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5.7/10
The Love Club: Nicole's Pen Pal
2023
84 minutes
Director
Jill Carter
Cast
Brittany Bristow
Marcus Rosner
Chantel Riley
Description
The romantic among those in the club, Nicole has just accepted Warren's somewhat surprise marriage proposal, but she isn't happy in having that nagging feeling as she often does just before she breaks-up with a boyfriend. She finally admits to the others in the club that that feeling is largely because of still thinking about the guy that stood her up that New Years Eve ten years ago. The problem is is that she never met him and doesn't even know his name, just that he was her assigned pen pal in an English class - they only to use their first initials, his being J - it being his letters with which she made such a strong connection, and which provided her much emotional support during difficult times in her life. In doing some digging, she and her friends believe that the mystery man is one of two people, the most likely candidate being Josh Nolan, the manager of the Kennworthy Inn a couple of hours drive away. In learning that the inn's owners have hired a design firm but that the redecoration has been delayed, Nic, with the other three club members in tow, sees it as the perfect opportunity to meet Josh under the guise of being said designer, she eventually to tell him the truth when the time comes. The question then becomes whether Nic will be so swayed about Josh being or not being her pen pal J truly not to see the person standing in front of her, especially as she has been holding onto those thoughts of J and his letters for ten years.
Professions
Interior Designer
Pen Pal
Settings & Cities
Set in a mountain lodge and various locations
Hamilton, Ontario, Canada
Hamilton, Ontario, Canada
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Review
"The Love Club: Nicole's Pen Pal – Where Snail Mail Meets Snail-Paced Romance"
If you’ve ever wondered what would happen if Hallmark movies and a middle school pen pal project had a baby, The Love Club: Nicole's Pen Pal is here to answer that question. Released in 2023, this film is a delightful (read: predictable) addition to the Hallmark holiday movies universe, where the stakes are low, the sweaters are cozy, and the dialogue is cheesier than a fondue fountain at a Wisconsin wedding.
The plot revolves around Nicole, a charmingly quirky small-town baker who discovers a decades-old letter from a mysterious pen pal. Naturally, she decides to write back, because who doesn’t love reviving a correspondence that’s been dead longer than her sourdough starter? Enter Liam, the brooding yet inexplicably single British architect who replies. Sparks fly via ink and paper, because apparently, email is too mainstream for Hallmark movies.
What follows is a whirlwind of clichés: Nicole’s bakery is in financial trouble (shocking!), Liam has a secret that could ruin everything (gasp!), and there’s a quirky best friend who exists solely to deliver exposition and one-liners (bless her). The film also features a subplot involving a town festival that somehow involves both a pie contest and a dance-off, because why not?
The chemistry between Nicole and Liam is… well, let’s just say it’s about as believable as a Hallmark holiday movie where the lead character isn’t a small-town business owner. But hey, who needs realism when you’ve got picturesque snowscapes, awkward meet-cutes, and a soundtrack that sounds like it was composed by a xylophone-playing elf?
In the end, The Love Club: Nicole's Pen Pal delivers exactly what you’d expect: a heartwarming (if slightly formulaic) tale of love, letters, and the magic of believing in… well, whatever Hallmark movies are selling this week. It’s the cinematic equivalent of a warm cup of cocoa—comforting, predictable, and just sweet enough to make you forget you’ve seen this story 47 times before.
So grab your coziest blanket, pour yourself a glass of wine (or eggnog, if you’re feeling festive), and settle in for a movie that’s as wholesome as it is hilariously over-the-top. Just don’t expect any plot twists—this is Hallmark, after all.