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The Shelf
Everyone in Amy's life seems to be getting married (or so Instagram tells her), and she feels like she's falling behind.
So, when her boyfriend surprises her with a dream holiday to a mystery destination, she thinks this is it - he's going to finally pop the Big Question. But the dream turns into a nightmare when she finds herself on the set of a Big Brother-style reality television show, The Shelf.
Along with five other women, Amy is dumped live on TV and must compete in a series of humiliating and obnoxious tasks in the hope of being crowned 'The Keeper'. Will Amy's time on the show make her realise there are worse things in life than being left on the shelf?
A funny, feminist and all-too-relatable novel about our obsession with coupling up, settling down and the battle we all have with accepting ourselves, The Shelf introduces the freshest new voice in women's fiction.
So, when her boyfriend surprises her with a dream holiday to a mystery destination, she thinks this is it - he's going to finally pop the Big Question. But the dream turns into a nightmare when she finds herself on the set of a Big Brother-style reality television show, The Shelf.
Along with five other women, Amy is dumped live on TV and must compete in a series of humiliating and obnoxious tasks in the hope of being crowned 'The Keeper'. Will Amy's time on the show make her realise there are worse things in life than being left on the shelf?
A funny, feminist and all-too-relatable novel about our obsession with coupling up, settling down and the battle we all have with accepting ourselves, The Shelf introduces the freshest new voice in women's fiction.
Unknown Binding
First published July 9, 2020
213 people are currently reading
4261 people want to read
About the author
Helly Acton
5 books217 followersHelly Acton is a copywriter from London with past lives in the Middle East, Africa and Australia. Born in Zimbabwe, Helly and her family emigrated to the East Sussex coast when she was 15 years old. Here, she finished school and spent her holidays in Saudi Arabia, where her father had been placed with work. She studied Law at King's College London before following a more creative path into advertising. In her mid-twenties, Helly escaped the rat race and took a three-month career break to travel in Africa, India and Asia before landing in Australia. What was supposed to last one year ended up lasting six, and after a life-affirming break-up in Sydney she returned home to find herself the last of her single friends. Helly threw herself into the deep end of online dating in the city and uses her experience as a single woman in her early thirties, torn between settling down and savouring her independence, as a source of inspiration for her stories.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 968 reviews
June 21, 2020
4+
Wow, this book packs a few punches but does so in a witty and clever fashion. Amy Wright is in a relationship with Jamie, she’s 32, feels her clock is ticking, other friends are settling down and so is he her best bet??? Apparently not as he dumped her in the most spectacular and humiliating way by doing so for a new reality television show called The Shelf. There are a number of choice words to describe Jamie but I’ll refrain. Six other women join the show, five of whom are also dumped, the potential winner will get a million pounds for their pains. The show achieves high audience numbers, there’s a live feed of comments from viewers which have few boundaries- so yes, it’s a real self esteem fest. However, the women form a strong bond and are able to rise above the insults and support each other through their ordeal.
This book makes so many valid points and really makes you think. The main one is about acceptance - just be yourself, don’t let anyone else tell you what you should be, be happy in your own skin rather than follow herd mentality or tell you how far and high you can achieve. There’s a strong feminist message as well as a men are from Mars vibe and the men who dumped these amazing women are certainly Martians and most are not worth a second thought. The women are very likeable although there’s one who stirs the pot, I love the strength they gain from an experience they would not have chosen. Amy emerges very reflective with a strong desire to just be and follow her head and heart and all the women leave empowered. The novel parodies (possibly satirises) reality tv with the obsession of the ‘world’ watching and judging or influencing your every move, pout or whatever.. Count me out I’d as soon watch paint dry. The host vacuous Adam is a send up too, he’s so easy to imagine with many of his comments containing more cheese than Cheddar. Some of the ‘guests’ they sent into the women are just beyond ridiculous and made me laugh but sadly I can actually picture that happening! The author makes valid points too about social media and how easy it is to hide behind online anonymity while making poisonous personal comments.
Overall, a really clever book with an excellent message about what matters, about being confident and strong enough to be yourself, about the importance of friendship and not worrying about what others might think. The end is really good and demonstrates how much the women learned and they move on to something bigger and better of their choosing.
With thanks to NetGalley and Bonnier Books for the ARC.
Wow, this book packs a few punches but does so in a witty and clever fashion. Amy Wright is in a relationship with Jamie, she’s 32, feels her clock is ticking, other friends are settling down and so is he her best bet??? Apparently not as he dumped her in the most spectacular and humiliating way by doing so for a new reality television show called The Shelf. There are a number of choice words to describe Jamie but I’ll refrain. Six other women join the show, five of whom are also dumped, the potential winner will get a million pounds for their pains. The show achieves high audience numbers, there’s a live feed of comments from viewers which have few boundaries- so yes, it’s a real self esteem fest. However, the women form a strong bond and are able to rise above the insults and support each other through their ordeal.
This book makes so many valid points and really makes you think. The main one is about acceptance - just be yourself, don’t let anyone else tell you what you should be, be happy in your own skin rather than follow herd mentality or tell you how far and high you can achieve. There’s a strong feminist message as well as a men are from Mars vibe and the men who dumped these amazing women are certainly Martians and most are not worth a second thought. The women are very likeable although there’s one who stirs the pot, I love the strength they gain from an experience they would not have chosen. Amy emerges very reflective with a strong desire to just be and follow her head and heart and all the women leave empowered. The novel parodies (possibly satirises) reality tv with the obsession of the ‘world’ watching and judging or influencing your every move, pout or whatever.. Count me out I’d as soon watch paint dry. The host vacuous Adam is a send up too, he’s so easy to imagine with many of his comments containing more cheese than Cheddar. Some of the ‘guests’ they sent into the women are just beyond ridiculous and made me laugh but sadly I can actually picture that happening! The author makes valid points too about social media and how easy it is to hide behind online anonymity while making poisonous personal comments.
Overall, a really clever book with an excellent message about what matters, about being confident and strong enough to be yourself, about the importance of friendship and not worrying about what others might think. The end is really good and demonstrates how much the women learned and they move on to something bigger and better of their choosing.
With thanks to NetGalley and Bonnier Books for the ARC.
August 7, 2023
4 stars
Helly Acton didn't set out to write a satire on reality TV, social media addiction & cyber aggressivity, problematic relationships and the schizophrenic expectations society has on women -- but that's what she ended up doing.
I'm definitely not a chick lit reader and I didn't find this novel in the least bit funny (chick lit humour a la Brigitte Jones is utterly lost on me) but I did immensely enjoy it.
Mostly likely because it's well-constructed, well-written, fast paced, stays entirely on topic with no chapter-long walks down flashback lane, and thank God, doesn't have a typical chick lit plot like "omg, she's 30 and still can't get a man!" 🤢🤮
But perhaps most of all, because it positively addresses one of my hot-button topics: how much we need more socially accepted lifestyle models for women that do NOT include children or marriage. And that women - especially mothers - need to stop stealth ninja pressuring other women into the conventional model with endless interrogations about when marriage and babies are going to happen.
