Hallmarkies – I wanted to give a shout out to the Rent.com blog! I was recently named as an expert on holiday decor! Check out this amazing blog post here: Design Styles to Try, Based on Your Favorite Holiday Movie
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This blog post was sponsored by Divine Desserts Publishing LLC. If you like movies such as The Magic of Lemon Drops then you must read Raspberry Kisses by Cecelia Dowdy! Dπππ ππππ πππ ππππππππππ πππππππππ πππππ ππ Martin and Rhea ππ ππππ ππ πππππππ π πππππππππππππ πππ π ππ πππ, π ππππ, πππππ, πππ ππππ.π’π°π’π πππππ πππ ππππ ππ ππ ππππβπππ π ππβπ ππππ ππ ππππ ππ! Grab your copy of Raspberry Kisses today! Tell all of your friends by sharing this link!
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Have you ever regretted your past decisions? If so, what decisions do you regret?
The Magic of Lemon Drops is based on the novel The Magic of Lemon Drop Pie. I thought the movie was cute and sweet. However, I thought the book was SO MUCH BETTER than the movie. Lolly and Rory are childhood sweethearts. Rory is now divorced and he returns to town and reconnects with Lolly. Lolly is trying to help her dad run their family diner. She has a younger sister (Daphne) β and Lolly is more like a mom to Daphne, since their mom was deceased.
Unsatisfied with her life, Lolly accepts four magical lemon drops from her eccentric aunt. When she sucks on a drop before bed β she chooses an alternative life β a life she could have had if sheβd made a different choice. Iβm referring to the lemon drop dreams as alternate reality during the rest of this blog post.
She regrets not marrying Rory β sheβd not accepted his proposal. What would her life had been like if sheβd married him? She regrets not opening her restaurant, Toast. What would have happened if sheβd followed her dreams and had opened her own establishment? She wonders what her life would be like if her mom had not died? Well, she wishes to speak to her deceased mom β so sheβs able to do so by using one of her magical lemon drops.
The book was better because you actually got to see the emotional depth between Lolly and Rory. They met as kids and developed a deep bond. You donβt see the backstory in the movie. I realize itβs hard to write a script that firmly aligns with the book. In the book, you see the viewpoints of all of the characters, as well as their internal thoughts. Itβs hard for that to come across in the movie.
Also, in the book, Lolly is dissatisfied with her life, just like the movie. In the book, Lollyβs regrets not accepting Roryβs marriage proposal β but thereβs nothing she can do about it because heβs married with a family. She doesnβt find out until about three quarters of the way into the story that Rory is divorced. In the movie, you find out right away that Rory is divorced.
There were scenes that didnβt make a lot of sense to me. One of those scenes was when Lolly was in the alternate reality with her mother. She spots Rory at a park. He doesnβt initially remember who she is! Sheβs almost like a stranger to him. Lolly has to remind him about her name! That was totally weird. Usually, if someone shared a deep connection in the past, would they not remember that person? Such weirdness didnβt happen in the novel.
I was also a bit taken aback when Lolly was in the alternate reality running Toast β the restaurant sheβd always regretted not pursuing. Rory arrives at the restaurant with his hot date and he simply uses Lolly as a way to get a good table at her popular restaurant. Having such service is impressive to his date.
I guess the movie wouldβve been better if theyβd better portrayed the emotional angst between the couple. In the movie, I believe Lolly may have mentioned that she regretted turning down Roryβs marriage proposal. However, in the alternate universes, it appeared that Rory was not in love with Lolly at all β which was a bit off-putting.
Lolly does experience the alternate universe of being married to Rory. But in the book, it was portrayed so much better! You actually get to see her interacting with the kids she wouldβve had with Rory. But, the alternate reality as Roryβs wife β is unsatisfying in the movie β since heβs given up his dream to be with her. In the novel, the alternate universe with Rory is satisfying, but, there is potential distress, with Rory giving up his dream. In the book, the only way for them to keep their engagement, would be for Rory to give up his dream of going to a certain university.
I thought the business idea, Lollyβs Pops, was lovely! However, when she started the business in the novel, it was more linked to her personal journey of finding herself. She doesnβt start her business until late in the book, but, in the movie, she was contemplating her business idea in the beginning.
Overall, the movie was a typical Hallmark movie. But, if you really want to experience the emotional drama between Rory and Lolly, then you must read The Magic of Lemon Drop Pie by Rachel Linden.
So, have you ever regretted your past decisions? If so, what decisions do you regret? If you were offered a lemon drop β to visit the alternate reality of your dreams β would you accept it?
