Mimi's having a tough time coping with her life and her son's autism. This is at times a tough read which would have benefitted from a stronger editorial hand but which has good insight. Thanks to Netgalley for the ARC.

This is the story of a mother trying to keep everything together and raise her autistic child. It was a good read. I enjoyed how it dealt with autism and the struggles of raising children with disabilities. Overall, this was a good book that I would recommend.

I would like to thank Netgalley and the publisher for providing me with a review copy in exchange for my honest and unbiased opinion of it.

Really not a fan of this one. I found it dragged, and was just hard to get stuck into. Would not recommend

Amazing book. Loved it from beginning to end.
Well written which kept me captivated throughout.
I will definitely be reading other books by this author

A collection of stories about dealing with autism. I felt like it was a bit uneven, I would have preferred a more cohesive story.

Wow, emotional and real. The story of a mother racing an autistic special needs child. Thank for for putting it all out there. netgalley supplied the arc, I supplied the honest review

This book doesn’t wrap you in bubble wrap and drop you lightly in a cushiony box; it drops you naked into the middle of a briar maze and you have to find your own way and that must be how it feels to be the parent of an autistic child. Longer review on my website.

I would say "Queen for a Day" is the "Ellen Foster" of books, but I think "Ellen Foster" was a book before it became the hyper-depressing Hallmark movie it is today. (No, not all Hallmark movies are the same saccharine-sweet I know and love.)

I didn't find the characters endearing; in fact, Mimi and Danny made me really want a drink. Neither was relatable, and while I found Mimi's pursuit of a solid education for her autistic son -- and the struggles the family went through -- sorrowful and hard beyond belief, I never felt like there really was any hope. The book sheds light on the incredibly hard world of the mentally challenged, and that of the families that surround them -- but nowhere could I find a light at the end of the tunnel.

Way too depressing of a read for me. I also was put off by quite a bit of language, and frank passing references to sex. Had I known about either, I would have passed on the read.

A very real look at how a mother who has a special needs child sometimes feels. Mom is constantly trying to find ways for her child to fit in and give him the experiences that we all want for our children and damn the consequences to her friendships, finances and marriage. . I can understand how Mimi feels, although her methods and ways sometimes come across as needy which proves to be what pushes her further. All in all, an honest reflection of the loneliness and desperation a mother can feel wanting their child to fit in to the social norm. I felt the ending was a bit abrupt,

The writing style of this author did not appeal to me so I did not progress past the first chapter of this book.

this was a big disappointment. the story took place all over the place from many points of view. the time line jumped all over the place which was confusing. there was no character development. I never got to know any of the characters well. most importantly, this was supposed to be a book about autism. never once was autism defined. Danny was portrayed to be a very difficult child who basically ruined his mom's life.

received this book in return for a fair review. all comments expressed are my own.

This was posted on goodreads

As a former special education teacher who worked closely families with children who were diagnosed as autistic, I found the conversations in this novel interesting. Listening to their perspectives was somewhat insightful. When I started this book, it seemed like a memoir. Then the POV shifted, and I thought that was an odd way to set up a memoir, having the author being referred to as third person when another character in the book told the story. Apparently, this is a novel, so I have no idea why the book is set up the way it is. It was jarring going from Mimi, our main character, narrating about her saga with her so and husband, then having her referred to as a character when someone else narrated. At the end of the book, I wasn't entirely sure who was the author, but realized this was marketed as fiction. For some reason, I thought Maxine was calling herself Mimi in the novel.

Since the book is fiction and told in the voice of various people, I wondered why we didn't hear from those with autism also. I also thought there were plenty of cheap shots toward fat people that didn't lend to the story. I understand the author wanted Mimi to come across as "bitchy," and she did, and perhaps she was created that way so readers wouldn't feel obligated to show empathy, but could see Mimi as a flawed human trying to do right. As a novel, it was too disjointed to make me eager to continue reading, even though I did finish the novel.

"She had never wanted to be a mother in the first place. The idea of being a mother to a child who would need a mother for the rest of his life frightened her. I came up with half a dozen other justifications for her decision. I didn't want to judge her. Nevertheless I couldn't stop myself from judging her."

This is a raw, uncomfortable look into the life of a caregiver.
My mother is a full-time caregiver to my father who has early onset dementia and even though this book is about the mother of a boy with autism, the stress and frustration of everyday life is very similar. As a work of fiction, it feels real. Mimi is so real. The anxiety, second guessing, and the deep sorrow knowing that no matter what you do, this person you're caring for isn't going to "get better." You can't teach this person something that will result in different behavior the next day. Everything is a compromise and the amount of work needed to get to that compromise is exhausting. All these emotions are running through this book. You will feel uncomfortable.

Rosaler was a genius for breaking this story into multiple viewpoints. It really drives home the uneasiness of how Mimi is seen through other's eyes. She knows deep down that they're judging her just as she's judging them. I especially loved the chapters that focused on different special needs moms. Each woman handled their situation in a unique way - none were perfect and most were doing the best they could. I don't think I could do it. I know couldn't do it and would end up more like Karen than Mimi.

This is not a "super mom" story where Mimi discovers a cure for her son through hard work. It's better than that - it's honest. Doing this kind of job 24/7 for the rest of someone's life is emotionally and mentally taxing. This is the first book I've read the really captures how stressful that job is.

I received a copy from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

Story: 4 stars
Character Development: 5 stars
Writing/Prose: 4 stars

This is the story of a mother trying to keep everything together and raise her autistic child. It was a good read. I enjoyed how it dealt with autism and the struggles of raising children with disabilities. Overall, this was a good book that I would recommend.

I would like to thank Netgalley and the publisher for providing me with a review copy in exchange for my honest and unbiased opinion of it.

I received an advance copy in exchange for an honest review.

This book was wonderful . It was hard to read. It was tender and funny. I really hope Net Galley can get it out on more people's radars, because this is a book needs to be discussed. It is a novel about a woman managing life with an autistic child in New York City . Achingly real. It's a tragic mirror of how our society treats those that are different and cannot take care of themselves. To the author's credit, she is able to show us this rather than tell us , never letting the ideas take away from the narrative or the characters. You really feel like you know this woman, and her child, and the cast of supporting characters that are familiar to anyone who lives in New York City. Wonderful

I recommend checking out is contemporary fiction novel. It tackles interesting and important subjects.