That, in the end, is the message of the novel. You don't need a ring, a mortgage or a toddler to be a complete human being...even if it is conveyed in an overly optimistic, glitzy, glittery, girl-power type way towards the end.
So, not a fan of chick lit, but a fan of The Shelf - which might just qualify as anti-chick lit chick lit. If that's a thing. 🤔🕵️♀️
Helly Acton didn't set out to write a satire on reality TV, social media addiction & cyber aggressivity, problematic relationships and the schizophrenic expectations society has on women -- but that's what she ended up doing.
I'm definitely not a chick lit reader and I didn't find this novel in the least bit funny (chick lit humour a la Brigitte Jones is utterly lost on me) but I did immensely enjoy it.
Mostly likely because it's well-constructed, well-written, fast paced, stays entirely on topic with no chapter-long walks down flashback lane, and thank God, doesn't have a typical chick lit plot like "omg, she's 30 and still can't get a man!" 🤢🤮
But perhaps most of all, because it positively addresses one of my hot-button topics: how much we need more socially accepted lifestyle models for women that do NOT include children or marriage. And that women - especially mothers - need to stop stealth ninja pressuring other women into the conventional model with endless interrogations about when marriage and babies are going to happen.
That, in the end, is the message of the novel. You don't need a ring, a mortgage or a toddler to be a complete human being...even if it is conveyed in an overly optimistic, glitzy, glittery, girl-power type way towards the end.
So, not a fan of chick lit, but a fan of The Shelf - which might just qualify as anti-chick lit chick lit. If that's a thing. 🤔🕵️♀️
July 31, 2020
Book reviewed on www.whisperingstories.com
Thirty-two-year-old Amy Wright has been dating her boyfriend Jamie for the last two years. When Jamie announces he is whisking her away, she packs for an exotic holiday in the sun, where she ends up is a completely different story.
Jamie takes Amy to a TV studio where a new reality show is being filmed. The show is called ‘The Shelf’ and it would seem that Jamie has decided to dump Amy on national TV and submit her for the new show which is to teach women how to be ‘A Keeper’. The show lasts four weeks with the public having the ability to vote the women off each week. The winner will be crowned ‘The Keeper’ (the woman most men would like to have as a partner in a relationship) and awarded one million pounds.
Six contestants alongside Amy have entered the house, including Jackie, who is described as selfish. Gemma, as distant. Kathy, as Bitter. Hattie as Boring. Lauren as Easy, and latecomer Flick, who is still in a relationship and just wants to improve herself for her partner.
The woman as subject to tasks, votes, and seeing a councillor about how they can become a better partner but the show may not go according to how the producers would have liked it!
OMG, The Shelf is one of the funniest books I have ever read. Set in the world of reality TV, we get to see how the contestants on these shows truly feel about their life and the show.
I admit to hating some reality TV but having seeing snippets of Big Brother over the years it definitely had a Big Brother vibe to ‘The Shelf’, with a large house, a back yard with pool and bar, and tasks along the way.
Talking of the tasks, talk about trying to make women behave as if they were in some kind of 1950s marriage with challenges such as to throw the perfect tea-party and then they were marked on their choice of food, their manners, behaviours, even their outfit. Feminists beware this book will have you seething!
As well as being a truly amazing read and one if you are anything like me you won’t want to put down. This book also felt like a self-help book. I really do hope those women who are in a relationship that isn’t going anywhere and yet they have been wearing blinkers for so long can have their eyes opened by this story. It is also a book to help you understand that being in a relationship is wonderful but so is being single. It’s about self-love.
It was an uplifting book that had me giggling and frowning at the plot. I believe there is a sequel coming out next year and I can’t wait to get my hands on it.
Thirty-two-year-old Amy Wright has been dating her boyfriend Jamie for the last two years. When Jamie announces he is whisking her away, she packs for an exotic holiday in the sun, where she ends up is a completely different story.
Jamie takes Amy to a TV studio where a new reality show is being filmed. The show is called ‘The Shelf’ and it would seem that Jamie has decided to dump Amy on national TV and submit her for the new show which is to teach women how to be ‘A Keeper’. The show lasts four weeks with the public having the ability to vote the women off each week. The winner will be crowned ‘The Keeper’ (the woman most men would like to have as a partner in a relationship) and awarded one million pounds.
Six contestants alongside Amy have entered the house, including Jackie, who is described as selfish. Gemma, as distant. Kathy, as Bitter. Hattie as Boring. Lauren as Easy, and latecomer Flick, who is still in a relationship and just wants to improve herself for her partner.
The woman as subject to tasks, votes, and seeing a councillor about how they can become a better partner but the show may not go according to how the producers would have liked it!
OMG, The Shelf is one of the funniest books I have ever read. Set in the world of reality TV, we get to see how the contestants on these shows truly feel about their life and the show.
I admit to hating some reality TV but having seeing snippets of Big Brother over the years it definitely had a Big Brother vibe to ‘The Shelf’, with a large house, a back yard with pool and bar, and tasks along the way.
Talking of the tasks, talk about trying to make women behave as if they were in some kind of 1950s marriage with challenges such as to throw the perfect tea-party and then they were marked on their choice of food, their manners, behaviours, even their outfit. Feminists beware this book will have you seething!
As well as being a truly amazing read and one if you are anything like me you won’t want to put down. This book also felt like a self-help book. I really do hope those women who are in a relationship that isn’t going anywhere and yet they have been wearing blinkers for so long can have their eyes opened by this story. It is also a book to help you understand that being in a relationship is wonderful but so is being single. It’s about self-love.
It was an uplifting book that had me giggling and frowning at the plot. I believe there is a sequel coming out next year and I can’t wait to get my hands on it.
February 6, 2021
This was one of the funniest amusing books I’ve read for years.
A nice light read (listened to on audio) between deeper reading material.
Being in you’re thirties, being in a relationship for two years.....then your boyfriend wants to whisk you away on holiday.
Oh is this the big proposal of marriage, bridesmaids and church bells ringing?
No!
He dumps her, not just that, but on reality TV.
How does someone recover from that.
A huge big hit with me.
Loved it, characters were so well rounded and different from each other.
So good.
A nice light read (listened to on audio) between deeper reading material.
Being in you’re thirties, being in a relationship for two years.....then your boyfriend wants to whisk you away on holiday.
Oh is this the big proposal of marriage, bridesmaids and church bells ringing?
No!
He dumps her, not just that, but on reality TV.
How does someone recover from that.
A huge big hit with me.
Loved it, characters were so well rounded and different from each other.
So good.
July 19, 2020
Razor sharp satire on the obsessions of modern life with an empowering message for women everywhere.
