Winter Love Story

6.9/10 · 2,184 ratings20191h 24mWeirdness 3/10Bingo card

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The premise

Cassie has just published her first book, a rom-com based on her divorce experience. To help a new writer along, the publisher pairs her with the established dragon writer Elliot on a week-long book tour. Will they remain singles?

How unusual is it?

Honestly? Not very — and that's the charm. It plays the hits, which is exactly the point for a cozy night in.

Who’s in it

Behind the camera

Show

Wait, what?

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

  • The heavy focus on 'dragon fantasy' lore within a standard Hallmark romance
  • A dog named Bungee who is treated as a primary travel consultant
  • A 'hot chocolate cook-off' used as a high-stakes emotional bonding moment
  • The protagonist's book being about a 'heartbreak year' involving a flash mob

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 26 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 Cassie Winslett working as a barista while celebrating the release of her memoir, 'My Heartbreak Year.' At her first book signing, she meets Elliot Somersby, the famous author of the 'Dread Monarch Saga,' a series about dragons. While Cassie's signing is sparsely attended, Elliot's is a massive success. Their publisher, MacDonner Press, decides to pair them for a week-long promotional tour through Northeastern college towns to help Cassie reach a wider audience. Cassie is initially hesitant, suffering from stage fright and a desire to step out of the shadow of her famous mother, award-winning author Jeannine Jordan. Elliot, meanwhile, is secretly struggling with writer's block for the final book in his trilogy and lingering feelings about his divorce from his ex-wife, Allison. As they embark on a road trip with Elliot's dog, Bungee, the two begin to connect. Elliot helps Cassie overcome her fear of public speaking by encouraging her to imagine she is speaking to friends, while Cassie provides Elliot with fresh perspectives on his fantasy characters. During a stop at a bed and breakfast, Elliot graciously lets Cassie have the larger room after a rigged coin toss, and they later engage in a 'hot chocolate cook-off' during a snowstorm. Their professional relationship turns romantic as they go snowshoeing and share intimate conversations about their futures. However, tension arises when they reach Buffalo, where Elliot meets with his ex-wife to drop off Bungee. At the American Publishers Awards in New York, Elliot receives the Author of the Year award. During his acceptance speech, he thanks his ex-wife for her early support. Cassie, misinterpreting this as a sign that he is reconciling with Allison, leaves the ceremony heartbroken. She returns to her life in Princeton and begins writing a new novel inspired by their trip. The conflict is resolved when Elliot surprises Cassie at her 'do-over' book signing. He clarifies that he and Allison are just friends and publicly declares his love for Cassie, calling her the 'hero' of his life. The film ends with the couple reuniting and planning a future joint book tour.

Beat by beat

  1. Opening

    Cassie's book signing is overshadowed by the arrival of best-selling fantasy author Elliot Somersby.

  2. Inciting Incident

    The publisher forces Cassie and Elliot to go on a joint book tour to improve Cassie's sales.

  3. Midpoint

    During a snowstorm at a cabin, the two bond over a hot chocolate competition and share their writing insecurities.

  4. Rising Action

    Cassie overcomes her stage fright during a reading, and her book begins to receive critical acclaim.

  5. Climax

    At an awards ceremony, Elliot thanks his ex-wife in a speech, leading Cassie to believe they are back together.

  6. Resolution

    Elliot crashes Cassie's book signing to declare his love and clarify that he is over his ex-wife.

26 tropes in one movie

We counted 26 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 6.9 vs every rated Hallmark moviemedian 6.4This movie · 6.9567

Higher-rated than 87% of every rated Hallmark movie. The median is 6.4.

Where this one fits

The corners of the catalog Winter Love Story 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.

  • “Writing is rewriting. My Princeton students pay a lot for that advice.”
    — Jeannine JordanGiving advice to Cassie about her literary career.
  • “I don't want to be known as just the 'dragon' writer.”
    — Elliot SomersbyConfessing his fear of being a one-hit wonder to Cassie.
  • “It wasn't his love that I needed, but my own.”
    — Cassie WinslettReading a passage from her book during a successful tour stop.

Meet the characters

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

  • Cassie Winslett

    Lead

    Author and Barista

    InsecureWittyDeterminedStage-frightened
  • Elliot Somersby

    Love interest

    Fantasy Novelist

    Love interest and tour partner

    CharmingSupportivePrivateDog-lover
  • Jeannine Jordan

    Supporting

    Award-winning Author

    Mother

    SuccessfulEncouragingFamous
  • Piper

    Supporting

    Publicist

    Publicist

    EnergeticProfessionalMatchmaker

Questions people ask about Winter Love Story

Where can I watch Winter Love Story?

Winter Love Story is available via fuboTV, Philo, and Hallmark+ Amazon Channel. Streaming options change often, so check current availability before settling in.

How long is Winter Love Story?

Winter Love Story runs about 1 hour and 24 minutes, and was released in 2019.

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