VLOTMAN IS A SOUTH AFRICAN AUTHOR WRITING FEEL-GOOD, RELATABLE CONTEMPORARY ROMANCE NOVELS
South African romance author
#alwaysbeyou
ABOUT
If Chandler Bing and Phoebe Buffay from FRIENDS were reincarnated as a brown South African woman, and her life soundtrack was Dustin belting The NeverEnding Story, that would be me - Arini Vlotman.In my mind, I’m ambling through the Shire because I’m more of a hobbit than an elf (and I’d cut myself if anyone were silly enough to hand be me a sword). Second breakfast is my motto, but since I’m born a muggle, I use words to create magic and pretend that one day I’ll suddenly stumble on a small-town bookstore where my husband of 16 years is waiting for me with a cappuccino and room full of my besties. And yes, I believe in a life of Happily-Ever-Afters.Living in Johannesburg, South Africa has given me a slightly quirky world view which I inject into my writing. With a rich heritage, as an Indian (South Asian) author, I enjoy incorporating my culture into my characters and stories. My current series is set in South African, with all the African, flavour, diversity and humour.Catch me on Instagram, TikTok, Threads and Substack so that we can share our journeys. Quirkiness unite!
updates on my writing journey
I've been finding it difficult to keep my updates (and opinions) in short form content on Instagram and Tiktok. Since I'm a writer, and words are the easiest way to express myself, I've decided to open a Substack account.
If you're a reader, this is the place to find out about my books, writing journey and other cool stuff like releases and giveaways.
Writers may also find some of my posts and articles useful as I'm using my account to delve into understanding the industry.
Either way, I'd love to connect with you, and welcome new subscribers...
Upcoming Events
WriteHive Conference 2026
Representation Matters: Bridging Creative GapsRepresenting marginalized communities in your writing without relying on harmful tropes or stereotypes is a crucial skill to develop. Join our panelists as they give tips on learning from lived experiences and ensuring positive and accurate representation. (Moderator: Hien Nguyen)
Sunday, 12 July 2026 at 17:00 SAST
Date with a Trope: The Queen’s Court
📅 Date: Saturday, 29 August 2026
📍 Venue: Tres Jolie, Plot 22, Peter Rd, Ruimsig
⏰ Event Time: 13h00 – 17h00
🚗 Parking: Secure parking is available at the venue
Welcome to The Queen’s Court—A Bookish Wonderland.
Step down the rabbit hole into an immersive romance-reader experience where authors, readers, tropes, and a little bit of chaos collide.
Inspired by the whimsy and wonder of Wonderland, this interactive event blends themed activities, games, giveaways, fancy dress, reader experiences, and meaningful author-reader interaction into one unforgettable afternoon designed especially for romance lovers.
From trope-inspired games and scavenger hunts to themed photo moments, reader bingo, curated goodie bags, and intimate opportunities to connect with your favourite authors, The Queen’s Court is more than a book event, it’s a celebration of the stories and community we love most.
Whether you arrive dressed as Wonderland royalty, a mischievous Mad Hatter, or with your own bookish twist on the theme, prepare for an afternoon of tea, tropes, romance, and wonderfully chaotic fun.
We’re all mad here… and that’s exactly how we like it.
The Cityscapes Romcoms
This universe is a contemporary world, stemming from the experiences and changes we see and feel everyday- with a twist. A romance twist of course. The women are dynamic, absurd, adventurous and trying to figure themselves out.And like the rest of us, they aren't alone. The side characters in this world often take over the page, as they prod our heroines along, helping, guiding and handing out hugs, drinks or advice.Our heroes are pulled along for the ride, and come with their own set of adventures. hijinks and depth.Together, the Femme Facades and their heroes, find what they need, whether they want it or not.Filled with diverse characters who represent the people we see, we are, in our everyday lives, this universe is packed with humor, suspense, drama and fun
BOOK 1: PRETTY AVERAGE
Book BlurbWhen Esha asks for excitement, getting thrown in the deep end of a corporate scandal is not what she meant. Esha More is celebrating her 35th birthday and her quick fix of hair dye and champagne only leaves her with a hangover and more problems.After a series of unfortunate decisions, Esha arrives at her office to discover she’s embroiled in an embezzlement scheme with all evidence pointing in her direction.Kane Mittal has been called in as a consultant to manage yet another crisis and finds himself both intrigued and suspicious of Esha’s More’s involvement. Kane has enough women making demands, but after Esha tumbles into his life he can't stop thinking about her.On a mission to save Esha's career and Kane's family business, together they navigate an inept flock of managers while faced with a mounting deadline, their powerful attraction, and a pandora's box of secrets.Join Esha and Kane in their adventurous meet-cute, a workplace romance filled with laughter, and a hefty dose of intrigue.