This blog post was sponsored by Divine Desserts Publishing LLC. If you like movies such as The Magic of Lemon Drops then you must read Raspberry Kisses by Cecelia Dowdy! Dπππ ππππ πππ ππππππππππ πππππππππ πππππ ππ Martin and Rhea ππ ππππ ππ πππππππ π πππππππππππππ πππ π ππ πππ, π ππππ, πππππ, πππ ππππ.π’π°π’π πππππ πππ ππππ ππ ππ ππππβπππ π ππβπ ππππ ππ ππππ ππ! Grab your copy of Raspberry Kisses today! Tell all of your friends by sharing this link!
Time for Them to Come Home for Christmas
This blog post is sponsored by Divine Desserts Publishing. If you like movies such as Time for Them to Come Home for Christmas then you should read Sugar and Spice. Sugar and Spice is an endearing, rich, wholesome Christmas book that youβll never forget.
Sugar and Spice is about a friendship, which grows into love, between Mason and Sheila. Itβs a Christmas novella full of love, regrets, and forgiveness. Thereβs also a bakery and plenty of delicious desserts wrapped within this amazing story. Can Mason and Sheila find the courage to overcome their hang-ups and learn to love again? Sugar and Spice has been an Amazon bestselling novel with several 5-star reviews! Purchase today and tell your friends by sharing this blog post!
Sugar and Spice is an endearing, rich, wholesome Christmas book that youβll never forget.
Click the link at the end of this blog post to purchase.
Now, letβs discuss Time for Them to Come Home for Christmas.
This was such a sweet and endearing movie.
Jane is on her way to an event via bus. Sheβs held up by a snowstorm, and is forced to find a place to stay. While crossing a bridge, on her way to a place of lodging, sheβs struck by a car. When she wakes up in the hospital β she doesnβt remember anything about her life, or who she is. She suffers from amnesia. She doesnβt have a purse, or ID, so, the staff canβt find out her name.
Her nurse, Paul, is sympathetic to her desire to attend a Christmas tree lighting. She discovers that she was on her way to the Christmas tree lighting when she was held up by the snowstorm. She figures if she goes to the lighting, then, maybe sheβll remember who she really is. Maybe she will see someone or something that would spark her memory. The event is several miles away β so they must take a long road trip to get there. Paul drives since the event is en route to his relativesβ house β where heβs going to be spending Christmas.
I liked the chemistry between Paul and Jane. They canβt act on their emotions because Paul doesnβt know if Jane might be married, and itβs implied she might have a child. As clues are discovered β such as Janeβs lost luggage β and Janeβs brief flashbacks of past events β her memory slowly evolves.
This is a Hallmark movie β so you know that things get rectified by the end! Of course, Jane is not married and is free to be with Paul.
Amnesia has been something thatβs always interested me. The subject is strange, sad and fascinating at the same time. I wonder how this movie would have ended if Jane had NOT gotten her memory back? How do you move forward in life if you donβt know who you are? Iβd imagine that in such a case, nowadays, it would be fairly easy to discover who somebody is by posting their picture on the news, letting people know that this person is seeking friends/relatives. But, even after finding their family and loved ones β what happens if your memory never returns? What if you have a husband and kids and you never remember who they are?
Could you rebuild your life after such an ordeal?
Do you, or anybody you know ever had amnesia? What was it like? Did it take long to regain memories?
This blog post is sponsored by Divine Desserts Publishing. If you like movies such as Time for Them to Come Home for Christmas then you should read Sugar and Spice. Sugar and Spice is an endearing, rich, wholesome Christmas book that youβll never forget.
Sugar and Spice is about a friendship, which grows into love, between Mason and Sheila. Itβs a Christmas novella full of love, regrets, and forgiveness. Thereβs also a bakery and plenty of delicious desserts wrapped within this amazing story. Can Mason and Sheila find the courage to overcome their hang-ups and learn to love again? Sugar and Spice has been an Amazon bestselling novel with several 5-star reviews! Purchase today and tell your friends by sharing this blog post!
Sugar and Spice is an endearing, rich, wholesome Christmas book that youβll never forget.
Click the link at the end of this blog post to purchase.
Thanks for listening and have an awesome day!
Hallmarkies, come and join me at this event in April! I’ll be signing most/all of my novels in paperback! Bring a friend! The more the merrier!
keywords & hashtags: Christmas in July, #ChristmasinJuly, Christmas, #Christmas, #Hallmark, Hallmark, #CountdowntoChristmas, Countdown to Christmas #Christmasmovies #Christmasmovie Christmas movie, Christmas movies
This blog post was sponsored by Divine Desserts Publishing LLC. If you like warm, emotional Christmas stories like A Fabled Holiday then you must read Loving Luke by Cecelia Dowdy. Loving Luke is about a reunion between Luke and Kim, two childhood sweethearts. Itβs a Christmas novel full of love, regrets, and second chances. Thereβs also a bakery and plenty of delicious desserts wrapped within this amazing story. Can Luke and Kim find the courage to overcome their hang-ups and learn to love again? Loving Luke has been an Amazon bestselling novel with several 5-star reviews! Purchase today by clicking on the link at the end! Tell your friends by sharing this blog post!
