Author: Rebekahrox

The Mother-in-Law

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by Sally Hepworth

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I’m not warm, I’m not especially kind. But I can be strong.

I believe this is the first book of Sally Hepworth’s that really made it big. It’s the one that brought her to my attention. Despite great reviews, I avoided it for a couple of years, reading instead 2 later books by her which I thoroughly enjoyed. I assumed that if the book was about a Mother-in-Law she had to be Evil. That’s what the synopsis seemed to suggest as well. And if the Mother-in-law was evil, that meant the husband had to be either complicit, stupid, or weak. Now that’s fine in romantic woman’s fiction as our heroine will suffer or be deceived by said hubby but dump him on the way to a better life with another man who is worthy of her.

But this wasn’t so simple or predictable. First and foremost it is a study of characters. Not just one. In the first chapter we learn that Diana, the Mother-in-Law, is dead. At first it looks like suicide, and then it looks like murder. There are many confusing things about it which will not be answered until the last pages. The past is told in flashbacks by Diana and Lucy, the Daughter-in-law, in first person. They are joint protagonists even though Lucy is the only one still alive in the present and dealing with what turns out to be a murder mystery and investigation. At about a quarter in, I liked both of the two women who didn’t understand each other because they didn’t know what I, the reader, was learning. And as I learned more and more, I felt saddened by their adversarial relationship when they could have been allies and even friends. Such waste! Diana, Lucy’s mother-in-law, is not warm or kind, but she is a good woman who wants the best for those close to her. She just goes at it in a way that most people would disagree with. She adores her husband Tom and he adores her. She has founded a charity, and works very hard at it, to help down-on-their-luck pregnant immigrant women get the supplies and care they need. I interpreted Diana as having a borderline personality disorder perhaps partially caused by her difficult past. She seems to have developed an inability to feel or show empathy for those close to her. She is very complicated, confusing and mysterious. Lucy has married Ollie, Diana’s son. Lucy is also a good person: a bit of a free spirit, very nice, and with a strong moral center. She and Ollie love each other very much. Lucy’s wonderful mother died when she was only 13 and she meets her fiancé’s mother hoping that she and Diana will become close friends or even have a loving mother-daughter relationship. That hope does not last long. Their first meeting sets the pattern which is repeated over and over until near the end. Diana is very reserved and formal at their first meeting. Ollie asks his mother what she thinks about Lucy, and Lucy overhears Diana say “I think she’s fine.” She is very hurt by this “damning with faint praise” assessment. When Diana’s society friends explain that “Nothing good ever started from fine”, she doesn’t get it. To Diana,

“fine is an appropriate seal of approval for the son’s new girlfriend. Love is obviously too strong a word, and even like would be overstating after a mere evening together-Heaven forbid I be one of those overbearing women that fawned all over the new girlfriend begging to be best friends…. As far as I am concerned, If Lucy loved my son and he loved her she was fine by me. Absolutely fine“.

And of course she doesn’t know that Lucy overheard her comment. Not that she would really try to explain herself. Diana’s first impression of Lucy is that she has been spoiled and adored her whole life and so is rather weak. But Lucy is actually very strong, as Diana learns. And Lucy is not faultless in the rocky relationship. Diana makes such an unpleasant scene over the price of the wedding gown Lucy loves at the bridal shop, that she walks out embarrassed and hurt. But later, she realizes later that Diana did her a huge favor. Lucy never talks to Diana about it. Diana never tells Lucy that she didn’t like the dress not only because of the price, but because the dress did not reflect Lucy’s off beat fashion style and made her look “generic.” There were so many times a heart to heart between the two would have healed the breach. But Diana does not do heart to hearts. Only the reader is allowed to see Diana’s side of things, and even then she does things that are really inexcusable. Even when she becomes aware of her mis-steps she never goes back to set things straight. “She’s a good mother, I have to admit. It occurs to me that I’ve never told her that.” And she never does.

As the story goes on, Lucy and Ollie have children, and the breach between them grows very wide. Even, we are told, to the point of physical violence though we do not know the circumstances right away. So when Diana’s death looks like murder, all eyes turn to Lucy. Our suspicions turn to Ollie. Because though Ollie is a good person, he is weak and not all that bright. Diana recalls an incident involving Ollie and his sister Nettie in their pool when Nettie almost drowns trying to save her little brother:

That’s when I realized. Some people jumped in and tried to save someone who was in trouble; others did anything they could to save themselves. Ollie hadn’t meant to drown Nettie, he was simply following his instincts, just as she was following hers. My children had just shown me who they were.

By the end, I was desperate for Diana to see the light and for the two women to come to an understanding. I was intrigued by the mystery of Diana’s death and the fates of everyone in the family. I won’t say anymore but I found the ending more satisfying and hopeful than it had any right to be.

Rating: 5 out of 5.

Kentucky Roses

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Ups and Downs

What we have here is somewhat of a dual time line plot, but not really. The main event is definitely the present day story set around the Kentucky Derby. Certainly one of the most timely Hallmark movies ever. I mean, day of, and only an hour later than the actual event. Hallmark movies always premiere on Saturday which is always the day The Run for the Roses is held.  The upset winner of the real race this year, Golden Tempo, was the first horse trained by a woman to win the Derby. In a remarkable coincidence, the secondary story line in this one involved our heroine’s best friend, a woman who is training one of the contenders, also an over 20 to 1 long shot. No spoilers here. Back to the movie.

