Having watched quite a bit of reality TV I was interested to see how it would work in book form and I can honestly say that I loved it. It was a really fun read and there were some great characters. I would definitely recommend. Looking forward to reading more from this author. Thanks to the publisher and Netgalley for giving me the opportunity to read and review this book.

This made me laugh out loud, yet was also very moving. Great subject for a reality show. The characters had depth and surprised me on occasions. If you're lucky enough to be going on holiday, would make a fab holiday read.

I seem to have a habit for picking up light-hearted women’s fiction recently and it really is proving to be the perfect antidote to the state of the world. The Shelf is a fierce, funny, feminist debut novel that you need in your life.

32-year-old Amy feels like she’s falling behind in life but she’s pretty sure her boyfriend of two years, Jamie is about to pop the question on a luxury holiday. So imagine her surprise when she finds herself on brand new, reality TV show for single women, The Shelf. Over the next month, she and five other women must complete tasks to ‘improve themselves’ and be crowned The Keeper. Will Amy’s time on the show show her that there are worse things in life than being single?

There are signs from the very start that Amy isn’t truly happy in her relationship with Jamie and that she is perhaps playing a part that she feels she should be playing. Although my heart broke for her, a little bit of me was quite pleased that Amy was getting the opportunity to explore her options outside of life with Jamie. The book deals with society’s expectations for women’s lives and how these limited expectations are ingrained in the minds of heterosexual women. It’s not a new observation by any means, but the way it’s tackled in The Shelf is very original and relatable.

The Shelf itself is an incredibly sexist, patronising and exploitative concept but the women at its heart take it upon themselves to turn the darkness of the show on its head. By the end of the book, Amy has had deep conversations with all of her fellow contestants and we really get to know and love each of them. All of their stories ring true and these women came alive before my eyes. If you’re a single woman over 30, you will find yourself in one of these characters.

Amy represents many millennial women who are lucky enough to have a range of life choices. There is definitely such a thing as too much choice and it can leave some people paralysed as to where their life should go. It also represents the pressures that women feel to have it all -a career, a family and a fulfilling personal life or to simply be happy with their lot. The fact that women who do manage to balance all of these things are celebrated or seen as aspirational means that those who are struggling to achieve everything (which is most of us) feel like failures. 

Amy’s internal monologue is so similar to my own and therefore it must also resonate with many other women. Her strength gradually develops throughout the novel and it’s so heartwarming to watch. We all need to pay closer attention to our inner voices because they speak the truth much more often than we’d perhaps like to admit. Only we know what will truly make us happy so we must put more trust in ourselves.

The Shelf is a refreshing celebration of female friendship and self-love that brutally takes down our obsession with romantic relationships and settling for less than we deserve. The ending made me smile so much and filled me with a wonderful sense of calm. Helly Acton is a very exciting new voice in the genre that speaks directly to a whole generation of women.

If there is a book that should end up being turned into a movie then this book should be. We’ve all watched some form of reality TV shows like Big Brother. You may or may not like them, but I think this book beats them hands down! I found this book to be so funny with a few cringe worthy moments. I just couldn’t put it down. As I couldn’t wait to see what tasks the girls would be put through next and how they’d all reacted to each task, the first task they were given had some very funny parts to it. I ended up reading late into the night and gave myself a fright when I dropped my kindle on myself as I’d fallen asleep.

How would you feel if your boyfriend dumped you on National TV? Especially when you though you were going on holiday together, hoping this would be when he would pop the question. Well Amy Wright found out exactly what it was like to be dumped on National TV on a new reality TV show called “The Shelf”. Where six women would compete to be crowned “The Keeper”. Amy was the first contestant on this new reality show. Then five other women who were also dumped joined her, and they are:

- Amy Wright, Age: 32, Profession: Copywriter, Status: Long term relationship, Description: Desperate
- Jackie Adu, Age: 38, Profession: Solicitor, Status: Married, no kids, Description: Selfish
- Gemma Burns, Age: 30, Profession: Personal Trainer, Status: Long term relationship, Description: Distant
- Kathy Hegarty, Age: 52, Profession: None, Status: Married, two adult kids, Description: Bitter
- Hattie Jackson, Age: 33, Profession: Chef, Status: Long term relationship, Description: Boring
- Lauren Hawk, Age: 36, Profession: DJ, Status: Short term relationship, Description: Easy

Each week the contestants have task to complete along with mandatory therapy sessions that are also shown on the show. Depending how they do and along with the publics votes someone will be voted off each week. Also letting the girls know how popular or how well they are doing there is a leader board, along with a live media stream of the publics unfiltered tweets for them all to see.

