The Love Heist, starring Lyndsy Fonseca and Peter Porte, premiered last night on Hallmark Channel and is now available to stream on Hallmark+. The movie follows celebrity stylist Kayli, who teams up with hotel security chief Mills to track down an iconic piece of fashion history after it goes missing on her watch, just before the Chicago Costume Gala.
The central question driving the mystery is a simple one. What is anyone to do when an iconic Elizabeth Taylor dress disappears during fashion week in Chicago? Kayli and Mills go undercover to find it, and the case gets more complicated when jewelry starts going missing during the same time frame. Mills doesn’t believe Kayli is behind it, and that trust becomes the backbone of their partnership as the investigation unfolds.
Underneath the caper plot is a more personal arc for Kayli, who spends much of the movie hesitant to commit to a decision or believe in herself after a past fashion error with a celebrity client. Mills offers her the film’s emotional throughline: to be brave, you have to be scared first. Kayli has to take that to heart if she wants to become the stylist she’s capable of being.
Fonseca and Porte have fun, charming chemistry together, though that’s not exactly a surprise. We haven’t seen Lyndsy Fonseca miss yet. She brings the same effortless charm to The Love Heist that she’s brought to every Hallmark role before it. The Love Heist is directed by Hallmark veteran Kevin Fair, with a script from Holly Gent, who is new to the network.
Our Take: This one felt slower to us than some of the other Summer Nights entries, and the mystery doesn’t always move with the same energy as the romance. That said, the leads carry it well, and viewers who are watching mainly for Fonseca and Porte’s chemistry will likely find plenty to enjoy here even if the pacing isn’t for everyone.
Hallmark’s Summer Nights lineup continues next week with A Castle of Our Own. You can catch up on the previous entries, The Greek Aisle and Texas Two Step, on Hallmark+.
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The Love Heist Review: Lyndsy Fonseca and Peter Porte Star in New Hallmark Movie
