In romance novels a ring, given by the hero to the heroine, may retain its "denotative, obvious meaning" as an engagement ring and also reveal a great deal about the donor, the recipient, and their relationship, for, as Jessica Trent observes in Lord of Scoundrels, "the selection of a gift requires the balancing of a profoundly complicated moral, psychological, aesthetic and sentimental equation." (106)
[Looking back, I'm aware there are romances in which the central relationship includes more than two individuals. Also, my examples are all from f/m romances, which is a limitation I wasn't explicit about.]
[Looking back, I'm aware there are romances in which the central relationship includes more than two individuals. Also, my examples are all from f/m romances, which is a limitation I wasn't explicit about.]