The Shelf is a darkly satirical look at society’s obsession with finding someone to settle down with that women of a certain age often find themselves sucked into, particularly in the era of social media where we are bombarded with the evidence that everyone else is getting ahead. Consider how low reality TV has descended in recent years and simply take it one step further by adding a shockingly misogynistic and sexist twist and it gives an idea of what to expect in Helly Acton’s brilliantly honest and very relatable book.
Unassuming copywriter and thirty-two-year-old Amy Wright is getting ready to jet off on holiday with Jamie, her self-absorbed boyfriend of two years, whom she desperately hopes is planning to pop the question. Whilst she knows Jamie isn’t perfect she is all too well that she is getting left behind in the marriage and motherhood race and can’t afford to waste more time, even if it does mean giving up a host of guilty pleasures that she keeps hidden from him. But when Jamie blindfolds Amy and announces he is dumping her live on the set of new reality show called The Shelf she is mortified. The aim of the game Amy is told is to prove herself ‘marriage material’ and she has competition with five other women about to be ditched live on air in a Big Brother style house where they are set to spend a month. Complete with therapy sessions, humiliating challenges and cameras everywhere, Amy is accompanied by five fellow dumpees and an outlier in the form of Felicity (Flick) who seems to embody all the qualities that are required to be crowned “The Keeper” and win a million!
As degrading challenges ensue with a scrolling live feed of judgemental social media commentary, a rankings chart and public votes for eviction the women join forces, support and champion each other. From mothering plastic crying babies to demonstrating etiquette and learning what is takes for keep a man happy, the contestants take nothing seriously, ridicule everything, drink a lot and have an absolute blast! It is Amy, who already knew she was ignoring the red flags signalling time was up for her dud that really blossoms and witnessing her honesty and reflection during the month long encounter makes this book a definite keeper! Amy’s five fellow dumpees are all distinctive characters and I had no problem identifying them or telling them apart as the story progressed. I did find the late entrant of Flick the most difficult character to understand and her growth throughout the story was the least satisfying and convincing of all the women.
Realising what your had and recognising what you actually want is the key takeaway for all the women and seeing Amy gradually throw off the shackles of her old life and embrace being single and her freedom had me fist-pumping all the way. Their former other halves all conform to one stereotype or another but that feels totally irrelevant in a novel which focuses on women putting themselves first, never settling for less and not needing a man to feel complete. In short, The Shelf was an absolute blast to sit back and read. Fast-paced, highly original and wickedly sarcastic, I raced through it as the women hijacked every challenge by subverting the very idea of a ‘perfect’ women. That the novel is outrageously over the top is part of the joy but perhaps most refreshing was the author’s obvious empathy, the women’s solidarity and the books unashamedly feminist message. A definite feel-good book.
The Shelf is a darkly satirical look at society’s obsession with finding someone to settle down with that women of a certain age often find themselves sucked into, particularly in the era of social media where we are bombarded with the evidence that everyone else is getting ahead. Consider how low reality TV has descended in recent years and simply take it one step further by adding a shockingly misogynistic and sexist twist and it gives an idea of what to expect in Helly Acton’s brilliantly honest and very relatable book.
Unassuming copywriter and thirty-two-year-old Amy Wright is getting ready to jet off on holiday with Jamie, her self-absorbed boyfriend of two years, whom she desperately hopes is planning to pop the question. Whilst she knows Jamie isn’t perfect she is all too well that she is getting left behind in the marriage and motherhood race and can’t afford to waste more time, even if it does mean giving up a host of guilty pleasures that she keeps hidden from him. But when Jamie blindfolds Amy and announces he is dumping her live on the set of new reality show called The Shelf she is mortified. The aim of the game Amy is told is to prove herself ‘marriage material’ and she has competition with five other women about to be ditched live on air in a Big Brother style house where they are set to spend a month. Complete with therapy sessions, humiliating challenges and cameras everywhere, Amy is accompanied by five fellow dumpees and an outlier in the form of Felicity (Flick) who seems to embody all the qualities that are required to be crowned “The Keeper” and win a million!
As degrading challenges ensue with a scrolling live feed of judgemental social media commentary, a rankings chart and public votes for eviction the women join forces, support and champion each other. From mothering plastic crying babies to demonstrating etiquette and learning what is takes for keep a man happy, the contestants take nothing seriously, ridicule everything, drink a lot and have an absolute blast! It is Amy, who already knew she was ignoring the red flags signalling time was up for her dud that really blossoms and witnessing her honesty and reflection during the month long encounter makes this book a definite keeper! Amy’s five fellow dumpees are all distinctive characters and I had no problem identifying them or telling them apart as the story progressed. I did find the late entrant of Flick the most difficult character to understand and her growth throughout the story was the least satisfying and convincing of all the women.
Realising what your had and recognising what you actually want is the key takeaway for all the women and seeing Amy gradually throw off the shackles of her old life and embrace being single and her freedom had me fist-pumping all the way. Their former other halves all conform to one stereotype or another but that feels totally irrelevant in a novel which focuses on women putting themselves first, never settling for less and not needing a man to feel complete. In short, The Shelf was an absolute blast to sit back and read. Fast-paced, highly original and wickedly sarcastic, I raced through it as the women hijacked every challenge by subverting the very idea of a ‘perfect’ women. That the novel is outrageously over the top is part of the joy but perhaps most refreshing was the author’s obvious empathy, the women’s solidarity and the books unashamedly feminist message. A definite feel-good book.
August 10, 2020
*sigh*... Where do I begin with this?
So I didn't hate the book. I thought it was a fine read, writing style was okay, the main character wasn't too bad, etc. But I haaaated the sexism, the woman hate, almost all of the male characters, pretty much everything to do with the reality show aspect.. which was the whole premise of the book.
While it was a quick read, I did find myself putting my tablet down every now and then because someone would say something or the women would be put into a challenge and it would make my blood boil. Notable examples include: telling the women they shouldn't show their emotions in front of children, the entire challenge involving some 20-year old kid telling women how they should act to 'keep a man', nearly every that came out of host Adam's mouth.. I could go on.
Don't get me wrong, the book is not saying this is how to be a woman and in order to be in a relationship with a man, you need to act this, and almost every female character disagrees with the show's concept, but it was so frustrating.
I did think the book did a great job of commenting on our society's obsession with reality shows and how we forget that these are real people we're watching. I would probably read another book by this author, but I'm not dying for her next book.
So I didn't hate the book. I thought it was a fine read, writing style was okay, the main character wasn't too bad, etc. But I haaaated the sexism, the woman hate, almost all of the male characters, pretty much everything to do with the reality show aspect.. which was the whole premise of the book.
