Odd Mom Out
A Rebel Mom with a Out Castled Daughter.
Background information
This novel was written in 2007. The setting of the story is Seattle in the 1990's. The main character's name is Marta. Marta is a single working mom who has her own design business. Her daughter is ten years old and her name is Eva. She was not created by a boyfriend, husband, or one night stand; Eva was created by artificial insemination. They have recently moved to Seattle and are both struggling to make friends.
The Struggle of Being Diffrent
There are multiple struggle's for this mom in this novel but they all revolve around one major struggle which is being a mom. The main challenge is one that the mother and daughter face together which is fitting in. This mom has always been a rebel. One to go against the norm. She was rejected by the popular kids in high school so instead of trying to fit in she just decides to be herself which is an attitude she keeps for the rest of her life. Marta just wants to be a good mom, stay single, ride her motorcycle and for her business to do well. Eva takes the opposite road of her mother. Eva gets rejected by the popular kids but she tries everything to fit it. Marta does not understand why her daughter tries so hard to fit in. This puts strain on Marta and Eva relationship. Eva wants Marta to fit in with the other moms for herself and for her mom. Eva knows that her mom needs friends so it is not a purely selfish agenda. Marta tries to change to help her daughter. This just shows the power of motherhood to me. This mom does not want to be friends with these women but she tries anyways for her daughters sake. Marta gives up riding her Harley which she loves so she can fit in more. She dress up all the times she goes to school events which is not something she is was particularly fond of.
The Struggle of Owning a Business
Another challenge that Marta is faced with is with her businesses. it mentions in the book that because she is a women that some clients would not want to work with her. Marta being a singe mother makes it so much harder on her business. Marta is unable to participate in all the school actives that all the other mom's can because she has to work. This does not help her fitting in situation at all either because most of the other mom's have rich husband who take care of them. She also loses a huge client because she left a meeting to go pick up her sick daughter from school. There is a also an employee that quits because he does not like that Marta prioritizes her daughter over the business. The business also puts a strain on Marta and Eva's relationship because Marta has to travel to New York for a client. This gives her less time with Eva.
The Struggle of Finding Love
Marta does not want to find a man. She is happy with it just being her and Eva. Her daughter has other wishes. Eva from the very start of the story is "planing" her mothers wedding. Marta eventually finds a man named Luke. Marta really tries to fight her attraction to Luke. She is scared to put herself out there because a man hurt her in the past. Luke is persistent and eventually convinces Marta to start seeing him. Eva is very happy for her mother and adores Luke. Marta finds out that Luke is rich which scares her and she tries to sabotage the relationship. Marta gets over Luke having money until she finds out that is the owner of the Freedom bike corporation which has just selected Marta to represent them. Once Marta knows this she ends the relationship because she thought Luke was helping her behind the scenes. This is not the cases and Marta begs Luke to forgive her, of course Luke does. At the end of the story Marta, Luke and Eva are all very happy together.
Haddaway - What Is Love (Official Video)