Winning Wonderland
Logline
A woman named Alice participated in a contest held by Owen Rudd, a single father searching for a soulmate. Convinced Alice would turn him down, Owen made a different choice, causing his children to run away. He and Alice search in a blizzard, but there are more deadly threats than the blizzard.
Genre
Suspense/Thriller,Romance
Short Summary
Alice is tricked by her friends into participating in a contest held by the owner of a Montana resort. He is too busy with his children and business to search for a wife and mother. The advertised contest draws women to compete. Alice agrees after meeting Owen and finding out how he became a dad.
Alice, a beach girl, is lost in a blizzard. Owen feels responsible and searches for her. He accidentally buries both of them in an avalanche. Alice gets them both out, with Owen injured. Shelter is a cave, but they aren't the sole inhabitants. Eventually rescued, Owen proposes and Alice accepts.
Setting
Montana
Based on a True Story
No
Plot - Premise
Quest
Plot - Other Elements
Happy Ending,Twist
Mature Audience Themes
Information not completed
Main Character Details
Name: Alice Crockett
Age: 27
Gender: Female
Role: Protagonist
Key Traits: Educated,Romantic,Skillful,Selfless,Faithful,Adventurous,Aspiring,Confident,Decisive
Additional Character Details
Name: Owen Rudd
Age: 33
Gender: Male
Role: Protagonist
Key Traits: Charming,Adventurous,Decisive,Heartthrob,Leader,Romantic
Additional Character Details
The author has not yet written this
Additional Character Details
The author has not yet written this
Development Pitch
Alice was in Wonderland. But what started as a Christmas romance contest became a fight for survival when Wonderland turned deadly. Alice Crockett loved beaches and palm trees but gambled on winter in the mountains of Montana, hoping for true love and an instant family. Resort owner and single father Owen Rudd’s choice would decide the fate of his family. But his young children made their own choice, a potentially fatal one. They ran away. Owen led a search and rescue party on snowmobiles to locate his missing children. The clock was ticking. Told to stay put, Alice struck out alone and on foot, in the beginnings of a blizzard that soon swallowed her up. As they searched separately through the storm, Alice and Owen each blamed themselves for the potential tragedy. In the end, the pair would have to find and rely on each other to survive. Because the blizzard wasn’t the only threat the wilderness had up its sleeve. There was far deadlier to come. If you like heartwarming romance, gripping suspense, and unexpected twists, you’ll love this page-turning tale set against majestic mountains and impossible odds. This is a story with a unique take and several twists that the audience wouldn't expect. It leads the characters through interesting adventures the whole family could watch together. There is beautiful scenery, a man with a big heart, and a woman looking for nothing more than a family. What she finds is more than she could have imagined.
Genre
ACTION, SUSPENSE, THRILLER, ROMANCE
Brief
Emma's friends subscribe her in a contest to win the heart of a single father of three, Owen Rudd, without her knowing about it. After his children run away, the couple risk their lives trying to find them, but they end up falling in love.
Overall Rating
FAIR
Narrative Elements
Authors Writing Style: GOOD
Characterization: FAIR
Commerciality: GOOD
Franchise Potential: FAIR
Pace: GOOD
Premise: FAIR
Structure: FAIR
Theme: FAIR
Accuracy of Book Profile
The book profile reflects the book accurately.
Draw of Story
The story draws readers in because there are many unexpected turns. Even though it is a story about two people falling in love, there is also suspense and adventure as the romance unfolds.
Possible Drawbacks
The idea of women in a competition to win a man is a bit outdated, as well as the willingness to become mom of three without really knowing the guy. The characters involved could be better developed, as women's conversations and existence seem to revolve around men.
Use of Special Effects
THE STORY RELIES A LITTLE BIT ON SPECIAL EFFECTS
Primary Hook of Story
A romantic story with a bit of adventure and suspense set up in a snowy location during Christmas is enticing enough to draw audience in.
Fanbase Potential
Depending on the adaptation, it could have a fair fanbase, as far as a Christmas romcom with a taste of thriller can go.
Awards Potential
The story leaves room for good acting and special effects related to the blizzard scenes. However, it is still more of a heartwarming and light entertaining Christmas story.
Envisioned Budget
MEDIUM BUDGET
Similar Films/TV Series
THE HOLIDAY, WHILE YOU WERE SLEEPING, BRIDGET JONES'S DIARY, HOLIDATE
What’s New About the Story
The story could benefit from a deeper development of the characters, specially female ones. Alice, Emma and Sophia could be made more fun if there were more layers in their personalities to make them stand out and be more charismatic.
Lead Characters
Alice is humble, hardworking, independent and a pretty girl-next-door with an unlucky love life. Owen is a rich and generous guy who, even being very young, has taken up the part as a father of three after the death of the children's parents, her sister and his brother-in-law.
Uniqueness of Story
The story has great potential, but characters should be better developed. A contest to marry a man sounds like a dangerous premise for a modern romcom, even if the main character didn't agree with it at first. However, it could be gotten around if women, including contestants, were portrayed with more layers and a life that is not revolving around finding a man.
Possible Formats
Film - Studio, Film - Streaming, TV Series - Streaming, TV Series - Network, TV Series - Cable, TV Series - Limited Run / Mini-Series
Analyst Recommendation
WORK IN PROGRESS
Justification
While the story has many positive points, it has room for improvement (see possible paths below). If you can't change the story at this point, my suggestion is using your notes as a guide to highlight the best aspects of it when taking the next steps, either putting a pitch page together, a treatment, or a presentation.
Tips for Improvement
My recommendation for change is that the couple could meet in a different way - maybe both having different goals in a contest, and not only women competing for a husband. The female characters could be developed with more layers - as the main male character is - having more personal singularities, life stories and goals.