The Full Picture
by Jessica Carmichael
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Pub Date Dec 01 2025 | Archive Date Feb 15 2026
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Description
Perfect for fans of Bolu Babalola and Jenny Han, this heartfelt debut is a modern coming-of-age story about restoring family, taking risks, and living life on your own terms.
Reuniting with her family and partying in Accra until sunrise? Part of the plan. Catching feelings for two very different boys? Definitely not!
When first-year university student Robyn Carter travels to Ghana for winter break, it's the first time she's been back since her mother's passing ten years prior. Not only is the trip the perfect escape from her father's academic expectations, but it's also an opportunity to finally learn more about her mother-the one subject he refuses to discuss.
The last person Robyn expects to meet is Osei Mensah, her grandmother's beloved neighbour and a budding photographer. The young creative is a big dreamer who wears his heart on his sleeve and is everything pragmatic Robyn shouldn't want.
Especially not when Osei's childhood friend, Kelvin Williams, is a charming pre-med student also visiting from her hometown-her exact type on paper.
As Robyn uncovers the truth about her late mother's past, logic and emotion begin to clash and she can't help but wonder if following her heart instead of her father's carefully laid-out plan, might be a shot worth taking after all.
A Note From the Publisher
Advance Praise
"Jessica Carmichael bursts onto the romance scene with The Full Picture. A sparkling, addictive debut that’s impossible to put down—with characters you’ll wish were your best friends and prose that shimmers with tenderness, Carmichael is a fresh new voice you’ll want to follow from the very start. Once she captures your heart, she’ll never let go."
- Busayo Matuluko ('Til Death)
The Full Picture is a joyful coming of age novel that perfectly captures the complex journey of finding yourself and falling in love against the vibrant backdrop of a summer of self discovery. Carmichael brings together a delightful cast of characters and an irresistible summer romance (or two) to create a funny, moving and deeply relatable story about love, grief and ambition."
- Rufaro Faith Mazarura (Let The Games Begin)
“I immediately wanted to fly to Accra to party, hug, laugh, and sometimes even cry with Robyn and her fun group of friends while reading The Full Picture. It is the perfect snapshot of Ghanaian-Canadian girlhood, self-discovery, acceptance, and young love.”
- Jasmine Bell (You've Got a Place Here Too)
"As one of the only books centered around the African diaspora phenomenon—Detty December, Carmichael crafts a entertaining novel that is both nostalgic for those who have experienced detty December and fomo-inducing for those who haven’t. Carmichael’s stunning protagonist contains a duality hallmark of the best YA characters: someone you root for but also want to strangle at times. I laughed, cried, and most importantly, felt at home when reading The Full Picture."
- Mowa Badmos (Love from the Cosmos)
Available Editions
| EDITION | Paperback |
| ISBN | 9781069335425 |
| PRICE | CA$19.99 (CAD) |
| PAGES | 266 |
Available on NetGalley
Featured Reviews
Rutendo C, Reviewer
I thoroughly enjoyed reading Robyn’s story and her journey to understanding her past. This novel shows that the future is difficult to shape without understanding the past, and the present is confusing at best. Centred on grief and loss, Robyn searches for a deeper truth about the woman her mother was and what happened. From Canada to Ghana, Robyn finds herself in the land where it all began for her mother and in her search for the truth, ripples spread across her life, with life-altering consequences. Carmichael’s writing is strong and consistent. The descriptive language immerses the reader into the characters’ feelings and environment. If anything, I am motivated to have a December in Ghana!
It was important to see the growth of the father-daughter relationship between Robyn and her dad, a journey that wasn’t easy but demanded honesty, vulnerability and trust. I loved cheeky grandmother Lilly because her character captured the everyday African matriarch in all her essence. I love all the women around Robyn - the good girlfriends are a steady base in the mix, fun vibes, but also bringing home the necessity of sisterhood. The love triangle between Robyn, Osei and Kelvin is convincing; at the end of the day, accountability and love win! This is a strong debut from Carmichael. I have also read Bolu Babalola, and Carmichael holds her own in the African romance genre. This will be a great holiday read in December! The timing for its release is just perfect. I highly recommend.
Reviewer 957659
the story immediately pulled me in— in the full picture, robyn returns to ghana to uncover her mother’s past and finds herself torn between family duty, hidden truths, and her own heart. i enjoyed the love triangle between osei, robyn + kelvin but i have to say my fave thing about this story was the journey robyn took to get some answers on who her mom really was and going after the truth no matter how complicated it got.
the audiobook was good, i think the narrator did a pretty solid job setting the stage and bringing the beautiful ghana settings to life. overall, this was a layered, emotional story that balanced romance, family drama, and self-discovery really well. i’d definitely recommend it to anyone who enjoys stories about identity and family secrets.
⭐️ 4 stars!!
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