Dancing By the Purple Heather by Laura Briggs

Dance fever has hit Julianne’s home village with the announcement that popular competitive dance program ‘Dance With Me’ will be hosting its latest challenge near Ceffylgwyn, and — in a bombshell revelation — that none other than the village’s own police sergeant Charlie is among the latest and most unlikely of competitors.

With his secret hobby now public knowledge, and a nonchalant attitude of confidence with regards to a possible win, Charlie looks to his friends for practice-time encouragement, and Julianne, Rosie, and Lorrie soon find themselves enlisted as his confidants and itinerant dance coaches — particularly the village’s school headmistress, with her credentials as a former dance coach for a failed girl’s competitive team. But does Charlie really have what it takes to beat a roster of driven amateur hoofers — not to mention live down local gossip and teasing for the idea of a ‘copper’ in big boots waltzing his way to victory?
Julianne’s sympathetic ear is being bent in another direction, however, with the return of her old friend Gemma for an extended visit. Despite the pretense she’s home to work on her latest novel, Gemma makes a confession regarding a deep-seated fancy she’s been resisting for months, after Julianne’s failed attempt to fix her up with one of the village’s most eligible bachelors. She’s begging Julianne for help in attracting her secret fancy’s notice — none other than the village’s kindhearted and self-confessed nerdy schoolteacher Ben.
With Joel’s role in the school’s science team competition as a ruse, Julianne does her best to help Gemma gain his notice, but has her doubts as the plan — and Gemma’s courage — unravels. Meanwhile, Charlie’s chances of victory hit a snag, and Kitty’s woes with her newly-single mum continue to grow. Outlandish comedienne Kimmie returns as the dance show presenter who gives Julianne the inside scoop on fickle judges and ever-changing odds as the competition heats up in its final days, with Charlie needing luck and Lorrie’s best efforts to keep his hope alive.