"Christmas At Holly Lodge"

"Christmas At Holly Lodge" is another one of the Hallmark channel's Countdown to Christmas movies.  It stars Alison Sweeney as Sophie, who is the owner of Holly Lodge, and Jordan Bridges as Evan who is the deal closer for a major developer.

Evan has been sent to Holly Lodge a few days before Christmas to secure the purchase of the lodge which is on the brink of foreclosure.  Sophie has been running the family lodge since her parents were killed in a car accident while she was in college.  Despite financial difficulties she continues to keep it open over the holidays to a group of guests who have become family friends returning for a special Christmas each year at Holly Lodge where Christmas miracles occur.

Evan and Sophie have an instant spark/connection when he walks in the door and what was to be a couple of days stay for Evan turns into a stay through Christmas.  When Callie, Sophie's friend and employee, discovers his real reason for being there, Sophie decides to not let him know she knows but do everything to discourage him completing the takeover that will turn the lodge into an "elite" destination lodge.

However, Evan has plans of his own once he gets to know Sophie and her friends and guests.  Is this jet setter who has never called one place his home ready to settle down in one place or can he convince Sophie it is time to join him and travel the world?  This may be my favorite, most heartwarming Hallmark movie to date!  pazt

"A Bramble House Christmas"

"A Bramble House Christmas" is part of the  Hallmark Miracles of Christmas movie series.  I ordered many Christmas movies before last Christmas from my local library and was 70 something on the waiting list so they're all arriving now that Christmas is over.  However, having a daughter and adult granddaughter that celebrate Christmas all year long makes it fitting we should watch Christmas movies all year long and that's according to my spouse who used to be Mr. Bah-humbug at Christmas!

"A Bramble House Christmas" is the story of Willa, a young divorced woman with a grade school age son without a father in the picture.  She's been nursing a dying man until he passed away recently and, when she's left $100,000 and a Christmas vacation at Bramble House in Oregon with her son, the estranged daughter and son of the man she nursed decide she's a gold digger who conned their father into leaving her the money.

Finn, the son, decides to travel from Seattle to confront her and serve her with an injunction that holds up her inheritance until a full investigation is held.  As is usual in Hallmark movies, plans don't always go smoothly and plans change.  When Finn arrives at Bramble House, he doesn't have the chance to tell Willa immediately who he is and why is there.  As he gets to know her and her son and see the caring person that she is and her power to impact positively the lives around her, he realizes she is not the gold digger that he thought she was and there is a powerful reason his father left her the money.

That would be a good place to end the movie but, of course, there has to be some twists and turns before romance blossoms.  It's an uplifting story!  pazt

"The Wife Between Us"

"The Wife Between Us" is a novel co-authored by Greer Hendricks and Sarah Pekkanen and it is a real surprise!  The best description is the one on the back of the large print edition and I don't think I can explain it any better so I'm just going to give you that:

"When you read this book, you will make many assumptions.

You will assume you are reading about a jealous ex-wife.

You will assume she is obsessed with her replacement -- a beautiful, younger woman who is about to marry the man they both love.

You will assume you know the anatomy of this tangled love triangle.

Assume nothing.

Twisted and deliciously chilling, The Wife Between Us, exposes the secret complexities of an enviable marriage -- and the dangerous truths we ignore in the name of love.

Read between the lies."

Whoever wrote this synopsis truly captured this book.  I read a lot of mysteries and it is rare a book totally surprises me but this one did so, if you like challenges and surprises, this book is for you.  Read it!  pazt

"Christmas Cookies"

"Christmas Cookies" is part of Hallmark's Countdown to Christmas collection and, as such, is a feel good movie.  Jill Wagner stars as Hannah, a corporate executive who has been sent to the town of Cookie Jar to close the deal for her company on the purchase of "Aunt Sallie's Christmas Cookie Company" which is responsible for the livelihood of everyone in Cookie Jar.  Her negotiations are with Jake Carter (played by Wes Brown) and he's reluctant to have the factory moved from Cookie Jar to Buffalo as her company has proposed.  What she thought would be a quick negotiation allowing her to return home in time to attend (reluctantly) a corporate Christmas party with her boyfriend turns into a several day stay in Cookie Jar that changes not only her life but brings hope to the whole town.  pazt

"The Love Punch"

"The Love Punch" is another DVD I found at my local library.  It stars Pierce Brosnan and Emma Thompson as well as Celia Imrie.  Emma portrays Kate and Pierce is her ex-husband, Richard, who is getting ready to retire.  They have a computer hacking son and a daughter just off to the college in Edinburgh where Kate and Richard met and fell in love.

