Judy deals with years of loss and resulting anxiety by carrying around her dog, Charlotte, not in a handbag or on a leash, but in a baby sling around her neck. She seems not to mind the stares of incomprehension from friends and strangers.

I found everything strange about the character and her situation, her living in different rooms in the same house with her husband Gary, from whom she is unofficially separated, and dealing with her young son as well as his school, teachers, other mothers, etc. while always "wearing the dog."

I guess the novel shows how people cope in different ways with their lives and its complications. An intriguing novel with some good insights by the book's unusual narrator Judy. The ending, however, seemed to add to the oddness of the book, when wearing the dog seems to become an acceptable, spreading concept in Judy's world.

Laura Zigman crafts a poignant and humorous tale of Judy Vogel, a once-successful children’s author whose life unravels as she navigates a failing marriage, a distant teenage son, and a dying best friend. Judy’s unconventional coping mechanism of carrying her dog in a baby sling adds both absurdity and comfort to her chaotic life. Despite the comedic elements, the novel dives deeply into themes of grief, loneliness, and the struggle to find connection in the midst of personal turmoil.

**Disclaimer** I received a free copy of this book from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
Albeit it years ago, but c'est la vie!

Usually when I want to DNF a book about a third of the way in, it doesn't usually get better. This one started out rough...none of the characters were likable or relatable and it was hard to pinpoint what type of story this was and its point of view. Was it humorous, a romance, the ever nebulous 'chicklit'? Were these characters unlikable in a total cringe way or in an endearing way? But I stuck with it because that's the kind of reader I am and by the last third of the book I didn't want to put it down and it had me in tears.

I never did find the characters likable or the story particularly compelling, but there was an authenticity to the writing that really pulled me in. I felt the grief engrained in the writing and by the end, the story felt so deeply personal and like a catharsis, both for the author herself (speculation on my part) and for me.

I do strongly believe this book needed a sensitivity reader though. There are several remarks throughout the book that come off as dogwhistles of transphobia; I'd like to assume they were kept in there to maybe suppose to demonstrate some growth on the part of our protagonist, however they are unnecessary to the plot and just read as icky.

As someone who is not above treating my dogs like actual tiny furry humans, I did not find the premise of Laura Zigman's new novel Separation Anxiety to be entirely preposterous. In the midst of her world falling down around her, Judy begins wearing her Sheltie dog in a baby sling (mind you, one that she never used when her son Teddy was actually a baby) to help alleviate some of her anxiety about her failed marriage, money woes, distant teenage son, and her dead-in-its-tracks career path. Once she starts wearing the dog, she can't seem to stop, no matter how many people look at her "like she has a bird on her head." (You'll get the bird-on-the-head reference once you read this book!)

Separation Anxiety is full of self-deprecating humor and hilarious asides as quirky and authentic protagonist Judy, with dog in tow, tries to prevent her life from completely falling apart. Relatable to middle aged wives and mothers, Separation Anxiety puts an amusing spin on all of the things that can go wrong as you move through this thing called life, while also addressing serious topics such as addiction, divorce, motherhood, and death. While I personally could not relate to Judy beyond her affinity for her dog, I nonetheless found her story to be engaging and entertaining, and enjoyed the chuckles that Separation Anxiety gave me as Judy got herself into one uncomfortable, yet funny, situation after another.

Separation Anxiety is recommended to readers who enjoy lightly humorous stories that poke fun at the darker aspects of life.

This is the book that I didn't know I needed. The protagonist is at a tough time in her life - her marriage is falling apart, her teen son finds her totally embarrassing, her career is stalled, and her best friend is dying of cancer. The novel begins with her finding a baby sling in the basement and deciding to try out carrying the dog around. The dog stays in the sling most of the novel as Judy tries to navigate middle age and find comfort for herself and the troubled people around her. This is a really moving novel. Everyone is struggling here, and the novel works to be gentle with everyone while also being really funny in its sharply observant depiction of everyone's flaws. I found the narrative really satisfying.