While it was a quick read, I did find myself putting my tablet down every now and then because someone would say something or the women would be put into a challenge and it would make my blood boil. Notable examples include: telling the women they shouldn't show their emotions in front of children, the entire challenge involving some 20-year old kid telling women how they should act to 'keep a man', nearly every that came out of host Adam's mouth.. I could go on.
Don't get me wrong, the book is not saying this is how to be a woman and in order to be in a relationship with a man, you need to act this, and almost every female character disagrees with the show's concept, but it was so frustrating.
I did think the book did a great job of commenting on our society's obsession with reality shows and how we forget that these are real people we're watching. I would probably read another book by this author, but I'm not dying for her next book.
July 29, 2020
Helly Acton is onto a sure fire winner with “The Shelf”, a contemporary, exceedingly funny and satirical feminist novel that had me laughing and frustrated in equal amounts!
When Amy is dumped unknowingly live on TV for a new reality show called “The Shelf” based on a ‘big brother’ style house, she and five other women must compete in obnoxious and humiliating tasks to be crowned ‘the keeper’ and win a million pounds. Will Amy’s time on the show make her realise there is more to being with a partner that treats her badly and that being left on the shelf is no big deal?
I adored all the female characters in the story, each one was so individual and I was rooting for them all. Having found that reality shows really have started scraping the bottom of the barrel recently, I honestly believe this show could easily be one of the more entertaining programmes in this genre, if it were real. Apart from the misogynistic and obvious chauvinistic males running the show this would well prove that women don’t need to be in a relationship to be strong and confident and happy in their own skin.
What the author did really well was portray the women’s situations in such a light hearted and comical way, that the comments and tasks didn’t cause offence, which would have done if written in any other style. The fact the women could pick the fun out of each other and still laugh at their own misfortunes, made for a fabulously feel good read. I was very frustrated at the men, their over the top comments, actions and attitudes were truly mind blowing but it created such a funny yet relatable yarn.
I also loved how the author took you through the whole show’s process, with the jeering live audience to the over the top host, evictions and the emotions of the contestants.
Who will win - or will all the women be winners in their own rights?
We know not all men are like those portrayed in the book and a lot of women do like to be in a relationship but for just this once, the men really were from Mars and the women from Venus!
Superbly relatable, witty and hugely entertaining, I can’t rate this book highly enough and I can’t wait for any future work by Helly.
5 stars
When Amy is dumped unknowingly live on TV for a new reality show called “The Shelf” based on a ‘big brother’ style house, she and five other women must compete in obnoxious and humiliating tasks to be crowned ‘the keeper’ and win a million pounds. Will Amy’s time on the show make her realise there is more to being with a partner that treats her badly and that being left on the shelf is no big deal?
I adored all the female characters in the story, each one was so individual and I was rooting for them all. Having found that reality shows really have started scraping the bottom of the barrel recently, I honestly believe this show could easily be one of the more entertaining programmes in this genre, if it were real. Apart from the misogynistic and obvious chauvinistic males running the show this would well prove that women don’t need to be in a relationship to be strong and confident and happy in their own skin.
What the author did really well was portray the women’s situations in such a light hearted and comical way, that the comments and tasks didn’t cause offence, which would have done if written in any other style. The fact the women could pick the fun out of each other and still laugh at their own misfortunes, made for a fabulously feel good read. I was very frustrated at the men, their over the top comments, actions and attitudes were truly mind blowing but it created such a funny yet relatable yarn.
I also loved how the author took you through the whole show’s process, with the jeering live audience to the over the top host, evictions and the emotions of the contestants.
Who will win - or will all the women be winners in their own rights?
We know not all men are like those portrayed in the book and a lot of women do like to be in a relationship but for just this once, the men really were from Mars and the women from Venus!
Superbly relatable, witty and hugely entertaining, I can’t rate this book highly enough and I can’t wait for any future work by Helly.
5 stars
July 21, 2020
I didn’t expect to enjoy this one as much as I did considering I’m not a fan of reality shows but with the protagonist, Amy as an insider and almost a victim of the show, this was super clever. A great concept, good writing and fantastic narration, THE SHELF turned out to be a winner for me.
I mostly listened to the audio on this one but also a little ebook (ARC) too at night when I just had to carry on with the story. This story is a woman in a relationship’s worst nightmare of dumping alongside a reality TV show. It provoked some serious irritation in me on behalf of Amy but this was an unfolding story, with character development and resilience to come. It was also a story of sisterhood and I really appreciated that.
What stopped this from feeling a too tragic or morose was the with which Helly Acton told the story. Amy had an awakening and with that came a more quippy character who could laugh at herself and her outlook on life. I love a flawed character (aren’t we all) and Amy delivered on that. I would have loved to have known a bit more about the red flag development in the epilogue. The other characters in the house brought a fair bit of hilarity.
What was a constant theme was the misogyny underwriting the whole of the TV show, get ready to feel irritated and incensed by that. I have to admit the whole time I was listening, I was imagining the big brother house and that helped me.
The narration was exceptional and if you’re a fan of Normal People from Netflix you will recognise Daisy Edgar-Jones voice. She brought character, tonation and spirit to this listen and she brought the characters alive.
I’m not 100% certain what genre to call it but I’m not sure that’s important, however I’d go with contemporary women’s fiction. It’s definitely a read to pick up and a great debut from Helly Acton.
Thank you to Bonnier Books for the ALC.
This review can be found on A Take From Two Cities Blog.
I mostly listened to the audio on this one but also a little ebook (ARC) too at night when I just had to carry on with the story. This story is a woman in a relationship’s worst nightmare of dumping alongside a reality TV show. It provoked some serious irritation in me on behalf of Amy but this was an unfolding story, with character development and resilience to come. It was also a story of sisterhood and I really appreciated that.
What stopped this from feeling a too tragic or morose was the with which Helly Acton told the story. Amy had an awakening and with that came a more quippy character who could laugh at herself and her outlook on life. I love a flawed character (aren’t we all) and Amy delivered on that. I would have loved to have known a bit more about the red flag development in the epilogue. The other characters in the house brought a fair bit of hilarity.
What was a constant theme was the misogyny underwriting the whole of the TV show, get ready to feel irritated and incensed by that. I have to admit the whole time I was listening, I was imagining the big brother house and that helped me.
The narration was exceptional and if you’re a fan of Normal People from Netflix you will recognise Daisy Edgar-Jones voice. She brought character, tonation and spirit to this listen and she brought the characters alive.
I’m not 100% certain what genre to call it but I’m not sure that’s important, however I’d go with contemporary women’s fiction. It’s definitely a read to pick up and a great debut from Helly Acton.
Thank you to Bonnier Books for the ALC.
This review can be found on A Take From Two Cities Blog.
June 11, 2020
2 stars
The Shelf is about a new tv show ( an awful mix between the circle and love island) where boyfriends dump their girlfriends who then can stay on to learn to be "the keeper" (the perfect girlfriend) in the hopes of winning £1 million.
