When Calls The Heart Season 13, Episode 5 Review: Growing Pains

If you’re watching When Calls The Heart you know that one of the biggest plots of the season is who started the fire, effectively burning down and stopping Goldie National Park. Watching the show, it’s breaking our hearts that Toby and Cooper are blaming themselves and are afraid of what could happen to themselves and their families.

The fifth episode of the season is all about the growing pains that come for the residents of Hope Valley. It could be growing pains with kids or relationships, but they are all experiencing change. Watching this episode, I felt so sad for some, but by the end of the episode realized that maybe, just maybe we never know anyone.

Hope Valley is moving forward. The Coulters are looking to move their new company forward with a pitch to rebuild Benson Hills. Annie is getting closer to Oliver, which is infuriating her father. Little Jack now wants to be called LJ. There is just a lot going on for such a small town.

New evidence comes to light that shifts the fire investigation. Elizabeth and her classroom start a project that will impact the territory for generations to come. Photo: Erin Krakow Credit: ©2025 Hallmark Media/Photographer: Jeff Weddell

THE CASE

Nathan, Oliver, and Judge Avery are out seeing where the boys lit their fire. There are ash pits everywhere, and none of them is really offering clues to what has occurred. Did they start the fire?

What I do feel bad about is that whatever happened, Toby and Cooper are being torn apart emotionally because they think that they started the fire. These two are kids ,and they feel the weight of everything that was destroyed on their shoulders. It breaks me.

The town – well, it’s going through a lot and seeing them all want to make things okay – is inspiring.

What Nathan does find is a weird rock that has been burnt. They think that it is concrete (I think it’s flint). Neither Judge Avery knew what to make of it.

OLIVER AND ALLIE

Nathan has a lot that he is responsible for, but nothing means more to him than his little girl. A fathers love is unconditional and I can’t even imagine how hard it is for him to see that Allie is growing up. She’s almost 18, and rather than sit around waiting for life to happen, she’s grasping it.

But for Nathan, he sees her falling in love with Oliver. She may not know what it is, but he does. Allie is young – yes. But she’s still almost of age. She and Oliver are innocent, and I don’t believe that either one of them knows what they are feeling.

They are experiencing these feelings for the first time in their lives.

What I do appreciate is that Elizabeth is there for Allie and Nathan. She’s able to guide and guard Allie. She’s also able to do the same for Nathan. When Nathan loses it on Allie for her not being home for dinner, there is a wall that goes up.

It’s Elizabeth who reminds him that he needs to trust in his daughter and actually listen to her. Kids are always changing and it’s something that may be hard for parents to grasp. But you have to be there for them, to be able to communicate with them.

Nathan changing his approach and really listening to Allie is endearing. He’s a good father, he just needs to remember that.

THE TREES

One of the most beautiful things to come out of this episode was the way that this community comes together.

Cooper and Toby are planting trees to try to replenish the forest. Elizabeth finds them and chips into help. But she knows that she’s going to need more help in order to really make a difference. So at first, it’s Elizabeth doing an outing with her students to plant more.

The kids are really excited to be helping and being outside. They have such a zest for working with their hands and being good people. These kids take pride in their surroundings.

This would be enough to give us a real sentimental moment. But what was even bigger was that all of Hope Valley chipped in and started planting together.

I feel like it was a real bonding moment for the entire town and gave them a sense of hope.

FATHER PAINS

Henry has long wanted to be closer to Christopher. Henry is somewhat complicated, but in his heart of hearts, he is a simple man. He missed so much time over the years with Christopher, and so having his son around for a while is something that makes Henry so happy.

But what breaks me for Henry is that he’s being played. His son made him believe that he was coming for good reasons, but that would be a lie.

Henry has hoped that Toby and Cooper were innocent when it came to the fire. When Christopher suddenly has to leave, he hands his father his case to put into his car. What does Henry find? The same rocks that they found at the fire.

The rocks that make no sense.

Seeing those rocks in Christopher’s car – my heart broke for Henry. He wants to be there for his son – but can he live with the secrets of what his son may have done? I don’t think he can.