Sweet Home Carolina: A Story Filled with Love and Second Chances

When a hard working woman leaves her hectic, Los Angeles lifestyle for a small, South Carolina town, memories from the past rekindle a new light in her life. Heather McComb and Paul Greene, star in this heartwarming story about a single mother struggling to raise her two daughters, attempting to find herself, and hoping for a second chance at love.

After having some rough months at work, Diane (McComb) is forced by her boss to take some time off and spend some quality time with her daughters, Andrea and Aubrey. Stressed, fatigued, and struggling to pay bills, her prayers are answered when she is informed that she has inherited her great-aunt’s house in South Carolina. Memories of the summers she spent there when she was young come rushing back. Her fondest memory being the summer she met Luke (Greene). The only catch is that before she can sell the house, she has to live there for one year; as well as take care of her great-aunt’s dog, Mister. In hopes of a fresh, new start, Diane and her daughters make the move to this quaint town. It doesn’t take long for the three of them to adjust to their new lifestyles, and for Diane to realize how much she missed being there. Not only how much she missed the town, but also how much she missed and deeply cares for Luke. Will these two sweethearts find their second chance at love? Can Diane fully commit to the small-town lifestyle? Or will the pressure of her career and bustling city life pull her back in?

I thought this movie had the perfect amount of drama, romance, and comedy. Not only are there plenty of sweet moments that pull at your heart strings, but there are also very real storylines that many can relate to. In Diane’s character we see a mom who is struggling to raise two kids, while also balancing her job. There are so many women who can relate to this, whether they’re single or married. Trying to balance both roles of maintaining a career and being a mother can be very challenging. In Diane’s older daughter Andrea, played by Lexi Giovagnoli, viewers witness a powerful character arc going from rebellion and darkness to acceptance and new found light. Both actresses portray these storylines beautifully, and you truly feel like you’re going on the journey with them as they accept new changes in their lives.

Heather McComb and Paul Greene did an amazing job portraying their characters. It’s no surprise, seeing as both actors are incredible in all their movies, but the chemistry between the two was perfect. You can feel every word they say to each other and see how in-the-moment they are in every scene. There are plenty of aww moments, and even some tear-jerking ones. Heather portrayed her character with so much strength and grace. She had some very emotional scenes, and you can’t help but feel like you are experiencing it with her and lose yourself in her performance. Paul does an amazing job bringing his sweet natured personality to this character, which perfectly balances the more fast-paced personality Diane has. He does a great job bringing this cool, calm, and collected small-town guy to life. There’s also a deeper and more emotional side to this character, which I really enjoyed getting to see Paul portray. An added bonus was getting to see Paul sing and play his guitar, because it made his character that much more genuine. Honestly, the entire cast was amazing and each one added something unique to the story.

Sweet Home Carolina masterfully mixes romance and drama, and even comedy! There are several characters that bring the comedic touch and light-hearted personalities. Showing the contrast between the typical L.A. lifestyle versus the typical lifestyle of a small, southern town was one of my favorite comedic aspects. I thought this attention to detail was perfectly shown and discussed in dialogue between characters. Also, the setting of this film serves as the perfect backdrop to tell this story that you immediately find yourself immersed in.

If you find yourself looking for a movie that will put a smile on your face and take you on an emotional journey, I highly recommend Sweet Home Carolina. This movie is available to buy and rent on iTunes, Amazon, Vudu. Do yourself a favor and watch this movie. You won’t regret it! I hope you find it as enjoyable as I did!

Watch on: Amazon iTunes Vudu

YouTube Trailer

*Photo credit to MarVista Entertainment

A Doctor’s Redemption and a Young Boy’s Fight for Life

The season finale of When Calls the Heart, entitled Heart of a Fighter, gave viewers the perfect amount of drama, emotion, faith and hope. Season 4 was filled with great new characters who brought powerful new storylines to Hope Valley, along with new hardships faced by our familiar faces. We witnessed beautiful moments of romance, friendship, conflict, community, and joy. This finale delivered on bringing us everything we love so much about our dear Hope Valley.

The episode picks up with Cody, who has been rushed to the infirmary due to his stomach pain. Nurse Faith believes he has appendicitis. However, since she is not a surgical nurse, she can’t perform the surgery. Faith explains that the closest doctor in town is Dr. Strohm, but it would still take him at least a day to arrive. In need of bringing someone sooner, Elizabeth and Abigail decide to try to find Carson knowing he can’t be too far. Bill rounds up a search party to find Carson and convince him to come back to help Cody. Elizabeth ends up finding Carson and explains the situation to him. He is clearly hesitant, due to his past experience, but he agrees to return to Hope Valley to check up on Cody. Carson immediately arrives to the infirmary and diagnoses Cody with appendicitis seeing he has all the symptoms. He believes Cody will need surgery to remove his appendix as soon as possible. However when Dr. Strohm arrives, he ignores Carson’s diagnosis and decides to perform his own check-up on Cody.

Back at the cafe, everyone is waiting to hear what Dr. Strohm has to say about Cody. He comes in and explains that he believes Cody only has a stomach flu and surgery won’t be required. Carson is clearly upset knowing that Dr. Strohm is wrong. Torn between two different opinions, Abigail decides to wait until the morning to see how Cody is doing and determine whether or not he will need surgery.

