Woman reading on the subway is stopped by a man who asks if she enjoys fiction—what he pulls from his bag leaves her deeply moved
Some interactions can melt our hearts instantly. When Nicole (@plottwistsandchilll) was on her way to work, she experienced such an encounter. She was reading a fantasy novel and was immediately approached by a man. He asked if she liked reading fiction and, offering a recommendation, pulled something out of his bag. When she learned what it was, she was left in awe. Sharing the video on her Instagram on April 2, 2026, the woman revealed why his revelation made her emotional.
Nicole was on her way to work on a subway when the stranger asked what she was reading. She was reading Sarah J Maas' "Crown of Midnight" at the time. He asked her if she enjoyed reading fiction, to which she agreed and noted that she was currently reading a fantasy novel. He then asked if he could recommend something to her. As she waited for his suggestion, he pulled out a small card from his bag and told her that it was the latest book titled Encore, by his wife, Juliet Kathryn Izon. He told her that it had been receiving great reviews and wished Nicole could give it a try. The woman was stunned by the man's enthusiasm and immediately decided to purchase the book to read. "How cute!" she exclaimed.
She noted how the man was proud of his wife's work and detailed where it was being sold as well as the great reviews it has been garnering. Nicole shared the story online and wrote, "Being brave enough to approach someone on a New York City Subway to promote your wife's debut novel to a stranger was enough to get me to buy the book." His wife, and author of the book, noticed the video and commented, "Hahahaha, oh my gosh. Thank you for picking up! He’s quite the unpaid publicist." In a follow-up video, the author stitched the reaction to thank Nicole and the internet for the infinite love and support for their relationship and the book.
According to Psychology Today, it is essential to celebrate one's partner's achievements. Authors and consultants, Suzie Pileggi Pawelski, MAPP, and James Pawelski, Ph.D., noted, "Couples who actively celebrate their partner's good news report happier and more sustainable relationships." Some partners tend to brush off their achievements due to feelings of jealousy or low self-esteem. However, feeling joyful for a partner's happiness helps in connecting with them more. "Ask questions and share in their joy. Enthusiastically acknowledge their effort and success," it was suggested. And this husband aced that. Upon seeing the commuter read fiction, he excitedly introduced his wife's work.
Now, whether Nicole liked the man's recommendation or not, it was his love for his wife's work and promotion through strangers that made her admire him more. Nicole's video went viral for all the right reasons, with online users praising how 'green flag' of a husband he is. @mmarykatherinee wrote, "That was not at all how I saw that story ending. How amazing." @mrsbellakoester commented, "This went a completely different direction than I expected, but I'm so glad. What an awesome interaction." @kim7who wrote, "You met a book boyfriend in the wild. That's incredible."
For more fun and wholesome content on relationships and lifestyle, follow @plottwistsandchilll on Instagram.