My favourite Hallmark Channel Valentine movies

Happy just-over-a-week-until-Valentine’s-day!! 

February is a fantastic month!! Not only is it slightly shorter than all the rest, but halfway through it we also get an excuse to have a delightfully cheesy romantic celebration with our significant other, close friends or even by ourselves. The stores are so stocked full of chocolate it will probably last you until Easter, and I don’t know about you, but all the hearts and lovey-doveyness in the air just makes things feel a little bit more sweet and friendly. 

With that being said, one of my favourite things about Valentine’s day being around the corner is it’s an excuse to watch nothing but cheesy, absolutely corny romance movies. You get a similar excuse during Christmas time because it’s such a magical season, except then my movie line-up is usually filled with Christmas specific romcoms or adorkable love stories, so Valentine’s day allows me to catch up on all the non-Christmas ones. Soooo today I thought, with Valentine’s day being just over a week away, I’d share my favourite Hallmark Channel Valentine’s day romance movies! Whether you’re doing a Galentine’s day celebration, spending it with your partner or just curling up with a mountain of chocolate and your laptop, if you adore cheesy romance movies like me then these are some fun ones to watch in the lead-up to the big day! 

*FAIR WARNING!!! These films are literally the definition of cliched, cheesy love stories! They are ooey-gooey and sometimes quite cringy, but if that’s something you like then barrel on ahead – happy endings and oodles of love and romance await! 

A Dash of Love 

This is probably my new favourite Hallmark Valentine movie! I only watched it about a week or so ago, but it was everything I love in a good romance film. It’s the story of a creative chef who takes a job with a chef she idolises, although cooking isn’t part of the job description. Working for her role model, she starts to bond with the handsome executive chef. After they are wrongly fired, the two set up a pop-up restaurant to feature their unique recipes, and, as is a prerequisite for all of these movies, they fall in love, and there is most definitely a happy ending. What I loved so much about this movie is firstly the food theme – because food is love, right? Second, the protagonist is so passionate about what she does. Her relationship with the executive chef is based on a shared love of cooking, and they both appreciate each other’s skills and respect each other’s dreams. So, if you’re a big foodie fan like me and love nothing more than a heart-warming, sweet protagonist who gets their happy ending, this is definitely a film for you! 

The Dater’s handbook 

Featuring Meghan Markle pre-royalty, this is a super cute love story about a successful businesswoman who somehow always ends up dating the wrong guys, so moving forward she decides to take the advice of a dating handbook … and I’m sure you can see from a mile away where this is going haha! This is such a cute movie because it highlights some of the struggles around dating, and there are plenty of laughs in store as Cass navigates dating two very different guys. Even though the jokes are so cheesy, it’s still got a charming message about the importance of being genuine and following your heart, no matter what a guidebook might say. Plus Meghan’s character Cass is obsessed with cake so obviously a character I, and I hope many others, can relate to on a very personal level! 

All things Valentine

Has anyone ever had a truly awful Valentine’s day? While it is preached as being the most romantic day of the year, sometimes some really crummy things happen on Valentine’s day, and it ends up being more of a painful day to avoid than one to celebrate. I’ve certainly had a few rubbish Valentine’s days … Well, that is precisely where our protagonist starts in the movie so already off to quite a relatable start. The film is for all those who may not buy into all of the grand gestures but still enjoy some romance and a happy ending. The two protagonists come together in quite an unconventional way and slowly heal their Valentine’s day wounds. There’s also an adorable dog in this movie, and some adorable ideas and inspirations for ways to celebrate Valentine’s day if you’re looking for ideas (obviously the film doesn’t take COVID into account, but some of them are adaptable). 

Love at First Bark 

Dog lovers, this one is absolutely for you! In case the title didn’t give it away already … A typical love story of two people dealing with their own personal problems who come together over a dog. Obviously, both are stubborn and disagree about many things, but slowly they overcome their differences and achieve their goals, with the help of having their canine friend in the spotlight. Seriously, this movie may be one of the cheesiest, but it is just so sweet, and I love that it is all about dogs so if you love animals even a little bit, then this cringy movie should be at the top of your list! 

Appetite for love

And last but not least, another food orientated movie but this one is all about old flames reuniting. When Willemina has to fly back home to the town she fled from 15 years ago on business, she has no idea that her company is rebranding the restaurant belonging to her ex-boyfriend she left behind. As I’m sure you can guess, the movie follows the two as they clash over the restaurant while slowly reconnecting and falling back in love. It’s a really cute story with two very stubborn protagonists in a wholesome country setting, but also with a subtle message about the value of going organic and fresh, healthy, wholesome cooking (which I am a massive fan of). There’s also a spunky aunt (always a fun character) and a Valentine’s day festival and dance, and what better way to get into this lovey-dovey mood than watching others celebrate it? 

And so there you have it!! I usually restrain myself so much when it comes to talking about Hallmark movies because I know that they’re not everyone’s cup of tea, but I figured that I would never get a better excuse to chat about them than in the lead-up towards Valentine’s day. So, if you’re a huge romance fan like me and were looking for a few choices to watch with a giant mug of hot chocolate or a peaceful evening in your PJs with takeouts, I seriously hope that this list has inspired you. I know that they’re a very particular genre (so much love, and cheesiness – definitely not my boyfriend’s style), but if they’re your thing, then I hope you enjoy my suggestions!! 

Are there any absolutely adorable Valentine’s day movies you love watching at this time of year?? Have you seen any of these Hallmark movies? What were your thoughts, or are there any other Hallmark Valentine’s day movies you like that aren’t on my list?? Let’s chat in the comments section!! 

Lots of love

Blondey on a Mission xxx (refilling my hot chocolate and off to watch another of these overly cheesy but adorable movies)