⭐ A totally refreshing, thought-provoking twist on a rom-com. What if being in a couple was seen as weird & undesirable by society?
⭐ It is funny & full of wit. The banter between the characters and Millie's inner thoughts won't fail to make you grin & have a good giggle.
⭐ The characters are fabulous. Millie is relatable from page one and I loved watching her character's growth throughout the novel. Ben is soooooooo swoon-worthy you, smart, charming. funny & gorgeous - what's not to love? & the rest of the gang are well developed.
⭐ So brilliantly written and engaging it is a hard one to put down.
☆ I felt the last few chapters were a bit rushed

⭐⭐⭐⭐

Disclaimer: A huge thanks to Zaffre Books & NetGalley for sending me this title for an honest & unbiased review. All opinions are my own.

Enjoyed it in one day! Very very easy read, London based which I love and
so interesting. This is a light romance w a tiny bit of dystopia (my two fave genres 😌). In a world where people in relationships are considered to be weird or selfish or unhinged or not confident enough to be alone 👀 because it's societally normal to be single. I'm already recommending it to my friends.

I really enjoyed this novel by Holly Acton which gripped me with its premise and didn't disappoint.
Ms Acton shines a light on the attitudes of our society by creating a world in which coupledom is the pitiable state to live in. A drugs company has also just released a pill to allow people to remove all capacity for falling in love but our heroine Millie has to decide how far she will go to eliminate her feelings for Ben, the rather lovely new recruit at her company. I won't spoil the plot any further but it is exciting.
It really is a book that makes you think about our own attitudes, it's quirky and I enjoyed the ethical discussions it explores. At times there were some sections that were slightly slower and I somehow didn't feel it quite lived up to her first novel which is why I'm giving it 4 stars but it's still a really enjoyable read.

I really enjoyed this! It’s such a clever and eye-opening look at the ridiculous ways people, women especially, are vilified for being single and pursuing their career, and the ways singledom is looked down on and punished in every basic act of society.

Brilliant!

Thanks to NetGalley and Bonnier Books for the ARC of this book.


‘The Shelf’ by Helly Acton was probably the best book I read last year, so I was really excited to read a new book by this author. She writes romantic fiction but tries to put an original spin on her stories so they are not as formulaic as usual for books in this genre. I didn’t think ‘The Couple’ quite reached the standards of ‘The Shelf’, but it is a sweet story and a fun read.

‘The Couple’ is set in a world where being single is the most socially acceptable state. The government supports people who are single, they get additional benefits and people who prefer to be in a couple are frowned upon or considered strange. Millie works for Slide, a Tinder/Uber style company, which enables people to meet sexual partners for one night stands. Slide is planning to market a drug which would prevent people from being able to fall in love. Millie has to work with a new colleague, Ben, on the marketing campaign and she is instantly drawn to him.

I liked the love story between Millie and Ben. Ben is an adorable, sweet, non-threatening love interest. I found the world-building a bit clunky. A world where people never want to couple up for longer than one night is so impractical (what about having children, humans’ main biological imperative?) that the idea never fully works. It is interesting to consider whether people would be better off single or in a couple, but the stigmatisation of coupledom didn’t ring true for me.

This book didn’t feel quite as fresh or unpredictable as ‘The Shelf’, but it’s still a good read within the romantic fiction genre. if you haven’t read Helly Acton before, definitely start with ‘The Shelf’ and, if you enjoy her voice, it’s worth giving this book a go.

The most striking part of this novel, for me, is the turning on its head of some of the attitudes which we find in society today. Millie is living in a society which only values the single life. Coupledom is discouraged at all levels and regarded as bad for society, the family, the economy. It is a rather clever way to flag up the damage which dictatorial social attitudes can cause to individual freedom and happiness.
Millie leads a very controlled life with a tight social circle. Ben has a different approach to life and a completely different background. There is a lot of humour to be found in their interactions and you really buy into their connection. There is a touch of dystopia about the world they inhabit but their story is full of everyday details and warm moments.
In short: Can romance flourish in a brave new world?
Thanks to the publisher for a copy of the book

I have lots of positive and happy single friends, so I was really interested to see what Helly Acton would make of a world where being single is the norm, and being in a couple (straight or not) is weird and makes people suspicious. She has given us an interesting and different read, which is amusing and thought provoking.
A rom-com with a difference. The characters are well written and I cared about the outcome. Others have described it as gentle and warm, and I concur.
Thank you to the author, her publishers and #NetGalley for the opportunity to read and review this lovely book.

