4 Highly Rated Books By Hallmark Channel Stars To Add To Your TBR

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Every bibliophile has a never-ending TBR, aka to-be-read list. After all, as long as new books are published, we'll have new titles to explore — and there are plenty of sources for your next-read inspo. You can take cues from public figures like Usha Vance, who has an eclectic mix of favorite books; you can mine celeb recommendations like the perfect beach reads picked by Reese's Book Club; you can even dive into particular themes, like the best fiction books about women struggling with infertility. But of all the places you could find new titles to grace your bookshelf or Kindle library, we bet you've never considered turning to the Hallmark Channel.

Hallmark has become synonymous with easily digested TV movies, from murder mysteries to (usually Christmas-themed) romcoms. But it also has a surprisingly bookish connection — multiple Hallmark Channel stars have made the leap to published authors. From dramatic memoirs and self-help books to destination romances and even math primers, these familiar faces are putting out highly rated reads worth your attention (and a spot on your TBR).

If you didn't know that Hallmark regular and former "Full House" star Candace Cameron Bure is also a writer, brace yourself for a surprise. Not only is Bure a published author, but she's actually published more than 20 books, from memoirs and self-development titles to planners and illustrated children's books. This catalog is enough to keep any bookworm busy for a while, but if you're going to start with only one of Bure's works, we'd test the waters with her most popular offering: "Kind Is the New Classy: The Power of Living Graciously."

Released in 2018, this faith-based meditation examines what it means to lead with kindness and patience in a stress-filled world. Part memoir and part self-help tutorial, it blends life lessons and practical tips with anecdotes from Bure's own life. The goal? According to the book's description, it aims to help you keep cool under pressure, handle criticism gracefully, and stay grounded, centered, and authentic.

On Goodreads, "Kind Is the New Classy" has achieved a 4.15-star average from over 5,000 ratings. "Important, relentless, practical, and oh so convicting. Just a few words that I would use to describe this book. ... This is a life-changing read," writes one reviewer. Other readers have had similarly positive reactions, commenting, "This book is filled with insights, wisdom, and helpful guidance. I found myself taking notes often." It is important to remember that there are strong faith elements throughout the text — as one reviewer notes, "This was a bit more religion-based than I expected." But the core message is one of compassion, which we can all get behind.

Bethany Joy Lenz may be most recognizable for her nine seasons portraying Haley James Scott on "One Tree Hill," but she's also taken many star turns in Hallmark Channel movies like "A Biltmore Christmas" and "Bottled with Love." And her creative talents don't stop there — Lenz has also put out a fascinating memoir that deserves a spot on any non-fiction reader's shortlist. "Dinner for Vampires: Life on a Cult TV Show (While Also In An Actual Cult!)" details Lenz's experience with a cult called The Big House Family, from her first innocent hopes of belonging to her eventual escape.

In Lenz's witty but unflinching recollections, readers are given an incredible insider view as she moves to the group's compound in the Pacific Northwest, marries the leader's son, and has millions of dollars stolen by cult leadership — all while still working on the set of "One Tree Hill." Only after a decade of submitting to spy-like "minders" and insidious thought control does Lenz finally find the strength to leave the cult with her child, sparking a whole new journey as she tries to rediscover her identity and sense of self.

Readers have praised this strange-but-true story for its riveting narrative and sharp writing, with more than 14,000 Goodreads reviewers contributing to its average rating of 4.23 stars. "This is the best memoir I have read. Her story is so heartbreaking, real, raw, and so incredibly intriguing throughout," writes one reader. Another sums up the book as "fantastic and unnerving," which seems about right for a cult tell-all. So if you're into real-world tales of secret lives, manipulation, or trauma recovery, we'd say that "Dinner for Vampires" is a can't-miss.

Is any TBR list complete without at least one breezy beach read? Happily, Hallmark star Kristoffer Polaha has us covered. Working with co-author Anna Gomez, the actor has launched "From Kona with Love," a series of interconnected romances that can be enjoyed together or separately — and after appearing in numerous Hallmark Channel titles like "Dater's Handbook" and "We Wish You a Married Christmas," we expect Polaha to know a thing or two about love stories.

To start exploring the series, begin with book one, "Moments Like This." Published in 2021, this first novel follows a burnt-out and heartbroken career woman who takes a break to work at her friend's coffee shop in Hawaii. It's there that she makes a fateful connection — on Christmas Eve, no less — ticking all the must-have romance boxes that make Hallmark movies so popular. Described in the book summary as a story of "love, loss, and redemption," Polaha's debut seems like a perfect fit for fans of his on-screen work.

In general, readers have received the novel positively, giving it a 3.95-star average on Goodreads. "A romantic, thought-provoking story about finding the strength to overcome grief and despair, and making the most out of life," summarizes one commenter. Another writes that it gave them "that swoony feeling ... where you want to hug the book to your chest." And, of course, "Moments Like This" comes with the best perk of series reading: If you have fun with book one, there's more to enjoy. Book two, "Where the Sun Rises," came out in 2022, and book three is reportedly in the works.

Diehard romcom stans may recall Danica McKellar from more than a dozen Hallmark Channel movies like "Crown for Christmas," "Very, Very, Valentine," and two different "Matchmaker Mysteries" films. But the prolific actor has another life behind the camera: one as a writer and mathematician. McKellar's love for numbers has spurred her to write more than 10 educational books for kids and young adults, and while they may be targeting a school-aged audience, don't let that deter you. We'd also recommend this catalog to any teachers or parents who may need to lend a hand with homework.

McKellar's most popular math tome to date is "Math Doesn't Suck: How to Survive Middle-School Math Without Losing Your Mind or Breaking a Nail," a friendly guide that aims to encourage math literacy — particularly among pre-teen girls that may feel alienated from STEM fields. Along with covering fundamental knowledge, McKellar uses tricks like real-world examples, personal stories, and even math-themed horoscopes to keep kids engaged. It's an unconventional approach, but evidently effective. One essayist for The New York Times Magazine avers that McKellar's books "may well have done more to encourage girls to stick with math than any government task force."

Goodreads reviewers have given "Math Doesn't Suck" a 4.18-star average. "Danica makes math fun, while building a girl's confidence at the same time," writes one reader. Another adds, "I'm not a middle-school student by a long shot — I'm a woman in her late 20s with a lifelong fear of math — but found this book to be a refreshing refresher course." And even teachers praise the text's "great real-world examples," making it a solid choice for anyone struggling with numbers.

Book lovers know that reading is subjective, even among fans of the same genre. And many of our Hallmark-stars-turned-authors have published more than one book to discover. So how can we confidently recommend your next read? By turning to the reviews. 

Every title explored in this article represents the author's most popular or highly regarded work, according to data from Goodreads and Amazon. We only shortlisted books with ratings of at least 3.9 stars or higher, and that had a mostly positive reception from commenters. We also strove to represent a variety of formats and topics, so that our list has something to offer every reader's taste in books.