Thank you so much to Ecco Books for the Advanced Reader’s Copy of Separation Anxiety by Laura Zigman, out March 3, 2020.

This book was a delight, from cover to cover. It follows Judy, a mom reaching a transitional stage of life — her marriage is floundering, her only son is becoming a teen, and she’s feeling unfulfilled in her career. While clearing out her basement, she finds a baby sling she never used for her son, and she decides to use it for her dog, Charlotte. She tries to keep it a secret, but her family soon finds out and Judy decides to just lean into her new dog-wearing affinity.

This novel was hysterically absurd. Teddy attends a Montessori school that invites puppeteers in for a residency, and to save money on Teddy’s tuition, the puppeteers move into Judy’s house. Additionally, there seems to be a student leaving secret poops behind in the hallway. Meanwhile, Judy’s husband Gary is a ‘snackologist’ – a snack delivery man – and her best friend is getting sicker from cancer. She decides to attend a social media influncer’s creativity workshop to try and break down her writer’s block. It’s all so funny & so wacky and out there, it almost seems believable. The story takes place in Cambridge, MA, a place I know well for being quirky, and I feel like the author absolutely nailed it.

Despite how wacky Judy’s life was, her feelings and anxieties were totally realistic and relatable. I found myself both laughing out loud and finding myself within these pages almost every chapter. It was a quick, funny, and witty read. A 4 star read for me, I can’t wait to hear what you think when it comes out on March 3!