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Hallmark Challenge
Cheesy, predictable, and unrealistic as they are, I'm a huge fan of Hallmark Christmas movies. How about you?
In Hallmark land, it's impossible to find offense. Not only do these movies provide escapism entertainment, a white glove test will fail to detect dirt. They are squeaky clean. Hallmark is very intentional about capturing the best moments of the season and filtering every scene and spoken word to guarantee they provide only a wallop of holiday cheer. Despite the benign story lines, they are never ho-hum, which is an absolute paradox.
Too many networks use their programming to push a social and political agenda. Not Hallmark. You can grab your cuddliest blanket and let every muscle relax because a Hallmark movie is as smooth, warm, and cozy as a cup of hot cocoa.
After watching scores of these feel-good, festive flicks, I decided to spice things up by reading as many of the novels I could find that became Hallmark movies. Typically, books are better than movies because they are a lazy river of details, which movies simply don't have time to include.
Would you agree?
Debbie Macomber And Angels
Since several of Debbie Macomber's books have been adapted into Hallmark movies, I assumed she must be the queen of Christmas.
I started with reading Macomber's book, Mr. Miracle. The note from the author at the beginning was the best part of the book. Macomber shared that an actual angel appeared to her father before he died and helped him get back into bed. This experience influenced her to write a book about angelic intervention, which is a fascinating topic.
Unfortunately, Mr. Miracle read too much like an old Touched By An Angel episode. I kept picturing Tess, Monica, and Andrew out on assignment, so Mr. Miracle didn't feel authentic, but more of a generic knock-off from the original.
Since Mr. Miracle is listed as a novel rather than a novella, I was disappointed by it's abrupt ending. Reading along, I felt like my final destination was still fifty miles ahead, but the GPS said I'd already arrived. Macomber wrapped things up too soon, like the mom who takes your dinner plate when half of it is still full--and then says there's no dessert either.
I gave Macomber another chance.
Dashing Through the Snow Plot Summary
Ashley Davison is a graduate student in California, and she decides to surprise her widowed mother in Seattle by coming home for Christmas. Ashley has a problem--she can't book a flight and has to share the last available rental car with a handsome stranger.
What starts off as a tense and uncomfortable arrangement quickly becomes a tingly romance. The more Ashley and her driving companion, Dashiell Sutherland ("Dash") get to know each other, the more they connect. Along the way, they add a puppy to the mix for Ashley's mom.
Dash is in a hurry. He has a job interview in Seattle, but the snowy weather slows their progress. He's so distracted by his growing feelings for Ashley that he loses his focus and worries how it will affect his performance at the interview.
Completely unaware that the FBI suspects her of being a domestic terrorist, Ashley is taken into custody and interrogated, and Dash is questioned about being her hostage.
The mix-up is resolved, naturally, and the two finally make it to Seattle to celebrate with Ashley's mom. The couple agree on a course of action that will give their budding romance a chance to bloom.
Here's What's Right With This Book
Macomber manages to convey the thrill of young love without the hanky-panky. It's no wonder her work qualifies for a Hallmark movie. You won't blush or barf, which is a good thing.
Romance shouldn't focus on physical attraction alone, but rather getting to know each other inside and out. The long car ride in this novel requires real communication, and the result is intimacy. Our couple connects on deeper levels and not only superficial ones.
Macomber paints Ashley as the girl-next-door with a super big heart. Her cute looks are secondary to her personality.
The bridge from one chapter to the next is skillfully woven, to Macomber's credit. This book is fluffier than Christmas snow, but the pace is quick and keeps the reader's attention.
Will Dash get to his interview? Do we need to worry about the motorcycle gang at the rest stop? There are many scenes in the book with just enough conflict to make it a page-turner.
Still, The Book Has Serious Plot Holes
- In an era of human trafficking after being cautioned to stranger danger, no woman in her right mind would travel with a man she just met who could clearly overpower her. Macomber tries to make this believable by having Ashley talk to Dash's mother for reassurance, but it still doesn't float.
- The FBI would know Ashley was the wrong target. She's a graduate student who has been living and working in the same places for quite some time, yet the FBI agent hasn't been able to track her down for two years? The FBI is also quite capable of accessing both her and Dash's phone records, so they would have quickly learned she posed no threat. The FBI also can't seem to locate Ashley and Dash, even though they are using credit cards everywhere they go, which are easily traceable for this government agency.
- When Ashley is released, another agent tells her it only took a few minutes to verify her story. Come on! The FBI would have already had a case file on her and known in advance everything she told them, which cleared her of any wrong-doing. Suddenly, the FBI now realizes someone with her same name, the real suspect, is in Mexico?
- The book lacks character development. For these two people to fall in love in the span of two days, they would have to be two very amazing, deep, and special people. Ashley acts like an immature kid, and Dash doesn't reveal very much about himself. What's there to love?
It's the author's job to make the seemingly impossible become possible. While you might be able to accept the blossoming romance over the course of two days, the FBI chase just isn't believable and ruins the whole book.
E-Books By Hallmark
Traditionally, movies are based on books. Hallmark is switching things up though by turning their movies into e-books and paperbacks! It might seem a little backwards, but maybe we should give one a try!
When it comes to Debbie Macomber Christmas novels, I think we can safely say the movie will always be better.
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