Plot

Trish works in PR at Sunny Day Lemonade. One of their initiatives is to try to influence legislation in various states to allow children to have so-called lemonade stands. A case now emerges in Golden Valley where a little girl has been ordered by the city to shut down her stand. Trish doesn’t want to go there, as it’s her old hometown that she has left behind, but with no one else available, she’s forced to go anyway. To make matters worse, it turns out the girl’s father is Evan, whom Trish dated back in school. On top of that, she also has to deal with her relationship with her mother while trying to influence the city council.

Short review

A typical romantic film that doesn’t stand out from the crowd. It delivers what it’s supposed to—that’s really all there is to say.

Plot

Emily is on her way to Bali for Christmas to escape the holiday madness. However, her plane makes an emergency landing in Colorado, and while trying to locate her missing luggage, she slips and hits her head. When she comes to, Chris is there, helping her up. She soon realizes that everything around her is starting to unfold like a classic Christmas movie. Though she’s not a fan of the holiday, she now finds herself caught in every cliché a Christmas film has to offer. She comes to understand that she won’t be able to leave until she has played her part in the story—which includes working together with Chris.

Short review

The idea is fun and the film includes a few amusing moments if you've seen many movies of this kind. But there's no getting around the fact that it doesn't quite measure up. The acting isn't very strong, and there are some flaws in the plot. And the Santa i horrible.

Plot

Charlie's girlfriend has to go away, so Charlie travels to New York alone to take care of their wedding arrangements. At the hotel, Anna is also staying for the same reason, and her boyfriend is away too. They run into each other during their wedding preparations and start spending time together, becoming friends. But their friendship also makes them start questioning their partners and the promises they’re about to make. Over time, they begin to realize there’s something between them that goes beyond friendship. But what are they supposed to do about it?

Short review

An older film, but it's quite charming. Time has treated it fairly well. It holds up as a romantic movie and meets the standard.

Plot

Ethan has been diagnosed with a terminal tumor and given six months to live. He has quit his job and is working through his bucket list. During a skydiving jump, he meets Annamaria, a physical therapist in her everyday life. She starts helping Ethan with his various problems. But is the diagnosis correct — and what should Ethan do if it isn’t?

Short review

A real low-budget film, a weak script, terrible direction, silly attention-seeking that doesn't work, exaggerated characters, etc., etc. Just watch the opening scene with the credits and you'll see what I mean—then you can turn it off. It never gets any better.

Plot

Movie star Cole wants to make a film about how the small town of Quincy got rich thanks to Crown Cola. His location scout is sent there to check out potential filming spots and meets Summer, who helps him find the right places. Meanwhile, Cole is caught up in a messy divorce where the rights to his film are at stake. His lawyer advises him to go to Quincy to keep a low profile. When Cole arrives and meets the feisty Southern girl Summer, he immediately realizes she’s perfect for the lead role in the movie. However, things get complicated, as his wife was originally meant to play the role, and Summer’s relationship with the townspeople has been strained for some time.

Short review

The film contains some so-called mommy porn and Summer perhaps overacts a bit in her role as a femme fatale. But there’s still something about it that drew me in. Summer’s strength, fierceness, and determination—despite her exaggerated posing—somehow elevate the whole thing. In the end, I gave it a four after all.

Plot

Stella is trying to make a name for herself as a hat designer. She sneaks into a hotel room to place one of her creations among the hats Rosalind is to wear at the upcoming derby, but she is caught by Christian, Rosalind’s son. However, he helps her slip away unnoticed, and Rosalind ends up choosing Stella’s hat. This means she gets to design all of Rosalind’s hats leading up to the derby. It also means she gets to know Christian and can help him with her knowledge of horses, as his horse is competing in the derby. However, Stella must fight to win over Rosalind’s current designer and her assistant.

Short review

The entire plot feels a bit silly with hat competitions and such. The film simply ends up being too lightweight.

Plot

After a failed album, John has moved to Cyprus to get away. What he didn’t know was that the house he bought is located on a cliff where people commonly go to end their lives. He tries to acclimate to his new home and makes new acquaintances. Among others, he meets Melina, a young singer on the island. He’s also unprepared to encounter Sia, whom he was once in a relationship with a long time ago. Old memories resurface, while he also has to deal with those who come to the cliff seeking to end their suffering.

Short review

A very well-made romantic film that offers warmth and humor. A few surprises add spice to the mix and elevate it even further.

Plot

Martin lives with his son and runs an animal sanctuary. One evening, they are interrupted by Robin and her daughter, who are seeking care for their chicken. Martin treats the chicken and keeps it under observation for a few days. Robin’s daughter wants to visit and see all the animals, and she and Martin’s son get along well. There is also a complicated attraction between Martin and Robin. Over the following period, they meet in various situations, but at the same time, Robin has to deal with her ex-husband, who suddenly wants to see his daughter.

Short review

Perhaps at its core a perfectly decent romantic film, but here it is brought down by poor sound mixing. The audio at times feels dubbed and recorded at different occasions. Even the music doesn’t work well. The acting performances are decent, but the direction could have been better. This is a typical example of how low production quality can bring down an otherwise fairly okay story.

Plot

Matt works as a postman and lives with his niece, Emily, whom he has custody of after her parents passed away. One day, Kristi arrives at the post office with the task of answering all the letters addressed to Santa. However, the post office manager suspects that Kristi has been sent to spy on him and assigns Matt to investigate everything he can about the mysterious Kristi. Meanwhile, Kristi receives letters addressed to Santa from Emily, who wishes for Santa to find someone for Matt to love. But who is Kristi really, and where does she come from?

Short review

Even though the film can be somewhat charming at times, its quality doesn't exceed a three.

Plot

Emma works as an event planner, and when the New Year's event she had planned to take on falls through, she decides to accompany her father to Scotland. He wants to go there to trace the family's roots in a small village called Glenrothie. Upon arrival, Emma is struck by the fact that the village doesn't seem to celebrate Christmas. It turns out that the laird who owns the village is opposed to Christmas decorations. However, the villagers would love to see their village beat the neighboring one in the annual competition for Best Christmas Village. Before long, Emma finds herself drawn into the effort as the event planner — which means she has to deal with the laird and his son, Alex.

Short review

The fact that this film is set in Scotland is clearly a bonus, but it also delivers a good romantic story, even if it might not particularly stand out from the crowd.

Plot

Izzy is in the middle of helping launch a new café when Grant Beiste shows up. He has a strong social media presence, which he uses to help the company he works for drive out small businesses and take over their properties. They quickly end up in a conflict that leads to Grant driving away, but in doing so, he accidentally hits Izzy’s father, who ends up in the hospital. As a result, Grant starts losing followers and needs to repair his reputation. The company he works for forces him to reach out to Izzy for help with this, in exchange for making sure her father gets back on his feet.

Short review

A misguided plot that constantly teeters on the edge. Grant's "transformation" isn't convincing, and he truly behaves like a jerk. How Izzy could ever see anything in him is completely incomprehensible.

Plot

When Liam forgets their anniversary, Morgan breaks up with him, feeling that he lacks commitment. As Christmas approaches, Morgan decides to go on a retreat for singles. It is organized by a woman who wants to highlight Christmas traditions and promote well-being as a single person. As the week begins, Morgan suddenly realizes that Liam has signed up for the same retreat.

Short review

I’m generally skeptical of stories where the characters break up and then get back together. Why? What has actually changed? The film overall doesn’t really land and never becomes particularly good.

Plot

Felicity works as a successful event planner and is promised a chance to become a partner at the firm if she agrees to travel on short notice to organize a royal wedding between a princess and a commoner. The wedding will also mean that the princess gives up her title, and that her brother, Vincent, will become the crown prince instead. Vincent has always lived a quiet life, staying out of the media spotlight. The wedding is set to take place on Christmas Day, and Felicity travels there with her daughter to organize everything in a relatively short time. She is thrown into a struggle between traditions, expectations, and a future prince bound by them.

