Excellent but underrated film

Although it has its amusing moments, in eneral the plot does not convince.

This is a coming of age storyline that you've seen in one form or another for decades. It takes a truly unique voice to make yet another one worth watching.

The film's masterful storytelling did its job. The message was clear. No need to overdo.

This was a cute Christmas romance, better than a lot I have seen. Brandon Routh takes the lead here as a confirmed bachelor/firefighter and does a great job -definitely one of the reasons to take the time to watch this.The story is based on a book by Sheila Roberts and follows "Zachary" as he adopts a stray cat, which leads a pretty veterinary student to enter his life and alter his feelings about remaining single. In the book version the cat has a voice and is the star of the story bringing Zach and Merilee together and providing much comedy along the way. I wish they'd included this aspect in the movie, a missed opportunity.There is a cheese here, with Routh posing for a calendar and some terrible (silly) banter with a couple of fellow firefighters in the house. I did enjoy Gregory Harrison as the chief. The romance is fine and unfolds as expected, with a nice feel good ending.This was filmed in Langley B.C (Canada)as somewhere USA and is another one of those Christmas movies shot early or late summer with lots of green grass, sunshiny bright days and leaves on the trees. -Just a personal gripe

I wasn't going to write a review because this movie has so many already but despite this being a lovely movie I have to write it down, maybe someone will feel like I did. It was a nice enjoyable movie, it was good to see animals for a change and the leads did a great job, but I didn't feel that chemistry or story that makes me smile like a goof.I don't if it's because I wasn't looking forward to watching this but it didn't felt special to me, "Chrismassy" enough, maybe it was because Christmas was not the main plot in the story, I really don't know.I, as well, noticed a few minor mistakes in the story, like it was mentioned on several reviews, and pardon me if i'm mistaken, but at the end when Zachary took the truck, what would have happen if a call came up? Where were the rest of the crew? - Maybe I have so many hours of Chicago Fire - but things like this that few people notice sometimes annoys me. Thins like this makes it a typical Hallmark movie. Somehow "far from the real world".I'm writing this on March 2017 and i'm reading a book from Jill Shalvis, "The trouble with the mistletoe" which will be taken to the little screen this Christmas season 2017/2018 and there are SO MANY things that are JUST LIKE THIS MOVIE -storylines and details- so I hope they can make it "unique" without making similar to this.

The dialog and humor are better than the usual Hallmark Xmas romance. There are some funny one liners. The cats are surprisingly cute too.A firefighter (Brandon Routh) and a veterinary student (Kimberly Sustad) meet. He has an unsuitable bitchy girlfriend played by Chelsea Hobbs who looks great and acts well. There is an interesting message compatibility and personality over superficial things like looks. As the vet, Kimberly Sustad is a tall actress even when next to Brandon Routh.A non irritating, not over cutesy, occasionally laugh worthy Hallmark Xmas movie.

Here you have two nice, attractive people of the opposite gender bound for professional success. the problem is they're too busy for love and romance. The woman is a compassionate brunette pet store employee who's studying to become a veterinarian due to her love for animals. The man is a hunky and affable junior firefighter who upgrades and flips houses on the side. He does have a casual girlfriend, a glamorous but bitchy professional model who'll make the women viewers say, "Why can't he tell she's wrong for him?" Conveniently, he working on a beautiful Victorian dream house, while she's in a campus apartment that doesn't allow pets, and of course she loves cats and secretly keeps one. They live in a nice small town where most people know and are nice to each other. If you don't know how this story ends, than you've never watched Lifetime of the Hallmark Channel before. All that being said, it's completely painless to watch and it'll appeal to its target audience. The leads are likable, the supporting cast competent and the technical aspects are satisfactory. I enjoyed it enough and so will most people if the plot interests them.