You may have heard of Bobby Love's story if you were a follower of Humans of New York. But The Redemption of Bobby Love, a memoir co-written with his wife Cheryl with Lori L. Tharps, digs deeper into Bobby's past to show who he was as a young man, the love story between Bobby and Cheryl, and how he became the changed man he is today.
This is not a book that will throw you for a loop. You pretty much know how it's going to go, but it's still very interesting to read about the life of crime Bobby thought was his only path and how he escaped from prison (twice!) to start a new life in New York. That's where he meets Cheryl, and the two begin a relationship that lasts through 35 years of marriage and four kids - with Cheryl never knowing Bobby's secret. Eventually, the feds catch up with Bobby (real name Walter Miller), and Cheryl must grapple with the Bobby she knows and whoever Walter Miller is. Does she still love him? Does she stay with him?
I really liked how each chapter went back and forth between Bobby and Cheryl, giving you each of their perspectives and stories. You get to know where Bobby came from and where Cheryl came from, how they came together, and what life was like for them before somebody turned Bobby in.
Their story makes you ask so many "what if" questions. What if Bobby's childhood had been full of positive male role models as opposed to a not-interested father and older brothers who landed themselves in jail? What if Bobby hadn't been victim to a prison system that told him to play by the rules, except those rules kept changing? What if Cheryl had married the guy she was dating before she met Bobby? What if Bobby had gotten caught escaping? What if Bobby had told Cheryl the truth from the start?
If you're looking to be inspired, then definitely pick up this book.
The Redemption of Bobby Love is published by Mariner Books and hit bookstore shelves yesterday! I received a free e-ARC from the publisher.
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