During this, Rosemary and Lee are having some issues of their own. Rosemary realizes that Lee is not his usual self. He’s tired, not eating, distant, and is clearly troubled. She tries talking to him about what’s bothering him, but he can’t seem to open up about it. After receiving some encouraging advice from Elizabeth, Rosemary decides to take her advice and try again. She’s able to get through to Lee and he explains what has been bothering him. In a very vulnerable and emotional scene, Lee tells Rosemary about his brother Patrick who died when they were kids. When his brother got sick, Lee would read his favorite book, Tom Sawyer, to him every night. One night, he was too tired to read and told his brother he would read to him in the morning. Lee never got the chance because his brother didn’t make it through the night. He says how Cody reminds him a lot of his brother, and now going through a similar situation is hard for him.

Later that night, Carson finds Dr. Strohm at the saloon drinking. When Carson tells him that might not be the best idea, in case he has to perform surgery, Dr. Strohm tells him he doesn’t need advice from a former doctor who lost a patient in surgery. Carson tells him he did everything he could to try to save his wife, but it was out of his control. The two continue to exchange words until Carson gets physical with Dr. Strohm and Bill is forced to separate the two. Afterwards, Carson goes to check up on Cody and finds him doing worse. He tells Faith to go get Abigail because if surgery isn’t performed, Cody will die. Abigail gives him permission to operate, and immediately Carson and Faith go to work. Several hours later Carson arrives to the cafe. He’s pleased to say that the surgery was a success, but Cody is still unconscious, he lost a lot of blood, his heart rate is low, and still has a fever. Dr. Strohm finds out Carson performed surgery and begins to threaten him, but Abigail defends him and says she stands by her decision of allowing him to proceed.

At the mercantile Elizabeth overhears Marlise Bennett, Carson’s sister-in-law, asking to send a wire to the medical board in Cape Fullerton. She’s clearly upset he performed surgery and wants to make him pay for what happened to her sister. However, Elizabeth steps in and advises her to rethink her decision. She tells her that if it wasn’t for Carson, Cody would’ve died and that maybe it’s time for her to forgive him.

Back at the infirmary, Abigail is at Cody’s bedside begging him to keep fighting. Meanwhile, the town comes together to hold a prayer service for Cody and share a moment together reciting the Lord’s prayer. Personally, I’ve always loved when the town comes together in a moment of crisis. It’s part of what makes Hope Valley so special, and this was one of my favorite scenes. The next morning, Carson is checking up on Cody and tells Abigail that everything is back to normal. Still holding Cody’s hand, asking him to wake up, Cody squeezes Abigail’s hand and she is moved to tears knowing her son made it. A huge sigh of relief is expressed.

As Carson leaves the infirmary, he runs into Marlise. She begins to tell him that she’s decided to move on and forgive him. She realizes it wasn’t fair of her to blame him for her sister’s death, and that he should continue to practice medicine because clearly he’s a talented doctor. Later, Carson and Abigail share a heartfelt conversation in the cafe. She tells him that he’s meant to be a doctor, not a cook, and thanks him for saving Cody. However, Carson tells her that Cody saved him. The whole town saved him.

While this is happening, Gowen is still being held in jail. When he finds out about Cody, he is clearly concerned. In a very powerful moment, we see Gowen rest his head on the bars of the cell and close his eyes when he hears the news, as if he were praying for Cody. He was meant to be taken to his arraignment, but he asks Bill if he could stay one more day until there’s more news about Cody. Finally, when it is time for him to leave, Abigail and Gowen share a sweet moment during their final goodbye. She tells him to take care of himself and gives him a kiss on the cheek. Though we didn’t see much of Gowen in the episode, in the scenes that we do, you can really start to see the change he is experiencing, the regret, and you feel for him. I thought these were great additions.

Several weeks pass, and we find Elizabeth writing a letter to Jack catching him on everything that happened. In the cafe, decorations are hung and everyone is celebrating Cody’s birthday. He receives a baseball bat from Carson, whom we hear has been offered a position to stay in Hope Valley to continue practicing medicine. He receives The Adventures of Tom Sawyer from Lee and Rosemary, and when he opens the book he finds Patrick Coulter written on the inside cover. Finally, Abigail gives Cody a large envelope and tells him it’s also for Becky. Inside are the official adoption letters! In one of the most heartfelt scenes of the season, Abigail tells them they can start calling her mom and as Cody goes outside to play he turns to her and says, “I will, Mom!”

I truly thought this was the perfect ending to this incredible season. It was a great representation of everything Hope Valley stands for. Lori Loughlin, Carter Evancic, and Paul Greene were absolutely outstanding in this episode! The entire cast is some of the most talented actors and we’re lucky to have them! A huge thank you to the producers, the writers, the cast and crew, and Hallmark for creating this beautiful show that fills all of our Heartie hearts with so much love! We will all be anxiously awaiting season 5 next year, and looking forward to experiencing new storylines with our favorite characters!

*Photo credit to Hallmark and Crown Media

A Young Girl Helps Heal an Aching Heart

The fourth season of When Calls the Heart is quickly coming to an end, but not before we have some final pieces of drama, love, and friendship. In this past episode, entitled Heart of a Secret, Elizabeth gets her own taste at motherhood, Carson reveals his past, Nurse Faith finds new love, and Becky is back in town.

