Love by the Book (2015)

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Love by the Book (2015) Hallmark Review 

Hallmark makes a habit to produce some of the most wholesome romantic comedies ever. For those of us who prefer a Saturday night on over going out, their latest is one you might want to bookmark.

The story opens with two young girls playing and a voice telling us this, “My sister Jane and I were raised on a steady diet of fish sticks and fairy tales.”

Love by the Book

Emma (Leah Renee) has always dreamed about the perfect prince. She expects he’ll find her when the time is right. Instead she learns of her sister Jane’s engagement while she remains single. Even without the fairy tale, Emma is happy as a quaint book store owner. Until life gets complicated when her silent partner (John Schneider) makes a change. He brings in his son, Eric (Kristopher Turner) to help with declining sales. The two of them clash about ideas for the shop until Emma is distracted by handsome newcomer, Logan (Ryan Bittle).

Logan seems to be the epitome of perfect. He showers Emma in gifts and sweeps her off her feet, but is this real or is it nothing more than… fiction?

Perfect as a lead-in to Valentine’s Day, this script is one that is full of those “aww…” moments we love of our romantic comedies. The cute fairy tale and literary references are sweet, and Leah is the perfect believer of the “fairy tale life.” She’s a sweet kind of heroine with good characteristics. To further sell her character, the stylist dresses her to perfection. From her clothing to her hairstyles everything helps to remind us Emma is a faithful romantic. Eric too is a fun character who might not be the guy we initially think. But wait… no need for alarm. He’s still a good guy. Also worth noting is Stephanie Powers, who co-stars as an employee. Those of you who watch classic TV know the name from Hart to Hart.

Some cute literary references crop up; an example is a gift Emma receives or the sister’s names, Emma and Jane, both of which are famous Austen heroines. Tying in with the literary bent is the setting. All of us book addicts will enjoy Emma’s store. Its quaintness is hard to resist and guys, not only does Emma appreciate the old-fashioned charm of a good book, but she blogs! Or she starts one during the movie. The subplot adds a little “pop” to the script, and I also like that Jane has a story line that makes us worry over its conclusion.

Make sure you’re able to watch this one if you enjoy movies that are sweet and of course, feature bookish references. The pace is nice – minus an ending that wraps too abruptly, and of course, a main character that values books doesn’t harm the script in the least.


(This post does contain affiliate links; if you buy anything through these links, I may receive a small percentage of the sale at no extra cost to you. Read the disclosure page for details.) You can own Love by the Book  on DVD.

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About Rissi JC

amateur graphic designer. confirmed bookaholic. bubbl’r enthusiast. critical thinker. miswesterner. social media coordinator. writer.

19 comments

    1. Hope you like it, Hannah! I thought it was really quite cute and darling, and well, just "perfect." The story has been done before, but as a fairytale, chick flick fan, I couldn't help loving it. Hope you can see it sometime. :)

      I'll be sending you an email to answer your question – it's really very easy. :)

    1. It was very darling! The only complaint I had was that it did kind of end a little too abruptly for my liking. I wanted a little more time with the cuteness of Emma and Eric! :) I did enjoy the way it catered to my love of books and romcoms, however. And also that it took some plot points and changed the way I expected them to go, which was a very nice surprise.

    2. Same here; that ending was just… awkward. Or something. But beyond that, I liked the "fairytale" elements and of course, the bookish references. Unexpected cues are always fun. Keeps up guessing. :)

  1. I thought it was simply adorable! I do agree with you on the ending–Hallmark does have a tendency to rush and/or botch the ending ("Matchmaker Santa," I'm looking at you!), but everything else was delightful!

    1. The endings are rushed in these films. Why, I'm not sure! Wrap things up in the primary conflicts a bit earlier so we can have a nice, solid ending. Or that's what I'd like. :) Yes, I remember Matchmaker Santa being VERY "bad" in that way (though the movie was cute). I would agree, everything else was delightful. This is one I hope to see on DVD eventually. :)

  2. I loved this movie, Rissi! Admittedly, I'm a Hallmark addict, but it was one of my favorites. Thought it was going to be so-so at first, then it captured me completely. Really liked Eric.

    I hadn't thought about it until you mentioned it, but Hallmark does tend to rush endings. I hate that in a book and even less in a movie. I replayed the last scene over and over – where he walked up to Emma at the wedding – just so I could enjoy it longer! LOL! Thanks for a great review, Rissi.

    1. Me too, Carole! Oh, my, this one was darling…! I'm hoping it comes to DVD and yes, agree. Eric was a great leading man.

      Right!? I thought there'd be a little bit MORE to the ending. I remember thinking, "um, that's it!?" Oh, well. It was still sweet and hopefully, I'll add it to my DVD collection (*hint, hint, studios*). Thank YOU for sharing your thoughts! Glad you liked it. :)

    1. I think you'd like this one, Amanda! It's not a "fairy tale" in the sense of royalty playing a role, but it definitely has those kind of vibes. So cute! :)

      …as to your question, I'll get an email off to you soon that will answer your question. :)

    2. I'm so glad! I thought it was one of THE cutest from Hallmark. Gotta' love those fairytale vibes.

      Hopefully I'll get it sent tomorrow (ps; what is your email addy? I was thinking it was on your blog, but didn't see one). I do remember, it's just sometimes I get one too many emails to send/reply too. But it'll come. :)

    1. Isn't it cute, Sage!? This was (as I remember), one of my most favorites.

      If you're a blogger, I'd gladly email you with some Hallmark info. Just shoot me an email anytime with your addy. :)

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