I went into this book really excited and although I enjoyed it at times, it often wasn't a great read for me.
The people that run the tv show "The Shelf" and the awful host were all chauvinistic pigs that wanted women to go back in time to when they had no rights, stayed at home looking after the family and had zero personality or opinions. I realise this was the whole point to contrast against the feminism taking place in the house but it was over the top, and got old really quickly. The only saving grave was the psychologist who was the only decent male and yet he was constantly vindicated and bullied live on air by the host.
Our lead female Amy was a modern day Bridget Jones without the hunour and with a very kind and caring heart. I liked Amy and wanted the best for her. I could relate to the situation she had been in with her awful boyfriend and it was nice to see her character gain confidence through the show.
The rest of the characters were complete cliches. You have the posh/uptight one, the sporty one, the ladette, the older one, the quiet one. It was all too cliche for me and didn't have enough true emotion or realistic scenes. I couldnt care less about most of the characters.
As I said earlier, there was a feminist side to the book which was an opposite to the old fashioned tv show. This was obviously good to see but I don't think there was enough good to overcome the bad.
The humour was also not to my taste. So over the top and I got tired of it so quickly.
This could have been a really interesting book with a sexist show being juxtaposed against feminist contestants. However the cliches, the constant cheap jokes and sexism was too much. Sadly this book is not for me.
Please note that I was gifted this book in exchange for an honest review.
The Shelf is about a new tv show ( an awful mix between the circle and love island) where boyfriends dump their girlfriends who then can stay on to learn to be "the keeper" (the perfect girlfriend) in the hopes of winning £1 million.
I went into this book really excited and although I enjoyed it at times, it often wasn't a great read for me.
The people that run the tv show "The Shelf" and the awful host were all chauvinistic pigs that wanted women to go back in time to when they had no rights, stayed at home looking after the family and had zero personality or opinions. I realise this was the whole point to contrast against the feminism taking place in the house but it was over the top, and got old really quickly. The only saving grave was the psychologist who was the only decent male and yet he was constantly vindicated and bullied live on air by the host.
Our lead female Amy was a modern day Bridget Jones without the hunour and with a very kind and caring heart. I liked Amy and wanted the best for her. I could relate to the situation she had been in with her awful boyfriend and it was nice to see her character gain confidence through the show.
The rest of the characters were complete cliches. You have the posh/uptight one, the sporty one, the ladette, the older one, the quiet one. It was all too cliche for me and didn't have enough true emotion or realistic scenes. I couldnt care less about most of the characters.
As I said earlier, there was a feminist side to the book which was an opposite to the old fashioned tv show. This was obviously good to see but I don't think there was enough good to overcome the bad.
The humour was also not to my taste. So over the top and I got tired of it so quickly.
This could have been a really interesting book with a sexist show being juxtaposed against feminist contestants. However the cliches, the constant cheap jokes and sexism was too much. Sadly this book is not for me.
Please note that I was gifted this book in exchange for an honest review.
April 14, 2024
An ode to female empowerment in every possible form.
"The shelf" combines my guilty pleasure of reality TV with feminism, friendships, relationships, 99 red flags, individual life stories and goals, as well as learning to follow YOUR goals, not the ones you think you want or someone else either beholds or forces on you. 🫶🏻
Thank you, Daisy Edgar-Jones (the narrator of this book, but mostly a fabulous actor), for never failing me. I picked this one up after spying her name in the corner of the audiobook cover, and her work never skips my taste ❤️
And thank you, Helly Acton, for this book version of reality TV with so very important messages!!
"The shelf" combines my guilty pleasure of reality TV with feminism, friendships, relationships, 99 red flags, individual life stories and goals, as well as learning to follow YOUR goals, not the ones you think you want or someone else either beholds or forces on you. 🫶🏻
Thank you, Daisy Edgar-Jones (the narrator of this book, but mostly a fabulous actor), for never failing me. I picked this one up after spying her name in the corner of the audiobook cover, and her work never skips my taste ❤️
And thank you, Helly Acton, for this book version of reality TV with so very important messages!!
October 17, 2020
respectfully, no <3
August 29, 2025
Reading “The Shelf” was so fun. It’s a “make you feel good” book, focusing on inner happiness, with or without a partner.
Despite reading the synopsis, I went into this book blind. I blame this on my forgetfulness – I tend to read 10 synopsis of books, and then choose 1 book to read out of them all. I’ll be honest – I did not connect with Amy at all in the first chapters. It was hard to read about her current life and relationship. Then the surprise event happens and Amy ends up being dumped live on TV, and entering this new TV Show – The Shelf!
It was at this time when I instantly sided with her, and loved reading about her journey.
“The Shelf” show has to be the worst, most hectic, most sexist show I’ve ever come across in my years of reading fiction. Basically, you get to win the show if you can prove that you are the best “housewife material” out there. And I have nothing against housewives. My favourite person in the world – my late grandma – was a housewife, and I know her life wasn’t easy at all. It was busy and filled with manual work, house work, gardening. But it was a house that was always filled with lots of love. Some of my fondest childhood memories I have are connected with that woman.
And to see the “housewife” term used as a TV-show concept in this way was not the nicest thing to see, is all I can say. I just believe that this should be a woman’s choice of life and not a decision made on her behalf, or a mandatory tick box when finding a partner, as portrayed in this book. In this show, you could only win the game if you are the perfect housewife material. The show was full of men treating women in a way they shouldn’t ever be treated.
“We’re all so busy trying to find the right person, we aren’t trying to be the right person.”
All the other women are in the same boat with Amy (dumped and left on the shelf), competing for one million dollars and being crowned “The Keeper”. I know, the show is a huge red flag. But the contestants are here to save the day. Aside from Amy, we’ll meet Jackie, Gemma, Hattie, Lauren and Flick – all of them very different and with their own stories. And most important of all, all these women make their lives a priority, despite their environment telling them otherwise.
I devoured this book in just a few days.
It was heart-warming, fun, uplifting and powerful. It spoke to my younger-self, that it’s okay to be single and happy on your own until / if you meet your person. And it spoke to my present self that it’s okay to have your person and share experiences and work things out. And that if something suddenly goes wrong – you’ve still got your person – yourself! I can only warmly recommend “The Shelf” for you. I hope it brightens your day like it did mine.
Despite reading the synopsis, I went into this book blind. I blame this on my forgetfulness – I tend to read 10 synopsis of books, and then choose 1 book to read out of them all. I’ll be honest – I did not connect with Amy at all in the first chapters. It was hard to read about her current life and relationship. Then the surprise event happens and Amy ends up being dumped live on TV, and entering this new TV Show – The Shelf!
It was at this time when I instantly sided with her, and loved reading about her journey.