Let’s start with one of the cutest storylines we’ve seen this season, which is the relationship between Miss Thatcher and Opal. We’ve always loved our sweet Opal, and Brownie, but this week the cuteness was taken to another level. Opal’s grandmother is suffering from an illness, forcing her parents to go visit her in Cape Fullerton. When Miss Thatcher finds out, she offers to watch Opal until her parents get back. Opal spends several days with Miss Thatcher, but some of the other girls start to get jealous that she gets to spend all this time with Miss Thatcher. When some of the girls start teasing her about being the teacher’s pet, she invites them to spend the night at Miss Thatcher’s as well. Hesitant, Miss Thatcher agrees and all the girls from the class end up having a sleepover at her house. Not only were there several funny and uplifting moments between Opal and Miss Thatcher, but there were also several heartfelt and tender ones. The first being when Miss Thatcher advises Opal to count her blessings to help her fall asleep. Her list included her parents, Brownie, and Christmas! However, before Miss Thatcher leaves the room, Opal tells her she’s a blessing too. Another very sweet moment comes when Opal tells her that if God is watching over her grandmother, then she doesn’t need to worry about Mountie Jack because God is watching over him also. Opal truly helped Miss Thatcher take her mind off the danger Jack is facing, and to trust in God’s plan. Opal definitely stole the show for me this week! Huge shout out to Ava who did an incredible job and is such a talented young actress!

Carson’s past is finally revealed when a mysterious woman, Marlise Bennett, arrives in town. After hearing her story, Bill takes Marlise to Abigail so she can hear what she has to say about Carson. She explains that he was a doctor and was married to her sister. Her sister was diagnosed with a tumor that could not be operated on. However, Carson decided to operate anyway and she died during the surgery. Due to this, Marlise sees him as a murderer and wants to sue him for negligence. Clearly troubled, Abigail asks Bill to investigate further. He discovers that Carson did nothing wrong and is cleared to continue practicing medicine. However, Carson tells Abigail that it’s probably best if he leaves town.

Dottie’s dress shop is officially open for business, and Rosemary is trying to start bringing in some orders. Rosemary’s luck runs dry, and is unsuccessful at receiving any business. She expresses her frustrations to Lee and he comes up with the idea to create uniform shirts for the men at the sawmill. Though she is hesitant at first, Rosemary decides that any business at all is beneficial for the shop. After a crucial conversation about the best kind of plaid, Rosemary and Lee come to an agreement on the design for the new shirts. Elizabeth also has a very sweet conversation with Rosemary where she asks her to design her wedding dress!

Looks like a new romance is blossoming between Faith and Shane! Elizabeth and Shane were having a conversation when Faith walks by, catching all of Shane’s attention. Elizabeth realizes this and encourages him to ask her out for dinner. Later that day we see Faith and Shane talking, but Philip isn’t reacting very well to the situation. Elizabeth comes up with an idea to help Faith win Philip over. For their nature project, Philip is assigned caterpillars. After school when Faith brings a first aid kit for the classroom, she tells Philip that she loves bugs and knows where they can find a lot of caterpillars. The two end up bonding, and Philip encourages his dad to invite her for dinner. Shane and Faith share a meal at the saloon, and end the night with a kiss!

There are two other scenes I want to mention. The first being when a Mountie arrives to Hope Valley. He crosses paths with Bill first and explains that they’re still outnumbered in the North, but they’re putting up a good fight. Later that night, he finds Elizabeth having dinner with Opal at the cafe. Elizabeth immediately asks him if he knows Jack. He tells her that Jack is his commanding officer, and that he talks about Elizabeth all the time. She asks him if he could deliver a message to him. On a piece of paper she writes Corinthians 13:4, “Love is patient.”

The other scene I really enjoyed was between Bill and Gowen in the jail. Gowen has decided to testify against the railroad, mostly because he wants to save himself. However, the two of them have a great conversation about the choices they’ve made in life and where it has taken them. Also how they’re really not that different from one another. I thought this was a great scene to include because these two have been at odds since Bill arrived to Hope Valley. It was nice to see them sort of come to terms with things and try to move on.

With Cody’s birthday coming up, Abigail thought it would be nice to give him a surprise. Becky comes to visit! Cody is thrilled to see his sister, but is disappointed when he realizes she’s too busy to play with him. Becky is studying for her final exams and doesn’t have time for Cody. However, this isn’t the only thing bothering Cody. Abigail is concerned when she realizes he’s not eating and is more tired than usual. The episode ends with Cody telling Abigail he doesn’t feel well and collapses.

Next week is the season finale and it looks to be an emotional one! Cody is extremely sick, and the only one who might be able to save his life is Carson. Will Cody make it?

*Photo Credit to Hallmark and Crown Media

 

Justice is Served in Hope Valley

With only two episodes left in the season, unanswered questions are coming to light. In this past episode of When Calls the Heart, entitled Courageous Hearts, Ray Wyatt’s cruel methods come to an end, Carson sheds light on his dark past, two troubled brothers heal their aching hearts, and we get encouraging news from Jack.

