More than One

After reading more of Honey, Baby, Sweetheart I've noticed that there are far more than just one relationship in the novel, although majority of the novel focuses on one main relationship: Ruby and Travis' relationship. This could be said about all other romance novels and movies where there are multiple relationships displayed but the central focus for most of the novel or movie is about one or two specific relationships. (Most often that specific relationship is the one we all go "Awww" to.) In Honey, Baby, Sweetheart specifically, the readers get the mother-daughter relationship between Ann and Ruby, as well as a complicated father-daughter/son relationship among many others. Like all mother-daughter relationships, the readers can expect to see how their bond was formed and can also see the typical super-mom trait of Ann McQueen who single-handily raises two children on a lower income paycheck and manages to be not only their mother but best friend and confidante. The readers also receives insight on their broken household via the constant absence of Chip, the father, and from that absence, the readers receive a conveyed message about the relationship between Chip McQueen with Ruby and Chip Jr., Ruby’s younger brother. Besides these two relationships, the readers also get to see the role/relationship the Casserole Queens (plus Harold) plays in the novel as well as for both characters (Ann and Ruby) Now that I think about it, no longer is this romance novel specifically about Ruby, but in multiple ways, it’s about Ann too. The readers receive insight about her devotion to husband/Ex-husband/she-doesn't-know-what-he-is-to-her-really and their relationship. The readers can see and feel her heart-ache when Chip crushes and destroys her dream of ever becoming a complete family ever again. The readers can literally feel her pain as Chip drives away, after using her money, house, and mainly her, and reverses the van to tell her he’s moved on and has fathered a daughter with his girlfriend and will start a family with her – even when he can’t sustain his family that already exists. This novel isn't simply about Ruby and her love interest/hurtful partner Travis who, in Ruby’s perspective, enjoys pushing Ruby to her limits, testing her and often hurting her. This novel is about Ann and Ruby and how their relationships and friendships affect them and how they move on and become stronger characters and overall themselves. Both characters have the Casserole Queens, their weekly book-club, plays a major role in forming and strengthening these two characters by their honest advice and perspectives on multiple subjects and this among other relationships in the novel are important for understanding and connecting with this novel. This novel is like an onion, there are many layers to it that gives the end product, a good read, about relationships and connections to oneself and to others. Now that I think about it, maybe we like the romances because it’s not just about love in a soul mate sort of way but love in every form; in the form of friendships, family, soul mates/partners and so forth. Moreover, perhaps the real reason why we love romances and revert to those novels is our own way of self-help or how-to without having to humiliatingly go to that section in the store. Think about it. These novels provide a great deal advice given under context and scenarios that readers may or may no relate to. If readers can relate to or even simply read and thoroughly enjoy the reading, they may be able to pick up the messages in these novels that they can possibly use and revert to in their own lives. These novels are like self-help books or even how-to books that exempt the reader having to go into the cast-off and away self-help/how-to section in the book stores where they may or may not feel uneasy (the unease may occur from the idea of having to admit to oneself they have an issue whether its weight, disorders and so forth.)

A side note: For this post I feel like the song "Breakeven" by The Script really relates to Ann and Lillian's broken hearts.