Category Archives: HM Movies and Mysteries Reviews

Christmas with Tucker

How do you deal with the death of a parent?

Christmas with Tucker is a Hallmark Movies and Mysteries selection. It was made back in 2013 and I felt the movie was grittier, more serious, than most Hallmark movies. George is struggling with the recent death of his dad. He’s currently separated from his mom, while he lives on a farm with his grandparents. His mom is dealing with her own grief, and he’s to be reunited with his mother at Christmas.

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George is drawn to a lonely neighborhood dog, whom he secretly names Tucker. Tucker is left all alone and when Tucker’s owner is hospitalized, George and his grandparents look after the dog. George finds that he can’t part with Tucker and he makes an ALMOST deadly deal with Tucker’s owner – a deal that would transfer ownership of Tucker to George.

I liked a lot of things about this movie. Namely, George is such a nice and mature 13-year-old boy. Although he makes mistakes, he still struggles to do what is right. I say that he’s mature because he took on a somewhat adult role a few times in the movie. He plows the snowy roads, driving a huge snow plow, while looking out for the health and well-being of his neighbors. He helps his grandparents run the dairy farm and he also finds out first-hand just how serious, and perhaps deadly, alcoholism could be.

One of the reasons why I felt this movie was so serious was because of the alcoholism. I don’t recall seeing alcoholism addressed in Hallmark movies. If you know of any other Hallmark movies that deal with the subject of alcoholism, then please let me know about them.

Another strange aspect of this movie is that it was not a romance. It was more of a coming of age story about a grieving 13-year-old boy who finds solace in the company of a friendly dog. There’s a hint of romance – an extremely small hint- between George and his female school friend. He rides with his friend each day on the the bus, and you see a brief update on their lives when they reach adulthood.

If you’ve seen this movie, I’d love to hear your opinion about it. I’d also like to know of any other Hallmark Movies that are similar to Christmas with Tucker.

So, do you know of anyone who had to deal with the death of a parent at a young age?

Timeless Love

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Have you ever had a feeling of déjà vu?

From Psychology Today: “Déjà Vu” is a common intuitive experience that has happened to many of us. The expression is derived from the French, meaning “already seen.” When it occurs, it seems to spark our memory of a place we have already been, a person we have already seen, or an act we have already done.

Megan is happily married to Thomas. They have two adorable children. Life is wonderful. Then, suddenly, her kids play an impromptu game of Hide and Seek. Megan searches for them, frantically…where are they? She calls out to them, tells them to come out, this game is no longer funny. But, then, suddenly Megan awakens from a coma, in a hospital. Confused, she tells her parents and her best friend that she’s married with children.

Needless to say, they think she’s bonkers. How can she be married with children? The coma must have messed up her brain, right? But, when she gets a job at Thomas’s photography studio, she KNOWS this was the man to which she was married when she was in a coma.

But, he doesn’t know her. As they work together, chemistry builds between them. He’s amazed that she seems to know him so well. He feels so comfortable with Megan. Thomas feels more comfortable with Megan than with his girlfriend (who happens to be a professor at a university.).

This is one of the best Hallmark Movies and Mysteries movies that I’ve ever seen. My heart really tugged for Megan. I kept waiting for Thomas to somehow “remember” her. She knows all about him, right? After all, she’d been “married’ to him in an alternate universe while in a coma. She knows his hopes and dreams. She knows all about his parents. She knows his likes and dislikes.

The reason why my heart tugged fro Megan is because, she kept believing and searching for the truth. She didn’t let go of her “dream” of loving Thomas and having his kids. And she just KNEW so much about him.

If I had to change one thing in this movie it would be providing an answer – an answer as to WHAT exactly happened while she was in a coma. Like, was Jesus talking to her, via her dreams, letting her know about her future happily ever after? Did the Lord want Megan to be there for Thomas during a difficult time – when the death of a family member made him sad? Did God allow her dream about the future – then wake her up in the past – because she was needed to be at Thomas’s side during his time of grief?

Such a heart-warming, touching winter movie that is enjoyable for all! Highly recommended.

So, have you ever had a feeling of déjà vu?

A Time To Dance

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This is a book review for the novel from which the Hallmark Movie, A Time To Dance, was based. The book and movie are very similar. Have you read A Time To Dance? If so, let me know how it compares to the Hallmark Movie!

A Time To Dance by Karen Kingsbury
Mass Market Paperback: 400 pages
Publisher: Thomas Nelson (March 11, 2008) – (I believe this is the re-released version)
Language: English
ISBN-10: 1595546200
ISBN-13: 978-1595546203

From Amazon.com:
Product Description

They celebrated their love with a dance. But will it end in divorce?

John and Abby Reynolds were the perfect couple, sharing a love born of childhood friendship and deep family ties. They are envied by their friends, cherished by their children, admired by their peers. But John and Abbey are about to lose it all. On the verge of having an affair, John is no more the man Abby married than she is the long-ago girl of his dreams. They are strangers whose days of dancing seem gone forever.

They gather their three children to announce their plans, but before they can speak, their daughter makes an announcement of her own; she’s getting married in the summer.

