This movie was a profound disappointment. First, let's not call it a movie. It's really a series but one doesn't find this out until the final frame...to be continued--Christmas 2016? After resisting throwing something at the TV, I just shouted, "Are you kidding me?" What's bad about that, one might ask. Seeing series/episode 2 requires one to have some continuity from season one, something which is possible only if one can remember details from such a horrid production. Completely forgettable and worse, completely dishonest.

Not only are we tricked when a conclusion is stolen, unresolved, empty, i.e. postponed for a year, but we have to suffer through such preachy dialog. Stupidly, I watched and waited for something worthy to happen. Maybe after this commercial, I told myself.

The synopsis was misleading too. I reread the synopsis a dozen times, thinking someone was asleep at the keyboard, confusing it with another movie. Where's the rescue? The bookstore isn't failing, it's thriving. Go figure. Where's the hometown? Sadly, nothing will save this mess.

It is billed as a Christmas movie, but you could watch it all year long. Very heart-warming tale about how you can touch people's lives in positive ways without ever realizing it. It's also about learning to love someone enough to give them the freedom to be themselves. Very heart-warming, but not sappy. It's about community and coming together to help someone in need. You come away with lessons learned. I highly recommend this Part 1 and Part 2. James Welch Henderson, Arkansas 12/20/2020

The movie receives the worst rating possible because it is not a complete movie. Without any prior warning in repeat performances, the movie ends with "to be continued". (I don't know if there was warning when it was first broadcast.) While this is done in some regular TV shows, or in mini-series, I believe it is unprecedented in a full two hour TV-movie where the continuation is not shown until a year later. In TV shows, one at least learns to be wary of such things and hopefully the conclusion is not delayed too long. In a mini-series, it is usually obvious. I consider this irresponsible broadcasting and I'm really glad I never saw this until it was shown with the sequel immediately following it. Hopefully, no one finds a DVD somewhere with only the one movie without realizing it is a two part story.

I also feel justified in rating it poorly because it is incomplete as it stands. I am posting a review of the complete two part story under Part 2.