Review

Summer Villa: Where the Only Thing Hotter Than the Sun is the Romantic Tension Between the Leads

If you've ever watched Hallmark Channel movies and thought, "This needs more sun, sand, and way more unresolved romantic tension," then Summer Villa is the Hallmark movie for you. Picture this: a dreamy villa in a tropical paradise, a successful businesswoman looking to escape her life for a bit, and the classic Hallmark Channel movie premise of two strangers—one with a questionable attitude, the other with borderline too much emotional baggage—forced to spend an entire summer together. And no, this isn’t just any villa. It's the kind of villa where everything is perfect except for, you know, the relationship issues they’ve both come to sort out. Spoiler alert: they’ll sort them out by the end in a surprisingly quick 90 minutes.

Enter the leads: Carly, an overworked interior designer who thinks that vacationing is about as unnecessary as her second glass of wine at dinner (we’ve all been there), and Grant, a former architect turned gruff villa owner who’s pretty much a walking Hallmark movie hero stereotype (you know, a bit brooding, a lot handsome, and absolutely flawless at fixing things—both emotionally and physically). Carly’s come to the villa to design the perfect vacation home, but Grant? Oh, Grant is just there to ruin everything. Apparently, “the perfect design” doesn’t involve... well, anything Carly wants.

Naturally, the bickering over which furniture looks better slowly transforms into "Wait, are we... flirting?" (Cue the slow-burn romantic tension that you could cut with a tropical fruit knife). By the time these two are finishing up their work, it’s clear that the real renovation has happened in their hearts—no permits required. Hallmark Channel movies have an uncanny ability to make you believe that two people can completely change their entire emotional landscape in a weekend—and in this movie, it's all thanks to perfectly timed beach walks, sunset stares, and just enough arguing to make it sexy.

By the end of the film, you'll be snapping photos in your mind of how they can “fix” everything just like they “fixed” the villa—with a dramatic kiss in front of a beautiful backdrop. If only every summer vacation came with such an effortlessly convenient ending.

In conclusion, Summer Villa is the perfect Hallmark movie if you’re looking for a predictable yet irresistibly satisfying escape—one that combines all the tropes of Hallmark Channel movies you love: beautiful locations, handsome strangers, and a romance that’s hotter than the sun, but as wholesome as a family BBQ. If this movie doesn't make you want to pack your bags for a romantic getaway with just enough emotional baggage to sort through... are you even watching Hallmark movies?