A Novel Noel

Whilst there are - as some previous reviewers have correctly pointed out - some oft-used tropes in "A Novel Noel", the pairing of Hallmark veteran Brendan Penney (of "Chesapeake Shores" and the "Vineyard" movies fame) and the Julie Gonzalo saves the movie from being another run of the mill production.

Once they get past the initial bickering phase (if you watch enough of these movies, you know what I'm talking about!) their characters mesh together perfectly.

There's also a great and eclectic cast of secondary characters, some really nice, festive scenes (including a singalong at a pub and a scene with a Santa Claus) and Hallmark's impeccably-decorated sets.

Not a movie I'll probably watch again, but not one I hated, either.

7.7 stars.

Not only was this a great romance, but I learned a great lesson from this Christmas bingo challenge that the woman does. It's really inspiring, because making a chart or list of dares and challenges for yourself is one of the most effective motivational tools ever invented.

I suggest that if you have any struggles in your life regarding motivation and procrastination, take a lesson from this Christmas bingo chart.

The lead actors have a lot of chemistry and the film is quite entertaining. Something about it flows and they are a good pair. Mr. Penny has a Hallmark Midas touch. I've yet to see him disappoint. He's been in some real sluggish movies, but he always seems to shine through. The lead female, although, seemingly an endangered female species of the Hallmark variety (a rare appearance) never fails to entertain. She's got great screen presence and like Penny, rarely disappoints. The two of them together is a match made for a great film, and I was actually inspired by this story.

Woo, some of these reviewers are grumpy like the male lead 😂. Yes, this story has been done before, but what movie hasn't. I'm going to search if you can work in a bookstore and live in the apartment above. Sounds like a delightful opportunity to me. The male lead is really grumpy for a while, so that was a bummer for me. I actually thought the main lead was the author, but had someone else portraying her. I believe that story has been done too 😂. The reindeer games were fun. There wasn't much chemistry between the two, but I still enjoyed it. The pub owner and bakery gal are fun characters. I must say, I was blinded by the twist. The two characters help one other move over a hump. There's a fun Bingo idea. Cute movie.

Well obviously some of the reviews on here must have an ulterior motive or we didn't watch the same movie. There's no way this movie should get 1/10 or 3/10. That's just spiteful for some reason. Julie Gonzalo is absolutely gorgeous in this movie and she always gives a great performance. I watched it again this morning just to admire her beautiful wardrobe. Brendan Penny is always solid in every movie he is in. I'm so happy Julie has two new Christmas movies this year. She deserves it. I love this movie long with Chris's new movie Holiday Crashers. They sure are a talented and stunning couple.

Hold on to your seats, it starts out with a Hallmark familiar plot, a NYC worker, this time its a Book Editor, Harper, (Julie Gonzalo) who is burned out and needs a break from her job. She takes a break by working in a small town bookstore incognito for a month. There's a clashing of personalities between Harper and the owner's son, Sawyer, (Brendon Penny), as they each have very different ideas on how to make the bookstore more successful. The plot is well written and there are several surprises in the script. There's some entertaining moments as Harper gets involved in the town activities (reindeer games, singing carols at the pub) and as she makes friends with the locals. The Christmas Bingo Game is a fun element. Julie Gonzalo is Hallmark's best female actress, she puts a spark in the characters she plays in all of her movies, and also makes them authentic and relatable. At first Brendon Penny annoyed me but that had more to do with the way the script was written and how Sawyer's character evolves as he opens up to Harper, and he becomes more likeable. There's good chemistry and we experience the romantic feelings grow between the two leads. I love the couple of surprise twists in the story line. An enjoyable and entertaining movie.