Book Club Questions for The Shampoo Effect by Jenny Jackson
Book club questions for The Shampoo Effect by Jenny Jackson take a closer look at this drama-filled story about a close group of friends. There will be spoilers, so for more context about the story, check out my spoiler-free review first.
This is a breezy story that is perfect for a lazy Saturday afternoon, plane ride, etc. It featured enough depth to make it worth discussing, but it never veers too much into tough areas for long.
The setting was great, the characters felt real, and I was curious where the story would go.
Caroline’s Arc
Now I’m getting into spoilers. I was pretty floored when Caroline decided to write a story documenting these real-life group dynamics. And of course, Caroline was a bit careless and didn’t do enough to conceal who the members were. To me, Caroline was quite naive and sheltered, starting with believing things would remain the same with Van after Bailey had their baby.
Actually, let’s focus on that for a second. When Van breaks up with her due to timing, Caroline tries to save the relationship by saying Dylan won’t always be a baby. But it’s not like Van’s duties are done as soon as Van is out of diapers. Come on, Caroline.
Now she is within her rights to be upset that this group of friends never welcomed her in. And, being such a new writer, she has not found her voice yet. So she realizes she can only find inspiration in events and people in her life instead of creating it herself. But to write a story that is so glaringly obvious about this group of friends showed her immaturity.
But she does realize the damage done when relationships fall apart, and then the general public starts to pick apart her piece. It causes her to truly self-reflect and work on herself. So when she does write something new, she’s not hurting people in her orbit.
Caroline does grow a bit, but I would have preferred it if she had charted her own path instead of hoping to reconnect with Van.
Ending Thoughts
Caroline’s story causes huge rippling effects from the friend group, mainly with Augusta and Colin, but also Fran and RJ. It’s revealed that Colin has a relationship with Augusta’s brother, Eben. Colin forced Eben to hide the truth from Augusta, as he was worried Augusta would leave him.
Augusta is devastated and makes Colin move out. She’s equal parts upset about the secret, but also that the relationship was with her brother. In fact, she wonders if she would have been as upset if the affair were with a sister, causing her to consider her own views on sexuality and such.
I wasn’t surprised when the two got back together, but it was a little smoother than I anticipated, especially since, in the end, Colin kept being this secret for so long. But I think Augusta loves him too much to let that ruin her relationship and their family dynamic, and she does seem to try to understand him more.
To be honest, I think RJ and Fran are way more of a mess. Fran eventually confronts RJ about his partying and tells him he needs to stop drinking, which RJ barely objects to. So that did not feel authentic in any way. This dude, who can’t be sober, is suddenly ok with being sober? Kind of a stretch.
And then Fran agrees to marry him! Even though she had their random emotional (it was just emotional, right?) affair on her work trip. I understand she was tired of RJ’s behavior, but is he really going to change?
Let’s not forget that despite Caroline exposing everyone’s secrets, the door seems to be open for her to reconcile with Van. I guess in a way, the group may realize that while the story was painful, it did force them to have tough conversations with each other. But also, how could they trust her?
While I do like a happy ending, it did feel like a lot of this drama wrapped up a little too easily with sunshine and rainbows.
Tell me what you thought about the book in the comments section below!
Book Club Questions for The Shampoo Effect
- This novel follows a group of close-knit friends. Why do you feel they have remained friends for all these years?
- Having lifelong friends is something special, but it doesn’t mean it’s a perfect road. In some ways, they are stuck chasing their younger days with all their drinking and such, despite being parents. Do you feel that, in some aspect, these friends are held back by their shared past?
- Which character did you relate to the most and why? On a similar note, which character were you not a fan of?
- Did you like the multiple points of view perspectives, or would you have preferred it to stay with Caroline?
- Did you feel Caroline and Van’s relationship was authentic?
- Van’s friends are not welcoming to outsiders, especially to Caroline. Why are they not open to new people in the group?
- Also, why was Augusta so focused on Bailey and Van getting together?
- How would you have approached this group of friends if you were in Caroline’s position?
- When it’s revealed that Bailey is pregnant with Van’s baby, Caroline decides to stay with him, despite her reservations. Was this the right move, or should she have left the relationship?
- Bailey and Van always find a way to be with each other, but their relationship is mainly sexually charged. When the two live together to take care of Dylan, it becomes apparent how different the two are. Do you feel they will finally just remain friends, or do you think they will try to make it work again in the future?
- Van eventually breaks up with Caroline, and Caroline retaliates by writing about this group’s relationships and secrets. Why did Caroline write this?
- When did Caroline realize she had made a mistake?
- The article has huge reveals, with the biggest being Colin’s and Eben’s relationship in high school. What were your thoughts on this reveal and Augusta’s reaction to it?
- Why was Fran so resistant to marrying RJ for so long? Do you think RJ will change, or will it be an uphill battle? What was behind Fran’s decisions during her work trip?
- In some ways, the article pushes these couples to be truthful with each other. Do you think they will be changed for good, or will there be lingering trust issues?
- Will Caroline and Van get back together? Do you feel the group of friends will welcome her back or be hesitant?
Additional Recommendations
Hope you enjoyed the book club questions for The Shampoo Effect! Here are more recommendations, along with links to book club questions.
The Five-Star Weekend by Elin Hilderbrand
The Five-Star Weekend is certainly on everyone’s mind lately with the TV adaptation starring Jennifer Garner. It also features a close look at friendships.
Several months after her husband’s death, Hollis is in a cloud of grief and tragedy. However, she stumbles upon an interesting idea: a “Five-Star Weekend.” This is where one woman organizes a trip for her best friend from each phase of her life: her teenage years, her twenties, her thirties, and midlife—she decides to host her own Five-Star Weekend on Nantucket.
Overall, an entertaining read. Check out my review here.
And my book club questions here.
The Irish Goodbye by Heather Aimee O’Neill
If you’re looking for a story about complicated family dynamics, The Irish Goodbye is a solid pick.
The family experienced a devastating loss years ago, and everyone was forever changed. But there’s also quite a bit of secrets and resentments at play too. The Irish Goodbye is one of those stories I didn’t want to put down, and I was curious to see how all the storylines would unfold.
Check out my review here.
And my book club questions here.
Happy reading!
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