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Hallmark's "Warming Up to You" Trivia QUIZ!

Warming Up to You Plot Summary   A fitness pro must get a movie star in shape before he makes his next flim. Starring:  Cindy Busby and Christopher Russell Image:  Crown Media Kate Wolfe Has Two Rules Kate Wolfe (Cindy Busby) takes her job as a personal trainer very seriously.  To her, getting in shape isn't about losing weight--it's about making healthy lifestyle choices that become habits for the long-term. It's Kate's commitment to her professional values that gets her fired from Santa Monica Fitness.  Under new management, the company's philosophy has shifted to a new motto:  No sweat, no effort, no problem.  Nigel, the owner, feels surgery is the best option for celebrities who want to look good, not hard work and self-discipline. Kate is aghast when she discovers her latest client at Silver Spring Wellness Retreat, Rick Steele (Christopher Russell), is the same chocolate-shake-loving actor who ultimately cost her the job in L.A.  Rick's Hollywood studio

Hallmark's "A Tail of Love" Trivia QUIZ!

  A Tail of Love Plot Summary Bella and her grandmother operate a dog rescue center, but when they learn the new property owner plans to evict them and level the shelter, Bella turns to JR, a soldier who becomes attached to one of the rescues and her. Starring:   Brittany Bristow and Chris McNally  Image:  Crown Media The Main Star of the Movie You may tune into A Tail of Love to watch love blossom between Brittany Bristow (Bella) and Chris McNally (JR), but the real star of the show is Indie, the independent, military service dog back in the States from Kandahar. Bella knows better than to get attached to the rescues destined to be placed in forever homes, but there's something about Indie that tugs at her heart--and JR's.   In fact, Indie serves as a metaphor for Bella and JR's relationship.  When Bella laments how much Indie will miss JR when he's restationed, she's really speaking for herself.  JR and Bella shower Indie with love and attention, assuming their c

Hallmark's "Always Amore" Movie Trivia QUIZ!

Always Amore Plot Summary   A woman tries to keep her late husband's once acclaimed restaurant open, and so she is forced to work with a consultant to turn things around. Starring:   Autumn Reeser & Tyler Hynes (2022) Image:  Crown Media The Restaurant Name Sums It Up If you're not fluent in Italian, you may have missed the significance of the Campisi family's restaurant name.  Il Cibo E Vita  is Marco's legacy, and it means food is life. Food isn't only vital for healthy living, but food brings people together around a table to talk, connect, and build relationships.  Great food is associated with a good life. Marco has been gone for three years, and the restaurant is failing.  Antonio is the key in bringing Cibo roaring back with his creative culinary masterpieces, but Ben Elliott (Tyler Hynes) has his work cut out for him.  Antonio stubbornly resists changing the menu to honor his mentor's memory. A Good Example to Follow By nature, most people resist

Hallmark's "Just One Kiss" Movie QUIZ!

Just One Kiss Plot Summary   Mia is a newly divorced, single mom who meets a lounge singer through a series of chance encounters arranged by both of their mothers. Starring:   Krysta Rodriguez, Santino Fontana, Illeana Douglas, and Aida Turturro Image:  Crown Media A Throwback to the Classics Mia Rivera is a college professor who teaches romantic literature, so if you're an English nerd like me, you enjoy when she references the classical works of John Keats, Ralph Waldo Emerson, and Emily Dickinson.  The most entertaining part about Mia's class is that her relationship status influences her literary interpretation.  When her love life is happy, her analysis centers on hope, but when she's an emotional wreck, her assignments are filtered through despair.  At one of her low points, Mia lectures her class, f alling in love is just common sense leaving your body .   Love can feel like that sometimes!  Mia's best friend, Nick, pulls the fire alarm to bring an end to one of

Hallmark's "The Presence of Love" Is Melancholy, Moving, & Great for Poetry Nerds!

