Christmas is the season of romance so it’s no surprise that The CW is giving viewers the gift of love with six brand-new original movies all inspired from Harlequin romances. The network promises “heartwarming stories [that will] bring love, drama, and holiday magic to life,” which also bring together fan-favorite stars including Shadowhunters actresses Kat McNamara and Emeraude Toubia. The pair played best friends Clary and Isabelle in the Freeform series, and will both appear in new CW originals.
Kat, who is a CW favorite after appearing inWalker: Independence with Jared Padalecki, and Arrow as Mia Smoak, will play Heather in Montana Mavericks, a NYC author who inherits a rundown ranch but finds that her plan to sell goes up in smoke when she meets the charming cowboy veterinarian next door. In Paws in the City, Emeraude plays Issa, a social media whiz who takes on a dog sitter job, and elsewhere, fans will see The Flash’s Danielle Panabaker in Second Guessing Fate, while Glee’s Amber Riley will fall in love with her contractor in Savvy Sheldon Feels Good As Hell.
Heather (Katherine McNamara) is a best-selling author struggling with writer’s block until she unexpectedly inherits a family ranch in Montana. With her two best friends, Heather heads out for a “Yellowstone” adventure, intent on a quick sale – but surprise, surprise, Heather is left blindsided when she meets Cliff (Dennis Andres), the charming cowboy veterinarian next door.
Gemma (Danielle Panabaker) is a successful event planner who is told by a strange fortune teller that she is one last horrible date away from true love. Gemma then goes on what she hopes is her last blind date with Nick (Corey Sevier) but anything and everything goes wrong, including crashing her car into a handsome stranger, Enzo (Brendan Morgan). Is Gemma misreading the signs? And will the cynical big city girl take a leap of faith?
Glee star Amber Riley stars as Savvy Sheldon, a busy working woman who has inherited a kitchen and a treasure trove of recipes from her grandmother. But when Savvy decides to invest in the kitchen and renovate, she meets Isaiah (Dorian Grey), a “dashing contractor [who] falls for more than Savvy’s delectable cuisine and may just be the secret ingredient to heating up Savvy’s love life’.
When Issa (Emeraude Toubia) accidentally ruins a young starlet’s career, she becomes the most unemployable social media manager in Manhattan and is forced to take a job caring for Camila, a glossy-maned dachshund diva, whose owner is the attractive, yet reclusive Theo (Carter Jenkins). “What starts as a way to keep a roof over her and her 14-year-old sister’s heads turns into an opportunity for Issa to showcase her skills and reunite her family; it also might be the key to her success in life and love.”
Recipe for Romance is a classic enemies-to-lovers story as Sari (True O’Brien) is given the long overdue opportunity to prove herself when her parents put the family’s coffee shop in her hands. But when a new bakery, run by the annoyingly handsome and charming Gabe (Alex Mallari Jr.) opens right next door, the pair find themselves in the prank war to end all prank wars…
Caro Cartwright (Katharine King So) is a vintage fashion devotee who agrees to harbor her childhood nemesis turned couture heiress Philippa Levreaux (Kathryn Gallagher). But despite—or perhaps because of—their differences, these two women help each other wrangle the challenges around them to find a way forward, be their best selves, and fulfill their dreams.
How to watch:
Saturday, December 20 (8:00-10:00pm ET/PT)
How to watch The CW:
For traditional viewing, local The CW channels are available, or if you are a cord-cutter you can watch on The CW app on devices like Roku, Apple TV, and smartphone. Services such as YouTube TV, Hulu + Live TV, or Fubo all also carry The CW. The CW website also has free streaming.