This novel wasn’t at all what I expected, it was much better. In The Couple, the author depicts a cynic world where being single is conventional and ordinary, where couples are not well-welcomed nor accepted, where love is rejected and leads only to heartache and unhappiness.

The protagonist of the story is Millie. She doesn’t believe in love and being in a relationship. All her life is based on a strict schedule that she follows diligently, and she has one goal: to become chief creative officer of the company she works for, Slide.

Ben is Millie’s opposite. He is impulsive, he is the “King of Chaos”, he is also funny, sweet, and Millie can’t stay away from him, especially when they start to work together to promote a pill that prevents from falling in love and that erases heartbreak.

The Couple is such a fun read! Ben and Millie’s chemistry, the witty and flirty dialogues, the stories of love and friendship, and the likable and relatable characters kept me completely engrossed in The Couple. I enjoyed Ben and Millie’s relationship, their easy friendship that developed in something more, the amusing text messages they exchanged, their banter, and their differences made for an entertaining and addictive read.

The Couple is a superb rom-com with dystopian elements that exceeded my expectations and that I keep thinking about it. I enjoyed the author’s writing style and I look forward to reading more of her novels.

I loved the concept of this book. It turns the status quo completely on its head and in this world, being single is regarded as the sane, healthy choice whereas being in a couple is seen as strange and something to be ashamed of.

Millie works at Slide, an app for no-strings hook-ups. She is ambitious but risk aversive and terrified of change. Her goal is to become chief creative officer but she is up against fellow Slider, Sasha. The decision will be made following a new campaign. To promote a new product. Oxytoxin. A pill that will mend broken hearts, or even prevent people ever falling in love. The only fly in the ointment is new employee Ben. Partnered with Millie, they have an instant connection. She feels flustered around him and is happy in his presence. But Ben is a free spirit and contrary to most, he believes in love and wants to be part of a couple. As they spend more time together, their growing feelings cannot be ignored. But Millie does not want to fall in love. She cares what other people think. She doesn't want to deviate from her life plan.

Ben becomes increasingly repulsed by Slide's campaign, and ultimately quits. Declaring his love for Millie, she is faced with a choice. Carry on being cynical and live a safe, predictable life. Or take a leap of faith and give her and Ben a chance.

Witty, interesting and original, The Couple is a brilliant read that raises some interesting questions.

Is there anything worse, as the only single person in a sea of couples, than feeling as though you’re being pitied? Or when all the smug pairs start making “helpful” suggestions as to how you might go about “fixing” your obviously empty and meaningless life?! 🙄😡

In her new novel, The Couple, Helly Acton turns societal norms on their heads, in the most brilliant way! What if being in a romantic relationship was actually largely seen as undesirable? And being in a couple, something you’re expected to be embarrassed or ashamed of? Perhaps scientists have even come up with a pill you can take, to cure you of romantic love for good.

Millie is completely happy with her single life. She has it all: the career, the social life, the (slightly grumpy) cat. She’s in line for a big promotion, if only she can come up with a fabulous campaign to launch Oxytoxin, a pill that prevents people from falling in love. The only problem is that she has been teamed up with Ben, the new guy, and she feels an instant connection. She tries to shake off her growing feelings towards him. After all, her mother, her friends, and even her alter ego, sensible Millie, wouldn’t approve. Needless to say, a battle between her head and her heart ensues… but which one will win..?

It took me 50 pages or so to fully wrap my head around and embrace the attitude switch, but once I was in I was ALL IN. If you’ve read Helly Acton’s debut novel, The Shelf, you’ll know that she has this incredible knack for writing the most amazingly, vivid, diverse and likeable cast of characters, and she’s smashed it again here in The Couple. I kind of fancied Ben, totally admired Millie, fell in love with her “sister” June, and I was fully invested in all their escapades.

It is a smart, warm and funny book, which is equally really thought-provoking in terms of the commentary on society’s views on being single. I think it would make an excellent book club choice, because there’s just so much to think about and discuss. Suspend disbelief a little bit, grab a cuppa and dive in – you won’t regret it!

