The Color of Hope (The Color of Heaven Series) (Volume 3) by Julianne MacLean

The Color of Heaven #3

by Julianne MacLean

Diana Moore has led a charmed life. She’s the daughter of a wealthy senator and living a glamorous city life, and is confident her handsome live-in boyfriend is about to propose. But everything is turned upside down when she learns of a mysterious woman who lives and works nearby – a woman who is her exact mirror image.Diana is compelled to discover the truth about this woman’s identity, but the truth leads her down a path of secrets, betrayals, and shocking discoveries about her past. These discoveries follow her like a shadow.Then she meets Dr. Jacob Peterson—a brilliant cardiac surgeon with an uncanny ability to heal those who are broken. With his help, Diana embarks upon a journey to restore her belief in the human spirit, and recover a sense of hope - that happiness, and love, may still be within reach for those willing to believe in second chances.

Genres: Romance, Fiction, Contemporary, Chick Lit, Contemporary Romance, Ebooks, Womens Fiction

Paperback

First published November 12, 2013

About the author

Julianne MacLean is a USA Today bestselling author of more than thirty novels, including the contemporary women’s fiction Color of Heaven Series. Readers have described her books as “breathtaking,” “soulful” and “uplifting.” MacLean is a four-time RITA finalist and has won numerous awards, including the Booksellers’ Best Award and a Reviewers’ Choice Award from Romantic Times. Her novels have sold millions of copies worldwide and have been published in over a dozen languages.

MacLean has a degree in English literature from the University of King’s College in Halifax, Nova Scotia, and a degree in business administration from Acadia University in Wolfville, Nova Scotia. She loves to travel and has lived in New Zealand, Canada, and England. MacLean currently resides on the east coast of Canada in a lakeside home with her husband and daughter.

For more information about Julianne and her writing life, please visit her website at www.juliannemaclean.com. Be sure to follow her on Bookbub to be notified whenever her ebooks are offered for FREE or 99 cents. (www.bookbub.com/authors/julianne-maclean) and chat with her on Facebook (www.facebook.com/JulianneMacLeanRoman...), Twitter (@JulianneMacLean), and Instagram (@JulianneMaclean).

Reviews

[Bj · Rating 4 out of 5]

*I gave this audiobook a B+ for both the story and narration at AudioGals*

Narrated by Jennifer O’Donnell

First off, given that I generally only review romance, I think it worth noting that Julianne MacLean’s Color of Heaven series is really more women’s fiction than romance. All that said, there is definitely an element of romance sprinkled towards the end of this story for the romance enthusiast which also happens to go along perfectly with this novel’s main focus – familial love and the power of hope.

With that said, I found The Color of Hope to be an interesting, engaging, and somewhat unique story that challenged me to debate a number of moral dilemmas and existential theories. Unfortunately, given that the blurb is rather vague about the detailed, multi-pronged plot, I am pretty limited in what I can say, other than this book centers around two main female characters and their interrelated journey of self-discovery.

Diana, a divorce attorney, has led a privileged life. Raised by a wealthy senator and his loving wife, Diana has been exposed to all the finer things in life and benefited from those advantages. She now lives with a well-known sports agent, and is sure her life is headed towards marriage and children.
Nadia, on the other hand, has led a completely different life. Raised by blue-collar parents who divorced when she was young, she has had the ill fortune of having to learn how to get by with minimal help and resources. At one point, she and her mother were so down on their luck that they had to live out of their car.

What do these two women have in common? How will their lives intersect? Moreover, how can two such different individuals provide hope to one another?

See the full review, including a detailed narration review, at AudioGals.

[Lu Bielefeld · Rating 4 out of 5]

4 ⭐⭐⭐⭐ - Liked it!

[TamaraT · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was a fun read but riddled with one cliche after the other. Well written cliches so I didn't mind in the beginning but as the book went on I could predict everything that was going to happen which made it less enjoyable to me.

The cliches in question?
* MC 1 (Nadia) gets pregnant by accident and douchy boyfriend acts douchy
* MC 2 (Diana) finds out that she has an identical twin (Nadia) and whoops they have the same interests and strike up a close bond
* Diana had a perfect life and Nadia has a tragic backstory
* Diana's douchy boyfriend (Rick) doesn't want children and she does.
* Nadia doesn't want children and is very vocal about it
* Douchy Rick and Nadia get caught kissing causing a big blow up between the twins
* After Douchy Rick leaves her Nadia's life gets better until tragedy strikes
* Tragedy = big health problem
* Diana to the rescue
* Diana falls in love with Nadia's doctor
* Nadia being selfish and Diana selfsacrificing
* Falls hope until HEA

The thing is that we started in the beginning of the story (Nadia telling Rick that she's pregnant) when we're hit with the flashback of how the twins met and then thrown forward again to the consequences/complications of the pregnancy. There's even a another Rick thrown into the flashback to make you think it might be him acting douchy in the beginning but it was such an obvious ruse that I cringed. I truly believe that telling the story in a chronological order would have made it better.

In the end I did enjoy the story but can't give it more than 3 stars because of my points above.

