Jenny Jackson

A Novel

Pineapple Street

Darley, the eldest daughter in the well-connected, old money Stockton family, followed her heart, trading her job and her inheritance for motherhood but giving up far too much in the process; Sasha, a middle-class New England girl, has married into the Brooklyn Heights family, and finds herself cast as the arriviste outsider; and Georgiana, the baby of the family, has fallen in love with someone she can’t have and must decide what kind of person she wants to be.

Shot through with the indulgent pleasures of life among New York’s one-percenters, Pineapple Street is an addictive, escapist novel that sparkles with wit. Full of recognizable, lovable—if fallible—characters, it’s about the peculiar unknowability of someone else’s family, the miles between the haves and have-nots, and the insanity of first love—all wrapped in a deliciously funny, sharply observed debut of family, love, and class.

Emma Hak-Kovacs

The Stocktons may have let her marry their son, but she understood on a bone-deep level that they would rather let her walk in on them in the middle of an aerobic threesome with Tilda’s bridge partner than have her studying their tax returns.

I think Darley’s perspective might be my favorite so far

Alli

Having children was possibly the most mortifying experience of her life. 

A deliciously funny, sharply observed debut of family, love, and class, this zeitgeisty novel follows three women in one wealthy Brooklyn clan “A vibrant and hilarious debut…Pineapple Street is riveting, timely, hugely entertaining and brimming with truth.” —Cynthia D’Aprix Sweeney, New York Times bestselling author of The Nest Darley, the eldest daughter in the well-connected, carefully-guarded, old money Stockton family, followed her heart, trading her job and her inheritance for motherhood, sacrificing more of herself than she ever intended; Sasha, a middle-class New England girl, has married into the Brooklyn Heights family, and finds herself cast as the arriviste outsider, wondering how she might ever understand their WASP-y rites and rituals; and Georgiana, the baby of the family, has fallen in love with someone she can’t (and really shouldn’t) have, and must confront the kind of person she wants to be. Rife with the indulgent pleasures of life among New York’s one percenters, Pineapple Street is a smart, escapist novel that sparkles with wit. Full of recognizable, loveable if fallible characters (and a few appalling ones!), it’s about the peculiar unknowability of someone else’s family, the miles between the haves and have-nots and everything in between, and the insanity of first love—all wrapped in a story that is a sheer delight of a read.

Ellie 

“You were just so open and light, and I saw how closed and dark I was. I was like twelve years old and I knew I didn’t want to live like that. I wanted to have that kind of love. So I fell for you.”

Good for when you don’t want to use your brain too much

Jess Z

Good for when you don’t want to use your brain too much

Fun airplane book

INSTANT NATIONAL BESTSELLER A deliciously funny, sharply observed debut of family, love, and class, this zeitgeisty novel follows three women in one rich New York clan “Transporting and laugh-out-loud funny, this intergenerational story is a perfect tale for our times.” —J. Courtney Sullivan, New York Times bestselling author of Friends and Strangers “A vibrant and hilarious debut…Pineapple Street is riveting, timely, hugely entertaining and brimming with truth.” —Cynthia D’Aprix Sweeney, New York Times bestselling author of The Nest Darley, the eldest daughter in the closely-tied, carefully-guarded, old money Stockton family, made the classic feminine mistake and gave up her job for her children before she realized she’d sacrificed more of herself than she intended; Sasha married into the Stocktons, and finds herself the outsider looking into the fishbowl, wondering if she will ever understand their ways; and Georgianna, the baby of the family, has fallen in love with someone she can’t (and really shouldn’t) have, and must confront the kind of person she wants to be. Rife with the indulgent pleasures of life among New York’s one percenters, Pineapple Street is a smart, escapist novel that sparkles with wit. Full of recognizable, loveable if fallible characters (and a few appalling ones!), it’s about the peculiar unknowability of someone else’s family, the miles between the haves and have-nots and everything in between, and the insanity of first love—all wrapped in a story that is a sheer delight of a read.

Gelaine Trinidad

Erin G.

Low-stakes, character-driven, entertaining rich people problems escapism.

the book of my heart. literally so good omg

t. edwards

I thought I’d get annoyed but I really liked it. Its arc is about self awareness and privilege and I think BK heights is the perfect modern location for that retelling. As a blue collar progeny though, I had a hard time with the rendering of Sasha’s specific brand of self absorption. Maybe you’ll disagree! 

