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Who Else Loves Hallmark's "All of My Heart" Trilogy?

The All of My Heart trilogy is Hallmark at its best.  Even though these aren't new movies, installments being released in 2015, 2017, and 2018, they air regularly on Hallmark Channel and deserve accolades. I'm skeptical about sequels, but Hallmark manages to keep the momentum going strong in all three.  They are equally delightful! Here's a quick recap, in case you haven't tuned in to the replays: All of My Heart-2015 PLOT:  A caterer and a trader in the finance industry, who each inherit half of a country home, form an unlikely friendship while renovating the house. Image:  Crown Media All of My Heart:  Inn Love-2017 PLOT:  As Brian and Jenny prepare for the opening of their bed-and-breakfast, a damaging storm causes Brian to go back to Wall Street to raise funds for the project. Image:  Crown Media All of My Heart:  The Wedding-2018 PLOT:  As Jenny and Brian complete the planning of their wedding, a distant relative arrives in town claiming to

Hallmark's "In the Key of Love" QUIZ!

Starring:   Laura Osnes and Scott Michael Foster Released:   2019 Summary:   A photographer finds out that her ex-boyfriend/ex-singing partner plans on attending the wedding that she's working, but they start to remember the good times. Image:  Crown Media, United States LLC Do People Plan Such Elaborate Weddings? Posh weddings are expected from the rich and famous, but do ordinary people travel to islands, buy deluxe packages that include tons of activities for their group, and pay for a photographer to follow them for several days? If you're planning a wedding any time soon, don't let your wedding party see this movie--it sets the bar way too high! Weddings Rarely Go Off Without a Hitch The most hilarious part of this movie is when the florist's refrigerator dies along with most of the flowers for the Colby-Robertson wedding.  Evelyn shares the news to dramatic music, as if she's dropping the bomb that a first-degree relative has un

A Look at Hallmark's "Love to the Rescue"

Starring:   Nikki Deloach and Michael Rady Released:   2019 Summary:   When a free-spirited woman and an organized man meet after their kids insist on adopting the same dog, the single parents co-foster the canine pal. Image:  Crown Media Nikki and Michael Are Two of My Favorites, But... I adore these actors.  They are a perfect Hallmark match, especially in one of my favorite Hallmark Christmas movies of 2019,  Two Turtle Doves .   Their performance in this movie is equally amazing, but the story line is very weak.  Imagine your child and a stranger's child want to adopt the same pet.  Would you agree to co-foster the same the dog? As great as pet adoption is, people go overboard when it comes to humanizing pets .  Still, I think many would draw the line at dividing a dog's time between two homes, like it's a product of a divorced family. Wouldn't it be stressful for a dog to keep switching homes? Image:  Crown Media No parent likes to disa

Hallmark's "Bad Date Chronicles"--Do You Have A Bad Date Story?

Starring:  Merritt Patterson and Justin Kelly Released:  2020 Summary:  When a website blogger posts her own bad date experience with a rival newspaper editor, he decides to compete and publish his own bad date experience. Image:  Crown Media, United States LLC Have You Ever Had A Bad Date? Conner Michaels and Leigh Ryness have plenty of material for their blogs because the bad luck they encounter on their first date hits epic proportions. First, Conner's co-worker and BFF, Brad, spills coffee on his nice suit right before he leaves for his date.  He doesn't have time to go home and change, so he borrows Brad's extra set of clothes and looks like some punk, grunge rocker.  He's also shows up quite late. Next, the couple waits forever at the bar because their reservation was never made at the restaurant as intended. Leigh knocks over a candle and sets their table on fire, so Conner throws water on her to extinguish it.  Conner escapes to the restroom

Hallmark's "Love in Store" QUIZ!!

