What an awful book. I hated this from the first page.
I hated the main character. She drove me crazy.

Seeing this book as an e book bargain today reminded me that I had meant to review it. It is worth a look.

Those who enjoy an idiosyncratic character who uses her baby carrier in a unique way may want to pick this title up. It tells the story of those around her. These include Judy’s husband, her teenage son and, oh yes, her dog. What will happen to this children’s book and self-help author who finds it hard to help herself? Read this at times amusing, at times touching novel to find out.

Many thanks to NetGalley and the publisher. All opinions are my own.

I’ve been a @laurazigman fan for going on 20 years now and was delighted when I discovered Separation Anxiety was on the horizon after the author’s 14-year hiatus. This quirky and poignant novel stars a middle-aged mother dealing with some of the same issues that I also happen to be experiencing in my own middle age – right down to being emotionally dependent on an 11-year-old Sheltie... In other words, y’all, Zigman hit the nail right on the head with this one! ⁣
⁣
#separationanxiety #laurazigman #sheltie #sheltielove⁣
#netgalley #penguinrandomhouseuk #transworldpublishers ⁣
#TBCreads #pathologicallyliterate⁣
⁣
#bookstagram #bookish #booklist #bookpic #booknerd #bookworm #booklover #alwaysreading #bibliophile #readersareleaders #happyreading #readersofinstagram #booksofinstagram #igreads #instabooks #idratherbereading #wndb

Separation Anxiety is about a family that is dealing with changes, anxieties, and middle-age. Judy is a children’s book author who hasn’t been able to recreate the success she enjoyed with her first book. Her husband is a frustrated musician who spends much of his time using medical cannabis. Their son Teddy is growing up too fast and Judy’s best friend is dying. As Judy and Gary muddle through their marriage, unable to even file for divorce because they can’t afford it, Judy begins to carry their dog around in a baby sling. Yep, this is a family with issues and anxieties.

Separation Anxiety is filled with quirky characters, humor, and heartbreak. It’s about people who are trying to connect or re-connect with each other. Judy and Gary have so much history together, but as they get older, they find it hard to remember what brought them together to begin with. Their son is caught in the middle, trying to navigate middle school and test his independence. In the end, these people find a way through life and, even though it’s not perfect, a way to move forward with each other.

While this book was a little more quirky than I’m used to, I still found parts of it entertaining as well as thoughtful. I’m glad I read it.

Many thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for providing a copy of this book for review.

Very witty story that resonated with me on many levels. I loved the synopsis of this story. An author wearing a dog in a sling to deal with her anxiety issues! Love it. Even though the book deals with mental health issues, it is surprisingly low angst.

This book is probably not for everyone but I could certainly relate to some of Judy's issues. She is at a crossroads in her life, with her marriage, her adolescent son and her career. The author uses humor and sharp observation to deal with the various crises that arise. If you don't like the idea of the main protagonist wearing a dog for much of the book, then you probably shouldn't read this one! But if you're in the mood for a witty and tender take on mid-life crises, then you'll definitely appreciate this story.

I appreciated how complex the characters were here and also the creative plot. Some readers noted that this was an "ugly cry" type of book but I honestly did not feel that way all. I enjoyed the narrator and look forward to reading more books by Laura Zigman.

Separation Anxiety by Laura Zigman is very well-written. The words and individual scenes themselves can be funny and relatable; but, as a whole, the story is unbelievably sad. I went into this book thinking it would be a light-hearted comedy. It was not.

Judy finds herself alienated from her husband, distanced from her teenaged son, and not coping well with her lack of creativity as a writer. She's lost both parents. Her best friend is dying. She can't afford her son's school tuition. Everything she starts, she abandons, not just now but as a pattern of behavior. She sees all these things unfolding, but she cannot stop them from happening.

The words are beautiful and the self-awareness is real, but the book is altogether heartbreaking: "It’s hard for me to believe those moments ever happened; that I was ever in the middle of all that love, and time, and possibility, and that now I’m not."

It's a book about loneliness and failure, with a glimmer of love and friendship that gets Judy from one day to the next, but it's hard. It's hard to read short scenes that are so funny knowing they make up a book that touches on such loneliness: "Which had always seemed to me to be the loneliest feeling of all: having people around you who you could see but couldn’t ever reach."

I think this book will be loved by many, especially if the reader goes into it with an awareness of what type of book it is.
Thank you to NetGalley for an advanced copy of this book in exchange for my honest review.

SEPARATION ANXIETY tells the story of fifty year old Judy Vogel who is a children’s author. While her first book was a huge success that spawned a PBS series Judy’s future is no longer quite so bright. She is now writing for a online self help website and is struggling to write another novel.
Her son Teddy is turning into a sullen teenager. Judy misses the closeness they once shared.
Judy’s marriage to Gary is on rocky ground. They are living in the same house but apart because they can’t afford to get divorced. The recent death of her parents, and her friend’s life threatening illness add to Judy’s anxious state.
During a basement cleaning session Judy comes across Teddy’s old baby sling. Feeling nostalgic and a need for comfort Judy starts to carry Charlotte the family dog in the baby sling. Carrying the dog calms Judy’s anxiety and soon Charlotte is her constant companion.
While I liked the book and the style of writing I didn’t feel invested in the story especially in the beginning.
I persevered and was rewarded with a strong finish.
I think SEPARATION ANXIETY would appeal to a a niche group of readers.
Thank you to Random House UK and Netgalley for access to an early ebook edition of SEPARATION ANXIETY.

