The Secret Life of Amy Bensen

I really want to give this more than five stars but each episode is like a little over 20 minutes long the first episode Amy is she supposed to be scared upset I mean she's got to start a whole new life someplace and she just seems like she's confused the whole episode first episode was a little weird if you asked me and then this guy shows up and he's on the plane with her the whole time I see a lot of chemistry between the two which is good and then he just kind of disappears and he magically appears at the end of the episode and tells her to go with him they don't know know each other from Adam other than they were on a plane together seriously I'm going to try to give the whole season a chance but I've read the books and they're not the same.

I loved this series right from the first episode and Casey King made me sit up and take notice. Maddie McCormick, who plays the lead, was a big surprise, first she is truly lovely and second she manages to navigate playing this independently strong yet vulnerable character...but Casey King-Wow! He plays Liam Stone or the billionaire architect stranger that Amy meets on a plane to Denver. Sharp enough to sense that Amy is scared and on the run, Liam manages to take control in a very non-threatening way (with occasional pushback from Amy). I love his sentiment that he wants to be the one Amy runs to and not away from. Liam is a young brilliant architect who is in Denver on business as he has been tasked to design a large scale building in their business district. Amy is a secret wrapped in a mystery. On the run since she was a teenager, Amy has relied on a mysterious benefactor who has been the only assistance she has received since her childhood home was burned to the ground along with her entire family...which included her esteemed archeologist father. New to the city and on the run, but unwilling to trust Liam with her whole story...or her secrets, they begin a (at least on her side) temporary romantic relationship. Liam is smart enough to give Amy the time if not the space to tell him her story and let him use some of his assets to help her. He also knows he will have to be the first to open up and build the trust in order to get Amy to open up. Meanwhile she meets Jared, the friendly neighbor across the hall who reminds her of her brother...or a Texas frat boy and Meg who works for her new apartment's management company...and is her only link to her mysterious new boss. Will she be able to evade the long arms of those who are after her?

The production quality on this series is wonderful and I think another home run for Passionflix. I am a big Passionflix fan and an even bigger fan of suspense thrillers that are heavy on the romance. I really did rush out and purchase these books just based on the first two episodes. I devoured the story and can now say the casting of the characters was spot on and I am really looking forward to the continuation of the series.

Filled with tension and steam, I enjoyed the caginess of Amy and the protective nature of Liam...and how those two clashed with one another. Liam is almost the perfect man, he seems to know exactly what Amy needs and when she needs it...sometimes domineering and sometimes companionable partner. I enjoyed how mysterious the series was and I really hope Passionflix brings more of these Romantic thrillers to life on the screen. This series is based on the books by Lisa Renee Jones, starting with the book Escaping Reality. I highly recommend that you check out both. Eagerly anticipating the second season.

Passionflix has this problem with every movie. The book doesn't always translate well to screen; you need a adapt it and make sure it flows. Don't get me wrong. I appreciate the book being followed, but it's followed to such a T that the movie suffers.

Add that to bad acting and bad chemistry and these movies are just awful to watch.

To start, Amy's constant look of confusion. She doesn't look scared or stressed. She just looks confused, like she doesn't know her script so someone is reading it back in her ear and she has to pause and concentrate to speak. I read the books, so I know what the actress was trying for. It just fell flat.

Liam is almost comical in his intense, in your face, whisper-talking. What's worse is the actor looks like he just got back from a week bender and forgot how to emote so he just speaks the required line robotically.

Both actors are just blah. They had no chemistry and not a lot of facial expressions to make the lines they speak anything but cringy. It is legit painful to watch.

Let me start off by saying that the Book series by Lisa Renee Jones is amazing!!! I loved the books and wanted so desperately to see this screen adaptation do it justice. It does not even come close!!!

The storyline is true to the book, except we are missing all of the inner dialogue that fills us in on what is going on. If I had not read the book, I would be so confused and lost. The actress playing Amy does not convey the fear, uncertainty, sadness, and anger that is supposed to be consuming her. She only manages to come across as looking confused and unsure of pretty much everything.

The actor playing Liam Stone is about as 3 dimensional as a sheaf of paper. He is cheesy and flat from line one on. I actually cringe at most of his lines. Again it's not the writing, the lines are perfect, just not when they're acted out by him. He has zero intensity and has the same look and monotone to everything he says and does. He actually comes across as just plain old creepy, which is nothing like the sexy, commanding, and intriguing character he is in the book.

I don't know who the casting director of this series is, but they missed the mark on this one, big time!

If you don't have the right actors, you can't do the book or the series justice.