You don't need to buy a women's bike, however, they might offer benefits, such as a wsd saddle, narrower bars, a shorter stem, shorter cranks etc. this can be especially so if she is on the petite size. Even if she is tall, especially with a roadbike, she may need to spend money on these bits (I'm around 5'10 and would still have to change bits on a stock roadbike with the right sized frame)
A roadbike doesn't have to have drop bars, there are plenty of wsd fast flat bar options out there from specialized, giant, trek, whyte etc. unlike a lot of drop bar bikes they have the added benefit for a commuter of lugs for a rack and clearance for proper mudguards. Just avoid anything with suspension or tyres that are overly fat (I think a 32mm is really the max you want for speed on the roads)
However, depending on how much she wants to spend, where she can buy from, where she lives etc, might have a bearing on the choice available
Not sure why a roadbike would put her off if it's the right bike, the right size, the right fit?
Take her to a few shops to see what she likes, sit on a few, have a few test rides (evans are good with no obligation tests and a wide choice)
Personally, I have 4 bikes, none are wsd, but two were built from the frame with the right size components. My hands don't get on with shimano hoods, so my two geared roadbikes have sram with the slimmer, more ergo hood shapes