When Calls the Heart Tag // Seaon 4 in ONE HOUR

(I apologize for the formatting issue above! I could not get rid of the space! Why?! ALSO SPOILERS AHEAD for people who have not watched ALL episodes! There's a minor spoiler in question #6, but I give extra warning beforehand. ;))

Hey there, guys! My friend, Faith, who blogs at Stories by Firefly, and her friend, Rebekah, put together this fun tag in honor of When Calls the Heart! Speaking of, this is perfect timing, because season four beings in ONE hour! Check out Faith's post here, and Rebekah's here! Now, let's get the party started, shall we?

1. What's your favorite season of When Calls the Heart?

 Definitely season three. Season one comes in second place, and season two takes third.

 2. Who is your favorite character, and why?

*thinks* Hmm...it's between Bill Avery, Lee Coulter, and Rosemary LeVeaux (now Mrs. Coulter). When Bill first came in the show, I liked him...and then they made him seem rather suspicious and "bad guy-ish," so I became rather unsure about him. But now-a-days I like him again. I liked Lee almost immediately - after I got over the fact that he was "new" and therefore "suspicious" (also the fact that he actually liked Rosemary...um, sir, I think you just played a bad card and turned most of the Hearties against you?). Well, now? Now he's one of my favorite characters! And Rosemary. Oh, Rosemary! When she first came on the show, I disliked her so much, so very much. But she's really changed, and she's perfect for Lee, so - what more can I say? 

3. Who is your least favorite character, and why?

I'm gonna say Nora and the Hamilton swindler guy in season one. I also don't care for Elizabeth's dad (though he's MUCH better in the books) or mom, and I don't like Frank Hogan very much anymore. *coughs loudly* What?! I much prefer Abigail with Bill.

4. When did you first start watching When Calls the Heart?

Around April/May-ish of 2014. Not even sure how I heard about it. XD

 

5. Do you have a favorite couple from the show? If so, who, and why are they your favorites?

 

Lee and Rosemary. That is all.

 

Just kidding! They're kinda...adorable? To be completely honest...I much prefer them over Jack and Elizabeth. *runs from angry Hearties* What I like so much about their relationship is that they're truly there for each other, and they show it by the things they do. GUYS, I'm givin' ya some examples of their supportive-ness and overall fantastic qualities:

 

Lee had an elaborate construction plan to build Rosemary that theater. 

Lee encouraged Rosemary to go to California for that acting job because he wanted her to follow her dreams.

And she stayed. Because she loved him. *melts*

(Can we talk about that proposal? Probably my favorite moment of When Calls the Heart...ever.)

Rosemary tried to downsize Lee's spending because she thought his business was going under.

And then she did the sweetest thing...told him that he didn't need to build her that theater. At least not now. Because his business was more important.

Also, they're such opposites that they kinda bring out good in the other person. 

 

 

Oh, Jack! XD

 IF YOU HAVEN'T SEEN THE CHRISTMAS MOVIE CLOSE YOUR EYES AND DON'T LOOK AT THE PICTURE BELOW.

 

6. Do you have a favorite quote from the show?

 

Woah! I don't know? I liked the scene in season one when Jack goes to Abigail...for her advice about Elizabeth, who was being rather stubborn when it came to the Hamilton dude (I can't remember his first name, okay), and she does the "honey not vinegar" thing - but I guess that's not a quote? (Spoilers ahead for those who haven't watch the Christmas movie yet!) I really liked the scene in the new Christmas movie where Bill Avery is cooking in Abigail's cafe, and someone complains about their eggs. So he whips out a rolling pin and charges out to see who the guy was. (see above picture)

AND THEN

 

Bill: *starts back toward the kitchen* *spots Jack sitting there* "How's your food, Constable?"

Jack, with an amused smile: "Nothing to complain about."

Bill was literally hilarious. 

 

7. What are your thoughts on Rosemary LeVeaux? Did you like her right away or did she grow on you?

Rosemary is one of my favorite characters. *points back to question two* She brings humor to the show. And she's incredibly generous. Giving up her bridesmaids' dress material and all of her food to help the settlers? I would've...never seen that coming when she showed up so unexpectedly - and horrifyingly - in season one. And no, I certainly did not like her at first! I really wanted her leave. XD She was very forward and was forcing her way back into Jack's life in the most annoying of ways... But she grew on me. I like her character now! And she's perfect for Lee - and so caring. 

8. Have you read the When Calls the Heart book series?

Well, there's two book series - of  the original, I have read the first four novels. Of the companion novels to the T.V. series, I've also read the first two books in that trilogy!

 

9. Was there anything in season 3 that surprised you? (characters, plots, etc...)

Yes! I was surprised to have Jack's mom show up! And she's different than expected. XD Also, I was kind of surprised when Jack almost....died. I knew they wouldn't dare kill him, but it was still a little shocking! It's actually surprising in itself that Jack lived through all that! Overall, the flood surprised me. And the mine explosion. And things with Gowen. And Frank's past and the whole gang showing up! I didn't see a lot of the season coming! Which is nice. ;) OOH AND THE WEDDING AND PROPOSAL. I loved that! 