Short review

As expected from a romance involving a prince in some unknown country (somewhere in Europe?), this film isn't particularly good. Everything just feels very forced and unreal.

Plot

Willa accidentally sends out a critical message when she's distracted by Calvin, a news reporter who embarrasses himself live on TV. A year later, with both their careers in ruins, their paths cross when Willa mistakenly picks up the wrong luggage at the airport where Calvin now works as a very unmotivated lost baggage handler. Both are deeply disillusioned, and somehow they connect through this shared state and start meeting in other contexts as well. An unusual friendship begins to form. Maybe together they can turn things around for both of them.

Short review

A slightly different kind of romantic film that isn’t as polished as most others – but that’s exactly what makes it work.

Plot

Holly is a successful marketing professional who gets an important assignment just before Christmas, together with her colleague, the photographer Milo. In the rush on the sidewalk, she accidentally falls and hits her head, and when she regains consciousness, Bo (or Beau?) is the first person she sees. He is the perfect, handsome, and caring man she’s always dreamed of. They start dating, and at first, everything seems right. At the same time, Holly struggles to handle the assignment at work, and she and Milo have a hard time agreeing on the right concept. Meanwhile, Bo begins to interfere more and more. Is he really the perfect man?

Short review

The statue or mannequin that comes to life features in other films as well. This time, however, I think they’ve managed it a bit better. An explanation is provided at the end, and it holds up better than in other similar movies. As a romantic story, it works well.

Plot

Christine is a Christmas elf at the North Pole and curious about life out in the world. Santa gives her a mission: to visit a family that is starting to lose their Christmas spirit. The parents are working so hard in their store during the holiday rush that they have no energy left for anything else related to Christmas, which has caused their daughter to give up on it as well. Only the son still believes in Christmas. Christine gets a job as the family’s nanny and does what she can to turn things around, with some support from the children’s uncle, who still holds on to the Christmas spirit. But can she manage it without getting too emotionally involved?

Short review

A romantic Christmas tale, and if you take it as just that, I think it delivers as it should and is at times a charming one.

Plot

Madison is working hard at her new job while also taking care of her two children and struggling to make ends meet. She doesn’t get much support from her ex-husband, who is chasing his dreams of making it as a manager. In the midst of it all is Alec, who has just become a sports commentator, largely thanks to his strong opinions. Madison is juggling a lot, while her ex tries to win her back and Alec does everything he can to win her heart.

Short review

No, it feels messy and a bit incoherent, and the resolution comes across as very contrived.

Plot

Mary works as a real estate developer, and now she has the chance to become a partner at the firm—if she can secure a specific deal. However, that deal requires her to return to her hometown. Her relationship with her family is, to say the least, strained, and she really doesn't want to go back. Believing she can close the deal in a single day, she goes anyway. But it turns out that in order to win the deal, she has to stay until Christmas. This means she'll have to confront both her father and sister—and also Carlos, who works at the local horse center. It becomes a tough reckoning with her past.

Short review

Not as lighthearted as I thought it would be, and not as bad either. Even if it might not be entirely cohesive, it's a fairly decent film, although the romance takes a bit of a backseat and doesn't come across as particularly convincing.

Plot

Casey and Henry happen to share the same birthday, and their respective birthday parties are booked at the same restaurant. When it turns out that Henry’s party forgot to order a cake, Casey offers to share, and they make their secret wishes and blow out the candles together. That could have been the end of it — but suddenly, their wishes start coming true… for the other person. Henry receives an invitation to participate in a televised dance competition, something Casey had wished for, while Casey unexpectedly inherits a farm — just what Henry had dreamed of. Can they help each other get what they truly want?

Short review

When you read the plot, it sounds a bit weak, but they’ve managed to turn it into a good romantic story.

Plot

Prince Desmond is set to marry Princess Coralina to ease tensions between their countries. But Coralina breaks off the engagement and marries a plumber instead. The conflict threatens to escalate, so they turn to Bea in Boston—or Princess Beatrix, as she is truly called. She has been living a quiet, anonymous life in the U.S. since stepping away from the spotlight. Hoping the conflict can be negotiated away, she agrees to get engaged to Desmond while talks are ongoing. This also means she must return home and take part in the charade.

Short review

For a movie about unknown kingdoms in Europe, this one actually isn’t as bad as most of the others. It’s a bit more unusual in that it’s not a common man or woman meeting royalty, but rather a prince and a princess meeting each other. Mallory Jansen also does a good job as Bea.

Plot

Abby works in a jewelry store but dreams of becoming a jeweler with her own creations. One day, she receives a call from a bank in Belgium informing her that her grandfather is behind on the payments for his jewelry shop in Antwerp. She decides to take some time off and travel there to help him get the business back on track after it has struggled since Abby’s grandmother passed away. In Antwerp, she meets Alexander, the son of her grandfather’s biggest rival. One thing leads to another, and suddenly Abby finds herself competing in a prestigious jewelry competition, where she is up against Alexander, among others. The competition could be Abby’s big breakthrough.

Short review

A nice little film that was slightly better than I had feared. It holds up for what it is.

Plot

When Alex's mother dies, she doesn’t inherit her mother’s company—where she also works—as she had expected. Instead, she receives a list of life goals that she wrote herself at the age of 14, along with instructions to complete them. If she does, there is some form of inheritance, but she doesn’t know what it is. Her mother has left short video messages for each goal she accomplishes. Alex’s whole life is turned upside down as she must find a new job and start questioning her life choices. One of the goals is to find love, and she meets Garret at her new job as a teacher. Meanwhile, the inheritance matters are handled by her mother’s young lawyer, Brad.

Short review

A really good film that offers a well-depicted story of how Alex, over the course of a year, embarks on an odyssey through her life. The film maintains a high standard and leaves you with a good feeling. It also features a short epilogue, which always enhances the experience.

Plot

Loryn is living a carefree life of luxury when her grandmother summons her to Chicago. She’s faced with an ultimatum: work at the family department store and learn the business, or lose her inheritance and luxurious lifestyle. She must work at the store anonymously to avoid being treated differently as the heiress to the owners. Aidan works at the store and is hoping for a promotion to assistant manager. He is tasked with making sure Loryn does a good job and learns the business—an almost impossible task, as Loryn has no intention of "working on the floor."

Short review

It's impossible to relate to Loryn's transformation from a superior luxury bimbo to an empathetic and kind colleague. It just happens without any explanation. Simply a pretty poor plot.

Plot

When Megan was a child, she received a charity Christmas gift that included a notebook with a verse that inspired her to write. The verse was also signed by Wesley Hardin Johnson, the child who had donated the gift. As an adult, Megan has become a reporter, and now her boyfriend—who is also her colleague at the newspaper—has just broken up with her. To make matters worse, he also gets the position Megan had been hoping for. The newspaper’s editor urges her to find a strong article idea to prove herself. In her search for a good story, she comes up with the idea of tracking down Wesley, the one who once sent the charity gift.

Short review

Maybe there's nothing seriously wrong with the film, but it still doesn't feel fully cohesive. I find the overall execution lacks finesse.

Plot

When Megan is ousted by the board from the company she herself founded, she struggles to find a new assignment. However, she needs something to occupy her time, and when her very disorganized sister asks for help getting her life in order, Megan comes up with the idea of forming a board to help her sister create the life she wants. She gathers a few suitable acquaintances who are willing to assist and even convinces psychology professor Dominic to join. Together, they set out to get her sister back on her feet—but what does her sister actually want in life? And what is it that Megan is hoping to achieve?

Short review

Maybe not a flawless film, but it has its charm and moments. In the end, it got a four.

Plot

Rebecca is skilled at coaching people toward improvement and achieving their goals. She becomes so well-known that she is invited for an interview on a morning TV show. The show is co-hosted by former football star Clive. He is highly skeptical of Rebecca's methods, and the interview goes poorly. However, Clive’s attitude puts him at risk of being dropped by the TV studio. His producer gives him an ultimatum: seek help from Rebecca or lose his job on the show. Rebecca is promised more television opportunities if she agrees to take on Clive. It turns out to be a tough challenge to confront Clive’s sceptical worldview.

