The Shampoo Effect
a free extract from the perfect summer read
What I love about Jenny Jackson’s books is that they present as breezy - pure joy to read - but are also really satisfyingly meaty and astute (and funny). They’re absolutely pin-sharp when it comes to characterisation, situations and descriptions of various social milieus. The novels are a very rewarding read - you sort of feel like you’re eating cake and then realise you’ve actually had a perfectly-balanced, highly nutritious, protein-packed meal. Do you know what I mean? She sneaks the greens in.
I loved Pineapple Street, about an Old Money New York family - my review of it for The Sunday Times here - and I love The Shampoo Effect. It’s about Caroline Lash, who has escaped from New York to the wholesome, idyllic seaside town of Greenhead, New England, to work on her writing (her oppressively successful mother is also a writer). In Greenhead, she meets and falls for a hot, uncomplicated, easy-going environmental scientist called Van Whittaker. Hooray!
But Van is from Greenhead, and obviously has a friendship group. Caroline, confident as she is, is the new girl. She’s clever and charming enough to know how to insert herself into the clique, but they’ve all known each other forever. They talk in shorthand and private jokes. Two of the women have young children, unlike Caroline, and another is Van’s ex… and pregnant with his child, after casually hooking up again one night for something to do. Neither of them has any interest in resuming their relationship, and Caroline is cool about it. So that’s fine. Everything’s fine! Until the summer progresses and friendships and marriages start fraying at the edges.
The title refers to the way in which a tiny second squirt of shampoo on an already shampooed head creates its own mass of new lather.
Here’s the extract:
and here is The Shampoo Effect on Bookshop, at Waterstones and on Amazon.
I can’t stay and chat because I am broken from World Cup lack of sleep - the incredible England game on Monday, which moved me to tears AGAIN (the singing afterwards!) and made me consider buying an England shirt, which I would if they weren’t made of acrylic, and then Belgium (pleasing) at 1am last night. The problem is that I’m so awake after the games that I can’t go back to sleep, and then the dogs decide they might as well bark for breakfast (at 4am) since everyone’s up and it’s light outside. At which point you just give up and start the day, but it’s sub-optimal and my brain isn’t fully engaged. Anyway - do please really kindly leave this post a ❤️ if you enjoyed it, thank you, and I’ll be back at the weekend, if not before. Have a lovely Tuesday!
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I loved The Calamity Club. Fortunately, I started The Shampoo Effect straight afterwards otherwise I’d have been quite at a loss! Love it. I have to look up some of the American terms but it doesn’t detract from the book. Reading it in chunks as I don’t want it to end.
Your book recommendations are the best. Thank you.
Belgium result bliss, as was their post "Overturn this." I sympathise very much with your underslept state - the weather is doing it for me. This too shall pass.
I had ordered (but not yet read) Pineapple Street, so will read that and then get the Shampoo Effect.