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The Shelf

Author Helly Acton
Narrator Daisy Edgar-Jones
Publisher Bonnier Publishing Fiction
Run Time 8 hours and 18 minutes
Format x-book®
Genre Contemporary lifestyle fiction, Humorous fiction, Modern and contemporary fiction.

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What to expect

'One of those delicious books you just can't put down. Utter PERFECTION!' Marian Keyes

Selected for the Radio 2 summer book club.

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.

Narrated by Daisy Edgar-Jones (Normal People, Gentleman Jack, Cold Feet, War of the Worlds)

Ever feel like you're losing a race you never signed up for?

Everyone in Amy's life seems to be getting married, having children and settling down (or so Instagram tells her), and she feels like she's falling behind.

So, when her long-term boyfriend surprises her with a dream holiday, she thinks he's going to finally pop the Big Question. But the dream turns into a nightmare when, instead, she finds herself on the set of a Big Brother-style reality television show, The Shelf.

Along with five other women, Amy is brutally dumped live on TV and must compete in a series of humiliating and obnoxious tasks in the hope of being crowned 'The Keeper'.

While inside the house, will Amy learn that there are worse things than being 'left on the shelf'?

Critics Review

I absolutely LOVED The Shelf. One of those delicious books you just can’t put down. So many gorgeous witty one-liners. Utter PERFECTION!
Marian Keyes
Fun, fresh and thought-provoking
Lindsey Kelk
I haven’t been so immediately sucked in by a novel IN YEARS. Not only is the idea brilliant and original, but Helly’s writing is also compelling and hilarious. The Shelf is a must-read and I cannot recommend it highly enough
Lucy Vine
[One of] the hottest summer reads … a plot that shouldn’t work on paper, but really does.
Cosmopolitan
The Shelf is just as addictive as reality TV but twice as juicy! Shocking and hilarious, I devoured it and I just want more
Carrie Hope Fletcher
Fun, thought-provoking and unapologetically feminist . . . the perfect antidote to lockdown life
Daisy Edgar-Jones
Couldn’t put it down once I started! Fell in love with the characters and how they each challenge the idea of what a “perfect” woman should be!
Michelle Elman AKA @Scarrednotscared
I really loved it! Subversive, feminist and a real breath of fresh air. I inhaled this!
Laura Jane Williams
I absolutely loved it – such a clever concept, so well executed and with a perfect ending! Such a clever, brilliant book!
Katie Fforde
You know when you put your whole life on hold, because you’re so absorbed in a book? That. So original and sparkly, the freshest, funniest book, I adored it!! It made me feel strong and empowered and wonderful
Claudia Carroll
As addictive as they come … a witty, life-affirming page-turner. A breath of fresh air.
Woman & Home
Will keep you laughing page after page – Helly’s sharp, funny and fast-paced prose is a delight to read.
My Weekly
The Shelf is honestly such a delight. The concept in itself is genius, but the execution is even better – both laugh-out-loud funny and full of heart. I loved it!
Katie Lowe
This is the kind of book that can be swallowed in a day. It is an astute and entertaining analysis of the ways in which women live under society’s microscope and a moving depiction of the sisterhood. It made me laugh and made my blood boil – definitely the signs of a successful book!
Sara-Ella Ozbek
On the surface, this book has massive appeal for anyone who loves reality shows and dreams of their fifteen minutes of fame, but it goes much further than that … an uplifting book which flips the tables and shows the women in an empowering way
The Bookbag
Fascinating, funny, gut wrenching and not just a rollicking read but belongs on the school curriculum
Anna McPartlin
A fabulous romp of a novel
Clare Pooley
An all-too-relatable feminist novel about accepting ourselves and not leading a life we THINK we should based on what society is telling us
@OurWomensWrites
Fun, light-hearted and genuinely warming read . . . an ideal summer lockdown read
Candid Book Club
Really entertaining read … a feminist takedown of reality TV
STYLIST
Fascinating!
Daily Mail
A story of friendship, feminism and solidarity
Prima
EDITOR’S CHOICE: An entertaining take on the obsession with coupling up and settling down.
The Bookseller
If you’re ready for a slice of exhilarating entertainment to ease the darkness of a year of crisis then feast your reading eyes on this funny, feminist and wonderfully original tale of self-discovery from a fresh new voice in women’s fiction.
Lancashire Evening Post
A brilliant read
Bella
A fresh, funny read … there’s a satisfying bite behind the satire here.
Wiltshire Living
Witty, compelling and great fun
Surrey Life
A hoot of a novel
Pat Kenny, Newstalk FM
A gripping, eye-opening and clever read that will have you hooked from page one … witty and heartwarming
Shemazing.net
Funny, feminist and utterly addictive,… the kind of novel you will race through in one sitting … Love Island meets Bridget Jones … original and fresh … A perfect heart-warming read for this summer.
Press Association
This summer’s hottest read … [a] feminist page-turner
Irish Mail on Sunday
This brilliant novel is a really fun read. Very entertaining!
Jo Whiley
A smart takedown of reality TV, with satirical bite.
Sunday Mirror
Fresh and funny, with satirical bite and a feminist message.
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