Tuesday, March 29, 2016

When Calls the Heart: Hearts in Question #Hearties SPOILER ALERT!!


Ahh Hearties! What a wonderful episode we had last night and I am so happy to have been able to see it with you all. For those of you wondering where my review was for last week, the people in charge saw fit to keep it a secret from us all. So I watched it this morning and wow! What an amazing episode! These writers are definitely keeping us all on our toes. The proposal from Lee, Becky and Cody going through so much? It really is a wonderful family friendly program :) Today I bring you my review for the upcoming episode, Hearts in Question. As always, this does contain spoilers and if you do not want to know anything, please stop reading.


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SPOILER ALERT!!!!!!!!!!
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Okay, everyone stopped reading who doesn't want to know anything about what is coming up this week? Then here we go into this wonderful episode!! Also, ALL PICTURES HERE ARE MY OWN!! Please do not use without my consent!



We have all the, previously on When Calls the Heart, and it plays back little snippets from last weeks episode. This includes Lee's proposal and Becky and Cody finding out they can stay with Abigail.



This one starts out a bit mysterious. A stranger riding in the dark all alone. As you can see, they are heading towards Hope Valley and you have to wonder. Will they be there for good or for workings of evil?



Rosemary, Lee and Elizabeth are all in the saloon working at tables. Or rather, Elizabeth is hard at work, Rosemary is playing with cloth and Lee is reading a paper. We all know how Rosemary is and the deft way she has of getting others to do work for her, but also how she likes to take charge of anything and everything.



This is her wedding and she wants it to shine! The event of the century if you will :)  She asks Lee what color for the tables and he replies with, what? Oh silly, white is standard color but the blue matches her eyes! Of course we also know how Lee is and the way he parries with Rosie. What are we going to get to match my eyes, bloodshot? We see a flashback to the stranger who has arrived in Hope Valley but instead of going to the saloon, they head towards.... the jail??



Rosie and Lee are back to talking and she inquires about the dinner for the reception. Lee brings up the valid point that she should be talking to Abigail about it and not him. Since Abigail is the one who will be cooking all the food. She wants food sent in from the grand hotel in Union City and Lee feels like Abigail will be more than able to take care of it, but Rosie isn't sure she is skilled enough to put together a whole wedding banquet! And why does it look like Elizabeth has been told something she isn't happy about?



And then the look on Lee's face? Or rather the covering of his face? Anyone guess at what Rosemary has said this time? :)



Okay, so back to the Royal Canadian Mounted Police headquarters where Jack is busy settling in for the night. The mysterious stranger has finally arrived at the jail and knocks on the door.



Anyone have a guess as to who this person could be? Alone and riding in the dark of night?


Someone knocks on his door and he goes to see who it is, asking if he can help them. "Well, I could use a hot cup of coffee." Uh, mom???



Yep, in the flesh, Charlotte Thornton has appeared at last! Brooke Shields makes one of those great opening scenes that has you wondering if she will fit in or make Jack's life harder.



He appears to be happy to see her but also a little bit of wondering in his face. And we get the opening credits as he stand there in shock and surprise!


Now we have all seen the previews I am sure so it is no surprise to us having Charlotte wearing pants and a totally strong bold woman who knows her own mind, and maybe even the minds of a couple other people too :) Jack questions the wisdom of riding through the rain and storm alone and that the stagecoach might have been safer. And her response is one I heard quite a bit throughout this episode, "you always did like to sass." Oh, and "where is the young lady you wrote me about?" Soo, Jack has obviously told his mother about Elizabeth and now Charlotte wants to come see her in person. Oh, and guess who ends up sleeping in a cell? Since the hotel closes at 10 they both end up sleeping at the jail, no Jack didn't lock her up :)



We next see Frank Hogan opening the door of the stagecoach and helping Abigail Stanton down with Cody right behind her. There has been a lot of debating over these two getting together and while I personally will always have a special place in my heart for Bill and Abigail, I think they are finding a good rhythm with Frank and Abigail. If only it was so for Bill and Dottie. Frank asks Abigail to go riding the next day and she says it sounds like a date!


