The novel tells the story of Harriet Manners, a socially awkward 15 year old English girl with a limited circle of friends, a (now) super model boyfriend and who is the target of the school bully. Plucked from obscurity to be the face of a high-profile fashion advertising campaign, Manners' change of circumstance results in various conflicts which she must resolve and which in turn lead to revelations about both her and the world in general. The novel is partially based on Smale's own experiences as a teenage model.