Short review

You can say what you want about "life coaches," but as a romantic film, it delivers what it's supposed to according to a familiar formula.

Plot

Prince Henry's eight-year-old daughter is nervous about an upcoming official parade she is supposed to ride in. To take her mind off it, Prince Henry brings her to the United States and visits an amusement park. At the park, Lacey works as a fairytale princess. The real princess takes a real liking to Lacey, and when Henry sees how good Lacey is with his daughter, he gets the idea to hire her as a coach to help prepare for the parade. Before long, Lacey finds herself in a real kingdom—with a handsome prince.

Short review

Isn't there anything better to make romantic movies about than unknown kingdoms with princes? As with most of the oters this one isn't any good either.

Plot

In a merger between two companies, Liv and Tom end up working at the same firm. At the same time, the CEO wants everyone to start working from the office a few days a week, but since there isn’t enough space for everyone, people are assigned different office days. Without knowing who the other person is, Liv and Tom happen to be assigned the same desk—but on different days. They start leaving anonymous notes for each other, and a kind of connection begins to form. Meanwhile, they are also assigned to work together on matters related to the merger, which doesn’t go as smoothly. What will happen when they discover they are the ones leaving notes for each other?

Short review

Another take on the "You've Got Mail" theme, and it works reasonably well.

Plot

Pia is a photographer and runs a photo studio that she’s struggling to keep afloat. Now her sister is getting married, and in connection with that, their mother has brought in a fortune teller. He also reads Pia’s fortune and predicts that she will meet the love of her life within her next five dates. Her family persuades her to go on a series of dates, each more disastrous than the last. Meanwhile, it turns out that her ex, Charlie, is going to be the best man at the wedding, so she is also forced to confront him. For Pia, it becomes a struggle to get her family to accept that she wants to succeed in her career first and foremost.

Short review

A good romantic film with humor, set in an Indian-English setting. The fact that it's British is often a mark of quality in itself. It's made with a playful tone and portrays Pia as a strong woman who can stand her ground.

Plot

Amber leads a nomadic life, staying in one place only until she has saved enough money for gas to travel again. This time, she happens to rent a room above Clay’s antique shop. Clay lives a reclusive life and follows strict rules he has set for himself—such as never being alone in a room with a woman. Amber is fascinated by Clay and tries to get him to open up, which is not an easy task. From others in town, she learns that Clay hasn't always been the way he is now.

Short review

Something as unusual as a Christian film that is actually really good as a romantic movie. Partly because it maintains a high production quality, including the acting, and partly because the Christian theme is not overemphasized. What happened to Clay could just as well have happened to an atheist. The film also offers a truly romantic ending, even though the epilogue, as usual, could have been a bit more substantial.

Plot

When Abril hears that her cousin wants to sell the farm they co-own in Argentina, she travels there to try to keep it in the family. She hadn’t expected to run into her teenage love, Diego, but it turns out he’s back in town. Things get even more complicated when Abril realizes that he is the one who wants to buy the farm. He is just as determined to buy it as Abril is not to sell. While Abril searches for a way to keep the farm, an old unpaid loan surfaces, and suddenly both of them are at risk of losing everything to a real estate company that has acquired the debt. Now they must find a solution together.

Short review

The film holds up as a romantic movie, even if it doesn’t particularly stand out. As is often the case, they drag out the resolution for so long that it ends up feeling a bit abrupt (even though it is there).

Plot

Sarah is newly divorced, and her family is trying to get her to start dating again. Her sister signs her up on a dating site. Reluctantly, Sarah ventures into the dating world, and things don’t get off to a great start when her first date turns out to be her own father. After several failed dates, she meets Jake, who is also divorced and in a similar situation. Their first date doesn’t go particularly well either. At the same time, Sarah also meets one of the fathers of a child at the school where she works. However, despite more less-than-successful dates, Sarah and Jake continue to see each other.

Short review

A slightly more lavish Hollywood production with a plot that's a bit more intricate than in other romantic films. As a result, it's also better than average.

Plot

Kate and Mark meet by chance on the bus, but Kate has to get off before they have time to introduce themselves. Kate runs a gift shop in a building that is now threatened with demolition, and the real estate company wants to buy her out of her lease. As fate would have it, Mark works for the real estate company and is assigned to make sure Kate signs the agreement and vacates the premises by New Year's. However, Kate is determined to resist and save both the building and her shop. Now Mark finds himself in a dilemma, because the last thing he wants is to be in conflict with Kate—quite the opposite, in fact.

Short review

Yes, it's good. We've seen the plot before, but this time it works better than most. The conflict doesn't get too exaggerated, and they get extra credit for not saving the building by declaring it a historical landmark, like they always do.

Plot

Jen works at a publishing house that publishes books by the reclusive and somewhat secretive Liz. However, Liz decides to become more public in order to stay relevant, which is why she agrees to travel to Scotland to receive an award. But at the last moment, Liz falls ill, and it is decided that Jen will go to accept the award on Liz’s behalf. On the journey to Scotland, Jen is mistaken for Liz, and a series of mishaps lands her as a guest at the estate of the poet James. She doesn’t dare to reveal her true identity and instead tries to play along, pretending to be Liz. However, the situation becomes increasingly difficult.

Short review

Even though this film is set in Scotland — which is a big plus in itself — it still only earns a three. There are too many flaws in the plot, and in terms of production, it doesn’t quite measure up.

Plot

Tiffany's fiancé breaks up with her just a few weeks before the wedding, and she's mostly annoyed about having to cancel all the wedding arrangements. Her colleague and friend offers to take care of it, but when Tiffany discovers that her colleague has rebooked everything for her own wedding instead, she gets genuinely upset, as the two have always been rivals. She suddenly declares that her boyfriend is back and the wedding is back on. The problem is that she now has to present said boyfriend. Since she works as an agent, she seeks out actor Nick and hires him to play her boyfriend—just to snatch the wedding booking away from her colleague.

Short review

The film has its moments and is partly okay, but I found it hard to like the initially very unlikeable Tiffany and wasn't convinced by her transformation.

Plot

Lindsey works for the local municipality and has the challenging task of organizing the city's Christmas celebration. She is a widow and lives with her mother and daughter. At a Christmas market, her daughter receives an old Christmas stocking, which she brings home and hangs on the mantel. However, it has a tendency to fall down, and each time it does, they find something in the stocking that seems to be a sign of something about to happen. Lindsey has a hard time believing in the "magic," but her daughter becomes convinced. Meanwhile, Lindsey tries to work together with Scott, who is restoring the town’s gazebo in time for the holiday festivities.

Short review

Another Christmas movie with a touch of magic. It doesn't particularly stand out, but as a romantic film, it delivers what it's supposed to.

Plot

Harrington is the author of a highly popular book series, with the next installment soon to be published. However, when he posts a message on social media criticizing Christmas, his fans revolt. April works at the publishing house that releases Harrington's books and is now tasked with fixing the situation. She persuades him to return to his hometown—where he first began writing—to generate some positive publicity. He reluctantly agrees. April must now work to draw him out of the reclusive life he’s built since losing his parents and falling out of love with Christmas.

Short review

I had expected a much grumpier Harrington, but this is going surprisingly smoothly. However, the film is saved by the seasoned Paul Campbell and a positive Lyndie Greenwood, and still ends up with a four.

Plot

Rosie wants to expand her cosmetics business and needs an investor. In a makeup store, she happens to run into Simon, and as luck would have it, she accidentally spills makeup on him. Naturally, it turns out that he works for the very investor Rosie is hoping will want to invest in her company. Despite the incident, the investor decides to come on board—but on the condition that Simon gets involved and gets to know the business and the company. Simon is appalled by Rosie’s messy bookkeeping and relaxed approach to running the business, but at the same time, he realizes that she’s very good at what she does.

