Happily Imperfect. Stacey Solomon

      

      

       Copyright

      Thorsons

      An imprint of HarperCollinsPublishers

      1 London Bridge Street

      London SE1 9GF

       www.harpercollins.co.uk

      First published by Thorsons 2019

      FIRST EDITION

      © Stacey Solomon 2019

      Cover photograph © Jay Brooks 2019

      Cover layout design © HarperCollinsPublishers Ltd 2019

      A catalogue record of this book is available from the British Library

      Stacey Solomon asserts the moral right to be identified as the author of this work

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      Source ISBN: 9780008322892

      Ebook Edition © February 2020 ISBN: 9780008322908

      Version: 2020-01-10

       Dedication

      Thank you to Joe and all of the incredible boys in our life.

      Contents

       Cover

       Title Page

       Copyright

       Dedication

       Introduction: Labels

       1 Letter to Me (aged fourteen)

       2 The Big A

3 Ugly Duckling

4 My Tribe (My Big Jewish Family)

5 Recipes That Say Love (Version 1)

       6 Mum Guilt!

       7 Recipes That Say Love (Version 2)

       8 Motherload

       9 Creating a Happy Family Vibe

       10 Perfectly Imperfect

       11 Hairy McLary

       12 Finding Your True Self

       13 The Hype

       14 Rose-tinted Goggles

       15 Blended Families

       16 Thankful

       17 My Happy Ever After

       18 Musings on Imperfection

       19 Forget the ‘How-tos’

       20 Kindness

       21 Happily Imperfect Habits

       22 Being Happy

       Epilogue

       Acknowledgements

       About the Publisher

      INTRODUCTION:

       Labels

      Essex Girl: A type of young woman, supposedly to be found in and around Essex, and variously characterized as unintelligent, promiscuous and materialistic.

      Oxford Living Dictionaries

      Labels. We all have them, don’t we? They’re the reason I’m writing this book. I’m wildly, wonderfully imperfect, and my label as an Essex Girl proves it.

      Am I an Essex Girl?

      Absolutely!

      Do I fit the stereotype?

      Absolutely not! There’s so much more to people than the labels we’re given, and I want to share how I stay positive, how much I love my life, and how flawed yet