A Cowboy Christmas Romance

A noted departure for this season's multiple Christmas movies. The Arizona locale was different (regardless of where it was actually filmed) and the family issues were also much different than normal plot lines in these Christmas movies. I liked the focus on ranch work and the reality that it's not everyone's favorite way of making a living.

The "sensual" scene was quick (lots left to your imagination as it should be for a Christmas movie) but contributed to the raw feelings at the end that had to be resolved. Along with Hallmark's "The Royal Nanny" and its connection with MI5 I find the unusual plot lines of these types of Christmas movies interesting and worth watching again.

I thought it was a nice cowboy movie but I have seen better. It kind of dragged for me. It has the plot with the big city company trying to buy the cowboy single-father's ranch. It had a few romantic scenes, kisses but Hallmark has more these days too, just not the sleeping together on-screen parts which isn't missed. Other than some mentions of Santa, other Christmas things and a family dinner at the end there wasn't much Christmas. Mostly just the feud within and between 2 families over a ranch. The cast was good. I won't watch it again. But if you are into cowboy romances you might like it. My favorite cowboy romance is Hallmark's Straight From the Heart.

A Cowboy Christmas Romance (2023) -

From the start of this film I didn't really get the Christmas - no tree decorating, cookie making or any of it, but I did like the more realistic feel of things. The characters weren't all sweetness and light and oh so perfect or trying to have the best festive season ever or sulking because it was their dead husbands favourite time of year, but it's not the same without him.

It's not that I don't like the Christmas element, I actually only tune in to the seasonal Lifetime and Hallmark stuff, but I would like to see a bit more realism around the behaviour of the characters and less of the silliness.

People do get frisky on a first date and also hold grudges. These films are technically aimed at adults so why not make them adult. I'm not talking an 18 or X Rating, but just don't make it all snowballs and hot cocoa. Give them some grit!

This film achieved that, but unfortunately missed the Christmas element and I definitely do find it harder to feel the festivity when the films are full of sunshine and lacking the coats, hats, gloves and scarves.

In this one Lexie (Jana Kramer) reluctantly returned home after 10 years away intent on getting a rancher to sell up his land. But Coby (Adam Senn) did not want to sell, especially to Lex's estranged Father Harry (Bruce Thomas) and Brother Walton (Sterling Jones).

It was all a matter of pride and it all fell out as I had expected, even to the point that I saw the twist and the risky moment coming.

I liked the two leads a lot though, they were attractive physically (Especially when Adam Senn was in just his undies) and they worked well together. It was a partnership that I could get behind and wanted to succeed, because even if their relationship was a slow burner in some ways, the realism of their first meeting and so on showed the compatibility and tension between them.

It was also easy to feel sorry for Jack (Max Ehrich) who was the other Brother that Lexie had left behind. He was torn by the whole family. I felt the emotion with this element having had estrangement in my past too and because he delivered his part well.

I did struggle to believe that Coby's Daughter Abby (Reagan Marum) was 11 years old though. She seemed at least 15! So her hopes for Santa Claus and her wise head on young shoulders were a stretch of reality. He actually sang a lullaby down the phone to her before she was seen on screen, so it was a shock to see such a mature child when she did appear.

When things did finally come to a head with Lexie's family I thought that Daddy's reasoning for pushing her away was stupid. And I was pretty sure that he wouldn't have been happy with her final solution to keep everyone happy too.

But what I did like was the fact that the romance wasn't set in stone at the end. There was no marriage proposal or suggestion that she would give up everything to move back, but a sensible, REAL idea that showed the potential for things to grow between them and a genuine business proposition, although that element might have been slightly fairytale in its credibility.

In general the other elements that go in to making a film were all there and nobody gave a duff performance. I liked the story and the delivery, I just needed it to feel a bit more like it was December and that there was an age appropriate kid excited about the big day.

7.12/10.

I absolutely ADORE Jana Kramer and try to catch everything she is in. I will say, even if I didn't know who she was..this would STILL be a new favorite Christmas movie. The storyline of the film was a good story. It also wasn't cheesy like most Hallmark/Lifetime movies. It made the characters actually seem like real people!! Thank goodness we finally got kissing scenes besides one peck at the end. Their chemistry was great, you could tell they actually tired to make the characters have a relationship & not just acting. An all around wonderful movie! I hope they come up with a sequel some how!!

I must say I liked this movie very much. Was surprise it was rated very low by the critics the lead actress Kramer was very good and very convincing as a cowgirl. The lead actor not that good he seemed to play a old fashion cowboy but to slow for me The supporting cast were fine The mother was terrific she's a scene stealer The whole story though not original but I think they all did well. Lifetime is on the right track with these types of movies particular Christmas. They are competing with hallmark who's dropped down a peg or two and now GAC. Lifetime holiday movies are good and l am looking forward to future ones.