Short review

This film is a bit too lightweight and never really takes off. The core idea about her makeup business also feels incredibly weak, as if you could simply take a hobby and turn it into a commercially viable business concept.

Plot

Leah runs an organic food market, but to expand her business, she needs a loan from the bank—and for that, she has to show better profitability. She eventually turns to her friend Dexter, who works in marketing. At the same time, Dexter has been given the task of helping improve the somewhat tarnished reputation of TV chef Jonas. In an attempt to solve both problems at once, Dexter brings Leah and Jonas together and suggests that Jonas generate positive publicity by actively participating in a series of activities to promote Leah’s food market. Both are somewhat reluctant but still in need of the publicity.

Short review

A film that delivers romance by the book. Nothing particularly remarkable, but it meets the standard for a romantic movie.

Plot

Emma is denied a promotion to head chef at the restaurant where she works. When she suddenly realizes that the restaurant's owner, Vivian, is fond of gambling, she makes a bet with her: that she can turn the worst restaurant in town into the best one in just two weeks in order to earn the promotion. Vivian chooses Joe’s as the restaurant Emma must fix. It’s run by Joe, who inherited it from his father—and while he can cook, he clearly doesn't know how to run a restaurant. Emma convinces Joe to let her help get the restaurant back on its feet. But that proves to be no easy task, as it also means getting Joe himself in order.

Short review

The film is good, mainly thanks to Eva Tavares, who brings Emma’s energy and determination to life. As a romantic story, it rises slightly above average.

Plot

Becca risks losing her job as an editor if the publishing company is sold to a larger competitor. Their only chance is to find the mythical final book in a series to which the company holds the rights. Meanwhile, movie star Lee is trying to restart his career and wants to produce film adaptations of the books. But to do so, he needs approval from the series’ current rights holders, the surviving relatives of the author couple. Lee brings Becca with him to Arcania, where the rights holders live, and she sees an opportunity to find the legendary final instalment of the book series.

Short review

No, definitely not. The entire plot is weak with a number of implausible “clues.” It doesn’t help that the lead actors, especially Andrew Biernat, lack any sense of conviction. He must have been cast for his looks, because he certainly has no acting talent.

Plot

When Brooke’s boyfriend’s business — which she had invested a lot of energy into — finally starts to take off, he breaks up with her and kicks her out. Devastated, she moves back in with her mother. On her upcoming 30th birthday, she’s reminded of the vision board she made when she was 14. As she blows out the candles on her cake, she wishes for everything on it to come true. And suddenly, it starts to. This includes getting an interior design job in a luxury home owned by her old school crush, Hal (who also happens to be on the board). The renovations are being done by Josh. But isn’t it a bit strange that everything is falling into place — and does she still want the same things she did at 14?

Short review

No, it doesn’t hold up. It feels a bit sloppily thrown together with overly simplistic solutions. And there’s something about Josh/Jack Pearson that just feels off.

Plot

Savannah quits her PR job because it drains too much of her energy. She wants to focus on her daughter and her health vlog. She gets a chance to do a radio interview about the vlog with radio host Patrick, but a mishap during the interview causes it to go viral. Patrick, whose listener numbers are declining, needs something to boost the show, and his producer suggests bringing Savannah on as a co-host. Both Patrick and Savannah are skeptical of the idea, but for different reasons, they find themselves forced to work together.

Short review

En romantisk film i mängden. Den håller som sådan, varken mer eller mindre.

Plot

Jodi is a teacher but dreams of landing a film role. She is dating a film producer and hopes for a leading part in his upcoming movie about the Boer War. However, the role is that of a Boer woman, and she is English. When she hears a real Boer woman audition for the part, she realizes her shortcomings. Determined to succeed, she travels to South Africa to study the Boers. She ends up in a small town and on Kobus’s farm. Kobus is struggling to keep the farm running and reluctantly agrees to let Jodi stay for a while. She soon becomes involved in a local amateur theatre production with the same theme as the planned film.

Short review

Perhaps not a fully cohesive film, but the slightly unusual Boer setting still makes it stand out from the crowd. It gets a four-star rating largely because of that.

Plot

Eric travels to Italy to stop his daughter from buying a "one-dollar" house in a small village. The village has a program to sell abandoned homes cheaply in an effort to breathe new life into the community. However, his daughter is determined to go through with her plan to settle down there. Instead, Eric soon finds himself involved in the renovation project, enthusiastically encouraged by the town’s mayor, Francesca. There’s a lot that needs fixing, including paperwork, and Eric gets help from Francesca, who wants to see the house — and the village — come alive again. Although initially skeptical about Italy, Eric soon finds himself charmed by both the village and Francesca.

Short review

A charming film set in the picturesque Italian countryside. The romance is given room to unfold, there is even a secondary love story, making it a film that rises above average.

Plot

Monica works hard at the hospital but still misses out on the new position she had hoped for. Her mother then convinces her to, for once, take a vacation and go on a pilgrimage in Spain—just like her mother and father once did. Upon arriving in Spain, she joins a small group of fellow pilgrims consisting of their guide, Luis, and his father and his son. Monica struggles to slow down and to accept help when she needs it. However, during the pilgrimage, the group helps her get used to both taking things at a slower pace and accepting support—especially from Matt.

Short review

It’s a fairly decent romantic film. The religious message might be a bit much for me, but as a romance, it works.

Plot

Katie is a businesswoman hoping for her next promotion. She works hard and hasn’t been home in a long time. Her mother, who was widowed earlier in the year, really wants her to come home for Christmas, but Katie is reluctant to return to her hometown. However, she eventually lets herself be persuaded. Back home, she tries to stay indoors with her mother, but her mom keeps sending her out on various errands—where she runs into her old boyfriend, Matt. All part of her mother’s plan, of course. Soon, Katie finds herself facing a choice between career and love.

Short review

A stale vomit pill. And on top of that, low production quality. The entire plot revolves around the idea that the woman should stay at home by the stove and not think she can succeed in her career. Matt is also a slimy character with no redeeming qualities.

Plot

Katie is planning to travel home for Christmas with her boyfriend, who is also her coworker. But just before the trip, he breaks up with her, revealing that he’s moving across the country for a new job. Katie is devastated—perhaps mostly because she was finally going home feeling successful, with a great job and a handsome boyfriend. Her best friend then convinces her to hire a pretend boyfriend to save face, especially in front of her sister. Reluctantly, Katie agrees to interview a number of candidates, each one more hopeless than the last. But then Josh shows up.

Short review

No, there are better movies with the same theme (see Plot category: The pretend relationship). This one doesn't quite hold up.

Plot

Kiki, who runs her own food truck, has taken on the task of catering the food for Jenna and Andrew’s wedding. It’s an overwhelming job for Kiki, who isn’t used to cooking for so many people at once, but she is determined to pull it off. When she meets Andrew’s best man, Clay — a successful celebrity chef — she quickly starts to feel challenged. Clay offers to help Kiki, but she takes it more as an insult than a gesture of support. However, as the problems start piling up and the situation becomes untenable, she finally turns to Clay for help. He wants to make sure she succeeds — and that she also gets to experience the wedding itself.

Short review

This is the final movie in Hallmark’s Hearts Around the Table series (the order is embedded in the title), and it's not only a great romantic film but also, in a way, ties together the other movies as well. This is the fourth film in the series of standalone movies that are still connected.

Plot

Josh works as a teacher at the local school, where he teaches both math and physical sports. A new teacher, Ella, starts at the school; she teaches English and music. She soon realizes that the school's music program is severely neglected, with terrible facilities. At the same time, Josh needs new funding for the school's sports program, and their needs soon come into conflict. As the school simultaneously cuts back on funding, they are both forced to seek alternative sources of financing. After some initial competition, they gradually begin to collaborate in order to achieve their respective goals together.