A week in the show throws them all a curveball by bringing in another contestant, except this contestant isn’t like the rest of the girls. Felicity Brimble, Flick for short. She is still in a relationship, she hasn’t been dumped. She actually applied to be on the show herself as she wants to see if she can improve herself even though she’s already like a perfect 1950’s house wife. How will they all get on with the new arrival, will it be handbags at dawn?

I can’t tell you anymore about the story line as I really don’t want to spoil this book, as it’s so funny. If you like reality TV shows like Big Brother then you must read this book!

Absolute perfection....I could not put it down and definitely did not want to be disturbed, I read it in one go and then wished that I had practiced a bit of delayed gratification. This is funny and  feminist, there are a lot of us funny feminists but not that many books....for the sake of the next generation of women we need more and more in this sub genre of chick lit.  Thank you for the ARC  in exchange for an honest review.

I'm not a fan of reality TV, but for some reason the blurb for this book appealed to me so I gave it a go. Great choice, it turns out. Its was a welcome breath of fresh air after reading too much US romance. Amy and the whole cast of characters were brilliant and realistic, and the setting gave a wonderful opportunity to bring together characters that wouldn't normally exist in the same story. 

Somehow The Shelf manages to be intelligent, thought-provoking and extremely entertaining. It brings up self-image, feminism, social media and a lot of other contemporary subjects, but while it makes you think, it also makes you laugh. Really looking forward to reading more from this talented author.

Life is ticking by for 30 year old Amy. All her friends are sorted with spouses and children. When Jamie her less than perfect other half plans a surprise holiday Amy thinks her time has come. Little does she know that he has a horrible break up planned. Amy ends up on a reality show with 5 other women in the same situation. Although heartbroken could this be a blessing in disguise. Is this the new beginning she wants and deserves?

Thank you to NetGalley, Zaffre and Helly Acton for a copy of 'The Shelf' in exchange for my opinion. When I saw the endorsement from Marian Keyes (only the goddess of women's fiction!) "utter perfection" I knew this was a book I'd have to read. The book is based on the concept of reality TV and how it, particularly Big Brother in its early days, completely consumes the viewers. The Shelf is a new programme: six women enter "the house", cruelly dumped on live TV by their boyfriends, complete a series of tasks and for the finale, one is crowned 'The Keeper'. This contestant is the one who has learned the most, developed strategies to help her overcome the problem and character deficits leading to why her boyfriend has exposed her in such a public way. Obviously Acton writes with humour and sarcasm as it is obviously clear that it's not the females who have the flaw: it is their narcissistic and arrogant partners who need to assess their true nature. Our main character, Amy, is likeable but naive. Her boyfriend Jamie is her polar opposite and he is thoroughly unlikeable. Even his nickname for Amy makes me annoyed but this is very much the point. When women are so desperate for love, they will endure all of those foibles which at first might seem endearing but in the case of Jamie, they are manipulative and degrading. 

I enjoyed getting to know the other contestants from Flick, the former doctor who has morphed into a wannabe Stepford wife; Gemma, desperate for Instagram likes et al. Their back stories proved entertaining and seeing them interact with Amy, when they might not have done so outside of the programme, shows that unlikely friendships can spring from being thrown together; in this case on national TV where every move is monitored. 

I will be keen to read other books by Helly Acton - her writing is light but still has those serious topics of gas-lighting, shame, emotional abuse, humiliation and finally of female empowerment.

Wow! I absolutely loved this book and didn’t want it to end!!! 

Amy has been with her boyfriend, Jamie, for 18 months and he is taking her on a surprise holiday. She is super excited as she thinks this is it, he is going to propose and she can join her smug friends. 

However, her hopes and dreams are cruelly smashed when she finds herself dumped on TV as part of a new reality TV show ‘The Shelf’. Along with 6 other freshly dumped women, Amy embarks on a series of challenges and therapy sessions designed to make her into a better version of herself and any future boyfriend. And all the while cameras are watching their every move. 

Highly recommended. Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for an advanced read copy of this book in exchange for an honest and unbiased review.

I enjoyed this book. I love reality shows so it was really interesting to see it translated into a novel. I loved the different characters as well- especially Amy and Jackie. I also enjoyed the different themes this book addressed.
I struggled with the constant belittling of women and how degrading the show seemed though. I really doubt the show would actually get made so it was annoying to see the traditional values exaggerated in the book.
Overall it was a fun read.

The Shelf is one of those novels that you know you're going to love as soon as you pick it up. In a world where a lot of Chick Lit is more or less the same (and that is not a criticism, but it does mean I'm struggling to read a Chick Lit novel without rolling my eyes because it's all very same-y) and The Shelf has been promoted so, so well that it's been on my radar for months. A lot of authors are launched - and lauded - as the next big thing! As a brand new, fresh take on the genre! And they're not. Or they're re-doing something someone else already did. But The Shelf? The Shelf IS one of those novels.

