Originally posted here.To say that I was utterly conflicted about this book would be an understatement. I was incredulous at some of the characters, I had difficulty digesting what the author really wanted to convey, and I had trouble joining together the two seemingly disjointed sub-stories involved.Sixteen-year-old Ruby McQueen is dubbed The Quiet Girl until she no longer is – quiet, that is – all thanks to filthy rich, motorcycle-riding “bad boy” Travis Becker. Suddenly, all she ever thought she was went flying out the window – she finds herself doing things she never would have done as The Quiet Girl, and justifies her actions by invoking love. However, when something tragic happens with Travis that compromised even Ruby’s personal relationships, her mother Ann takes positive action. Ruby is practically dragged into joining Ann’s book club, the Casserole Queens, composed of relatively older people. When the Queens discover that one of their members is actually the love interest of a writer whose memoirs they were currently discussing, they go on a mission/road trip miles away, all in the name of love.*So, is this book about Ruby’s coming-of-age, or is it about the bittersweet reunion of two people, both in the twilight of their years, who were tragically separated by time and distance? The first half of the book was all about Ruby and her shenanigans with Travis. Yes, shenanigans. I initially failed to grasp the entire point of her risky and intrepid actions; she annoyed me all the way to my fingertips. She allowed herself to be wrapped around Travis' rich little finger, who wheedled and charmed shamelessly. Perhaps it’s because I was never one who was interested in or intrigued by the “bad boys,” who, in my opinion, still elude proper characterization. (Who is a “bad boy,” really??) In any case, Travis was depicted that way – as someone who has the effect of transforming The Quiet Girl into The Unthinking Girl in, oh, just five minutes? Yes, Ruby does a complete turnaround in the first few seconds minutes that Travis enters her life – or rather, she enters their front gate and presto! They were making out before she was out the door. For reals, yo.There is a reason for Ruby’s insipid actions, I am aware. But at the time I was reading them, I was simply irked. All I could think of was, Hey girl, where’s your sense of self? Think! But of course, she had to do all those in order for the author to stress on a valid point. All I had to do was to figure them out. Meanwhile, the second half deals with the Casserole Queens, of which Ruby’s mother, Ann, was a member. The story segues neatly from the height of Ruby’s escapades into her role as an initially-reluctant, newly-inducted Queen. Quite honestly, this part was for me the highlight of the book. Not the road trip, no, or the part where some risky plan was involved (which was a tad unrealistic, to be candid), but the part where love finds a way to become.*My annoyance with Ruby was eclipsed by the realization in the end that yes, love will make you go through lengths you never imagined you can until you’ve actually done it. This is especially true in the case of the old people, Charlie and Lillian (albeit with a little outside help, yes). But in Ruby’s and Travis’ case, I beg to disagree; Ruby wasn’t in love with him, absolutely not. Neither do I think that she was merely proving something to herself when she momentarily “forgot” who she truly was to have risked so much for him. For me, it was pure and simple stupidity, to which we all succumb once in our lives. Perhaps, when we were sixteen? * When it comes down to it, though, I did appreciate the relevance of Ruby's story. My own childhood was very quiet and uneventful, as far as I can recall, as life was more simple way back. Ruby's errant behavior made me contemplate about how I would raise my own daughter to become more responsible, how to act accordingly when faced with a particular situation, how to weigh her options before deciding on anything. More important, however, I realized how much I would have to prepare for the eventual heartaches that she will inevitably suffer as she adds more teen years to her age. When my daughter becomes sixteen, I will do absolutely everything in my power for her not to become Ruby. :)In parting, here's my favorite passage from the book. Is it any surprise that it is lifted from the story of the older people, not Ruby's? :)