Short review

It may be the weakest film in Hallmark's Hearts Around the Table series (the order is embedded in the title), but I think the series should be viewed as a whole, and therefore the rating is tied to the other films. This is the third film in the series of standalone movies that are still interconnected. (Josh and Ella also appear in the subplot of the following film.)

Plot

Shari returns home after a failed marriage to a diplomat. She is welcomed by her foster family, who remain close even though some have moved out. Shari has managed to get an apartment in an artist collective where she hopes to rekindle her artistic dreams. In the collective, Evan works as the building superintendent, and he helps Shari settle in. A connection forms between them, but Shari is very hesitant, as the ink on the divorce papers has barely dried. The foster family's Sunday dinners serve as a steady anchor in her life.

Short review

It's a good romantic movie, and perhaps it's the dynamic within the foster family and the four "siblings" who still stick together that elevates this above the average. This is the second installment in Hallmark's Hearts Around the Table series (the order is embedded in the title), which is a solid series of standalone films that are still interconnected. (Shari and Evans also appear in subplots of the subsequent films.)

Plot

Jenna grew up in a foster family with whom she still has a close relationship. She now works as an event planner and has landed an assignment to organize a charity gala for a wealthy billionaire. When she arrives at the first meeting, it turns out that the billionaire has sent a consultant to handle everything — and it turns out to be Andrew. Jenna and Andrew had a relationship during their school years that didn’t end well. Now, Jenna has to work with him to make the event a success. However, things may turn out to be easier than expected, and she receives strong support from her foster family.

Short review

It's a good romantic film, and perhaps it's the dynamic with the foster family and the four "siblings" who still stick together that elevates it above the average. This is the first installment in Hallmark’s Hearts Around the Table series (the order is embedded in the title), which becomes a strong series of standalone films that are still connected. (You can follow what happens to Jenna and Andrew as a subplot in the subsequent films.)

Plot

The manor where Lisa grew up with her sister, and which is owned by her grandmother, must be sold, and Lisa, who is now a real estate agent, has been given the task of selling it. She wants to sell it to a large family who can live there and take care of and preserve the manor. The last thing she wants is to sell it to a property developer. When Matthew shows up and expresses interest, she initially believes he is a family man, but when it turns out that he wants to buy the manor and turn it into a small hotel, she immediately objects. However, finding the perfect buyer proves to be difficult, and Matthew is not giving up easily.

Short review

The film is a good, average romantic story. Lisa’s stubborn resistance adds a fun twist. It doesn’t really offer any surprises for those familiar with romantic films, but it holds up.

Plot

Maria lives alone with her son outside a small town. One day, a wounded William stumbles in from the wilderness. He has a troubled past, but although Maria is cautious, she takes him in and tends to his wounds. Slowly, both William's and Maria's difficult backgrounds begin to unfold. A friendship forms and gradually develops into something more. But dark forces are at work in the town, and William ends up in conflict with the local sheriff.

Short review

A low-budget production, not surprisingly with a Christian message. The story is clumsy, as is the film as a whole. Spare yourself the pain of having to watch this.

Plot

David runs a small bookstore that is struggling. One day, his mother reveals that his father was not actually dead, as she had previously told him, but had been alive all along — though he has now truly passed away. As if that weren’t enough, his father has left him a villa in the Dominican Republic. It turns out to be worth a lot of money, and David travels there to oversee the sale. While there, he begins to learn more about his unknown father and discovers a different kind of life. The sale of the villa is handled by Maria, the daughter of the real estate agent who knew David’s father, and the process takes time. This is something David’s girlfriend back home does not accept, so she comes down as well to make sure the sale is finalized.

Short review

A very good film about gaining new perspectives and seeing your life and choices with fresh eyes. A well-portrayed story that offers a good feeling with some humor and warmth. It also feels more authentic thanks to the seamless mix of English and Spanish. (If you don't speak both languages, a subtitled version is recommended.)

Plot

Peyton runs a café where she sells her pastries, which have become known for their 'magical' properties, based on the names her grandmother once gave the recipes. Customers come for a chat with Peyton and to buy pastries that can help them achieve whatever they desire. Peyton, for her part, insists that there's no magic at all in her baked goods. Now, her employee has entered her into a competition to design the pastry for the prestigious Starlight Ball. The problem is that the organizer, Archer, accidentally received a "love pie" and is now smitten with Peyton—creating a potential conflict of interest.

Short review

A charming little film with just the right amount of "magic." It maintains a fairly standard level of quality, but small subtleties lift it above the average.

Plot

On Valentine's Day, Hannah ends up in an Uber/car share driven by Finn. When Hannah loses her phone and they search for it, they also discover a box with an engagement ring that someone has dropped in the car. Hannah convinces Finn that they must find the owner, who is probably planning to propose on this very day (Valentine's). Finn lets himself be persuaded, and they embark on an odyssey through New York with the goal of saving the engagement. It turns into an eventful evening where they experience quite a lot together.

Short review

This movie doesn't quite hold up. Doing everything they do during this evening in New York would take several days, while in the film it's supposed to be maybe 3–4 hours. And then I wonder why Finn is sitting in a red car on the movie poster when he drives a black car in the film.

Plot

Heather has a vlog about wine, and her producer wants her to create a Christmas episode. In order to have a chance to see her father, she comes up with the idea of doing an episode about a famous vineyard in her home state of Washington. When she arrives with her assistant, she quickly realizes that the vineyard has been sold and is now run by two brothers who specialize in ice wine. The older brother, Rudy, is skeptical about letting the vineyard be featured in the vlog. He is eventually persuaded, but he still feels uneasy. To lighten the mood, he agrees to do some activities with Heather to make things a bit more relaxed.

Short review

There are more films with this theme, and this one doesn't really stand out. As a romantic film, it works as it should.

Plot

By chance, Carol meets Max, and they immediately take a liking to each other and start dating. As Christmas approaches, Carol needs a recipe for a holiday-inspired dessert in order to get the sous-chef job she wants. The problem is that she’s never liked Christmas and finds it hard to feel inspired. Now Max wants her to come with him to his family’s home for the holidays, and when Carol realizes that his mother has a recipe for the perfect Christmas cake, she lets herself be persuaded—even though she doesn't like Christmas. However, once they arrive, she soon realizes that Max’s mother doesn’t like her and does everything she can to get Max to break off the relationship.

Short review

The film, at times, becomes silly and unconvincing. It feels as if events were invented and inserted just to illustrate the plot, but simple solutions were chosen that fail to come across as genuine.

Plot

Libby has just opened her new café before Christmas, but due to a misunderstanding, actor Peter anonymously gives her new business a bad review. She responds—also anonymously—to the post, and soon a debate is sparked that brings her venture some much-needed attention. Meanwhile, Peter’s brother needs a catering company for his engagement party, and Peter takes on the task. He comes into contact with Libby and likes her approach, so he hires her. What neither of them knows is that they are also exchanging anonymous messages with each other at the same time.

Short review

A fairly typical romantic film, but it has a certain charm that I think still added something.

Plot

Just before Celeste finishes her year of teacher training, the school decides not to keep her on. Her supervisor recommends a job as an au pair in New York—something she never imagined for herself. But she needs a job, so she accepts the position with Richard and his two children. It turns out the children have a knack for getting rid of their au pairs quickly, and Celeste also manages to make a rather poor first impression on Richard. However, her positive attitude slowly breaks down the children's resistance, and her unconventional teaching methods start to show results. But does Richard want her to stay?

Short review

The film works well as a romantic story. My only objection is the 19-year age difference between the actors playing Celeste and Richard—something that is completely ignored in the film but noticeable.

Plot

Ivy is a film director who is constantly pressured by her producer to make silly changes to her films. As she reflects on what made her first film so good, she gets the idea to track down the male lead actor, Hunter. He was great but only appeared in her first film. It turns out that he now lives in Serbia, and Ivy convinces her producer to let her go there and shoot the film. When she finds Hunter, he is very reluctant to participate, having sought peace and quiet in Serbia with his two sons. However, Ivy is charmed by Serbian culture and still tries to make the film happen.