Jesse is a troubled young man as we saw in the previous episode. Upset at the world, those who have caused the mill to be shut down and why he can't be given a job if he is the hero who saved the town. I seriously wanted to shake him! Just because you help out and do the right thing doesn't mean everything goes rosy and smooth the rest of your life!



Here we find him working for Gowen, bringing him an envelope full of cash. Did he bring it at the expense of someone else? Let's just say Gowen is still showing his stripes and he is dragging Jesse into the midst of it, though Jesse is old enough to make his own decisions.



Jack is up bright and early putting on his red serge. I just love seeing him in uniform!! His mother is standing by watching him and notices that a button is coming off. She offers to sew it on for him if he will take his uniform off real quick. After all, how will anyone respect you with a loose button? Oh my word I about died when she said this with such a straight face!!





You can tell she is his mother when she brushes his coat off and then tries fixing his cowlick! She also appears to be either coming down with a cold, or allergic to Rip. Thankfully Elizabeth walks in and disrupts the strange scene going on there :) And while some other interruptings have been interesting, I think this one might top them all.

Um, Elizabeth, meet my mother, Charlotte Thornton.

Oh, it would have been nice to know she was coming for a visit? 


Charlotte calls Elizabeth Lizzy and Jack reminds her it is Elizabeth, not Lizzy. What do you think? I personally have thought it would be nice if Jack gave her a nickname, you know what I mean? Jack offers to take them to eat, but Elizabeth said she wants them both to come eat at her place. To which Jack puts his foot in his mouth by saying, Are you going to cook for my mother?

Um Jack, that was totally the wrong thing to say! His mother steps in and says she will help and then Jack does it again! "Mom, you can't cook either." Oh my word!! This young man will be sleeping in the dog house tonight!

Let's just say that he is standing in between the two women he loves and he can't seem to get a right word in? Elizabeth seems to find her step after a couple minutes and even offers to let Charlotte sleep at her house, since Rip seems to be causing her to sneeze. After his mother walks into the other room, Elizabeth gives Jack this look. "So, you think I can't cook?" 


"Oh no, you have gotten much better" :) Elizabeth is worried that because he said that, his mother will think she can't even prepare a decent meal. Oh Jack, can't you ever learn to keep your mouth shut!!  "Well then she'd have that in common"



But you don't, cause you are a much better cook than she is. And then Elizabeth gets this sweet look on her face because she realizes that Jack just complimented her over his mother. And we end up with this :) 

Rosie can't stay out of the picture for long during this episode. It really focuses on her and the upcoming wedding but thankfully we also get quite a bit of Jack and Elizabeth. Rosie is walking down main street with Hickam, looking troubled as you can see. After all, Rosemary wants him to release doves, right as her and Lee leave the church. Talk about grand ideas! 

But she won't be getting it since the latch wasn't done completely and all the doves flew away, except one who Hickam thinks was too fat to fly! I was totally cracking up at this point! Their conversation goes from bad to worse when Rosie responds :) But enter Charlotte Thornton and Rosemary's face goes from down to exuberant in seconds! 

They haven't seen each other in ages and the last time Charlotte recalls is right after Rosie and Jack got engaged. Rosemary makes sure there are no hard feelings and Charlotte assures her that she knew Jack and Rosie weren't meant to be together from the start. They were oil and water after all. But Rosemary gets to tell her that she finally met the man of her dreams and is getting married on Saturday!!



Gowen and Nora are in the saloon and Nora seems to be hesitant with him. He apologizes and says he never should have asked her to choose. There has been a lot of speculating over these two and some have brought up that they believe he is the person who abandoned Nora after she was pregnant and Bill stepped in to help her. If that is true, I have to wonder why she trusts him now. He asks her to forgive him and she says so long as it doesn't happen again. But then she tells him what she has been thinking. 
"We both have unhappy memories here, maybe it is time to get a fresh start? What if we were to start over somewhere else?"

