A Reason for the Season

A Reason for the Season was such a feel good with all the sentiment of giving back! What a great ensemble cast with individual stories that tied to the mystery. Then comes laid back, eligible bachelor attorney, Kyle Newman who immediately has sparks with Evie but is not his main focus but uses his relationships in the community to help Evie. Both Kevin McGarry and Taylor Cole were magic together with wonderful chemistry and the ability to banter with one another with great sense of humor and care. No angst in this movie but an interesting mystery to solve and relationships to bloom and reconnect. Best of the season thus far!

I really enjoyed this Hallmark holiday romance...starting with its two leads Taylor Cole (Evie Lane) and Kevin McGarry (Kyle Newman). The premise is a wealthy cosmetics mogul puts a whole bunch of stipulations on her daughter's trust fund inheritance. Evie has to find the four strangers in a small town who helped her mother give birth to her and saved her life 35 years ago. The catch...she has to grant their wishes anonymously and all before midnight Christmas Eve.

Evie rolls into town and employs the town lawyer and hockey coach Kyle Newman to help her blend in, identify everyone in the photo and handle the legal around her gifts.

The romance is actually very sweet and I think will appeal to most romantics, but the real reason to watch this Hallmark holiday romance is amazingly selfless towns people...they really are too good to be true. The cast was amazing and I liked the spirit of giving that is highlighted in this film.

This was a heartwarming human interest story. I loved all the characters. It's the first of these types of shows I've watched in a while that gave me the warm and fuzzies without the boredom. Kudos to Kevin and Taylor for making their characters feel 'real.' I also loved the character of Jack, who was so sweet. The town felt like a resilient and loving community. II have to say that the premise seemed just novel enough to keep boredom from setting in. In fact, I would love to see a Mystery Movie series built around this town and these two characters. With such a loving community that works for the common good, this could be the next Teagarden series.

This was really solid for HMM and I appreciated the uniqueness of the story. I also thought I had it well predicted until I didn't. Kevin rarely has a bad pairing and Taylor was no exception. These two were great together. It was interesting that Evie's father was never brought up which is a bit different for Hallmark. Also appreciated the older characters and letting us know the lead was turning 35 and all the ramifications of that.

I did want a little bit more from the ending but nothing that takes away from my overall enjoyment of this movie. One of my favorite movies of the season so far.

This movie has an unusual take on a Christmas pay-it-forward story, or perhaps a charitable Secret Santa. It is an appealing approach to an already appealing premise. The opening scene works right into that.

Then there is the scene with mom's ridiculous do-or-die requirement for Evie/Mary to earn her Trust fund. I wish the writers would have toned the whole thing down a little. It appears to Evie and the viewer to be more of a Hail Mary (no pun intended) effort rather than a fair opportunity to prove herself. The requirement is reinforced a couple of times. Mom even acknowledges at one point that the task is more than difficult and that she has already failed once to make it happen.

I like Kyle's approach moving forward from the beginning. And the story develops very nicely. Meanwhile Taylor Cole and Kevin McGarry build some nice playful chemistry. And the spoiled arrogant rich girl quickly turns into a smart and kind lady. The acts of kindness proceed and in general terms the result is about what you'd expect. Strangely, the story lacked, at least in my view, a key element of all Christmas rom/com stories. To identify it would be a spoiler so I can't say more. The movie managed to succeed without it.