The movie opens in muted colors because this is the part that is set back in the olden days of the 1930s. It is the story of the present day couple’s forebears: a great grandmother and a great uncle, Gloria (Gigi) and Charlie (Lefty). This is a little mixed up generation-wise and I was confused. He is the son of the rich owners of a horse farm near Louisville and she is a greenhouse worker. He wants to be a builder and go to New York to build skyscrapers and she also wants to pursue her dreams there. He gives her an expensive necklace and proposes marriage with his grandmother’s wedding ring. She accepts the ring, and reluctantly accepts the expensive necklace. Predictably and unfortunately, his parents oppose the match and “force” him to take another girl of his own class to a fancy ball.  Gloria reads about it in the paper and she breaks up with him, returning his ring, but he refuses to take the necklace back. He is also forced to give up his dream of being a builder in NYC and has to take over the horse farm and somehow is instrumental in establishing “Churchill Downs.” Lots of spurious history in this one, and I admit I was a little fuzzy about some points. The story passed down in his family is how poor Charlie almost got caught by a gold digger who all but stole an expensive necklace and other gifts and money from the family.  Great grandmother Gloria goes on to help establish the big important greenhouse at Churchill Downs. And you can bet the vicious lies  about her being a greedy seductress are going to figure pretty heavily in the inevitable “Big Misunderstanding” between Ash and Sadie.

Reliable Andrew Walker plays Ash, the son of the CEO of Churchill Downs, who unlike his great uncle, had the backbone to defy his father and become an architect and builder specializing in helping Non-Profit community projects. Or,  as his father calls them, “do-gooders” with a sniff and a sneer.  Newcomer Odette Annable plays Sadie who works part time for her mother, who runs the aforementioned greenhouse, while pursuing her dream of being a florist by working in an elite flower shop owned by a really difficult woman. A storm has damaged one of the spires of Churchill Downs, and dear old dad calls his son to come fix it. Ash is not inclined to accept the job because he is really busy and important in his own right. But his nice mother wants him to because it is an opportunity to ease the estrangement between her husband and her son. Sadie and Ash, both tending to their individual projects, meet on the grounds of Churchill Downs at night and the romance begins. Meanwhile, Sadie, who is struggling under the thumb of her terrifying boss, agrees to provide the flower arrangements for her pregnant best friend/horse trainer’s baby shower. Ash’s mother sees her work and, impressed, asks her to step in to provide the emergency arrangements for a prestigious fundraiser she is holding and, flattered, Sadie agrees. Ash’s mom then specifies that red roses must be present, which is impossible because, Hello!, all of the red roses have already been spoken for because of the Derby.  Sadie’s boss is irate and wants nothing to do with getting mixed up with such a high profile affair that is sure to fail, and threatens to fire Sadie. Sadie is on her own and Ash offers to help because his family’s land has a lot of wildflowers including some kind of rare red climbing Prairie Roses. Score! It is at this point that Sadie finds out that Ash, who goes by another name,  is the scion of the famous and important Reed family. This leads to a big fight because he wasn’t honest about his identity and it’s inappropriate for her to make flower arrangements with flowers that were picked from the client’s own field. I could see how that would be a little awkward, but the crisis is averted to make way for the big crisis:  The red roses for the famous Garland of Roses that is draped over the Kentucky Derby winner are stuck in South America! 

Needless to say, Sadie and social media save the day. It’s a Hallmark, so I won’t be spoiling things by divulging that the reputation of Sadie’s great grandmother is restored, the spire is fixed with tiles that will pass inspection with the historical committee, Ash and his Dad repair their relationship, Sadie is well on her way to being a florist under her own banner, and a certain horse wins The Kentucky Derby. This was all pretty standard stuff, plot wise and romance wise. I will say that Odette Annable, as Sadie, was a find, and I hope to see more of her. She and Andrew certainly got the memo about making the final Hallmark kisses more…”interesting.” The behind the scenes peeks of the Derby Week celebrations were nice if probably mostly fictional, going by the fast and loose treatment of the historical facts regarding the race track and The Garland of Roses. At least the setting was authentic, filmed right there at Churchill Downs. It was certainly much better then last years Kentucky Derby movie which was really really phony. It also managed to avoid my least favorite bone-tired Hallmark paradigms. And that was a welcome relief after many of  the recent movies.

Rating: 7 out of 10.

The Convenient Marriage

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By Georgette Heyer

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When I started my reread on Audible of this old favorite, (one of the few Georgette Heyers I have an actual visual memory of myself opening it for the first time) I was reminded that it is not a favorite of many Heyer devotees whose opinions I not only respect, but usually agree with. With this in mind, I decided I would try to understand that opinion, which seems to mostly stem from a dislike and disapproval of Horatia (Horry) Winwood, our heroine. Besides that, many object to the age gap between Horry and Lord Rule (17 v. 35), her husband, and the fact that he has a few assignations with his mistress, after they are married, before he cuts ties with her.

