DVD Review - Rosamunde Pilcher’s Shades of Love

Based on the fiction of one of the world’s most acclaimed romance novelists, Rosamunde Pilcher’s Shades of Love makes its DVD debut on August 25, 2015. This sweeping four-part miniseries combines the aspirational appeal of Downton Abbey with the addictive lure of a great soap-opera. Set at the lavish Balnaird House estate, Shades of Love follows the Aird family after businessman Conrad Tucker begins to suspect that Laura Aird, the family’s youngest daughter, might be the product of his past affair with beautiful Virginia Aird. Secrets, passion, and heartbreak abound as the drama unfolds, and the truth is revealed. The all-star cast includes Charles Dance (Game of Thrones), Eileen Atkins (Doc Martin, Cold Mountain, What a Girl Wants), Harriet Walter (Law & Order: UK, Atonement), Michael Brandon (Mr. Selfridge, Captain America: The First Avenger), Eleonore Weisgerber (Inspektor Rolle) and Rebecca Night (Wuthering Heights, Fanny Hill). The DVD 4-disc set includes 4 feature-length episodes ($59.99, AcornOnline.com). Originally broadcast on the U.K.’s Channel 5, the series made its U.S. premiere in June 2015 on Acorn TV, the premier British and international television streaming channel in North America.

As they pose for the cover of a glossy magazine, the aristocratic Aird family appears to have the perfect life. But beneath the breeding lie dark secrets that will soon jeopardize their storybook world.

Edmund Aird (Charles Dance) is the lord of Balnaird House, one of the most splendid estates in the Scottish Highlands. He and his American-born wife, Virginia (Eleonore Weisgerber), seem to have it all: wealth, beautiful children, and a thriving family business. Just when everything seems to be on track, long-buried tensions arise to threaten the family’s happiness—and the fate of their ancestral home. Set against the glorious vistas of the Scottish countryside, it’s an unforgettable tale of privileged lives and unbound passions.

Episodes: Family Secret; A Healing Heart; The Scandal; Reconciliation

Street Date: August 25, 2015                                   SRP: $59.99  

DVD 4-Disc Set: 4 feature-length episodes – Approx. 366 min. – SDH Subtitles

UPC 0-54961-2434-9-5                                              ISBN 978-1-62172-434-6

My Thoughts

 Rosamunde Pilcher’s Shades of Love is a mini series based on the acclaimed novel. The story centers around the Aird family, a wealthy family who seems to have it all. But looks can be deceiving and secrets arise that could cost them their family home and their relationships. The mini series in broken down into four segments:

 Family Secret - Edmund fears his daughter Laura might be the fruit of another man's loins and heads out to learn the truth. The trip ends in unexpected tragedy.

A Healing Heart - Laura is humiliated but finds solace with her neighbor Hamish Balmerino.  Lots of secrets come out at the big ball.

 The Scandal - When the grandmother dies she leaves part of her estate to the vet. Alexa and Noel get divorced, and Laura finds a job in London after meeting her bio dad.

Reconciliation- The family is reunited, but the estate is still at risk.

I haven't read the novel, so I can't make a comparison there, but I thought the series was okay. It's not something I would watch twice, and it was a little predictable, but it did hold my interest. I especially enjoyed the lovely Scottish scenery.   If you'd like to grab a copy of this DVD, you can find it at Acorn Media and on Amazon.