Evenings At The Shore: Light a Candle

On October 4, 2021 By 18cinemalaneLeave a comment

In this episode of Chesapeake Shores, Nell says she always lights a candle for Mick. Her reasons for letting a candle were never revealed. But it did make me think about something. Lighting a candle for someone is usually seen as a sign of remembrance or keeping them in your thoughts. The characters on this show are always in someone’s thoughts, whether its between each other, the fans, or the show’s creative team. A candle can also represent the characters’ vulnerability. Some of them are trying to prevent their candle from being blown out, in an attempt to simply survive. Other characters want to spread the light around by sharing that shine. Together, they are bright, illuminating among Chesapeake Shores. This helps bring out the best in each character.

Just a reminder: If you did not see this episode of Chesapeake Shores, there are spoilers in this re-cap.

Season: 5

Episode: 8

Name: Where or When

Abby’s story: Abby is scheduled to attend two business trips, one in Ohio and one with Evan in Pennsylvania. When she tells Bree and Jess about these trips, they think Evan is whisking Abby away in order to profess his feelings for her. At first, she laughs off the idea. But as the Pennsylvania trip approaches, Abby begins to wonder if her sisters are right. On the day of the trip, Evan takes Abby to his home in Pennsylvania. While there, he explains how they have made a connection, even though it has happened suddenly. As Evan is taking an emergency business call, Abby calls Bree and Jess. She tells them what Evan told her, with Jess and Bree thinking they were right. But when Evan comes back, he asks Abby if she’d like to join his business firm. Abby not only refuses Evan’s offer, but she also shares what her sisters thought he was going to ask. Evan considers buying the O’Brien business firm, but Abby tells him there are more important things in life than money.

Mick’s story: While looking through a stack of mail, Abby comes across a package for Mick. In this package is an urn and a letter explaining the ashes were to be spread all over Chesapeake Shores. The letter also stated how Mick was a good friend to the deceased. Because the letter or package were not addressed, Mick and Abby are desperate for answers. Abby finds out the ashes came from a nursing home in another state. She also discovers the ashes belonged to a man named Eugene. These clues still don’t give Mick any answers. Later in the episode, Abby presents Mick with Eugene’s obituary, revealing how Eugene’s nickname was Buzz. This causes Mick to remember his connection to Eugene. At a juice bar called “Juicy Juice”, Mick reveals to Abby how, many years ago, he would go to the bar and talk with Eugene. At that time, the bar was a completely different establishment. Shortly after Megan left the family, Mick relied on Eugene, recalling how he always listened to what Mick had to say. Now, many years later, Mick realizes just how much he meant to Eugene. Toward the end of the episode, Mick takes a plane ride with Eugene’s ashes in the passenger seat, likely fulfilling Eugene’s last wish.

Megan’s story: Megan hasn’t given up her plans to host an art show. She calls her friend, Carter, to help her pull some strings. He not only arrives in Chesapeake Shores to see Arthur’s art, but he shows up at the O’Brien family home as well. When Carter is introduced to Mick, he immediately labels Mick as the “ex-husband”. While Carter attempts to label Nell the “ex mother-in-law”, Nell replies how there’s no such thing as “ex mothers-in-law”. For most of her story, Megan is seen making various phone calls, with Carter doing the same. Throughout the episode, Mick wonders if Megan and Carter had ever dated. Nell suggests that Mick just ask her. After many phone calls and negotiations, Megan and Carter uncover a loophole in Arthur’s contract with the art dealer from in the previous episode. While celebrating their victory over wine, Megan notices Mick’s sudden departure from the living room. Following him into the kitchen, Megan asks what is happening. This is when Mick asks his awaited question to Megan. She confesses how she used to date Carter, but that it happened many years ago. This conversation makes them realize they haven’t talked much about the past.

Happy sun image created by Freepik at freepik.com. <a href=”https://www.freepik.com/free-photos-vectors/background”>Background vector created by freepik – http://www.freepik.com</a>. Image found at freepik.com.

