A Valentine's Gift for You - final day - FREE on KINDLE

So here it is at last, Valentine's Day. A day for sharing with the man or woman of your dreams. But sometimes that isn't possible and if you can't have romance on our favourite day of the year, at least you can read about it.

Come, Dance With Me is FREE today for your kindles and if you don't have a Kindle, it is not too late to leave a comment at the bottom of the page for a chance to win a signed paperback copy.

Here is the last excerpt of Come, Dance With Me ...enjoy and if you want to read more, you know what to do.

In this excerpt Sasha and Andrei are enjoying a meal with friends.

Sasha, in seventh heaven to be at the table with the two men she loved most in the world, was aware of Andrei’s leg beneath the table. Each time he moved, his knee brushed hers, making her quiver. It was extraordinary how, even though she spent the larger part of each day in his arms, she was still not yet accustomed to his touch. She didn’t think she ever would be, even if she spent a lifetime dancing with him. It was as if his every contact marked her, imprinted on her soul, as if he was slowly taking possession, making her his – piece by piece. One day, she knew, he would touch her and she would be totally consumed, leaving nothing more of her to be had.

She watched him chewing his food, his jaw strong. He put down his knife and fork and turned to reply to something her brother had said, using his hands to punctuate his sentence. At that moment, in the circle of the candlelight, Sasha admitted to herself for the first time, that she was deeply in love with him. Seeing him there, in the company of her brother, surrounded by the soft music, the gentle laughter of friends, the whole affair between them seemed inevitable. There was nothing she could do to stop it. It would happen. She wanted him; he wanted her. She wondered why she had fought against it for so long.

Jack chewed thoughtfully, emptying his mouth, twitching his fork as he spoke.

‘So, Andrei, what are the chances of you two winning Celebrity Dance then?’

Andrei sat back, put down his knife and picked up his wine, his gaze warm on the back of Sasha’s neck.

‘If your sister works as hard as she has been up to now, we stand every chance.’

She blushed scarlet, took a deep breath before straightening up and turning to look at him. 

‘Surely not, Andrei. I mean, I’m not that good and I make so many mistakes. What about Vanessa? She is so much younger, so much more …sprightly.’

‘You make it sound as if you are a million years old, my darling. It is not just about the steps, it is about feeling the dance, interpreting the music...’ His voice trailed off as he became aware that all three of them had stopped eating and were staring at him in some astonishment. Sasha’s face was suffused with colour, her eyes like lamps.

He shrugged, suddenly seeming more foreign, more exotic. ‘What have I done? What did I say?’  His eyes darted from Sasha to Jack, and back to Lisa again, his brows raised, his face anxious, afraid he had offended them in some way.

Lisa put down her glass. ‘Nothing, Andrei,’ she said. ‘You did nothing wrong at all. You just called Sasha your darling, that’s all.’

Blood rushed up to taint Andrei’s face and, to help him overcome his obvious confusion, Jack turned away and began to ask Lisa about herself, where she worked, where she went on holiday, if she had a partner. 

Sasha, meanwhile, with her ears burning and her insides aflame, experienced Andrei’s every movement as if she made them herself.  When he stroked his chin with his long fingers, her own fingertips tingled, when he lifted his glass it was as if she became the rim, when he dabbed his lips with a napkin it were as if she were made of damask. 

Everyone noticed that she was uncharacteristically quiet but they were too well-mannered to mention it that the thing that had been growing between them, threatening to swamp them both, was now inevitable.  Even Sasha knew that now. Although she listened to the conversation, laughed gently in the right places, spooned up her dessert without tasting it she knew, without a shadow of doubt that by the end of the night her life would be changed forever. Whether the affair between them was short lived, or lasted for the rest of their lives, it had to happen.

Leave a comment now to be included in a draw to win a signed paperback copy or get on over to Amazon for a FREE kindle copy of Come, Dance With Me. Available today only.

 

All my books are available either as Kindle books from Amazon Click here if you are in the UK

And here if  you are in the US

Paperback copies are available direct from my publisher here 

 

A Valentine's Day Gift for you - Day two

Come, Dance With Me - the protagonists meet for the first time when Sasha interviews Andrei for her television show.

The studio lights came on. He stalked across the stage and sprawled in the empty chair, tossing the camera a smile destined to send all the women in England swooning to their knees. One flash of his perfect teeth, the glint of his dark, sexy eyes and the applause of the live audience grew to deafening proportions.  Crossing his long, lean, leather-clad legs, he swivelled in his chair to greet the presenter.