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Did you have a favorite fairy tale as a child? If so, which story was your favorite?
This movie was highly unusual. Talia and Anderson were friends as children. After Taliaβs dad dies, she moves away. Both of them keep in touch for a while β Talia sends Anderson fairy-tale-like stories and Anderson enjoys reading them. Years later, they reconnect when Talia moves back into town and is now a bookstore owner.
Due to unusual circumstances, both of them end up at a place called The Gingerbread Inn for Christmas. The Gingerbread Inn is a mythical-like town that doesnβt show up on the map. Both Anderson and Talia have hardships in which they are trying to overcome. Anderson doesnβt know if heβs strong enough to continue practicing medicine. If one of his patients dies, is he at fault? Was there something he couldβve done to save his patient? He beats himself up over this. I felt bad for him. I felt as if he was taking blame for circumstances that were beyond this control.
Meanwhile Talia wants to become an author, but, doesnβt know if sheβs good enough to write fairy tales. Is she destined to continue to be a bookstore owner, selling the work of others, giving up on her own dream?
There were other guests at the inn who were working through problems. One man was grieving over his deceased wife. Two other guests happened to be a couple contemplating divorce.
All of the guests are struggling with something and they happen to come to The Gingerbread Inn via a mysterious link to a Christmas fairy tale that they read as children. The town is called Wunderland and during the movie, the characters participate in a lot of yuletide events, such as dressing as elves, and walking down a path, ringing a Christmas bell along the way.
It appears that Hallmark is changing the tone for some of this yearβs Christmas movies. Instead of the movie focusing on one couple, it might focus on several couples. I believe that making some of the movies with multiple characters/couples is refreshing.
Did you have a favorite fairy tale as a child? If so, which story was your favorite?
This blog post was sponsored by Divine Desserts Publishing LLC. If you like warm, emotional Christmas stories like A Fabled Holiday then you must read Loving Luke by Cecelia Dowdy. Loving Luke is about a reunion between Luke and Kim, two childhood sweethearts. Itβs a Christmas novel full of love, regrets, and second chances. Thereβs also a bakery and plenty of delicious desserts wrapped within this amazing story. Can Luke and Kim find the courage to overcome their hang-ups and learn to love again? Loving Luke has been an Amazon bestselling novel with several 5-star reviews! Purchase today by clicking on the link at the end! Tell your friends by sharing this blog post!
Subscribe to this blog by leaving a reply and selecting βNotify me of new posts by email.β
This blog post is sponsored by Divine Desserts Publishing LLC. If you like sweet, emotional Christmas love stories such as Just in Time for Christmas then you must read Loving Luke by Cecelia Dowdy. Loving Luke is about a reunion between Luke and Kim, two childhood sweethearts. Itβs a Christmas novel full of love, regrets, and second chances. Thereβs also a bakery and plenty of delicious desserts wrapped within this amazing story. Can Luke and Kim find the courage to overcome their hang-ups and learn to love again? Loving Luke is on Amazon β purchase today and tell your friends by sharing this blog post!
Just in Time for Christmas
Have you ever made a big, life-changing decision and then later regretted it? Did you wish that youβd made a different choice?
When Lindsayβs childhood friend, Jason, asks her to marry him, sheβs initially ecstatic. However, a phone call from a university creates a roadmap to her changing plans. Sheβs been made an offer to publish her book, and to possibly teach at a high-ranking university. Sheβs excited about this news! However, when she shares her plans with Jason, sheβs forced to choose: marry him, or accept the universityβs offer. Her book publication deal would require her to move far away. Jason has a bakery β he loves his business and doesnβt want to be forced to relocate.
Lindsay is filled with a plethora of emotions after Jasonβs proposal. Should she turn down the book deal, or, should she marry her childhood sweetheart? Her world changes when a stranger older man arrives at a deserted park and offers her a carriage ride. This carriage ride takes her into the future!
I loved how this movie shows how life wouldβve been like if Lindsay accepts the universityβs offer and turns down Jasonβs proposal. After the carriage ride, Lindsay discovers in a few yearsβ time that sheβs a famous author and Jason is engaged to someone else! Whatβs weird about this is that she doesnβt remember the chain of events that lead to her national stardom! After traveling into the future, the last memory she has is the night that she takes the carriage ride. Itβs almost as if a few years of living have been erased from her mind, kind of like amnesia.