The story opens with the happy news that the impoverished Winwood family is about to be rescued from, if not ruin, then very much financial discomfort. The very very wealthy Marcus Drelincourt, the Earl of Rule, has offered for the beauty of the family, Elizabeth. Unfortunately, “Lizzy” is in love with Edward, a lowly-by-comparison lieutenant in the Army and younger son she has known all her life. Its in the late 1770s and he is just back from fighting the war in America. Horatia, the youngest of the three Winwood girls, is not about to see her beloved sister marry against her wishes even to save the family. But saved the family must be. In a classic and favorite Heyer scene, She goes to Rule and offers herself up as a substitute. Rule was about to offer for Elizabeth due to her beauty, docility, and suitability. He is 35, his sister has been on his case, and she’s right, it’s time for an heir. That’s all. But when he is ambushed by the unconventional Horry, he sees something special in her. She certainly does not act like a typical demure schoolroom miss. She is straightforward, audacious, and obviously good-hearted. He is amused and rather captivated, especially when in the interest of fair play, she starts to point out her own flaws compared with the divine “Lizzie.” Maybe it would be good not to be bored all of the time. Yes, she is very young and society will be, if not scandalized, at least taken aback. But Rule goes his own way, and he accepts her proposal. His sister is frustrated by his whim, but when she meets Horry, she approves. She loves her brother and realizes that this girl has the potential to touch his formerly untouchable heart.

Miss Horatia, the youngest of the three, had nothing to declare her lineage except her nose. Her hair was dark, her eyes a profound grey, and her brows, nearly black and rather thick were quite straight, and gave her a serious, almost frowning expression. No amount of careful training would induce an arch in them.

After the newlyweds return to London, Horry unexpectedly becomes the rage. She goes about thoroughly enjoying her new found status as a darling of The Ton, rather than the underappreciated and troublesome “other” Winwood. She is no longer the outsider in unfashionable clothes, not very promising looks, and an unconventional manner. She revels in the freedom afforded by not having to worry about money and spends accordingly. And she unfortunately appears to have inherited the Winwood “Fatal Tendency” for a predilection for gambling like her brother Pelham. I think part of this behavior, that many readers don’t like, including me TBH, is a desire to just fit in. And she is carried away by her own unlikely success. Not surprisingly, Rule knows how to handle Horry, and Horry likes and respects Rule. If fact, she is well on her way to falling in love with him, and he with her. But danger looms. There are three people, including Lord Rule’s ex-mistress, who do not have the best interests of him or his young wife at heart. There are plots.

I understand those who prefer Georgette Heyer’s more mature and levelheaded heroines. But after listening to the book with an open mind, I confess I’m still at a loss as to why some feel so much hostility towards our stuttering heroine. Some found reading her stuttering annoying. I just didn’t. It was an interesting quirk to add to the characterization of a girl who is spirited and forthright, albeit with rebellious tendencies. I also did not mind the age-gap, and not only because it was common for the times in which they lived. This time around I was reminded of the very successful marriage of Phoebe Cates and Kevin Kline which makes me vicariously happy. Also the age difference is not treated lightly or brushed aside, but is fully acknowledged as a concern from the beginning and throughout the novel. Rule’s own self-doubts over the difference and Horry’s and his sister’s reassurances somehow put aside any concerns I might have had. But it is a reason for their rocky progression towards mutual understanding. AKA, the plot. That said, Horry needs a strong, wise, and mature hand. Someone she can respect and admire. I can’t imagine such a girl marrying a callow 22 year old. Most would be under her thumb from the jump. As for the mistress situation, the two went into the marriage thinking in terms of non-interference and going their own way. A marriage of convenience only. Even though they obviously started falling in love on their honeymoon (which occurs “off stage”), they either didn’t realize it or were afraid to acknowledge it. Rule would have gone back to his normal life out of habit and, reading between the lines, perhaps in denial (or alarm?) over his emerging feelings for Horry. It starts the progression of their relationship from the beginning. Whatever the reason, he cut ties with his mistress very soon. As completely opposite as the two women were, I suspect that once he had one or two encounters with “The Massey” he saw her in a new light and it only cemented his commitment to and feelings for Horry. As far as Horry herself, her detractors call her immature, too frivolous, silly, and even imbecilic. To that, to quote Horry, I say “Stuff!”. Yes, she is immature and frivolous at the beginning. But she does learn and grow. She is genuinely shocked when Rule kindly and calmly confronts her with her bills. When she is manipulated into a compromising position that might cause a scandal, she comes to Rule (sensibly and maturely) with the truth. She cuts ties with Lord Lethbridge (one of the villains) very effectively, despite his cleverness, with subtlety and no attention-getting dramatics. She is so effective that he is forced into desperation. Which she also deals with handily with a poker across the back of the head. Keep in mind she is 17 years old and he is a cunning and ruthless manipulator. Yes, she has a tendency to jump from the frying pan into the fire, but it’s out of fear that she will lose Rule’s trust and good opinion along with the mistaken idea that he still might prefer his mistress. She is unsure of herself and kind of desperate. Of course she is. And from her perspective, she wasn’t wrong to be. And really there are very few heroines (including in Heyer) who never put a foot wrong and always take the wise and sensible path. The defense rests. Ha Ha.

