This year marks the 50th anniversary of the classic Peanuts show Be My Valentine, Charlie Brown. What would the holidays be without a Peanuts special? Valentine’s Day provide several opportunities for fun and memorable specials featuring the Peanuts gang, and especially Charlie Brown.

These shows are available to stream on Apple TV+.

Be My Valentine, Charlie Brown

It’s Valentine’s Day and hearts are fluttering at school. Charlie Brown is waiting for his valentines to start rolling in, while Linus buys a present for his teacher Miss Othmar—which Sally mistakes as a gift from her Sweet Babboo.

A Charlie Brown Valentine

Warm and fuzzy feelings fill the air as an inspired Snoopy writes poems about Valentine’s Day. Charlie Brown tries to impress the Little Red-Haired Girl. Sally and Lucy hope to get cards from their crushes. Peppermint Patty asks “Chuck” to the dance.

It’s Your First Kiss Charlie Brown

Charlie Brown gets to escort the homecoming queen to the dance and, much to his surprise, it’s the Little Red-Haired Girl.

There’s No Time for Love, Charlie Brown

School can be hard enough, and falling in love during class can cause so many complications. While Peppermint Patty, Marcie, Lucy, and Franklin all try to sort out their assignments, “Chuck” realizes his “anxieties have anxieties.” Meanwhile, the gang tries to get a good grade on their “field trip” report. Peppermint Patty and Marcie come to terms with their true feelings and affection for Charlie Brown while accidentally diverting him to the wrong “museum.” Charlie Brown continues to be a straight “blah” student, but he does get a good night kiss.

You’re in Love, Charlie Brown

On the last few days of school, Charlie Brown tries a variety of ways to meet his crush: the little red-haired girl.

About the Author

Francine Brokaw has been covering all aspects of the entertainment industry for over 30 years. She also writes about products and travel. She has been published in national and international newspapers and magazines as well as Internet websites. She has written her own book, Beyond the Red Carpet The World of Entertainment Journalists, is the entertainment correspondent for Good Day Orange County, and has her own TV show, Beyond the Red Carpet, on Village Television in Orange County. She is a longstanding member of the Television Critics Association and is accredited by the MPAA.

Images courtesy APPLE TV+

Tory: The Love Club Moms was just added to the streaming channel UP Faith and Family. 

Jo (Rebecca Dalton), Harper (Genelle Williams), and Nila (Nannten Contractor), and Tory (Ashley Newbrough) are the four single mothers who decide to form their own club – The Love Club Moms – to help each other with their dating/love life while they cope with motherhood. This four-part movie series is a fun way to spend a quiet afternoon. Tory’s story starts it off and is now available to stream on UP Faith and Family.

This is a cute story of a new mom dealing with her baby and career.  Tory is a dynamo in the publishing business so when she adopts a little baby she has to find a way to manage being a mom with her high-powered career and show she can do both equally well.

As the CEO of the publishing house Tory needs to prove she is up for the job. If she can land a new kids author to help the company that would be a feather in her cap.

Finn (Ryan Bruce) is an aspiring author who desperately wants his manuscript read by Tory. When he drops it off at her office he realizes there are dozens of unread manuscripts ahead of his. He has to find a way to get it into Tory’s hands.

Finn discovers where Tory lives and takes a chance by going to her house. When he gets there Tory and her Love Club Mom friends are in the middle of interviewing nannies for the baby. She mistakes Finn for a “manny” candidate and he shows himself to be very comfortable with the baby. 

He is hired before he gets a chance to explain why he is there. What better way to get his manuscript into Tory’s hands than to be around her all the time?

What comes unexpectedly is that Finn genuinely enjoys spending time with the baby and has a unique way about him. The little girl loves him.

In the meantime, another editor is hired at the publishing house and Tory thinks he might be the man she is looking for, not specifically for the business but for her love life. She wants a man who is not intimidated by her success and won’t be put off by the fact she is a single mother.

But her friends see the chemistry between Finn and Tory and do everything in their power to sabotage his advancements with her while building up Finn. They know Finn is a good match for Tory and when his cover is blown, they continue to help match up the two. After all, love is hard to find and when you find the one who ticks off all the boxes, it would be a shame to let him go, even if he did mislead you. 

They must find a way to convince their friend that Finn is the man for her. 

Jo’s story will premiere February 14, 2025, Nila’s story will premiere February 28, 2025, and Harper’s story will be available to stream beginning February 21, 2025.  This is a cute little series. The friendship of the four women ads the special ingredient to make these stories fun.

About the Author

Francine Brokaw has been covering all aspects of the entertainment industry for over 30 years. She also writes about products and travel. She has been published in national and international newspapers and magazines as well as Internet websites. She has written her own book, Beyond the Red Carpet The World of Entertainment Journalists, is the entertainment correspondent for Good Day Orange County, and has her own TV show, Beyond the Red Carpet, on Village Television in Orange County. She is a longstanding member of the Television Critics Association and is accredited by the MPAA.