I have said for years - YEARS - that I would absolutely adore a novel set around Big Brother. At its prime, it was a fabulous TV show, until it became about the fame rather than the fun, and why a rom-com author hasn't taken advantage of that is genuinely mind-blowing. So thank you, Helly Acton. Thank you for finally answering my prayers. And for crossing it with Love Island (AGAIN, why has no one done this?!?!). This made my reality TV heart happy. It could have just been a straight-forward Big Brother rip-off and I would have been happy, but it wasn't! It was about 6 women who all get dumped by their ex (the day they go into the house!) and have to compete to be "the keeper". Now, before anyone shouts and screams about women being keepers to men, despite what you might think, that isn't what the novel is about AT ALL and I loved how Helly turned it around.

The characters in this novel were divine. Amy, Jackie, Gemma, Lauren, Hattie, Kathy and Flick (yes, 7 - like Big Brother, there are surprises in The Shelf). I loved how they banded together and decided to turn the whole concept of the show around. Like the premise is very eek-worthy, because men am I right? But it's also genuinely amazing. I would have loved to have done that after I'd gotten dumped. 4 weeks to have a nice bitch-fest about my dickhead ex? YES PLEASE. The chance to win £1 million? And leave with AT LEAST £10,000? Pft. Where do I sign?! Why is this not a real show? 

This was a genuinely fun read. It went to unexpected places and I liked that. The ending was incredible. I was honestly cheering so, so hard. Like, "yes, girl! You go girl!" and honestly, this is one of the freshest, funniest, feminist novels I've ever read. There was a lack of queer representation, but that's another post for another day and is not a fault of Helly. I would LOVE to see the male version of this, too. Jamie was a dick, but he did have a good idea for a male version. If only because I know they'd all lose their shit and be super competitive and it would just be hilarious/tragic. I also object, very loudly, to Lauren saying "fookin'". As a fellow Geordie, we say fucking like everybody else. We are from Newcastle, not Scotland. And it literally felt like nails on a chalk board every time Lauren said "fookin'". 

While I appreciated that this was primarily Amy's story, with the third-person narrative more or less focused on her, I was also fascinated by the other women. Jackie, particularly, but also Hettie, who seemed like such a sweetheart. I would have loved the novel to have been a little more all-encompassing because, apart from Flick (sorry, Flick), the novel could have focused on any of them and still been just as good. So I love that Helly Acton can write such strong supporting characters. I highly recommend The Shelf. I thoroughly enjoyed it and I am very, very excited to see what Helly does next.

This book was a joy to read and I couldn’t put it down. It was a cross between Love Island and Big Brother and I absolutely LOVED IT!!!! I loved every single one of the female characters but especially how they were all so different yet they formed such strong friendships with each other and had each other’s backs throughout a journey which should have seen them completely turn against each other. I loved the message behind it, about knowing your worth and to ignore the pressures society puts on us to live our life’s a certain way. My favourite line in the book was ‘For a guy to be with me, they have to be happy to fit into my life. I’m not selfish, I’m selfirst’!!!! 

Overall, it was a hilariously fantastic read and I cannot wait to see what else Helly has up her sleeve!! 

*Many thanks to NetGalley and Zaffre for the e-ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review*

The Shelf by Helly Acton is an ABSOLUTE JOY. I read it in just 2 sittings and, as an ultimately uplifting and easy read, I really enjoyed it!

It tells the story of Amy who is dumped onto a reality show by her vile boyfriend Jamie, ostensibly to promote his new business, but also to avoid actually having to have any conversations with her about their parting ways. The premise of The Shelf is that the 6 female participants are put through a variety of challenges and therapy sessions to ensure that, after the month is up, they have become (a man’s idea of) the perfect partner. Why would any sane person agree to that you may ask? Well, the winner takes away £1 million.

I love a reality show as much as the next person, but if the nauseatingly misogynistic one in This book was real, and turned up on my telly I’d have to use all my self-restraint not to throw something very heavy at the screen. The men made my blood boil BUT of course they’re meant to, as they highlight the complete and utter ludicrousness of the show’s concept and the idiots behind it. They serve to further highlight how wonderful each and every woman taking part actually is.

The female characters and friendships in this book are utterly fabulous. I loved all of the women who are vividly drawn, completely different and totally bonded by their shared experience. Some of their dialogue had me laughing out loud as they made dry and witty observations on their predicaments. But there were also moments that had me close to tears.

