Reckless | Elsie Silver
"what's happening is miss independent met the treat-her-like-a-princess guy, and she's freaking out."
If you've read the previous installments of this series, you've already met out protagonists. Winter, Summer's sister, was introduced as the cold half-sister who had no relationship with Summer and who resented her as a permanent reminder of her father's infidelity. The last time we saw her she was reeling from the revelation of what her husband did to her sister. Theo is Rhett's young and wild protege, a bull rider who made his interest in Winter known from the get go.
With her marriage falling apart, Winter decides to pend more time working at the small Chestnut Springs hospital, much to her husband's chagrin. She hopes this will help bridge the gap and help repair her relationship with Summer, though she is unsure how to truly approach the issue. We learn that the harsh, cold facade was just a front to avoid family drama. She learned early on that being perfect and distant got her Mom to focus on her and not focus so harshly on Summer. She loved her sister and longed for a playmate, a friend - but had to hide it in order to keep the peace.
Theo Silva is on top of the world. His career is blossoming and his is on his way to world domination - to achieving the dream of getting close to his late father's legacy. He is notorious for his playboy persona on the circuit as well, though lately the hookups don't hold much appeal. After a hookup with Winter, he aims to clean his act up and make himself a man deserving of a woman like her. He focuses on his job and doesn't even look at other women. He has a great relationship with his mother, whom he calls regularly to talk about anything and everything. He called her after he first slept with Winter to tell her he had found the woman he will marry. *my heart*
When the two reconnect, Theo finds out that Winter's daughter Vivi is in fact his - a product of the reckless night they spend together. He is instantly enamored with her and so eager to be a father. He is sad to have missed so much time, but still lets Winter decide what she's comfortable with - who and when to tell, how much time he gets to spend with his daughter. He truly is an amazing man and a great father, I was so glad to see Winter have him in her life to lean on, to support her. They deal with everything so well, and he truly stands up for her but doesn't fight her battles. Probably the best male character in the series. A man written by a woman, indeed
It was really touching getting to see Winter peel off her layers and get her redemption as the presumed villain in previous installments. She gets a backbone and severs the toxic relationships with her husband and mother. She is finally appreciated and loved in a way she deserves but never was. She has so many people in her life by the end - a partner, a daughter, a sister, brothers, friends, in laws... It's truly heartwarming to see her world expand witch such warmth.
Winter and Theo are opposites - she's withdrawn, solitary more serious and he is the jokester, the extrovert; yet they match so well, and love each other so deeply it's just so lovely to see. Their bond is filled with understanding and tenderness, yet so much passion as well. Absolutely lovely story, despite the surprise pregnancy trope (I got so sad when Theo mourned the time lost with his daughter.)
0 comments