Jess Rez

A deliciously funny, sharply observed debut of family, love, and class, this zeitgeisty novel follows three women in one rich New York clan “Transporting and laugh-out-loud funny, this intergenerational story is a perfect tale for our times.” —J. Courtney Sullivan, New York Times bestselling author of Friends and Strangers “A vibrant and hilarious debut…Pineapple Street is riveting, timely, hugely entertaining and brimming with truth.” —Cynthia D’Aprix Sweeney, New York Times bestselling author of The Nest Darley, the eldest daughter in the closely-tied, carefully-guarded, old money Stockton family, made the classic feminine mistake and gave up her job for her children before she realized she’d sacrificed more of herself than she intended; Sasha married into the Stocktons, and finds herself the outsider looking into the fishbowl, wondering if she will ever understand their ways; and Georgianna, the baby of the family, has fallen in love with someone she can’t (and really shouldn’t) have, and must confront the kind of person she wants to be. Rife with the indulgent pleasures of life among New York’s one percenters, Pineapple Street is a smart, escapist novel that sparkles with wit. Full of recognizable, loveable if fallible characters (and a few appalling ones!), it’s about the peculiar unknowability of someone else’s family, the miles between the haves and have-nots and everything in between, and the insanity of first love—all wrapped in a story that is a sheer delight of a read.

A look into the lives of an old money family in New York. It's told from alternating perspectives: the oldest daughter's, the youngest daughter's and their sister-in-law's. 

It's a chill, easy read, but I feel like it got kind of preachy towards the end with the ideas about money/class being very in-your-face. I also feel like it was kind of cheesy/unrealistic when it came to how some of the stories played out. 

Julia

A look into the lives of an old money family in New York. It's told from alternating perspectives: the oldest daughter's, the youngest daughter's and their sister-in-law's. 

It's a chill, easy read, but I feel like it got kind of preachy towards the end with the ideas about money/class being very in-your-face. I also feel like it was kind of cheesy/unrealistic when it came to how some of the stories played out. 

This book is VERY character drive with a foggy to non-existant plot BUT I personally enjoy these type of stories. I love getting multiple perspectives on the same situation and seeing the characters have personal growth even if it's small. 

I had thought going in that there might be more elitist rich snobbery or corporate greed-type plot lines in this book and was left a little disappointed (I was hoping for more DRAMA lol). It truly just follows this family for a portion of their lives as they grapple with trying to be good people while being extremely wealthy or learning to connect with one another. 

There was an undercurrent of normalizing or possibly even sympathizing with these ultra rich characters (like a "they're rich, but it's not their fault ;(" vibe) which the book actively tries to fight against in the main storyline (i.e. Georgiana's character development) - I'm not sure if it totally succeeds either way. 

I think the main point & take-away of this novel is that money can solve a lot of things and make life WAY easier, but there are things that we all struggle with regardless of status like love, loss, connection, loneliness, family etc... 

This was a lot more thoughts than I anticipated I would have on this book tbh. Really, my main two thoughts on it are - fantastic narration & Georgiana is still annoying idc. 

This book is VERY character drive with a foggy to non-existant plot BUT I personally enjoy these type of stories. I love getting multiple perspectives on the same situation and seeing the characters have personal growth even if it's small. 

I had thought going in that there might be more elitist rich snobbery or corporate greed-type plot lines in this book and was left a little disappointed (I was hoping for more DRAMA lol). It truly just follows this family for a portion of their lives as they grapple with trying to be good people while being extremely wealthy or learning to connect with one another. 

There was an undercurrent of normalizing or possibly even sympathizing with these ultra rich characters (like a "they're rich, but it's not their fault ;(" vibe) which the book actively tries to fight against in the main storyline (i.e. Georgiana's character development) - I'm not sure if it totally succeeds either way. 

I think the main point & take-away of this novel is that money can solve a lot of things and make life WAY easier, but there are things that we all struggle with regardless of status like love, loss, connection, loneliness, family etc... 

-

This was a lot more thoughts than I anticipated I would have on this book tbh. Really, my main two thoughts on it are - fantastic narration & Georgiana is still annoying idc. 

Melissa Palmer

Good quick read. I really liked the character development.

This isn’t a bad book, but the family Sasha married into they are truly rich assholes. I like how it told stories from the sisters perspectives but Sasha husband wasn’t the best and he never really stood up for her. The ending was okay. It was a good easy read.

Jordyn Walker

The back and forth across the characters and class was enjoyable. There were moments when my jaw dropped but there were moments when I was surprised by the plot. I do wish the ending was different though, hence the less than 4 stars.

Ali Angco

            I have become exhausted reading novels about the super-rich, especially those who live in the most expensive city in the world and never complain about the lack of space.  While there are a great many who romanticize the idea of being rich, of having enough money for everything all the time, there are a great many more who are tired of reading about the frivolousness and excess when they’re struggling to pay the rent while working two jobs.  It almost feels insensitive to glorify the 1% at this point, when so many of us are just exhausted with the constant barrage of what we don’t have.  Yet here we are, with yet another book about rich people and their problems in New York City. 

            This one almost adds some insult to injury with the “problems” they appear to be having.  You’ve got the middle-class woman who married into this obnoxiously wealthy family; the woman who snubbed her nose at her family’s money but can still afford to send her kids to an exclusive and outrageously expensive day care; the woman who is genuinely a brat that somehow justifies sleeping with a married man; and then the uber-rich parents who just bleed disdain for all things middle-class.  The youngest brat, Georgiana, might be one of the most self-centered character I’ve encountered in quite some time, I genuinely disliked her.  I hated the way both Georgiana and Daley treated Sasha, and the way Sasha’s husband brushed it off like it was completely normal.  Nothing about the dynamics of this family was pleasant, and I just wanted to reach through the pages, transplant them all to lower-middle-class suburbia and let them fend for themselves.  I’d love for them to trade in their petty problems for those the rest of us face on a daily basis. 