Bree and Luke’s story: Luke is still planning on telling Bree about his past. He tells Connor at The Bridge how he is going to tell her that day. Connor also reveals news about Luke’s situation. He contacted a friend on the parole board who said how difficult it was to switch parole officers. However, Connor’s friend agreed to continue looking into the situation for Luke. When Luke tells Connor how he doesn’t have the money to pay him, Connor says that his case is pro bono. Meanwhile, at the University of Maryland, Jerome shares with Bree how Luke was arrested for assault and battery. He tells Bree how he found this information from a friend at the university’s law department, days after he saw Bree and Luke dancing at Jess and David’s wedding. Upset by this news, Bree goes straight to The Bridge. She demands to know if Jerome was telling the truth. When Luke admits he did get arrested, Bree asks him why he was hesitant to tell her. He says he didn’t want Bree to look at him the way she looking at him at that moment. Back at the University of Maryland, Bree calls Jerome out for his decision to search Luke’s information. While Jerome claims he did it to look out for her, Bree knows he did it to encourage her to date him. On Bree’s first day of class, Luke unexpectedly shows up. He conveniently arrives as the students are writing a two-hundred-word essay on who they currently are. After class, Bree talks to Luke about what he wrote. Even though she likes Luke’s essay, Luke says he put more emphasis on the content. Before he leaves for a meeting with his parole officer, Bree kisses Luke on the lips. This indicates she has chosen to fall in love with him.

Jess and David’s story: After dealing with a disgruntled guest, Jess discovers a negative review on the bed and breakfast’s Yelp page. It bothers her how she doesn’t know who posted the review, so she leaves a professional reply. While this review also bothers David, he tells Jess not to worry about it. Days later, Jess still hasn’t received any word from the anonymous reviewer. She wonders if it’s from the owner of a nearby hotel. But David encourages her to be the bigger person, stopping her from making any rash decisions. Toward the end of the episode, Jess jokes about suing the anonymous reviewer for libel, with David playfully disagreeing.

Kevin and Sarah’s story: Sarah and Kevin are excited about becoming new parents. However, they want to wait to share their news. Sarah uses this time to reveal how she accepted the Lieutenant position. This makes the couple even more happy. At the station, Kevin gives Sarah a pair of baby shoes. They also agree to share their news over the weekend. Toward the end of the episode, Kevin and Sarah attend a small family gathering at the O’Brien family home. During this gathering, Megan worries over Mick’s absence, as he still hasn’t returned from his plane trip. After making a phone call to the airport, she tells the family how Mick didn’t arrive from his trip.

Money plant image created by Dooder at freepik.com. <a href=”https://www.freepik.com/free-photos-vectors/infographic”>Infographic vector created by Dooder – Freepik.com</a>. <a href=’https://www.freepik.com/free-vector/watering-the-coin-plant_1076121.htm’>Designed by Freepik</a>. Image found at freepik.com.

Some thoughts to consider:

In my re-cap of this season’s fifth episode, I said how I was disappointed by the revealed summer date, as I thought this meant we weren’t going to see Bree interact with her students. So, I was happy to see Bree teaching her class in this episode, even if it was only in a short scene. Because we’re over half-way through the season, I doubt we’ll get to know any of these students. But, as I said in the aforementioned re-cap, it’s gives me something to look forward to if Chesapeake Shores gets a sixth season.
I didn’t like how Jess and David’s story was unresolved. In real life, I know a situation like theirs typically wouldn’t receive any answers. But because the majority of David and Jess’s stories are episodic, I was expecting this story to be similar. Maybe in a later episode, they’ll discover who wrote the review? Maybe the reviewer will be revealed in the season finale?
In my list of the top 10 things I wanted to see in Chesapeake Shores’ fifth season, I said I wanted to see more appearances for Nell. Even though this season isn’t over yet, Nell has had more appearances in this season than in the previous one! I also like how she is more involved in the overall story. Including Arthur in season five certainly helps, as they can possibly form a relationship.

Evening view from the shore image created by 0melapics at freepik.com. <a href=’https://www.freepik.com/free-vector/landscape-in-a-swamp-at-night_1042860.htm’>Designed by Freepik</a>. <a href=”https://www.freepik.com/free-photos-vectors/background”>Background vector created by 0melapics – Freepik.com</a>. Image found at freepik.com.