And I loved Rule. Behind his languor and insouciance he was a man of action who was always on top of the situation. He was very acute. Very Scarlett Pimpernel. He never doubts Horry for an instant. I loved his loyalty, the slow build of their romance, and the very sweet and satisfying final scene. I loved the descriptions of the rich Georgian lifestyle for all of its sins. Add in 2 duels, a missing jewel, a highwayman, and the funny antics of Pelham and his cohorts in their mission to rescue Horry, and, for me, this Heyer had it all.

Rating: 5 out of 5.

I’ll Be Seeing You

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Follow the Leaves

Despite including S’mores,  the phrases, “It’s Complicated,” and “ You’ve got this”, I enjoyed this script’s overall intelligent dialogue and sparky banter between the four main characters.  The plot as a whole was the usual, unfortunately.  Over-planner and career oriented Amy ( check) goes on her journey to work/life balance (check) while communing with her grandmother (check) and falling in love on an actual journey (check). Needless to say she has to simultaneously get a contract signed upon which a greatly desired promotion and her whole career rests (check). The love interest is Mark, the activity director at her grandmother’s assisted living facility and he is, of course, a stop and smell the flowers, live in for the moment, breezing along with the breeze, tumblin’ tumbleweed type (check). While Mark and her grandmother are showing Amy that there is more to life than her career, he has to learn to stop going from pillar to post, forge a lasting relationship and put down roots (check). Fan Favorite Tyler Hynes (Mark) and and the lovely and charming Stacy Farber (Amy) lead a foursome which include the Tony Award-winning actress and singer Christine Ebersole as Amy’s grandmother, and Hallmark frequent flyer BJ Harrison in her usual role as a warm and wise elderly friend.  Both of the older actresses were sheer delights. The casting in this was great. I even liked Tyler Hynes’ character for most of the movie which is not usually the case. He does play a version of his usual charming misfit role, but in this one he is responsible, not weak, and good-humored rather than tortured. He had a natural and easy rapport with Stacy Farber which made for a good romance.  The whole foursome worked very well together which made for an enjoyable and engaging 84 minutes.

**Spoiler Alert**

Hard-working and ambitious Amy, her grandmother Vivien, and Vivien’s best friend Sue, have decided to spend their weekend together going on a 9-hour road trip down the Pacific coastline. Vivien wants to visit the charming town she has fond memories of where she met her first love, Teddy, in her youth. As they are ready to depart, Amy gets a call from her high-strung boss. She must, simply must, get a prospective client’s signature on a contract in person before Monday or no promotion. Luckily, the town that he lives in is in the general vicinity of their destination. On the way they get a flat tire and the seniors call their good friend Mark to come to the rescue and also to promote a match between him and Amy. The Three Musketeers become a quartet and, along with Mable, his VW micro-bus, they continue on their adventure. With no seatbelts, I might add. The usual ensues including a horoscope reading in which Sue is advised to “follow the leaves” which indeed do pop up from time to time to guide them on their way. In the town, a leaf guides them to look in a hole in a tree in which they find a message in a bottle left by her lost love Teddy. What. Are. The. Odds. This part could have been set-up much much more credibly.  The message “It’s in Teddy’s handwriting!!!” is for Vivien(!!) and tells her to come find him if she ever comes back to the town and finds the bottle. I mean…. Anyway, the road trip becomes a mission to find Teddy as well as get that contract signed.

Throughout the journey, Tyler (Mark) pretty much behaves himself being a good friend and support to the two seniors and falling in love with Amy (and vice versa). Their relationship and personal growth and journeys are believable and just nice. However, after some set-backs in both the Teddy and contract-signing fronts, Amy finally meets the client with contract in hand. He wants her to spend the afternoon with him walking him through the agreement and answering his questions. In other words, doing the job that she is being paid for. He hints that there are other parties interested in his invention. (She’s in Patent Acquisitions, which is a new one.) This presents a dilemma as this means Amy will miss Vivien’s big reunion with Teddy. She goes outside to explain to Mark who advises her to ditch her job responsibilities and leave with him right now (for no real reason other than his guilty conscience. No spoilers, but we get a bit of “Tortured Tyler” here) Thankfully, she does not, and Mark leaves her stranded with apparently no way back to Grandma in time for her big moment. So after an hour and 15 minutes of Tyler playing a character that I liked and had no beef with, he disappointed me once again. Mark and Amy get their heads on straight and It all turns out OK for all, including the inventor. But no apology from Mark. 🙁

Still, thanks to everything else good about this movie, and mostly due to the performances of all 4 actors and the characters of Vivian and Sue, this one is very well done.  It even includes good scenery which is almost a necessity on a road-trip romance. **7 1/2 stars**

Rating: 7.5 out of 10.

My Dear Aunt Flora

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By Elizabeth Cadell

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I hope I have this right, but I listened to this on Audible so there is no way I can realistically check my facts. Our narrator, Jonquil, “Jonny” and Phyl grew up together in the same home headed by Aunt Flora along with Phyl’s brothers, George and Hugh. Flora was Jonny’s mother’s best friend and was taken in by her when her parents died. Jonny ended up marrying Hugh, and Phyl married Hugh’s best friend, Tom. Phyl and Jonny both were widowed at the same time due to an automobile wreck, and Jonny was left with two young children. Phyl and Jonny live together and the book begins when they decide to escape their dreary cramped apartment and move to “Rushing” a large but old and dilapidated cottage (it doesn’t even have an indoor toilet!) in the middle of nowhere.

