If You Love Me: A Mother's Journey Through Her Daughter's Opioid Addiction
by Maureen Cavanagh. First off, I would like to thank Netgalley for my arc of this book. Also, I want to thank the author and her daughter for being brave enough to share their story. This was an honor to read. While my review is super late it doesn’t speak to how amazing this book actually is. I went through lots this year emotionally with the loss of my grandma and while I was still reading, I found it hard to sit down and review and still be objective. This book gets you from page one and doesn’t let you go until long after you are done. Maureen does a beautiful job detailing the emotional journey for her family while dealing with this addiction. I want anyone who reads this book to get something out of it, you will feel every emotion on every page and after your done you will want to find ways to want to help others in this situation. For me personally it showed me that I am in the wrong profession and should be working in a field to help others. All and all 5 painful stars well done. ( )

This book got to me, and in a big way. I don't think one can be a parent, or any kind of caring person and not feel a deep connection, sympathy with this woman as she travels the emotional roads of her daughters heroin addiction. Not that this is written in a over dramatic fashion, but her love and pain can be felt on every page.

I have raised seven children, and we have dealt with many issues, but I feel so fortunate that none have been drug related, legal or otherwise. Not that we haven't been touched by tragedy, friends of one or another of my children, committing suicide or overdosing. It is all around us now. Last month I read American Overdose, have watched many television shows on the subject, but this one brought what has become a National epidemic, into sharp focus.

Maureen travels an emotional path she never thought she'd have to take. Feeling guilty, wondering what she could have done differently, noticed sooner, to love, sorrow and frustration as she tries to find the help Katie needs. She is a remarkable woman, fighting hard for her daughter, always telling her she loves her, before she has a startling insight. The addict needs to want to help herself. Over the course of three years she finds some remarkable people, learns to navigate her way around various detox facilities. Finds Facebook groups, starts her own group with a few other remarkable woman, all resources she shares within these pages. Fights the stigma that addictions, like mental illness are still seen by so many as a weakened character, not a disease.

A heArtbreaking read, but informative and written with the hope that sharing her story will help others. ( )