The Presence of Love Plot Summary Adjunct professor, Jocelyn Lambert ("Joss"), travels to England to visit the farm where her late mother grew up and bonds with single father, Daniel, whose family now runs it. Starring:   Eloise Mumford and Julian Morris (2022) Image:  Crown Media Publish or Perish What is an adjunct professor?  Adjunct is a fancy-sounding term for a part-time or temporary professor.   Joss is seeking tenure at the college where she teaches, and although she's one of the best on staff in the English literature department, she doesn't have the edge she needs to advance beyond an interview.  Joss hasn't published enough works that have been cited or earned rewards, and this is a detriment for someone in her position.   Publish or perish is a maxim among academics--they are only as good as their last successfully published work.  Colleges rely on prestige to attract funding, and prestige springs from having works published in respected and visibl

Butterfly Farming Is More Interesting Than the Romance in Hallmark's "Feeling Butterflies"

Feeling Butterflies Plot Summary Emily's booming butterfly business delivers monarchs to a birthday party where she meets single dad, Garrett.  With the help of Garrett and his daughter, Emily's business begins to take flight. Starring:   Kayla Wallace and Kevin McGarry Feeling Butterflies leaves fans feeling disappointed. A Sweet but Dull Movie When Hallmark movie fans learned Feeling Butterflies paired a real-life couple for the movie, they expected the chemistry to be off the charts and the romance to feel more authentic.  It didn't work that way. Kayla Wallace and Kevin McGarry are completely ordinary.  No extra spark of passion.  Very little romantic tension.  An average kiss at the end.  Meh. It's the typical story of a widower trying to do the best he can raising his daughter on his own.  He's torn between moving to New York where Amanda has been accepted into a prestigious school and can be close to his ex-girlfriend or staying right where he is and start

Hallmark's "The Wedding Veil Legacy" QUIZ!!!

The Wedding Veil Legacy Plot Summary Tracy is the last of her three friends to take possession of an antique wedding veil.  Will it prove to be magical for her despite her cynicism about its legend? Starring : Alison Sweeney and Victor Webster Image:  Crown Media The Trilogy Comes Full Circle but Leaves an Open Door Ask any Hallmark fan which installment of the trilogy they liked most and responses will vary.  All three were SO GOOD that it's really hard to pick a favorite.  Our Facebook group conducted an opinion poll on the matter, and most voters tapped Legacy as their top choice, followed by the first one , with Unveiled ending up in last place. We'll try another poll in this blog post to see if the ratings fall the same way. survey services In the first movie, Avery finds Arianna's portrait, only to later realize the veil in the portrait is the same Italian veil she bought from the antique store with her friends.  The second installment traces the veil's origins

Reviw: Hallmark's "The Wedding Veil Unveiled!"

The Wedding Veil Unveiled Plot Summary   Emma travels to Italy to teach and research a wedding veil said to bring its owner love.  While there, she meets Paolo, the son of a local lace-making family. Starring:   Autumn Reeser and Paolo Bernardini  Image:  Crown Media Fun Historical Mystery The second installment of The Wedding Veil trilogy is shrouded in mystery, and viewers are intrigued as the clues are pieced together to reveal a story worthy of a Shakespearean play. While in Italy teaching American art history, Emma uses her free time to research the origins of the enchanted veil.  As she embarks for the island of Burano, boasting more than a dozen shops specializing in handcrafted lace, she meets Paolo.  Emma's exploration leads her to one of the oldest lace shops on the island, and when an older woman tending the store sees the veil, she reacts excitedly in Italian.  Emma can't understand what's being said, but Paolo appears to interpret--the shop belongs to his fam

Hallmark's "Butlers in Love" TRIVIA QUIZ!

Butlers in Love Plot Summary   In a prestigious butler academy, passionate Emma and rebellious Henry train to become royal butlers where the competition is fierce and sparks fly. Starring :  Stacey Farber, Corey Cott, and Maxwell Caulfield Image:  Crown Media A New Hallmark Plot, Finally! While many Hallmark fans enjoyed  Butlers in Love , many expressed disinterest in this movie.  No matter what side of the fence you're on, we can all agree that it is refreshing for Hallmark to finally think outside the box to create a story that's a little different from the rest.  It might still follow the formula, but the variables are more unique. You may have even learned a few things you didn't know about buttling, so you can tell your family that Hallmark movies are educational!  Who knew there is such a thing as a "perfect wine pour."  The correct method is holding the bottle from the bottom.  I've never held the bottle at the bottom to pour, have you?  I think we n