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Did You Love Hallmark's "The Secret Ingredient?" Get the Book!

Starring:  Erin Cahill and Brendan Penny

Released:  2020

Summary:  A small-town baker receives the surprise of her life when she gets an opportunity to compete on a Valentine's Day baking show in New York City.


The Secret Ingredient
Image:  Crown Media, United States LLC

Movie Based on Nancy Naigle's Novel

Nancy Naigle is the newest incarnation of Hallmark, following the trail of blazing love already hewn by Debbie Macomber and Karen Kingsbury.

You might recognize Naigle's name as the author behind the Christmas in Evergreen books, which she novelized based on the original Hallmark movies.

How does this author handle writing things in reverse?  It seems a little backwards for the movie to come first and then the book.  In an interview with Hallmark's Home & Family, Naigle shares that it takes her just as long to write the book based on the movie than it does starting her own novel from scratch!

Watch her interview on penning Christmas in Evergreen:

 
  

In addition to The Secret Ingredient, two of Naigle's other novels were adapted into Hallmark movies in 2018:


Naigle's book, Sand Dollar Cove, has also been selected for a future Hallmark movie, which is great news for those of us who love and appreciate her work!

If the Valentine movie made you hungry for Honey Almond Cake with Berries and Mascarpone Creme Fraiche, Naigle's novel includes the recipe, or you can find it on Hallmark's website.



Reality Show Competition

Could you handle the stress of a timed competition on national television?  Hallmark tapped into popular reality TV elimination programs like:

  • Hell's Kitchen
  • American Idol
  • Survivor
  • The Bachelor
  • The Masked Singer

Even though I knew Kelly and Andrew would be the finalists, I was still on the edge of my seat watching this!

Do you know anyone who has had the chance to show off their talents on a TV face-off?

The former pastor who married my husband and I, is also a master bladesmith who was selected to compete on the show, Forged in Fire.  He didn't win, but it is an intense and exhausting experience.  The exposure the challenge brings to your business or brand is definitely worth it though.


Image:  Crown Media, United States LLC

Movie Fast-Forwards One Year

On one hand I love it when Hallmark ends the movie by giving us a glimpse of our couple down-the-road; on the other hand, it's always such a brief snippet that it usually feels tacked on as an afterthought.

Since Kelly and Andrew have already been engaged once, it's a little surprising an entire year passes before he pops the question.....again.  

Maybe we're supposed to assume Andrew is overwhelmed running the Main Street Cafe he bought from Kelly's parents.  After her appearance on the Four Square Cooking show, it would also be safe to speculate Kelly is drowning in bakery orders.

Still, our couple has already lost five years from Andrew perfecting his craft in Paris, so the clicking of Kelly's biological clock should be pretty deafening at this point.  A proposal after three months rather than a year would have been a little better.

We Celebrate Hallmark On Facebook!

In our Hallmark Facebook group, we share thoughts on movies featured during New Year New Movies, Loveuary, Spring Fling, Summer Nights, and Fall Harvest.  

If you aren't already a member of our Facebook group, please join us!  You can find us here:

Hallmark Seasons of Love ❄❤🌷🌞🍁



Image:  Crown Media, United States LLC

#TheSecretIngredient #NancyNaigle
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