A Very Merry Mix Up
Shop owner Alice Chapman is nervous about meeting her future in-laws at Christmas, especially because she is arriving ahead of her new fiancé, Will Mitchum…

Hitched for the Holidays
Both Rob Marino and Julie Green are feeling pressure to be in a relationship this holiday season and, after finding each other through a dating website, agree to pose as each other s special someone.

The Christmas Ornament
A widow plans to give Christmas festivities a miss, as they bring back too many memories of her late husband.

Come Dance With Me
Jack is an executive in a financial brokerage firm trying to impress the firm s president in hopes of a promotion. However, Jack is dating the fabulously rich and elegant Demi Clayton, who happens to be Drew s daughter.

This is a great set for quality volume Hallmark movies. Merry Mix up is delightful. The Christmas Ornament is touching. Come Dance With Me is sweet. Okay, I haven’t seen Hitched For the Holiday, but I will rectify that. (Honestly, I watch Hallmark Christmas movies like a junkie so it’s inevitable.)

Amazon

Such a weird show. It does come to an end, but it feels rushed. I would have loved to see that play out at a normal rate. Available on Amazon.

Mitch Taylor, is a workaholic attorney and widowed dad to a 12 year-old son, Robbie. Lately, Mitch is in way over his head, trying to be a dad, pease his hard edged boss and make partner, while juggling an impatient girlfriend.

His son Robbie has problems of his own. The school bully has made Robbie his latest target, he is trying not to be a total nerd in front of the girl he likes, and to make things worse, he was cast as lead role in the Christmas Pageant unwillingly. Robbie really want his dad to go out of his way this year to make Christmas all it s cracked up to be.

Mitch and Robbie definitely think the other has it pretty easy until a mysterious toy causes them to switch bodies. They are forced to find out what it s like to spend the holidays in each other s shoes.

Honestly, this movie is not very good. I mean, most Hallmark movies are predicatable and this is a well known trope, but it’s lacking real commitment from the actors—or Tom Arnold is in it. That might be my whole problem. I got it from the library, so no loss for me.

Amazon

This show canceled before its time really ticks me off because it ends with a paralyzing cliffhanger that will never be resolved. It was pretty heavy handed in the sermonizing, but it also had incredible charm and heart. Just watch knowing it’s going to stop. Available on Amazon.

Once in a while; a movie comes along that reminds us how powerful love can be. In the midst of war in Afghanistan; Captain Codey Cullen (John Newton; “Desperate Housewives”) is touched by a lovely card sent by Faith Spelman (“The Chris Isaak Show”) from the small picturesque town of Nevada City; California. As months pass; the card never leaves his side; giving him the strength to survive and setting him on a mission to find her. When Cody returns to the States; he finds himself coincidentally welcomed by her family and friends; but he remains hesitant to reveal the fateful connection that brought him to her. As a new Christmas approaches; Cody has one last opportunity to prove his courage – by taking a chance on love and finding the woman; the home; and the life he’s always wanted.

This movie nearly derailed my Christmas novella in the Mistletoe Kisses. I was working away on it with this playing in the background and suddenly I wanted to write a different story. I didn’t, but that doesn’t mean it won’t be next year’s…

Amazon

One nice thing about one season shos is that you can watch the whole series in a very short time. I thought the premis for Forever was brilliant. A man who can’t die. He’s tried. So he becomes a medical examiner to study death in the hopes that he can figure out how to die. Kind of like Castle, but more serious. It’s available in the CW Seed app. Or you can buy it on Amazon.

In this irresistible new novel by Mary Ann Marlowe, one woman’s up-close and sexy encounter with a tabloid sensation reveals the dizzying—and delicious—dilemma of dating in the spotlight . . .

Celebrities hold zero interest for photographer Jo Wilder. That’s a problem, since snapping pics of the stars is how the pretty paparazza pays the rent. So when Jo attempts to catch a money shot atop the broad shoulders of a helpful bystander, the only thing she notices about the stranger she straddles is that he’s seriously hot. Only later does Jo learn that he’s also Micah Sinclair—one of rock’s notorious bad boys…

Soon Jo is on the verge of getting fired for missing a Micah Sinclair exclusive. Until she’s suddenly being pursued by the heartthrob himself.  But how can she be sure the musician’s mind-blowing kisses are the real deal? Her colleagues claim he’s a media whore, gambling on some free PR. But something has Jo hoping Micah’s feeling the same powerful pull that she does. A pull so strong, she can’t resist becoming his latest love, even if it means she might become the media’s latest victim . . .

Praise for Mary Ann Marlowe’s Some Kind of Magic

“Marlowe makes a name for herself in this hilarious and sexy debut.”
—Booklist

“Frisky, Flirty Fun!”
–Stephanie Evanovich, New York Times bestselling author of The Total Package

Available November 28, 2017 from Kensington. Pre-Order at all digital retailers:

Amazon | BN | Kobo | Google Play | Goodreads | BAM!

Excerpt

More people rolled in, either on foot or via personal motorcade. The feeding frenzy intensified as the level of fame increased. Some celebrities disappeared as quickly as possible. Others walked the runway, stopping to give the photographers ample time to capture them, only answering questions about whichever project they wanted to publicize.