Starring:  Alexandra Breckenridge and Robert Buckley Released:  2020 Summary:  Rival home shopping hosts with different selling styles are forced together as they compete for a promotion, but they find themselves having on-air chemistry. Image:  Crown Media, United States LLC Kids Like Watching Home Shopping Networks? In this movie, Terrie Carpenter reveals being a TV host on SHC's home shopping show is fulfilling her lifelong dream.  Being a child in a divorced family, she always looked up to Sharon St. Clair, the woman in charge of SHC, because she was a woman who had it all together when Terrie's life was a mess.  Terrie always watched the show with her grandma and dreamed of one day having her own segment on the show. Do kids like home shopping channels? I liked watching shows with my granny too as a kid--like Three's Company or The Andy Griffith Show , but I would leave when it was time for her to watch Rockford Files or Matlock.  (Yes, I am datin

Did You Love Hallmark's "The Secret Ingredient?" Get the Book!

Starring:   Erin Cahill and Brendan Penny Released:   2020 Summary:   A small-town baker receives the surprise of her life when she gets an opportunity to compete on a Valentine's Day baking show in New York City. Image:  Crown Media, United States LLC Movie Based on Nancy Naigle's Novel Nancy Naigle is the newest incarnation of Hallmark, following the trail of blazing love already hewn by Debbie Macomber and Karen Kingsbury. You might recognize Naigle's name as the author behind the  Christmas in Evergreen   books, which she novelized based on the original Hallmark movies. How does this author handle writing things in reverse?  It seems a little backwards for the movie to come first and then the book.  In an interview with Hallmark's  Home & Family,  Naigle shares that it takes her just as long to write the book based on the movie than it does starting her own novel from scratch! Watch her interview on penning  Christmas in Evergreen :      In addition to  The Secr

Hallmark's Matching Hearts Review

Starring:  Taylor Cole and Ryan Paevey Released:  2019 Summary:  As Valentine's Day gets closer, a matchmaker receives a task from her mentor to match an entrepreneur who believes that staying single is the key to success. Image:  Crown Media, United States LLC Would You Use A Matchmaker? Wouldn't it be interesting for you and your spouse to fill out a questionnaire, feed your responses into a computer, and then discover what percentage an algorithm spits out on your compatibility? Maybe it's best not to know.   If you are single, would you consider using a matchmaker, or would that feel too forced and unnatural?   Tons of websites exist to help you meet someone without leaving it up to chance or waiting for prayers to be answered.  Research shows, however, that people who meet online are more likely to break up within their first year, plus they are more likely to get divorced, compared to those who meet face-to-face. Your demographic and the s

Hallmark Movie: "A Valentine's Match" Review

Image:  Crown Media, United States LLC Starring:  Bethany Joy Lenz and Luke MacFarlane Released:  2020 Summary:  A woman gets fired from her job as a reality TV host and heads back home for Valentine's Day, but she finds herself in charge of the town festival's auction. Have You Ever Been Fired? If you've ever been fired from your job, this movie may open an old wound.  The ratings are down for Natalie Simmons' (Lenz) reality show, so she is axed minutes into the movie.  The reason?  She has lost her " authenticity " and her " oomph ." She loves her job, so what's the problem?  She jumps into her career with fresh ideas and gusto, but under the pressure and demand for ratings and pleasing the audience, she loses her originality and finds herself going through the motions. Is your heart in your job?   If it is, you undoubtedly head to work with a spring in your step, determined to do your best every day to make a differen

Hallmark's "Winter's Dream" & Overcoming Defeat

Image:  Crown Media, United States LLC Starring:  Kristy Swanson and Dean Cain Released:  2018 Summary:  When a teenage downhill skier asks a former champion for help, the past winner-turned-coach gains new passion for the sport and a budding romance. Don't you love when Hallmark movies feature veteran actors you've seen in prominent programs? Did you place Kristy Swanson?  She played Simone in Ferris Buehler's Day Off, Buffy in Buffy the Vampire Slayer , and Marlowe in the TV series Psych.   Although Dean Cain has been in over 100 movies, including several for Hallmark, he will always be best known as Superman from the 1990's series, Lois & Clark:  The New Adventures of Superman.  Despite his 54th birthday being just around the corner, he's still as handsome as ever.                                                  The Pain of Defeat Kat Miller (Swanson) is a former ski champion who has happily resigned herself to working in her father'