This book was definitely a quirky one. There is quite a bit of understated humor in parts that make this amusing. I really struggled though with actually liking the protagonist. She seemed very self absorbed and out for herself although she is dealing with separation. This did not make sense to me. I, also felt that the book really had an issue with pacing and just seemed to drag in many parts. Thanks for the ARC, NetGalley.

Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for providing me with an ARC in exchange for an honest review!

Separation Anxiety is quirky and fun, and I enjoyed it a lot! The audiobook is very enjoyable, as well. I'd be interested to see what Laura Zigman writes in the future.

When Judy started wearing her son's old baby sling, with her dog in it instead, it's something I thought of as quirky and charming. After all, I have a mini dachshund and it's def something I could see myself doing with my Snoopy! But when I delve deeper into that scenario, it would be more to relieve his separation anxiety than it would mine... So this book that I started out thinking would be funny, turned out to be incredibly sad. Idk what else to say? Besides thanks netgalley for giving me the pdf so that I can share my thoughts and opinions with y'all 🧡

This was an interesting read. Judy, the main character, is in a rut -- her life has not turned out quite like she expected. One day, when she finds her son's old baby sling, she decides to put her dog -- the one member of her family she still feels close to -- in the sling and carry him around like that. This odd premise leads the reader through a compelling journey of what it means to navigate adulthood when things are not what you anticipated or hoped for and how to find a way toward happiness nonetheless. Recommended!

This was a well written book with an interesting and slightly quirky storyline. It was supposed to be full of humor and though I could see the funny side of things (like wearing her dog in a baby sling), I also found it incredibly said. At this point in the pandemic, I cannot read sad books, I'm sure I would have enjoyed this book in happier times but I had to give up a quarter of the way through.

I found this book to be hilarious and honestly something I think I would do as a dog lover myself. The book was quirky and funny. Highly recommend.

I did not enjoy this one sadly. It did not hold my attention. I may just not have been in the right place at the time to properly read and enjoy this book.

Judy is anxious and disappointed in where her life is at this point. Her career, family life and marriage are all not what she had dreamed they would be - not even close.

Honestly, I put off reading this book because it was a little to close to my reality to talk about anxiety. Maybe a little too close to everyone's reality this year. However, it's a thoughtful, thought-provoking and well-written book that is worth a read when you're in the right place for this kind of novel. It will make you think and feel.

This book is quirky and funny, with endearing characters. Laura Zigman sets the scene of relatable marital and family water-tredding, but throws in such funny, and zany-enough-to-be-true details to warm your heart and make you think. I'll happily recommend this one.

When Judy finds a baby sling and starts wearing the dog, I thought there would be more humor, but I thought a lot of it was more heartbreaking than I was expecting.

This book was so accurately written on being a middle aged woman. It was heartfelt and very funny. I read it in a day since it was not as complicated as others. I will recommend this title to library patrons who are ready for a fun and well done read.

“Separation Anxiety” just was not for me. It did not pull me in. I really struggled to finish this one which is sad because I was really looking forward to reading it. I have anxiety myself and I know how it feels but I found Judy to be an insufferable character. I did not really connect with her if I’m being honest. The story itself was sad.It just missed the mark in my personal opinion.

I was given a free copy of this book from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

I really wanted to like this book, however, I couldn't get past the fact that she was wearing her dog. The whole concept seemed so ridiculous, that I couldn't take the rest of the book seriously.

#netgalley #separationanxiety #hatedit

I should preface this by saying I am not really a "dog person." (Blasphemous, I know.) Given this, I found it somewhat hard to connect with Judy and her attachment to her dog, even with the intended humor behind it. That said, this is a book about coming to a point in one's life where there's a reckoning. It's an examination of marriage, parenting, and one's relationship with one's self.

Many thanks to the author, publisher, and NetGalley for providing me with a copy of this book. All thoughts are my own.

When I first read about Separation Anxiety, I was intrigued. Mainly because I could relate to Judy's attaching to her dog. It took me several weeks and reading lots of positive reviews to read this novel. I could certainly relate to the notion of attaching to a pet as a source of comfort in times of change, and I could see bits of myself in Judy. This book is quirky and a bit silly at times, but is so cute and different that it is pleasurable to read.