Image courtesy UP Faith and Family

For the Love of Chocolate is filled with sweets and treats, not to mention love. Rhiannon Fish and Jesse Hutch star in this delicious love story centered around – you guessed it – chocolate.

Aria (Fish) owns a chocolate shop. She is a master of chocolate treats. Her sparkling personality and charm win over everyone who comes into the shop as well as an internet fanbase, thanks to her sister Sage (Genevieve Buechner) who posts videos of Aria’s delicacies and tutorials.

Ryan (Hutch) is a single father who has come back to his hometown to help his parents with the festival. One day Ryan and his daughter Sofie (Emma Oliver) pop into the chocolate shop and the rest is a story of love, commitment, and partnership.

With a big Masters of Chocolate Festival competition on the horizon Aria just lost her partner and without one she won’t be able to compete. When she falls into Ryan’s arms – literally – sparks fly and Ryan becomes her new chocolate-making partner. He is creative and eager, and the duo work well together.

Aria quickly realizes how helpful and creative her new partner is in the kitchen, and soon they take their business association to a personal relationship. After all, it is a romance film and viewers expect to see the two stars get together, which they do.

Their love story is like a fairy tale, according to Sofie. And as they say, they live happily ever after.
The chocolate treats look so delicious and mouth watering so viewers will want to make sure they watch this movie on a full stomach. Note: The chocolate made me so hungry I had to grab a snack while finishing the film. I could almost taste and smell the delicious chocolate coming through the screen.


For the Love of Chocolate will temp everyone who has a sweet tooth, and for those who don’t (who are you??) the love story is sweet (no pun intended).

This 2021 movie is available on Pure Flix beginning February 6, 2025 and premieres on Great American Family on February 15, 2025.

About the Author

Francine Brokaw has been covering all aspects of the entertainment industry for over 30 years. She also writes about products and travel. She has been published in national and international newspapers and magazines as well as Internet websites. She has written her own book, Beyond the Red Carpet The World of Entertainment Journalists, is the entertainment correspondent for Good Day Orange County, and has her own TV show, Beyond the Red Carpet, on Village Television in Orange County. She is a longstanding member of the Television Critics Association and is accredited by the MPAA.

Alison Sweeney returns for another Hannah Swensen Mystery on Hallmark Mystery  (and Hallmark+). This time her bakery is involved in a murder.

When a famous chef comes to town to film an episode of her popular cooking show, Hannah is ecstatic. She has been a fan of the show for years. And when The Cookie Jar is selected to be the location of the shoot, well, that excites Hannah even more. And the cherry on top, no pun intended, is that Hannah is invited to help on the show – in the background. 

This news also excites her mother Delores (Barbara Niven) who is a sleuth/actress and prides herself on knowing about the film industry. Well, to a certain extent.

In the meantime, District Attorney Chad (Victor Webster) is about to go to trial on a big case that will put the serial jewel thief in prison for a long time. Needless to say, Delores is happy about this as she has been afraid her precious jewels will fall prey to the thief.

Things are going all right for all of them until one of the crew is found murdered in the bakery. Hannah inserts herself as usual in the investigation. After all, it did happen in her bakery and she was acquainted with the victim.

Norman (Gabriel Hogan) joins in the investigation as the gang go to work finding clues to who killed this person and why.  In this episode Norman gets to put his dentistry skills to use while also helping Hannah solve the murder.

Fans of the show know there is an attraction between Hannah and Chad, however to date they have skirted around their affection for each other. It looks like they are getting closer to a first date, but in not this episode. Perhaps they will take the next step in the next movie. For now their mutual respect and attraction is kept at bay, although cracks are showing in their platonic relationship. 

Chad invites Hannah to court to watch his opening statement to the jury, which is something intriguing to her as she sees his talent up close and personal. 

Also back in this movie are police detective Lonny (Daylin Willis) and Hannah’s sister Michelle (Tess Atkins). 

This is another fun mystery with the usual cute interactions between the entire cast. This group is entertaining even without a mystery to solve.

Reality Bites: A Hannah Swensen Mystery premieres February 6, 2025 on Hallmark Mystery and will be available the following day to stream on Hallmark+. Also, viewers can catch up on past movies in this fan-favorite series.

About the Author

Francine Brokaw has been covering all aspects of the entertainment industry for over 30 years. She also writes about products and travel. She has been published in national and international newspapers and magazines as well as Internet websites. She has written her own book, Beyond the Red Carpet The World of Entertainment Journalists, is the entertainment correspondent for Good Day Orange County, and has her own TV show, Beyond the Red Carpet, on Village Television in Orange County. She is a longstanding member of the Television Critics Association and is accredited by the MPAA.

Image courtesy: Hallmark/Crown Media