 

10. What do you foresee happening in season 4? (Be creative and as detailed as you like :))

I was hoping Lee and Rosemary were going to have a little Coulter baby, but I read an interview with Pascalle Hutton, and I guess not? Hopefully, Jack finally proposes to Elizabeth. *looks at him* Ya know we know that you still have that ring? ;) And I hope Abigail gets back together with Bill! *grins* I like Bill quite a bit now, and think he's a good match for her! She kinda needs him. ;) 

 

That was fun! Huge shout out to Faith and Rebekah for creating the tag! Also, Faith is currently having people sign-up to beta-read her new novella, SO GO CHECK IT OUT. 

 

Until next time,

 

A Two Year Anniversary (And a Giveaway!)

Funny to think that in one week it was two years ago this blog came to be. There's not a huge story to tell about it's beginnings, but what there is happens to be a bit humorous. Just ever so slightly...

It all began...well, actually I'm not sure when. I remember finding a blog that an author I like wrote on a few years beforehand. That might've sparked my interest in a blog a little, but I'm not sure I realized it at the time. Really, I'm not sure I know what sparked the idea in the beginning at all. But I've a feeling it did have something to do with that blog. ;) 

Anyways, I started writing about readerly things on my sister's computer on Pages (being the only option since she owns a Mac). Nobody knew I was writing 'blog posts', as I called them. They could've been that, but as I wasn't posting any to cyberspace it didn't really count. But I kinda felt like it did. (At least I got some practice in!) I was nervous about people reading what I was writing. I didn't really want to step out and actually make a blog. At first.

My sister somehow found out that I had been writing 'blog posts' (it was her computer, so I guess that's not too uncanny ;)) and began badgering me about starting an actual blog. Though, badgering, I guess, isn't exactly the right word. She just mentioned it a little. So, yes, the complete opposite of badgering pretty much. 

But it nudged me and I decided to go ahead and do so, especially since she had been taking a class on such things like blogging and advertising, so I figured I'd have my sister to help me out when I needed it. My main idea was to write about books and do reviews, etc. It's branched off since then, but I like that. I think my original plan was a bit too strict, eh? ;)

And, well, here we are. Two years later.

The name? There's not much tell there. The only other option I considered was nearly the same as the title I have now. I don't remember what exactly it was, but, trust me, it was, like, one word different. Or maybe a letter. Seriously. It's kinda funny. ;)

And, to celebrate? For the week of the anniversary, this coming week - the anniversary is June 25th (the date I first posted my intro in 2014, and, fortunately a Saturday this year) - I'll be blogging about some adventurous things, most likely sharing a snippet of the book I'm working on, listing my top five favorite adventurous books, and other such fun things. The surprise? I'm...

HOSTING A GIVEAWAY!

Yep! You heard right.

I've never hosted a giveaway before, so bear with me... (Eh. It's not that bad. ;))

What I'll be giving away in the giveaway (haha. See what I did there? No? Oh, um, yeah, okay...)

Francesca Battistelli's album, Hundred More Years: Deluxe Edition  

 
AND When Calls the Heart (the 2013 movie)

The album is my favorite of Francesca's, and with uplifting, upbeat ballads to slower, moving songs, it's a keeper. And the movie? It's the introduction to the TV series currently moving into it's fourth season on Hallmark. It's Hallmark, so what can I say? It's a little cheesy, but it's funny.

The giveaway begins TODAY, June 18th, and ends the day of my anniversary, next Saturday, June 25th (note, though, that it ends at 12:00am on the 25th, so you will not be able to add any more entries after Friday). You've plenty of time to enter, though, so don't sweat it! ;) First name drawn gets Hundred More Years (with a note from me mentioning my favorites on the album), second receives When Calls the Heart (which will also come with a note! :)). I'll contact the winners via...Pinterest, Goodreads, Google+, their blog. Depends on which site you're on, or if you run your own blog!

Enter the giveaway below, share with your friends, and have fun! I'm looking forward to this week and the giving-away of things, and I hope you are too! (I like to give gifts. It's kinda my thing. Some days, I'll get an urge and buy a family member a book or something because, well, ya know, I'm a bookaholic and I like to share that. ;) And, okay, fine, I've only done that once. No twice. So, yes.). Feel free to stay around, chat a bit, and I hope you have a lovely time while doing so. <3 And a huge thank you and shout out to my followers! Blogging isn't the same with out ya.

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When Calls the Heart - Season 2 Review (A Few Spoilers!)

**SPOILER ALERT: There are a few spoilers for those who haven't watched all of season two yet! I didn't reveal too much, but those who haven't watch this last season may not want to know everything I've said.**

Watching the second season finale of When Calls the Heart (which aired on 6/13) left me raising my voice in indignation and horrified phrases of "I thought that was going to happen!". Needless to say, the ending was a cliffhanger. A major one. One that made me realize what Mr. Bird meant when he said the season ending was the 'best thing' but also the Hearties' 'worst nightmare'. I can't reveal the details, but the writers are doing a pretty good job keeping us on our toes!

