Roadside Reunion

by Beth Pugh from the October 7, 2024 issue

Tagline: As she's about to lose hope for making the night perfect for her niece, Amanda finds help from an old "friend."

Observations: The thing that stood out in this story to me was the heroine. We all know the readership for the magazine skews toward older women, but let's not make the mistake of assuming this demographic expects or wants protagonists to behave as if they were from the 50s. 

Yet, it wouldn't be wise to swing the other way and make your heroine the type of woman who doesn't need a man for anything. 

So there's a balance you need to achieve. You want your heroine to be strong and capable and confident. But you still want to keep the hero, well, heroic. This story hit the nail on the head.

Amanda is understandably daunted when faced with changing the tire on her own, but she's also resourceful and turns to the internet for help. (However, if it had been my story, I might not have had Amanda pretending everything was fine for her niece. Better to set the example on how to problem solve.) So there's your strong, capable woman at work. And then Jake arrives. He is not pushy and there's no man-splaining, just an honest offer of help. 

On a side note, are there still drive-in theatres where you live?

Photo by Mike Mozart via Flickr CC License

After the Rain

by Rosemary Hayes from the September 30, 2024 issue.

Tagline: En route to make her final Home Meals delivery of the day, Rachel finds herself caught in the rain. It seems not only raindrops fall on her that afternoon, but also a chance at love when kind-eyed Callum offers her an umbrella and a hand. 

Observations: Rosemary Hayes is a veteran Woman's World romance writer and this story is an example of why. I mean, the hero is the embodiment of chivalry! Who doesn't like the idea of being swept up in a strong man's arms? (It really should happen to us more than just on our wedding day. Maybe we can propose having a National Sweep Your Wife Up in your Arms Day or something.)

I noticed two reliable tropes in this story. First, we have the matchmaking grandfather. Second, there's the problem of the hero and heroine living too far apart. Tropes are sometimes thought of as cliche, but in Woman's World stories, they're what the readers want. They want that familiarity. Tropes are like comfort food, but in story form, so don't be afraid to use them.

Did you see any tropes in here that I missed?

Photo by Colin Brown via Flickr CC License

Love Among the Pages

by Donna J. Collin from the September 23, 2024 issue

Tagline: When Jessica offered to help her dad at his antiques store, she wasn't looking for romance--until a customer and and old book changed that.

Observations: This story is oozing the kind of nostalgia for days gone by that Woman's World seems to love. Mostly, I think this is because of the reader demographics that skew older women. This man finds a mysterious old poetry book in his grandmother's house and wants to find out more about it for insurance purposes.  It doesn't get any more sentimental than that!

I also really liked Jessica, the heroine. The heroine should be someone likeable, someone you'd like to have as a friend and I'd like to have Jessica as a friend. She helps her dad out when he needs it. She's cautious...

He seemed a decent sort. But what kind of guy, she thought as a queasy feeling took hold, tries to sell his grandmother's book of love poems?

He touches her on the arm. This is physical contact that I approve of. LOL If you're a regular reader of my blog, you know I am not a fan of premature touching which is touching someone in a way that seems to intimate, considering the amount of time they've known each other or the circumstances.

Finally, I'd like to point out the subtle black moment. Woman's World stories don't always have black moments, but this one did and I thought it was clever. He leaves her a voicemail that gets her hopes up and then it just ends. But don't worry. There was another message, one that asked her if she wanted to go to dinner with him. 

The ending was perfect. The last paragraph gives us a moment to absorb the happy news, along with Jessica, and then she takes action and the story ends on that moment of optimistic happiness that all is going to go well. Chef's kiss!

Photo by Kate Ter Haar via Flickr CC License