Short review

The romanticized image of Serbia becomes a bit too much, and the film fails to convince. There's nothing seriously wrong, but the overall impression falls short.

Plot

As a young girl, Eliza was inspired by the book The 100 Wonders of the World, and as soon as she was able, she set off and became a travel blogger. When she makes a brief stop at home just before Christmas, she finds out that her next gig has been canceled. She takes the opportunity to visit her family for the holidays—something she hasn’t done in many years. At home, she is immediately swept up in her mother’s Christmas traditions. She also runs into Will, who has always been her brother’s best friend. There has always been a spark between them, but nothing has ever happened. On top of that, Eliza has been in a long-distance relationship with another man for several years, seeing him only during her breaks between trips.

Short review

At first, I was a bit doubtful about the quality of this film, but it picks up and actually becomes quite funny and charming. Maybe giving it a 5 out of 6 is a bit much, but still…

Plot

Nora’s first book has become a success, but with that comes expectations for interviews and public appearances. And even though Nora doesn’t want to admit it, she easily gets nervous in these situations. Her publisher suggests she be coached by one of the publishing house’s other talents, Daniel, who works with public speaking training. Nora, who doesn’t want to admit she needs help, reluctantly starts training with Daniel and finds his methods a bit unconventional. Meanwhile, Daniel is trying to launch a new business idea with his best friend. But is it really a good idea to use Nora as an example?

Short review

At times, this film teeters on the edge of a three-star rating, but I still think it meets the romantic standard—even if, as usual, it could have benefited from a short epilogue.

Plot

Emma is a successful real estate agent who receives an offer to start her own business with a colleague. At the same time, the local realtor is struggling to sell Emma’s childhood home, so she decides to return to her hometown to help with the sale. Once there, she realizes the town has lost its appeal and that the Christmas celebrations have nearly come to a halt. Her family’s lighting company is also facing hard times—and her ex-boyfriend still works there. Emma takes matters into her own hands, combining efforts to revive the town with the untapped potential of the lighting business and her father's old inventions.

Short review

The film doesn't really stand out, but it holds up as a romantic movie.

Plot

Natalia is the assistant producer at the local dance scene. Her ideas and creativity are constantly overshadowed by the theater's director and producer. In this year's production of The Nutcracker, the director decides who will play the lead role of the Sugar Plum Fairy, and the hopeful Vivíana doesn't get the part. However, Natalia, who recognizes Vivíana's talent, chooses to train her in Vivíana's parents' dance studio during her free time. Meanwhile, she meets the dance scene’s new lighting engineer.

Short review

A relatively average romantic film that perhaps focuses more on Natalia and Viviana’s dance comeback than on the actual romance. But the romance is still there.

Plot

Emma works as a courtroom illustrator and has had rather bad dating experiences. One day, she receives a cryptic message from her father—who researches penguins down at the South Pole—saying he needs help. Believing he’s in danger, she resolutely decides to go there. However, she doesn’t have permission to visit the South Pole, so she sneaks aboard a cruise ship heading that way. Onboard, she meets Andy, who is going there for a research project. He helps her hide from the crew. Once they arrive, the mission is to find her father.

Short review

I had higher expectations for this one, but it turns out a bit silly. Films in this genre aren’t meant to be seen as documentaries, of course, so you can’t expect the events to be very realistic — but this one was more far-fetched than usual. Rhiannon Fish usually delivers better, too.

Plot

Piper is out partying, and when she gets home, she runs into her dorky neighbor, Evan. In her drunken state, she ends up in bed with him. Afterwards, she realizes she's pregnant and immediately sets out to try to sleep with a successful businessman who can become the father of the child — all to avoid ending up with Evan. However, it turns out not to be so easy to find someone suitable. Time is passing, so what is she going to do?

Short review

Not very good quality, and it’s also partly based on embarrassing elements that bring it down even further.

Plot

Haley is studying to become an archaeologist and has just applied for a scholarship for a position in Arizona, but first she gets a chance to take part in an excavation in the Great Smoky Mountains National Park. When she arrives, she discovers that Rob, her ex-boyfriend, is also working on the excavation. They parted ways when Rob received a scholarship that Haley had applied for. However, they try to set aside their differences so as not to affect the excavation. When they find clues to a legendary Cherokee diamond, they begin searching together.

Short review

Yes, as a romantic film it works, but an archaeologist would probably have a thing or two to say about its credibility.

Plot

Melissa and Brian are hosts of a morning show, and their different approaches to the job often put them at odds off-camera. However, Brian decides to end his contract, but before he leaves, the TV network wants them to do one final week together before Christmas. And not only that—they want them to do it in the small town of Mistletoe, meaning they'll have to spend the entire week there. Suddenly, Melissa and Brian are forced to spend much more time together during an intense week. Meanwhile, Melissa is worried about what will happen to the show once Brian leaves.

Short review

No, the film doesn’t quite hit the mark. Some parts leave a slightly bad aftertaste, and the resolution borders on a serious breach of privacy.

Plot

Zoe runs a business that plans engagements, and she wants to expand into planning dates. But her boyfriend breaks up with her, and suddenly she has no one to test the dates with. At the same time, she seeks help from Adora, who has an advice column in the newspaper. She goes to the editorial office to find her, but instead meets Adam—and it turns out he’s the one writing the column under a false identity. Zoe takes the opportunity to recruit his help in testing her dates, and if he refuses, she threatens to expose him.

Short review

A good and fairly ordinary romantic film. It is what it claims to be and delivers according to a familiar formula.

Plot

Casim is the son of a Pakistani immigrant family in Glasgow. He meets his sister's music teacher, Roisin, and they begin a relationship. However, Casim's parents have arranged for him to marry his cousin from Pakistan. The idea that he wants to be with a goree (a white woman) is completely unthinkable, and the fact that she is Irish and Catholic doesn't make things any easier. Casim finds his love for Roisin in conflict with his family's traditions. Everything builds toward a confrontation—but can Casim stand his ground?

Short review

A well-made film about cultural differences and love. It's British, which usually guarantees quality, and it delivers accordingly. Not as polished as the Hallmark movies.

Plot

Jerome and his brother, both serving in the military, board a train bound for home just in time for Christmas. Moments before departure, Jerome crosses paths with Sabrina—a captivating young woman traveling with her band on the same train. Battling an illness, Jerome is accompanied by a doctor, adding an air of mystery to the journey. As the train rolls through snow-covered landscapes, the brothers find themselves drawn to Sabrina, and what begins as a simple ride home turns into a voyage of unexpected emotions, secrets, and fleeting romance.

Short review

A relatively low quality and the film struggles to convince. Weak efforts in both direction and acting performances.

Plot

Arien is the successful author of the book God And I. However, this has led to everyone seeking his advice on various life issues, causing him to withdraw and avoid meeting anyone. An acute back problem, however, forces him to seek help from chiropractor Elizabeth. To his surprise, she significantly improves his condition, and he becomes fascinated by her. Numerous follow-up visits ensue, and gradually, Arien is compelled to emerge from his sheltered existence. He also connects with bookseller Kris when he attempts to dispose of books. Now, Arien is forced to confront the expectations resulting from his book.

Short review

A bit more of a Hollywood production. A romantic drama that's quite well-made.

Plot

Fiona loses her job once again in favour of an audition where she doesn’t get the role. When she discovers that her mother long ago received a letter from her biological mother—Fiona’s grandmother—who apparently lives in Ireland, she persuades her to take a holiday together to Ireland. They rent a cottage in a small coastal town. It becomes an eventful stay where Fiona encourages her mother to search for her real mother, while her mother challenges Fiona to embrace the Irish way of life—and perhaps most importantly, the local pub owner, Liam.

Short review

A romanticized view of Ireland, but a good one. A lot about daring to question one's life goals. The way the grandmother is tracked down is also well done and has a feel-good touch. The Irish tourist board called to say thank you.

