The Many Lives of Mama Love

More about the book

From the outside, Lara Love Hardin is a normal mother and housewife. But behind the perfect picket fence appearance, she's stealing neighbours' credit cards, forging identities, and battling a serious opiate problem. Eventually, Lara finds herself in a Santa Cruz prison, not exactly a natural habitat for a woman who's never spent a day 'on the street'. But she does know how to pretend. Within weeks, she understands every gang and all the prison slang, plus the market value of a Snickers bar. She finds she has a talent for writing letters on the behalf of her fellow inmates, helping them articulate their feelings. Before long, she's earned herself a nickname: Mama Love. But what sort of life will she have when she leaves behind the women of G block? And can she find a way to truly forgive herself? The Many Lives of Mama Love is the story of a powerful, redemptive journey with a surprising final act. It's about reaching rock bottom and clambering back up; about healing and shame, and about writing yourself a new path, with a different destiny.