The Engagement Plot

Oh how I enjoyed my time spent while watching this movie. I started it right as I was leaving on a trip which entailed lots of sitting. I laughed out loud, had some pretty big smiles, a few grumpy face moments and possibly a couple sighs. My hubby kept asking me for updates and what was happening in the plot to cause my many different moods. He'd smile and shake his head at me, I'd smile back and dive right back into this fun read.

A fun twist on the Bachelor/Bachelorette premise with all the twists and turns you might expect of a couple who met on a reality TV show and the aftermath of the show. The book starts several months after the show and a pretty epic blunder on the Bachelor's part. With a little bit of a hidden agenda, work pressure, longing of the hearts, relentless paparazzi, some behind the scenes intrigue and much more going on, the question is whether or not Hanna and Will can forgive each other and have closure or possibly move forward with their lives, happily and together.

There are many great moments throughout this movie. Not just great moments between the couple but moments of individual, quiet reflection, growth and healing. These two characters were well developed. I wasn't quite sure when I started reading if I should expect that or, if this would be more of a lighthearted and fun fluff type movie. I was very pleasantly surprised that it was fun and fluffy, but it was also full of depth and some great gems scattered throughout.

This was a good movie and I liked the plot and cast. I think it was a good and fast moving story with some nice moments. However, it seemed like the lead actress was hiding a pregnancy which was a bit distracting. I would still watch it again.

Another great film with Trevor Donovan, who never disappointed his viewers. In fact, I would even go so far as to refer to Donovan as the King of this genre. I also enjoyed the rest of the cast as well. No one disappointed me this time. They all gave great performances. And you could see that they worked hard.

And that's rare with all films nowadays. I'm not always this positive. The entire film seemed to flow so naturally that once again I didn't realize how quickly the time passed. There was also a certain spark with this film that's not always there with other films in the romance genre.

It's a feel good movie that takes you away from life's issues. The perfect and safest kind of escapism that sometimes we all need and crave. I'd watch it again and I would recommend it to others without hesitation.

This was an okay movie that had the potential to be better than it was. But I still enjoyed it somewhat. The 2 leads are some of my favorites, so even though I didn't see any really chemistry between them, they're still good actors and carried the story pretty well. Sadly, I'm so turned off by the Bachelor franchise in general that the first bit of the movie was cringy for me - but pretty well done, superficiality and all. Good performance by Hannah's Dad as well, liked his down to earth task with Hannah. The editing was choppy at times, just not as smooth and professional as it should have been making it hard to follow the plot.

And now to the biggest issue for me - Rachel Boston is an excellent actress and is always chic and stylish, no matter what type of character she's playing. This time she was consistently dressed in frumpy clothing and over-sized sloppy coats that leads me to believe that she was probably pregnant during filming. Come on, these movies take 2 weeks to film - was it not possible to carve out that much time when she had her normal figure? It was almost as distracting as the overdone hats.

8.2 stars.

"Holding a grudge is like drinking poison and expecting the other person to get sick". This one line of sage wisdom that the lead female quotes, is what I gleaned from the whole experience of watching 'The Engagement Plot'. What makes this movie great comprises a short list of invaluable lessons about love and relationships.

It starts off like 'The Bachelor'. She is the oldest woman in the bunch of female candidates, and he eventually chooses her, but the producers are not happy because she's too goody goody. #holyhannah is how the fans refer to her, but instead of being a dull and Bible thumping sort of personality, she's endearing, lovable, and the right woman for him. Unfortunately, he takes the producer's advice, things run amok, and his life falls apart financially and emotionally.

There is so much more to be said about this film, but it speaks for itself. I will say this: watch it and discover the hidden treasures that await you. Be sure to soak up the wonderful ideals this woman has adopted for her life and how these ideals serve to transform all the people around her, including an undeserving wealthy man.

I wish the male lead would emote more effectively, especially the depth of his character's sense of loss due to the breakup and her absence from his life. It's not fully captured in his portrayal, but in the end we get the full picture, not without assistance from her brilliant performance. I must say this is one of Boston's best.