Last week we left off with AJ and Bill barely escaping an attack from Ray’s right hand man, Dale. We find AJ and Bill on the search for the ledgers AJ had buried, serving as proof to Mayor Gowen’s and Ray’s crime. The two do experience some difficulties when a man recognizes AJ from a wanted list. They are able to get out of the situation, and end up finding the ledgers. Ray and Gowen are caught off guard when AJ and Bill arrive in Hope Valley because they thought Dale had killed them. Now having the proof they needed, Bill is able to arrest Ray and Gowen. Of course, Ray wasn’t going to go down without a fight. He pulls out a gun attempting to shoot Bill but, in a moment of redemption, Gowen stands in the way allowing Bill to take Ray down. Later, Bill takes AJ to jail and is surprised when she expresses her feelings for him and gives him a kiss. When he returns later that night to provide her with a meal, AJ is gone. Since Gowen is going to jail, this leaves Abigail as mayor once again. As a side note, I am really loving Bill this season! Is it just me or does he seem funnier?

We have been seeing more and more of Carson, and it’s clear that he’s forming a good relationship with Abigail. However, Pastor Frank doesn’t seem to be his biggest fan. After hearing Carson have a mysterious conversation with a man in the mercantile, Frank is convinced he’s hiding something. Unable to get it out of Carson himself, Frank sneaks into Carson’s room trying to find something that could give him an answer about who he is. Before Frank can find anything, Carson catches him and tells him to leave. The next day Frank tells Abigail that he was snooping around in Carson’s room, which leaves Abigail upset. However, Carson interrupts their conversation and explains that he is hiding something. His wife passed away due to a long term illness she was battling. He wanted a new start in life and that’s why he came to Hope Valley. Abigail thanks him for his honesty, but Frank is still suspicious.

Recently we were also introduced to Ray Wyatt’s nephews, Chad and Earl. Miss Thatcher was having a very hard time with Earl, specifically, due to unresolved issues he had from his mother leaving them. In this episode their father arrives and is surprised to hear the troubles they are having. Chad continues to open up and tries to become better friends with Cody, but Earl pulls him away from everything. Upset with the whole situation he’s dealing with, Earl vandalizes the classroom, leaving it a complete mess. Miss Thatcher has no choice but to expel Earl and Chad when neither confess, leaving Chad very sad that he has to leave. Later on, the two brothers start fighting and Earl tells Chad that he doesn’t need him and can leave just like their mother did. Their father interrupts the fight and explains to the boys that it’s not their fault that their mother left, and that he promises to be around more. The three end on good terms and go clean the classroom. Earl even manages to apologize to Miss Thatcher for all the trouble he has caused.

Watch out everyone! Rosemary is on the roads! Lee decides to buy a car seeing that he is in need of driving out of town more often for the saw mill. Of course Rosemary also wants to drive, because she needs to go get fabric to start working on dresses for Dottie’s shop. Lee decides to teach her how to drive, but it doesn’t turn out so well. Rosemary decides to drive on her own and nearly crashes into the mercantile! Lee and Rosemary get in a fight about this and Rosemary invites herself to stay at Elizabeth’s for the night. Elizabeth and Rosemary have a great conversation about how she needs to realize how lucky she is to have Lee in her life, and that maybe she did do wrong this time. The next morning Rosemary apologizes to Lee for what happened, and tells him he’s the best thing that has ever happened to her.

The moment we’ve all been waiting for! Elizabeth finally got a letter from Jack! He tells her that the only thing getting him through all the awful things he’s experiencing is thinking of her and the day they’ll get married. I think we’re all waiting for that day!

What do you think, Hearties? There are only two episodes left in the season. The previews for next week show a mountie arriving to Hope Valley with news from the North and a mysterious woman arrives saying Carson is a killer. What do you think Carson is hiding?

*Photo credit to Hallmark and Crown Media

 

New Faces Bring Unexpected Challenges

After the roller coaster of emotions Hearties experienced last Sunday, I think we deserved a much lighter episode this week. Which is exactly what we got! This episode, entitled Healing Heart, picks up two weeks after Jack left for the North. We find Elizabeth dealing with mixed emotions. She is happy knowing that she is engaged to the love of her life, but of course is worried for his safety and anxious not knowing when he’ll return. We are also introduced to some more new faces, we learn more about Abigail’s new cook, and we add business woman to Rosemary’s list of many talents.

Elizabeth is struggling with Jack’s departure, but she quickly becomes preoccupied when two new students arrive to her class. Chad and Earl Wyatt, Ray’s nephews, arrive to Hope Valley with their father who also works for the railroad. It becomes clear to Miss Thatcher that these boys, specifically Earl, have some unresolved feelings from the passing of their mother. During recess Earl and Chad bully Opal by taking Brownie away from her. Trying to stand up for his friend, Cody tells them to give it back to her. Cody and Earl begin to pull at the bear causing one of his arms to rip. The two boys continue fighting with one another until Miss Thatcher breaks them apart. She tries to express her concerns about the boys to their uncle, but when that fails Elizabeth decides to send a telegram to their father who is out of town. Though Earl continues to push everyone away, Chad does make some progress and opens up to Miss Thatcher. After playing with Cody and Dasher thanks to Miss Thatcher’s help, he realizes that she truly cares for her students. The next day during show and tell Chad takes a recorder his mom gave him, but explains he never got the chance to learn how to play it. Afterwards he tells Miss Thatcher that Earl lied. Their mom didn’t die, she left them.

