Pucking Wild

Content Warning: This section of the guide includes discussion of antigay bias, ableism, physical abuse, illness, death, and emotional abuse.

Teresa “Tess” Owens is one of two protagonists and narrators of Pucking Wild. She was raised by a mother who was frequently absent, so she often had to stay with apathetic relatives throughout her childhood. Tess describes her early life as lonely, in part because she had trouble making friends due to her complicated living situation. 

The novel implies that this isolation left her vulnerable to exploitation, as she was desperate for connection and love. She met Troy Owens in college and fell in love with him, and the two later married. Without any strong parental relationships, Tess also grew close to Troy’s mother, Bea, one of the founders of the firm that she and Troy worked for. However, Troy soon began to isolate Tess from her friends and manipulate her in ways that served him. He diminished her self-esteem and chipped away at her character until Tess felt like a shell of her former self. Tess caught Troy cheating multiple times with several women, including those who worked for him at the law firm. 

Meeting and befriending Rachel Price gave Tess the courage she needed to ask for a separation from Troy, and as the novel opens, the couple has been separated for three years.