Have you ever struggled with finding the perfect Christmas gift for someone?

Well, Paul struggles with finding a gift for his girlfriend, Jenny. Jenny has relocated to Chicago to be with Paul. But, there’s a distance between them – not a physical distance but an emotional distance.

Jenny is originally from Chicago, so, being back at “home” gives her bittersweet, mixed, emotional feelings. She lost her dad when she was young and she recalls the fun times they shared in Chicago.

Since Paul wants to emotionally re-connect with Jenny, he hires his old fraternity brother, Tom. Tom is “Mr. Christmas.” He has a business where he can find the perfect Christmas gift for your loved one. The only catch is, Tom has to get to know the person for whom you’re buying the gift. So, Tom has to spend time with Jenny.

As Tom spends time with Jenny, planning a charity event – finding out her likes, dislikes, personal hangups, etc., he falls in love with her. When Jenny discovers Tom’s true identity as Mr. Christmas, well, things turn sour between Tom and Jenny and between Jenny and Paul.

I REALLY liked this Hallmark M&M Christmas movie! It was fantastic. It was a Hallmark movie, but, a bit more. Meaning, I could actually imagine this movie on the big screen, actually in a movie theater. The movie had a bit more emotional edge to it than most other HM movies. I loved the chemistry between Tom and Jenny and the conflict was amazing.

I also noticed as Tom was getting to know Jenny, he’d read one of her favorite books: The Giver by Lois Lowry. I read this book awhile ago and I loved it! It’s a dystopian story and I felt it was a bit deep for a children’s book. I thought it was so good and I liked that this was one of Jenny’s favorite books. Why? Not sure. Maybe I liked this aspect of the movie because it showed that Jenny was a deep thinker? I just liked how the camera panned onto this book a couple of times during the movie!

I especially loved how Tom showed how much he’d fallen for Jenny. The end, where he gets the album she’s been seeking, her dad’s recording, well…that was just over-the-top sweet, nice and oh so refreshing! Loved it!

So have you ever struggled with finding the perfect gift for your boyfriend/significant other? What did you do? Would you consider hiring someone like Mr. Christmas?

Have you ever gotten engaged and then regretted it later?  

Paula has recently accepted a marriage proposal from her overbearing boyfriend, Daniel. Upset and confused, she talks to her Aunt Jane about her mixed feelings. Aunt Jane invites Paula down for a visit to Nantucket. Her Aunt then sends Jane to Martha’s Vineyard where she meets Gery the owner of the inn where she’s staying.

Paula and Gery really seem to hit it off. The emotional connection between them is amazing! Only problem is, Paula is engaged…is it okay for her to have feelings for Gery while she’s engaged to Daniel?

I really liked this movie. I thought the characters were strong and oh, so believable. Didn’t Daniel get on your nerves? He sure got on mine.I hated the way he kept texting and taking phone calls while he was supposed to be visiting Paula. When Paula came to visit him at his job, he even set an alarm to ensure that their visit didn’t last too long! Who does that?

He also was overbearing towards his family, too. His own sister had issues with him, too. He was not the right match for Paula, even though they’d been dating for two years. I’m kind of surprised that they didn’t break up sooner. I felt that Daniel strong-armed Paula into accepting his proposal. She’d not been expecting him to propose – so, it was a bit of a shock for her when he did that. Also, she refused to wear his ring….which spoke VOLUMES as to how she felt about him!

Gery likes Paula, too. He’s divorced and he tells Paula why his marriage ended. Paula struggles with her feelings for Gery while being engaged to Daniel. Aunt Jane reminds her that sometimes God winks and the unexpected can happen!

The Godwink Christmas movies are based on the Godwink series of books. Have you read them? 

The publisher for God Winks recently sent me a copy of God Wink Christmas Stories in the mail. I was surprised to receive it. I read the first story and it was inspiring. It was a true account of someone helping an elderly couple. Such a touching story for the Christmas holiday!

So, have you ever gotten engaged and then had second thoughts about it? Did you regret your decision? Did you end up getting married or did you break off your engagement?

Have you ever dreaded Christmas?

Well, Marie dreads it a lot! Four years ago, she mistakenly thought her boyfriend was going to propose to her.

Instead, he breaks up with her.

Now, whenever Christmas is near, she is NOT EXCITED about the holiday. All she seems to do is remember that fateful day.

But Marie’s world changes when her parents start sending her mystical Christmas ornaments. Every time she receives an ornament, it turns out that that particular ornament is somehow meaningful in her life. For example, she meets her next door neighbor, Nate. She’s attracted to the male nurse and when she receives an ice skating ornament, Nate takes her ice skating (Nate is not aware of her ornament). Also, after she receives a pancake ornament, Nate takes her out for Christmas pancakes. The pattern continues throughout the story and at one time, she mis-reads the meaning of a lighthouse ornament.

