A Novel Romance

I have never seen a more suited pair than these two. They are perfect for one another.

Amy Acker plays Sophie, an Oregon newspaper reporter who meets on a plane from New York to Portland, Liam Bradley the mysterious author of her favorite romance...only she doesn't know it. When he sees she has an advanced copy of his latest novel he solicits her honest opinion...unfortunately, it isn't good.

Hurt in the past by her celebrity ex-boyfriend in a very public way, Sophie is afraid of lies and dishonest men...Liam is afraid to tell Sophie who he really is. Will these two get together? Or will Liam's reveal drive Sophie away?

This is over the top with sweetness and these two couldn't be more adorable together...if that floats your boat, this could be the romantic Hallmark movie for you.

Amy Acker gets another opportunity to present herself with her consistently busy career in television and movies. She stars in this typical romance drama as an aspiring writer reviewing books for a local newspaper. This predictable romance movie involves her character falling for the dashing, famous but anonymous writer that forms the basis of this movie like similar ones with the same plot outline. Both Amy and her co-star Dylan Bruce handle their performances competently with a smoothly written and edited script. Somehow this fun movie performs as expected even as it avoids becoming loaded down with redundant or repeatedly dull or boring scenes the audience has seen hundreds of times before. While not a breakout romance drama, the actors, director, and writers are able to carry this movie off as a worthwhile effort to be seen on Hallmark Movies Now.

A novelist and a literary critic meet on a plane flight to Portland, but they don't exchange phone numbers or last names. The writer, Liam (Dylan Bruce), was interested, so when he accidentally discovers her identity later, he tracks her down at her newspaper job.

Sophie (Amy Acker) is dealing with a recent very-public breakup from her ex, who was in the public eye, and she has trust issues. Dylan writes under a pen name and has been resisting the publisher's wish that he reveal his identity. As their relationship blossoms, they deal with their issues separately and privately. Eventually, each must reveal their concerns (with trust and real identity) if they are to truly build a meaningful relationship.

The chemistry in this Hallmark romance is enough to make the story work.

Look for Charles Dutton as one of Sophie's friends who helps her evaluate the new man in her life. And Camille Mitchell as Liam's agent, who adds a spark to the story.

There are many things about this movie that were good/very good: very good actors, good cinematography, good conflict, good choice of Portland, OR, and New York city locations (actually the movie may have been filmed elsewhere), and very good chemistry between the 2 lead actors. The only problem is the script, and it's a big problem. It's almost as if the screenwriter tried as hard as possible to write the most trite and cliché'd script possible. There's not one clever thing in this movie, not one surprise, nothing that would distinguish it from many, many similar romantic movies; well, except some of those movies at least try to put in a surprise, some unexpected twist, which then might lead to other interesting things, etc. Just a few changes to the plot, maybe some clever turn(s) or something humorous, could have made this movie far more successful.

This movie contains a pet peeve of mine. In real life you don't just walk up to your boss and say "today is my last day and I am starting my own business in direct competition to yours" And, then the boss smiles and wishes her well? Seriously? Otherwise this is not a bad movie for its type, even with the cheesy ending.