Now, could they really start over somewhere else? I still find it hard to believe that she trusts him enough to do that. But for some reason he is her rock and undeniably he is softer around her. I will leave you to draw your own conclusions til Sunday.

Now comes a fun part many have seen from the extended preview. Elizabeth is cooking, looking all soft and womanly when Charlotte comes down the stairs. She compliments Elizabeth on the guest room but then it turns to how much she doesn't like to dust. But oh wait, Elizabeth says she just dusted? Ooops! She is browning the ground beef and starts to add paprika when Charlotte instead suggests pepper since that is what Jack likes.



And I shall say, a lot of pepper! But there is one more ingredient to be added. Love? Oh no, lard! How in the world Jack grew up eating this cooking I have no clue:) But it seems to be how Mama Thornton cooked all the time.


Rosemary and Abigail are meeting in the saloon while talking about dinner and the foods she would like to include. Abigail tells Rosie she thinks she might be trying too hard.



But you know Rosemary, she wants everything to be perfect. Abigail brings up that people are coming to the wedding because they care, not because they are serving some fancy dinner. Abigail is definitely the one who imparts wisdom. She has been through things and like the last episode mentioned, she has been tested and tried but come through the fire admirably!



Back at Elizabeth's, she is anxiously waiting to see how Jack likes the meal that his mother added to. He is hardly eating and while he says it is filling, you can tell it doesn't taste like it should. Elizabeth quickly adds that his mother put lard in it, to which Charlotte responds that lard is what makes it stick to the shepherds ribs!



Jack brings up going to the settlement as he is bringing Elizabeth to see about starting a school for the children and when Charlotte asks to go, she was a teacher and the first school she ever taught was in a tent, Elizabeth makes sure to invite her. Almost tongue in cheek though :) And again, Charlotte calls her Lizzy without anyone saying a word! I find Charlotte to be a strong woman, probably had to be as we find out later, and I like her a lot. Funny, quirky and just hopefully not too much for Elizabeth!


Early the next morning we get to see Elizabeth coming down the stair in her pajamas and Charlotte is up doing what? Oh that would be the laundry! At five o clock in the morning! Way too early for Elizabeth as you can see by the look on her face :)

Charlotte couldn't find the washboard and Elizabeth quips that she doesn't have one. I like that Elizabeth is being able to stand up to her but be quite friendly towards her. I get the idea that many people find Charlotte too brassy for their liking. Back to the laundry debate, Elizabeth says that she hires someone to do it with her schedule and because it allows others to make some extra money.



Charlotte of course proudly tells her that she always does her own, doesn't like anyone else handling her personal items. Elizabeth quickly lets her know that she washes her own "unmentionables" and Charlotte all of a sudden perks up. "I never got why a person would bring them up when they can't mention what they are?"



A very valid question to my way of thinking but when you see what she is washing, not a very clear picture but I am sure you get the idea, you also realize why Elizabeth has this look on her face.

They do get into a bit of a serious discussion about Elizabeth's background and how Jack has told his mother about her life in Hamilton. "It must have been very comfortable?" And I love Elizabeth's response, "maybe too comfortable. Part of the reason I moved to Hope Valley, to do things for myself" This young woman has grown so much in this past season and I love her maturity. 

We get to see Mr Yost and his beautiful daughter as they are loading a wagon full of goods. There is mention of terrible weather coming and that the roads will be flooded. 



Rosie is back and making sure everything is running smoothly, or not? Dottie has her hands full making what she thought was three bridesmaid dresses but Rosemary informs her it is to be four. I have my own theory about this but we will see what happens:) 

At the church, Lee and Rosemary are listening to wise counsel from Pastor Hogan. Lee is ready to get married right away and forget all the hoopla that Rosie wants to add to the wedding. But Rosemary is of the mindset that she is going to have the wedding she has dreamed about. Perfect! 



Even when Lee informs her that he got so busy with all the trouble at the mill that the gazebo he promised her will not be done. 



