Book: The Many Lives of Mama Love
Author: Laura Love Hardin
Pages: 320
This is my 68th read for the year
This is the memoir of the author Lara Love Hardin. She had what many could only dream of - a master degree and a big house in a good neighborhood. But she was hiding a terrible secret. She was addicted to heroin and stealing her neighbor's credit cards to fund her addiction. She is caught and convicted on 32 felonies. In prison she tries to kick her drug habt, and turn herself around. She knows if she doesn't get herself clean, she will lose custody of her youngest son who is only 4. Since her husband is also convicted and has a serious heroine addiction as well, she is her son's only hope. She has some ups and downs on her path to beating her addiction, but in the end, she is released from prison into a program that helps her get back on her feet. Soon she is offered a job by a man that will change her life, and becomes a ghost writer. Very few people know her true path and Lara is crippled by her shame. With some encouragement she faces her path and realizes that she can use what she has learned to help other women beat their own demons.
This was a good book. At first I struggled with it because the story was off and running with Laura in her 40s - her drug habit not a new things, but not well explained in the book. The past she blames is only vaguely mentioned and I didn't feel we got enough in this book of her backstory to make me be able to piece together a symtpahizing ear. She had a drug habit of pills in the past and had been in recovery when she met her second husband who was a herion addicted mortgage broker. But I wanted more - more of this past that she claims led to where she landed. BUT - as the book progressed, and I saw what Lara did to turn herself around not only for her son but for herself, and the person she became -I was blown away by her power. The people who had faith in her and the man who ultimately gave her the job that changed her life are to be commended. I know most of us would judge before we helped, so I am always grateful for people who take chances on those who are at their lowest. Because for Lara - it made all the difference.
This one is worth a read.
Stars: 4.5
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