With an overall empowering message, I was so happy to hear that The Shelf has been optioned for TV – if done right, I can imagine it being a show I’ll be glued to! I also can’t wait to get hold of Helly Acton’s forthcoming book, The Couple, which sounds wonderful.

The Shelf is published by Zaffre and is available to buy now. With thanks for my gifted eARC in exchange for this honest review.

I almost didn't make it past the first chapter of this book, I was so annoyed by the characters!

But I'm glad I persevered. The book turned out to be a fun read even if it was slightly laborious at times with some of the characters being rather too stereotypical and the 'host' of the show being a complete eye roller.

I liked the overall message of the book, and the development of the main character Amy.  A nice easy read while I'm at home for isolation after travelling. 

**Thanks to netgalley and the publishers for an advance copy of this book in return for an honest review.

A very surprising book at the start I thought it was going to be a horror ! Lol
Great idea for a novel but I'm sorry but it was a bit lacking excitement.
Knew who was going to win!
Would of been better if she hadn't

Inspired by reality TV, The Shelf takes us into a show that none of the contestants signed up for. A cast of women at different stages in their relationships gives an insight into the pressures of modern life. My teenage daughter and I have both read this, and felt it had serious messages about identity and relationships wrapped in an easy fun read, that was hard to put down!  We would both recommend The Shelf as a read for women of all ages, and a particularly good book to share and discuss.

The Shelf started out quite awkward and cringy: a lot of fat-shaming, body image issues, a seriously unhealthy relationship being glossed over…. But then, as the women get to know each other, bond over the stupid and insane reaction the show is getting, and from the ridiculous behaviour of the host, the deeper and more complex issues are addressed. And very well, I might add!
From such a mix of women, we see a mix of attitudes; Jackie and Gemma are unabashedly themselves and labelled bitch because of it, Lauren doesn’t hide that she likes sex, Kathy is an older woman and heaven forbid we see one of those on TV! Hattie and Amy have various body and self-esteem issues, and Flick seems to set feminism back about sixty years with her desire to be a 1950’s housewife. But as we learn about them, as we hear about their backgrounds, about what they want and why they want it, the understanding comes that all of their versions of feminism and femininity are valid.

Hilarious and stupid tasks they are set, in order to prove themselves worthy of a man: taking care of a doll baby, planning a perfect garden party, and learning how to take care of your man’s needs. The whole thing made me equal parts growl with anger and giggle from the absurdity but it did make me think about double-standards, the pressures of living our lives online and the sheer performance of being “perfect for a man”, as if that’s the most important thing a woman can achieve.

I wasn’t sure I’d like it at the beginning; it was brash and weirdly terrifying in the way Acton held a magnifying glass to our society’s need to document our “picture perfect” lives online. But underneath all the gloss of Instagram and the dangers of reality television, it was about female friendship.

This was a great read.  Loved the storyline and character development.  A light hearted take on some serious issues women face in their day to day lives.  Highly recommended.

Awful premise for a reality show= amazing plot for a book. Amy is convinced her boyfriend of two tesrs is going to propose and she is eagerly anticipating this despite it being abundantly clear to the reader that he is an arse... Fortunately it is not too long before Amy sees this for herself. Fabulous characters from different walks of life and very real relationships.

All Amy’s friends are getting married and having children, and she feels like she’s being left behind. So when her boyfriend dumps her on national television and leaves her as contestant on new reality show, The Shelf, Amy thinks she’s hit rock-bottom. Along with five other women, Amy must compete in a series of humiliating tasks to be labelled “The Keeper”, and win one million pounds.

This book is the single most anger-inducing thing I’ve ever read. It calls itself “feminist” and “relatable”, but it is feminism in its most superficial form, and I barely related to the story or the characters at all.

Throughout the majority of the story, I couldn’t see the point the author was trying to make, which is why the feminism thread was quite difficult to see. Every male character was a TOTAL arse, who never learned anything from their behaviour, while all the female characters were so determined not to change anything about themselves that it wasn’t until right at the end that any growth could really be seen.

I nearly gave up on reading this after the first few chapters, because the actions of Amy’s boyfriend were so brutally terrible and the premise of the show seemed like it probably wouldn’t actually be legal, that I found it really unbelievable. I also really wasn’t getting on with the writing style. Having decided to stick it out, I did warm up to the style and the characters (the women, at least).

The Shelf‘s main saving grace is that it’s a quick read. It is part of that genre, often labelled “women’s fiction” that I’d like to rename “trash”. And I don’t mean that in an entirely negative way. Sometimes you can be really in the mood for some trash fiction, which it turns out I was and I ended up quite enjoying this book. I don’t think it’s worthy of anything above 2 stars, and I won’t be recommending it to anyone, but the fact remains that I did enjoy reading it.