Summer Solstice (2005) (Part 1)

Part 1 of 2 of the 2005 Rosamunde Pilcher drama. In the Scottish Highlands. Sam Howard and his girlfriend Carrie's newly formed business empire is struggling. The exclusive Rhives Castle Hotel is not attracting enough guests and the local newspaper The Langmore and Highland Gazette which they own has run a potentially libellous story concerning best-selling author, Alexia White. On top of everything Carrie has news which surprises Sam. Elfrida gets her big break when she is offered a small part in a soap opera, however, this is going to mean more time away from her beloved Oscar. Meanwhile Lucinda, The Countess of Rhives, is enjoying her new-found lease of life away from the burden of running the castle. And a mysterious Australian, Scott Allen, arrives in the area, but why is he there? Starring Jason Durr, Lara-Joy Korner, Jacqueline Bissett, Jan Nicklas, Sinead Cusack, Honor Blackman, Franco Neron, Anna Maguire, Martin Dingle Wall, Darren McFadyen, Bjorn Casapietra, Alastair Bruce, Paul Brooke, Faroque Khan, Andrew Byatt, Ron Donachie and James McPherson (yes, him from Taggart) among the cast. This is an adaptation of one of Rosamunde Pilcher's novels that were popular in the noughties, a sequel to Winter Solstice (which I don't have, sorry to say). This is one of my charity shop finds and surprisingly this was actually released on DVD first before eventually being broadcast on UK TV on June 12th 2012. However, it was shown in Germany before it's DVD release on Christmas Day 2005 - bizarrely, since it's a summer story. It's not a bad story overall, and I don't think it matters too much if you haven't seen the first story Winter Solstice from 2003. However, if you want to know what happens in Part 2 - because it ends on a cliffhanger (yes, really!) - then you will have to wait until this afternoon when I check in again. Sorry about that, but I thought I'd keep you on tenderhooks. Until then, enjoy.