This is what is known as a “slice-of-life” novel, which is a type of novel I read a lot of. It focuses on the largely unremarkable happenings and relationships of everyday life. Gentle humor, unusual characters, and the joy of living are key. At least in the novels of this type that I read. Needless to say, there is usually a satisfactory if understated romance which provides closure and a happy prospect for the characters we have come to feel invested in. Atmosphere and ambiance are key. The ones I read are usually set in the English or Scottish countryside and set at least 50 years ago. True to form, nothing much happens in this one until the previously mentioned George comes to stay at Rushing Farm. It’s not specifically stated what’s wrong with him, but he has been ordered by his doctor to “rest.” So I’m guessing nervous breakdown. George is a famous actor and something of a babe magnet. He is also spoiled, entitled, and a prima donna. The family loves George, but they don’t like him very much. They are confident that as soon as he gets a load of Rushing’s primitive conditions, he will quickly leave for less spartan accommodations far far away.

At first I was somewhat entertained by George and his angry incredulity over what he was asked to put up with at Rushing Farm. The women pretty much just take him in stride. They don’t know how to “just say no” but they are not complete doormats either. They know that George will not be able to stand being in the middle of nowhere for long and are not majorly inconvenienced by George’s whims and megrims. The stage is set on the first day when George confiscates Jonny’s son Paul’s bedroom for his own. To meet his standards, he then hijacks various pieces of furniture and decor from Phyl, Jonny, and Flora’s rooms. When they object, he bosses them and manipulates them into agreeing. But the more George complains, the happier the family is because the sooner he will leave. That is, until Angela ,the aunt of a summer guest of Jonnie’s daughter, comes to visit. She is gorgeous, sweet, down-to-earth and couldn’t be less interested in George, despite his glamor and fame. George, on the other hand, falls head over heels for the first time in his life.

All of the main characters were likable but boring. There are two romances involved, one was a foregone conclusion with no “will they or won’t they” tension to be had. George and Angela’s story had a little more suspense, but Angela deserved better even if the reader comes to understand and be reconciled to George a little more by the end. Jonnie, who I guess is our main character because everything is seen through her eyes, is the most boring of all. Her primary personality traits are competence, quietude, and inarticulateness. Phyl is charmingly lazy and Aunt Flora is wise, no-nonsense, and caring. A romance for Jonnie is threatened but is nipped in the bud by her disinterest. The book just kind of ends with the wedding of one of the characters which is a hair’s breath from ending in disaster. Or what would pass for disaster in this gentle world. There were some unanswered questions which are not my favorite. Why was Flora’s cousin so anxious to talk to her, what secret will he impart that threatens the family’s equanimity? We never know. If there ever was one. There were some amusing bits where I kind of chuckled. The most exciting and funniest part was near the end where Jonnie finally loses her temper. It was all very low-stakes. The quirky characters were not quirky enough. After I read this, I found out this was Cadell’s first book and I readily believed it. It explained a lot. Still it was lovely and charming enough to earn 3 stars from me.

Rating: 3 out of 5.

To Philly with Love

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I’d Rather Be in Philadelphia

I couldn’t believe it when I saw the actors who were starring in this one. Rebecca Dalton and Stephen Huszar are usually my two least liked Hallmark actors. Together! It just goes to show you how easy it is to confuse the actors with their roles. They were both nice and good people in this and I really liked them both. It didn’t hurt that Huszar played against type as a kind of nerdy head archivist instead of “The Brawny Man” type (Old version.) I would have liked him even better if he had worn those reading glasses more often.  More often than not, I have had a problem with some of the past roles the two actors have played and I am sorry to say I have held it against them personally. My bad.

Rebecca Dalton plays Emily who is a teacher (burned out) and a history lover who has come to Philadelphia to help her Mom clear out her late grandmother Beverly’s (absolutely awesome) house to prepare it for sale. Even though this grandmother left lots of papers around, I am happy to report they were not twee little notes of so-called wisdom for her beloved granddaughter to find and get guided on her path to life and love. They have just gotten started tackling the clean-out when a charming friend of her grandmother’s comes by to give Emily some Revolutionary War love letters that Beverly was preparing a report on. Her report was intended as a presentation to preserve the non-profit status of “The Ladies of Liberty,” a group of women history lovers who do research to preserve and honor Revolutionary War stuff. They are love letters from Jonathan, an American patriot and soldier, to Mary, whose family was loyal to England and disapproved of their affair.  Friend of Beverly is hoping that Emily, being a history buff like her grandmother, will take up the project by finding Mary’s letters to Jonathon, finishing the report, and saving “The Ladies of Liberty.”

The first step Emily takes is to go to the city archives to consult with an archivist who turns out to be her destined love interest in the pulchritudinous form of Stephen Huszar. The handwriting is not only on the fragile 250-year-old papers but on the wall. Together they tackle clues in the letters (there is a secret code!) in order to find Mary’s hidden letters back to Jonathan. Archivist Nathan is very intrigued by the historical correspondence which features not only love but nuggets of history.  Despite a looming deadline of his own, they travel around Philadelphia following the clues and seeing the sites, including Betsy Ross’s place, featuring an unintentionally funny tour guide spouting very spurious history. Bless her heart. The romance blossoms during visits to each other’s family dinners, eating cheesesteaks, and discovering hidden walls. It all culminates in a fancy dinner meeting with Stephen’s boss and Archive patrons at which he is supposed to wow everyone with his own “one-of-a-kind” and “exciting” presentation. Which he doesn’t have because he has been too busy with Emily’s letters and falling in love and such. It is during this gala dinner that the big misunderstanding occurs.

