Stuart Neilson

GalleryASD fiction Johnson, Amber L - Puddle Jumping

Johnson, Amber L - "Puddle Jumping"
Colton Neely is a special kid with Asperger syndrome and a protective mother, who fascinates the almost-fatally accident-prone Lilly Evans. We first meet Colton aged nine, and again at fifteen, after an enforced separation from the dangerous Lilly. This is a mature (sexually explicit) young adult romance, addressing ideas of acceptance (rather than tolerance) and the consequences of over-protectiveness on developing teen self-image. Lilly learns everything she can about autism and Asperger syndrome, about tactile sensitivity, rehearsal and routine. The depiction of autistic traits is well-studied and makes a great effort to imagine what sex would be like for someone with Asperger syndrome. Perhaps there is little autobiographical sexual history to work with, but I found the sexuality unconvincing and over-worked in comparison to the activities of daily living.
Aestas Book Blog review
www.amberlynnejohnson.com