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.

5 stars

*Free copy provided by Simon & Schuster in exchange for an honest review*