Flips the usual romance novel progression of initial friction-laced attraction that melts into undeniable love ... Jackson, also the author of 2023 bestselling novel Pineapple Street, knows how to depict complex adult problems ... In short, a deeply satisfying beach read.
This astutely observed story is funny and gossipy without veering into the mean-spirited. Hand this to readers who love Emma Straub, Amy Poeppel, and Katherine Heiny.
Offers sharp social commentary on millennials navigating middle age, set in a close-knit Massachusetts beach town ... Fueled by humor, sex, and drugs, this pointed, character-driven novel will appeal to fans of Emma Straub or Taffy Brodesser-Akner.
Updike fans will scent an update of that writer’s fraught suburban scandals even before the author’s note acknowledging the inspiration. This easy read combines a literary rom-com with an acute portrait of midlife among millennials.
An enjoyable tale of a writer who makes new friends and then steals their stories ... Jackson has a knack for local color and well-rounded character work, as she gradually picks apart Caroline’s 'ingrained snobbishness' about 'life outside the city.' This has plenty of heart.
