Book ~ "The Shampoo Effect" (2026) Jenny Jackson

From Goodreads ~ When Caroline Lash arrives in Greenhead, Massachusetts, she falls head-over-heels for Van Whittaker, a fleece-wearing, litter-collecting, kayak enthusiast with long, floppy hair and the personality of a Border collie. Born and raised in this picturesque coastal village, Van runs with the same crowd he did as a kid: His ex-girlfriend, Bailey, a beautiful girl who attracts men like moths to a flame; Augusta, old money, horsey, and snobbish; and Fran, surrounded by brothers and sons, too fed up with boys to ever consider marrying one. 

Together the group runs wild through the marshes, beaches and bars of Greenhead, drinking on houseboats, spending long afternoons sunbathing with their children and playing games the way they always have. But when Bailey discovers that she is pregnant with Van’s baby, the delicate balance of the group’s friendship is thrown off. Soon Caroline is cast out of the circle and what she does next - in a potent mix of fury and heartbreak - exposes long-held secrets and works the entire town of Greenhead into a lather. 

Caroline is a 28-year-old writer who leaves her job in New York and moves to a small coastal Massachusetts town for an 18-month writing fellowship. She is the daughter of a successful novelist and is trying to establish herself as a writer independently of her mother. Caroline meets Van, a local environmental scientist. The two begin a relationship and Caroline becomes involved with Van's close-knit circle of lifelong friends, which includes Bailey, Van's former girlfriend; Augusta, who is married to Colin; Fran, who is married to RJ; and Eben, Colin's brother and one of Van's closest friends.

Caroline's relationship with Van changes when Bailey reveals that she is pregnant with Van's child. The pregnancy is the result of Van and Bailey reconnecting shortly before Caroline began dating him. Van and Bailey attempt to establish a co-parenting arrangement, which leaves Caroline feeling isolated. As she becomes more shut out from the group, she writes a story based closely on these people and events surrounding her, changing names and details but leaving enough for the people involved to recognize themselves. When the story is published, it attracts a lot of attention but its success exposes secrets. 

I thought this story was okay, not great. It could have been tighter as it seemed to drag. It's written third person perspective in Caroline, Bailey, Augusta and Fran's voices (the chapters are labeled). I didn't really care about any of the characters. As a head's up, there is swearing, drug use and adult activity.

Book ~ "Pineapple Street" (2023) Jenny Jackson

From Goodreads ~ Darley, the eldest daughter in the well-connected, old money Stockton family, followed her heart, trading her job and her inheritance for motherhood but giving up far too much in the process; Sasha, a middle-class New England girl, has married into the Brooklyn Heights family, and finds herself cast as the arriviste outsider; and Georgiana, the baby of the family, has fallen in love with someone she can’t have and must decide what kind of person she wants to be.

The Stockton family are old money rich. Darley is the oldest of the three children and married to Malcolm. She had a promising career but gave it up to become a mother to two young children ... she also gave up her trust fund (it will pass onto her children) but the family is fine living well on Malcolm's salary.

Sasha is married to Cord, the only Stockton son. Sasha came from humbler beginnings and didn't think that marrying into a super rich family would be a big deal ... until she discovers it is. She and Cord live in the family's four story house (the parents allowed them to live there when they moved to a smaller home) but Sasha isn't allowed to change anything. The children's old bedrooms are still jammed with the same junk, the furniture and artwork are from another time, etc.

Georgina is the baby of the family, born many years after Darley and Cord, so was very spoiled and has gotten anything she wanted. Though she works for a non-profit organization, she takes for granted that her mortgage and bills are paid by her trust, which she has no idea how much there is (it turns out it's over $30 million!).

This is the story of the Stockton sisters and sister-in-law and how they interact with their families and each other in what is happening in their lives. Sasha, though married to Cord, is still an outsider and Darley and Georgina treat her as such, even nicknaming her "GD" for gold digger behind her back.

I thought this book was just okay. There was a lot of emphasis on how rich the lifestyle of the Stocktons was and I know it was important to the story, I found it got tiring after a while. Tilda, the mother, was over the top and I can't imagine anyone allowing her to be that snooty. I didn't mind Darley and Sasha but Georgina was very annoying ... yes, she'd been spoiled but she's an adult and should know better. It's written in third person. As a head's up, there is swearing.