Product Description
The Tea Merchant
Author: Jackie Phamotse
Format: Paperback
SA Book Awards: Adult Fiction 2025
Part 1 of a two-book series
Part 1 of a new two-part series by bestselling author Jackie Phamotse!
It is 2005, a time of silent anticipation and hidden possibilities in the rugged Cederberg mountains. Cameron Coal is embroiled in a desperate fight to save his family’s rooibos farm, which is a hair’s breadth from bankruptcy, while wrestling overwhelming grief after his wife’s death and trying to build a relationship with his blind daughter. His father, John, might be the family’s last hope to save their farm from an enemy lurking in plain sight. But in the shadows, Cameron’s brother, Sole, harbours a secret that could shatter their world.
Amid the chaos of a veld fire, Cameron’s gaze falls upon a mysterious nurse, Luna Parks, who is new to their town. As Luna and Cameron grow closer, her mysterious past and closely guarded secrets could shatter the very foundation of their relationship.
In the meantime, several questions must be answered: Who wanted Cameron’s wife dead? How far will Cameron go to keep his enemies at bay? Will Luna ever tell him the truth about her past? Who really owns South Africa’s indigenous plant, the illustrious rooibos?
And will Cameron’s decisions cost another life, or will it ensure the rise of the Tea Merchant?
About the Author
Jackie Phamotse is a writer, businesswoman, social activist and philanthropist. Her debut novel, BARE I: The Blesser’s Game, was published in 2017 and was awarded the African Icon Literary Award in Lagos, Nigeria, in 2018. Her second book, I Tweet What I Like, was inspired by the late struggle icon Steve Biko’s book, I Write What I Like. Jackie won the 2020 SA Book Awards for Best Fiction for her novel BARE II: The Cradle of The Hockey Club. She was also nominated for a bestselling award by Nielsen Book and SAPnet in 2023 for her book Bare IV: Mercy. Google listed Jackie as one of the most searched personalities in South Africa in 2020. She won an award for her Social Activism at the Women of Wonder Awards ceremony in 2020, the same year the Generational Wealth Foundation listed her as one of the most influential educators. Jackie’s main objective is to create awareness around and find long-term solutions to eradicate social ills. She currently lives in Sandton, South Africa.
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