Tag: romance

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Why I Love Dramatic Romance Films: A Review Series

Devoted to the Drama: A Romance Writer’s Ritual
I just got a pass to preview some upcoming shows, and I’m absolutely thrilled to start writing reviews. You’ll be able to get your fix on Blush and Bone right here on the site.
Full transparency: I’ll soon be looking for a writing partner in the romance game. So if you’re as obsessed with love stories as I am, stay tuned.
Nothing makes me feel more alive, more grounded, or more gratified than watching highly dramatic, emotionally charged romance movies. I love curling up in bed or on the couch and diving into stories where people break up to make up, take down their stalker, find true love, start over in a small town, or fall into Christian love — you name it. If it’s dramatic and romantic, I’m in.
I even got my kids hooked early. When my son was struggling with language development, I had him sit with me and watch movies. Looking back, I wish I’d chosen General Hospital over all those creepy neighbor thrillers — because now he occasionally sounds like “that guy.” It’s funny… but also, you know. I have fond memories of my daughter Calais and I in her little hospital bed (me on the side) watching shows. I can still hear her shaky little voice from behind her mask saying, ” oh no, he’s got a gun!” I’m sure a four year old didn’t need to see that, but she was entertained and that’s what it was about. More often than not, there is a happy ending in sight.
These movies are predictable, and that’s exactly why they work. It’s the classic “if it ain’t broke, don’t fix it.” Like going to McDonald’s — you know the fries will hit every time. It’s the reason I would never boycott Hulu or Lifetime, they are just too awesome.


I don’t watch as many movies as I used to, but I’m making a vow: two romance films a week, and a review for each. I recently scored an amazing deal on an Amazon television for $99 (seriously, check it out while it lasts), and it inspired me to dive back in. First up: The Neighbor (2017). I wrote a review about it — and trust me, you’ll want to decide for yourself whether neighbor “Mike” is the kind of guy you’d want living next door.

So, let’s talk about The Neighbor (2017). It’s the kind of movie that proves one universal truth: if your neighbor knows more about your life than your best friend does, you’re in danger. Period.

Mike Fichtner plays the world’s least subtle widower, living next door to a shiny new couple. At first, he’s just your average lonely guy — watering the lawn, saying hi too much — and then boom, suddenly he’s in their kitchen, in their business, and maybe in their nightmares. Imagine Ned Flanders if he swapped “hi-diddly-ho” for ominous stares and bad timing.

The Funny-but-Creepy Stuff:

  • That backyard barbecue. One minute it’s burgers and beers, the next it’s “so how stable is your marriage?” Sir, pass the ketchup and calm down.
  • His relentless “neighborly visits.” At this point, he’s less neighbor and more unpaid life coach nobody asked for.
  • Everyone around just shrugs like, “Yeah, that’s Bob. He’s weird.” Ma’am, Bob is plotting.

Pros:

  • Mike Fichtner is a masterclass in resting-creep-face. Half the tension is just him existing on screen.
  • The whole “suburban nightmare” aesthetic is strong — it looks like a Pottery Barn catalog but with secrets.
  • Predictable, yes. But it’s the cinematic version of comfort junk food. Sometimes you want steak, sometimes you want mac and cheese from a box.

Cons:

  • The middle act drags — we didn’t need that many awkward silences.
  • The supporting cast could’ve been replaced by mannequins in Banana Republic clothes.
  • The climax? More like a drizzle than a storm. I wanted fireworks; I got damp sparklers.

Final Take:
This isn’t a genre-bending thriller. It’s not even trying to be. The Neighbor is for people (me) who secretly love Lifetime thrillers and don’t care that they all follow the same script. Creepy, predictable, and easy to swallow — like watching bad reality TV, you know it’s trashy but you can’t look away.

