Coup de foudre sous la neige

Started out funny and ended fantastic!!!! I loved this movie and it's one of the better Hallmark movies I've seen

Cara Reneau (Taylor Cole) is tired of the dating expectation and given up dating as her New Year resolution. As a magazine relationship writer, her boss is concerned especially if she is to be promoted to editor. Due to a last minute cancellation, she joins her best friend Megan (Rukiya Bernard) on a ski vacation. The problem is that another mistake has forced them to share a chalet with Ben Livingston and Sean. Cara and Ben do not get alone. Obviously, they're destined to be together.

Taylor Cole can project a cold hard character. It's a little different this time. It may be her dye job or her friendship or simply her character. There is more softness which helps in a Hallmark movie. The drama isn't that heightened. Their connection is inevitable after the initial meet-cute conflicts. Time and time again, the drama is turned down. It's fine for this type of movies. I really like the cuteness of the best friends. Rukiya is great. It's always an expectation to grade these movies on a curve. I'll meet that halfway and say this is almost tolerable.

A pretty good one as Hallmark movies go, but if we had been playing the drinking game, we'd be pretty drunk!

The story is complex and contrived. A lot of points don't make sense which is normal for these movies, but in this case they were too much for me. How does the CEO of a company only get half the chalet, but get a $500 gift basket also? Some of the bosses in these movies are slave drivers, but this one, while not mean, is ridiculous. Apparently she doesn't sleep and works 24 hours even on weekends. The premise that Ben's dating life affects his company's bottom line also sounds a little ridiculous. As a sub-plot, the idea that Megan's wrist injury means she can't use a phone at all is also silly. There are just too many silly and contrived plotlines.

Taylor Cole and Jack Turner do connect establishing a comfortable relationship, outside of the secrets. Still Jack Turner is a little reserved. Rukiya Bernard looks like someone to watch for as a possible lead in future Hallmark movies. She connects with Dewshane Williams to form a much more realistic relationship than Cara and Ben's. Both of these relationships are pleasant enough to watch in and of themselves until the silly plot messes up at least the one.

I liked the movie, though I don't understand why Taylor Cole's character is so snooty in the first half.

The best friends were enjoyable to watch as a couple. They should have gotten more screen time.

It was nice that it wasn't just a romance. Three of the leads make decisions about their careers. It's a movie about the freedom to your wings.