Reckless

Theo Silva is the novel’s second primary character and the male romantic lead. At the novel’s start, he is 26 years old and living in Chestnut Springs. He is single, a bull rider, and an integral part of the ranching community. Handsome and charming, everyone in town knows that Theo is a playboy. He moves from one meaningless relationship to the next, occupying his time, enjoying his youth, and staving off loneliness when he is at home and on the road. Everything changes for Theo when he meets Winter Hamilton.

Theo falls in love with Winter at first sight. When they run into each other at the Chestnut Springs gas station, he is enamored by her beauty and spirit. He becomes even more intrigued when he soon discovers that Winter is Summer Hamilton’s sister: “I’ve heard the stories. The drama. They’ve made her sound like some sort of criminal mastermind. But all I see is a firecracker who needs my help to work out some aggression” (22). Theo is able to see past others’ misconceptions of Winter; he is also able to see through her rough exterior and to her wounded heart beneath. His immediate interest in Winter catalyzes their relationship, foreshadows their first sexual encounter, and sets a precedent for his investment in her life over the course of the entire novel.

Theo is a kind, gracious, and loving character who changes as a result of his relationship with Winter. After their first night together, Theo decides that he wants to be a better person and live a different life. He stops sleeping around and vows to be stronger and more dependable. He focuses on his bull-riding career, all the while hoping that Winter will resurface in his life. When he discovers that she had their child—Vivienne—Theo is furious with himself for letting Winter down and immediately devotes himself to their new little family. His investment in Vivi’s care and Winter’s motherhood underscores his sacrificial nature. After they reunite, Theo longs to be more intimate with Winter, but he never forces intimacy on her. He is patient with Winter and lets her direct the course of their relationship. Meanwhile, he does everything in his power to demonstrate his love via acts of service.

Theo becomes a new man by the novel’s end, proving him to be a dynamic character. He starts standing up to his friends and family when they question his decisions or test Winter. He makes sacrifices to support his daughter and future wife. He settles down and embraces his softer side. These aspects of his character arc underscore the novel’s theme of The Transformative and Healing Power of Love.

Rob Valentine is a secondary character. He is married to Winter Hamilton at the start of the novel. When Rob and Winter first met, Winter was thrilled that such a charming, intelligent man would be interested in her; he was a professional in her field, too. She saw him as “a safe place for me to land after growing up in what felt like some sort of domestic cold war. I let my guard down with him. I fell so damn hard” (4). However, Winter’s impressions of and feelings for Rob instantly changed when she discovered his true character. Years prior, Rob treated, groomed, and used her sister Summer Hamilton. This discovery helps Winter understand what a mistake she has made by staying with Rob.

Rob is an ideal match on paper, but his character entraps Winter in a life that limits her freedoms and her rights. When she decides to leave him, she feels free. She makes the decision solely based on her desires and needs. She and Rob do not immediately divorce, but merely removing herself from his physical sphere affords her some sense of autonomy.

Rob is an antagonist, in that he creates turmoil in Winter’s storyline. He repeatedly stops by her house in Chestnut Springs to drop off mail—foisting unpaid bills on her and threatening her if she doesn’t cover them. He also serves her papers for a paternity test when he discovers she had a child. These behaviors unsettle Winter’s otherwise idyllic life in Chestnut Springs, constantly reminding her that her fraught past remains unresolved. Winter does not thoroughly liberate herself from Rob until she divorces him, resolves the paternity issue, and gets a restraining order against him.

Vivi is another secondary character. She is Winter and Theo’s daughter. When Winter first discovers that she is pregnant, she decides to keep the baby whether or not Theo chooses to be involved. Winter has wanted a child for many years and Vivi’s conception offers her hope and joy. She later explains to Theo that her name “means ‘alive,’ and, well…she made me feel alive again. She made it when my last baby didn’t. And it felt like a good adult name, you know?” (145). Vivi’s presence indeed revitalizes Winter. She brings her mother back to life by reminding her of her strength, grace, and love. Vivi also brings her parents back together. Although Winter and Theo do not immediately start dating after Theo learns about Vivi, he does immediately devote himself to the baby’s care. Vivi is a joy to both Winter and Theo. She helps the romantic counterparts connect in organic ways and gives them a reason to be better, to make amends, and to foster a future together.    

Vivi also brings the other characters together. “The way everyone rallied around” Winter when Vivi was born “is still almost more than [Winter] can comfortably think about” (126). Sloane helped her paint Vivi’s room “the softest pink” (125); Vivi’s “rocking chair is from Harvey, a family heirloom” (125); “Willa brought all the useless things, a diaper pail, a wipe warmer, loads of spit rags. And Summer still hasn’t stopped buying Vivi clothes” (125-126). Winter has historically felt alienated from others. Vivi’s birth proves that she is part of a community who cares.

Loretta is another of the novel’s secondary characters. She is Theo’s mother. Theo has always had a close relationship with her, and stays connected with her whenever they are apart. Loretta is the kind of “mom who hugs you and tells you about her favorite trash TV” (50). She deeply cares about her son, but she never forces herself into his life. The two often communicate via texting or phone calls when they can’t be together. Theo trusts his mom so much that he even confides in her about his sexual and romantic relationships. Loretta is so nonjudgmental that she offers Theo a safe place to express himself. For example, he tells Loretta the night after he sleeps with Winter for the first time that he met his future wife; later, he tells Loretta about Winter’s pregnancy and Vivi’s birth. Loretta never scolds Theo, and instead expresses her excitement and asks how she can help. She is a relatively static character—meaning she doesn’t change over the course of the novel—but her lack of development is a sign of her constancy.

Loretta also becomes a friend to Winter. After she learns about Vivi, Loretta comes to stay with Theo for an extended period of time. She immediately becomes a part of Vivi’s and Winter’s lives. Winter is moved by her authenticity, wisdom, and grace. She finds herself opening up to Loretta about things she has never told anyone. Winter unconsciously senses that Loretta is trustworthy because she has shown her nothing but kindness since the moment they met. She also offers Winter another example of how love can look—namely, maternal love.