A Gift to Remember (2017 Hallmark Channel)

A Gift to Remember

Synopsis (via Hallmark)

Darcy’s lifelong love of reading has led her to the perfect job, working in a small Manhattan bookstore. A insists on being swept off her feet. One day, while bicycling to work, Darcy crashes into Adrian, a sharply dressed gentleman walking his dog. Knocked unconscious, he’s rushed to the hospital where he falls into a coma. Deeply shaken, the guilt-ridden Darcy takes the dog home, waiting to reunite him with his owner. As she learns more about Aidan — a world-traveler, a devoted man of letters — Darcy realizes he could be the one she has been waiting for. That is, until he comes to and Darcy discovers she has created a fictional world for a very real man. Will she still fall in love?

Thoughts

Darcy works at a bookstore in Philly, finds her adventures in books, and rides her bike while wearing a helmet. (She is so square.) Apparently, there are two bookstores in town and Books, Books, Books has stolen Darcy’s Christmas Eve at Chauhers. While leaving the bookstore with her STUPID helmet on, Darcy sees a handsome man and his dog in the window. Instead of asking for his number, she goes home to read a new book, make origami all night, and be forever alone.

The store owner in retiring and looking for a replacement. Darcy loves books and could be a great store manager. Too bad she can’t get her parent’s advice before taking on the new job (they are dead, car crash), so, instead, she confides in her Landlady, Ms. Henley, who is WAY more than just a Landlady. We then flash to the handsome stranger who is reading the same new book that Darcy was reading and has a mysterious gift.

After Darcy oversleeps in her comfy chair, she has to rush to get to work. The handsome stranger is taking his dog (Bailey) for a walk before his big trip. Avoiding a car, Darcy runs into the handsome stranger head on. He is taken to the hospital and Darcy is left with Bentley and Christmas cards, but not the handsome stranger’s wallet with identification. That gets washed down the a sewer drain by a mysterious flood! At the hospital we find out the handsome stranger is in a coma!

Using her Nancy Drew skills, Darcy finds the return address for the handsome stranger’s house and goes to his nice-ass apartment. They find a business card; he works in PR and his name is William A. Anderson. The handsome stranger awakens and doesn’t remember anything, except his dog’s name.

In the hospital, Darcy comes clean. She admits to causing the accident, breaking into his apartment, and even staring creepily at him through the window of her bookstore. She agrees to watch Bailey and help him gain his memory back. While retrieving items from William’s apartment, Ms. Henley “accidently” open the mysteries gift and it is an engagement ring!!!! When Darcy brings his items she jumps right to the chase and shows him the engagement ring and the picture of his potential girlfriend. (Sandra Bullock would NEVER!)

Ms. Henley is also a detective (with a past!) she was a featured dancer in the NYC ballet and recognizes where the potential girlfriend’s photo was taken. It was in New York and she has a dancer’s build. Darcy is determined to figure this out and plan a trip to New York. Once in New York, Darcy gives a rousing Christmas Magic speech to the dance studio owner, and finds out that the potential girlfriend is a dancer on tour, Melanie Porter.

Nurse Nancy takes William out on the town and he gets more information about the mystery and Darcy’s open manager position at the bookstore . Darcy, AGAIN, tells William all the info she gets from the city and William tells her that he appreciates her tenacity and confidence. He brings up the bookstore job and encourages her to take a chance.

Once William is released from the hospital, he and Darcy decided to decorate his house because he loves Christmas…and can’t remember why he wouldn’t decorate. Then they make gingerbread while listening to sultry-jazz Christmas music. He then gets a memory flash: he was an art teacher for 3rd to 5th graders, he remembers how to dance, and is manic with joy.

TWIST! A man comes into the apartment and it turns out William Anderson is not our mystery man, he is Aiden Harris from Akron, Ohio!! He was only in town to get his mother’s ring, While they are solving the mystery, Darcy realizes that Aiden will have to go back to Ohio, and she will have to let go and find himself.

Inspired to make more of herself, Darcy asks to be considered for the manager position. Her boss wholeheartedly supports her and promotes her on the spot! Aiden is back in Ohio and we are left in suspense while he embraces a little girl shouts “SARAH! I REMEMBER!!!” and a brown-haired woman looms in the background

At the bookstore, the Christmas Eve event is going off without a hitch. Everything is perfect, if only Aiden was there to share it with her. During a Q&A with the famous author, Aiden shows up with his dad, niece, and SISTER (not potential girlfriend). Out front of the store, the two reintroduce themselves to each other. He is considering a move for the right person… They kiss while Amy Grant Christmas swells.

Side Note

POC Alert: John is Darcy’s co-worker and her landlady (who LOVES christmas) and LUIGI the Italian…

Darcy’s only friend is the Landlady and her co-workers.

Overall rating

🎄🎄🎄🎄(4 Christmas Trees)

🍷🍷(2 glasses of wine required)