Another new face we meet is AJ Foster. Bill had been tracking this person down and finally found a lead to their location. AJ Foster was the accountant who disappeared before testifying against Gowen. Bill heads out to Medford Falls and is surprised to discover that Mr. Foster is actually a woman. After much convincing, AJ finally opens up to Bill as to why she was protecting Gowen. She explains that she used to audit bank accounts and found the Mayor was transferring town funds into his personal account. When she was going to tell the truth, Ray sent one of his men to threaten her and pay her off to keep quiet. Ray hears that Bill is in Medford Falls and realizes he has uncovered the truth. He sends Dale to stop them, even if it means killing them. As Bill and AJ are about to leave Dale arrives shooting at them, but they’re able to escape by horse.

Ray Wyatt is really turning out to be worse than Gowen! Abigail’s Cafe has been extremely slow recently. Wondering why? Carson gives Abigail the bad news that Ray has decided to open a commissary for all the railroad workers closer to their headquarters. He wants to save time by not having his workers go into town to eat. He has also opened it to anyone in Hope Valley and has undercut his prices to make sure he receives more business. In an attempt to help bring back business, Carson makes flyers to pass out to people advertising the dinner specials at Abigail’s. Carson also gets a date out of this with Molly! They share a sweet dinner together, but it looks like they are only going to remain friends.

Rosemary and Lee were hysterical in this episode! Lee loses his voice and Rosemary takes it upon herself to speak for him. Of course Lee tries to communicate through hand gestures, but Rosemary basically does whatever she pleases. Like usual! She accompanies Lee to work where she ends up giving Jesse not only a promotion, but a raise as well. She also makes a deal with the railroad to provide the wood for their commissary. Of course she feels terrible when she finds out that they’re planning to use the wood for this purpose. So she decides to give Abigail business by ordering muffins, scones, and pies for all the men at the sawmill. At the end of the episode, the tables turn and Rosemary is left without her voice! How will she survive?

The preview for next week shows a concerned Elizabeth receiving news that a group of Mounties were ambushed and two were killed. We also will learn more about Carson’s mysterious past, and Bill finds an unexpected romance. Hearties, what are you most looking forward to for the rest of the season?

*Photo Credit to Hallmark Channel and Crown Media

Romance and Heartbreak Fills Hope Valley

Where do I even start? This past episode of When Calls the Heart, entitled My Heart Will Go On, was one of the most beautiful yet heartbreaking episodes of a television show I have ever seen. I shed both tears of joy and sadness, and truly felt every emotion the actors expressed. The Hearties finally got the proposal we have been waiting for, but it came at a terrible price. Before I go into the recap, I just have to say how incredible Erin Krakow and Daniel Lissing were in this episode. Their performance was out of this world! The writers did an amazing job taking the viewers on this rollercoaster of emotions. Not only were Dan and Erin amazing, but truly every cast member that appeared in the episode were incredible. Everything from the sweet moment between Lee and Rosemary, Abigail being the amazing friend that she is, the Hope Valley kids who never cease to amaze me, and even Rip did a great job!

The episode starts with Elizabeth and Abigail walking down main street discussing Elizabeth’s new position as a tutor for the kids. She explains how it doesn’t feel right for her just being the tutor, and that she misses being a teacher. During this time, Jack is away attending Doug’s funeral. Elizabeth expresses her concerns for Jack and how he’s grieving. The entire funeral scene is completely heartbreaking. Doug is honored with a traditional farewell for a Mountie. There are many other Mounties in attendance, along with Jack and Doug’s mother. Once Jack arrives back to Hope Valley, Jack and Elizabeth are in the jail when Doug’s mother arrives to give Jack a gift. It’s a Saint Christopher necklace Jack had given Doug when he graduated from the academy. Jack accepts it and expresses the pain he has of knowing he should have been fighting in the Northern territories, and that he could’ve done more to protect Doug. The exchange between Jack and Doug’s mother was beautifully written and performed.

Ever since Doug’s death, Jack has been torn and blaming himself for what happened. In this episode we really see Jack having this sort of internal battle as to whether he should follow his duty or not. There’s a great exchange of dialogue where he tells Elizabeth that just like God called her to teach, God is calling him to go fight the good fight. While speaking to Pastor Frank about his decision, Elizabeth interrupts their conversation and Frank leaves the two alone. Jack tells her that he has decided to go fight in the North. Of course Elizabeth doesn’t want him to go because it’s too dangerous, but Jack explains that he has to. Unfortunately, the posting is indefinite and he doesn’t know when he’ll be back. This leaves Elizabeth completely devastated and runs out of the church crying.

Later that night, Elizabeth is talking to Abigail about everything that is happening with Jack. When Elizabeth is about to go talk to him, Abigail gives her a card from Jack that says, “Take a walk with me.” As she opens the door of the cafe, a candlelit path is awaiting her. Candles and roses light a path leading her to the church where Jack is waiting for her. He tells her that he knew from the moment they met that God had sent him an angel. He understands that it’s not fair for him to ask her to wait for him, but before he can continue Elizabeth interrupts him and says she would wait an eternity for him. Jack gets down on one knee and asks Elizabeth to marry him. Through the tears of joy, she says yes!