“The Shelf” show has to be the worst, most hectic, most sexist show I’ve ever come across in my years of reading fiction. Basically, you get to win the show if you can prove that you are the best “housewife material” out there. And I have nothing against housewives. My favourite person in the world – my late grandma – was a housewife, and I know her life wasn’t easy at all. It was busy and filled with manual work, house work, gardening. But it was a house that was always filled with lots of love. Some of my fondest childhood memories I have are connected with that woman.
And to see the “housewife” term used as a TV-show concept in this way was not the nicest thing to see, is all I can say. I just believe that this should be a woman’s choice of life and not a decision made on her behalf, or a mandatory tick box when finding a partner, as portrayed in this book. In this show, you could only win the game if you are the perfect housewife material. The show was full of men treating women in a way they shouldn’t ever be treated.
“We’re all so busy trying to find the right person, we aren’t trying to be the right person.”
All the other women are in the same boat with Amy (dumped and left on the shelf), competing for one million dollars and being crowned “The Keeper”. I know, the show is a huge red flag. But the contestants are here to save the day. Aside from Amy, we’ll meet Jackie, Gemma, Hattie, Lauren and Flick – all of them very different and with their own stories. And most important of all, all these women make their lives a priority, despite their environment telling them otherwise.
I devoured this book in just a few days.
It was heart-warming, fun, uplifting and powerful. It spoke to my younger-self, that it’s okay to be single and happy on your own until / if you meet your person. And it spoke to my present self that it’s okay to have your person and share experiences and work things out. And that if something suddenly goes wrong – you’ve still got your person – yourself! I can only warmly recommend “The Shelf” for you. I hope it brightens your day like it did mine.
December 31, 2020
eh, not to sure about this one. I like the premise and the woman living in a house together for a few months. I like how it's based on the women realizing that they don't need a boyfriend for their lives to be perfect. However, the blatant sexism (that is supposed to be in the book) isn't combated with why it's so wrong and instead is more of the women muttering to themselves about how wrong it was. I wanted more. I wanted to see them properly fight back. Some of them did but I wanted to see them band together stronger than they actually did and take the show in a different direction than what was planned.
January 11, 2020
A witty, ironically humerous and highly addictive tale of a group of women who find themselves on the ultimate reality t.v. show.
Funny, feminist and ultimately affirming this book was way out of my comfort zone but I ADORED it.
Full review to follow.
Funny, feminist and ultimately affirming this book was way out of my comfort zone but I ADORED it.
Full review to follow.
Read
October 5, 2024Not really sure why but this one simply didn't work for me. No star rating.
July 10, 2021
Now that I have CALMed down a little (you see what I did there? xD) and finally got hold of my feelings, I think I am ready to write an honest review. See, my first reaction to this book was how suffocatingly true it was. I mean who hasn't had to deal with the bullshits of this patriarchal society even once in their lives? The incidents were unapologetically accurate which is why I kept getting frustrated. But I must say the book ended on quite a wholesome note. So it was worth it.
When I gave it some more thought, I realized that since the beginning of this book, almost all the male characters portrayed were nothing but chauvinists. And even though there were a few "positive" characters, they were very shadowed and did not have much voice.
But then it suddenly dawned on me that real life does work like that. I mean yes they keep saying "not all men". How we "feminists types" spread hate against men, But this rage we have inside us against the majority of a certain gender, is it not their fault in the first place? Were they not responsible for us to not trust them in the first place? Do they think it's all fun for us to spread hate? And we are not even trying to spread hate. All we're doing is trying to look out for each other. But the most important question here is how are we supposed to know which men?
The Shelf addressed all of these and so much more. And I loved how it portrayed that even if we feel being wronged, how even we are not the perfect human being with no faults at all.
Honestly, this was an absolute delight of a book. I loved the bond and friendship that was portrayed here and the character arc was beautiful; Especially Flick's. But what disappointed me was after all these dramas, the ending seemed very hasty and meh. I would have loved to get a little more perspectiven on what happened to their lives after the show.
But nonetheless, I am glad I read this book. And if you're looking for a fun read, this might be the one for you.
When I gave it some more thought, I realized that since the beginning of this book, almost all the male characters portrayed were nothing but chauvinists. And even though there were a few "positive" characters, they were very shadowed and did not have much voice.
But then it suddenly dawned on me that real life does work like that. I mean yes they keep saying "not all men". How we "feminists types" spread hate against men, But this rage we have inside us against the majority of a certain gender, is it not their fault in the first place? Were they not responsible for us to not trust them in the first place? Do they think it's all fun for us to spread hate? And we are not even trying to spread hate. All we're doing is trying to look out for each other. But the most important question here is how are we supposed to know which men?
The Shelf addressed all of these and so much more. And I loved how it portrayed that even if we feel being wronged, how even we are not the perfect human being with no faults at all.
Honestly, this was an absolute delight of a book. I loved the bond and friendship that was portrayed here and the character arc was beautiful; Especially Flick's. But what disappointed me was after all these dramas, the ending seemed very hasty and meh. I would have loved to get a little more perspectiven on what happened to their lives after the show.
But nonetheless, I am glad I read this book. And if you're looking for a fun read, this might be the one for you.
July 26, 2020
This was such a feel good, funny, uplifting and fun read, I really enjoyed every minute of it. The characters here are great (well, the women are) and i loved following their journeys. I hated Jamie from the start to finish so the writing of such a big arsehole character was very well done too ha.
I recommend this one 100% if you’re after a feel good read that will have you smiling and also just really uplifted!
I was very kindly sent this from the publisher to read and review.
I recommend this one 100% if you’re after a feel good read that will have you smiling and also just really uplifted!
I was very kindly sent this from the publisher to read and review.
March 14, 2023
2.5 STARS
The exact definition of a middle of the road book. I didn’t like this, but I didn’t dislike it. A very easy, but maybe not too fulfilling read.
The exact definition of a middle of the road book. I didn’t like this, but I didn’t dislike it. A very easy, but maybe not too fulfilling read.
June 14, 2024
So think ‘Big Brother’ for recently dumped women… but the women were dumped ‘live’ before finding out they were on a reality tv show and can’t actually go home. Great concept, yes? I loved this. Obviously a completely horrible story morally, because what man does this? But removing how you would react in the real world out of the picture, the female characters were great (well, most of them..) and the book was fun and puts a middle finger up to weak men who don’t see their partner’s worth until it’s too late!
December 7, 2020
I love this story so much that I have put part of chapter one on my website www.bookread2day.wordpress.com
February 8, 2021
I tried so hard to like this book, it had such an interesting premise however the book irritated me too much for me to actually enjoy it. Didn’t finish because I don’t want to waste my time trying to finish a book that angers/upsets me as much as this one did.
January 1, 2022
(Rare Birds January 2021 book)
alright let me start with my boyfriend's comment about this book after my giving him a short count of it. i couldn't have said it any better. "well, sounds like nothing even really happened. and the concept overall. is weird."
