EXCLUSIVE: Sasha Pieterse (Pretty Little Liars) and Mitchell Slaggert (The Sex Lives of College Girls) are set to lead the new Lifetime holiday film A Carpenter Christmas Romance from writer and executive producer Sarah Drew.
Drew also penned A Cowboy Christmas Romance which made hearts race with a steamy love scene and became Lifetime’s highest-rated holiday title last year. The network highlights Drew will continue to infuse the holiday steaminess in A Carpenter Christmas Romance, following the story of best-selling author Andrea (Pieterse) who is reunited with her sexy ex-crush Seth (Slaggert), who is working as a carpenter.
“After the success of A Cowboy Christmas Romance, it solidified that there is an audience hungry for spicy Christmas romance movies,” Drew shared in a statement. “Working with Autumn Federici and Jake Helgren at The Ninth House was as dreamy this time, as it was last time. I’m thrilled that Lifetime is supporting us in bringing a little more naughty into the nice this holiday season. I can’t wait for you all to see Sasha Pieterse and Mitchell Slaggert absolutely sizzle and shine on screen together. I could not have imagined a more perfect duo as the leads.”
In the movie, when novelist Andrea hints her upcoming book may be taking a heartbreaking turn, her fans begin protesting, demanding their favorite character doesn’t get killed off. Needing a haven where she can finish her novel, Andrea flees to her family’s farmhouse in the town of Wildwood. Much to her surprise, she ends up running into her ex-crush, Seth, an artisanal woodworker who’s helping rebuild the town after it was nearly destroyed by a fire. It doesn’t take long for sawdust and sparks of romance to fill the air once the two team up and work together to reignite the town’s Christmas spirit. Is this romance just a holiday fling that ends when her trip is over? Or can the two build a love that is made to last?
A Carpenter Christmas Romance is produced by Autumn Federici and Jake Helgren for The Ninth House in association with Apex Content Ventures. Sarah Drew executive produces with Eric Levin, Allie Dvorin, John Turner for Apex Content Ventures. Helgren will direct.
Lifetime’s holiday movie slate also includes The Holiday Junkie starring Jennifer Love Hewitt, A Very Merry Beauty Salon starring Tia Mowry and Christmas in the Spotlight starring Jessica Lord, Laith Wallschleger, Jennie Mai and Haley Kalil.