My Secret Valentine

6.5/10 · 2,314 ratings20181h 24mValentine's DayWeirdness 3/10Bingo card

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The premise

A young woman takes advice from the chalkboard notes that her mysterious house rental tenant leaves when a slick sales rep arrives with plans to buy her family's prized winery.

How unusual is it?

Mostly classic comfort-watch, give or take an enemies-to-lovers arc.

Who’s in it

Behind the camera

Show

Directed by

Written by

Wait, what?

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

  • The protagonist lies and tells a restaurant owner that the love interest is a Finnish exchange student who doesn't speak English.
  • The 'Handyman' identity remains a mystery despite Seth being the only new person in a very small town staying in that specific cabin.
  • Seth's company, Stratosphere, is described as a 'boxed wine' empire trying to gain 'respect' through boutique acquisitions.

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.

Why we’d put this one on

A cozy winery romance with a secret-admirer twist. Lacey Chabert plays Chloe, who comes home for her family's Valentine's Day wine festival to find her father planning to sell the business to a corporate giant. While she clashes with the slick sales rep sent to close the deal, played by Andrew W. Walker, she also strikes up an anonymous flirtation with a mysterious tenant via chalkboard notes left in the family cabin. The setting is charming and the leads have easy chemistry. There is a great bit where Chloe claims a man is a Finnish exchange student who speaks no English. Sweet comfort with a save-the-family-legacy heart.

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)
Chloe Grange is a successful general manager at a high-end restaurant in Portland, but she feels a lack of ownership in her career. When her father, Truman, calls her home to the Grange Family Winery in Oregon with 'news,' she returns just in time for the annual Valentine's Day Wine Festival. She soon learns the news is bittersweet: Truman wants to retire and sell the winery to Stratosphere Beverages, a corporate company known for mass-produced boxed wine. Chloe is devastated by the prospect of losing the family legacy. She meets Seth Anderson, a slick Stratosphere sales representative, first in a grocery store where they bond over 'stress-snacking' on popcorn and chocolate, and later at the winery where they realize they are on opposite sides of a business deal. To avoid the tension, Chloe stays at her late mother's rustic cabin, which is currently being rented out to an anonymous tenant. She discovers the tenant has been making repairs and leaves a note on a chalkboard; this sparks a back-and-forth anonymous correspondence between Chloe (signing as 'In Need of Repairs') and the tenant (signing as 'Handyman'). At the winery, Seth tries to prove he isn't just a 'stuffed shirt' by helping with manual labor and learning the winemaking process. The two form a tentative bond when Seth helps Chloe secure a difficult account with a local restaurant owner by using a fake Texas accent and pretending to be a wine collector. Despite their growing chemistry, the conflict reaches a head when Truman signs the sales contract, and Chloe feels Seth has manipulated her family. However, Seth has a change of heart after realizing his 'Handyman' persona—the version of himself that enjoys the quiet country life and fixing things—is his true self. He realizes he has fallen for Chloe. In the final act, Seth returns the signed contracts to Truman, effectively killing the deal and his own promotion, to ensure Chloe can run the winery as she desired. Chloe discovers Seth's identity as the 'Handyman' through a series of clues and a missed meeting at a tavern. They reunite at the festival, where Seth encourages her to take over the winery, and they share a romantic kiss, deciding to pursue a future together in the valley.

Beat by beat

  1. Opening

    Chloe returns to her family winery and learns her father intends to sell the business to a corporate giant, Stratosphere Beverages.

  2. Inciting Incident

    Chloe meets Seth, the Stratosphere rep, and realizes he is the same man she had a charming encounter with at the grocery store.

  3. Rising Action

    Chloe begins an anonymous chalkboard correspondence with 'Handyman,' the mysterious tenant at her family's cabin.

  4. Midpoint

    Seth helps Chloe land a major wine account by posing as a wealthy Texan, leading to a romantic picnic and a shift in their relationship.

  5. Climax

    Truman signs the sale contract, and a devastated Chloe prepares to return to Portland, believing Seth only cared about the deal.

  6. Resolution

    Seth returns the contracts to Truman to save the winery and reveals himself as 'Handyman,' leading to a romantic reconciliation with Chloe.

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 6.5 vs every rated Hallmark moviemedian 6.4This movie · 6.5567

Higher-rated than 56% of every rated Hallmark movie. The median is 6.4.

Where this one fits

The corners of the catalog My Secret Valentine 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.

  • “You're gonna swoop in here and think you can just dazzle the small town folks with your confidence and your false flattery.”
    — ChloeChloe confronting Seth about his corporate sales tactics.
  • “I focus on the entire wine experience... not just the taste.”
    — SethSeth admitting he doesn't actually know much about wine despite selling it.
  • “The jerk is only a jerk if you let him get to you.”
    — Seth (as Handyman)A note left for Chloe giving her advice on how to deal with himself.

Meet the characters

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

  • Chloe Grange

    Lead

    Restaurant General Manager / Vintner

    ProtectiveHardworkingSentimentalKnowledgeable
  • Seth Anderson

    Love interest

    Corporate Sales Representative

    Professional rival and secret pen-pal

    AmbitiousCharmingSecretly HandyCity-slicker
  • Truman Grange

    Supporting

    Winery Owner

    Father

    TraditionalTiredLoving
  • Leanne

    Supporting

    Winery Manager

    Best friend and colleague

    ObservantEncouragingPlayful

Questions people ask about My Secret Valentine

Where can I watch My Secret Valentine?

My Secret Valentine is available via fuboTV, Philo, and Hallmark+ Amazon Channel. Streaming options change often, so check current availability before settling in.

How long is My Secret Valentine?

My Secret Valentine runs about 1 hour and 24 minutes, and was released in 2018.

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