I am sort of sorry my longest reviews are of the books I dislike the most but it is almost as if I was more afraid to praise well than to criticize constructively. Which makes sense I suppose. So that's where this brings us. This book was quite easy for me to get through, a fast read, but not too fast, ok not terrible but well would not recommend.
The premise of the book is a reality TV show, "The Shelf," where male partners leave their female partners in a house for a month (interpret leave in any convenient way for specific character's situation). The winner gets crowned "the keeper" and gets 100 million pounds. Ok, this sum really does sound like too much now. How exciting. The guys basically dump the girls on TV and leave them there to become better wife material. How this makes any legal sense I am not going to try to understand, first major plot hole for me. It all seemed so unrealistic and I just couldn't picture it irl.
Right after Amy, our main character, gets dumped, she has all THE realizations of her life. She's been wasting time with this stupid guy, she's been neglecting herself, etc. I wish there would have been more character development happening along the book, not for all of it to have happened 50/400 pages into the book. Amy came into the show as "boring" Amy and for me, that's exactly who she came out as. Throughout the show, the participants got to go through therapy sessions. I found the counsellor concept to be so wasted. The characters came out of the experience exactly the same as they were before they came in.
The book put a lot of weight onto its trying to portray the whole show in an ironic masochistic light. Right. Not a bad concept as such, yet... Well, not very well executed. This was so blatantly done on every single page of the book that it really just got boring. And I would have appreciated some empowered women in relationships as well. It sounded all too superficial. In some of the last pages of the book, Amy confronts her now ex, Jamie. She tells him how she forgives him. It feels like a scene pulled out of a 2000 romcom. Not a good one.
There was no drama. I can't remember any plot twist. The plot was as straight as parallel parking. Wow. We got about ten mentions throughout the book of how she was now living her life and how she was going to Thailand right after the end of the show. That was the most excitement I got from from the book.
And for anyone who got this far, there were eight beds and only seven contestants, any idea why?
So yes, thanks Rare Birds Book Club, but no thanks for this one.
alright let me start with my boyfriend's comment about this book after my giving him a short count of it. i couldn't have said it any better. "well, sounds like nothing even really happened. and the concept overall. is weird."
I am sort of sorry my longest reviews are of the books I dislike the most but it is almost as if I was more afraid to praise well than to criticize constructively. Which makes sense I suppose. So that's where this brings us. This book was quite easy for me to get through, a fast read, but not too fast, ok not terrible but well would not recommend.
The premise of the book is a reality TV show, "The Shelf," where male partners leave their female partners in a house for a month (interpret leave in any convenient way for specific character's situation). The winner gets crowned "the keeper" and gets 100 million pounds. Ok, this sum really does sound like too much now. How exciting. The guys basically dump the girls on TV and leave them there to become better wife material. How this makes any legal sense I am not going to try to understand, first major plot hole for me. It all seemed so unrealistic and I just couldn't picture it irl.
Right after Amy, our main character, gets dumped, she has all THE realizations of her life. She's been wasting time with this stupid guy, she's been neglecting herself, etc. I wish there would have been more character development happening along the book, not for all of it to have happened 50/400 pages into the book. Amy came into the show as "boring" Amy and for me, that's exactly who she came out as. Throughout the show, the participants got to go through therapy sessions. I found the counsellor concept to be so wasted. The characters came out of the experience exactly the same as they were before they came in.
The book put a lot of weight onto its trying to portray the whole show in an ironic masochistic light. Right. Not a bad concept as such, yet... Well, not very well executed. This was so blatantly done on every single page of the book that it really just got boring. And I would have appreciated some empowered women in relationships as well. It sounded all too superficial. In some of the last pages of the book, Amy confronts her now ex, Jamie. She tells him how she forgives him. It feels like a scene pulled out of a 2000 romcom. Not a good one.
There was no drama. I can't remember any plot twist. The plot was as straight as parallel parking. Wow. We got about ten mentions throughout the book of how she was now living her life and how she was going to Thailand right after the end of the show. That was the most excitement I got from from the book.
And for anyone who got this far, there were eight beds and only seven contestants, any idea why?
So yes, thanks Rare Birds Book Club, but no thanks for this one.
April 27, 2020
The Shelf by Helly Acton is a book with a message; you don't need to follow social norms to be happy, learn to love yourself and go from there.
It is a truly relatable story. I'm sure everyone has at least once felt like they weren't meeting the expectations of their family, friends and/or colleagues. Amy the main character is at this stage in her life, where she feels she should be getting married and having babies because her friends are. At the start of this book, Amy is convinced her boyfriend of two years is about to propose to her on holiday, when in actual fact she's been taken to a tv set and dumped live on TV, and asked to participate in a new reality TV show called The Shelf.
Amy decides to stay and continues with the TV show. Where other contestants arrive and a variety of challenges are set, meant to help contestants learn how to be desirable to men. I think Amy and the contestants each learnt something important whilst filming The Shelf, from each other and the in house therapist.
This book was really enjoyable, reading about someone who steadily grows emotionally is a real positive experience. I look forward to reading books from this author in the future.
It is a truly relatable story. I'm sure everyone has at least once felt like they weren't meeting the expectations of their family, friends and/or colleagues. Amy the main character is at this stage in her life, where she feels she should be getting married and having babies because her friends are. At the start of this book, Amy is convinced her boyfriend of two years is about to propose to her on holiday, when in actual fact she's been taken to a tv set and dumped live on TV, and asked to participate in a new reality TV show called The Shelf.
Amy decides to stay and continues with the TV show. Where other contestants arrive and a variety of challenges are set, meant to help contestants learn how to be desirable to men. I think Amy and the contestants each learnt something important whilst filming The Shelf, from each other and the in house therapist.
This book was really enjoyable, reading about someone who steadily grows emotionally is a real positive experience. I look forward to reading books from this author in the future.
August 23, 2020
This was delightful! I just knew I would like this novel when I saw Marian Keyes had blurbed it. When ya know, ya know.
I am not much of a reality tv fan, but I was hooked on this! Although I do think that the reality show was depicted totally realistically, I loved seeing all the women's stories and conversations. In that regard, it reminded me so much of Beauty Queens by Libba Bray, which I also loved! The narration was spectacular.
I would totally recommend this!
I am not much of a reality tv fan, but I was hooked on this! Although I do think that the reality show was depicted totally realistically, I loved seeing all the women's stories and conversations. In that regard, it reminded me so much of Beauty Queens by Libba Bray, which I also loved! The narration was spectacular.
I would totally recommend this!
August 4, 2022
Very easy and quick to read which is the only reason I chose to finish it. Meant to be a funny, feminist read with a point to challenge those views males have but with so many misogynistic and sexist comments throughout the book and not enough said and done back to challenge these comments I felt it failed on that part and made the happy ending not so satisfying and enjoyable to read.
September 18, 2021
Absolutely loved this. I couldn’t put it down!