Everything was good in this movie. The secondary characters were likable and well cast, I enjoyed seeing the sites of Philadelphia, the letters were sweet and even interesting, the romance was well supported and well paced, and the rapport between the two leading actors was on point. Best of all, neither one exhibited any problematic behavior. Even the misunderstanding made sense and was easily resolved. Happy endings abound for Emily and Nate, Nate’s career, Emily’s teaching rut, Grandma’s house (which was quaint and beautiful), and the Ladies of Liberty. I am only left wondering why Hallmark did not premier this movie closer to July 4, America’s semiquincentennial. 7 stars.

Rating: 7 out of 10.

Once in a Blue Moon

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By Kristan Higgins

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This was just terrific. So often when an author continues the stories of quirky or unconventional characters, they undergo a transformation in the second book. I guess to make them easier to write about or more fit the mold of a romantic hero or heroine. Not so in this one. Dr. Satan is just as arrogant and obnoxious as ever, and I was turning pages to see if Kristan could manage to make him fall in love and be lovable without compromising the integrity of his personality. She succeeds brilliantly.

After reading Look on the Bright side, I had no real desire to read a book about Dr. Satan aka Dr. Lorenzo Santini. Apparently I was in the vast minority. I was, however, very amenable to revisiting the Smith family and having the boring sensible sister as the heroine. Pairing the two together was perfect. In a family of 3 beautiful and accomplished sisters and a charming handsome brother, Winnie (Windsor) was ‘the other one”: Not beautiful and not brilliant. No one can even remember her name. In a typical KH running joke, Her brother teases her about this affectionately: “Winnebago,” “Winona” “Winster-the-Spinster” “Winipedia,” “Window”, “Winfrey,” “Windmill” “Winnipeg”. … yes, I think that’s all of them. But everyone loves her and depends on her, because she is the most competent person in Christendom. She has made being a “behind the scenes” person work for her.

When her party planning business collapses through no fault of her own, Winnie is hired as the personal assistant of the world renowned surgeon and former fake fiancé of her older sister Lark. He needs someone who can keep his life in order so he can focus on being brilliant. He is intimidating, demanding, cold and is the definition of “arrogant.”

Was he really supposed to go to Whole Foods to buy kale when he could be, oh, saving a life? Teaching future doctors? Writing a paper that would change the way a procedure would be done, therefore raising patient survival rates?… He…didn’t want to have to call the florist himself to order flowers for his mother’s birthday. It was enough that he even remembered his mother’s birthday. Most years, he even called.

Winnie is not intimidated. She knows her worth, and it is not long before Dr. Satan does too. She becomes his right arm and virtually indispensable. She is so good at her job, that Lorenzo realizes that eventually she will organize herself out of his life, no longer having to constantly be at his side to keep his life on an even keel. And that bothers him. He doesn’t know why it bothers him, but it does.

It is a very slow burn romance, and perfectly paced. Dr. Satan (“I’ve been working for you for a month now, can I just call you Satan?”) may start to show some vulnerabilities, sensitivity, and a sense of humor, but then he will do or say something to prove once again he will never quite get off “the spectrum” completely. Things do blow up a few times, (how could they not?) but Kristan never does the predictable thing, to my great relief. Winnie always saves the day with her aversion to drama and unshakeable good sense. I loved her, never more so when she forgets she is the steady predictable one. And yes, she does do that, but only on occasion, and usually under the influence of alcohol.

As always, Kristan’s ability to make you laugh, then touch your heart, make her one of my top 5 favorite authors. One of the few who has never disappointed me the least little bit. This book is described as a novella, but it doesn’t read like one. Her later books are more “women’s fiction” than romance and are great. But this one is unabashedly a romance. And one of her most romantic ones. It is a little shorter because she took a metaphorical red pencil to most of the “women’s fiction” stuff, but somehow left a lot of depth on the page.

Rating: 5 out of 5.

A Little Park Music

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Stop and Smell the Flowers

I found this movie to be perfectly fine, overall, with one big glaring overarching problem that drove me absolutely batshit throughout the whole thing. But somehow, it didn’t overshadow the overall pleasantness of the main and side characters and the plot. Also it was very spring-y.

Laci J. Malley plays Allie, the city manager who is also in charge of parks, in the cute little town of Springville, which forcibly reminded me of The Gilmore Girls’ Star’s Hollow. Especially with some of the goings on that are going on. She is the busy busy busy type going at top speed all the time so she can get everything on her plate done as expediently as possible. She doesn’t want to miss anything. This personality trait is blamed on her hippie mother and her very casual parenting style which caused Allie to miss out on a lot of school trips because of missing permission slips. I could relate. She meets Ryan, the love interest, when he writes her a ticket for jaywalking. Ryan is a rookie cop and is just in Springville for 6 months until he can re-interview for a job in nearby Seattle. Ryan is a little bit of an unusual character for a love interest. He is overly conscientious about following all of the rules, taking his duties way too seriously. He got fired from the traffic division because the tickets he wrote were so detailed they were holding up the processing. The woman he reports to advises him to lighten up and relax. Springville isn’t exactly the murder capital of the world, and community and connection with the citizens are more of a priority than writing tickets. He’s the kind of character that, in a mystery or police procedural, would be the real main detective (and hero’s) Man Friday who maybe isn’t the sharpest knife in the drawer but is hardworking, earnest, and well-meaning. His initial “Dudley Do-Right” qualities are reflected by his physicality. He is the “square-jawed” very muscular type of handsome and his uniform fits him very snugly. Strangely, Hallmark couldn’t find a way to take his shirt off, but there is a yoga scene.