Afterwards, an engagement party is held in the saloon for the happy couple. It’s of course difficult because Elizabeth knows Jack has to leave in the morning, but Abigail comforts her by saying she can look forward to planning the wedding. Abigail offers the new couple a toast, saying she’s never seen two people more in love than Jack and Elizabeth. Shortly after, we find Jack and Elizabeth at the church. They spend the night sitting on a pew, holding each other until morning. The entire town gathers to say goodbye to Jack. As he begins to ride off, Elizabeth runs after him and calls out to him. He turns his horse around and walks over to Elizabeth where they share one more passionate kiss before he leaves.

Later that night the music recital is held at the church. Elizabeth has not arrived yet even though she promised Timmy she would sing with him, but they decide to go ahead and start. Bill, Robert, Cody, Emily, Opal, and Philip start by singing “This Little Light of Mine.” Timmy is up next and as promised, Elizabeth arrives just in time. Timmy plays the piano while Elizabeth sings the most heartfelt and beautiful rendition of “Danny Boy,” which is also Jack’s favorite song. (This would be the point where I completely lost it!) As she sings, a video montage of moments shared between Jack and Elizabeth begins to play. The first day they met, their first kiss, the Mountie ball, and the proposal is shown. Once she finishes the song, there isn’t a dry eye in the audience and the kids rush to give her a group hug.

Another very important moment was when Francine shows up to help Elizabeth set the record straight with what Mr. Higgins was accusing her of. Elizabeth and Francine show Gowen the letters Mr. Higgins would leave Francine to prove that the handwriting was the same in Elizabeth’s letter. Realizing she was telling the truth, Gowen reinstates Elizabeth as the teacher once again. As Mr. Stoneman is leaving, he thanks Elizabeth for teaching him that each student is unique and that we need more teachers like her. Elizabeth then asks Francine what made her change her mind to speak out. She shows Elizabeth the photograph that she received in the mail of Elizabeth with all the kids. However, it was the inscription on the back that spoke to her. It said, “Bad things happen if good people do nothing.” After she leaves, Elizabeth finds out that Abigail was the one that sent her the letter.

Other tender moments included the kids writing letters expressing their love and gratitude for Miss Thatcher, and the moms offering to start their own school where Elizabeth could teach if her name did not get cleared. There was also a very sweet moment between Rosemary and Lee where Rosemary can’t sleep and Lee comforts her. She is worried about Elizabeth, Jack’s safety, how the town will cope without him, and her fear of change. It was great to see this more vulnerable side to Rosemary. There was also a cute scene where Jack is saying goodbye to Rip and tells him to take care of Cody and his new dog, but more importantly to take care of Elizabeth.

Overall, I think this episode will go down as one of the best and most talked about episodes ever. I thought it did a great job of portraying what life was truly like in those days, especially for women with loved ones in the military. I know many Hearties are worried for Jack and when he’ll ride back into Hope Valley. All I can say is that Hope Valley is founded on faith, hope, and love. So I say have faith that he will return soon, because there is always hope when it comes to true love. It will be different not seeing Jack in Hope Valley, but we will continue to watch and go through this journey with these characters that we love so much. What do you think is in store for us next week, Hearties?

*Photo credit to Hallmark and Crown Media

A Teacher’s Fight and a Mountie’s Struggle

I think it’s safe to say that this past episode of When Calls the Heart, entitled Heart of a Teacher, had a major shift in tone from the previous episodes this season. Previously everything had been much more lighthearted, but it looks like we are about to get into the real drama and conflict of the season. We saw Elizabeth fighting for her job, Jack is extremely conflicted with tough decisions he needs to make, and a strict new teacher arrives.

We always knew Elizabeth was a strong, independent woman. However, I think this past episode did an amazing job of truly highlighting these qualities. Elizabeth immediately questions Gowen as to why there is a new teacher in Hope Valley. He explains to her that he received a letter from a superintendent, Thomas Higgins, stating that she used her family’s wealth to get her teaching position. Of course, this leaves Elizabeth furious! The truth was that Mr. Higgins had feelings for Elizabeth, and after she rejected him he was clearly left bitter. Therefore, he did this to her out of revenge. She decides to leave for Cape Fullerton, accompanied by Abigail, as soon as possible to try to convince him to tell the truth. Upon arriving, she meets with Mr. Higgins and expresses her frustrations to him. Of course, he doesn’t care about the situation she is in. Instead, he tells her that he would consider telling the truth if she reconsidered her feelings for him. Are you kidding me?! Infuriated, Elizabeth and Abigail come up with an idea to try to talk to another teacher, Francine Fessler, whom Elizabeth believed Mr. Higgins also had eyes for. Unfortunately, Francine is unwilling to help and it’s clear she is hiding some important information about Mr. Higgins. Elizabeth and Abigail return to Hope Valley disappointed, but Elizabeth is still determined to gain her position back.

