I really enjoyed this. It had similar vibes to the flat share. Easy read, nice characters & the storyline was so powerful & uplifting to women. Definitely read it ladies. Would have loved to have been in the house with these ladies. Amy thinks she is going on holiday with her boyfriend who is going to propose to her but ends up in a big brother style house with 5 other women & left on the shelf, you can only imagine the drama that will unfold from it

Thank you NetGalley for the ARC of The Shelf!

This was such a fun read! I loved reading this in my breaks at work and when I got home. It was light, charming and entertained me with ease.

The Shelf is the name of a reality television show, think Big Brother, The Circle and Love Island all merged in one. The premise of this program is horrendous and all the women in the show are aware. They are against everything it stands for. The Shelf shows how sexist reality television is, how strong women are and what they are capable of. It follows their self-development, self-reflection and their relationship with each other.

This is an accessible read which is entertaining and takes your mind off everything around you. A perfect read to ‘switch off’ to and relax.

Imagine a brand new reality TV show, six women have just been dumped and left in a house together to learn about where they're going wrong in relationships, would you watch it? With the world seemingly hooked to the next reality TV trend and programs like Love Island and Netflix's Too Hot to Handle springing up all over the place I couldn't decide if the premise of this show was believable or not, unfortunately it probably is and if someone did make it we'd probably all be hooked.

Amy has been with Jamie for two years, all her friends are settled with children and she's sure that a proposal will happen on their next holiday, however Jamie's got other ideas and quite literally leaves Amy on The Shelf with five other unsuspected women.  I hate Jamie with all of my being, he embodies so many toxic traits and treats Amy appalling, because of this I think this book might be a bit triggering to some people. His 'petname' for her is Piglet, he's given her a key to his flat but she has to give him notice when arriving, he once got angry when she got foundation on his pillowcase; he was awful - if anything this is a credit to Helly Action's writing as I'm actually getting a bit angry describing a fictional character to you!

After being dropped off at the TV set all the women are given completely free choice on whether they stay and participate, their month on the show will have them take part in a series of challenges, therapy sessions and have 24/7 access to 'The Wall' a screen showing  a live stream of tweets about the show.

I was quite addicted to this, I had to keep reading to see what hideous outdated idea/challenge the producers of the show would throw at the ladies next, I loved that the contestants were different so often when you watch reality TV the contestants are a bit copy/paste, young and Instagram-worthy but these women were different ages, races and seemed like actual people that you might know in real life.

My thanks to Bonnier Books U.K. Zaffre for an eARC via NetGalley of ‘The Shelf’ by Helly Acton in exchange for an honest review.

The cover quote from Marian Keyes reads “utter perfection” and I am inclined to agree. It has a serious message and yet is very funny.

I was able to borrow its audiobook edition, narrated by Daisy Edgar-Jones, from my local online library and listened alongside reading the eARC.

Amy is 32 years old and everyone she knows seems to be settling down. Jamie, her boyfriend of two years, surprises her with a holiday to a mystery destination. She is very excited and wonders if he is going to pop the Big Question. Instead, she finds herself left on the set of a Big Brother-style reality show entitled The Shelf!

She along with five other women have been dumped by their partners on live TV and left there for four weeks. In order to be crowned ‘The Keeper’ and win a million pounds prize and other goodies they must compete in a series of humiliating tasks. These are slanted towards their demonstrating submissive qualities. As one internet commenter quips: “Another small step for man. Another giant leap backward for womankind.”

To be fair the Amy and the original five are pretty feisty but then are joined by a seventh contestant, Flick, who seems in appearance and behaviour to be the embodiment of a ‘Keeper’.

Although ‘The Shelf’ pokes fun at this kind of reality tv with some scenes leaving me weak with laughter, the novel does address questions about gender roles, self esteem, gaslighting, and the importance of being true to yourself.

This is a fun debut and I certainly will be eagerly awaiting news of her future projects.

I'm very grateful that I was given the chance to read this book, I thought the premise was interesting and I was definitely intrigued to read more.

Unfortunately, I could not get into the writing style of the author and had to DNF this book. This is my own personal and honest preference and I'm positive others will both enjoy and love reading this book.