Judy is a 50-year-old wife and mother who feels like her life is falling apart. Her marriage is less than perfect, she feels like her relationship with her son is strained, and she no longer has the successful career she once did. To handle her anxiety, Judy begins wearing her dog in an old baby sling.

I really enjoyed getting to know Judy in this book. I felt for her throughout the story. Even though Judy is struggling, Zigman manages to place in some well-timed humor. I enjoyed this book a lot. It's very cute, and I think relatable to some extent for women in all different walks of life.

A novel that captures the angst of many a middle-aged woman - although not all of us take to wearing the dog to get through it. But an interesting exploration of relationships, growing older, parenthood and grief.

To be honest, I thought the cover of this was cute and it’s in my preferred genres, so I requested it from @netgalley. Bad choice. I started it several times and only finished it because I had to. 🤷‍♀️ I’d pass if I were you!

Separation Anxiety was a great read. Thank you @netgalley for what turned out to be an #extendedspringbreak read. A lot of people are probably dealing with separation anxiety from their favorite people right now, but hopefully we’ll all be back together again soon! In the meantime, this was a great read. Judy is anxious about her marriage breaking up, her more-distant-everyday teenage, and the poor prospects of her career. While cleaning the extra room she finds an old baby sling and begins wearing the family dog as a way to cope. Through a series of events, Judy finds how to love living in her own skin and relate better to those in her life. Loved Judy and her family and the development that each went through. I would recommend, and also it made me want a dog! I enjoyed the way that the family all got to know each other again by being (almost) forced to live with people they didn't know. Judy also was a great advocate for her son. He was experiencing something at school, and she stood by him despite what looked like incriminating evidence. Families do not have to be unfixable when they have problems. They can learn to love each other again and work together again. 😂🤓📚👍🏼 #bookstagram #readersareleaders #laurazigman #separationanxiety #funandlightreads

"Separation Anxiety" introduces us to Judy, a 50 - years - old mum, stuck in a failing marriage and a failing career - she has written a popular children's book that was turned into TV series but now has a writer's block. Her parents died recently and now her best friend is in the end stage of cancer. Her teenage son is growing up and apart. She and her husband are separated but don't have enough money for the divorce proceedings so they still live together. Gary, her husband, isn't able to pursue his music creativity because of panic issues. Just another normal family, right? So it shouldn't surprise you that one day Judy finds a long forgotten baby sling and starts to carry her Sheltie dog Charlotte in it. Everywhere. Because it feels comforting and right and the dog helps her to alleviate her anxiety.

It's a story about being able to find happiness in life despite feeling like you're facing the struggles and challenges all the time. Altogether, it was a rather sad tale, even though it promised to be a book "filled with humour" - for me, it missed this mark, and on the whole I think I simply didn't get the book. I usually am the first to spot the absurdity in life and laugh at this, but there was simply too much absurdity that was too absurd, making the book impossible to enjoy. I couldn't warm to the characters, I couldn't comprehend their actions and the things with carrying a dog in the sling around must have been the worst one. And in the end, well, I found myself skipping huge parts of the story.

I wouldn't say that the book was filled with humour. There was a little of humour, the dry, everyday kind of humour that doesn't make you roar with laughter but makes you smile a bit and nod your head in agreement and understanding, the kind of "I've been there, I've seen this", the one you can relate to, which is a good thing.

The author is a brilliant observes of the little things in life and she truly brought Judy to life. She truthfully and honestly painted all the ups and downs of a marriage, of all the changes that life brings, of coming to terms with grief, children growing up and becoming invisible, or at least what feels like becoming invisible.

The writing style must be one of the strongest points of this book - it's quirky, entertaining and sharp. It feels real and down - to - earth, it's honest and emotional and the author is a great story - teller. I think that in different circumstances, with different novel I could truly enjoy Laura Zigman's books, as she can also with great insight write about heavier issues, adding some lightness to them. But I simply felt too confused with the plot and the characters' actions to totally enjoy it.

Judy finds her life is falling apart. Everything from her career, her bank balance and her relationships. Sounds typical plot so far- but Separation Anxiety is so much more than that! I loved how the general premise of this hooked seemed to be kindness, it felt like a balsam during these turbulent times. Haven’t we all felt our lives are in free fall from time to time? And who are we to judge how one copes? A brilliant, uplifting story, with moments of fantastic laugh out loud humour.