I think this movie shows that when we make big, life-changing decisions, that we need to stop and think about what we are doing. Lindsay obviously loved Jason, so, they shouldβve talked about alternatives to making their relationship work. Of course, since this is a Hallmark movie, you know that they work out everything in the end, and live happily ever after.
On a personal note, I can relate to Lindsayβs desire to be a famous published author. Iβm a romance writer, and when I see my books on the shelves of places like Barnes and Noble, Target, and Walmart, I get a buzz! Itβs wonderful for an author to have her work to be admired by those all around the world. I just wish that Iβd been able to make my writing business as financially lucrative as Lindsayβs! Itβs always been my dream to make a full-time salary for my writing, but, alas, thatβs not happened. I still daydream about that, though.
So, have you seen Just in Time for Christmas? Did you like it?
Have you ever made a big, life-changing decision and then later regretted it? Did you wish that youβd made a different choice?
This blog post was sponsored by Divine Desserts Publishing LLC. If you like sweet, emotional Christmas love stories such as Just in Time for Christmas then you must read Loving Luke by Cecelia Dowdy. Loving Luke is about a reunion between Luke and Kim, two childhood sweethearts. Itβs a Christmas novel full of love, regrets, and second chances. Thereβs also a bakery and plenty of delicious desserts wrapped within this amazing story. Can Luke and Kim find the courage to overcome their hang-ups and learn to love again? Loving Luke is on Amazon β purchase today and tell your friends by sharing this blog post!
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This blog post is sponsored by Divine Desserts Publishing LLC. Want to read an awesome springtime romance? Try Raspberry Kisses! This sweet romance has over 300 Amazon rave reviews! Raspberry Kisses is about Rhea a grieving widow who is struggling to cope with her husband’s death. When she attends a singles retreat, her life changes forever. Read Raspberry Kisses today! Tell a friend by sharing this blog post!
Now, let’s talk about Feeling Butterflies.
Do you like butterflies?
I liked the premise of this movie. Emily, as well as her nemesis, Mandy, own similar companies. Their businesses specialize in releasing butterflies at special events such as weddings, birthday parties, etc.
Things get heated between these two enemies when a superstar celebrity makes them compete for the honor of doing her wedding. I thought that they’re being rivals colored their perception of how to do business. They do join forces later, but, I would’ve thought that Mandy and Emily would have joined forces when the superstar first approached them to do the wedding. Both of them struggled with having enough butterflies to release at this bridezilla’s wedding event.
This is a Hallmark movie, so, you know romance was involved. Emily meets Garrett when she releases butterflies at his daughter, Amanda’s, birthday party. Garrett is a confused man. A widower, he’s dated a woman, Jill, who continues to run his life. She does some drastic things, such as enrolling Amanda in a fancy out-of-town school, without consulting with him first.
Emily likes Garrett, but Garrett doesn’t seem to know if he likes Emily.
What bothered me about this movie was that Garrett and Emily were “in like”, not in love. The reason I say this is because after Jill arranges for Amanda to attend a fancy school in another state – Garrett doesn’t seem to get very angry about it. He even sells his car (and I’m assuming his home) to follow Jill to a new area. Those are drastic steps for someone to take if they are not in love with somebody. I realize he felt it was best for Amanda, but, well…he seemed like such a wuss.
He had no backbone. He just allowed Jill to take charge and do what she wanted, and they were not even dating anymore. He was ready to leave the area when he miraculously changes his mind and shows up at the wedding where Emily is working. I would’ve thought he would have figured this out before he sold his car (and house?). He even told Emily that he was leaving.
This was not the great romance that’s normally part of a Hallmark movie. I believe Garrett’s actions regarding Jill is what soured things for me. He was about to move to be near her – then in a few seconds changes his mind.
What did you think of Garrett? Did you like him?
This blog post is sponsored by Divine Desserts Publishing LLC. Want to read an awesome springtime romance? Try Raspberry Kisses! This sweet romance has over 300 Amazon rave reviews! Raspberry Kisses is about Rhea a grieving widow who is struggling to cope with her husband’s death. When she attends a singles retreat, her life changes forever. Read Raspberry Kisses today! Tell a friend by sharing this blog post!
Hallmark Movies and Mysteries fans MUST READ Shades of Chocolate by Cecelia Dowdy! It’s on sale for 99Β’ for a LIMITED TIME! Spread the word by sharing this link with all of your friends! GRAB YOUR COPY BEFORE THE PRICE GOES UP! Leave a sweet review on Amazon if you enjoyed the book!
