really enjoyed reading this book, it was a beautifully done story with great characters. I really felt for them when reading this.

Thank you to Splitrail Publishing and NetGalley for the gifted copy.

This novel is a fictional story about a loving father dealing with his beloved son's autism.

When Tommy's father discovers that Tommy has a special connection with the chimps at the zoo, he sets off on a search to discover more about the possible connection. Tommy's father finds out about a research center that studies chimps and they agree to let Tommy visit with his parents. Tommy connects with a chimp who was born to a chimp who suddenly had postpartum depression and abandoned the baby chimp. Tommy got the chimp to eat when the staff tried without success to get the baby chimp to ear.

Meanwhile, Tommy's parents are divorced. Tommy's mother is the family breadwinner with a steady income and Tommy's father is a freelance voice over actor.

Well written. This story is fast paced and grabbed my attention.

This was an awesome story, and is truly inspirational The father and son relationship was special and I found it to be very emotional at times.
Many thanks to Splitrail Publishing and to NetGalley for providing me with a galley in exchange for my honest opinion.

Story of a loving father who just wants what is best for his troubled autistic son tells truthfully the problems such parents follow daily dealing with autism. A fascinating and emotional story ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Like No Other Boy
By Larry E. Center

Parenting is no easy job – and parenting an autistic child is a heartbreaking task. This is the story of Tommy Crutcher, an autistic boy, as told from the perspective of his father, Chris. Chris and Cheryl were your typical young lovers expecting their first child. Little did they know that the child they created together would tear them apart as a married couple, but would bond them forever as parents of an autistic child.

As the story opens, Chris and Cheryl share custody of Tommy. While both parents love him and have tried all kinds of therapies and schools to bring him out of his shell, Tommy remains closed off and unresponsive.

One day, Chris takes his son to the zoo, and there in the primate section, a bizarre story unfolds. It seems that Tommy not only comes out of his shell around the "chimpies", but actually seems to be able to communicate and interact with them. Thus begins the struggle between the parents over the best way to advance Tommy's educational interests.

Suffice it to say, the parents are at odds and the results are devastating for one parent. And for Tommy. This is a moving story about parents and children, and what it takes to do the right things for your child. I was in tears reading this book. I think it is a must read for anyone who has an autistic child in his/her life. I would guess that the author has some firsthand knowledge of autism in order to write such a meaningful book.

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for providing me the digital ARC in exchange for an honest review.

This was a hard book to read. It deals with may real (triggering) things and was no easy task to get through. I loved how well-written and depicted the story was by the author. It was definitely inspiring and insightful. Highly recommend.

Really didn’t know what to expect from the storyline but this book was worth every last minute reading it. Story of a loving father who just wants what is best for his troubled autistic son tells truthfully the problems such parents follow daily dealing with autism but please don’t let that put you off the book is brilliant. It’s depressing but also uplifting it makes you laugh and it makes you cry. Read this please it’s not a book to miss

<i>Like no other boy</i> is a fictional roller coaster through the trials and tribulations of dealing with autism. Tommy, like most autistic little boys, does not relate to humans but in his case, he has a special relationship with chimpanzees. <i>Like no other boy</i> is a debuts novel written by Larry Eisenman Center.

Chris Crutcher takes his autistic son Tommy to the San Diego zoo where he is having difficulty keeping Tommy interested in any of the animals. They decide to take a rest on a nearby bench and pass by a Chimpanzee enclosure. Tommy suddenly starts responding to the Chimps who come over to the window and start signaling back and forth to Tommy. Chris who is amazed at Tommy’s awareness tells his ex-wife Cheryl. At first, Cheryl is excited and they all go to a nearby Research Institute to determine if Tommy actually does show signs of relating to the chimpanzees. Chris becomes very excited about Tommy’s progress. However, Cheryl becomes hesitant and takes an interest in another institute for Tommy’s treatment. Cheryl’s preferred institute is in Houston to where Chris cannot move because he is caring for his elderly father. As well, Chris is truly excited about the Chimpanzee therapy. Cheryl decides to fight for full custody of Tommy in order to move to nearby the Houston Institute. Is it possible that Tommy will lose access to his beloved Chimpanzees and Chris will lose access to Tommy?

The author does an exceptional job of describing autism and detailing some of its characteristics as he slowly unfolds the issues that parents deal with when raising their children. He expertly draws the reader into the whole picture of the difficulties associated with families dealing with autism.