Plot

Joel och Clementine har haft ett förhållande men Clementine har valt att låta minnet av deras förhållande raderas. Joel bestämmer sig till slut för att också låta sitt minne av förhållandet raderas. Men under proceduren så börjar Joel ångra sig.

Short review

This is a very different kind of romantic film, and the plot isn’t easily described without giving away too much. It also demands a bit from the viewer, which might be one of the reasons why it’s so good. My alarm bells goes off as soon as I see Jim Carrey in the cast, as he often tends to overact and ruin things, but this time he manages to hold back. The result is a film worth watching, with several twists in the storyline.

Plot

Megan has left her marketing job because she didn't like the changes the company was undergoing. She travels to her sister's home to celebrate Christmas. While there, she gets an opportunity for a new job but must demonstrate her passion for cooking and baking by producing a video showcasing her skills. Her niece suggests she reach out to the local baker, Aaron, who runs his own baking vlog. She manages to enlist his help in exchange for assisting him with marketing his bakery and the charity work he is involved in.

Short review

A good romantic film without any major drama. Everything flows relatively smoothly, with feel-good vibes and all that comes with it.

Plot

Rick's girlfriend's father, who is also his boss, wants Rick and his daughter to travel to Rick's hometown to secure a deal that essentially involves transforming the entire town into a resort. Rick hopes to make a quick visit and then head to a secret location where he plans to propose to his girlfriend. However, it turns out that the opposition to the deal is being led by his ex-girlfriend, Lisa. To make matters worse, their car breaks down when they try to leave, leaving them stranded in the town. Slowly, Rick begins to see how negatively the changes will impact the town.

Short review

We have seen better versions of this storyline. Here, the town's residents don't actually seem that opposed to the city's changes; instead, their focus is more on Rick and Lisa getting back together. A generally anti-progress film (it fails to portray the changes as terrible enough for the story to work).

Plot

Riley has just successfully carried out a downsizing and is then sent off to Vermont to shut down a factory within the company that manufactures outdoor clothing. She is hesitant about the assignment, as it is just before Christmas, but she travels there to see how she can liquidate the assets. At the factory, the employees assume she is there to save the business, but the CEO, Wyatt, believes he can handle it on his own. Riley enlists the help of the factory’s retired founder when Wyatt proves reluctant. However, she soon starts to wonder whether the factory might be saved after all.

Short review

It's not exactly bad, but there are better films with the same plot.

Plot

It's the first Christmas since Kate took over the Santa school from her father. With help from her sister, she is now trying to keep it alive. At their biggest competitor, Dan works—a man who once had a date with Kate, but she wants nothing to do with "the enemy."

Now, Dan gets fired just before the Christmas season. He takes the opportunity to seek out Kate and offer his services. At first, Kate refuses, but when he hints at a chance to win the important Santa school competition—which Kate has always lost—she decides to give him a chance.

Short review

This film is made for those of us who have seen many romantic Christmas films – in that case, it becomes really funny. It is full of film references (not just to romantic films), and perhaps the funniest part is Paul Campbell playing himself in a small role, with several nods to other similar films in which he has starred.

Plot

Andie runs a Christmas decoration business that she hopes to take to the next level. She has now landed a major assignment with an investment brokers family to decorate their villa and plan their Christmas activities. The family is going away on a short trip, and Andie arrives to decorate before they return. However, upon arrival, she discovers that the house is not empty—there is also a handyman, Mason, on-site, taking care of the property. Now, Andie must prepare everything while Mason carries out repairs. Mason has a grumpy attitude towards Christmas, making the task even more challenging, all while they both struggle with personal issues of their own.

Short review

A good romantic film, slightly better than I expected. They did a great job portraying how both characters hide their respective personal issues and how they are eventually revealed.

Plot

Emma lives with her adopted daughter, Lily. As Christmas approaches, they visit a department store to buy gifts for charity. In the children's section, there is an opportunity to submit wishes to Santa, and the best wish wins a prize for a chosen charity. Lily writes a wish for Emma to find true love by Christmas.

Zach works at the department store, and the competition was his idea. When he reads Lily’s wish, he and his colleague think it’s so good that it deserves to win. Now, Emma is swept into a whirlwind as the department store, under great publicity, arranges dates for her— all organised by Zach.

Short review

The film delivers a good romantic story that is at times quite amusing (in a more subtle way). It also has a proper ending, meaning it doesn’t just stop at the first kiss. The fact that it didn’t get a five might mainly be due to Emma not reacting more strongly to her daughter’s wish – but perhaps I should have overlooked that?

Plot

The board of Nora's company wants her to write a series of articles about using a dating app and finding love by Christmas. The goal is to retain existing readers while also attracting a new audience. Nora is completely against the idea, but under the threat of losing her job, she feels forced to go through with it. However, she plans to make up the entire story to avoid actually doing it. Then she discovers that the chairman of the board has hired photographer Jack to follow her during the activities. Now, she has no choice but to go through with them—under Jack's watchful eye.

Short review

In terms of production, it holds a fairly decent quality, but it falls short on two points. Firstly, the entire plot is quite silly, like a board would subject an experienced CEO to this. The second problem is Teri Hatcher's age. I don't have a problem in principle with an older woman falling in love with a younger man, but pretending in the film that she and her surroundings are essentially of the same age just seems ridiculous. She is eight years older than Dan Payne. If they had made a point of this, it might have worked.

Plot

Ashlyn tvingas följa med sin styvmamma och sina halvsyskon till Karibien till styvmammans bröllop med en ny partner. Hon har egentligen inte tid då hon måste ta ledigt från både jobb och studier. Det är dock viktigt för styvmamman att visa upp en hel familj (på ytan) inför bröllopet. När hon kommer dit träffar hon brudgrummens son, Noah, som hennes halvsyster gör allt för att snärja. Det blir en utmanande vecka där mycket går ut på att hålla uppe skenet men mycket är som tidigare. Men Noah verkar mer intresserad av Ashlyn än hennes syster.

Short review

Maybe not a solid 4, but in some ways, it holds up. Perhaps worth watching, but if you're looking for a romantic Cinderella story, I’d rather recommend Not Cinderella's Type.

Plot

Fashion designer Grace is persuaded to spend Christmas with her mother and sister in their old cottage. When she arrives, she discovers that her mother has hired Luke as a handyman to fix up the cottage. But who is Luke really?

Short review

For once, a royal from an unknown African country rather than an unknown European one. But it doesn't help—this film is a complete disaster. Terrible quality all the way through.

Plot

When the company she works for not only ends its collaboration with the small alpaca farm but also dismisses her idea of locally produced sweaters made from alpaca wool, Jess resigns. She sets her sights on a competition where the prize is a major design contract. She travels to the alpaca farm that her company abandoned to try and convince the owner, Andrew, to form a partnership for the competition. Andrew flatly refuses, but Jess accidentally stumbles into Andrew's sister's shop. When his sister hears about the situation, she tags along and persuades Andrew. Now, a tough job begins to get their entry ready in time for the competition.

Short review

Maybe a bit too polished, but as an average romantic film, it holds up.

Plot

Valerie runs the family's maple syrup farm with her father, where she also makes a highly regarded ice cream. When she goes to the bank to apply for an investment loan to enable her to localise the entire production chain for the ice cream, she is shocked to learn that the bank has found that all the land surrounding the farm has been owned by a mysterious old company called D since 1946. She must now find out who the true owner of the land is, and if it is not her and her father, they risk losing everything. She is aided in her search by the doctor and veteran, Walker, who has an interest in history.

Short review

A very good and well-composed romantic Christmas tale, where one simultaneously follows what happened to Valerie's grandparents, particularly her grandmother, during the Second World War while searching for the mysterious D. The film ends in a true feel-good extravaganza.