Honey, Baby, Sweetheart by Deb Caletti- 308 pagesIn the book Honey, Baby, Sweetheart, by Deb Caletti, Ruby Mc Queen, the protagonist, is 16 years old and lives in the small town of Nine Mile Falls, Texas with her mom, Ann and her brother, Chip Jr. Her dad, Chip had left her family a little after Chip Jr. was born hoping for luck in the music business. Ann still loved Chip and so whenever he came to visit, she would be in a great mood and buy expensive food for them, even though it was hard because she was only a librarian. After Chip left, Ann wouldn’t act normal for a week or two. Ruby and her mom learned to protect each other. Ruby falls in love with the rich, stunning, daredevil, Travis Becker. As soon as she meets him, Travis takes her on his motorcycle. Around him, she becomes the opposite of her normal self- the quiet one. She becomes more risky and does immoral things she would never dreamed of doing herself. Travis pulls her into situations that she hates. With him, she loses more than she gains. While she knows she shouldn’t stay with Travis, his love makes her keep coming back for more. But once he ends up taking away many important things, including her friends and her heart, Ruby decides she can’t see him anymore. Ruby’s mom tries to fix Ruby’s heartache by taking her to the elderly book club called the “Casserole Queens” to get her mind off Travis. At the club they find out that one of the members used to be dating the writer, Charles Whitney, and was part of this love story. They decided that they should bring her back to her long lost lover for the rest of her life. They go on a crazy road trip with a “stolen” nursing home woman to bring her to her long lost lover. Being involved in the Casserole Queens, Ruby and her mom are able to let go of their heartaches, and Ruby was able to let go of her former lover. I think that one of the main morals of this book is that sometime you might love a person for what they look like or something they own or what they do. If you don’t love everything about the person, it can get in the way and tear people apart when they thought they were in love. Maybe you love something they do that changes you. In this book, Ruby thought she was in love with Travis, but she ended up not liking the things he made her do. Ruby found out that she didn’t really know Travis well enough when she started dating him, and was surprised by his wrong actions. She liked the person she became around him- confident, outgoing, and fearless, but once he made her do terrible things, she realized she couldn’t love him anymore. He tore her apart with his actions. She finds out that maybe, she was just in love with his motorcycle. I rate this book 5 stars because I think the story is well told. I like how Ruby’s thoughts of Travis change when he’s unlawful. Ruby ends up following her conscious and does the right thing. The story has many lessons and I really love the way it teaches them. It teaches about love and also moral values. I like the way the story is told and the foreshadowing that builds suspense. It definitely made me want to keep reading! I think lots of girls will enjoy this book and some may be able to relate to the story.
What do You think about Honey, Baby, Sweetheart (2005)?
The unavoidable factor that underlies all of Deb Calleti's books is their uniqueness. Sometimes, the uniqueness is good - streamlined writing, interesting characters that are not too quirky, and a well-defined plot. Other times, it is bad. This was one of the bad ones.This being my third book by Deb Calleti, I was not quite sure what to expect. One of her other books I had given two stars, while her most recent novel I had given five. On the other hand, Honey, Baby, Sweetheart is a National Book Award Finalist. In the end, I was disappointed, but not staggeringly.I had a lot of issues with this book. None of the characters were particularly amiable, so I did not really care to see what happened as the plot progressed. The plot itself was pretty mundane. A girl named Ruby McQueen (who points out the ridiculousness of her name herself) dates the resident bad boy and precedes to get her heart broken. Throw in some over-stated life lessons, a pretty strong feminist viewpoint, and a couple of elderly people, and there you go. Suffice to say, something went awry here.If you liked Calleti's other books, I would give this one a shot. If not, skip it.
—Thomas
Based on the cover and the title (and a little bit of the flap copy), I thought this was going to be your typical YA chicklit book. (I won't name any names here, but there were a few authors I was thinking of as I picked this up.) Boy, was I ever wrong! Okay, okay. There was the quiet, "good" girl who fell for the "bad" boy. And yes, you knew he was trouble from the first moment Ruby spied his motorcycle parked on the front lawn of his house. What I didn't expect when I picked up this book were
—Cherylann
First of all I would normally not be particularly interested in a book called "Honey, Baby, sweetheart" because it sounds like your run of the mill revoltingly cutesy romance, but alas this was not the case. I have read other novels by Deb Caletti and I have found them not only intensely satisfying but also very emotionally riveting. I would certainly not label this book the pinnacle point in her writing career but the story did contain some, dare I say, beautiful qualities. The complexity of the relationship of Ruby's mother with the father of her children was what truly humanized the pages, along with the charming cast of elderly folk (which I could relate to even though I am a mere sixteen). I wasn't completely convinced with the rich/bad boy concept since I've seen it before and I will see it again, but I think it was the little things that made this novel worth finishing.
—Shannon