He blinked. The blinding studio lights made a halo around her hair and, as her face came slowly into full focus, Andrei forgot his determination to be disobliging. She was smiling, her pink lips stretched wide, her thick lashed eyes set wide apart, skin glowing, hair writhing in vibrant snakes about the prettiest face he had ever seen.   Her eyes met his and it was as if a hot knife had been thrust into his chest, where his heart used to be.

He swallowed, leaned into her welcome and she took his hand.  Her palms were warm, slightly moist but pleasantly so. She continued speaking, her lips moving; he glimpsed the pink tip of her tongue and his attention lingered on her mouth, waiting to see it again, wondering how soft her lips were, how they would taste.  

At first, he heard only the music of her voice, the sense of her speech falling on his ears in a confused jumble. He answered wildly, hoping that somehow his instincts would take over and see him through. As her voice continued, his eyes left her wonderful face to trickle down her luxuriant neck, resting for a moment on her full, red clad breasts before travelling to her slim waist, and journeying along her lengthy, slender legs.

‘When did you first learn to dance, Mr Kovalevsky?’

He jerked his head, fumbling for his senses, blinking into lights that were no more dazzling than his hostess.  He moistened his lips, cleared his throat, wrenching his attention back to the matter in hand. Andrei tugged at his tie, pulling himself together but his voice when it came was hoarse as if he needed a drink.

‘Oh, I was a boy. M-my mother is a great lover of the dance and she showed me …just the rudimentary steps. Later, I took lessons and …it all took off from there really.’

‘Then the world owes your mother a lot, Mr Kovalevsky. We all loved you in last season’s Celebrity Dance. I’ve followed your career for a long time and I for one was gutted when you only came second. Tell me, just how important is it for you to win? How determined are you to lift that Celebrity Dance trophy?’

She was warming to the interview now. He raised his head and looked into her bright eyes. It was like staring at the sun; uncomfortable, dangerous but somehow compelling.  He blinked and swallowed, a muscle in his jaw tensing as he ran a hand through his hair, sending a ripple of delight through the largely female audience.

‘Oh, you can rest assured, Miss Johnson, I don’t care how long it takes but I will not rest until I have won it.’

Tune in tomorrow for excerpt number two. Don't forget to leave a comment on any of these Valentine posts for a chance to win a signed paperback of Come, Dance With Me.

All my books are available on Amazon Kindle Click here if you are in the UK

And here if you are in the US

A Valentine's Day Gift For You.

It is that time of year again. I don't know where the time is going but since I spend most of it buried in the depths of a work in progress, I suppose I shouldn't wonder. I haven't been as regular with  my blogging as I intended but, once I am caught up in the current of a plot, I find it hard to do anything but keep swimming.

But listen up lovers of Strictly Come Dancing, Dancing with the Stars or romance books in general, this is for you. In the week leading up to Valentine's Day I intend to run a series of blogs featuring excerpts from Come, Dance With Me. I don't want to post too much and spoil your read as on the 14th February itself I will be offering kindle copies for free PLUS a free signed paperback to the person who leaves the best comment on the blog.

First, I think, the blurb to give you a rough idea of the plot and where it  might possibly lead.  This is the blurb from the back cover.

Come, Dance With Me 

When television chat show host, Sasha Johnson, interviews international ballroom dancer, Andrei Kovalevsky, her life is altered forever. And six years later, when fate thrusts them together once more, Sasha does all in her power to prevent him from blowing her world apart for a second time. But can she defuse a bomb that is already ticking.

Andrei Kovalevsky has won almost every ballroom dancing prize known to man, apart from television’s coveted Celebrity Dancing Trophy.  When Andrei is partnered with an old flame, Sasha Johnson, her two left feet threaten to kick the glittering prize way out of his reach.

With just eight weeks to do it, Andrei determines to break down the barriers between them, knock her into shape and turn Sasha Johnson into a dancer.

But secrets, lies and an irresistible attraction impede his way and their path to the Celebrity Dance final is fraught with trouble.

Mary Middleton’s latest novel, Come, Dance With Me, will waltz you through the glitzy, glamorous world of ballroom dancing and leave you breathless.

Tune in tomorrow, same time, same place for excerpt number one. If you can't wait that long you can get the kindle versions of all my books on Amazon click here if you are in the UK

And here if you are in the US

Alternatively paperback versions can be ordered direct from the publisher here

Death, Emotional Collapse and Healing

Mary Middleton

It is never easy to discuss grief without resorting to clichés but Grief is a funny thing.