Plot

When children's book author Sara's grandmother is admitted to the hospital and then sent home to Sara's parents with orders to take it easy, Sara's father persuades her to come home a little earlier for Christmas. Sara is reluctant, as she and her mother have a tense relationship. Once home, her grandmother asks her to complete a list of Christmas chores with her mother. Believing that her mother is dying, Sara’s mother is suddenly very keen to go along with her wishes. Before long, Sara finds herself working through the list with her mother, despite their differences. Meanwhile, her grandmother's house doctor, Brandon, also enters the mix.

Short review

It's a bit funny to see this right after A Novel Christmas, which also revolves around a children's book author. It seems to be a profession with star status. However, this film is much better, so if you have to choose between the two children's book authors, go with Sara. It also actually features a Christmas tree theft.

Plot

Children's book author Chloe concludes her book signing tour in her hometown, where she plans to stay with her family over Christmas. The signing takes place at the local bookshop, run by Ethan. Ethan's daughter is a huge fan of Chloe, but Ethan barely knows who she is. His daughter arranges a magnificent welcome for Chloe, and they form a strong bond as the girl also dreams of becoming a writer.

At the same time, Chloe wants to move on and write a novel as her next book. However, her publisher insists that she continue with children's books. As Chloe gets to know Ethan better, she suddenly finds herself torn between her career and the possibility of a new life in her hometown.

Short review

On the surface, a relatively generic romantic story, but I felt there was a bit too much focus on angels and church elements for it to truly take off.

Plot

Elsie struggles with Christmas after having spent her entire childhood forced to help her parents sell Christmas trees in New York. This year, she also loses her job just before the holidays. When her father injures his foot and she has no job to fall back on, she is left with no choice but to help with the Christmas tree sales once again. However, this year, the shop outside which they have been selling trees since the very beginning has changed ownership, and the new owner wants them gone. A battle ensues. In the midst of it all, teacher Darren starts showing up at the Christmas tree stand suspiciously often.

Short review

It delivers a good romantic story, although one might feel that the ending comes a bit too easily.

Plot

Danielle is home for Christmas to help plan her sister’s wedding. She meets Trevor in town when his dog drinks her coffee, and she thinks he should have kept better control. It later turns out that Trevor, who is a firefighter, is the best man at the wedding, and he and Danielle end up spending a lot of time together—including when they have to solve a muffin crisis before the big day.

Short review

Here’s a bunch of people who have watched loads of romantic films and thought, "That looks easy," then gone ahead and packed in all the typical elements. The problem is, they haven’t realised that the actors actually need to be able to act, and the film needs to be edited with feeling.

Plot

When Jodie’s boyfriend and co-host on the TV show once again talks over her live on air, she becomes so angry that she throws a glass of water over him. This leads to her being fired. However, there is a small chance she could get her job back if she finds a good story. To get away for a while and find a story, she heads to the family’s house in Montrose. It turns out, however, that William is living there after being forced to sell his house to afford his mother’s cancer treatment. Now, Jodie must live with William while searching for a story to get her job back.

Short review

Poor quality throughout the entire production. You don’t need to lose any sleep over having missed this film.

Plot

Olivia, a journalist, has been looking forward to an interview with the mayor. Instead, she is assigned to do an exposé on Mistletoe Match, a dating company. Not only does she have no interest in dating, but she doesn’t want the assignment at all—though a promotion might be at stake.

At the event, she meets Thomas, who has been persuaded by a good friend to take part, even though he doesn’t want to date either. After a few encounters, they agree to pretend to "hit it off" to avoid the other participants. But as things start to shift between them, how can Olivia deliver a critical report without exposing Thomas?

Short review

A typical romantic film set in the dating industry. It does what it’s supposed to and, of course, is quite predictable, but delivers the feel-good factor as expected.

Plot

We follow three different time periods unfolding in the same house across different generations. The first, set in 1960, revolves around Eli and Penny, who are hosting Eli's father over Christmas after he has injured his hip and needs to stay with them. The second takes place in 1998 and follows Regina, who is spending Christmas alone but encounters trouble with her water pipes. After struggling to find a plumber—which is nearly impossible over the holidays—construction worker Nelson shows up after hearing about her problem. The third is set in 2015 and follows Jessie, who suddenly finds herself having to plan her sister’s wedding on Christmas Eve at her home. Among the guests is Pastor Tim, whom Jessie once dated during her college years.

Short review

I was about to give this film a lower rating because the three parallel storylines make it very messy. And even though it remains a bit disjointed, you get into it after a while, and it turns out to be fairly good in the end.

Plot

On her way home from work one day, Mia comes across a stray dog, and despite her intentions, the dog follows her home. The next day, she tries to take it to a dog shelter, but the owner, Max, has no room for it and bluntly refuses. However, one of the shelter's dogs takes a liking to Mia’s dog, and when they happen to meet on a walk, Mia, who works as a web editor, films them and posts the video online. The clip goes viral, and her boss wants more. Mia must convince Max to let the dogs meet, which could provide much-needed publicity for the shelter. In return, he agrees to show Mia, who is new in town, around.

Short review

As a romantic story, this works well. It's a bit fun to see Jessica Lowndes (Mia) in a role that isn't quite as polished as usual.

Plot

Eve, who became a star as a child, needs to get away before Christmas to avoid any more viral blunders. She borrows her sister’s house, but when she arrives, she discovers that stuntman Ace is there to dog-sit. Now, Eve wants to get rid of him as quickly as possible, and to do so, she must help him win back his ex-girlfriend.

Short review

No, I never really got into this film. A bit low-budget and too stereotypical.

Plot

John lost his wife five years ago and has completely focused on work ever since. However, every year he travels to Keestone Resort to celebrate Christmas alone. He and his wife used to do this, and he keeps the tradition alive without her.

Madelyn works at Keestone, where she bakes cookies, among other things. When John tastes them, he thinks Madelyn should take her cookies to a national level.

At the same time, John's assistant arrives, as they are trying to secure a major deal before Christmas.

Short review

Low-budget trash all the way through.

Plot

Victoria lives with her daughter, who has Down's syndrome. She is trying to make ends meet as a vlogger, but the situation is tough since her ex-husband, a musician with big dreams, left her without support. Now she has a new neighbour, Gavin, who comes from New Zealand. He has chickens and a rooster and is also renovating his house, which disrupts Victoria’s vlogging. However, Victoria's daughter soon begins to befriend Gavin, which makes Victoria uneasy, as Gavin is also a musician, and her experiences with musicians have not been positive.

Short review

A film that initially gives off some low-quality signals but improves over time. Overall, it’s a good romantic movie that delivers what it should. The theme involving a daughter with special needs is not overdone but works well too.

Plot

Andrea is working on the final book in her successful series when the last chapter leaks, and her fans are upset that she lets one of the main characters die. To escape the uproar, she travels to the family home in her old hometown to find some peace and quiet and finish the book. She is surprised to find Seth, her boyfriend from college, temporarily using the comforts of the house while building a new one for himself. Much of the town burned down in an accident a few years ago, and Seth is deeply involved in helping the community rebuild.

Short review

A good romantic film among many. It features plenty of feel-good moments and just the right amount of tension-building misunderstandings. A strong emphasis on acts of kindness.

Plot

Michelle's sister is losing her home and needs a new place to live for herself and her daughter. Michelle, who approaches life with unbridled optimism, reads about a boy who, over two years, traded his way up from a rubber band to a house. Inspired, she decides to trade her Christmas stocking all the way up to a house for her sister. She posts a request on social media to start the trading chain. This catches the attention of the local newspaper, and journalist Dan is reluctantly assigned to cover the story. He seeks out Michelle, who is adamant that the story should not be published, especially if it reveals who the house is for. However, Dan persuades her, promising not to disclose that particular detail. Before long, Dan finds himself getting involved in the trading venture as well.

Short review

Perhaps not particularly remarkable at first glance, but I was soon captivated by Michelle's (Italia Ricci) unabashedly positive drive and determination. The plot is well-written, and the film exudes plenty of feel-good energy.