Pretty Average is a meet-cute, office romance about finding love in an existential crisisTROPES
Meet-Cute * Office Romance *
Glamorous City Backdrop * Secrets & Intrigue *
Friendship Circle * Grand Gesture * Humor *Sweet Romance (no spice)
BOOK 1.5 :PRETTY UNEXPECTED
A CHRISTMAS ROMANCE NOVELLA
Book Blurb“Twas not the season to be jolly and everyone could fa-la-la-la-la all the way to the north pole.”Thando Kunene has some hard decisions to make so getting wheedled into spending Christmas, the most nauseating holiday of the year, with her best friends and sizzling ex-flame, is not her idea of a merry time. Sipping cocktails on the beach is the only thing keeping all the fake cheer, plastic tinsel and over-played carols at bay.All he wants is for Christmas is a few beers and some coma-inducing food, but when Jimmy Warner is faced with the enticing and prickly Thando, he can think about only one thing: the fiery-hot weekend they spent together before parting ways. Could this be his second chance?When Thando and Jimmy discover their friends are having a less than a jolly time, they realise their holiday is on the brink of disaster. With the help of their sugary-sweet neighbour, Grandma Holly, the duo set about to save Christmas and begin to unwrap a serendipitous gift none of them expected.Forced to put aside her inner Grinch, can Thando learn to trust and love again? Will Jimmy get his Christmas miracle? And how many fires can the group endure before Christmas explodes?
Pretty Unexpected is a Christmas romance novella weaved with drama, friendship and wrapped in a touch of holiday magicTROPES
She's a Grinch * Second Chance *
Beach setting * Found Family * Friendship Circle *
Grand Gesture * Humor *Sweet Romance (no spice)
BOOK 2 :PRETTY BOSSY
Book BlurbAfter finding herself shoved down the rungs of the corporate ladder and weighed down by a mountain of debt, all Zarna wants is to fade into obscurity. When her boss convinces her to attend a company strategy session at a five-star nature reserve, she counts her lucky stars.Her fantasy holiday is abruptly disrupted when her smoking hot neighbour not only chops of her hair, but somehow convinces her to embark on a mad hatted scheme to pose as his fake fiancé. She needs the money though, so what could go wrong?MMA celebrity fighter Mayan Samar is back in the country and on a mission to make a name for himself as a businessman. He’s earned his titles from years of hard work in the octagon, but a shadow hangs over his reputation. The timid and mousy Zarna Rai is the answer to his problems, but once he gets her into his penthouse, he discovers there’s more to her than meets the eye.Between a barrage of publicity stunts, a host of interfering aunties and threats from a shady loan shark, the faux couple are forced on an undertaking neither one of them signed up for.
Pretty Bossy is a fake engagement romance where he falls first but she keeps tripping, over herself and him.TROPES
*Fake Engagement *Meet-cute
*He falls first *Cutesy Dog *Interfering aunties *Grand gesture
*Humor *Sweet romance (no spice)
Arini Vlotman, South African Romance Author
#romanceauthor #southafricanauthor #indianauthor #southafricanindianauthor #contemporaryromanceauthor #romanceinJohannesburg #Johannesburgromance #romancereader #author #romance #upandcomingsouthafricanromance author #southasianauthor #popularsouthafricanromanceauthor #booktok #bookstagram #queenofopeninglines #risingvoiceinsouthafrica #arinivlotmanauthor #romanceauthorsinsouthafrica #comicconafrica
newsletter signup
As a reader I'm always interested in what an author is doing, want to know more?Sign up for my newsletter over on Substack, (I promise I'm not spammy) to get more insights into my writing, upcoming books and all the unfortunate situations I find myself in. If you're looking for your romance tribe let's connect and swoon together.
Contact Me
Features and Events
Publicity queries can be sent to
arini_author@outlook.com
ARE YOU AN AUTHOR?
I'm both a reader and writer so I love connecting with fellow authors and I want to support you and your writing. If you have a published romance then I would like to share your book with other readers. Interested?
Check out my profile and if I'm your vibe, send me an email so that we can chat.
I want to know about you and your books.
arini_author@outlook.com
*acknowledgements *
I never thought I'd find something that makes me happier than being on the cover of a book. Imagine my joy at being acknowledged inside a book! Here are some of the fabulous authors who's books I've been privileged to have an acknowledgement in.
Go on and read them!