Very engaging memoir!!! It’s hard to fathom the depths that addiction can take people to. Also a revealing look into our prison system and how hard it is to actually rehabilitate and renter society b

Incredible! I couldn’t get to the next page fast enough. I almost read it in one day. I look forward to reading more from Lara.

I haven't read a book all the way through in one sitting in quite some time, but this one drew me in from the get-go. Love Hardin's writing feels like it's a linear novel as opposed to a memoir (most that I read tend to be more essays), so I actually kept forgetting this was based on her actual life! Which made it all the more exciting every time I remembered. She does such a wonderful job at accepting when things have been her fault but acknowledging that much of the treatment/legal process she went through was barely tenable for a white, educated cis-woman, let alone the abuse/mistreatment she saw of women of color. It could be a hard read at times, but she does a wonderful job getting her points across and talking about the experiences that took her from an opium-addicted soccer mom to a successful ghostwriter.

No one expects the police to knock on the door of the perfect housewife. But Lara Love Hardin has been hiding a shady secret: she is funding her heroin addiction by stealing her neighbors’ credit cards. Lara is convicted of thirty-two felonies and becomes inmate S32179. She learns that jail is a class system with a power structure that is somewhere between an adolescent sleepover party and Lord of the Flies. But Lara quickly learns the rules and brings love and healing to her fellow inmates and ultimately to herself, and is able to overcome addiction and set herself in the course for a better future through the power of books and writing.

Thank you to @netgalley and @laralovehardin for the ARC! Lara has an incredible gift for storytelling and it really shone through in this memoir. Her life has definitely been a roller coaster and I admire her resilience and the emphasis she places on how education gave her the ability to overcome addiction and take charge of her life. Sometimes her account came off as a bit factual and detached in tone, and I would have liked to hear more of the emotional side of certain events that were explained. I’m also curious to know more of her upbringing as it wasn’t really discussed. I really enjoyed the role that writing and reading played in her getting her life back together. Overall this was a captivating memoir and I’d recommend it!

The story of how Lara Love Hardin goes from neighborhood carpool mom to opioid addict to convict and back out the other side.
I loved this book so much and it reminded me of Orange is the New Black (THE BOOK not the show!) and Maid. I enjoyed the honesty of Lara’s perspective and how easy it is to backslide and get caught in the system. And most notably, how broken the system is, period. I devoured this book and highly recommend!
Thank you to NetGalley and the author and publisher for this ARC!

I will never stop recommending this book. As someone who comes from a family with a history of addiction and alcoholism this book hit home. I loved the honesty the author maintained at all times.

Beautifully written, brutally honest. Brava to Lara Love Hardin for sharing a story that must not have been easy to relive or tell. But I’m sure glad that she did.

If you’re looking for a memoir that you won’t be able to put down, pick up The Many Lives of Mama Love. Lara Love Hardin is a highly successful ghostwriter of other people’s stories, and in this book, she tells her own story.

Hardin was a suburban mother and member of the community whose experience with addiction led her to jail. As the book cover notes “The Many Lives of Mama Love is a heartbreaking and tender journey from shame to redemption…”

The memoir shares Hardin’s personal experiences and feelings, but also intricately describes the conditions and social order in jail. I love that Hardin highlights stories of women she meets in jail, some of them very young, and how they ended up there and the complex processes that need to happen for them to get out and stay out.

Hardin’s story is worth reading to understand how a mother of four once on the PTA could end up stealing from her neighbors and separated from her children while in jail. Because of her experiences, Hardin can advocate for incarcerated women.

Mama Love’s story is one of the lowest lows of addictions and also of forgiveness and hope.

