I found this book an easy read. However, I found it hard to accept it as a true story. For one, her story of heroin addiction seemed very contrived. Addicts never put anything above their habit, including their own children. They will lie, steal and prostitute to feed their addiction. She seemed to be one of the rarest exceptions.
Second, her stint in jail also seemed very contrived. She becomes a super star and everyone is her friend and protector. That isn’t the way jail usually works but again, our heroine is the rarest exception.
Third, a new boss trusts her with the keys to the kingdom, knowing full well of her past crimes. Rare but possible.
In general, I did not particularly care for the book. Had it been presented as a work of fiction, I may have thought a little more of it.
Thank you for the opportunity to read it.

What an incredible memoir!
How does a successful woman, wife and mother spiral out of control? And how does she bring herself back from the brink and climb the ladder of success once again?
Lara Love was addicted to heroin and opiates until she gets charged with 32 felonies. She flips her hustle into healing in jail. Her empathy, compassion and education moving her up through the ranks. She acquires the title, Mama Love, and the respect of the inmates.
Returning to the real world is where it gets really hard. Fighting the cycle of addiction, fighting the stigma of being a felon, it seems impossible. Hope and perseverance can light the way.

A beautifully, honest, heartbreaking memoir that reads like fiction. Mama Love shares her story but also the inequity in our court systems in such a heart wrenching way.

Thank you Net Galley for the advanced copy of this book for the honest review.

This was impossible to put down and unforgettable. Such an eye opening look at the prison system and our justice system—and also a personal look at addiction. I think this book will resonate with so, so many people.

Mama Mia. What a memoir.

How does a successful woman, wife and mother, spiral out of control? Drugs will do that to you. Addiction will pin you down and keep you there. At the cost of losing your children. Losing yourself.

Lara Love addicted to heroin and opiates until she gets charged with 32 felonies. She flips her hustle into healing in jail. Her empathy, compassion and education moving her up through the ranks. She acquires the title, Mama Love, and the respect from the inmates.
But returning to the real world is like clawing your way out of a deep, dark hole. Fighting the cycle of addiction. Including those who you surround yourself with. Fighting the stigma of being a felon. Even old neighbours can hold a grudge for years.
However, hope and perseverance can light the way- even when three steps back are required to move one forward.

Lara Love Hardin goes to prison, got being the neighborhood criminal…the one who has stolen her neighbors credit cards in order to fund her and her husband's drug addiction. Turns out, her time away changed her life for the better.

The author is brutally honest about the crimes she committed, the people that she hurt and the step by step process to reclaiming her life. What started as writing letters for other prisoners slowly turned into a ghostwriting career, one that led to her working with Archbishop Desmond Tutu, the Daili Lama, Bryan Stevenson and more.

As if that weren't enough, her lunch with Oprah Winfrey practically changed her life.

I loved every minute of this book, and I wouldn't like to thanks @oprahsbookclfor suggesting it and @laralovehardin for writing it.

If you're looking for a good read, go get this book!

This is one that should be everyone's pick for their book discussion group. The author opens her life in an unflinching, raw way that made me cringe at times and hold my breath in others. It's about addiction and all the ugly details that accompany the horrid disease including family pain and suffering. Go get this one and share with others. Thanks to the publisher for sending me an advanced copy.

The best compliment I can think of to give Lara Love Hardin is that I would read 20 more books by her in a heartbeat. When I finished her memoir, “The Many Lives of Mama Love,” I instantly wanted more. But don’t get me wrong – it’s definitely not that Hardin didn’t pour her heart and soul into this book. Rather, it’s more that I wanted to continue walking along her journey with her, and I felt sad to know our time together had come to an end.

This memoir is one of those non-fiction books that reminds me of that phrase: ‘truth is stranger than fiction.’ How else can you describe the tumultuous life Hardin has led? No spoilers here, but Hardin goes from being a well-respected suburban mom and business owner to a heroin addict, trying to survive in jail. It’s hard to believe but oh-so-true. Because Hardin was such a fish out of water in these circumstances, most chapters often read like a real page-turner for me. I kept feeling myself hold my breath to see how Hardin would get through some truly terrifying situations, and this created an overall feeling of genuine connection with Hardin. It felt like more than just reading some words on a page; I experienced every ounce of horror and confusion and hopelessness that Hardin recounts.

This feeling of being immersed in Hardin’s life led me to feel ultimate compassion and empathy for incarcerated people and folks suffering from addiction. It’s easy to dismiss people with, “Oh, they’re just making bad choices,” and I fear I’ve had these thoughts before, even when they were completely unwarranted. After reading Hardin’s story, I have a much better understanding of the great adversity this population of people faces (especially once they’re on parole). I was looking at these situations from a place of privilege and general ignorance, so I’m thankful for Hardin’s ability to allow readers into her story so that they can better comprehend the challenges that accompany being an addict and/or someone with a history of incarceration.

As a trauma survivor who might like to write a memoir (someday), Hardin also gave me hope that even when you’re coming from a place of shame, there’s still an opportunity to share your story in the hopes that it might help someone else. And Hardin’s book has done just that for me – it’s provided me with this sense of optimism and faith that there are good people in the world who want to help others succeed. Her perseverance and grit and immense love (for the people she’s hurt, and eventually for herself) will carve out a path for so many people to grow and learn. I’m grateful that she’s shared her story, and I’ll start saving up so I can purchase every book she writes in the future.

The Many Lives of Mama Love is a tender book that will make you want to live your life in a kinder, more authentic way. This is definitely a book that I will recommend a lot and think about a lot.

From the very first page, I was sucked into Lara’s story and struggles. She writes so openly about the pains of addiction, the pains of trying to be perceived as perfect, and I felt like I was right there with her for all the highs and lows.