‘Hilarious’ I hear you say. But what I mean is that we have all, without exception, lost somebody precious, somebody irreplaceable and most of us recover from it. But when that everyday occurrence falls especially close to us, it can leave us floored.

The loss of a child is probably the worst scenario anyone can experience. We expect our children to outlive us; they represent a little piece of us that will carry us into the future. Such a loss is the most difficult to accept.

But, even when death comes after a long illness and is verbally hailed as a 'happy release', the fall-out often presents a huge emotional mountain for those left behind. At such times we can only try to think of happier days and be thankful for the laughter and the happiness the deceased enjoyed during their time on Earth.

It is possible to celebrate death as a life well-spent and take comfort from the fact that although the person (to risk another cliché) may be gone they will never be forgotten. As long as we remember them, they live on in some small way and by talking about them, reminiscing about the special moments of their lives, we heal ourselves and allow them to live again.

Day by day, although it may not seem like it, we are healing, and as the pain subsides so the memories become sweeter. But occasionally death falls so unexpectedly that the bereaved are left reeling and struggle to carry on as they did before.  

My novella Where the West Wind Blows deals with bereavement, grief and healing. Fiona Japp is one of those people who lack the psychological strength to carry on as before.  When her husband suffers a sudden and catastrophic heart attack early one Sunday morning Fiona descends into a pit of despair that is so deep she has no wish to even try to crawl out of it. Initially she may come across as weak and you may think from your (hopefully) happier perspective that she needs to get a grip. But Fiona isn't weak, she is just broken and needs your understanding. There are millions of us every day suffering as Fiona does and by looking at her predicament and providing her with a happy outcome, I hope I have shown that there really can be life after death.

Until James has gone, Fiona does not realise how much she has relied on him and without his support, she has no idea how to operate as a single person. The mental collapse she suffers is so intense and prolonged that she gives herself up to her despair and runs away, unconsciously embarking upon a whole new life path.

Desperate to escape a pain that cannot be escaped, she turns her back on herself and her previous life. With no expectation of ever rediscovering happiness she ends up in the small Welsh seaside village where an encounter with the reclusive Jezz McAlister on a lonely cliff top reveals a mental anguish even greater than her own.

A review of Mary Middleton’s novella WHERE THE WEST WIND BLOWS

This lovely title is perfect for this absorbing story. Fiona’s husband James succumbs to a fatal heart attack right at the beginning, leading to a veritable maelstrom of personal heartbreak and loss, which anyone who has suffered bereavement will understand and find intensely moving.

It is written in the first person, which means we are drawn right into the depths of despair with our heroine, who goes through the turbulent storm of trying to find some way to be able to move on and build a new life. Despite her efforts she fails in this, largely because she has no wish to go on without James...

Mary Middleton’s writing probes the very essence of the tragedy of trying to make the transition from being a couple to being single, with all its disappointments and delusions, and by the time Fiona is eventually able to move to a  small cottage in Wales, we have come to realise how difficult this will be for her, as the storm of loss and anger still rages.

There is only a short period of balmy breezes, with lovely descriptions of the small Welsh village and its kindly but narrow-minded inhabitants, before the turbulence is with us again, with the appearance of Mr McAlister, who blows in. We are not at all sure which way the wind will blow now!

There are still surprises to come, and it is a pleasure and a privilege to enter into this slice of Fiona’s life, and accompany her on the journey to calmer waters...but not too calm, for surely the best lives are always lived in a stiff but invigorating breeze?

Another triumphant page turner for Mary Middleton, with penetrating observation and deep empathy for her characters, don’t miss it! -  Helen Spring- Author of Memories of the Curlew, Strands of Gold and The Chainmakers

From the back cover of Where the West Wind Blows

When bereavement turns Fiona Japp’s life upside down she cannot find her way forward.  Abandoning her career, her home and her past, she escapes to a tiny hamlet on the Welsh coast, where her anguish is diluted in the rain, blown by the winds and finally extinguished by a suffering even greater than her own.

Where the West Wind Blows is a story of loss, mental collapse and healing, proving that there really is life after sudden death.

Set amid the splendid scenery of the west coast of Wales, the landscape and atmosphere is as dramatic as the story. This short novella will blow you away.

Where the West Wind Blows is a departure for Mary Middleton who is known mainly for her light romance novels. This novella is very different. There is not a muscle-bound billionaire in sight as Mary traces the dark and stormy internal battles of two very different people struggling to come to terms with personal tragedy.

Where the West Wind Blows is now available in Paperback direct from the publisher. Click here to purchase.

