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Canadian Jen's Reviews > The Many Lives of Mama Love: A Memoir of Lying, Stealing, Writing, and Healing
The Many Lives of Mama Love: A Memoir of Lying, Stealing, Writing, and Healing
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Mama Mia. What a memoir.
How does a successful woman, wife and mother, spiral out of control? Drugs will do that to you. Addiction will pin you down and keep you there. At the cost of losing your children. Losing yourself.
Lara Love addicted to heroin and opiates until she gets charged with 32 felonies. She flips her hustle into healing in jail. Her empathy, compassion and education moving her up through the ranks. She acquires the title, Mama Love, and the respect from the inmates.
But returning to the real world is like clawing your way out of a deep, dark hole. Fighting the cycle of addiction. Including those who you surround yourself with. Fighting the stigma of being a felon. Even old neighbours can hold a grudge for years.
However, hope and perseverance can light the way- even when three steps back are required to move one forward.
A stunning story of addiction, recovery and forgiveness.
4⭐️
And now I must search out The Sun Does Shine: How I Found Life and Freedom on Death Row as she co-authored this one.
How does a successful woman, wife and mother, spiral out of control? Drugs will do that to you. Addiction will pin you down and keep you there. At the cost of losing your children. Losing yourself.
Lara Love addicted to heroin and opiates until she gets charged with 32 felonies. She flips her hustle into healing in jail. Her empathy, compassion and education moving her up through the ranks. She acquires the title, Mama Love, and the respect from the inmates.
But returning to the real world is like clawing your way out of a deep, dark hole. Fighting the cycle of addiction. Including those who you surround yourself with. Fighting the stigma of being a felon. Even old neighbours can hold a grudge for years.
However, hope and perseverance can light the way- even when three steps back are required to move one forward.
A stunning story of addiction, recovery and forgiveness.
4⭐️
And now I must search out The Sun Does Shine: How I Found Life and Freedom on Death Row as she co-authored this one.
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Reading Progress
June 20, 2023
– Shelved
June 20, 2023
– Shelved as:
to-read
September 13, 2023
–
Started Reading
September 17, 2023
– Shelved as:
memoirs-biographies
September 17, 2023
–
Finished Reading
Comments Showing 1-50 of 73 (73 new)
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Alina
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Sep 17, 2023 05:00AM
Thanks for this review Jen, made me wanna read the book. And Sun Does Shine is amazing!!
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Excellent review, Jen . I’m not a huge reader of memoirs, but this one sound’s important and so relevant today.
Great review, Jen! Must be so tough to write about such painful memories.
Fab review on what seems to be a very tough read. 👏🏻
Sounds excellent - in a heart-wrenching way.
Great review of a highly relevant subject!
Wow, that's quite a story! A fab review Jen 🌟
Alina wrote: "Thanks for this review Jen, made me wanna read the book. And Sun Does Shine is amazing!!"Thanks Alina - good to know about the Sun Does Shine - this sounds like an amazing story. Hope you enjoy this one!
Nicole wrote: "Loved this book"it was a good one!
Angela M wrote: "Excellent review, Jen . I’m not a huge reader of memoirs, but this one sound’s important and so relevant today."I'm not a huge reader either. And it can be uncomfortable rating them when it's someone's own experience. She's a terrific writer though....and a relevant topic too. Thanks Angela!
Jayme wrote: "Terrific review!"TY Jayme!
Rosh wrote: "Great review, Jen! Must be so tough to write about such painful memories."And cathartic. Thanks Rosh!
Sounds like a tough read Jen, great review.
Thanks Tracy & Martha - a tough one but what a transformation!
Thanks Dorie & Tina!
Great review, Jen! Recovery & forgiveness - often hard to achieve ... I recommend The Sun Does Shine, terrific read teaching optimism and faith against all odds!
Wonderful review Jen 💖
I’ve been looking forward to this, Jen, and you will love The Sun Does Shine. Terrific review!
Carol wrote: "Superb review, Jen ♥️!!!!"Thanks Carol!
Thanks Kaceey & Maureen....it was so well written. Easy to see how things can spin out of control once it starts. And easy to see how recidivism is frequent with a broken system
Beata wrote: "Great review, Jen! Recovery & forgiveness - often hard to achieve ... I recommend The Sun Does Shine, terrific read teaching optimism and faith against all odds!"Thanks Beata - I'm so looking fwd to it. Glad you enjoyed it!
Thanks Julie, Karen, Margaret & Carmel!
Jennifer ~ TarHeelReader wrote: "I’ve been looking forward to this, Jen, and you will love The Sun Does Shine. Terrific review!"Jenni - if you enjoyed it, I'm sure I will too. I think you will enjoy this one as well and I'll be looking fwd to your thoughts when you get a chance to read it!
Mama Mia. What a review, Jen. 💕🤗
I’m so glad you loved this too! It made me want to read her other books ASAP. Terrific review, Jen! :)
Fantastic review, Jen! What a compelling story!
Shelley's Book Nook wrote: "Mama Mia. What a review, Jen. 💕🤗"It really was, Shelley! :))
Catherine wrote: "I’m so glad you loved this too! It made me want to read her other books ASAP. Terrific review, Jen! :)"I'm surprised I liked it as much as I did, Catherine. Thanks!
Meredith (Trying to catch up!) wrote: "Fantastic review, Jen! What a compelling story!"She def worked for everything she got - meeting Desmond Tutu, Dalai Lama and even Oprah! Wow. Thanks Meredith
Fabulous review, Jen! This sounds like an intense, powerful read, but with a happier ending!
Thanks Bianca & Rowen :)
Cheri wrote: "Fabulous review, Jen! This sounds like an intense, powerful read, but with a happier ending!"Thanks Cheri. Yes, she was a luckier one for sure!
Fabulous review, Jen. Fascinating and inspirational story. So glad you enjoyed this one!
Thanks Jayne & Holly 😊
This sounds like a great story at the ending.
Joe wrote: "This sounds like a great story at the ending."It really was - and she's alluded to her next one that will be about her new found family!
Sounds like a memoir that focuses on growth. Excellent review, Jen!
Debbie wrote: "Sounds like a memoir that focuses on growth. Excellent review, Jen!"Absolutely right on that one, Debbie! TY
Sarah wrote: "Glad she got clean and free!"me too, Sarah. She's fortunate that she was able to.
Cracking review Jen Jen - yeah, I can imagine the people you surround yourself with on release would be the hardest part. Imagine, old friends and family - they may be the only people you know!!