With thanks to Zaffre for gifting me a digital copy to review.

This book spoke to me on many levels as although I’m happy on my own with no intention of ever changing that I still love the idea of romance and happy ever after (just not for me). So to me the prospect of a book where being single is normal and coupledom is seen as peculiar was something I was on board for.

I may have nearly twenty years on Millie but I’m happily single and also have a feline flat mate, although mine isn’t an angry little bastard like hers. She is a great protagonist and I warmed to her straight away even though she’s my complete opposite and is a balled up mess of anxiety. Talking of complete opposites and I can’t help but smile as I think of Ben aka Mr Walking Chaos. This clumsy, no filter Welshman is her new work colleague at Slide, the fastest growing no strings sex app and they are about to launch a pill to stop you falling in love.

He is utter perfection in a romantic lead (quick give me a pill). He’s smart, funny and completely and utterly hopeless in a wonderfully charming way and I adored him. The chemistry between them was instant and it put a big fat smile on my face every time they interacted.

I take my hat off to the author, well I would if I wore one. She’s created a highly original concept by turning a stereotypical romance idea completely topsy turvy and after reading her introduction I knew this was the book for me.

Helly Acton has a real affinity with her characters that has come from her own experience and it shows. Filled with humour and wonderful friendships this is a book for all those that know it’s better to be single than settle and for all the smuggies too.

I read this authors debut book, The Shelf, last summer and really enjoyed it so when the chance to read her latest novel came around I jumped at the chance. I love how easy this authors work is to read even though it is always packing some big punches.

I really enjoyed how the author flipped the norm and really exposed how much is put on marriage in our culture, things I didn't even really think about like the tax benefits to being married or even just in a couple is something that I have always just taken as a given but really why are people being penalized for being single?

The chemistry between the two main characters felt real and I could feel the tension simmering between them. The concept of Oxytoxin pill was frightening and yet such a clever idea, I really hope it never gets invented 🤣

For me the ending felt at odds with the whole tone of the book although saying that I would have been disappointed if it didn't end that way so I think I must have been in a contrary mood!

This is definitely one your going to want to pick up this summer and I can't wait to see what this author brings us next.

The Couple is a totally different book to anything I have read recently, set against the backdrop of government encouraging people to stay single and offering financial benefits this story took me a while to get my head around.

Millie is a strong level headed lead female character in this story and she has set her success against the goals she set herself in childhood and is working hard to achieve them within the set timescales. She works for a company who are embracing that normal is people not in a couple and when she gets asked to work on a proposal for a drug to stop you falling in love she knows this is her chance to achieve her dream job. Working alongside Ben for the project Millie starts to question who should take be offered the drug and whether taking something so final is really the answer, especially when Ben believes in couples and true love.

A story that is focused on creating a totally different normal to what we are used too, I found once my brain had shifted gear and was starting to see relationships as being against the norm I really enjoyed this book. Ben was a whirlwind character, full of life and vibrance and the polar opposite to Millie which created a wonderful contrast and many amusing moments as you read.

A concept that I had never even considered before that being in a couple isn’t normal, this book made me think both whilst reading it and drew my attention to think about it inbetween times as well. Thought provoking and mind blowing whilst trying to train your brain to think differently. A really enjoyable read, that is a bit like marmite and I love marmite!!

The Couple is a very unusual, unique and alternative take on the romantic love story. We are always used to everything geared up for boy meets girl, or girl meets girl or whichever takes your fancy. And those people embark on a journey of love. Basically two singletons looking for love.

Well Helly Acton has turned that notion on its head. In this storyline the mere thought of being in a couple is frowned upon. So much so that a company has invented a pill to stop you falling in love.

Now there were times during the story that I just couldn't get my head round the whole idea. It's meant to be like a parallel universe where instead of singletons getting bad press it's the couples who get it. But I may be blinkered in life and don't necessarily see that being single is a bad thing. I'm in a happy relationship and I've been happily single. And I've never felt left out or negative in either situation. But that little confusion aside I did actually like the concept. Acton's little twists on life were great. For example instead of Valentine's Day in The Couple they celebrated Bridget's Day. What a genius idea and one I could actually see working in real life.

