Fierce Love: A Memoir of Family, Faith, and Purpose – An Inspiring Parenting Story: Raising Gifted Children, Overcoming Challenges, and Finding Strength in God

by Sonya Curry

Sonya Curry chronicles the never-before-shared story of raising her children and her lifelong devotion to education, family, and faith.

Sonya Curry’s journey, like those of her extraordinary sons and daughter, was filled with defeats and hard-fought victories, but hers took place out of the limelight, without the eyes of the world watching, cheering, or drawing inspiration from her example. Until now.

In this inspiring memoir, Sonya tells her story for the first time, beginning with her childhood in rural Virginia and moving through the peaks and valleys of an incredible life—from raising her immensely gifted but sometimes headstrong children, to becoming an educator and founding a Montessori school, to discovering a profound, life sustaining connection to God and faith.

Fierce Love is a wise and illuminating story of family, faith, and purpose. With something for everyone—seekers, sports fans, people of faith, lovers of memoir— it’s one strong mother’s gift to all who wonder how, where, and whether they’ll find the strength.

Genres: Memoir, Nonfiction, Audiobook

255 pages, Kindle Edition

Published May 3, 2022

Reviews

[Living My Best Book Life · Rating 5 out of 5]

Fierce Love is a meaningful memoir that you won't be able to put down. Sonya Curry writes with honesty, purpose, and grace.

I am a huge basketball fan and know of the Curry family. To be honest, I didn't know too much about Sonya before reading her memoir, but I am so glad that I got to understand her by reading this book.

From the very first chapters, you see how special Sonya is. Even though she didn't have the money and fame at a young age, she had spirit. I'm not talking about spirit in the sense of a cheerleader, I am talking about spirit in wanting to change and make a change so that everyone can succeed.

When she was a little girl she wanted to help and educate the other kids that lived in her trailer park. Her detail of teaching a boy to read really touched my heart. And as chapters go by you see her heart. Family and faith are two of the most important factors in her life. She uses the wisdom from her badass mother Candy and God to help her navigate her life and that of her family.

It's so unique and rewarding for Sonya to start from her childhood to young adulthood, to the present. To see her growth is inspiring. And when she is in her college days at Virginia Tech she begins to put that wisdom to the test. She decides to leave a relationship that is not right for her and ends up meeting Dell Curry. When they learn she is pregnant, they make a decision that is the start of their family.

Although becoming a mother is a beautiful journey for Sonya, she knows her purpose is more than this. That is when she decides to go back to school and finish her degree. I love her passion for educating and I am so glad to know that she trusted herself to make the decision. You can't help but be inspired by her drive, compassion, and tenacity.

I give Fierce Love 5 stars. I think this memoir is so wonderful because it allows readers to see her as Sonya and not just Sonya Curry. It is really such a powerful memoir that I thoroughly enjoyed. Through all her ups and downs, her faith and love of her family keeps her going.

[Whit · Rating 5 out of 5]

" A woman who walks with GOD will always reach her destination." (African American Expressions). So much wisdom, knowledge and understanding shared in this beautiful story.

Sonya Curry, this awesome woman of GOD, describes raising Steph, Seth and Sydel Curry, while her husband traveled as a professional NBA player. As a result of mistakes, many humans make, she begins to second guess whether she is making the right decisions for her young children. Miss Sonya not only wants them to be successful professionally, but successful as decent human beings. So she prayed and prayed until GOD showed her what to do. (Been there, done that!!!)

Another thing I loved about her journey, was first and foremost, she protected her kids. She taught them how to stand up to school bullies, and mean girls as well as emotional abusive boyfriends and slick girlfriends! She did not play about her kids.

In the Curry household, communication is key! The Curry kids had chores and responsibilities. When they slacked off, there were real consequences, because she was preparing them to live in the real world!

[Elizabeth Montague · Rating 5 out of 5]

Reading till Late

As an older lady and NBA fan, I enjoyed the view of what a family goes through in the journey. I was a swimming parent who traveled more than an hour each week for a club team in Cleveland for two children. I then had season tickets for the Cavs once the boys went to college. As a teacher, I was interested in your love of education also. Thank you for the honest telling of your faith and family life. I admire you and your family.