What are your thoughts on this episode? Who do you think wrote the bed and breakfast’s negative review? Please tell me in the comment section!

Have fun in Chesapeake Shores!

Sally Silverscreen

Take 3: Matchmaker Mysteries: A Fatal Romance Review

On April 29, 2020 By 18cinemalaneLeave a comment

As When Calls the Heart was walking away from its seventh chapter, the Matchmaker Mysteries series was embarking on their second installment! After its 2019 debut, this series has already found a place in Hallmark Movies & Mysteries’ collection of films. I have seen the first Matchmaker Mysteries installment, Matchmaker Mysteries: A Killer Engagement, and I thought it was a strong start to this series! It left me wondering where the story would go and how it would evolve over time. As I said in my review of Mystery 101: An Education in Murder, I have found Hallmark Movies & Mysteries’ 2020 line-up to be strong. I’ve also enjoyed the majority of the films that have premiered so far. Since I liked the first Matchmaker Mysteries film, I felt there would be a chance I would like its successor!

Matchmaker Mysteries -- A Fatal Romance — *Matchmaker Mysteries: A Fatal Romance* poster created by Crown Media Family Networks and Hallmark Movies & Mysteries. Image found at https://www.crownmediapress.com/Shows/PRShowDetail?SiteID=143&FeedBoxID=845&NodeID=307&ShowType=&ShowTitle=Matchmaker+Mysteries+A+Fatal+Romance.

Things I liked about the film:

The acting: I’ve seen all of Danica McKellar’s Hallmark movies. The one consistent element I’ve noticed about Danica’s acting abilities while watching her films, including this one, is how her emotions seamlessly transition from one situation to the next. One great example is when Kyle shows up at Angie’s studio shortly after the murder victim is discovered. Danica, as Angie, goes from smiling and laughing at a friend’s joke to looking concerned when she notices Kyle’s presence. Lara Gilchrist also did a good job transitioning her emotions between scenes. This is because her acting abilities are versatile. A scene that effectively displays Lara’s talents is one where her character, Margaret, is sharing a personal secret to Angie. What helped this movie was how some of the cast members appeared in the first movie as well as the second movie. One of these members is Victor Webster. Throughout Matchmaker Mysteries: A Fatal Romance, he appeared at ease in his role as Kyle. This was caused by Victor being familiar with the material.

Angie’s relationship with Ethan: In Hallmark’s films, the female protagonist usually spends a lot of time with the male protagonist. This is done in the hopes of having these characters end up together in a relationship. In Matchmaker Mysteries: A Fatal Romance, Angie spends more time with her ex-boyfriend, Ethan, than with Kyle. By having the female protagonist associate herself with the male supporting character, this creates a unique dynamic from other Hallmark projects. It also helps that Danica and Dan Payne, the actor who portrays Ethan, had on-screen chemistry!

The locations/sets: Matchmaker Mysteries: A Fatal Romance boasted some great locations, which lent themselves as sets for the project. At the beginning of the film, Angie attends a convention, where she is a co-host for a particular panel. This panel took place in a ballroom that has been featured in other Hallmark movies. The ballroom itself is spacious and grand. My favorite part of this place is the large windows, as they oversaw a golf course and let in a soft, natural light in one specific scene. I also loved the design of Beatrice’s house! The exterior had a cute Victorian look to it, from its pale-yellow hue to the wrap-around porch. The interior showcased impressive dark woodwork that complemented the space, especially on the fireplace! This was paired really well with the blue-green tiles found in this feature. Speaking of fireplaces, Angie’s father’s house also contained some eye-catching design features! One of them was a stone fireplace. Even thought this was never the focal point in the film, it was an interesting component of that space.

Happy Valentines day and heart. Card with Happy Valentines day a — Heart image created by Dashu83 at freepik.com. <a href=”https://www.freepik.com/free-photos-vectors/background”>Backgroundimage created by Dashu83 – Freepik.com</a>. <a href=’https://www.freepik.com/free-photo/happy-valentines-day-and-heart-card-with-happy-valentines-day-and-heart_1747001.htm’>Designed by Freepik</a>. Image found at freepik.com.

