SLOW BURN

364pp., paperback, Simon & Schuster, London, 2025

ISBN: 9781398540460

A spicy romance novel by South African dance champion Oti Mabuse.

Although Lira's dreams of fame as a Latin ballroom dancer were cut short at 19, she’s never forgotten the connection she felt dancing with a stranger at the Paris World Championship afterparty 13 years previously. When she secretly auditions for Slow Burn, a new dance show about to embark on a European tour, she meets Gabriele, the male lead on the show who's desperate to find a female co-star who can match him step for step ...

"Second chance romance, the most delicious slow burn, and two fantastic leads with a fiery chemistry that'll have you feverishly turning the page" Anise Starre

"A brilliant and sizzling romance! A must-read for romance lovers!" Beth Reekles

South African professional dancer, talent show judge, presenter and Latin Dance champion Oti Mabuse was born in Pretoria in 1990. She won the South African Latin American Championship eight times, before moving to Germany in 2012, where she participated in the German series Let's Dance as a professional dancer. Later she joined the British television series Strictly Come Dancing, which she won in 2019 and 2020. After seven years she left the show to become a judge on Dancing on Ice, before taking the head judge role on Dancing With The Stars Ireland in 2026. Slow Burn is her debut novel.