Rossner's eighth novel, written during her long recuperation, was "His Little Women" (Summit Books), a modern retelling of the Louisa May Alcott classic, which was published in 1990 to mixed reviews. Some suggested that Rossner had "lost her touch," neglecting to take into the account the difficulties she had encountered during its writing as she battled her illness. Although "The New York Times" found the novel "energetic, ambitious and funny...," many agreed with the verdict of "Publishers Weekly": "Laboriously contrived, rambling and lacking momentum... it will disappoint fans of the author who expect better."