What I didn’t like about the film:

The matchmaking subplot: I know Angie’s matchmaking career plays a role in this series. In fact, placing this aspect within a subplot allows it to continue existing in the series’ identity. However, I didn’t find the matchmaking subplot in Matchmaker Mysteries: A Fatal Romance interesting. If anything, it was predictable, coming off as a basic plot from an unaired Hallmark Channel movie. The story itself contains rehashed ideas that I’ve already seen from other Hallmark productions. This subplot, to me, didn’t add anything significant to the overall film.

Limited amount of suspense: In a typical mystery film, suspense is used to keep the audience invested in the story. While the first movie in the Matchmaker Mysteries series contained a good amount of suspense, the second film used suspense very sparingly. Moments of suspense were only found in a few scenes. While it was effective for those scenes, it also made the movie feel less thrilling.

A small amount of urgency: Having the protagonist talk to the suspects is an important part of any mystery. But in Matchmaker Mysteries: A Fatal Romance, this part of the mystery-solving process was the most prominent of the story. It got to the point where it seemed like all the characters were just sitting around and talking to one another. Because of this, it made the film as a whole feature a small amount of urgency.

269703-P5H9WI-853 — Magnifying glass image created by Freepik at freepik.com. <a href=’https://www.freepik.com/free-vector/magnifying-glass-with-fingerprint-in-flat-style_2034684.htm’>Designed by Freepik</a>. <a href=”https://www.freepik.com/free-photos-vectors/flat”>Flat vector created by Freepik</a>. Image found at freepik.com.

My overall impression:

Matchmaker Mysteries: A Fatal Romance was a fine film. However, it took a few steps backwards from its predecessor. As I said in the introduction, I thought the first movie, Matchmaker Mysteries: A Killer Engagement was a strong start to the series. But this sequel didn’t leave as big of an impression on me as some of the other 2020 releases from Hallmark Movies and Mysteries have. The small amount of urgency and the limited amount of suspense has not helped this film’s case. While I appreciate this creative team’s decision to place the series’ defining element in a subplot, I was not a fan of the subplot itself. Even though this movie had its strengths, I think the overall project could have been stronger. It does take a while for each series to find its footing. But it also takes time for the next installment in each series to be announced. If there is a third movie in the Matchmaker Mysteries series, I hope it is better than the second movie was.

Overall score: 7.3 out of 10

Do you watch the movies from the Matchmaker Mysteries series? Have you seen any of Danica’s Hallmark films? Let me know in the comment section!

Have fun at the movies!

Sally Silverscreen

Take 3: Allegheny Uprising Review + 80 Follower Thank You

On March 20, 2019March 20, 2019 By 18cinemalaneLeave a comment

Last week, 18 Cinema Lane received 80 followers! I was going to post this review last weekend. However, because of the Gold Sally Awards and the unexpected success of my Book Adaptation Tag post, I chose to postpone my 80 follower dedication review to this week. Since this post is a celebration of achieving 80 followers, I will review a film that was released 80 years ago (in 1939). Before this accomplishment became a reality, I was contemplating which movie I should review; Allegheny Uprising or No Place to Go. In the end, I chose Allegheny Uprising because, prior to this review, the only movie of John Wayne’s that I’ve ever seen was Stagecoach. I’m always excited when I create movie reviews because it gives me a chance to watch films that I probably would have never seen otherwise. Before this review officially begins, I wanted to say thank you to all my 80 followers! If it weren’t for you, this post would have never been a reality.

Allegheny Uprising poster — *Allegheny Uprising* poster created by RKO Radio Pictures. Image found at https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:AlleghenyUprisingposter.jpg

Things I liked about the film:

The acting: I thought the cast of Allegheny Uprising was good! Everyone’s performance came across on-screen very believably. Throughout this film, the camaraderie between Jim Smith, MacDougall, and Professor was very well portrayed. This is because John Wayne’s, Wilfrid Lawson’s, and John F. Hamilton’s performance had the right amount of versatility and sincerity. Even though Claire Trevor was the only starring actress in this entire cast, she definitely finds a way with shine within this film! Her portrayal of Janie MacDougall had a good amount of versatility. Claire’s performance also appeared very convincing. The acting within this film was definitely a highlight!