A heartbreaking story about Judy, Gary, Teddy, and Charolette. Judy is a 50-year-old mother with a teenager who has pulled away from her. Because she feels so lonely she decides to wear her dog in a baby sling to feel secure. This story is sad, hopeless and funny. A true to life story about life with teenagers in a marriage where you may or may not feel alone. Some parts were very hard to read others were laugh out loud funny. Thank you to Ecco and Netgally for her my copy. All opinions are my own.

Separation Anxiety by @laurazigman
⭐️4/5

I started reading this novel not knowing what to expect, but I personally like to jump into novels without any preconceived expectations.

This novel is the most realistic depiction of life and though processes that I have read recently. The telling of this story goes the same way I end up telling stories - with tangents and descriptions of past context/memories in order to explain the current situation. All around I enjoyed the way this novel read, as well as how realistic most of the hurdles that the protagonist runs into. It was extremely relatable, given that it is about a 50-year-old woman and I am in my mid-20s. Finally, it is told with such blunt and witty humor, even in the most unexpected of times.

This novel follows Judy, when she decides to being wearing her dog around in a baby sling she finds when cleaning out her basement. It follows her along with the coping of her son, Teddy, growing into an angsts teen (as they all are), her marriage hanging on by a thread, and a hint of a hilarious mystery plot line. 💩

I’d recommend this book if you are looking for a realistic (and witty) tale of middle-age life and children growing up, with a hint of hilarious mystery!

I would like to thank @netgalley and @randomhouse for the copy of this novel. I just came out on March 3rd, so be sure to check it out if you’d like!

I loved reading Separation Anxiety, retreating into the book was such a pleasure for me. Separation Anxiety is a backdrop for the story of a marriage, of friendship, of parenting, & of pop culture touchstones.
In the book, Zigman describes the unspoken desires, grief, and angst that many of us have felt.
There are lines & scenes in this book that brought up emotions that caught in my throat. There are soft & true moments described that I recognize & others that are unique & new for me. There are laugh out loud moments that I reread so I could laugh again. Zigman has written a funny, thoughtful book about people doing their best to navigate their loneliness. daily life, & connections to others.
Laura Zigman has written a wonderful book with nuance & sensitivity, humor & truth. This book was a delightful way to leave the stresses of the day & relax into an interesting, smart, & fun book! Thanks to @NetGalley for the copy of the book in exchange for an honest review.

Separation Anxiety starts off with a very unique situation. Lead character, Judy Vogel has hit a point in her life where she's finding it a little hard to manage and takes to wearing her pet dog, Charlotte, in a sling as her coping mechanism.

And what is she coping with? Well, quite a lot. She's dealing with her best friend dying of cancer, her marriage falling apart, her son becoming more distant, her career not quite being in the place she wants it to be and financial struggles. I appreciate this list doesn't make Separation Anxiety sound like a barrel of laughs, but what makes this book so charming is the inclusive writing style and open, rawness around Judy. She's at a point in her life where she's reflective and things are just not where she thought they'd be. This is something, I think, a lot of people can relate to.

Essentially, this book is a quirky little celebration of all the imperfections life throws our way. The things we all cling to for comfort - however crazy they might seem to others - are what make us unique. And Judy sure is that. She is also felt so real; her honesty just poured off the page. It meant that Separation Anxiety made me feel sad, it made me feel hopeful, it made me laugh and it made me cringe. It evoked a wonderful blend of emotions and, a week after I've finished it, I still find myself thinking about Judy and hope she's getting on OK. This is my first Laura Zigman read, but won't be my last. I'm intrigued to see if her other books pack such an emotional punch too.

Judy never intended to start wearing the dog. But when she stumbled across her son Teddy’s old baby sling during a halfhearted basement cleaning, something in her snapped. So: the dog went into the sling, Judy felt connected to another living being, and she’s repeated the process every day since.

This is the first book in a while that just wasn’t for me. I see the appeal - a fun and light topic that I am sure some people can really relate to. However, the writing style just wasn’t for me. It was a bit bland for me and I just couldn’t get into it....

The first half of this novel is hilarious and had me smiling through a pandemic.

I found that towards the middle though, the pacing seemed off and nothing new was being revealed just reiterations of what we already knew about the characters.

A bit of the hilarity slipped away and the sadness at the heart of Judy made itself really and truly known.

Towards the end it had me sobbing quietly and then it came to the big finale which wasn't quite worth the build up in how it was dealt with

I would be keen to read more of her novels but this one didn't quite land for me.

Thanks to netgalley and the publisher for a copy in exchange for an honest review.

I began reading this book during the COVID-19 pandemic and while staying at home and self-quarantining. Imagine my surprise at the very beginning as I read the heading: Part One Sheltering In Place😮 I honestly thought I had stumbled upon some bizarre moment in time. It turned out, however, that sheltering in place was relative to the protagonist's experience in her family living situation. This is the story of Judy, Gary, Teddy and dog, Charlotte, but it is primarily Judy's story to tell. There are themes of loss, family, aging, friendship, mental health and love. Read this if you enjoy contemporary fiction and are fond of a sense of humor ingrained in your characters. ⭐️⭐️⭐️1/2 out of ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ #NetGalley #separationanxietybook