Satirical, funny, feminist, addictive, empowering and uplifting.
Satirical, funny, feminist, addictive, empowering and uplifting.
August 15, 2020
Kiva miellyttävä kuuntelu tärkeästä aiheesta: kuinka yhteiskunta asettaa meille kaikenlaisia paineita parisuhteen ja ikääntymisen osalta ja kuinka miehille ja naisille on niin eri vaatimuksia. Kiva feministinen ote.
June 23, 2020
4.5 stars
Being single isn't scary. What's scary is being stuck with someone who will make you miserable for the rest of your life. That's the real campfire horror story.
A funny, insightful, bingeable read with feminist themes that are nuanced and inspiring. I confess I was dubious about the book's claims to be feminist, expecting something along the lines of 'all housewives are anti-feminist' and 'only single, career-driven, bold women are real feminists' sort of cookie-cutter ideals. And I am so glad to be wrong!
The women on 'The Shelf' are so varied in socioeconomic background, age, career and lifestyle - I was pleasantly surprised that one of them is bi/pansexual! - and they were all rendered excellently. Each woman felt realistic and distinct, and I absolutely loved this portrayal of boss women working together, not against each other. Flick's arc in particular was very well done. I'm so happy that it's shown that housewives/homemakers who are happy and fulfilled in their role aren't automatically anti-feminist. Feminism is about women having the agency to decide their lives, about dismantling double standards and having society properly recognise their contributions and sacrifices in whatever form they take.
BE YOUR OWN SUNSHINE
I'd rather be a fork of lightning.
There is a vivid contrast between Amy's perspective on her fellow contestants and the viewpoints held by most of said contestants' exes (and male show host, many audience members etc.) on the women's myriad relationship-ending 'flaws'. The show tries to whittle down the women to one adjective - for example, the ambitious and outspoken lawyer Jackie Adu is made out to be 'Selfish Jackie' by the host and producers. It soon becomes clear that it's not a particular trait that these men don't respect. They simply do not respect women. Of course, we can't forget the 'but not all men!' aspect. That's obvious, but it's shown well through the character of Dr Hicks, the show's therapist. While he's not perfect, Hicks is convincing as an academic and professional, and genuinely cares about helping the contestants instead of the ratings and sensationalism.
There were only very small issues keeping this from a full five-stars. Very occasionally, the sarcasm and writing style was somewhat confusing, and there was an odd comment about Thailand. Amy mentioned how much she wants to go to Thailand, and that there's 'something in the air. It's probably opium.' which kind of brought me to a screeching halt.
I do hope it was a joke! If it was, then it brings me back to my earlier point about unclear sarcasm.
Overall, I really enjoyed this! I'd say it's a fun beach read, apart from the boiling rage you may feel at some of the more misogynistic characters and comments.
Thank you to NetGalley and Bonnier Books for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.
July 4, 2020
Thank you so much to NetGalley, Helly Action, and Bonnier Books for granting me the eARC of The Shelf. I'd heard such brilliant things about it that I was really excited to dive in!
I picked this up in between reading a series, just planning to read a couple of pages to get a feel for it... and I ended up reading the whole thing. I could not put it down at all and just kept thinking, just another couple of pages... one whole book later and this was a definite five star read for me.
When I first started reading it, all I could feel was rage towards Jamie, honestly what a d***. Every time he called her piglet I wanted to throttle him; I was a bit worried that i'd end up raging throughout the whole book so i'm really glad the book moved the plot along very quickly. We get a good basis for Amy and Jamie, their characters and their relationship, before the reality sinks in for Amy that she's just been dumped ... on live TV ... by the man she thought was going to propose. Honestly in that moment my heart broke for Amy, knowing it was coming you couldn't help but read this with one eye closed.
I love that the book didn't let us wallow in that for too long though, I think Acton has really good timing as an author as she moves the plot along swiftly. The pace of this book is really well thought out and you get time to sink into the feelings, but you don't despair.
I love all the other characters (although I was a bit confused initially about who was who) and I loved the dynamics between the women. They all brought something different to the story and none of them felt just one-note, even Flick was layered by the end. The less said about the men the better!! They were all, apart from maybe Jason, awful awful characters and yet they felt realistic. Hattie's ex-boyfriend was the only one who I think that bordered into abusive, and I think the book balanced the dynamics of this well. I could have killed the yoga instructor and the guy who did the quiz!! I like that towards the end the Dr and Sam (I think) acknowledged that actually, this may not have been the best way to do what they wanted with this show.
I feel the book really balanced well the drama of the break-ups and the reality show, with the friendships between the women. They felt real and you could invest in them. And I like that the overall message of the book is about finding the one, but sometimes the one is actually you; you shouldn't ignore the red flags in relationships and if you aren't happy, or feel you are more invested in it than your partner, then maybe it's time to reassess. A book I would highly highly recommend reading!
I picked this up in between reading a series, just planning to read a couple of pages to get a feel for it... and I ended up reading the whole thing. I could not put it down at all and just kept thinking, just another couple of pages... one whole book later and this was a definite five star read for me.
When I first started reading it, all I could feel was rage towards Jamie, honestly what a d***. Every time he called her piglet I wanted to throttle him; I was a bit worried that i'd end up raging throughout the whole book so i'm really glad the book moved the plot along very quickly. We get a good basis for Amy and Jamie, their characters and their relationship, before the reality sinks in for Amy that she's just been dumped ... on live TV ... by the man she thought was going to propose. Honestly in that moment my heart broke for Amy, knowing it was coming you couldn't help but read this with one eye closed.
I love that the book didn't let us wallow in that for too long though, I think Acton has really good timing as an author as she moves the plot along swiftly. The pace of this book is really well thought out and you get time to sink into the feelings, but you don't despair.
I love all the other characters (although I was a bit confused initially about who was who) and I loved the dynamics between the women. They all brought something different to the story and none of them felt just one-note, even Flick was layered by the end. The less said about the men the better!! They were all, apart from maybe Jason, awful awful characters and yet they felt realistic. Hattie's ex-boyfriend was the only one who I think that bordered into abusive, and I think the book balanced the dynamics of this well. I could have killed the yoga instructor and the guy who did the quiz!! I like that towards the end the Dr and Sam (I think) acknowledged that actually, this may not have been the best way to do what they wanted with this show.
I feel the book really balanced well the drama of the break-ups and the reality show, with the friendships between the women. They felt real and you could invest in them. And I like that the overall message of the book is about finding the one, but sometimes the one is actually you; you shouldn't ignore the red flags in relationships and if you aren't happy, or feel you are more invested in it than your partner, then maybe it's time to reassess. A book I would highly highly recommend reading!
June 20, 2020
I really enjoyed this. A really quick, funny read but with some strong poignant moments that will speak with every reader. Well thought out characters and a really believable plot, I could really see this on TV! Would definitely recommend.
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