During this time that she is away, we are introduced to Mr. Stoneman. Was anyone else completely terrified by this man? Right away it’s clear that he is extremely strict. No talking, always raise your hand, have your homework memorized and be fully prepared for class. He even took Brownie away! Philip is immediately targeted by Mr. Stoneman since he is somewhat behind compared to the rest of the class. Mr. Stoneman is unable to understand that Philip hasn’t had much schooling and needs extra help to complete his work. Deciding it’s not worth his time to help this young boy, he expels him to prevent him from bringing down the school’s average based on the regional test scores. When Elizabeth finds out she is completely heartbroken and tries explaining to Mr. Stoneman that each student is different, but worthy of an education. Unmoved, he continues to teach using his methods. The turning point comes when the class is taking their practice exam. Emily doesn’t hold her pencil correctly when writing and Mr. Stoneman takes it upon himself to rip the pencil from her hand continuously and break it in half until she holds it properly. Emily begins to cry when Cody stands up for her by saying that bad things happen if good people do nothing. Cody ends up walking out of the class with Emily, and encourages the rest of the class to do the same. Those Hope Valley kids truly are some of the coolest and bravest kids I’ve ever seen! Afterwards they talk with Miss Thatcher and she agrees to tutor them after school, but makes them promise to be on their best behavior with Mr. Stoneman.

Along with these two prominent story lines, we saw Bill digging deeper into the suspicions he has about the charges being dropped in Gowen’s case. He is certain Gowen and Ray are working together. Ray also makes his first move with Faith. After having a conversation with her in the saloon, he offers to walk her home. She kindly rejects his offer. Clearly this doesn’t sit well with him, causing Ray to firmly grab Faith by the arm. Concerned for Faith, Carson steps in and says he’ll actually be walking her home. This only angers Ray more, threatening Carson as he walks by. We still don’t know much about our heroic drifter, but we do find out that he was most likely previously married but he must have lost his wife. There was also a very funny scene where Rosemary gives Mr. Stoneman a piece of her mind!

For the past couple episodes, Jack has been very conflicted about everything that is happening in the Northern Territories. In this episode he goes to Mountie Headquarters and finds out they’re outnumbered 2 to 1, and are in need of Mounties with more experience. Jack knows he’s needed, but he’s clearly torn between his duty and his love for Elizabeth. At the end of the episode he receives terrible news. Doug, whom we met last week, was killed in the line of duty.

This past episode was filled with emotion and powerful moments for each of our protagonists. The preview for next week seems to take the emotion to yet another level. Jack will be forced to make a tough decision, but not before he shares a very special moment with Elizabeth. What do you think Hearties, will there be a proposal next week?

Spring Brings Love and Baseball to Hope Valley

Hearties have been anxiously waiting for the start of the new season of When Calls the Heart. After a beautiful Christmas movie filled with love and faith, the anticipation to see what season 4 would bring us has been growing. The season premiere brought love, tender moments, laughs, new faces and was the perfect start to what seems like an incredible season filled with emotion.

We found ourselves in Hope Valley on a gorgeous spring day with our favorite couple, Jack and Elizabeth, enjoying some time on the lake in the rowboat. These sweet moments between the two of them of course leave all of us hearties with melted hearts. Scenes like these are also great representations of the stability and comfort they have with one another in their relationship. We also get to see a more playful and competitive side to our two love birds when they come up with the idea to have a baseball game for the kids. Team Jack versus Team Elizabeth! It was great seeing the banter between the two of them as they were preparing with their teams. We sawElizabeth studying up all about baseball, whereas Jack was more calm and collected. It was really great to see both of these characters in something new, but still be able to remain true to themselves and their personalities.

We were also introduced to several new characters. The first being Ray Wyatt, who is coming to Hope Valley with the hopes of setting up a railroad system running through town. We didn’t get too much in depth with him yet, but I am sure there will be plenty to see of him as the season progresses. We also received a new student to Ms. Thatchers class, Cyrus. There was a beautiful storyline between Cyrus and Elizabeth viewers witnessed. Cyrus comes in as the new kid, but also feels different due to a knee injury he suffered preventing him from playing in the baseball game. However with the encouragement from Elizabeth, he’s able to put himself out there and believe in himself again. And hits a great home run while he’s at it!

Of course, we couldn’t go an episode without our favorite newlyweds Lee and Rosemary. We catch up with Team Honey Bunny as they’re getting used to married life. Lee is busy with work, while Rosemary is trying to keep herself busy making suggestions to Abigail about the town and helping Jack write his speech. Typical Rosemary!

Jack also receives a prestigious award for all his work he has done protecting Hope Valley. I thought the speech he gave was very moving and very true to Jack. We also get a brief glimpse into Abigail’s new position as mayor. This will definetely be an intriguing storyline as the season continues.

I also wanted to mention how fantastic the kids on this show are. There are so many incredibly talented young actors that really bring this show to life. They are the heart and soul and I don’t think this show would be the same without them. Especially in this episode they all did a great job! So a huge shout out goes to Carter, Imogen, Genea, Gracyn, Ava, Jaiven, Spencer, Amelie, Christian, Kadence and all the kids for being so great!

Overall, it was a great start to the new season. The preview at the end definetely gave us a taste of the drama that’s to come. We saw a little bit of everything from lies, to love, a new teacher threatening Elizabeth’s position, a new offer for Jack, and what seemed to be like the perfect scene for a possible proposal. What do you think hearties? Will we get our proposal this season? What are you most looking forward to?