[AMAO · Rating 5 out of 5]

Fierce Love: A Memoir of Family, Faith, and Purpose by Sonya Curry
Published May 3rd 2022

<3 I absolutely love her style of Black Mother #Gangsta Parenting! Its floors me how some boys will still try to come for her daughter with abusive behavior despite her having two older brothers and a father! Mrs. Curry dealt with him though! LMAO. How did I not know that she has two sons not just one --and both are in the NBA? <3

Like her superstar sons' and extraordinary daughter's, Sonya Curry's journey was filled with defeats and hard-fought victories, but hers took place out of the limelight, without the eyes of the world watching, cheering, or drawing inspiration from her example. Until now.

In this inspiring memoir, Curry tells her story for the first time, beginning with her childhood in rural Virginia and moving through the peaks and valleys of an incredible life—from raising her immensely gifted but sometimes headstrong children, to becoming an educator and founding a Montessori school, to discovering a profound, life sustaining connection to God and faith.

Fierce Love, a wise and illuminating story of family, faith, and purpose, is sure to become a classic. With something for everyone—seekers, sports fans, people of faith, lovers of memoir— it's one strong mother's gift to all who wonder how, where, and whether they'll find the strength.

[Vicki Carlson · Rating 4 out of 5]

I think I would have enjoyed this book more if I had read it instead of listened to it. I did not find Sonya to be a good reader. That being said she shares her passion for her children, for teaching using the Montessori method and her deep abiding faith that guides her decisions.
It is her honest look at the transitions of life and their impact on her and she sprinkles her approach to parenthood throughout the book.

[Jeb Myers · Rating 4 out of 5]

Inspiring book by a daughter, mother, college graduate, founder of a Montessori school, and a person with a deep relationship with God. I appreciate her honesty, humor, and insights to navigating life listening for God’s guidance in scripture and her daily happenings.

[Gianna Petrella · Rating 5 out of 5]

Fierce Love, a memoir about Sonya Curry mainly talks about God, Christianity, family, sports, and motherhood. If you didn't know Sonya Curry is the wife of former NBA star Dell Curry, mother of NBA stars Stephen Curry and Seth Curry and former college volleyball star Sydel Curry. This memoire shares the inside story of the hardships of Sonya and Dells relationship, Sonya's struggles during college and the ups and downs of what a mother goes through on a day to day. While reading this book, I had many epiphanies, thinking to myself “wow, I never thought of it that way”. Sonya not only shares her experiences, struggles and daily life in great detail but she makes you see things in a different light and perspective. Her strong Christian roots bleed out of the pages as you read; her morals are admirable and have been passed down to her children. Sonya talks about her life as a young girl living in a RV, playing sports and trying to embrace her passion of being a teacher; to talking about her life in college, her toxic relationships, her pregnancy, traveling and moving with a kid as an NBA wife, to how she instilled religion into her children, and her struggles with Steph in his high school and college stages of his basketball career.
In my opinion I recommend this book to anyone who loves basketball, wants to understand God more, someone who is interested in being a teacher and someone who wants to see perspectives from a mother or a mothers views on family issues. For me, I am a big fan of the Curry family. Steph Curry is my favorite basketball player and I admire his family, wife, siblings, their families and his parents. Being that I already knew a lot about their family, I already knew many of the stories she told but I didn't know it from her perspective so it made it more interesting. You can learn a lot from this memoir and get really inspired by Sonya's story. This has been one of my favorite books I have read so far. I really loved this book and I recommend it one hundred percent.

[A · Rating 4 out of 5]

I appreciated this book. It was a fascinating, quick read. You can really tell that she was extremely thoughtful about what to include and how to honor her journey. Her storytelling vacillated nicely between narrating her personal experiences, and self reflection. Throughout the book she does a great job of explaining her own evolution and how she shows up in spaces. It beautifully lays out the way that we as humans are all just trying to figure it out, and do the best we can. From this book it’s clear that her determination and drive served as a loving foundation for her family. Her future vision for herself and her loved ones was the blueprint for the fruits of labor that we see today. I enjoyed learning more about her passion for life, how her belief guides her decisions and how she learned to trust herself more with every step. This book is a powerful reminder that as we mature through our own valued stages, the joy that we seek and the measures that we take, greatly impact our lives.