Their lives fall apart, though, when the company Richard retired from is gutted by the new owner and all the pension funds raided leaving he, Kate, and all his fellow ex-employees with nothing.  When he breaks the news to Kate, she immediately goes into action mode and they come up with a plan to steal a diamond worth $10 million that the new owner has just given his bride-to-be and she will be wearing at the wedding.

There are a few complications along the way but, with the help of their neighbors (played by Celia Imrie and Timothy Spall) and the bride-to-be they all just might live happily ever after without going to jail.  This is a fun movie with some of my favorite actors and actresses.  pazt

"The Love Letter"

"The Love Letter" DVD is one I picked up at my local library and it was billed as "the comedy that pushes the envelope."  It's a 1999 movie starring Kate Capshaw, Ellen DeGeneres, Tom Everett Scott, and Tom Selleck when they were 20 years younger!  Although it is a fun movie, it wasn't the comedy that I expected.

The setting is a sleepy New England town called Loblolly By The Sea and Helen, owner of the local bookstore, finds a handwritten letter and is curious about who wrote it.  It's a love letter and she begins to imagine which of the locals might have written it and thinks it is for her.  She ends up in a romance with a young college student, Johnny, who is looking after his parent's home for the summer and ignoring the twice divorced man, George, she went to school with who has had a crush on her forever.

Although we find out who the author is in the end and who the letter was meant to go to, the letter seems to have a power of its own to uncover secrets and change lives.  pazt

"A December Bride"

"A December Bride" is a charming Hallmark Christmas movie with a twist.  Aspiring interior designer, Layla, was talking with her friend, Seth, when her cousin showed up at an event looking for a financial backer.  Seth points out that Layla's fiance is a investment backer and pushes them to get a drink and discuss what he has to offer.  What it turns out he has to offer is to break his engagement to Layla and propose to her cousin!

Layla's aunt encourages her to let bygones be bygones and, in the spirit of family, attend the wedding so Layla invites her next door neighbor to go with her as her "date."  However, when he comes down with a case of the flu at the last minute, she has to take Seth up on his offer to take her although she's pretty miffed at him for introducing the happy couple. 

Events get a little out of hand at the wedding and Seth says he and Layla are engaged and everything becomes complicated from then on!  Of course, in true Hallmark fashion, they do end up falling in love but the ride is bumpy along the way!  pazt

"Goosebumps"

A couple of nights ago, my spouse and I watched the "Goosebumps" DVD which he'd checked out from the library.  Although we'd seen it many years ago, I'd forgotten enough to make it still keep me on the edge of my seat.  I have to say I love anything with Jack Black in it!  Over the holidays we watched the second movie with our children and grandchildren at our daughter's home which may be why he decided to rewatch the first movie.  It's frightening and funny and even has a little romance!  I highly recommend it.  pazt.

"Angel Of Christmas"

"Angel of Christmas" is a delightful Hallmark romance and just what the doctor ordered.  My husband was diagnosed with Stage 4 esophageal cancer in August of 2018 and he has been trying alternative nontraditional treatment since the medical community could only offer palliative care.  He'd hoped to beat the cancer but it seems to be progressing despite his best efforts.  The doctor has referred us to Hospice and, although he is maintaining an optimistic outlook and still hoping to "beat the cancer," he is also preparing in case it doesn't.

For several years now we have sat down together each evening to cuddle and watch a show together.  We've usually chosen mystery series and try to solve them together.  However, tonight he decided it was time to watch romances.  We started with a Hallmark movie but others on the agenda are Jane Austen works like "Pride and Prejudice" - a particular favorite of his.  Another one mentioned was "American Dreamer" which is a very funny romantic comedy.

I requested Christmas movies from the library in 2018 prior to Christmas but it appears I was not the only one with that idea so my requests (mostly Hallmark) didn't arrive until after the holidays but we decided to still watch them.

"Angel of Christmas" is the story of a young copy editor who is given the family Christmas Tree angel which was hand carved by her great-grandfather.  In her wish to discover more about the history of the angel, the angel helps her find romance.  pazt

"Darrow & Darrow: In The Key of Murder"

"Darrow & Darrow: In The Key of Murder" appears to be the second movie of a Hallmark series.  Claire Darrow's new boyfriend (D.A. Miles Strasberg) has a problem - His younger half-sister has been accused of murder and he needs Claire to defend her.  In addition, between the two of them they have to discover who is guilty.  In the midst of all this, Claire's daughter, Lou, is on the baseball team and needs her mother and grandmother to cheer her on -- and get the coach to let her play.  This is a great series -- good mysteries and humor, too!  pazt