Marie likes her job. She wants to move up in the publishing industry and be in charge of her employer’s fiction line. However, her Christmas dread gets worse when her ex is assigned to work with her on a piece of fiction. She’s upset to discover that he’s writing a story about their former love life.

I could really relate to Marie’s life working in the publishing industry. Although I’ve never been an editor for a large publishing house, I’ve written for them. So I could relate from the other side of the table. I used to attend romance writers’ conferences each year just to pitch my books to editors. It was a blast and meeting those editors, plus lots of hard work and dedication, led to my first contracts with large publishing companies!

I thought that Nate was a great, sweet, understanding guy. He’s great with kids at the hospital where he works. In spite of Marie’s negative feelings about Christmas, she manages to spread Christmas cheer at the hospital where Nate works. She’s also great with the kids.

I liked this movie but felt that Marie’s stance against Christmas was a bit harsh. Her boyfriend broke up with her during the holiday season four years ago – four years ago – four years ago! Yes, I’m repeating myself because I felt she should’ve been over her ex and moved on. Four years is long enough to heal from a breakup (unless there are huge extenuating circumstances and I didn’t see any of those in the movie). If I’d written the script, I’d have had her breakup to happen last Christmas, one year ago. That way, her pain would’ve been more raw and fresh and her apprehensions and fears toward Nate would’ve been more plausible.

I loved how the ornaments were like a road map to great things happening in Marie’s life. I wish I could’ve known if the magic from these ornaments was coincidental or if the Lord himself had sprinkled some magic onto those Christmas decorations.

I really enjoyed this Hallmark movie and I think you will, too.

So, have you ever dreaded Christmas? If so, what did you do to cheer yourself up?

Christmas Everlasting Podcast

This blog post is sponsored by Divine Desserts Publishing! Check out our titles!

Have you ever had, or known of, a family secret?

I just finished watching this movie and all I can say is STUPENDOUS! I so LOVED this movie! The theme of the movie was a bit darker (more serious) than most Hallmark Movies. This movie is more like the Hallmark Movies and Mysteries Channel shows. I’d imagine in the future, when they re-show Christmas Everlasting, it’ll be featured on the HMM&M Channel.

Wait a second. Do you like to read sweet, chaste romance novels? I’m Cecelia Dowdy – romance author. Check out my books. Now back to Christmas Everlasting.

Kudos to the Hallmark Channel for FINALLY having an African-American couple as the lead characters! I’ve been watching HM movies for a good long while and had always wondered why people of color are usually shown as secondary characters – someone’s best friend/sidekick, but, have never been given the spotlight as the lead hero/heroine. Well, this is the first time I’ve ever seen a movie with AA hero and heroine and I was quite pleased with the performance. I really enjoyed all of the actors and actresses and I’m familiar with many of them from shows back in the eighties and nineties (like Fresh Prince of Bel Air and All My Children – a soap opera). And Patty Labelle, she’s been a household name like…forever!

When Lucy returns to her hometown, it’s because her sister Alice has passed. She discovers that Alice had a strong network of friends. Alice has always helped people and she strongly believed in animal rights. She volunteered at the pet shelter and before she had a bad accident, she’d been studying to become a veterinarian.

Lucy is stunned when she discovers that Peter, her old flame, was Alice’s lawyer. Peter informs her that in order to inherit Alice’s home, her family home, she must stay in town for four weeks, through Christmas. Afterwards, she can decide if she wants to keep or sell the home. Lucy doesn’t want to leave her busy life in New York – plus, she’s forced to be in close proximity to Peter – since that fateful night when Alice had her serious accident, she’s avoided Peter and they’ve never talked about the fact that they were together when Alice had her accident.

It was nice seeing this town together during the Christmas season. I enjoyed seeing Lucy search for Maeve – and I was shocked to discover that Maeve was actually Alice’s daughter!

I also loved the animals. I was so glad that Mr. Freckles finally warmed up to Lucy and that she was able to form deep friendships with her sister’s quilting bee friends.

I also loved seeing Peter and Lucy reunite! I also enjoyed knowing that they would go into business together!

Peter had a good heart and it was refreshing to see someone so happy at their job. His job seemed to be low-key, and low stress! I mean, come on, he was out ice fishing and ice skating regularly – during the workday! How grand!

I also loved the cookies (you know I love cookies and often feature sweets, desserts, and baking in the romance novels that I write).

I’m also pleased to see that HM will be releasing a couple of more movies featuring people of color! It’s about time!

Christmas Everlasting is based upon the novel entitled The Second Sister by Marie Bostwick. If you read the book, please let me know how you liked it and how it compares to the movie.

So, have you ever had, or known of, a family secret? Was the secret kept hidden, or was it ever revealed?

This blog post was sponsored by Divine Desserts Publishing. If you like good, clean stories like Christmas Everlasting then download Loving Luke by Cecelia Dowdy.