The historical accuracy: I was very impressed with the amount of historical accuracy within this movie. From the costumes to the sets, everything looked and felt like it came straight from the 1700s. The dialogue between the characters was also very reflective of the film’s time period. These details show how much the creative team behind this project cared about the story they chose to tell. This amount of care was also present within the overall quality of the film.

The educational aspect: It was surprising to find some educational aspects in this specific story. Allegheny Uprising is inspired by true events, so I received a little bit of a history lesson while watching this movie. Also, in this film, there was a scene where Jim Smith goes on trial for a crime he didn’t commit. Within this scene, it was interesting and informative to see how court trials, specifically in film, were depicted in the 1700s compared to today. Seeing these similarities and differences made me think about the significance of the court system within cinema.

horse saddle - soft focus with film filter — Horse with saddle photo created by Topntp26 at freepik.com. <a href=’https://www.freepik.com/free-photo/stallion-black-equine-race-sky_1104246.htm’>Designed by Freepik</a>. <a href=”https://www.freepik.com/free-photos-vectors/background”>Background image created by Topntp26 – Freepik.com</a>. Image found at freepik.com.

What I didn’t like about the film:

No “big battles”: Whenever I think about John Wayne’s movies, I think of a story that features at least one climatic battle led by John Wayne’s character. In Allegheny Uprising, however, there wasn’t really a climax. Because of this, there weren’t any large-scale battles within this narrative. All of the action scenes lasted for a few minutes. This caused the majority of the film to be dialogue heavy.

The character of Janie MacDougall: While Claire Trevor gave a good acting performance, I was not a fan of her character. Janie MacDougall was not only poorly written, she was also one-dimensional. During her time on-screen, Janie either whines, complains, or talks about how much she loves Jim Smith. The only time Janie serves a legitimate purpose within the overall narrative is in the last twenty minutes of the film. Honestly, I think this is too bad because she could have been a really good character.

The subplot including the kidnapped children: Toward the beginning of Allegheny Uprising, there was a subplot about Native Americans kidnapping two children from a nearby neighborhood. Within the context of the overall narrative, this subplot didn’t seem to go anywhere. It also wasn’t referenced in any other moment of the film. During this subplot, as well as in another scene, it was never explained why Jim Smith and his comrades chose to disguise themselves as Native Americans. All of this made me wonder why this subplot was featured in the story at all.

Colonial horse and carriage picture — Colonial horse and carriage image created by Lee Adcock at freeimages.com. “FreeImages.com/Lee Adcock.”

My overall impression:

In the grand scheme of things, Allegheny Uprising was just ok. I don’t think it was John Wayne’s worst movie, but it wasn’t his best movie either. Personally, I’m glad I chose this movie for this blog follower dedication review because I was able to expand my cinematic horizons. I was also able to add another John Wayne film to my personal movie repertoire. What’s so great about these movie reviews is that, with the support of my followers, I get the chance to watch movies that I probably would have never seen before. This helps me become the best movie blogger I can be as well as make 18 Cinema Lane the best movie blog it can realistically be.

Overall score: 6.1 out of 10

What are your thoughts on my review? Have you seen any of John Wayne’s films? Let me know in the comment section!

Have fun at the movies!

Sally Silverscreen

Evenings At The Shore: Different Versions of the Truth

On September 25, 2018 By 18cinemalaneLeave a comment

In this episode of Chesapeake Shores, Connor became the voice of reason. His statement about memories rang so true to me. Everyone has different life experiences, so it makes sense that everyone’s memories will be different. Connor’s statement could also be applied to Hallmark movies and television shows. While Hallmark Channel movies can feel formulaic at times, Hallmark, in general, tries to tell different stories. For example, the basic premise of All of My Heart and Truly, Madly, Sweetly sounds similar to each other. In reality, these two movies have more differences between them than similarities. Connor’s statement also holds true on Chesapeake Shores. Even though they may go through similar situations, all of the characters on this show have different stories. These differences in stories cause the characters to form their own distinct memories. Time to look at this re-cap of Chesapeake Shores!

