FUNatics Review – ‘Blind Date Book Club’ On Hallmark Channel’s Spring Into Love. Blind dates and book clubs who would have thought that these two things work together? Hallmark Channel did.
As part of the Hallmark Channel’s Spring Into Love event, ‘Blind Date Book Club’ debuted last night. This movie stars Erin Krakow from ‘When Calls The Heart’ and Robert Buckley from ‘Chesapeake Shores’. The charm of these two together was very enjoyable.
The story makes me want to find a book club like this. Meg Tompkins (Erin Krakow) is a former realtor who runs a bookstore that her late mother started. At the bookstore, she starts a successful “blind date with a book club.” The idea is readers pick a book mysteriously wrapped in brown paper with only a few key descriptors on it; Meg then hosts interactive discussions where all the readers get to talk about Meg’s book of choice. After the discussions there is usually an activity based on some aspect of the book.
Meanwhile, book author Graham Sterling (Robert Buckley) is given hard advice about his most recent manuscript. Graham is a very successful YA author. He is stuck on his 8th novel and veers off into a historical fiction romance genre. He hears an interview with Meg on the radio about her blind date book club and seeks her out to audition his new novel. Graham has been advised to avoid writing about a subject about which he knows nothing, which is also Meg’s recommendation.
But against her better judgment, she agrees to having Graham’s book a part of the club. In spending time together, Meg and Graham begin to grow close, all while discovering each one’s own true happiness. While Graham is struggling with the reviews of his book, he is also trying to find the inspiration to finish his 8th novel that his agent is demanding. Furthermore, Meg is dealing with her aunt who wants to sell her share of the book store.
While the premise of Meg’s book club is a blind date WITH a book there are people that are saying this is a blind date club with books. There is a couple that meets and subsequently starts dating due to the book club.
The ever reliable Erin Krakow is spectacular as always. The premiere of this movie is perfectly timed to the premiere of Krakow’s 11th season of ‘When Calls The Heart’ tonight. Robert Buckley in any role is perfectly geeky adorable. I will watch him anytime. I may not have as much time as I’d like to read and join a book club but this movie makes me want to make the time.
As with all Hallmark Channel movies, there is a very predictable formula and it doesn’t always work but this one was very enjoyable. One scene from the movie that stuck with me was over text between Meg and Graham. He was feeling a little stressed after a call from his agent and the reviews that might be coming from her book club and Meg from across the bookstore sent him two texts. She texts him “Remember, whatever they say, they cared enough to comment.” The next text is “‘Never explain, never retract, never apologize. Just get the thing done and let them howl.’ – Nellie McClung”
The other part that stuck out to me was them being comfortable with each other and that that is the best kind of compliment. I agree. Being comfortable with someone is high praise. I, myself, find that I am often uncomfortable around people and take a while to feel that comfort. I would recommend this movie to any book lover and any lover of easy light romcoms. As a nod to WCTH, Johannah Newmarch guests as radio interviewer Raina Breem. She portrays Molly Sullivan in ‘When Calls The Heart.’
Blind Date Book Club is from Book Club Productions, Inc. Kim Arnott and Ivan Hayden are executive producers. The movie is produced by Arnott. Peter Benson directed from a script by Nicole Baxter.