The main characters in The Couple are Millie and Ben. Chalk and cheese, opposite personalities but the chemistry between them was fantastic. It's obviously because Ben is Welsh. You got to love a Welsh person right? 😊 (Guess where I'm from?)

The Couple is a quirky take on the romantic storyline. But it still has all the wonderful elements that is needed to bring it all together.

This wasn’t a book I’d heard of before, but the premise intrigued me. Even so, I was on and off as to whether I actually wanted to read it after all. That being said, I’d made a commitment, and I needed to give the book a chance.

And I did enjoy it!

I wasn’t sure what to expect. I felt like it was chick-lit with speculative fiction vibes. And I feel like that probably is the best way to describe it.

Millie works at Slide, a hook-up app in a world where being a couple is seen as weird and being single is encouraged. When a new position opens up, Millie needs to find a way to promote a new pill. One that will stop people from falling in love. A new guy at work makes her wonder if she should take the pill; or whether she would be missing out.

The prospect of how society is so different is what really pulls this book together. From the slight changes in song titles – Love Me Like I Do anyone? – to changes within taxes and just the fact the f word is replaced with slide. It’s all these little things, and it makes the world feel totally different to our own. Whilst still remaining the same.

I will say that some of the changes made me wonder. I’m single and have been for a long time. But I don’t have people acting like it’s gross that I’m alone, and my life isn’t that much harder. Some of the issues couples were having felt more like issues that queer people have in our world. So it was interesting to see them in a different light. And it did make them seem all the more ridiculous than they already are. But it was definitely a hmm moment. That being said, queerness seems to be perfectly okay in this world. Many of the women were looking at and sleeping with other women. I didn’t see any men talking this way or any talk of other genders, which would have been nice. But it was refreshing to see the queerness just be there.

Millie was a good protagonist for the book. I won’t lie I probably wouldn’t have been fond of her in a lot of other books. As she very much doesn’t like change. I couldn’t help but wonder if maybe she has OCD or something similar. But she worked for this one. You could see how hard she wanted things to stay the same whilst she was also discovering more about herself and the world. You got a deep dive into the couple’s issues through her as she worked on a campaign for this pill. And that really helped build the readers understanding of the world.

There obviously was romance, and it was pretty cute. Ben is a chaotic mess, and he likes it that way. From his talk of travel to his hangman puzzles and clown costume – no, I’m not going into detail about that as spoilers – I absolutely loved him. He’s a guy that I could very easily fall for. And I liked seeing him helping Millie open up.

Friendships were just as important. And though some of Millie’s seemed questionable to start with, by the end, you could see that they really were all there for each other. Differences between wanting to be single or in a couple aside. These women all love each other and want happiness for each other. There was a real focus on friendship in this book, and I thoroughly enjoyed that.

I really wasn’t sure what I’d think about this book, but I enjoyed it. If you’re on the fence at all, I highly suggest picking it up anyway and giving it a go. You won’t regret it.

This was a great read. Imagine our world where the ‘norm’ is to be single. Being in ‘a couple’ is frowned upon and couples pay higher taxes and rent.

Our main character, Millie, works on an app called ‘Slide’ where people connect for no strings sex and then rate each other. Millie likes routine, has a life plan and while she doesn’t ‘Slide’ often, she doesn’t want to be in a couple.

Ben, a clumsy, adventurous, fly by the seat of his pants kinda guy, starts working in Millie’s department and they team up to work on the advertising for the company’s new project... Oxytocin. An antidote to love! Take 2 pills and never fall in love again, or no longer have feelings for that person who broke your heart!

It was a great premise. A little predictable but a fast, fun, enjoyable read.

I received an advance copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. These opinions are my own.

The Couple is a great twist on a regular romance. Society today tells us that to be happy and successful we all need to be in relationships. This book turns that on its head. The single life is the way to live and people who coupled up are seen as outsiders. They always need to justify why they are in a couple and even get punished by higher taxes.

29 year old Millie works at Slide, the world's fastest-growing strings-free sex app. She and her group of single friends enjoy their life. Millie has a type-A personality and has had a plan for her life since she was 16. It is all very career focused and she lives for itineraries and routine. Being in a relationship would completely ruin that. She believes that you don't need a relationship to be happy and you shouldn't rely on someone else to bring you happiness.

