Literary Fiction • 2026
The Shampoo Effect
By Jenny Jackson • ★★★★
The book title was an absolute mystery to me when I picked this up — was I living under a rock, or does nobody else know what the shampoo effect is either? Either way, I went in curious and came out mostly satisfied. This is an easy, compelling read and I can see exactly why it’s become popular. Fair warning: it does have a lull, and I can see why some people find it boring.
The best way I can describe it is Gossip Girl on the Massachusetts coast. A world of people who are not particularly redeemable — and honestly, that’s part of what makes it work. I disliked Van, which is funny because I had kind of wanted Caroline and him to reunite. But she deserved better than him, and the book knew it even when I didn’t. None of the characters are especially likeable, and there were moments I wanted them all to fail — Caroline included.
What kept me going was Caroline herself. She’s the outsider finding her path, and even when she frustrated me, she was genuinely relatable. She felt alone even with Van, and I recognized that feeling — not for the same reasons, but enough that it landed. I’m curious whether this book will stay with me. This would also make a fantastic movie or series — the world is built for it.
The Shampoo Effect by Jenny Jackson. 📌 This post contains affiliate links. I may earn a small commission at no cost to you.
Marin Robinson 
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