I'd like to believe that a show like this could never happen in real life, but I'm pretty sure some TV exec somewhere is already filing the serial numbers off, ready to present this idea for filming. After all, who wouldn't watch to watch women dumped live on air, forced through challenges and relentlessly subjected to other people's thoughts about them via the Wall, a huge screen broadcasting their Twitter handles day and night?

I'm being sarcastic, by the way. I can't think of a worse idea for a show. But, brilliantly, it works in this book. Helly skewers toxic masculinity beautifully; although there are a couple of decent male characters, given the premise here, most of them are awful. I was most angry at the men who came on to teach women what men want; don't let yourself go, you'll look lazy and his friends will laugh at him, but don't wear too much make up, you'll look easy and his friends will laugh at him. Don't date too many men, you're a slut, but if your man strays, you probably weren't experienced enough to give him what he needs. Don't complain, moan or nag, but don't be a doormat. It went on and on and the men genuinely couldn't see what they were doing.

I liked most of the women. I agree with Flick that if a woman chooses to stay home and be a house wife, that should be respected just as much as choosing any other career. I liked Jackie's strength and courage to be herself. I loved Amy's realisation near the end.

The only thing I wasn't sure about was the Wall. Even on a show like this, would the producers allow a completely unmonitored, unsantized stream of all the darkest parts of the internet into the living room, 24/7? Surely that's bad for the contestant's mental health? Especially considering some of the tweets we read.

Otherwise, I really enjoyed this clever, witty read, and I'm looking forward to seeing what else Helly comes up with.

A Fresh, funny and modern novel perfect for the time’s we’re living in. I was pleasantly surprised by the depth of the message from this novel and wish so much that it was around when I was in my 20’s, when being ‘left on the shelf’ was something very much to be feared!

The novel is set in a reality show and Helly brilliantly explores and rebuffs the ideals of what a woman needs to be and how she should behave in order to be ‘a keeper’. It tackles outdated stereotypes face on and sends the perfect message out to women of all ages.
Thank you so much for writing this novel! And also to the publishers and Netgalley for the opportunity to read it.

OH MY GOD.

THIS is FANTASTIC.

A whip-smart tale of female empowerment, loving yourself and realising your worth set against a hellish backdrop of a reality TV show where men dump their partners live on air and the women have to prove they are worthy of being in a relationship.

SO many times throughout this book I thought 'YES, THIS IS WHY WOMEN ARE EXCELLENT'. And I love novels that illustrate how flawed but simply perfect women are. That motherhood, the ability to keep a house and pander to a husband no longer prove that you are 'worthy' of being a woman.

I LOVED IT.

Ulimately 'female bonding' story of a horrible reality TV show wherein 6 women are initially 'dumped' live on TV by their respective partners, who trick them into arriving at the studio - some led to believe they're going on holiday/being proposed to etc, when the terrible truth emerges. The stakes are high - there's a prize of £1 million for the winner and £10,000 for others - Where's the harm in staying?- They're dumped anyway, and life outside will be irrevoccably changed...

The women are set tasks and challenges (quite weak ones, but par for the course for reality programmes) for the public's entertainment and votes - and to become the 'perfect partner'. Each tackle these in their individual ways - overcoming the sexist manipulation at differing levels. They also have access to a psychologist. The strength of this book is the personalities and interactions of the women. OK, a bit stereotyped in places, but also pleasantly entertaining.

Amusing and unexpectedly posiitive. A good beach read. I hope one day we'll look back at reality shows and think 'Did we really treat people like that, for entertainment?

Such a hilarious break up, feel good story! There’s not a character in this book that you can’t relate to on some level and absolutely love!

3.5 stars rounded up to 4.
This was an easy read but with lots of important conversations and thoughts around the topic of being yourself, accepting and loving yourself, that you’re enough and you shouldn’t change yourself for a partner etc.

Imagine Big Brother, but where the housemates haven’t applied, their partners have applied on their behalf for various reasons. And they’re all competing to be the winner of £1 million for being marriage material.

The main character, Amy, is dumped by her boyfriend Jamie as she is taken into the house. And we see her, and the other women in the house, work with a therapist to understand themselves, grow and develop friendships with each other. I appreciated that this wasn’t all solved in a nice little bow with insta love or a new relationship.
However, there was a lack of LGBTQ+ representation. It wouldn’t have been difficult to introduce a couple or individual that wasn’t hetero. I think that could have added much more depth and interest.

