Hallmark has jumped on the Regency trend wave in recent years and produced a few holiday movies with Austen titles. This February, they have released four “Loveuary” titles inspired by Jane Austen.
Love and Jane stars beloved Hallmark actors Alison Sweeney and Benjamin Ayres who live in the same neighborhood in Boston but also cross paths professionally. Lily (Alison), who runs a Jane Austen book club, is at a cross roads. Her boyfriend just received a promotion that comes with a move to Chicago, and he wants her to come with him. The Olde English pub they have their meetings at is being sold. And she is frustrated at work, longing to finish her novel.
One night, she wishes on one of her favorite Jane Austen’s to speak with the author.
And suddenly, Jane Austen appears.
A lot of characters have nods to Jane Austen (Lily Thorpe, Trevor Fitzsimmons, etc) and of course there is the “spirit of Jane Austen” who honestly, felt more like the incarnation of a Jane Austen re-enacter. The depiction of Jane is probably acceptable for most audiences without a depth of knowledge about the Regency era or Jane Austen herself, but I found many of her speeches improbable.
The tension, too, was not super compelling but I blame that more on the teleplay than the actors.
Overall, it was enjoyable enough although I wouldn’t rewatch.
I felt like the ending was rushed. It seemed like the plot had a good flow until the last twenty minutes and then they were rushing to wrap it up.
Definitely the ending was rushed!
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