Today’s Topic: Cozy/Wintry Reads (Make this prompt suit your current season if needs be.)
Hosted by: That Artsy Reader Girl
Well, I decided to tweak this week’s prompt a little bit. To me, cozy /wintry = Christmas! And what Christmas would be complete without Hallmark’s sappy/sweet holiday films? With that thought in mind, I thought it would be fun to list holiday titles that were adapted into Hallmark Christmas films. You’re welcome!
With the exception of one, I’ve not read any of these books. But I have seen the movies. So, now I just need to set aside some time for some holiday fiction.
Christmas with Holly -Lisa Kleypas
This is my very favorite Hallmark Christmas film and I just discovered this month that it was adapted from this book. It has a Three Men and a Little Lady vibe that I love with a traumatized little girl who is charmed by the female owner of a local toy store.
Trading Christmas -Debbie Macomber
Another Hallmark favorite and that is mostly thanks to the biting repartee between two of the leads. Plus, I just have a soft spot for Tom Cavanaugh. It’s a house swap story that involves two brothers who fall for a pair of female friends. Several of Macomber’s holiday books have been made into Hallmark films.
A December Bride -Denise Hunter
This is the only one on the list that I’ve actually read the book before seeing the film. While the movie is fun, the novella is ten times better. It’s an engagement of convenience story which turns into more.
The Nine Lives of Christmas -Shelia Roberts
I’m not really a cat person, but this is still a cute story of how animals can bring people together.
The Bridge -Karen Kingsbury
This little book was actually broken into two films with a part one and part two. The first part sets up the meeting of two young college kids at a book store and their eventual separation. Part two follows up years later as they finally reunite. Plus, did I mention their story centers around a bookstore? Bibliophiles unite!
The Christmas Secret -Donna VanLier
I love Bethany Joy Lenz. She gives a touching performance of a struggling single mom searching for support and community only to accidentally discover something more.
The Christmas Train – David Baldacci
Transportation centered stories always intrigue me, especially when they are set on trains! There’s something rather romantically nostalgic about trains. Add in a cynical journalist who meets an old flame on the train and I almost feel like I’m watching a classic film.
A Bramble House Christmas -C.J. Carmichael
I adore this story about a single mother who unexpectedly inherits a large sum of money. The family of the man who left it to her are suspicious. So the man’s son arrives at Bramble House where she is spending Christmas to secretly spy on her. Autumn Reeser is one of my favorite Hallmark actresses and she really pulls on my heartstrings in this movie.
The Christmas Cottage – Samantha Chase
Legend has it that any couple who stays the night in the Christmas cottage will live happily ever after. When a young woman unexpectedly gets trapped there overnight with her best friend’s brother, her Christmas gift just may be a new love.
I think I’ve been living under a rock because I had no idea that so many Hallmark holiday films have been adapted from books. BUT, now that I know, I’m definitely doing some weird sort of grabby hands at them.
There were more, but I narrowed them down for my list. Debbie Macomber alone has several holiday stories that have been made into Christmas movies.
I didn’t realize (or forgot!) ‘Nine Lives’ and “The Christmas Secret” were based off of books. Guess someday I should consider reading the books since both are favorite movies of mine. I did read the “Christmas with Holly” book as well as “A December Bride,” too! đŸ™‚
I’m jealous. I haven’t read Christmas with Holly, but I LOVE the movie.