If You Like This, Watch That:

  • The Hand That Rocks the Cradle (1992) — still the gold standard of “helpful stranger ruins your life.”
  • Disturbia (2007) — actual suspense, plus teenage nosiness.
  • The Watcher (Netflix, 2022) — because one weird neighbor is never enough.
  • The Rental (2020) — nosy meets Airbnb horror, and it does not end well.
  • Leave the World Behind (2023) — paranoia, neighbors, and the sense that everyone knows more than they’re telling.
  • The Woman in the House Across the Street from the Girl in the Window (2022) — for when you want your neighbor-creep fix with a wink and some wine.
  • Fresh from 2024/2025: Apartment 7A (2024) — psychological thriller in the Rosemary’s Baby universe, AKA “don’t trust your neighbors, ever.”
  • Also 2025’s The Deliverance (Lee Daniels) — not exactly suburban snooping, but definitely brings that unnerving, who’s-watching-you energy.

Bottom line: The Neighbor is like reheated thriller leftovers — a little bland, a little mushy, but oddly satisfying at 11 p.m. when you just need something familiar, creepy, and snackable.

I love romance from all around the world, and urban movies also– stay tuned.

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Forgiveness Is Immediate But Healing Takes Time So Let’s Bridge The Gap With Culture And Tradition Like Aunt Caroline

Written By: Chiara Luz Atoyebi

Aunt Caroline Dye Photo In The Public Domain

When it comes to African Americans taking control of their lives in any way that appears to reflect autonomy it becomes threatening. People coloring outside of the lines, going off of the beaten path, attempting to live outside of “groupthink” can appear suspect. However, a visionary’s job is to see what is coming and therefore it takes a few discerning individuals to be able to follow the signs of them that believe.

I have been on my spiritual path since the age of twelve. It began to shift into high gear at 13 and every five years thereafter. This last five years has been quite mind blowing in terms of intel and has caused me to finally answer the call by incorporating the wisdom of various interreligious elders with similar experiences as mine.

Pictured above is Aunt Caroline Dye. She was a 19th century healer, hoodoo woman, rental property investor, soothsayer, rootworker and conjuror from Arkansas. She was more like a prophet than a fortune teller and she used playing cards to keep her concentration straight. I have mentioned before in my writings, that it was a woman like this, and La Madama, that appeared in my home with a cleaning item ( a broom) pointing to cards on a shelf for me. At the time, I denied them. I was scared. Also, I felt it went against my beliefs. But as I studied the narratives of enslaved people in Puerto Rico, the Caribbean, the Sea Islands of America, Virginia, and the Carolinas–my people–we were the medicine women. We were the people with the answers. The people you don’t touch, even to this day. The day I touched my playing cards for myself, the sky looked brighter.

Since then, I have come into a oneness of self. I didn’t need to be “taught,” everything simply came to me. That’s the spirit of my heritage I am most proud of and a large part of what continues to change my countenance. I also believe that we need to be open spiritually and grounded in morality in order to discern and perceive resources and opportunities correctly. If not, we will continue to spin the wheel as we have always done. The salt of the Earth has produced many fruits but has eaten none and it’s time that has changed.

I love to travel and live in other countries. But there is no place like home. There is no place like America. As Americans, we are in the best place for opportunity. We are in the ripest season to rewrite and reshare all of the international dishes and cuisines at the table of opportunity and narrative history. The opportunity is here and the harvest is here. But, many of us are looking at the food and we can’t eat it. We can’t pick it up. We need to be reeducated and things need to be paced out. But first we have to clear our blocks and break our binds–daily. Every single day. That is why forgiveness is instant but healing takes time.

Although this work is not easy it is not necessarily arduous and you can have a good time doing it with family, culture and traditions. Remember these quotes by Mary Church Terrell and John F. Kennedy Jr.: “Lifting As We Climb” and “One person can make a difference, everyone should try.” Yes, that’s how I see it sometimes.

The Conjure Woman, by Charles W. Chestnutt is an interesting read. One that could almost echo todays societal voices.

The ancestors don’t desire for me to be as earthy as they were, but they do want me to help people as they did. Aunt Caroline drew people from all races to her seeking her wisdom and council. Many from over 400 miles away. I already get requests. Many more formal than I did in the past, and I like to imagine Aunt Caroline and many others watching over me.

Daily writing prompt
What aspects of your cultural heritage are you most proud of or interested in?
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