*Picture credit to Hallmark and Crown Media

A Dash of Love: A Perfect Mix of Love and Inspiration

Hallmark’s Countdown to Valentine’s Day has been filled with heartfelt, romantic, feel-good movies leading up to everyone’s favorite chocolate eating, flower giving day. Valentine’s Day!  A Dash of Love stars Jen Lilley as Nikki Turner and Brendan Penny who plays Paul Dellucci. Both are chefs who find themselves in different places in their career. Nikki is an aspiring chef with a quirky style of cooking. After losing her job at a local diner, she finds herself as an office assistant at her idol’s restaurant. However, she quickly finds out that the woman who inspired her to cook all those years was not who she thought she was. Paul is the executive chef at this restaurant and quickly forms a bond with Nikki. After discovering her recipes are being stolen, Nikki and Paul set out to start their own restaurant to show the truth about who the actual chef is behind those recipes. This movie has the perfect mix of romance, perseverance, and conflict!

There was one major point that really stuck with me that I thought this movie did a great job of addressing. As Nikki goes through the interviewing process, she faces hurdles due to the fact that she didn’t go to culinary school. Instead, she was a self taught chef with an incredible talent. However, since she lacked that requirement, employers turned her down. I find this to be a hurdle many people face in reality on a daily basis. There are so many people out there with incredible talents and passions, but may face a harder time pursing these dreams if they lack proper certifications. Society has somehow taken it upon themselves to make it necessary for an individual to have a piece of paper saying that they’re capable of something. Without that proof, it’s assumed that they’re unqualified. Today, there are certification programs people have to go through for just about everything. I think this is wrong, and A Dash of Love does a great job of proving that. Of course some experience is a must, but an individual should always be given the chance to show what they’re capable of. Maybe they found their passion later in life, so they weren’t able to study it in school for example. Or maybe it’s always been their secret hobby, but didn’t fully believe in themselves. A person with true passion towards something should not be overlooked simply due to lack of a certificate or other proof stating they’re capable.

This is what I really loved about this movie. Nikki did not go to culinary school like many executive chefs do, but that didn’t stop her. She had an incredible talent of putting flavors together that even the most decorated chefs applauded. Her humility and passion drove her to fulfill her dream, even when others tried to push her down. I found this storyline to be very inspirational and a great message to share. Even if you don’t have all the necessary “requirements” for something you are trying to purse, don’t allow that to block your path. Continue to perfect your craft and follow your dream. At times, it’s those who may lack the proper resources that are truly the most gifted.

A Dash of Love was an inspirational, heartwarming story with a great message. The actors do an amazing job portraying these characters, and the chemistry between Jen Lilley and Brendan Penny is undeniable. The movie oozes with that feel-good, sweet love story. Get ready for Valentine’s Day and check out this movie on the Hallmark Channel!

*Photo credit to Hallmark and Crown Media

A Desire to Bring Back the Traditional

I recently sat down to watch Anne of Green Gables with my mom. For months she had been telling me that we should watch it together, and we finally got to it. For anyone who is unfamiliar, Anne of Green Gables is a film trilogy first released in 1985 set in the Victorian era. The story focuses on Anne Shirley, a young orphan with a wild imagination. She finds herself taken into the care of Matthew and Marilla Cuthbert, brother and sister, who live on Prince Edward Island. She quickly becomes best friends with Diana Barry, and catches the eye of the town heartthrob, Gilbert Blythe. The films follow her life, how she discovers her path, and finds herself along the way.

As we were watching, I kept thinking to myself why there aren’t more shows like this on TV today. Of course, I was also thinking about how much I would love to travel on horse and buggy, but in all seriousness, why are these sorts of shows missing today? It has become harder and harder to find shows that allow the entire family to sit down together and enjoy. When my parents were children, the family would sit down together and watch shows like Anne of Green Gables or Little House on the Prairie. Nowadays, everyone is separated watching their own shows they enjoy. Each member of the family may have their own TV in their rooms, so they rarely come together.

Not only are we missing family friendly shows, but we are missing shows that express morals, values, and God’s word. I understand that not everyone is religious or may have different beliefs. That’s completely fine. I am talking more about those of us who yearn to see Christian values being expressed on shows again. Those of us who yearn to have shows fill our hearts will love, hope, and faith. The media has such a strong impact on all of us, and sometimes I feel like we don’t even notice their influence in our lives anymore.

I am so happy that I found a show like When Calls the Heart, because it has filled my heart with love. Don’t get me wrong, there are still plenty of other shows I enjoy that are not considered family friendly. However, I have noticed that none of them give me as much joy as I receive while watching shows like When Calls the Heart and the other classics I have mentioned. I find myself just smiling the entire time. TV shows and entertainment in general are great distractions from the stress we face in our daily lives. They allow us to escape from the real world for a little bit and immerse ourselves into a different world. I think that’s why everyone loves TV shows. However, shows that allow you to dive into another world, while inspiring you to be better, are the ones that are worth while. The ones that provide real life messages of love, kindness, and faith are the ones we need more of. I am grateful for channels like Hallmark, that provide their audience with this sort of programming. Even though I am 21 years old, I find myself more connected to the ways of the past. I hope that there are more like me that will help bring these sorts of shows and ideas back to our television screens.