At the same time, I am in awe of the incredible love these parents have for their son Tommy and the lengths they will go to help him. There are no evil people in this story. Everyone just wants to help so badly that they sacrifice their own wellbeing sometimes. The whole book is a seesaw of emotions but it is a very quick and very entertaining read.

I highly recommend this story to anyone that wants to learn more about the challenges of autism but, as well as, to those people that really like an emotional, highly charged novel. I'll give it a 5 on 5. I would like to thank and NetGalley and Splitrail Publishing for providing me with a digital copy of this novel. I provide in this review voluntarily

Like No Other Boy by Larry Center is an emotional, heart wrenching, insightful, and heart warming book. Tommy is an eight year old boy with autism. His parents would do anything for their child to help him. The problem is that they have different opinions on how to do this. Tom-Tom's parents, are divorced and he lives with his mother during the week and with his dad on the weekends. To say that Chris and Cheryl's relationship is strained is putting it mildly. One Saturday, his father takes him to the San Diego Zoo and when they are viewing the chimpanzees, Chris notices that his son is somehow communicating with the chimps. At first he can't believe this but others that are around are noticing the same thing. When he tells Cheryl she thinks he is insane.
Chris finds a program that is studying chimpanzees and their communication with humans. He brings Tommy to this place and the doctors there are astounded at Tommy's interaction with the primates.
The relationship of divorced parents, between father and son, Tommy and the chimps is so real and moving. The situations of dealing with court proceedings on the custody of Tommy, dealing with an aging parent, dealing with the real heartbreak of having a child with autism and their idiosyncrasys, trying to find employment, and most of all doing what your gut is telling you is the best situation for your son is told with such heartfelt emotion. (
Thank you to NetGalley for a copy of this book.

I read this book because I have 2 great nephews who are autistic. I wanted to learn a bit more about what that means. This book was interesting and was at times heartwarming and other times very uncomfortable to read.
Uncomfortable because of the issues the boy had and the things the dad were hoping would help his son, that didn’t.

It was also uncomfortable to read because I think the writing needs some help. It seemed unprofessional and I hope that it can be edited to make it a better book.

A very emotional and good read. I think it's safe to say it's insightful and inspirational at times. I suspect parents (I'm not one) will relate to a lot of this more than non-parents, but anyone will likely be moved by this, which is really well-written and conceived. Highly recommended.

I really appreciate the review copy!!

I chose this book because one of my neighbors has a young boy that is autistic. He really keeps to himself so I don't know anything about his specific situation other than that he was diagnosed at about 2 or 3 years old and has been in special programs since. He is a young teen now and the family seems to be handling it well. This book really interested me. You hear so often that special needs people have some special "talent" (for lack of a better word) that far exceeds what most people have. That is certainly the case with Tommy in this book. I loved reading about his interactions with the chimps and the benefits he and the animals received from the interaction. If you are interested in autism and how it is manifested or in animal/human interaction, I would highly recommend this book.

Thank you for the ARC copy. A story of a loving father that discovers his son seems to communicate with chimpanzees on a visit to the zoo. The story is focused on the life of Chris the father and his son Tommy who is autistic. Heartwarming and heartwrenching at times! Definitely will recommend!!

Like No Other Boy is about an eight year old boy with autism whose parents are seeking the best education for their son. They live in San Diego where they have already tried many options to help their son. Frustrated, their disagreements have lead to divorce. Mom has custody while Dad has visitation. Mom believes that a special and very expensive school in Houston is the answer. This creates a big problem for Dad’s visits as he also has a Father who needs help. Dad accidentally finds what he thinks is another opportunity for his son. While visiting the San Diego Zoo the boy interacts with the chimpanzees in a surprising and positive way. Someone takes a video and it opens up a chance for research. The crossroads ends up with bitterness and a court case. Do the parents want what is best for their son or what’s best for them. This is a thought provoking book.

This is a new author busting out on the scene, and definitely one to keep an eye on for future books.
The pros:
The premise of the story is heartwarming. The character development is great and allows the reader much insight into the individual character personalities and the family dynamics while also subtly connecting the reader emotionally to the main characters in the story. The storyline and character development earned a 5-star rating. The ending was bittersweet and well written because not only did it wrap up all the loose ends, but it was also fully developed and wasn't rushed.
The cons:
The passive voice is dominant throughout the book. More active voice would enhance the writing. Taking into consideration this is an ARC and uncorrected proof, there remains a manuscript that would greatly benefit from a scrub by a professional copy editor. The cons earn a 2-star rating.

Thank you to netgalley and the publisher for providing a copy of this book to read and review. The impressions expressed here are my own honest opinions written voluntarily.