Throughout the season there have been many (many...) ups and downs, but maybe those ups and downs needed to happen. Jack and Elizabeth, the charming Mountie and our head-strong heroine, have faced trials this last season (I'm sure those trials aren't the last we'll see!) and have grown. Where is character development if there is no battle and triumph?

Speaking of characters, I adore some of the newer ones. Take Lee Coulter, for instance. He's the new timber mill owner, who totally beats Gowen at a game of Poker and totally wins over Rosemary. From the beginning, I liked him. I loved the way he and Rosemary interacted, and it was so nice to see her with someone she genuinely liked! They make a great pair; and they make a really good team. That last episode where Lee gets Molly to act as though they're courting to get Rosemary jealous? Loved it. Rosemary's 'advice letter' to herself (with a little help from Abigail)? Oh, yes. Was I laughing/smiling? Of course! Seriously, though, can we keep Rosemary and Lee around?

 

I'm sure many people have begun to grow fond of Rosemary, myself included. I probably would've been pretty skeptical if someone would've told me so in the end of season one. Like Rosemary? Never, I dare say! But I would've been proven wrong, because this season her character has developed into someone I really hope sticks around! Yes, sometimes she shows a bit of her more selfish side, but I really have enjoyed her this season! She's probably one of the main sources of good laughs! She's so dramatic - and it's really funny to watch. And Lee...well, he takes it in stride, and I think he kinda loves it.

Then, we have all the intertwined stories developing in Hamilton, an expansion to our dear TV series. It's the place of Elizabeth's childhood, where old friendships and...family members lie (I do hope we'll see more of it in season three!). Some of those family and friends don't quite take to Jack as much as Elizabeth and Julie, her younger sister, have. And Tom Thornton, Jack's brother? Well, he seems to be a bit of a scoundrel when we're first introduced to him - or, maybe I should say, 'troubled youth' - but he...well, he kind of comes around eventually. He was an interesting addition to the cast, and hopefully we'll see more of him next season.

Julie, being her head-strong, naïve self makes for some shake-your-head moments. I do think Julie needs to be able to go out on her own and make some of her own decisions, but I also think she's been coddled, or undisciplined, for most of her life, so now she doesn't really know much about how to really live responsibly, and her parents are facing consequences of her somewhat-free-reign upbringing. That might all be resolved in...dare I hope?...season three. But! I can see her side of things...

The whole Jack-Elizabeth-Charles (maybe even Faith) love triangle could've gotten a bit frustrating. It wasn't actually as bad as I was expecting it to be when the season started, though. I was grating inside (before the season started) waiting for Jack and Elizabeth to break up and end up with Rosemary and Charles. But things turned out better than I expected. Can I just say: those trailers make things seem so much worse than are!!! Okay, so sometimes...most of the time. ;) But there can be certain exceptions...

I think my favorite episode of the season has to be the finale episode. The interaction between Jack and Elizabeth was kind of fun (especially the part in the mine!), and I liked the Lee-Rosemary scenario. But it also left us with questions, which is good storytelling! "What is Elizabeth going to say to Charles?" Almost more importantly: "What is Jack going to say!?" "What IS going on with Bill Avery?" "What is the pastor (whom I kind of like) hiding?" "Where has Julie gone?" etc. etc.

 

Speaking of Bill Avery, the pastor, and Nora: Bill's been acting shifty, so I cannot tell whether I should believe what he said to Jack or stick with what I've been thinking (which I won't say!). The pastor? He and Abigail are kind of cute together. They make a pretty good pair. But he is hiding something, and I have a little bit of a feeling it will shatter a little piece of Abigail's trust in him when and if she finds out what that 'something' is. And Nora? She is...kind of creepy. And she's teamed up with Gowen, so we know she's trouble. ;)

I enjoyed the storyline of Clara, Abigail's daughter-in-law. She's been a good addition to the series, and I hope we'll see more of her also in the season/s to come!

In this season, the focus of the story really shifted from Elizabeth and her students and the people of Coal Valley to specific characters and their own personal stories. We don't see a lot of Elizabeth teaching the children this season. But that was okay, because we really wanted to see what was happening in the specific characters' storylines, and that was the writers gave us!

This series is really good, and I hope it continues!

To draw this rather lengthy review to a close (albeit, I could say more!), I want to thank the cast and crew for making a show that's fun - and clean - and great for the whole family to watch! You guys are making a great show and, to Michael Landon Jr., Brian Bird, Daniel Lissing, Erin Krakow, Lori Loughlin, Pascale Hutton, and Kavan Smith and the rest of the cast (and crew, o' course), I hope we'll see you all back for a season three!

When Calls the Heart's Hallmark website: http://www.hallmarkchannel.com/when-calls-the-heart
When Calls the Heart store: http://www.whencallstheheartstore.com/

Special shots from the episode!