I received an e-ARC from NetGalley and the Publishers in exchange for an honest review. These opinions are my own.

When we first meet Amy she is someone who might, if I’m being really honest, be infuriating. She is thirty-two, and has been in a relationship with Jamie for nearly two years. From the little details she gives us, he sounds awful. So, why does she remain with him?
The Shelf is an attempt to explore some of our attitudes to relationships and how we define ourselves. How it chooses to do this is through a rather off-putting setting...where Amy and five other women are signed up to a new reality TV show called The Shelf. The prize up for grabs is a million pounds, so we can understand why having been dumped live on air, these women decide to stay.
The day to day account of the show and the horrors inflicted on these women highlights so much of what is wrong with the messages being given to everyone. The host and manipulations of the show emphasise some pretty outdated attitudes, and yet I found myself chuckling at times.
The mix of female characters offers a pretty broad spectrum of views, some of which you may find yourself agreeing with. The overall message is about self-love and coming to terms with your own hopes/expectations/ambitions before thinking about managing to live with those of someone else. Ultimately the format of the show itself seems dated, but the message is a positive one.
Thanks to NetGalley for providing me with the chance to read this prior to publication.

Amy and Jamie have been in a relationship for two years and Amy feels her body clock ticking. When Jamie asks her to pack for a surprise holiday destination, Amy thinks diamond ring and romantic sunset dinners. Instead, Amy is dumped on a reality television show with six other female contestants who have had their relationships[ broken off by their partners. The prize for the winner.....one million pounds

Although not a new concept, a reality show and behind the scenes with the contestants, this book goes further and explores the relationship both between the contestants themselves and between the contestants and their ex partners. This story showcases emotions, moods, controlling behaviour and the power of friendship and girl power. Not to be taken too seriously but a fun read with an underlying message.

It was very much a book based on a reality tv such as Big Brother. Became bored halfway through, really wasn’t my book of choice

Thank you to NetGalley and Bonnier Books UK for the ARC of The Shelf by Helly Acton.
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This is the second book with a reality tv theme that I've read in as many weeks 🙈 Although this completely differs to the premise of #onetowatch...
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Everyone aside from Amy seems to be getting married and having babies so when her boyfriend surprises her with a dream holiday to a ‘no coats required’ mystery destination, she thinks he's going to pop the question. However, the holiday turns out to be the set of a reality television show, The Shelf
where Amy is savagely dumped live on TV and must compete in a series of humiliating and obnoxious tasks alongside 6 other recently ditched girls in the hope of being crowned 'The Keeper' (think I'm a Celebrity / Big Brother).
Sealed off from the outside world, no social media for a month.
Will Amy's time on the show make her realise there are worse things in life than being left on the shelf?
'A chance to win a million pounds.
A chance to change my life.
A chance to start again.
A chance to show everyone I can be someone.
A chance to be me.'
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This book did a great job of looking at the disparity in relationships, careers and society in such a funny but poignant way. I especially related to the part where she quietly daydreams about smashing her ex across the face with a wine bottle like she’s ‘the Bride’ from Kill Bill. I would recommend to friends who are missing their reality tv fix and are looking for a light comedic read.

This story emphasises acceptance - just be yourself. Be happy in yourself and don't follow the crowd (or do what Instagram says to do!)
A clever story about being confident and strong in yourself. I loved the female characters, and how they all came together to make something powerful at the end despite their differences.

The Shelf is a relevant story with an important message: accept yourself first.

Amy faces the challenge many women face today. She feels left behind. Everyone around her is either having babies, getting married or renovating their kitchen. There’s no escaping it. Meanwhile, 32-year-old Amy is feeling tangled in her standstill relationship with her boyfriend of two years, Jamie. This man merely had to say two words for me to dislike him, if that was the author’s goal she succeeded magnificently. Seeking to move forward in their relationship, Amy is thrilled when Jamie surprises her with a secret holiday. Only to be devastated when she realises he has dumped her on a reality TV show for the next month. Think Love Island meets Big Brother meets The Circle.