Pastor Hogan has such a way about him and reminds them that communication is everything, it is best to be honest and open, lay it all out on the table. Of course they have talked and agree about almost everything! Or not? A big house, white picket fence, two cats, model T, five kids, five kids, what??? 

Well, children wear diapers, and you know what is inside them? They are just sooo, sticky? 

Hopefully they get their issues resolved before the wedding but we will leave them to talk it out a bit and instead head to the settlement where Jack, Elizabeth and Charlotte are. Jack approaches Edith and finds out that Roy is working hard but they are worried about the mines and the flooding. Last year the flooding washed out the road to the mines and the miners were cut off from town. 

Elizabeth is trying to show the mothers how important schooling is for the children, but they aren't buying it. Many of the children have chores and no time for learning. They aren't going to become doctors or anything so it isn't needed. 


Elizabeth walks off to read the children a book and this is where I realized that Charlotte respects her more than she lets on. She talks to the mothers, explaining that she grew up poor, knows how it is, but one of the best things that ever happened was learning to read. And then to become a teacher.

But what came next was some wonderful input from Jack. And I think that right here is where he showed his mother how much Elizabeth means to him. Because he tells the women what Elizabeth has done, and there isn't a teacher alive who is as talented and dedicated as she is. "Except your mother"."

And as he turns to walk away, the look on his mothers face sealed the deal for me. She sees what is happening and that Jack is in love with Miss Thatcher. It is almost a look of satisfaction.

At the mines, Roy is anxious to get back to Edith and little Oliver. But he still has three weeks to go. As you can see, working hard and being back together with his family has made him look like a new man. He is dirty, but happy. I am just hoping that all is going well for him.


At first I thought Gowen was an evil man, then he showed a bit of a different side to him, but it is like he has two sides that are constantly going back and forth over who gets to come out. And this time, it is his evil side. A manager from the bank rushes in and tells him that the bank just had government auditors. And they were asking questions he didn't like.

Gowen proceeds to question him and it appears the auditor was implying misuse of funds. The manager told them that all allocations go through Gowen's office, but they insisted on seizing the records. At which point Gowen says he will handle it. But the look on his face is not reassuring in the least.
Frank and Abigail are walking their horses amidst the beautiful snow covered fields.



They are making small talk until Abigail mentions that Florence came by to see her the other day and asked an interesting question. Were Abigail and Frank officially courting? "What did you say?" "What would you have said?" "I would have told her the truth, I would have said yes."

"That's what I said."
These two really are growing on me, as much as I would like to see Bill get back with Abigail. I know I didn't care for Frank's answers to Abigail in the last episode, but they are really getting sweet together.


The women are having the bridal shower for Rosemary and everyone is there, except for Charlotte, who was supposed to come and ended up being exhausted according to Elizabeth. At which point Florence comments that Mrs Thornton is... colorful, and Molly Sullivan asks how Elizabeth and Charlotte are getting along since she is staying with Elizabeth.

Elizabeth lists many of her attributes, including being an early riser and an interesting chef, before offering to go get the punch and cookies. As she leaves, Rosemary stands up to assist her as well.

Now while the ladies are having their bridal shower, the men are having a bachelors party of sorts at the saloon. Lee pulls Jack aside and before he even gets finished asking his question, Jack offers to be his best man in the wedding.

As they all go to sit down at the table to play a friendly game of poker, the question is asked, stud or draw. And a voice draws all eyes towards the person who says, I call stud.

And that would be....?

Everyone, meet Charlotte Thornton, my mother :)

Bill Avery introduces himself and mentions that he worked with her husband years ago. She remarks that from what her husband told her about Bill's poker skills, she stands to do very well this evening. :D

Rosemary ends up talking to Elizabeth, pouring out her troubles about Lee's desire for children. Elizabeth does very well in giving advice and Rosie even makes the comment that maybe she should take over the advice column, since she won't have time for it after she is married. Yet Rosemary turns around and gives some advice of her own about Charlotte.

Speaking of Mama Thorton, she has cleaned out the men at the poker tables!


