Blind Date Book Club

I enjoyed the blind date with a book concept being added to this Hallmark romance starring When Calls The Heart's Erin Krakow and Robert Buckley from iZombie. I really like Robert Buckley, he seems so genuine in every role I have seen him play. He plays famous YA fantasy writer Graham Sterling. He owes his publisher book at of his famous YA series, only instead he has written a historical romance novel which his publisher not only doesn't want, but doesn't want his name even associated with. Determined to try this new genre, Graham self publishes his romance under a pseudonym and when he hears a public radio interview of a Nantucket bookstore owner who has combined her self cultivated "blind date with a book" books with a book club, he hightails it to Nantucket where he hopes to get her to choose his book for some honest and unbiased criticism.

This is a sweet slow build romance that highlights how people's love for books brings them together. I loved the concept and who could say no to Robert Buckley's sensational smile and charm? I wish there were more book clubs like this because I would absolutely join and I really like highlighting the importance of small independent bookstores for introducing smaller and lesser know authors...and just bringing people together over their love of books. This is a strong recommendation to fellow romantics, particularly book lovers and want to be writers. Positive, inspirational and romantic.

I started out excited about this movie. It seemed to be a little different than Hallmark's typical and boring formulaic fare. (Notice how you rarely see a HM movie rated above 6-ish?) The male lead was great. He was likable, genuine, real. Very good and would like to see him in more HM movies. The Nantucket backdrop was great (though we saw very little of it, at least we saw lots of boats.) The bookstore was pretty and inviting and the side-kick Alice was pleasant. Plus, it was great to see TWO pregnant women! Both Alice and the lead male's sister were pregnant. Refreshing!

At first I liked the female lead. She seemed a little different, but cute and pleasant. Sadly, her persona changed and she became unlikeable. So much so that I don't know how or why the male lead could be attracted to her. I'm not familiar with the actress, and maybe the director coached her to be this way, but I found her dull, emotionless, boring. She rarely registered anything other than a blank stare. I think the movie might have had more spark of life to it if she was played with more personality, or by a different actress. Also, what was with the retro wardrobe? Shirts tucked at the front and left untucked everywhere else? That look is at least 15 years old. Come on, Hallmark. Get some better hair, makeup and wardrobe people.

Also, the name of the movie didn't make a lot of sense and no doubt confused viewers as much as the characters in the movie.

Overall, this could have been a really good movie. REALLY good. If not for the lifeless performance of the lead female, the creepy aunt, and the bizarre, poorly-written scene after the book club members review Dylan's book, each of which dragged it down. It could have been so much better. It seems Hallmark never gets it right. I'd love to see them hit a couple out of the park. I don't suggest holding your breath.

Nantucket bookstore owner Meg (the charming Erin Krakow) is at a crossroads of sorts on whether to continue running the store, a dream of her deceased mother that has been financially supported by Meg's aunt, who is her mother's sister. Best-selling author Graham (the equally charming Robert Buckley) is also at a crossroads of sorts, yearning to stretch his talents as an author from the teen coming-of-age genre to the historical romance genre. He's, in fact, written such a romance novel under a pseudonym, but it got a lukewarm response from his agent, so he decides it's time to take a short break to regroup. Meg and Graham meet cute at the docks of Nantucket when a tourist mistakes them for a couple. Eventually, he finds his way to the bookstore and it's then that their journeys unfold separately and together.

What I like most about this movie is that it's just as much about the heroine's journey as it is about the hero's story and I found myself just as interested in their separate storylines as I was in their potential romance. The supporting cast is great and provides believable, tangible support; namely, Meg's friend and bookstore employee Alice, who has dreams of becoming an author herself; Graham's sister, who is his cheerleader just as much as he is hers; and Graham's agent, who is also his good friend. The two leads have naturally good chemistry with each other and everyone else. This one is interesting and worth the watch, in my opinion.

I was really wanting to like this movie, but I just couldn't concentrate. Erin Krakow is such a pretty girl, but her hair was just so disruptive. The short hair just doesn't work. I know nothing about women's hair, but her hair in this movie just bothered me through the entire movie. It just needed to be longer - even if just to the shoulders. Things were just out of balance. The fact that I was thinking about it through the entire movie tells me it was wrong. I just had to mention it because I hope this will be a consideration in future movies. This is just one guys opinion.

I think I am going to have to watch the movie again to try to focus on the actual story.

8.0 stars.

Been some days since a Hallmark movie was a pleasurable experience for me. Krakow usually makes for a decent film, and this was no exception.

How does this movie utilize the usual bag of tricks for soft romance? Actually, it doesn't fully. What I witnessed was something a bit off the beaten path. Sure it contains the usual ingredients, but there is a distinct feeling evoked watching the main characters interact. The romance seems forced, yet more authentic than most. It's as if the two leads are actually playing their parts with as much passion as possible, but doing their best to hold back. It's hard to explain, but I was actually impressed by their portrayal of two conflicted people.

He is a bit of an adventurer, but lackadaisical in his pursuit to take a detour with his writing career. In doing so, he produces something way below his standards, but seems oblivious about the ramifications this may have on his career. She, on the other hand, is the perfect female for his situation and with this particular dilemma. She has a passion for books, although it's not her primary goal to own a bookstore, and she would rather be doing real estate. But we can see that her true passion is him, she just doesn't realize it. He knows immediately that she is his match, and he formulates a plan to casually charm her.

I feel like the theme is that sometimes fate knocks us on the head to course correct our lives back to the status quo. They both belong right where they've been for a long time, yet both feel out of place. They simply needed to meet each other.

This film is not a masterpiece, but as I'm writing this review, I realize the writer had something memorable in mind, and I caught it (even though I may have overanalyzed a bit).