A satirical, thoroughly enjoyable comment of being on the Shelf! I read it in a single sitting. Amy is 32 years old and feeling the social pressure to get married and have kids. She has made many compromises in her relationship of two years, feeling that this is her last chance to confirm with social norms and settle down. Except that her boyfriend dumps her in spectacular style but putting her on a reality TV show with other dumped girls, called The Shelf. On the show, she must show how she has learned to be a compatible mate.
As a reality TV addict, I loved how the author used that platform for social commentary. Woman are so empowered and accomplished these days, and yet they are still held to different standards to men. Or so it feels, and the pressure is enormous. The book was lovely, lighthearted but also had a deeper more inspiring message. I loved all the characters and the big poke at reality TV series. Highly recommend this multi-messaged romp.

This was a lot of fun. I’m not a fan of reality tv in the slightest, yet I still enjoyed this.

There is nothing new here - and it’s very predictable. Each incident is heavily signposted and it lacks any ‘wow’ moment - but it’s well written enough to be a good way to pass time for a while and be swept away.

A good holiday read.

Whilst I did enjoy The Shelf I didn’t love it. Amy is expecting her boyfriend to whisk her away on a luxury holiday with the hope that he’ll eventually propose. However she ends up being one of six contestants on a show called The Shelf where they’ve been dumped by their partners and are competing to be crowned ‘The Keeper’ and win one million pounds. This book is Love Island meets Big Brother and unfortunately I found it to be somewhat predictable. I also didn’t really like any of the characters. Having said that it is a quick read that I’m sure many will love. Thanks to NetGalley, Bonnier Books UK and the author for the chance to review.

When Amy's boyfriend surprises her with a dream holiday, she thinks he's about to propose. Instead, she finds herself on The Shelf; a Big Brother-style reality TV show where women are dumped live on air by their partners before taking part in a series of humiliating 'challenges' to teach them how to be the perfect wife/girlfriend. The winner will be crowned 'The Keeper' and take home £1 million.

I feel really conflicted about this book. Amy and the other contestants' relationship situations felt so relatable, and it does raise some interesting points around self-love and acceptance.

However, the front cover led me to believe this was going to be a lighthearted comedy, but I found it more 'cringe' than funny.

I also thought the side-characters could have been better developed. With the exception of Amy and maybe Jackie and Flick (who had distinctive personalities), I had trouble remembering who everyone was.

Aside from the above, it is a unique and thought-provoking read, and I would recommend other people give it a go and make their own minds up.

It would also be really interesting to see this book adapted for TV - I actually think the story would work well as a dark comedy or drama (think "Black Mirror")!

This was a really fun premise and an easy read ideal for a holiday or a relaxing break. It was a little slow in places, but overall I enjoyed it a lot!

I received this book from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

Amy is a 32 year old freelancer, who has been with her boyfriend Jamie for two years. She’s feeling the pressure of not being married with children like a lot of her friends, but she’s pretty sure Jamie is planning to pop the question on their imminent holiday. However, when it’s time to leave for their holiday, Amy is whisked away to tv studio, only to find that Jamie has brutally dumped her on national television, and arranged for her to participate in a new reality show called The Shelf, where contestants compete to be crowned The Keeper. She decides to stay and compete, while trying to deal with being dumped and figure what she wants from life. Will she ever find someone else? Was Jamie The One?

I really enjoyed this! It’s a fairly easy fast read, but most of the characters were good although I did find a couple of them to be stereotypes of particular ‘types’ of women. However, on the whole, I thought this was a really interesting premise, and I honestly wouldn’t be shocked to see it on tv soon - it’s a small step away from Love Island, or Your Face or Mine?. Some of the characters were well written though - Jamie in particular rang very true, as someone you would love to hate. I thought it was very finely tuned, demonstrating just how easy it is to overlook small issues that should ring alarm bells, which end up building into relationship-ending problems.

I would definitely recommend this, a good beach read but with a bit more heart and depth than you might expect, and with a good overall message.

This outrageously fun premise deals with the see me/see everything mentality of our media crazed world and the your happily ever after only comes with marriage/kids 'school of thought', something that has been drilled into our brains since childhood.

Even though the reality game is certainly sexist (there are moments that I wanted to shout at the book), what is admirable is the message of womanpower, that shines through the contestants and the way they deal with this crazy, often humiliating situation.

This delightful narrative is bursting with humor, uplifting in showing us the beauty of loving yourself, and despite the hard truths the protagonist is faced with, full of contagious optimism. The contestants are instantly likeable and so relatable. They are all so different, and there are views you might not agree with, but they all show the need to be accepted for who they are.

A feel-good hilarious book, with lessons in life and the power of being yourself, that have nothing to do with people's opinions and everything to do with taking care of you.

Amy Wright is in a relationship with Jamie and has been for two years. She thinks she should be wanting marriage and children, and believes Jamie is taking her on holiday to propose.

But, this could not be further from the truth. Instead she is blindfolded and taken to a secret location. Which turns out to be the set of a new reality show - The Shelf. Bewildered and confused she is called to the Chat Room where a live feed of Jamie is played in - he dumps her on live TV.

She is then told by the producers that her and the other contestants will compete in a series of challenges to see who emerges as the winner - the one who proves they're marriage material. Amy is unimpressed, but with a million pound prize for the winner, and with nothing left to return to on the outside world, she decides to stay.

The other women are hilarious, supportive, kind and generous, and it is these fabulous women as well as the therapy sessions Amy attends that teach her what she needed to learn all along. That she is happier being single than staying with a man like Jamie who only made her miserable, and only ever thought about himself.

