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.

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.