The next morning, Elizabeth cannot believe that Charlotte ditched the bridal shower to crash the bachelor party! She remarks to Jack that sometimes she has a hard time realizing they are related since Charlotte is so different from Jack.



They have a little heart to heart about his mother being a survivor, raising two boys so young by herself, etc. He even thanks Elizabeth for spending so much time with her, making me wonder about how most people take Charlotte.



And who should pop up but Charlotte going for a duck hunt! She offers for them to come with her but both beg off. As she rides away. she reminds Jack about the button, and also that he needs a haircut, bringing this response from them both:)

I want to say how proud I am of Clara in this episode. After everything that happened with Jesse, her pressing him to tell about the Garrison Gang, offering him encouragement but never allowing it to go too far, she yet again shows the strength I love. Jesse comes up and asks her to go with him to a fancy dinner.



She basically says that if he got the money from Gowen and is working for Gowen, she won't go with him. He gets belligerent with her and asks why she doesn't like the mayor, at which point she tells him it is a long list. And she gives him an ultimatum. "If you want us to see each other, you can't work for him."

"Then maybe I will have to find someone else to bring to dinner." "Maybe you should." Way to go Clara!! I am so proud of her for showing this strength. It is obvious they like each other but she will not have him working for a man who is not trustworthy.


The bank has hired Bill to check into some possible problems with the towns finances. At this point I was really wondering if there was another reason for Bill's friendship with Dottie. Which apparently she thinks as well when she questions if he is asking her to steal Gowen's ledgers.



He assures her he would never ask that, but if there is anything she might possibly know that would aid him in his investigation. She asks if he has noticed the barrel outside the office, most people wouldn't. But there is something there that could be of use to someone wanting to know if the mayor is honest or not.

Cody is sitting there with Frank while Rosemary is griping to Abigail about people canceling on her wedding. After she leaves, Cody starts wondering about weddings and marriages, even asking if pastors can get married. Of course, the icing on the cake is when he asks, "so when are you going to ask Ms Abigail?"



Gowen and Nora are seen walking at a fast clip down the sidewalk, with Nora asking why they have to leave so soon. He reminds her she was talking about a fresh start but she didn't mean so soon. Something is happening and it seems like Gowen is up to his old tricks and nothing good!

Elizabeth meets up with Charlotte walking down the sidewalk, and Elizabeth thanks Charlotte for saying something to the mothers. This is another time where I saw Mama Thornton encourage Elizabeth. I believe she knows that Jack is in love, and she is happy with the two of them pairing up. "My son thinks a lot of you." They really have found their groove and I like how they are interacting together.



I want to finish up here and leave some of the ending to the pleasure of your viewing on Sunday. But a couple more things real quick :)



Rosie and Lee are opening some house warming gifts that have been sent to them. One of which is is a letter from a woman who sent her regrets but she was expecting and wouldn't be able to travel in her condition. Rosemary gets somewhat, shall we say snarky? Til she opens the envelope and reads the contents. This part here about made me cry. I will leave the details for you to see Sunday, but lets just say Rosie may have a change of heart?


Speaking of heart, Jack has a touching discussion with his mother which results in something big. He asks her what she thinks of Elizabeth.
Jack, you have been seeing Lizzy for a long time now (obviously she knows a lot about what has been happening between the two of them), it is time to either ride, or get out of the saddle.

I love you mom!
Well, their discussion brings about this. Which I am only sharing since it has been in all the previews. But enjoy the pics :) Their repertoire is wonderful here and I felt like I was watching the first season again with their little flirting banter. 


Wow! That is some serious kissing:) I hope you have enjoyed the ride during this episode. There are many parts I didn't even mention, some I only just touched on and even a few where I left parts out :) That way you can see the new episode on Sunday and not know it all. Hopefully it has whet your appetite for this incredible episode! 






**DISCLOSURE: I was given a free product in exchange for an honest review. No compensation was given, and all thoughts are 100% mine. Please read my full disclosure policy HERE.**
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