[Selena Haskins · Rating 5 out of 5]

Sonya grew up as an athletic, intelligent, and spiritually grounded individual. I found her book particularly compelling as she shared her insights on motherhood and raising three children, including NBA All-Star Steph Curry.

Sonya embodies the strength, independence, and deep commitment to her family that I truly admire. Despite her marriage to Dale Curry not working out, I respect the thoughtful and respectful way she addresses their divorce. I also believe Sonya would be excellent as a parenting podcast host, as I thoroughly appreciated the wisdom she shared on raising children. I highly recommend this book to anyone interested in family dynamics or looking to enhance their parenting skills.

SPOILER ALERT: Steph Curry was a Mama's Boy, but in a good way. Meaning, he loves his mom, and Sonya definitely love him, but never skipped out on discipline. Sonya raised him to be a responsible, caring, and respectful adult. It shows! Good job Ms. Curry!

[Rhonda · Rating 2 out of 5]

This 'memoir' reads more like an autobiography. I enjoyed it, but would have found it more enjoyable if the author would have focused on one main event in her life in the same fashion as she structured the ending which read like a true memoir. It focused on the finding of her true self after her children were grown and her retirement from her school admin responsibilities.

Note: Some of her autobiography contained some items that made me feel compassion for her children. Example: No homecoming date in high school for her oldest son because her theory was 'we mate. we don't date.' What a sad affliction to place on her son as she feared some girl digging her claws into an up and coming possible NBA star. His high school memories and experiences were oppressed by her fears for his future. Note: She herself had done exactly with her husband what she feared this girl was going to do with her son. This made me sad for her oldest son.

[Angela Schroeder · Rating 5 out of 5]

I love how open and real Sonya is. “I want to discover who else I can be. I don’t want to be defined only by my kids or by my marriage. But how can I be defined? What is my purpose?”
“The only thing we can control in our lives is our breathing. We can only react to what life throws at us, relying on, hoping for, praying for God’s strength to help us through each challenge. That is the key to parenting. That is how you dare to parent. Prepare Pray Breathe”
Only in silence do you hear God’s voice.
“It’s about having faith and not fear. Trusting in God’s plan. And acting with as much goodness and patience as we can, knowing that it will eventually work out for the good. In the meantime we have to negotiate through human weakness faults and sin, and find goodness where we can. … You have to parent out of purpose, into faith, and embrace every morsel of goodness. “

[Virginia Henry · Rating 3 out of 5]

I admire Sonya’s ability to pull herself out of her past, both economically and spiritually. She has accomplished much so far in life, and has leadership qualities that are impressive.

The book should be read by anyone who is a parent. I found her resolve to be almost shocking, when Stephen didn’t do his chores and then she denied him going to practice which resulted in him sitting out a game. Then Seth came home late from the prom and he was denied the trip to play in a scouting opportunity that could have affected his entire future. Those punishments seemed harsh. But the kids turned out to be wonderful responsible adults. I don’t have kids but know I could not have held firm like she did.

I gave this three stars because of the descriptions of the author’s dreams. Everyone knows there is nothing more boring than someone else’s dreams.

[Yvonne · Rating 5 out of 5]

I enjoyed this book and considered it to be written with a sincere and honest look at her life. The importance of her children and the building of their character was the focal point of her life for many years and I can understand her focus changing once that task was accomplished. Keeping her focus on her faith and her relationship with God will be the key to her life going forward.
I wish her happiness.

[Lorri English · Rating 5 out of 5]

Sonya Curry truly provided a transparent view of her life as a child, daughter, wife and mother and one can only admire how honest she was. As a mother I can truly relate to some of her experiences, and I can only look back and reflect that I tried to do just as good a job as she did with her children, her prayer life and her obedience to God’s will. Thank you Sonya Curry for sharing the testimony God gave you…

[Jill McSheehy · Rating 4 out of 5]

The title couldn’t have been more perfect, and I enjoyed learning more about her life and how she parented, especially now that her kids are grown and she can reflect on those decisions. I listened on audiobook and I very much enjoyed the author’s narration. I expected a bit more about Stephen than she included but I quickly found myself drawn into her life so it was for sure worth the read. I think it’s a great read for parents of children still at home.