Just a reminder: If you did not see this episode of Chesapeake Shores, there may be spoilers within this re-cap.

Season: 3

Episode: 8

Name: All Our Tomorrows

Trace’s story: Trace, Mick, and one of the financial advisers still try to figure out how to keep The Bridge financially afloat. The financial adviser makes suggestions to Trace about how The Bridge’s business practices could be improved. Trace, however, is not a fan of any of these suggestions because he feels they take away from the original intent of the venue. Later in the episode, Trace and the financial advisor try to come up with a compromise in relation to how The Bridge should operate from that point forward. But, all of Trace’s suggestions are turned down by the financial advisor, causing Trace to feel even more frustrated than before. Toward the end of the episode, Trace leaves Chesapeake Shores to perform in Charlottesville. Before he leaves, Trace gives Mick and the financial advisor a copy of the original contract, pointing out the loophole that Connor found in the previous episode.

Abby’s story: Because Terri is Abby’s newest business client, Abby will be helping Terri when it comes to business related matters. In this episode, Terri comes to Abby and needs advice about a business deal relating to her blog. Terri realizes there is a lot of money involved if she accepts this deal, but she wants her blog to remain true to itself as well as her values. One day, Abby invites Terri to her office in order to help Terri make a decision about the business deal. During a role-play session, conducted by Abby, Terri comes to the decision that accepting the business deal would mean that she would end up endorsing a product that she doesn’t believe in. As Terri turns down the business offer, she asks Abby if they can be friends. Abby, realizing during one of their business meetings that she and Terri have more in common than not, says that they are already friends.

Mick’s story: Mick, as well as Trace and one of the financial advisors, try to figure out how to keep The Bridge financially afloat. When the financial advisor makes suggestions to improve The Bridge, Trace refuses all of them. Later in the episode, Trace gives Mick a copy of their original contract. Trace points out a loophole within the contract that makes it seem like Mick doesn’t have as much control of The Bridge as it was originally assumed. Also, in this episode, Mick consoles Jess after the Inn permanently closes due to a termite infestation and he reads Bree’s manuscript. After he reads Bree’s manuscript, Mick tells Bree that she shouldn’t publish her manuscript because the O’Brien family secrets would be revealed to the world.

Megan’s story: After Megan reads Bree’s manuscript, she tries her best to avoid interacting with Bree. However, Nell encourages Megan to tell Bree the truth about why she left the family. After paying Bree a visit at Word Play, Megan shares some details about why she left the family. Megan tells Bree that after she gave birth to Jess, she felt unwell more often than not. This feeling caused Megan to leave the family in order to seek help. Opening up those old wounds causes Megan to quickly leave Kevin’s graduation party after she makes an emotional toast.

ON40S80 — Money plant image created by Dooder at freepik.com. <a href=”https://www.freepik.com/free-photos-vectors/infographic”>Infographic vector created by Dooder – Freepik.com</a>. <a href=’https://www.freepik.com/free-vector/watering-the-coin-plant_1076121.htm’>Designed by Freepik</a>. Image found at freepik.com.

Bree’s story: When Bree asks Megan if she read her manuscript, she is completely ignored by her own mother. This indicates to Bree that her mother didn’t like the manuscript. When Bree tries to talk to Megan later that day, Megan expresses her disappointment in her daughter’s lack of knowledge when it comes to her own mother. The next day, at Word Play, Bree confides in Connor about the disagreement she and Megan had the day before. Connor shares that personal memory is not always the most reliable source because everyone’s memories will be different, meaning that everyone’s truths will be different. Later in the episode, Megan visits Bree at Word Play and shares some details about why she left the family. Bree learns that Megan wasn’t feeling well after Jess was born, causing Megan to leave the family in order to seek help. After Megan reveals that she wanted the family to come live in New York with her, Bree confesses that all she and her siblings wanted was for their mom to come home.

