The Shampoo Effect (Pre-Order June 30th 2026)

The Shampoo Effect by Jenny Jackson Pre-Order June 30th 2026

From Jenny Jackson, the New York Times bestselling author of Pineapple Street, comes a sparkling, addictive novel about friendship, jealousy, ambition, and the fragile social ecosystems of small seaside towns.

When Caroline Lash arrives in the idyllic coastal village of Greenhead, Massachusetts, she quickly falls for Van Whittaker — charming, outdoorsy, and firmly embedded in the town’s tight-knit friend group. Van’s circle has known one another since childhood: Bailey, effortlessly beautiful and magnetic; Augusta, privileged and prickly; and Fran, funny, exhausted, and surrounded by men she has no intention of marrying.

Determined to belong, Caroline insinuates herself into their world of houseboat cocktails, beach afternoons, and late-night parties. But when Bailey announces she is pregnant with Van’s baby, the group’s delicate balance shatters. Cast out and reeling from heartbreak, Caroline makes a choice that will expose long-buried secrets, upend marriages and friendships, and send shockwaves through the entire town.

By turns hilarious, sexy, and sharply perceptive, The Shampoo Effect is a frothy yet incisive portrait of love, money, rivalry, and reinvention. With her signature wit and emotional acuity, Jenny Jackson captures the messy transition into midlife, the power of social hierarchies, and the irresistible pull of belonging.

A juicy, laugh-out-loud novel about old friends, new enemies, and the beautiful disaster of growing up.