Love in the Sun

5.8/10 · 1,221 ratings20191h 22mWeirdness 3/10Bingo card

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The premise

A dating app creator finds her views on love challenged when she returns home to Florida and reconnects with her high school sweetheart.

How unusual is it?

Mostly classic comfort-watch, give or take a second-chance romance.

A rare specific

Tap to find the other Hallmark movies that share it.

Who’s in it

Behind the camera

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Wait, what?

The quirks and curveballs that make this one a little weirder than your average Hallmark. No spoilers, promise.

  • The protagonist is a dating app CEO who uses her own engagement as a marketing tool.
  • A childhood memory involves a 'chocolate engagement ring' made with a raw cacao bean that melted immediately.
  • The love interest is secretly a 'water sports mogul' but lives like a beach bum.

Every trope, all in one place

Here’s everything this one has going on, from the setting to the way it wraps up. Tap any of the 33 to find more movies that do the same thing.

How it all plays out

Already seen it, or just can’t wait? Open this up for the whole story, ending included.

Full story (spoilers)
The film opens with a flashback of Alana and Kai as teenagers, parting ways as Alana leaves for Northwestern University, promising to maintain a long-distance relationship that eventually fails. In the present day, Alana is the CEO of 'Closer,' a dating app she co-founded with her friend Renee. The app focuses on 'practical' matches based on proximity and shared habits. Alana believes she is the app's success story, dating Evan, a '99% match' who works in the building next door. After pitching their app to Atlas Capital, Evan proposes to Alana at a driving range, though the ring is the wrong size. Alana travels to Safety Harbor, Florida, to share the news with her father, Micah. Upon arrival, she immediately runs into Kai at a fruit stand. She discovers that Micah has closed their family inn and plans to sell it because it has fallen into disrepair. Determined to save her childhood home, Alana suggests hosting the town's Orchid Festival at the inn to prove its value. Kai, who makes custom kayaks, volunteers to help with the renovations. As they paint and garden, Kai challenges Alana's app-based philosophy, asking if she found the love of her life or just the 'love of her zip code.' The tension increases when Evan unexpectedly arrives in Florida to surprise Alana. The contrast between Evan’s focus on work and golf and Kai’s deep connection to the water and Alana’s past becomes undeniable. Alana realizes that while Evan is perfect on paper, they lack the 'zing' and 'lightning bolts' her parents had. After a heart-to-heart with her father and a nostalgic kayaking trip with Kai—where she admits she stopped kayaking because it reminded her too much of him—Alana breaks off her engagement with Evan. Simultaneously, Atlas Capital offers Closer a massive funding deal based on Alana and Evan's 'perfect' relationship. Alana faces a moral crisis, realizing she cannot promote an app that prioritizes practicality over true love. At the Orchid Festival, it is revealed that Kai is actually the wealthy, humble founder of 'Kai-yak,' a major international brand. Alana decides to stay in Florida, proposing a satellite office for her company, and reunites with Kai during the floating lantern ceremony, finally choosing passion over proximity.

Beat by beat

  1. Opening

    Alana and Renee pitch their 'practical' dating app Closer to investors, and Alana's boyfriend Evan proposes.

  2. Inciting Incident

    Alana returns to Safety Harbor to tell her father about the engagement and finds the family inn closed and her ex, Kai, still in town.

  3. Midpoint

    Alana and Kai work together to renovate the inn for the Orchid Festival, rekindling their old connection while Evan arrives to 'surprise' her.

  4. Climax

    Alana realizes her relationship with Evan lacks 'zing' and breaks off the engagement, despite the business pressure to remain a 'success story' for her app.

  5. Resolution

    Alana finds out Kai is a successful business owner, decides to move her work to Florida, and reunites with him at the lantern ceremony.

33 tropes in one movie

We counted 33 distinct Hallmark tropes packed into this one — a genuine greatest-hits reel.

How it stacks up

Where this one’s rating lands against every other rated Hallmark movie.

Rating 5.8 vs every rated Hallmark moviemedian 6.4This movie · 5.8567

Among the lower-rated Hallmark movies — the median is 6.4.

Where this one fits

The corners of the catalog Love in the Sun belongs to — handy if you’re after more of the same.

Lines worth quoting

The lines that stuck with us — the ones you’ll be repeating after the credits roll.

  • “No rain, no rainbows.”
    — MicahGiving Alana advice about dealing with heartbreak and life's challenges.
  • “Orchids are like love. They grow easily, bloom in most conditions, and live forever.”
    — AlanaDiscussing her mother's favorite flowers with Kai.
  • “I don't want to be mad or crazy, I just wanna be happy.”
    — AlanaDefending her practical relationship with Evan to Kai.

Meet the characters

Who’s who before you press play. Nothing here gives the ending away.

  • Alana

    Lead

    CEO of Closer dating app

    PracticalDrivenOrganizedNostalgic
  • Kai

    Love interest

    Founder of Kai-yak

    Childhood sweetheart and ex-boyfriend

    HumbleAdventurousAthleticSincere
  • Micah

    Supporting

    Innkeeper

    Father

    WarmSentimentalProcrastinator
  • Evan

    Supporting

    Banker

    Fiancé (later ex-fiancé)

    RigidWorkaholicCompetitive

Questions people ask about Love in the Sun

Where can I watch Love in the Sun?

Love in the Sun is available via fuboTV, Philo, and YouTube TV. Streaming options change often, so check current availability before settling in.

How long is Love in the Sun?

Love in the Sun runs about 1 hour and 22 minutes, and was released in 2019.

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