JJ and Gabi Bring Back Romance on 'Days of our Lives'

Bringing Back the Romance With a New Couple on Days Of Our Lives
By Carolyn LeVine Topol

JJ and Gabi are bringing romance back on Days of our Lives

Several months ago, Ken Corday, Producer of Days of Our Lives, promised a return to romance on the show. As a daily viewer, I was beginning to wonder when we would see his promise come to fruition for more than a random moment or two. With Salem’s overabundance of sadness and death permeating the town, I was concerned the romance I was hoping for had fallen through the proverbial cracks.

Fortunately, I finally found my oasis in the dessert of Days’ dark storylines, in a fresh, new couple. While I vividly remember the joy in watching teen Belle fall in love with Shawn D. Brady, I’m enjoying, equally as much, watching young adult, Gabi Hernandez (played by Camila Banus) finding a kindred spirit in newly graduated police officer, JJ Deveraux (played by Casey Moss).

One of the most significant components to viewing a budding romance on a soap is the smile it should bring when they see the pair on screen. I’ve been happily noting how frequently I smile whenever Gabi and JJ have a scene together. One of the pleasures of enjoying this storyline of burgeoning, young love, is that the Days writers are not forcing or rushing it.

It would seem both Gabi and JJ have learned from the poorly thought-out actions with partners in their pasts. As a couple, we have been allowed to watch the pair agree to take their relationship one step at a time, at a healthy pace. However, despite JJ and Gabi’s slow progress, both emotionally and physically, they don’t deny or avoid their developing feelings for one another. Allowing Days fans to smile at the couple’s few sweet kisses and playful looks adds to the pleasure of watching this romance.

The relationship between Gabi and JJ initially seemed strange, but the pair have been brought together by mutual tragedies. They’ve found a way to share their sadness, as well as their individual regrets from their sordid pasts, to learn and grow. As individuals, we see former troublemaker, and troubled, JJ become an officer of the law and Gabi, ex-con, take steps to live in gratitude for her daughter, family, and opportunities she’s been afforded since her release from prison.

JJ came to Gabi's rescue when she needed it most.

As a long time soap fan, I know the relationship between Gabi and JJ is bound to have its share of roadblocks and bumps, coupled with the prerequisite twists and turns. For now, I’m grateful to have a reason to smile every time this pair comes into any scene in Salem.

Carolyn LeVine Topol regularly contributes television and web series features to Serial Scoop. Having always dreamed of writing her own version of The Great American Novel, it took her many years to discover her most heartfelt stories took their form in the creation of LGBT romances. Carolyn had one lesser-known passion, her dedication to all things "soap opera". Starting as a child with "Dark Shadows" and "Secret Storm", Carolyn has found a way to keep up with nearly every soap, on every network over the past 45 years!

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