When I say this is a tender book, I’m really referring to the way Lara talks about the different people she encounters on her journey, particularly the other female inmates of cell block G. Her writing is filled with empathy, even in moments where she’s been wronged; she shows the inherent humanity of prison life and shines a light on the unfairness of the system, all while centering the people impacted. Her writing style is perfectly suited for this task, and I’m so grateful for her willingness to share her life with us.

At the heart of this story, it is a tale of redemption but also learning that redemption has to come through forgiving yourself. It will break your heart, then build you write back up. Truly cannot recommend it highly enough.

Grateful to the publisher for providing me with an eARC in exchange for an honest review; all opinions shared here are my own.

The Book of Joy and The Son Does Shine were my favorite books a few years ago. Little did I know I would fall in love with a memoir written by the ghostwriter for each of these books - Lara Love Hardin. Lara's writing style is straightforward and propels you forward. I read this book in two days because I could pick it up and read it quickly.

The first half of the book is dedicated to Lara's struggles as an "aspiring suburban mom" - except this mom does drugs, steals from her neighbors, and ultimately is convicted of a string of felonies, is thrown in jail, and loses her four-year-old son. At times, the book was hard to read. There are honest and graphic descriptions of prison, what happens in a women's prison, and a lot of commentary about our criminal justice system. "The barriers to becoming productive members of society are huge for just about anybody who has been incarcerated." We have a front-row seat as Lara works hard to overcome those barriers - and succeeds.

The book's second half is about the miraculous way Lara reinvents herself as a ghostwriter and begins championing others. We learn about the power of forgiveness, second chances, and not rushing to judgment. "Sometimes, the path of forgiveness doesn't look anything like we think it will."

I was a skeptical reader for a short while, but quickly was drawn into Lara's story - her honesty, vulnerability, and obvious heart for the marginalized. Her courage to share this story amazes me, and I'm thankful I had the chance to read the book.

It took me forever to finally pick up and read this book and I regret every minute I wasn't reading it. I loved this book and it was very captivating. When I requested this book, I did not realize that it would become one of my favorite reads.

Powerful. Raw. Real. Heart-breaking. Encouraging. This book covers a huge gamut of emotions. It begins with the arrest of Lara, follows her times in jail (not prison), and her path to trying to make it out in the world when the system was working against her. It follows her path to redefining herself and letting go of her shame and guilt. It is a powerful story that shows how broken the system is and how many barriers there are to success even when people are trying desperately to remake themselves. Lara's shame was palatable throughout the book and you felt the weight she carried. As she finds her way to owning her identity and letting go of her shame, you are rooting for her and her successes. The author did an amazing job conveying a wide array of emotions. Highly recommend.

A huge thank you to NetGalley and SimonBooks for the advanced copy of The Many Lives of Mama Love: A Memoir of Lying, Stealing, Writing, and Healing.
Mama Love has done it all!! Stole money out of people mailboxes, ran from the law, and articulately lied her way into getting what she wanted/needed in order to seek shelter for herself and her kids while fueling her addiction.
This memoir I would press into anyone hands. Drugs and addiction doesn’t discriminate. The writing is so wonderful done that you can feel all the emotions. Wonderful job Lara Love Hardin on your personal and professional accomplishments. Hands down a solid 5 star read.

A book that was interesting, heartbreaking, and heartwarming, all at the same time. This was a memoir along the lines of The Glass Castle - the author makes it through and comes out the other side.

She made some interesting observations about the needs of those who are newly released from prison, and I believe in her ideas.

Thank you to NetGalley for the ARC!

Can I just say, “WOW,” and call that my review?

Or maybe, “Everyone needs to read this book!”

Also, I’m an idiot for letting this sit unread on my shelf for so long.

Some descriptors: beautifully written, impactful, poignant, emotional.

The Many Lives of Mama Love is truly one of the best memoirs I’ve ever read. It’s raw and honest and real. More descriptors. I seem to have a lot of them.

Lara Love Hardin smashes society’s stereotypes of an ex-addict with a prison record. Her journey embodies redemption. She reminds us that we’re all complex humans, not to be defined by the worst thing we’ve ever done.

I switched between reading the book and listening to the audiobook, which the author narrates herself. I highly recommend either/both.

I received this book in exchange for an honest review from NetGalley.

By the time I got around to reading this book I had already heard a lot of hype surrounding it, and it lived up to my expectations. I truly enjoyed the story of Lara and how she didn’t shy away from the mistakes that led to her incarceration. Even though the book was 300 pages, I would have gladly read much more about her and her journey, especially as some areas were glossed over out of necessity.

Highly recommend!

From the description: “New York Times bestselling author Lara Love Hardin recounts her slide from soccer mom to opioid addict to jailhouse shot-caller and her unlikely comeback as a highly successful ghostwriter in this harrowing, hilarious, no-holds-barred memoir.” Reviewing a memoir is always so tricky. The beginning chapters of this book were really interesting, but I wanted more. More back story, more introspection. Our poor choices are rarely made in a bubble and I was hoping to read about the steps made to reach the bottom and then how she got back up. There seemed to be little of the first. I did appreciate the peek into the criminal justice system – lots of things to ponder there. 3.5 stars.

Overall, I enjoyed reading The Many Lives of Mama Love. Reading memoirs can be tricky because you get invested in their lives while reading their story. There were a few points where I got angry with her for making repeated choices that she knew were wrong; there was a whole interaction with her husband in the car that had me livid. But I also found myself cheering for her.

I love a good tortured memoir, but I very much did not enjoy Mama Love. She seems to make excuses for her all her wrong doings.

Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for giving me a free advanced copy of this book to read and review.