[Katherine · Rating 4 out of 5]

Sonya Curry shares her journey to her faith in God, and how she tangibly lived it out through her role as a mother and also as a founder of a Christian Montessori school. I really respect and support the values she holds fast to, the way she's instilled them in each of her three children. Her voice is full of both strength and vulnerability.

[Rosalind Wooten · Rating 5 out of 5]

A Revelation of Strength and Purpose

Sonya Curry has eloquently unveiled her life with honesty, pure and raw. She has taught me the importance of Strong and relentless Faith! Unyielding to the World and Complete Obedience to God! With Purpose, she teaches us to ride this roller coaster of Life with complete TRUST in God's Word to unleash Our Authentic Selves; with No Apology!

[Isabella Castillo · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book was relatively good. Always love a good memoir. I love specifically how open Sonya Curry was about some of her experiences and things that she struggled with when it came to religion, being a mom and a wife. I enjoy how she always kept God at the center and prioritized him and made sure to spread that onto her kids. In addition, I loved her motivation when it came to making sure she finished her degree and got her education. She is a workaholic!! LOVE IT!!!

[Connie Phillips · Rating 5 out of 5]

Actually knowing her made this even better

The book is about love, hope, Faith, tests, her walk with God and of course family. Learning your own purpose and waking it out that's the beauty of it.

[Mary Frances · Rating 4 out of 5]

Listened to this one and appreciated the authenticity of her story. She’s one fierce Mama in faith and motherhood and I always find hearing other people’s stories who are a bit further down the road in motherhood encouraging.

[Rosemary · Rating 4 out of 5]

Love the title - Fierce Love. It’s apropos, as she parented with tenacity and conviction. I loved her strength, her spirituality, and the wisdom she imparted to her children. She’s a great role model - I wish I had a book like this when my kids were younger!

[Haveyoureadthat · Rating 4 out of 5]

Beautifully written memoir. I loved reading about Sonya Curry’s life, especially her story of faith. Definitely will be incorporating prayer walking in my parenting journey. I recommend all parents give this one a read!

[Amanda · Rating 5 out of 5]

I really enjoyed this. The chapters were short, I liked the voice which she used when telling the stories, and it was enjoyable to listen to.
I grew to love her and her personality throughout the stories she told. She sounds like an amazing woman. Inspiring and encouraging boon

[Robert R. · Rating 4 out of 5]

Inspiring

FIERCE is the operative word here. Never come between a mother bear and her Cubs applies. Disappointed she left out Toronto and her divorce..As an avid Curry fan, I choked up many times as I read this very brave, passionate family story.

[D.C. McClain · Rating 5 out of 5]

As a new mom, I appreciated the way Sonya centers motherhood. In a culture that often looks down at the idea of putting your children first (in subtle, often covert ways) I admired the unabashed joy she found in mothering. She is reflective and also writes about the importance of self growth. She talks at length about her faith, but I found it inspiration for continuing my personal spiritual journey rather than evangelical. Also, she had me wanting to try an Ayurvedic treatment in the future!

[Alvina · Rating 4 out of 5]

I love to read the stories of moms of superstar athletes and this book was no different. It peaked my interest and I’m glad I obliged. Quite interesting and not what I expected tbh, and that was a very good thing. Great read.

[Wilfred Wong · Rating 5 out of 5]

As an ardent fan of Steph Curry, the Golden State Warriors, and the NBA, I thoroughly enjoyed this book by Sonya Currv. She provided excellent insight in motherhood and how she had to manage the celebrities in her family!

[Freda · Rating 4 out of 5]

Good book but I expected her to discuss her divorce or more details about her marriage. She didn’t mention it.

[Chebbie · Rating 5 out of 5]

Loved listening to her read the audio book. Great book on her life, faith and family.

[Vee · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.5 Stars