Hallmark and Hallmark Movies and Mysteries fans MUST read Rocky Road Dreams! It’s a Christmas novel that’s full of mystery, intrigue and ROMANCE. Listen, or read, the first few chapters here.
Tell your friends by sharing this link!
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This blog post is sponsored by Divine Desserts Publishing LLC. If you enjoy movies such as Our Christmas Journey then you should try Rocky Road Dreams by CECELIA DOWDY. Rocky Road Dreams is about a lawyer named Kyle Baxter. Kyle is on a month-long Christmas hiatus from his job. He rents a house on the Outer Banks for his extended vacation. Melanie Richards, his childhood friend, lives across the street. When they were kids, Melanie had a crush on Kyleβs identical twin brother Keith. Kyle never thought he stood a chance with Melanie since she was smitten with his brother. Keith is now married and both Kyle and Melanie are single.
Will Melanie give him a chance?
Kyleβs mom died when he was three and he barely remembers her. Heβs determined to find out more about his mom. As Melanie and Kyle reconnect during the holiday season they take a long road trip during a snowstorm so that Kyle can find answers to his questions about his mother. The road trip is also something that Melanie must do so that she can save her business. See ceceliadowdy.com/books or click on the link at the end of this blog post to purchase Rocky Road Dreams. Rocky Road Dreams is available on Amazon.
Our Christmas Journey was a bit different than other Hallmark movies. The reason being that they had a major character with a disability. Off the top of my head, the only other Hallmark movie that I can recall that featured a character with a disability was Hats Off to Christmas.
Our Christmas Journey is about a family who is going away for the holidays. Their trip is not for pleasure. Marcus is a boy teenaged boy with autism. His father, Rick, wants to enroll Marcus in a special program. In order to be considered for the program, the family must bring Marcus to the special-program site so that he can be observed over the weekend. Lena, Marcusβs mother, is surprised that she must drop her son off and have no contact with him for a few days.
During their stay at a nearby house Lena reconnects with Rick. Rick is her ex-husband. Their old feelings return. I like that they both bonded over their son. Rick wants his son to be a part of this program because he believes it will help him. Marcus is not verbal and he sometimes uses sign language to communicate with his family.
One scene that resonated with me was when Mia, Marcusβs sister, has a heart-to-heart talk with her mother, Lena. She mentioned that she always felt that Marcus came first in their lives β and she always had to play second fiddle to her brother β and it hurt. She sacrificed an important event β an event that meant a lot to her β in order to go out of town for the weekend. She said that she wished that her parents paid her more attention. She understood that Marcus had special needs, but, she felt that her needs were pushed aside as if she didnβt matter.
Lena is hurt that Mia feels this way. She apologizes for her past actions.
Iβve often heard that when a family has a child with a disability, the other child/children often feel slighted. They feel that the special-needs child gets all of the attention while their needs are not considered. I can imagine it being hard to give equal attention to all of your children when one child requires special care and attention. Just seeing that scene made me stop and think.
I was glad to see the African-American characters and the special-needs child. Hallmark has really stepped up to the plate regarding diversity over the last four years. Our Christmas Journey is a nice, gentle feel-good Hallmark movie which I highly recommend.Β
Holly Robinson Peete was probably chosen for this role since she has a son who is autistic. You can see more about her, and her familyβs personal life on Meet the Peetes, a reality show. I believe it was originally aired on Hallmark Channel. Currently, you can see it on Amazon Prime or Discovery +.
This blog post is sponsored by Divine Desserts Publishing LLC. If you enjoy movies such as Our Christmas Journey then you should try Rocky Road Dreams by CECELIA DOWDY. Rocky Road Dreams is about a lawyer named Kyle Baxter. Kyle is on a month-long Christmas hiatus from his job. He rents a house on the Outer Banks for his extended vacation. Melanie Richards, his childhood friend, lives across the street. When they were kids, Melanie had a crush on Kyleβs identical twin brother Keith. Kyle never thought he stood a chance with Melanie since she was smitten with his brother. Keith is now married and both Kyle and Melanie are single.
Will Melanie give him a chance?
Kyleβs mom died when he was three and he barely remembers her. Heβs determined to find out more about his mom. As Melanie and Kyle reconnect during the holiday season they take a long road trip during a snowstorm so that Kyle can find answers to his questions about his mother. The road trip is also something that Melanie must do so that she can save her business. See ceceliadowdy.com/books or click on the link at the end of this blog post to purchase Rocky Road Dreams. Rocky Road Dreams is available on Amazon.
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