I was so engaged with all the female characters, and the writing was brilliant. I was shouting at Amy to realise what a complete douchebag Jamie is. I loved the female solidarity, and the complexity of each woman as we are shown more of their back stories.

Absolutely giving this book five stars, love love loved it!!!!!

I found this an interesting concept for a book and enjoyed the story. A new TV show was promoted and it was like a cross between Big Brother and Love Island! Amy finds herself on the show and begins a journey of self discovery to regain her self confidence and follow her dream.
The characters were engaging and believable and the story kept you interested. Some of the chapters were a bit predictable but it was an easy read with humorous moments.

Absolutely loved this feminist, fun, romp of a book. Such a brilliant concept and so well executed - Amy thinks her boyfriend is going to propose but instead he dumps her on telly and she winds up on a game show (like big brother) for women to learn how to be a perfect girlfriend. Except it doesn't quite work out like that.

Couldn't put this book down and would definitely read another by this author.

Amy thinks that her boyfriend Jamie is about to propose to her but instead finds herself in Big Brother style reality show The Shelf. It's a place where men abandon their girlfriends as a way to break up with them and they compete live on air to prove who is deemed 'The Keeper'. This was a pretty light and quick read and a really interesting unusual concept. It's not quite laugh-out-loud hilarious but it is fun and would make for a very pleasant holiday read!

If you are looking for a hilarious and fun read this is for you. It was so different to what I've read before & I loved the concept of the book with the nod to how reality TV has such a huge part in society. A great read from a brilliant writer

This book is funny, heartwarming and uplifting. At the beginning I wasn’t sure which way it was going to go but I am beyond pleased with where it went, especially the ending. The language, dialogue and narration style were all perfect.

A wonderful journey, in which I felt connected to all the characters.

I was dubious as to whether I would like this book or not but glad I stuck with it as it turned out to be a great read. It was a relatable book for today’s society and about having to fit into social norms etc. The writing style was interesting and once I got used to it was an enjoyable read. Definitely worth a read but stick with it!

I really wasn’t sure about this book to begin with as it isn’t like my usual type I’d read but I really wanted to see what happened! I’m glad I did as I enjoyed it in the end.

The Shelf has a really interesting concept, picking up on current popular culture trends around dating reality television, feminism, and influencer culture. As someone who enjoys some reality television, I didn’t hesitate to request this when it came up - it sounded like it would be right up my street. And it should have been. Unfortunately, the execution fell a bit flat. The book lacks depth. There is not enough time to really care for the characters, and they are all one dimensional - both inside and outside of the house. The author’s viewpoints and attempts to set out a message were also far too obvious. I felt like I was being doused in didactic messaging about feminism and the dangers of bad relationships and influencer culture. It could have been much more subtle but still had the same impact. I made myself finish the book because I hoped the challenges or messages would be more insightful as the book progressed, but it stayed at a surface level throughout. Disappointing for me personally, but I think it could be a good book for someone else (particularly BIG fans of Love Island) so have rated accordingly.

Amy thinks her boyfriend Jamie is going to pop the question on a secret holiday he has planned. Instead he dumps her live on a new reality TV show called The Shelf.

She is placed in a house (think Big Brother) along with 5 other women, Jackie, Gemma, Hattie, Lauren and Flick where they have to do tasks and get lessons on how to be “a keeper” with the winner taking away the million pound prize.

All the characters were a mix of different ages and backgrounds and all relatable. It’s a funny feminist read about friendship and self development with a really good ending!

Thank you to Netgalley and the publishers for the ARC

Very modern storyline based on a big brother reality show concept. I liked Amy, clearly she’s destined for a great relationship yet it seems so familiar what many people put up with in a relationship. Whilst it was fun the tone shows the reader growth of character.

Easy reading, light hearted female holiday book.,

** Thanks to Bonnier Books UK and Netgalley for my advanced copy in exchange for this review.
The Shelf is a brand new reality tv show - think big brother meets love island - where newly dumped singletons compete to be “the keeper”, a sexist notion of being the perfect girlfriend / wife material. Oh and mostly against their well as their partners signed them up for the show and then leave them dumped, single and “on the shelf”.A series of challenges, like the infamous love island baby one, are meant to demonstrate their compatibility for the winning title by showing their strengths in areas like motherhood and grooming.

The main character Amy escapes a two year relationship with Jamie; who made condescending comments about her abilities, appearance and their relationship as a whole. We see Amy go on a journey of discovery as she recognises that very relationship with Jamie was not a healthy one, and she rebuilds the parts of herself throughout the course of the book.

I loved the different women the show highlighted and how the social media element of being judged and gleaned was used to show them not fitting to the chauvinist viewpoint of becoming a “keeper”. Even the character of Flick who wanted to be a stay at home wife and mother and was the stereotype for the “housewife” winner, undergoes tremendous growth in order to appreciate herself more and put herself first.

I love that this book didn’t glamorise a stereotype and didn’t end with a “boy meets girl happy ending” like in most chick-lit and romance fiction. However I did find the ending predictable and a lot of the challenges being like love island felt a little unoriginal and distracted from the self love arc.

In one instance, Amy says “One of the biggest lessons I’ve learnt from the women around me is that listening to your gut is more important than obsessing over the size of it”. It really highlights a feminist aspect of the novel whereby a woman doesn’t have to bend to the expectations of someone else and can instead succeed and grow under her own terms rather than being oppressed by societal pressures. Whilst this may be initially be a story about love and failed relationships, at its core it’s a story of self love and a journey of discovery.

Really enjoyed this book and couldn't put it down!! So true to life in a fun and different format, also displaying the solidarity of the sisterhood 🥰