She’s not alone, there are five other women going through the same thing. Jackie, Gemma, Kathy, Amy, Hattie and Lauren. I absolutely love how their journey is the foundation of the story. A good majority of the book is banter between the characters, so it took a few chapters of me to really get into the dialogue. Still, this doesn’t take away from my appreciation for the female friendship that begins to build and the author’s flair for writing witty conversation.

The basis of the reality television show is simple. The women live together for four weeks and take part in ridiculous challenges to learn how to be more desirable to men. At the end, the winner is crowned ‘The Keeper’. The one thing I really admire about the Acton’s intention with this show is that it highlights the poisonousness in misogynistic society. The feminism is not preachy or contentious, but humorous and engaging. However, the male characters in this show take obnoxiousness to the point of no return. At first, it was the funny kind of irritating. But after a few pages of questionable phrases, it grew tiresome. A respectable male character would have balanced this out.

There’s one aspect that really disappointed me in this book: Jackie’s character. As the only black girl, she’s a walking stereotype – braids, gold jewellery and all. She is essentially a parody which is really frustrating to read. In comparison to the other women, Jackie was the loudest, the most outspoken, and the only one to come across as a mean girl. My issue is that Gemma is just as brazen and extroverted as Jackie, but she is perceived as heroic and relatable.

Jackie’s personality feels like it is constructed to appear off-putting. Her battle against sexism and racism in her career is briefly discussed, but not enough to make me as a reader feel sorry for her. When in a group of six other upbeat white women, her confidence is painted as aggressive and uninviting. Her character is endlessly seen to be hollering indecently in one way or another. It would have been nice to see a black girl who didn’t fit that caricature of being the sassy comedic relief. As a black female reader, that would have been much more relatable.

The character development in this novel wins the stars for this book. Amy undergoes a transformative shift in her way of thinking. The reader gets to experience Amy’s change into a new personality as she rebuilds the amazing woman she is. The self-love journey each of the women go on is really heart-warming and made the book an enjoyable read.

And I really like the message the Acton conveys through the story. Keeping track of social norms doesn’t help us move forward, if anything, it holds us back. We must learn to love ourselves first, and then go from there.

This could have been a really interesting 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.

3.5 stars!

I like watching reality TV shows and the story is a mix between love island and big brother with all women. Amy is thirty-two and she thinks her boyfriend will be proposing her on their planned upcoming holiday. Thinking Amy and her boyfriend Jamie are on their way to holiday, Amy finds herself on a reality show getting dumped by Jamie instead. Jamie is such an unlikable character and I absolutely hated him from the beginning till the end #redflags. Amy is left with the choice to leave #theshelf new tv show with 10 grand or stay for a month where she could win a million pounds and much more. As Amy decides to stay she meets six other housemates with whom she establishes strong bonds and friendships even after the show.

I loved how the author has included women of color and how one of the housemates has raised the differences on how she has been treated at her work because of her race and gender.

Although a story of reality TV, I could imagine this being such a good movie. I loved the characters of women-all had their differences yet they were all like able. The tasks in the show were really annoying but loved how most of the contestants were either not doing it properly or not participating at all. Although the show was meant to be finding the “keeper”, it also became so much about self discovery, self love and confidence! “Not look for someone right but be that someone right instead”. This is a fun, easy and feel-good read. Totally recommend if you like reality TV shows.

The Shelf had the great balance of being a really fun read that has an important message running through it. The premise is also highly unique: Amy (along with six other women) finds herself an unwitting contestant on a new reality TV show - The Shelf.

Men unceremoniously dump their girlfriends and wives and they become contestants on the show. They all live together and their every move is streamed live to the nation a la Big Brother. The aim is to win and become 'The Keeper'. The show teaches you how to be the 'perfect' partner - the one that men really want.

Don't worry if this is sounding twee, backward or controversial - lots of the characters, including Amy, call this out. They are outraged at being any part of it, but that £1 million prize is too tempting to miss.

Amy does go on a lovely discovery journey, but I think as a lead character she was a little timid and not half as memorable as some of the other women in the house, so that's maybe why I didn't connect with her. Overall though, this was a quick, funny read. Perfect for devouring on a sunny afternoon.