The plot revolves around Allie and Ryan trying to solve kind of an intriguing mystery. The town is the recipient of a huge grant which will be used to revitalize the little town contingent on honoring a “VanWilkinson”, presumably a relative of the source of the grant, with a memorial fountain in the town park. The fountain has been planned to be set in the location that the town gazebo currently occupies and demolition has been scheduled. But on the day of the demise of the gazebo, a piano suddenly and mysteriously appears in the doomed structure. And the incident must be investigated by our rookie cop, working with Allie, before the gazebo is demolished, because the piano might be stolen, making the gazebo a possible crime scene. So, as they investigate, a romance is born. The chemistry between the two was excellent.

To make a long story short, the townspeople love the piano! A dance class practice is moved to the park to dance outside to the music, park walkers walk to the tinkling of the ivories, outdoor concerts spring up, marriage proposals are staged, and in a sweet side story, a teenage boy discovers his true calling is piano-playing not football. Every time the piano is hauled away to make way for demolition, another one appears to replace it! How? Why? Who?  It soon becomes obvious to everyone, even the mayor, that the piano is a blessing to the community and should stay there in the gazebo. But what about the grant? Everyone is tearing their hair out trying to think of a solution to the conundrum even as I, and every other viewer I’m sure, is shouting at their TV screens to just put the damn fountain somewhere else in the park! The grant says “in the park” it does not specify the longitude and latitude of the exact location of the gazebo! 

I won’t give away who is responsible for the piano in the gazebo or why. But a solution other than the obvious easy answer that concerned viewers have been yelling at them for an hour, is eventually found. Of course, Ryan does not move to Seattle, learns to lighten up, and starts a promising relationship with Allie, who learns to slow down and smell the flowers. It was a nice Hallmark. 7 stars.

Rating: 7 out of 10.

Cordelia’s Honor

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(Shards of Honor and Barrayar)

by Lois McMaster Bujold

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I thought, perhaps, when we arrive on Barrayar, and you are free, you might consider staying.” “To visit— where you said, Bonsanklar, and so on? I don’t know how much leave I’ll have, but— sure, I like to see new places. I’d like to see your planet.” “Not a visit. Permanently. As— as Lady Vorkosigan.” His face brightened with a wry smile. “I’m making a hash of this….

How long have you been thinking along these lines?” “It first occurred to me when I saw you in the ravine.” “What, throwing up in the mud?” He grinned at that. “With great composure. By the time we finished burying your officer, I knew.” She rubbed her lips. “Anybody ever tell you you’re a lunatic?”…

“It wouldn’t be an easy life….It would be more dangerous than soldiering— chances of betrayal, false charges, assassination, maybe exile, poverty, death….”You sure know how to show a girl a good time,” she said helplessly, rubbing her chin and smiling.

–Shards of Honor–

“Officers. I recommend that when this conference resumes, you surrender unconditionally upon Lord Vorkosigan’s mercy. He may still have some.” I certainly don’t, was the unspoken cap to that. “I’m tired of your stupid war. End it.” Piotr edged past her. She smiled bitterly at him. He grimaced uneasily back. “It appears I underestimated you,” he murmured. “Don’t you ever . . . cross me again. And stay away from my son.”

–Barrayar–

I enjoyed this a lot. I have heard for years and years what a great character Miles Vorkosigan was and this is the story of how his parents, Captain Cordelia Naismith and Lord Aral Vorkosigan, two people from different and unfriendly planets came to be a couple. It is an action/adventure/political intrigue story which also sets the scene and begins the world building of the 16 main volumes of The Vorkosigan Saga. Also, a little bit of a love story. Cordelia’s Honor is actually 2 books published years apart but reading as one novel, Part 1 (Shards of Honor)and Part 2 (Barrayar). Barrayar picks up seamlessly where Shards of Honor leaves off: Cordelia and Miles married on Barrayar and Cordelia trying to become acclimatized to a culture so different from her own: militaristic, patriarchal, and old-fashioned. This is complicated by Miles having been maneuvered to accept the regency for the child emperor upon the death of the current emperor, his grandfather, Ezar Vorbarra. This makes the pair powerful and very public figures in the empire. One of the storylines in Shards of Honor is the fate of Ezar’s son, Gregor’s father, the weak and depraved Prince Serg. Gregor will be in the best of hands being raised by Aral and Cordelia.

