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Rachael Leigh Cook’s latest Hallmark rom-com is Caught by Love, a romantic comedy-mystery filmed in Malta. The “fell in love” remark tied to its production came from co-star Luke Macfarlane—and he was talking about Malta, not a romance between the actors.
What is Caught by Love about?
Cook plays Annie, a bank teller whose friend gives her a trip to an exclusive wellness retreat. While there, Annie gets drawn into a stolen-jewel investigation with Jake, a private investigator played by Macfarlane, and Jake’s partner Lara, played by Amanda Victoria Vilanova. Hallmark describes the film on its official Caught by Love page.
The mystery and vacation setting accompany a fictional romance. Cook described Annie as someone searching for courage and her own voice, and called the romance a “nice slow burn” in an interview with Swooon, published by TV Insider. She also said there was room to imagine further adventures in a potential sequel; that is a possibility she raised, not confirmation that a sequel is in development.
What did Luke Macfarlane mean by “fell in love”?
Macfarlane was describing his response to Malta. In a January 2026 interview with TV Goodness, he said he first had to look up Malta on a map, then “fell in love” as he learned about its history and culture. The comment offers no evidence that Cook or Macfarlane began a real-life relationship while filming.
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Macfarlane said he spent a day off with a private tour guide and read about the Siege of Malta, the island’s religious history and its architecture. He also said he liked the script by Marcy Holland and its relatively balanced perspective between the two leads, which he described as close to “50/50.”
Why Malta is part of the film’s story
Caught by Love is set and was filmed in Malta, so the location is more than a backdrop in the film’s premise. Macfarlane’s interview describes what drew him to the island while working there; it does not establish that every location he mentioned appears in the movie.
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When did it premiere, and where can viewers watch it?
January 2026 listings reported the following premiere and viewing details. These are dated reports, not a guarantee of current catalog availability:
- United States: Swooon/TV Insider reported a Hallmark Channel premiere on January 24, 2026. TV Goodness listed the broadcast at 8 p.m. Eastern / 7 p.m. Central and next-day streaming on Hallmark+.
- Canada: TV Goodness listed W Network.
For present-day access, check Hallmark and the relevant local service’s schedule or catalog; availability can change by territory and date.
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Is this Cook’s latest movie, or a different travel rom-com?
The title refers to Caught by Love, not Cook’s earlier Netflix film A Tourist’s Guide to Love (2023). In that movie, Cook played Amanda, a travel executive who goes undercover on a group tour in Vietnam, and also served as a producer, according to Netflix Tudum. Vietnam News reported its global Netflix release on April 21, 2023. The two films share Cook and a travel element, but they are separate productions.
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