            Let me step off my soapbox.  The book actually propelled me through it pretty quickly, so clearly the story isn’t all that terrible.  The relationship intricasies are thorough, and I did enjoy some of them.  The story is well thought out, and it does flow well.  It’s not a terrible book, I’m just sick of reading about obnoxiously rich people. 

Kristen Claiborn

            I have become exhausted reading novels about the super-rich, especially those who live in the most expensive city in the world and never complain about the lack of space.  While there are a great many who romanticize the idea of being rich, of having enough money for everything all the time, there are a great many more who are tired of reading about the frivolousness and excess when they’re struggling to pay the rent while working two jobs.  It almost feels insensitive to glorify the 1% at this point, when so many of us are just exhausted with the constant barrage of what we don’t have.  Yet here we are, with yet another book about rich people and their problems in New York City. 

            This one almost adds some insult to injury with the “problems” they appear to be having.  You’ve got the middle-class woman who married into this obnoxiously wealthy family; the woman who snubbed her nose at her family’s money but can still afford to send her kids to an exclusive and outrageously expensive day care; the woman who is genuinely a brat that somehow justifies sleeping with a married man; and then the uber-rich parents who just bleed disdain for all things middle-class.  The youngest brat, Georgiana, might be one of the most self-centered character I’ve encountered in quite some time, I genuinely disliked her.  I hated the way both Georgiana and Daley treated Sasha, and the way Sasha’s husband brushed it off like it was completely normal.  Nothing about the dynamics of this family was pleasant, and I just wanted to reach through the pages, transplant them all to lower-middle-class suburbia and let them fend for themselves.  I’d love for them to trade in their petty problems for those the rest of us face on a daily basis. 

            Let me step off my soapbox.  The book actually propelled me through it pretty quickly, so clearly the story isn’t all that terrible.  The relationship intricasies are thorough, and I did enjoy some of them.  The story is well thought out, and it does flow well.  It’s not a terrible book, I’m just sick of reading about obnoxiously rich people. 

Thank you to Netgally and Random House UK for this eARC in exchange for a review.

Pineapple Street follows three women within the Stockton family, either connected by birth or marriage. It's a heartwarming tale of how people connect to each other and the perceptions we bring to relationships based on class and upbringing and how these develop to navigate and build relationships with others.

This is a very character driven book. All three of these women are completely different. Despite two being born into the same family, their perceptions and ideas about life are different. This made it fascinating to read and see how these characters learn to adapt to what life throws at them.

The story and characters make this book completely absorbing, and I struggled to put it down. The writing is so easy to read and engaging.

I could honestly read a thousand more pages about these characters!

Victoria Justice

Thank you to Netgally and Random House UK for this eARC in exchange for a review.

Pineapple Street follows three women within the Stockton family, either connected by birth or marriage. It's a heartwarming tale of how people connect to each other and the perceptions we bring to relationships based on class and upbringing and how these develop to navigate and build relationships with others.

This is a very character driven book. All three of these women are completely different. Despite two being born into the same family, their perceptions and ideas about life are different. This made it fascinating to read and see how these characters learn to adapt to what life throws at them.

The story and characters make this book completely absorbing, and I struggled to put it down. The writing is so easy to read and engaging.

I could honestly read a thousand more pages about these characters!

g.m.

Abby Brake

THE MUST-READ DEBUT OF 2023 'A lovely, absorbing, acutely observed novel about class, money and love' NICK HORNBY 'A portrait at once searing, hilarious and poignant of a New York Family straight-jacketed by their own wealth' MIRANDA COWLEY HELLER, author of THE PAPER PALACE This unputdownable debut follows three women in an old Brooklyn Heights clan- one who was born with money, one who married into it, and one who wants to give it all away. Darley, the eldest daughter in the well-connected, carefully-guarded Stockton family, has never had to worry about money. Darley followed her heart, trading her job and her inheritance for motherhood, sacrificing more of herself than she ever intended. Sasha, Darley's new sister-in-law, has come from more humble origins, and her hesitancy about signing a pre-nup has everyone worried about her intentions. And Georgiana, the baby of the family, has fallen in love with someone she can't (and really shouldn't) have, and must confront the kind of person she wants to be. Rife with the indulgent pleasures of life among New York's one per centers - glittering parties, weekend homes and hungover brunches - Pineapple Street is a scintillating, escapist novel that sparkles with wit and wry humour. Full of recognisable, loveable if fallible characters (and a few appalling ones!), it's about the peculiar unknowability of someone else's family, the miles between the haves and have-nots and everything in between.

Pineapple Street A Novel

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