Cordelia is the main focus of Barrayar as well as Shards of Honor. When she and her unborn child are caught in the crossfire of an assassination attempt on her husband’s life, it results in the antidote for the poison causing permanent damage to the fetus. She has to fight for the life of her son because in the warrior culture of Barrayar anything less than being able-bodied is considered a shame and catastrophe. She even has to fight her former ally and admirer, Piotr, her father-in-law, who wants to kill Miles, his own grandson, for now secure and guarded in his Uterine Replicator. As if things could not get any worse, a right wing faction of Aral’s party stages a successful coup and attempts to kidnap the 5 year old emperor. He escapes but his mother Kareem does not. Cordelia goes on the run with Gregor while her husband fights to wrest the government back from the traitors. It is thrilling adventure of the highest order, made even more intense by Cordelia’s unborn son’s replicator being housed in the captured palace. It is in danger of being held hostage if discovered, or just shutting off without the proper maintenance. With her unborn son’s life a pawn in the battle between the traitors and the resistance, Cordelia will not be daunted from a daring “Mission Impossible,” aided by a small group of loyal attendants.

I loved the humor, I loved the action, I loved the complex political machinations, I loved the details of the culture and the history of Beta Colony (where Cordelia is from) and Barrayar. They are opposites in every way and the good and the bad of each are laid bare. There are some tough things to read in this book. The character building of primary and secondary players is phenomenal be they heroes or villains or something in between. Most of all I loved the relationship between Aral and Cordelia. Despite their differences, I felt no doubt that their loyalty to and esteem for each other would never be shaken. It was the peaceful constant in a sea of unpredictable and unremitting peril coming from all sides.

I am currently well over half-way into The Warriors Apprentice, the first book in the omnibus Young Miles which is the first in the series in which Miles is the main character. It takes place 17 years after The Hugo Award winning Barrayar comes to its rousing climax and hopeful conclusion. I can’t imagine how one could start out with this first book about Miles and really “get it” without first reading Cordelia’s Honor. I really can’t.

Rating: 4 out of 5.

A Season to Blossom

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“They want to gut the bookstore completely and turn it into condos!“

So that’s the plot taken care of. Kidding. It’s not what you might think. There is a festival, but it’s not to save the bookstore. It’s just that time of year, and it (spoiler alert!) doesn’t even happen. The bookstore isn’t even in trouble. It’s just that our heroine Elise, who seems to be unthreatened with money problems, just has to decide not to sell it.

Elise is a temp working in Chicago and she has been offered a permanent position at the firm that is currently employing her. She initially turns it down because she doesn’t want to be tied down to one place. Also she wants to be a novelist but is struggling with getting started and is afraid that putting down roots and committing to a career will further distract her from her dream. In explaining the situation to her boss,  she realizes how lame she sounds, changes her mind, and accepts his offer. But first she has to go to her recently deceased grandmother’s small town and sell the bookstore “Gram” owned. She and her Mom and Dad would visit every summer which was the only stability she ever had in her young life as Mom and Dad liked to drift from place to place. Elise comes by her drifting honestly. Coincidently, the home town is named “Driftless.” And the bookstore is called “The Driftless Bookstore”. The savvy viewer will see where this is heading. 

While readying the bookstore for sale, hosting bookstore-related events, and getting involved in the community (despite “I’m not staying!”), she meets an old childhood friend (male) who is bottling apple cider from his and his Dad’s apple farm for the Apple Blossom Festival. There it is! Max wants to innovate and expand the business. He is curating his own version of the cider by infusing it with different plants and blossoms like elderberry and lavender. And he is getting ready to pitch his special cider to a national company. Elise is played by Emily Tennant, and Max is played by Carlo Marks. These are two actors who are really good and whom I really like. There is a secondary romance also between Max’s Dad (Mark Humphrey), and the local market owner played by Laura Soltis. I liked them too.

There are two main cliches in this movie, besides the romances (which includes a spillage meet-cute) and Elise deciding to stop drifting and get going on her writing. And Max convincing his stubborn Dad to buy into the ambitious changes Max wants to make to the family Apple business. The first one is dead Gram life-coaching from the grave via little calligraphical words of wisdom left for Elise to find as she whips the bookstore back into shape. The second is the bookstore itself, which as all bookstores in Hallmark movies, is very light on the books and very heavy on couches, chairs, old desks, antique lamps, and other doodads. The “Business” section consists of an old set of law books and what looks like an encyclopedia. Good luck selling that in this day and age. But I am happy to report that the bookstore seemed to be thriving despite the lack of sellable merchandise or customers. Thanks to the actors, the chemistry between Elise and Max was good and the secondary romance between Max’s Dad and Winnie the Market Owner was as sweet as could be. There is a little mystery as to why Elise seems to almost spazz out every time she sees a certain best selling romance novel, The Plus-One Problem by Tessa Marks. And a little adventure and suspense when a big storm approaches threatening the orchard and the Apple Blossom Festival.

Despite the lack of any originality or a sparkly script, this was a very watchable and nice movie. I have nothing bad to say about it. Since apples are usually associated with Autumn, at first I was on high alert looking for signs Hallmark was trying to pull a fast one by reconstituting a Fall Into Love movie for their Spring Into Love slate. But it was legit. Everything was tied up nicely with a year later epilogue with Elise having a book published (Driftless Hearts by Elise Everett) and Max an Apple Entrepreneur. And never forget, “Denial is the First Step to Cat Ownership.”

Rating: 7 out of 10.