Ben comes to work for Slide after relocating to London from the Cardiff branch. He and Millie click instantly. A new pill is developed, Oxytoxin, which is an antidote to love. Millie and Ben are paired together to come up with a creative way to brand it.

This is a very interesting read and not like anything I've read before. Not only does it explore love and relationships, but it was interesting to hear about Millie's work life and how she deals with setbacks. I loved her character development. Ben helps Millie see that work doesn't have to be her entire life.

I absolutely loved how any songs mentioned were reversed to be aimed towards self love like 'Love Me Like I Do' and 'Nothing Compares 2 Me'. It is very clever!

This is the first book I have read by Helly Acton, although I do have a copy of her novel The Shelf. I will definitely be reading it soon as I loved The Couple so much!

Imagine a world where being single was the norm and those in relationships were viewed as not only unusual, but less-than. Or a world where there’s a drug designed to prevent you falling in love. That is the world of The Couple, the delightful new book by Helly Acton. This book was a joy to read from beginning to end. A glorious mix of humorous, warm and compelling writing, the author also examines and challenges our perceptions of society, life and love.

I adored Millie and Ben. Millie is a Type-A personality, a demure perfectionist with a love of schedules, order and control. She knows what she wants to achieve and won’t let anything get in her way. Yet there is also a vulnerability to her in her eagerness to please, concern about what others think and the panic attacks she suffers from. And then there’s Ben. Ben is ebullient, spontaneous, chaotic, adventurous and doesn’t care what others think. But he is also funny, kind, thoughtful and charming. I could see why Millie fell for him. The author expertly conveys Millie’s torment over her feelings for Ben and how the idea of even a crush, let alone being in love or having a relationship filled her with dread and a sense that there was something wrong with her. Their chemistry leapt from the pages and while it might seem cheesy and predictable, I found it well written, hopeful and authentic. It was impossible not to root for them and hope they would have the happy ending they deserve.

At the beginning of the book the author explains that she wanted to write a book for the happy single people who are tired of being made to feel ‘less than’ because they’re not in a relationship. There is a lot of societal pressure to be part of a couple, meaning some settle for unhappy, bad or toxic relationships just to be part of one. It was fascinating to see how the world could look if the roles were reversed. I enjoyed the discussions between those on different sides of the debate and thought that the addition of a new drug that is the antidote for love was a brilliant and thought-provoking concept. For all the heartache and struggles that love can sometimes bring, do we really want to live in a world without romantic love?

All the stars for this funny, entertaining and uplifting book that gave me all the feels. A refreshing twist on the usual love story, I devoured it quickly. Perfect to lose yourself in, I highly recommend you read this book.

A short while ago I listened to Helly Acton’s previous book; The Shelf on audiobook thanks to Netgalley and I enjoyed it. Although I did say in hindsight I’d have probably enjoyed it even more if I actually read it. (I get too easily distracted when listening 🙈)

Because I had enjoyed it I jumped at the chance of joining the blog tour for her new book - getting a digital copy to actually read this time!

I have to say I’m absolutely gutted I’ve finished it! I absolutely loved this book and spent the whole time with a smile on my face, I just loved Millie and Ben and the dynamic that happened between them.

This book has a really nice and different approach, it’s all based on the notion that being on a couple is weird, risky, and just not the norm. Instead single people get tax breaks, have cheaper hotel bills and apparently live longer and happier. I wasn’t sure how I felt about this at first, personally, whether you’re single or in a relationship doesn’t have make any difference to how I feel about a person. And I can see both sides of the argument but ultimately, different things make people happy and ultimately - you do you and make yourself happy, whatever that entails!

Straying away from the serious side of this though, the book was such a happy book most of the time and I flew through it, just didn’t want to put it down. So much so that I think I may take my own little ‘Ken’ to the office on Tuesday - what do you think?!

A really unique and interesting idea for a story, where in a slightly alternative reality to ours being single is the norm and relationships are looked down on. As someone who has chosen to be single, the clever way that Acton flipped the roles around really resonated with me and I highly appreciated her challenging the norms and prejudices of our relationship culture.

The pairing of Millie and Ben were adorable together, with some really witty banter keeping the feel of the story light while discussing some deeper issues.

I did find the story dragged a bit towards the end, with the same points being repeated but overall really interesting and enjoyable read.