I bet you know what I'm talking about... The Hallmark Christmas movies have started airing. While I have a few favorites of their Christmas movies, I wasn't ready for them to be playing 24/7 yet. It felt like they had barely started the new movies and mystery shows and BOOM! It's now Christmas movies.
Do you have a favorite Hallmark Christmas movie? Up until this year both my husband and I have loved "The Christmas Card" with Ed Asner and Lois Nettleton.
But they had one last weekend, "Deliver By Christmas" I loved the actors, who I hadn't seen in other Hallmark movies, and I loved the "cute meet" and the way the sisters helped and teased one another. It is my new favorite, but hubby is still saying "The Christmas Card" is his, even though he slept through half of the movie the other night, so I'm not sure you he could compare them...
This month the RTG blog topic is Christmas Reads. I'll be frank, while others have found more time to read this year, I've found less. After spending most of the day on the computer writing and taking care of writer business, I don't want to read on my kindle, which is where I have all my light reading books. All my research books are in print so I can highlight and put tabs on pages. That all means, I've done less reading for pleasure and more for writing.
However an author friend has a new novella out in time for Christmas. It's titled, Be My Santa Tonight and it's by Kathy Coatney. I made the time to read this story.
If you like the Hallmark Christmas movies with angels who bring two people together, you'll enjoy this story.
Be My Santa Tonight
Book one in the Crooked Halo Christmas ChroniclesIn Holly Krueger's tightknit community of Conspiracy, California, everyone goes the extra mile to help each other, especially during the holidays. Between running her flower shop and organizing the Lighted Ship Parade for the Conspiracy Christmas festival, Holly doesn't have time to think about what's missing in her life.
Since Liam Callahan's last relationship crashed and burned, he's put dating on hold and focused on his career. But when Holly convinces him to be Santa for the annual Christmas parade, he wants to make all her Christmas wishes come true.
The only thing Holly wants for Christmas is Liam under her tree, but she isn't sure he's ready to give his heart. With a little help from their guardian angels, can Liam make Holly's Christmas wish come true?
https://www.amazon.com/Santa-Tonight-Crooked-Christmas-Chronicles-ebook/dp/B08H559K61
Because I won't have another time to tell you, I'm having a "Where in the world is Isabella MUmphrey" Facebook party on November 14th from 5-7 pm here: https://www.facebook.com/events/471554667120961
9 comments:
"Where in the world is Isabella Mumphrey?" is going to be fun! So glad you mentioned it here. Does one have to sign up or just show up?
Paty - yes those holiday Hallmark movies seemed to start early this year. And I have to admit I have fallen under the spell. A much needed delightful spell to take us all away from the craziness of this world right now. Christmas Card is one of my all time favorites, too. And, yes, I did enjoy the Deliver by Christmas movie this year. There have been some cute and some more serious new ones this year. Thanks for the rec on Kathy's book. On my list of a "zillion" holiday books to read, which I will share on my Nov RTG blog on Nov 17.
Hoi Judith, The "Where in the World is Isabella Mumphrey?" party you need to sign up at the link I put in the post. That way you will be reminded and you'll have access to the party page. Thanks for asking. It should be a lot of fun!
Thanks for stopping by, Deb! I'm not quite ready to be full swing in Christmas yet. I did order a lot of gifts today online. Maybe when they show up and I start wrapping I'll be more into the holiday spirit.
Thanks Paty for the plug on my Christmas series and can't wait for your Isabella Mumphry party. Sounds like so much fun!
The Isabella Mumphry party sound awesome. I'm reading Kathy Coatney's second Christmas book right now and will share a report on November 13th.
You're ahead of me on buying Christmas presents. Yikes! I can't believe it is that time of year again.
I enjoy the Hallmark movies too.
You're welcome, Kathy. I hope there is a good turnout for the Isabella Mumphrey party.
Hi Diana, I ordered most of the presents today. wanted to get it done and out of the way because I have a busy November. I'll look forward to seeing your post this month.
Paty, I'm looking forward to your FB party. I definitely am going to show up at least for a while.
RE: Hallmark Christmas movies, I have to admit I'm not at all ready for Hallmark Christmas movies yet. I think they should be called Candace Cameron Bure Christmas movies as I think she's in 70% of them. Maybe after Thanksgiving I'll be more amenable. I'm also quite done with the usual premises of: city person finds love in small town and gives up high-stress, high paying job; one of the protagonists runs a Christmas shop, lives in Christmas town, or is part of a family related to Santa.
Here are ones that still stick in my brain, even if they have some of the tropes--particularly because of the acting and the script.
A GINGERBREAD ROMANCE is among faves because I'm a sucker for single dads. Architect (woman) and baker (man) get together to build gingerbread houses and save dad's business. And the houses actually look delicious.
THE NOTE tugs the heartstrings in the best of ways. A newspaper journalist/columnist (can't remember which she is) tries to find the intended recipient of a note found after a plane crash. Lots of character development of the lead. Kind of a mystery, wrapped in finding one's self, and with holiday goodness.
In spite of my general disdain for on-the-nose Christmas characters or towns, I do love NORTH POLE primarily because of the young woman who plays an energetic, optimistic, never-give-up elf. The North Pole is running out of magic energy, so the elf goes to a small town to convince the people to have their annual Christmas-tree-lighting ceremony (previously cancelled) to help boost the magic power. A young boy with a single mom is the one who helps out the elf. I like it because its goofy and fun, and I get caught up in the optimism (kind of like rooting for Tinkerbell) and it just makes me smile. Yes, I am turned by single parents, cute kids, and unwarranted optimism every time.
The last one I'll mention is THE CHRISTMAS ORNAMENT about a widow who used to love Christmas, but since the death of her husband can't come to grips with celebrating. Every Christmas they would give each other a special, meaningful ornament. Of course she is given a very simple Christmas ornament by a shop owner. I like it because it's not an insta-love or replacing husband with someone else kind of movie. It's well acted and much more about learning to open yourself up to life as it really is. It's a slow burn movie that seems more realistic to me than most of the romances Hallmark concocts. It's about being able to still celebrate that past relationship and love, while learning to be open to finding a new relationship.
Thanks for getting me to think about these, Paty. I had to look a couple of them up because I remembered the plot but not the name. Fun!
!'m not ready for Christmas movies yet, but we are binging on the Hallmark Series "When Calls the Heart"!!!
And "The Mandolorean" on Disney Plus, of xourse. Who can resist 'Baby Yoda'???
A Bride for Christmas
Christmas Promise
So many others… But here are a couple.
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