This is a Harlequin romance. That tells you most of what you need to know to decide if you want to watch it or not.What I liked about it was the chemistry and one VERY entertaining scene (at least, it made me laugh out loud) about halfway through where one makes a pass at the other and... gets a response bearing absolutely NO resemblance to anything they (or I) were expecting. I won't spoil it, but it contains the line "It's not nice...". Well played, movie. Well played.Aside from that little nugget, the rest of the movie contains few surprises, but is watchable. There are occasional moments of chemistry and decent acting, as well as some campy moments which mostly work, at least if you aren't stringent in your demands from such. Occasional eye-roll-worthy bits didn't stop me from liking the movie enough to mildly recommend it. Just don't expect the moon.

I never read the book the movie was based on but the movie was so horrible I can't seem to bring myself to reading the book. I am sure they cut out a lot of things like they normally do when converting a book into a movie but it wasn't the movie itself I had a problem with, it was the actress.I know there are plenty of people who will hate me and disagree with me but I thought it was a horrible performance and with that hairstyle, she was not all that pretty. I won't even start in on the Gawd awful hairdo at the end of the movie when she is playing the piano, ugh and the bad outfits through the movie. Good grief I swear who ever did the wardrobe was stuck in the 80's. Anyway, so yeah, with Cynthia Geary horrible acting I just couldn't enjoy the movie. Her acting was so bad I could not forget the movie and that is not a good reason to remember the movie. If you do not agree with me then I will tell you to go back and look at the scene in the diner where she is gloating about getting breakfast and "mooning" over him. Really? You call that good acting?? Then the supposed "sexy swagger" where she folded up her skirt and took off her jacket to try to get information from the front desk guy and telling him she was there for back rent. Her facial expressions too when singing at the piano at the end... ewwwAgain, this is only my personally little tiny opinion. Others, you are more than welcome to enjoy it and dislike me for mine but it's just how I see it.

It amazes me that people watch a movie titled "Harlequin's The Awakening" and then complain about it being a romance. It takes all kinds, I guess.One thing that may be missed at first is that this movie is actually intended as a comedy as well as a romance with a few thriller elements at the very end. But basically, it's a romantic comedy. The first time watching it, the comic elements can be a little annoying because they are of the oops! variety.The star and chief reason for seeing this movie is Cynthia Geary. Not just because she is beautiful--who isn't in a romance movie--but because of her enormous appeal. It's a shame that this appears to have been her only starring role. So, see it for her if for nothing else. (But not if you're expecting Citizen Kane or anything of that sort.)

It starts out as a cute endearing small town drama, but soon degenerates into cheesy romance novel territory, with the mundane small town woman being whisked away on a wild adventure by her mysterious handsome stranger. It's worth watching though, even if only for the hilarity of our hero delivering the ridiculous line "when I see white (picket) fences I want to burn them down", in a seductive whisper.