Picture Imperfect cover art

Picture Imperfect

The feel-good new adult novel and instant Sunday Times bestseller

 Preview

Get 30 days of Standard free

£5.99/mo after trial. Cancel monthly.
Try for £0.00
More purchase options

Picture Imperfect

By: Jacqueline Wilson
Narrated by: Megan Richards
Try for £0.00

£5.99 a month after 30 days. Cancel anytime.

Buy Now for £12.06

Buy Now for £12.06

FROM THE BELOVED SUNDAY TIMES BESTSELLING AUTHOR

WHEN WAS THE LAST TIME YOU PUT YOURSELF FIRST?

Dol has spent her life holding everything — and everyone — together. But she's done being perfect.

Now it's time to be herself.

Dol Westward has always been the dependable one — the steady hand, the peacekeeper, the fixer. Especially when it comes to her unpredictable mother, Marigold. But after years of putting everyone else first, she’s starting to wonder what’s left for her.

When life begins to fray around the edges, Dol realises she’s been chasing an idea of perfection that was never really hers. Old habits, old expectations — they’re hard to break. But maybe imperfection is the only place she can finally feel free...

Funny, moving and full of hope, Picture Imperfect is a story about family, love and discovering that life doesn't have to be perfect to be wonderful — from the beloved author who always writes real life, honestly told.

'Jacqueline Wilson taps into the joys and pains of women everywhere.' Dawn O'Porter, bestselling author of So Lucky

'This story offers grown-ups what Wilson has long offered teenagers: comfort, sanity and delight in the ordinary.' Daily Mail

'A read-in-a-day comfort book.' The Independent

© Jacqueline Wilson 2025 (P) Penguin Audio 2025

 Clean & Wholesome Genre Fiction LGBTQIA+ Creators Literary Fiction Women's Fiction
adbl_web_anon_alc_button_suppression_t1

Critic reviews

Praise for Jacqueline Wilson
A read-in-a-day comfort book.
Nuanced and refreshing...beautifully told.
This story offers grown-ups what Wilson has long offered teenagers: comfort, sanity and delight in the ordinary.
Jacqueline Wilson taps into the joys and pains of women everywhere.
Wilson knocks it out of the park once again...a moving story that is as fun to read as it is meaningful.
She is a national treasure.
Realistic, sharp eyed...I loved it and didn’t want it to end.
Praise for Picture Imperfect
‘Jacqueline Wilson is a national treasure! Picture Imperfect is at once beautiful, sad and uplifting.’ (Alice Winn)
All stars
Most relevant
I really didn’t like how the secondary characters were read, I couldn’t take them seriously. It was a let down!

Characters voices

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.
I loved the illustrated mum as a child, and I was so excited for this to be released! I really really enjoyed it. Sure, there were parts that were a little far fetched, but it just reminded me of the classic JW books fondly. I was a little disappointed at the abrupt end (purely because I was enjoying it so much) BUT I’m really hoping there is going to be a part 3!

Nostalgia!!

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.
I remember reading the illustrated mum as a child so I reordered this when I seen it coming out.
im now in my early 30s and felt like it was quite adult for what I thought was aimed at the teen girl category.
I have enjoyed it. Binge listening over the past week. really hope there's a part 3 to find out more.
my only issue i have had with the performance was Marigold and Avas voices being so similar.

great follow on from what I can remember.

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.
bit dissapointed, not as good as her other adult books. still worth a read for nostaligic purposes

underwhelming

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.
Storyline was okay, but had an underwhelming and abrupt ending. I really wanted to like Dol's character but found it annoying that she wouldn't take responsibility and was completely dismissive of the impact she was having on people and of their feelings.
Fell below expectations. I liked the Easter eggs, but didn't think there were as many as in Think Again.

Hoped for better

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.
See more reviews