Visit Mary's  Website

All Mary's Books are available on Kindle: Mary's Amazon page

Where the West Wind Blows

I love writing about glamorous, far flung places and peopling them with broad chested billionaires and sharp witted, feisty women but sometimes in a writer's life, a story appears from nowhere; a story that insists upon being written. It is as if someone has control of my mind and my fingers and there is nothing I can do but get it down on paper. The plot emerges as it wants to, in a great outpouring of emotion and that is how my novella, Where the West Wind Blows came to fruition. I woke one morning and there it was, fully formed, in my head.

There is not a muscle-bound billionaire or a luxury mansion in sight in this rather dark romance and the heavier themes may not be for all my readers. That is why the novella is not branded in my usual way. No black and red sexiness this time but something that lies rather nearer to my heart.

 Blissfully married to James, for twenty five years, successful artist, Fiona Japp, is devastated when he suffers a sudden heart attack. She is totally floored by his loss and teeters on the edge of nervous collapse. When her postman finds her in a pool of blood one morning, Fiona is admitted to hospital. And, on her release, still unable to face returning to the home she shared with James, she escapes to a holiday cottage on the Welsh coast where her anguish is diluted in the rain, blown by the winds and finally extinguished by a suffering even greater than her own.

Where the West Wind Blows is a story of loss, mental collapse and healing, proving that there really is life after sudden death.

Where the West Wind Blows will soon be published as an e-book. Look our for the free promotion.

A Mary Middleton Romance Book Giveaway

For the last two days the kindle version of my second romance novel, Vittorio's Virgin has been free on Amazon and the response from readers has been brilliant. So I am  celebrating by holding a BOOK GIVEAWAY.  Just leave a comment in the box below stating which title you would like to win and your contact details and your name will be entered into a draw. The lucky winner will receive a paperback copy of their preferred title.

Vittorio is a troubled man. Raised by an unfaithful mother, married and divorced from an unfaithful wife, he no longer regards women as anything other than trouble. 

He avoids them, preferring to shower his love onto his six-year-old daughter, Sophia, but Vittorio is determined that she will not grow up to be as brittle and shameless as the other women in his life. Consequently, his daughter has the strictest upbringing.

But as she leaves babyhood behind the pressure of business makes life as a single parent more difficult and Vittorio is forced to seek help. Reluctantly he advertises for a nanny and, after interviewing a string of unsatisfactory applicants, he eventually settles on a young woman fresh from England. 

But Miss Jennifer Trent and Vittorio have met once before and he hadnt failed to notice then that, as well as being out spoken and headstrong, she was also very, very pretty.  

Vittorio's Virgin traces the sweeping romance of Vittorio and Jennifer from the romantic terraces of Florence to the sun-drenched beaches of the Caribbean.

***

Jonathan Barberis-Jones believes he has the future sorted but his billionaire playboy lifestyle, complete with horses, fast cars and women is suddenly threatened by the arrival of Charlotte Martin, The Greek Tycoon's Secret Daughter. 

Penniless single parent, Charlotte Martin suddenly in need of the support of her natural father, turns up at Barberis Hall claiming to be Nicoli Barberis'  illegitimate daughter. Finding his future under threat, Jonathan is faced with a tough inner battle; to keep his inheritance intact or surrender to his ever-increasing attraction to Charlotte? 

Will Jonathan's darker side prevail in his fight for what he sees as justice? 

Or will love prevail?

The Greek Tycoon's Secret Daughter moves from the breathtaking beauty of the Yorkshire Dales, across the pond to New York before finally coming full circle to the Baroque splendour of Barberis Hall.

***

Come Dance With Me. When television chat show host, Sasha Johnson, interviews international ballroom dancing champion, Andrei Kovalevsky, her life is altered forever. And, six  years later, when they meet again Sasha does everything in her power to prevent him from blowing her world apart for the second time.

But can she defuse a bomb that is already ticking?

Andrei Kovalevsky has won almost every ballroom dancing prize known to man, apart from television's coveted Celebrity Dancing Trophy. When Andrei is partnered with Sasha, her two left feet threaten to kick the glittering prize way out of his reach.

With just eight weeks to do it, Andrei determines to break down the barriers between them, knock her into shape and turn Sasha Johnson into a dancer.

But secrets, lies and an irresistable attraction impede his way and their path to the Celebrity Dance final is fraught with trouble.

***

So is it to be the dark and handsome Vittorio with his deep hang-ups and sadness?  Jonathan's lazy, rich boy petulance and irresistible charm? or Andrei's Russian fire and capable arms?  Which ever one you fancy let me know and, if your name is picked in the draw, one of them will soon be winging it's way to you.

Good Luck!