Kevin’s story: As Kevin is about to graduate from the EMT program, he worries about the future of his relationship with Sarah. When Sarah tells Kevin that her new job in Philadelphia starts the following week, Kevin becomes even more worried that their relationship might not survive. The next day, when taking a visit to the boat docks, Kevin talks to Mick about his situation and his feelings relating to it. Mick tells his son to talk to Sarah about how the entire situation is making him feel. While on a jog, Kevin shares his worries with Sarah about the fate of their relationship. Sarah reassures him that even though they will be two hours away from each other (with Kevin accepting the EMT job in New York), they can take turns visiting one another. Sarah’s reassurance and enthusiasm to continue their relationship makes Kevin feel better about the situation.

Jess’ story: After a building inspector visits the Inn, Jess discovers that the building is infested with termites. The next day, Jess finds out that the infestation is so bad, the Inn has to close and the building has to be torn down. This news is devastating for Jess to hear, especially since she had many hopes and dreams for the future of the Inn. While Jess is moving her belongings out of the Inn, she shares these hopes and dreams with David. One of these dreams was spending Christmas at the Inn. Because of how heartbroken Jess is, David decorates the exterior of the Inn with Christmas decorations and surprises Jess the next day. Jess is pleasantly surprised by how much David cared about her feelings as well as her dreams. At this moment, Jess and David tell each other ‘I Love You’ for the first time.

Connor’s story: After his legal victory, Connor is invited to lunch by Danielle. At Sally’s Café, Danielle asks Connor if he could come work at Danielle’s law firm on an upcoming case. Because the case’s topic is of interest to Connor, he gets permission from Thomas before accepting the job. While working on the case, Connor uses his knowledge of past cases to help Danielle come up with a plan to win the case. He also discovers that Danielle broke up with her current boyfriend. Back in Chesapeake Shores, Connor visits Bree at Word Play. After Bree tells him about the disagreement she had with Megan, Connor says that personal memory is not always a reliable source because everyone’s memories are different, which means that everyone’s truths are different. After this heart-to-heart discussion between him and Bree, Connor shares his memories from when Megan wasn’t feeling well.

Merry Christmas Card — Blue sparkly Christmas tree image created by Macrovector at freepik.com. <a href=”https://www.freepik.com/free-photos-vectors/frame”>Frame vector created by Macrovector – Freepik.com</a>. <a href=’https://www.freepik.com/free-vector/merry-christmas-card_2875396.htm’>Designed by Macrovector</a>. Image found at freepik.com.

Some thoughts to consider:

In this episode, Andrew Francis (the actor who portrays Connor) and Laci J. Mailey (the actress who portrays Jess) gave awesome performances! The scene where Connor is recalling memories with Bree about their childhood showcases one of the most powerful performances Andrew has ever given in any Hallmark project he has starred in. Laci’s performance, throughout this episode, was both emotional and versatile. As a fan of this show, I am waiting for the day when Andrew and Laci receive a starring role in a Hallmark movie.

Speaking of Laci, in the scene where David surprises Jess with the Christmas decorations, did anyone else notice Laci’s wedding ring on her left hand? I know Laci J. Mailey is married in real life, but when I first saw that scene, I thought David proposed to Jess off-camera.

Because we, the audience, know how wealthy David is, I wonder if he will purchase a new building or hire builders to create a new Bed & Breakfast for Jess? I’m pretty sure the creative team behind Chesapeake Shores could find a new building to stand in as Jess’ Bed & Breakfast.

Starry night landscape with reeds — Evening view from the shore image created by 0melapics at freepik.com. <a href=’https://www.freepik.com/free-vector/landscape-in-a-swamp-at-night_1042860.htm’>Designed by Freepik</a>. <a href=”https://www.freepik.com/free-photos-vectors/background”>Background vector created by 0melapics – Freepik.com</a>. Image found at freepik.com.

What did you think of this episode? What do you think will happen in the season finale? Share your thoughts and opinions in the comment section!

Have fun in Chesapeake Shores!

Sally Silverscreen