The Many Lives of Mama Love (Oprah's Book Club): A Memoir of Lying, Stealing, Writing and Healing

Great story. Lacked character development outside the main character

This has become one of my favorite books. I just love Mama Love. Could not put it down. Read it in one day.

The Many Lives of Mama Loveby Lara Love HardinThe Many Lives of Mama Love is an eye-opening, heart-wrenching memoir. Lara Love Hardin is the typical suburban mother. She has a good job, a beautiful house and a growing family. Then one day, she pops a pill and can’t stop. Lara’s craving for drugs leads her to steal credit cards out of her neighbors’ mailboxes to help fund her addiction. Watching this woman sacrifice herself, her life and her kids for drugs just proves how addiction possesses an individual. Addicted to heroin and opiates Lara Love Hardin cannot beat the vicious dependency cycle until she gets charged with 32 felonies.As a mother of three boys, I found parts of this book unfathomable and infuriating. The injustice Lara endured compared to her husband was unbelievable. Her journey to gain her life back and fight for redemption is inspiring. This book is a brilliant story of addiction, recovery and forgiveness. If you want a memoir to challenge your comfort zone and evoke your emotions this book is for you.

I waited to read this book until I knew I could read it cover to cover. Oprah is right! You will not want to put it down once you begin reading it! It is such an extraordinary book and memoir. It stands out among so many other memoirs due to the radical honesty of the author Lara Love Hardin and the authenticity and vulnerability of her voice. She is unflinching in describing her heroin addiction and the losses she incurred as a result. But for me, the brilliancy of the book shines through with her time spent in prison - the terrible injustices of the prison system, and the SOUL level healing that occurs for her during and after prison while she makes a new life for herself and her children and family. Ultimately, this is an unparalleled book about growth and transformation. I cannot wait to hear Lara Love Hardin speak!

Yes, it’s a true story. But if you’ve had any kind of family or friends who destroyed their lives through narcotics, the first couple of chapters are tough to read. This was an assigned book club book and rather than throwing it aside, I did complete it. The rest of the book reminded me of Orange is the New Black. Kudos to her for above it and getting clean. It is not a must read for me and would I recommend it…Eh.