Goldie Taylor's memoir is so relatable and raw. I enjoyed learning about what it means to be in a family and to be loved. While we all may deal with family dysfunction, there are times when it really can be traumatic and life-threatening. To those that make it out of trauma, poverty, and helplessness, I am in awe of you. Taylor made me feel like I was right there alongside her as she fought to be "truly" seen and loved by her family. Love will always be an action verb, but love is not supposed to hurt.

I would most definitely recommend this to anybody that feels like their life is upended, hopeless, and struggling because of your past and family relationships. Taylor shows us that there is a way to rise above it all and to know that your presence on Earth has meaning and purpose.

This memoir gets all the stars!

The love you save was one of the most heartbreaking memoirs I've read this year. The author takes us on an emotional journey filled with heartache and tears. I absolutely shed many tears while reading this book. It was gripping and emotional. My heart broke into pieces as I was reading and it took me a minute to recover from this book. You are going to need a big box of tissues nearby. I couldn't help but feel sorry for her as I was reading her story.

A very touching memoir that is beautifully written. Filled with emotion that brings the reader along on the ride that was the author's life. The story is touching and at times hard to read. This is a moving story filled with hope about Taylor's ability to survive what she'd been through.

Goldie Taylor’s memoir, The Love You Save, took my breath away. Ms. Taylor’s childhood in East St. Louis was filled with hardship, trauma and loss, but ultimately, it is the story of resilience and survival. I was glad that I listened to the audio version because the reader brought Ms. Taylor’s beautifully written words to life. As an educator, I was particularly struck by the failings in the educational system, and what the author calls, “the soft bigotry of low expectations.” Sadly, I don’t think that much has changed in the way poor students are tracked in school since Ms. Taylor was a child. Thankfully, her love of reading, in part, was an antidote to the shortcomings of the school system, as well as many of the adults in her life. This is a story that will stay in my heart.

My thanks to NetGalley for an Advanced Readers Copy of this book. All opinions are my own and not biased in any way.

Adults. Parents. We must do better for children, our children. Goldie’s formative years were filled with so much trauma, chaos and abuse. All of it so unnecessary, all this child needed was some real love and concern, instead Goldie feels a tale that will have your head spinning. My heart goes out to Goldie Taylor, she is the very definition of perseverance. Her story is reminiscent of Maya Angelou’s account in I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings, and as such the details are harrowing and Goldie Taylor doesn’t pull any punches. She writes in novelistic fashion, which helps to make her story more digestible, because honestly at times, it seems like some of the situations Goldie Taylor survives, could only be fiction. It is beyond sad, that-fiction-isn’t the case. This is well executed memoir writing and deserves a five star rating.. Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for an DRC.

The Love you Save
Goldie Taylor

I love reading about life's journey with all the trials and tribulations. I find it compelling to learn about how one person's life can affect others and provide inspiration - stories that beat the odds, and stories that move me.

Goldie Taylor - a journalist and human rights activist, shares her intimate story of her start as an abandoned child who found comfort in reading books, and a teacher that may have saved her life.

I found the writing engaging and the story moving and profound. Despite the story of struggle, hardship, and abuse, the story was also about hope, survival, and resilience.

The Love You Save is a thought-provoking memoir describing the author's quite traumatic childhood in St. Louis in the 1970s. It is not a lighthearted read. In frank depictions, Goldie Taylor shows readers the abuse, both emotional and sexual, that she experienced as a child, leading to years of depression and suicidal ideation. Luckily, she becomes a voracious reader and finds a lifeline in poetry and oration. Her teachers' and eventually family's support of her schooling clearly played a large role in the success she has experienced in her adult life.
The tough subject matter makes this memoir hard to read at times, but the story is truly one of inspiration. The author worked hard and was able to rise above the circumstances of her youth. An interesting read that will stick with you.

Amazing story..... this tells about the author's growing up years, from about 9 to 15/16 yrs old, mostly in East St. Louis, often using the local slang......& it's actually, at numerous points in the story....difficult to read....not because of the slang, but because of what's happening..... If you don't know who this author is, read this memoir...then google her....... or google her, then read it.......either way, you'll be amazed & impressed! I'd like to say it's another 'yea for the library/books/reader story!'......but I don't want to sound dismissive of the gravity of her story.
I received an e-ARC from the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for reading it & offering my own fair/honest review.

I always struggle to review memoirs as who am I to rate someone else’s life. But I will rate the writing and story progression. That being said I found the story to move rather slowly. I kept waiting for the turning point in Goldie’s life when things start to get better, but the beginning and set up for her life took a long time and I didn’t feel that all of it was necessary. Don’t get me wrong her story is heartbreaking and no child she ever have to go through the rape, neglect and abandonment that she experiences, in my opinion it just could have been done better.

Thank you to Harlequin Trade Publishing, Hanover Square Press and NetGalley for the advanced copy in exchange for my honest opinion.

"In our family, and I suppose in others, love came with a taste of war."

Goldie Taylor's childhood in East St. Louis was difficult, to say the least. That she overcame tough odds is an understatement. Her memoir details her early teen years, and how she struggled and fought to survive and thrive, using academic success as her lifeline. My heart broke for the girl who longed for her mother and used books as an escape. I wish the memoir had covered more of Goldie's life. The brief few years she writes about were obviously instrumental in her future success, but I would have loved to read about high school, college, and career. It felt like a pretty abrupt end to the story, hurriedly wrapping it up.

Thank you Netgalley and Harlequin Trade Publishing for the digital copy of The Love You Save by Goldie Taylor. The opinions in this review are my own.

One of the best memoirs I've read in the past year. A beautifully written, emotional read that will stay with you long after you turn the last page.

Memoirs have always been a staple in my reading. I grew up reading biographies from our little school library. So, sometimes I need a good memoir for a change of pace. This book hit the spot.

I had never heard of Goldie Taylor. She is on my radar now! She really pulled herself out of trauma and hardship with ALMOST no help.

Her story is told in a very matter of fact manner. she really does not discuss her feelings nor does she do the “Woe is me” bit. She just tells it straight out. I enjoyed this aspect. It let the reader decide how they wanted to feel about the situation. And let me tell you…I had a lot of feelings pushing through. I wanted to reach through the pages and pull her out!

Goldie’s escape from her reality was books and writing. This resonated with me on so many levels!

Need a good memoir about a strong child which overcomes…THIS IS IT! Grab your copy today!

I received this book from the publisher for a honest review.

I would like to thank Hanover Square Press for providing me with an ARC.

This is a very blunt and honest memoir. It discusses some very heavy topics and traumas from Taylor's childhood. There were some moments where there didn't seem to be transitions or well written time shifts, but other than those few issues, this book was very well written. It is very emotional to read. I highly recommend this book.

I will be withholding my review until Harper gives their Harper Collins union workers a fair contract. Thank you again for the copy.

Goldie Taylor's memoir is powerful. It tells the tale of growing up Black in America. Of not fitting in. Of rising above one's circumstances. As she says of herself, she is a survivor. But more than that, Ms. Taylor found her voice and managed to thrive. Her writing moved me to tears and made me cheer for her.

I was privileged to be able to read an advanced copy of this memoir. I will say that I was, at times, confused about when and where we were, as transitions aren't quite there yet. There are likely visual cues, such as spacing, that are missing in the ARC as well. But that doesn't take away from the fact that this is a book worth reading, and story worth hearing, in whatever form.