This review is posted on Instagram @beginandendwithbooks and on Goodreads Michelle Beginandendwithbooks

There is nothing better than a well written memoir. So many memiors fall flat. This one is wonderful. When you read it you can feel the heart of it all. You can really see and feel the author's life and thoughts. So good

I loved this book! i'm a sucker for memoirs! And underdogs! Lara has this way of writing that encapsulates you immediately, I was 12 pages in and immediately started recommending it to everyone. I like mom stories. I like stories that the mom had real problems and monsters and she beats them all. Lara tells a story of her life and doesn't miss a beat and doesn't leave out any detail. She is a addict and a mom and a writer and one doesn't define you and one doesn't explain your whole life. I never once found myself angry with her or confused or wondering what she was thinking. I knew. As a child of an alcoholic, I understood. This is one of those stories that I won't soon forget. Or stop reccommending.

I think this is one of my faves of 2023. This review is late but I wanted to say how much I loved this book and it was so inspiring and heartfelt and raw. I read it on the plane and was crying. Such an incredible story of a woman turning her life around and so much of it--the shame, guilt, lack of self-love--resonated with me (although not due to the same situation). Hardin is a gifted writer and I can't wait for her next book.

Incredible 5 star read. One of my top books of 2023 and probably one of the best memoirs I have ever read. Thank you #netgalley for the opportunity to read this before its release. I have since purchased my own hardback copy so I can share it with friends. 5/5 stars

This memoir was super interesting and well-written in my opinion-- the only reason it's not 5 stars is that the premise of the book was her character development, but other than not being on drugs/change in circumstance, I didn't really see a difference in her throughout the book.

I received this book as an ARC from NetGalley.

Lara Love Hardin has gone through many "lives" in her journey to successful literary agent and ghost writer. Her memoir follows her fall from soccer mom to jail for stealing credit cards, identities, and anything else that wasn't tied down to support her increasing drug habit.

I was fascinated by her description of the hierarchy she found in jail and how she was able to use her intelligence to help others. She had a much harder time helping herself.

Through a combination of skill, luck, and determination she was able to get a job working for a literary agent, where she rose to become a full partner. She co-wrote and ghost wrote books with the Dalai Lama and Bishop Tutu.

As I was reading the book, I realized that I had read and enjoyed "The Sun Does Shine" which was co-authored by Hardin.

After reading Just Mercy and The Sun Does Shine, this was a must read for me. It was such an incredible story and really highlighted the injustices of our “justice” system. Hardin gives and unfiltered, uncensored look into her experiences highlighting growth, forgiveness, and self-reflection.

The Many Lives of Mama Love was a beautifully written memoir. I heard about this book on Sarah’s Bookshelves Live and couldn’t wait to get my hands on it.
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Lara Love Hardin describes her addiction that fueled her crimes that ultimately landed her in jail, trying to get out to get her son back. It’s a really clear view into addiction and the challenges of parole. We also got a really interesting look at her career as a ghostwriter. I definitely look forward to reading her next book that she mentions in her acknowledgements (don’t skip them!)

She wrote one of the most memorable and touching memoirs of all time. I didn't realize how unjust the American criminal justice system is until I read her memoir. Kudos to Lara for getting out of jail and picking up the pieces so she can reunite with her kids and redeem herself. Thanks, NetGalley, for an honest review. I look forward to reading more of her works in the future.

wow! This memoir was so well written and an on point description of the sickness that is addiction. As a sibling of two addicts in recovery, so much of this book was felt deep in my bones. What really stuck out to me was the barriers that stood in Lara's way once she was out of prison. It's amazing that anyone is able to keep their life together with the hoops they are made to jump through.

This book was a great read.I loved the way the author told the whole story from start to finish. I did not know anything about drugs or jail and boy did I Lear a lot of valuable information. I was so happy for Laura that she turned her life around and came out on top. She encouraged all her fellow inmates and others. Her spirit was amazing. This book was a page turner.

Once I started reading this book, I could not put in down. We begin with some intense scenes about drug addiction that were difficult to read and hard to relate to. However, what ensues is a beautiful story about overcoming the odds even when they are stacked against you.

This book made me think a lot about rehabilitation and how we treat criminals. It also made me stand in awe of how Laura refused to let her mistake define her.

I would recommend this book to anyone.