By the time Micah Sinclair emerged from a black sedan, tall and confident, voices had reached fever pitch.

“Micah, over here!”

As his car drove away, Micah stood a moment to take in the scene. Rather than escape the fishbowl or pose for publicity shots, he shook hands with one of the reporters and chatted for a few seconds before he came my way. He tilted his head back, and his face lit up.

“Wally!” He crossed over, hand outstretched. “Haven’t seen you around in a while. I hope everything’s good at home.”

Wally actually put his camera down to shake Micah’s hand. I glanced around. Nobody was taking pictures. Was there something inherently un-newsworthy about a guy talking to the media? I lifted my camera and started shooting. The whirr of my camera caught Micah’s attention, and he turned away from Wally with a wide-eyed look of recognition.

He put his hand up against the flash and peered around his fingers. “Jo-Josie from Georgia! I didn’t expect to see you again so soon.”

Since he was facing me, I kept snapping pictures. Knowing that Andy would want me to at least get a comment if I could, I blurted out, “Hey, Micah. Are you here alone tonight?”

I knew I should have asked him something more specific, but he was smiling that cocky-bratty grin, and it was messing with my killer instinct. If I had a killer instinct.

“I am. Or at least I came here alone.” The cameras around us began to flash, but Micah kept his cool, eyes on me, as if we were still standing on the sidewalk in Park Slope, all alone. His lip curled up on one side, like he was gearing up for a challenge. “How’d you like to be my date?”

Now I dropped my camera, and it slammed into my gut. Oof. Damn if Andy hadn’t called it. I still couldn’t process the invitation. “Sorry, what?”

He gestured with his head toward the steps. “Come on. You’ll get better pictures inside.”

I threw a glance at Wally who looked as envious as Charlie Bucket when the last golden ticket was found. He nodded me forward. Now that fantasy had turned into reality, I realized I wasn’t remotely prepared to rub elbows with the same people I needed to exploit. “Sure. But are you sure it’s okay? Nobody will mind?”

“Eden will, but I owe you one. And besides I have an in with the guy throwing the party.” He offered me his elbow. “Come on. Don’t be shy. You might get that Pulitzer prize shot.”

I gathered my gear together. Micah stopped and looked down at me while I threw my camera bag and backpack over my shoulder and straightened up. At my full height, he only had a couple of inches on me. I put my hand around his proffered bicep, completely aware of the feel of his skin on my fingertips. He turned his blue eyes on me, and I forgot how to breathe.

The smile dropped from his face for a second, and he asked, “Everything okay?”

I sucked in a lungful of air and laughed off my nerves. “Entering enemy territory for the first time.”

His confident, charming smile returned, and he led me up the steps into the brownstone—my own personal Trojan horse.

Micah nodded at the burly man inside the door as we passed. “This is Jo. She’s with me.”

The bouncer shot me a look of grudging respect. “Good luck.”

As Micah pulled me along, I looked back, unsure what the bouncer meant by that, but he’d already turned his attention away, so I faced forward, glancing around wildly for any A-list celebrities.

And it hit me for real. I was on the inside.

Author Bio:

Mary Ann lives in central Virginia where she works as a computer programmer/DBA. She spent ten years as a university-level French professor, and her resume includes stints as an au pair in Calais, a hotel intern in Paris, a German tutor, a college radio disc jockey, and a webmaster for several online musician fandoms. She has lived in twelve states and three countries and loves to travel.

Connect with Mary Ann

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For the George Family, accustomed to the luxuries of a privileged suburban life, Christmas has become a season of taking, rather than giving. With dad pre-occupied with work, mom on edge, and self-involved teens, Nick and Natalie, fixated on their ever-growing wish lists, the youngest is the only one with any true Christmas spirit. When their dad loses his job just before the holidays, the family ignores the severity of the situation and continues to live above their means. When the consequences catch up with then, they are left with nothing and nowhere to turn. Taken in by an eccentric Christmas tree farmer, the family learns that miracles can come true, if you believe! A warm-hearted tale reminding us that the best gifts are the simple ones, all year long.

Note the cello. It’s important to the story. It doesn’t have the same charm as the more recent Hallmark movies, but it does have all the family building, lesson learning, and character developing you expect. Make your own decision.

Amazon

This show should have gone on. We should not be without Robin Williams.

Get it from Amazon.

Two NYC bound travelers find themselves inextricably linked when a freak snowstorm waylays their Christmas plans to an overcrowded airport hotel in Buffalo. Eternal optimist and hopeless romantic, Paige Summers, desperately needs to find a way to the city so that she can meet her fiance’s parents before her storybook wedding ? and it?s up to a guy she can?t stand, fellow passenger and total stranger Dylan Mackenzie, a guy permanently soured on romance after his girlfriend broke his heart to rise to the occasion and become Paige?s off-white Knight in shining armor. Joining them are Frank and Maxine Gambert, an older couple who are heading to Connecticut to spend a final Christmas holiday together with Maxine?s aging parents . As their madcap adventures ensues, our foursome will be forced to face a lot more surprises in store than the ever changing snowstorm preventing each of them from getting home.

I love Plane, Trains, and Automobiles so this was right up my alley. It’s delightful and sweet.

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