Abby and John determine not to ruin their daughter’s season of happiness, but as the wedding nears they are haunted by questions. Is the decision they’ve made irreversible? Are there times when marriage–even the marriage between two people of faith–is truly beyond repair? And is it possible, alone in the moonlight on an old wooden pier, to once more find…a time to dance?

Discover the resiliency of boundless love, the power of commitment, and the amazing faithfulness of God in A Time to Dance.
==
Although I enjoyed this book, I liked Kingsbury’s A Moment Of Weakness and When Joy Came To Stay better.
John and Abby Reynolds have a perfect, storybook marriage. They have three kids and both of them are believers in Christ. However, when life gets in the way, and they start spending time apart, too weary to make time for each other, they start having marital problems. John’s coworker, Charlene, is anxious to start a relationship with him. John tries his best to resist, but when Abby spends more time holed up in her office writing, corresponding with her editor online, he feels that their relationship has taken a turn for the worse. John pacifies Charlene, stating that he and Abby will be getting a divorce, making the announcement after their daughter’s marriage. Charlene’s behavior was very irritating throughout the story, and I felt John should have made more of an effort to resist Charlene, especially when she’s bold enough to call his house!
Abby also makes matters worse when she entertains the idea of starting a relationship with her editor. She feels threatened by John’s feelings for Charlene, however, she is guilty of accusing John of things he’s never done.
The story gives lots of flashbacks with backstory as to how John and Charlene met, and when they fell in love. A Moment Of Weakness is a great example of how a couple can overcome problems as long as they trust in the Lord and honor Him.
~Cecelia Dowdy~

Have you read A Time To Dance? If so, let me know how it compares to the Hallmark Movie!

The Beach House

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Have you ever been estranged from your parent(s)? What did you do about it?

This is a review of the book, The Beach House by Mary Alice Monroe. The Hallmark Channel Movies and Mysteries Channel (Hall of Fame) featured The Beach House as a movie which was based on the book. I’ve seen the movie, but, it was a long time ago. I recently read the book, and loved it! So, when I can, I will compare the book to the movie based on memory.

Disclaimer – SPOILER ALERT! If you’re a book reader then just letting you know I’m going to give spoilers in my review. This book review is in the same format as my Hallmark Movie reviews. I’m talking freely about the book as if folks have already read it and have seen the HM Movie!

When Caretta/Cara gets fired from her job, she returns to the beach house where her mom currently lives. She’s estranged from her mother and since she’s upset about being unemployed, she decides to seek rest and relaxation at the beach house. The beach house is where Caretta fondly spent many of her childhood summers.

Cara’s mom, Olivia (Lovie) is dying from cancer. Looks like she only has one more summer to live. She has a companion, Toy, a pregnant, homeless teenaged girl. Toy is wrestling with emotional drama of her own – she’s still in love with her baby’s father – a loser named Darryl.

Cara and her mom work through their issues during this bittersweet summer. Cara learns about herself. She becomes acquainted with Brett, a boy from high school, who has always been fancied with her. Brett is too good to be true as he cares for Caretta and her mom. He’s a wildlife expert who runs a tour boat on the beach.

Brett knows SO MUCH about wildlife and he can cook, too! He catches fresh seafood from the ocean and grills it over an open fire. Delicious. The attraction between Cara and Brett is strong. Cara doesn’t know what to do with such strong emotions . Cara wants to be in control of everything – she’s out of her element here at the beach house since she’s no longer part of corporate America.

This was such a strong, emotional story. It’s a book about fixing family relationships – relationships that have been broken for a long time. Not only is Cara estranged from her mom, she’s also estranged from her brother and her deceased father.

Lovie had deep faith in God. She goes to church regularly and reads her Bible. This was a gentle book and although it is secular, I could see this book easily being re-written as an inspirational. I say this because I write inspirationals and I’ve read countless inspirational novels. Lovie even recites the following scripture not long before her death:

This family had so many things wrong, so many problems. Lovie finds solace living her beach house – which she refuses to leave now that she’s ill. She wants to spend her last days at the beach house and she wants to nurture her turtles.

I loved the turtles! I learned so much about loggerheads and about how they lay eggs on the beach. Lovie is mesmerized by these creatures and she even moves turtle nests when they are in danger. She’s part of a group of ladies called The Turtle Team. The Turtle Team scour the beach each morning for nests. The nests are tracked and monitored. I loved reading about the turtles hatching from their eggs.

I recommend The Beach House to all who enjoy strong emotional stories. Show Mary Alice Monroe some love and purchase this wonderful story! I guarantee you will love it! You should also watch the Hallmark Movie, too! Most of the elements that I’ve mentioned in this blog post were covered in the Hallmark Movie. I recall that this movie was more serious than most Hallmark Movies.

So have you ever been estranged from your parent(s)? If so, what did you do to rectify it?

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Southern Comfort – FREE for Valentine’s Day 2020

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If you’re a fan of Hallmark Movies and Mysteries then you should try my novel Southern Comfort! It’s FREE for Valentine’s day! It’s a romance/women’s fiction novel with a hint of suspense. Hallmark Movies and Mysteries fans will enjoy this e-book! It’s one of the strongest stories I’ve ever written!