I've said it before and I'll say it again: "One Tree Hill" alum (and, apparently, ex-cult member!) Bethany Joy Lenz is a natural Hallmark star, with her bubbly, bright and effervescent personality. She always does a good job in these movies, and "Savoring Paris" is no exception. There's something about her character in a movie set in the City of Light that just works so perfectly.

An original-ish - I mean, this is Hallmark, so we're not going too far from the comfort zone of these sorts of movies - plot and plenty of Parisian flavour. A few cliched characters, but you take the good with the bad. If you like cheese, you're in luck.

Another winner from the ranks of Hallmark's on-location movies, which I think are some of the best that the Crown network does.

Like many on this site, Bethany Joy Lenz is one of my favorite actresses in Hallmark romances. In this film, she plays the part of Ella Weber, a corporate burnout who is ready to change her life. On a whim, she walks out of the office and hops a flight to Paris, where she particularly wants to indulge in the cheeses. In no time at all, she is in a fromagerie, where the proprietor is dubious of her American sensibilities, but she obtains a slab that delights her.

Her living accommodations for the weeks she will be there are the posh digs of Clotilde Aubergel (Manon Azem). Clo helps Ella learn the ways of the French and encourages her adventurous spirit. She also introduces Ella to her cousin, Gaston (Ben Wiggins), an attractive man who is younger, but oh so charming. As we all know, "No one's slick as Gaston/No one's quick as Gaston", so she falls under his spell despite the warnings she gets about Gaston's reputation as a lothario.

Elle's ete d'amour is filled with new experiences and her senses are filled with the sights, sounds and tastes of Paris and its cheeses. The owner of the fromagerie, named Serge, eventually warms to her and he becomes the steward of her burgeoning knowledge of cheese.

As in many Hallmark romances, there is a misunderstanding that must be overcome: a phrase lost in translation. But Elle negotiates that obstacle and extends her stay: a jete dans ete. After all the montages de fromage, the fun fashions, and the views of the Tour Eiffel, Elle's future begins to take shape, if only she can commit to it.

There is a lot to like about this film, from the Parisian scenery to the beautiful actors. Another thing that works well, though it could have been an annoyance, is the use of thought bubbles to reveal Ella's inner thoughts while providing translations of some French phrases. As usual, Bethany Joy's energy drives the narrative; her enthusiasm in this role feels genuine.

J'ai aimé ce film Bethany Joy Lenz is deserved of her middle name for that is what she brought to this film... I loved her character's manner - the genuine appreciation of French culture and her attempt to immense herself in it. Having an actor of Bethany's calibre makes up for some of the other actors on the Hallmark rota so I would also make time to watch her films. Superficially I also liked Bethany's outfits and hair.

The storyline was typically Hallmark predictable but Bethany and Stanley (Weber) and Ben (Wiggins) were lovely (and easy on the eye. And there's cheese at the heart of the story - I love cheese albeit not as much as Bethany's character.

Of course pretty obvious this wasn't filmed in France which is always a letdown but overall a light fun film to while away a few hours.