I received a free copy of this book in exchange for a fair and honest review. All opinions are my own.

A young mother struggles as her son, diagnosed with Asperger’s Syndrome, disappears, and the community she fought so hard to accept them must rally around her to find the missing boy in author and Dr. Michelle Naguib’s “31 Hours: A Mother’s Story of Hope, Heroes, and Autism”.

The Synopsis

When her fourteen-year-old son Jimmy goes missing, Michelle is frantic and distraught. As the hours tick by, Michelle’s desperation escalates, her self-doubt intensifies, and the community’s collective efforts to locate Jimmy become increasingly urgent.

In this memoir, Michelle takes us through the emotional journey of losing her son, who was diagnosed with Asperger’s Syndrome as a young child, and reflects on the circumstances that led to his disappearance, her struggles to find him a place of belonging in the community, and the heroism of this same community in rallying to find Jimmy.

An honest account of a mother’s struggles, a keen insight into living with neurodiversity, and an invocation for understanding, acceptance and change, 31 Hours is as heartwarming as it is heartbreaking. It is a true story of resilience that is both relatable and riveting.

The Review

This was an emotional, heartfelt, and insightful read. The tension and heartbreak as the author recounts the hours leading up to and following the disappearance of her son was impactful, to say the least, the reader was given insight into the complex web of emotions that can overwhelm any parent, let alone the parent of a child who is neurodivergent. The emotional wellspring that the author taps into to recount her experiences and the thoughtful attention to detail really painted an image in the author’s mind about this experience.

In addition to these tense moments throughout the memoir, the author does an incredible job of not only delving into the details surrounding the work and love that goes into caring for and loving a child who is neurodivergent but also of the efforts that are made to bring your child into a community that supports and cares for them just as much as you do. The impact that faith and community had on any given situation made this a compelling memoir.

The Verdict

Heartfelt, emotional, and authentically written, author and Dr. Michelle Naguib’s “31 Hours” is a must-read memoir for anyone who has experienced the fear of a missing child, the struggles and triumphs of raising a neurodivergent child, or the love of motherhood in general. The engaging way the author addressed the reader while also writing in a way that allowed her to pour her heart into the experiences she was sharing made this a memorable memoir. If you haven’t yet, be sure to grab your copy today!

Rating: 10/10

About the Author

Michelle Naguib is a mom, pediatric dentist and author who started writing as a cathartic outlet after her son, who was diagnosed with autism, went missing. She lives in South Florida with her husband and two sons, as well as her beautiful Labrador Retriever, Amber.

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