[Lorna · Rating 5 out of 5]

Story 5 stars Narration 5 stars. This series just keeps getting better as I go. Characters from the other books have a supporting role and that just makes it better. The main characters, twin sisters separated at birth are both flawed in different ways. Nadia grows up in a poor family with an alcoholic father. He abandons them and she and her mom go through really rough times. Dianna is the adopted daughter of a rich senator who might be president someday. She went to the best schools and never lacks for anything. When the two woman find each other it seems like a dream come true for both of them. Or is it?

Very well written, I could barely stop listening. Highly recommended to woman’s lit readers and because of a sweet romance, romance readers as well.

[D. Jane Akins · Rating 5 out of 5]

Another excellent book in the series

This is book 3 in a series called The Color of Heaven. They’re all stand alone books but it’s best if you read them in order as the characters do overlap. The author does an excellent job of summarizing the details of the previous book so that you understand there’s a connection but each book is great so you would enjoy getting the full story from the previous book. I don’t retell the story in my reviews but I do give my recommendation that this is a good book to read. Typically I read them the day I get them.

[Melissa Smith · Rating 5 out of 5]

I’m literally obsessed with this series!

[Vikki Vaught · Rating 5 out of 5]

Excellent story with vibrant characters and a unique plot. Can't wait to read the next one in this astonishing series. Happy reading/listening!

[Carolyn · Rating 5 out of 5]

This series is a treasure. The stories are so thought provoking.

[Anne Brooke · Rating 4 out of 5]

A simple but effective story about two twin sisters, Diana and Nadia, who meet for the first time in later life. I did like both characters for different reasons and was happy at the outcome of their story. That said, the ending was a bit too over-sentimental for me. But otherwise a nice read.

[Lynda Kelly · Rating 4 out of 5]

I enjoy this series but preferred the first 2 of the series to this one. This story is to continue in book 4, apparently, though it DOES have its own ending in this instalment. It's a fascinating story when Diana encounters the person that looks just like her.....though the beginning did baffle me a little. Things do become clear and then it's a case of re-reading the opening chapter and it all makes more sense, then.
I did spot errors.....top used and not stop, banged up needs hyphenating, we lost to from a sentence twice and dropped speechmarks then she writes backpeddle not backpedal, terrible not terribly, taxying not taxiing and missed an apostrophe from ladies washroom. This line is clearly wrong, "....but I made no mention of the fact that I was had been falling in love" and this is a lot of mistakes for one of her books !!
I did have to wonder too when we learn Diana gets her eyebrows shaped every 4 weeks......surely women don't do this ?? Then a character gets pregnant and all of a sudden "everything in my past had led me to this moment" yet earlier in the book she wasn't interested in kids AT ALL !!
So these errors have cost it the 5* from me, the first time I've marked one of her books down. It also ends on the Kindle at 81%, which I always find pretty irritating.
I'll be reading book 4 as soon as possible, though, and sticking with this series.

[Jessie Driscoll · Rating 2 out of 5]

Nadia was unforgivable.

Unlike the characters in the first two books in this series, one of the main characters in this one was unredeeming, and her story was almost totally negative. Diana forgave her, but I didn’t.

In a chapter that had me angry, Diana put her own happiness on hold when she shouldn’t have. It was not relatable.

Also, the word “keen” was used so many times. This is something that happens when non-American authors try to write American characters. There was a glaring grammatical error in this one (“me” instead of “I” in a plural that meant “we”). The word “boost” was used instead of “jump” for starting a dead car. Distracting language and a terrible character made this book a fail for me.

[Pegge D Marjamaa · Rating 5 out of 5]

A Devoted Fan For Life

Wow, I truly was struck by this story, what a heart wrenching episode. I felt so many feelings from anger to compassion, tears shed over life struggles and happiness at it's ending. I do hope the next book won't find me crying like a baby thou! I love the characters in the story and love lessons learned by some of them. I am for sure loving Mr. and Mrs. Moore. Wish more couples were more like them in real life. I am enjoying the journey as will start the next book as soon as I am done here. Again thanks for your talent! Pegge Marjamaa

[Laurie · Rating 5 out of 5]

A MUST READ Till the Last page!!!

WOW! WOW! WOW! At first I thought maybe someone had seen into my life somehow and wrote my story. I was Diana in this book, word for word. I connected with this book and felt the broken heart of Diana but also the road to the turn around. This book was exceptionally written, Julianne MacLean is my FAVORITE WRITER HANDS DOWN!!!!!!!!

[Heather · Rating 4 out of 5]

I've read a couple of books in this series and definitely enjoy Julianne MacLean's writing style. This story has quite a few unexpected turns, and I loved the "lessons learned"--although don't let that scare you off.

[Kathleen · Rating 3 out of 5]

I loved her first book but this one bounced around a bit too much. I had a hard time keeping up with what was going on to whom. By the time I got to the last 1/3 of the book I started enjoying it more.

[Patricia MacWright · Rating 1 out of 5]

Disappointing

This was a very pedestrian story and it ended just in time because I was just about to stop reading it and perhaps move on to a Lifetime movie!

[Carla Peicheff · Rating 5 out of 5]

Seriously can’t put these down once I start! So good, and they just suck you in right from the get go!!

[Tami Grzybowski · Rating 2 out of 5]

Terrible ending.

[Natasha · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was the first book I read in this series. I’m going to read two more books in this series. I hope they are better than this one.

What didn’t I like? The never-ending angst for starters. Twin sisters are separated at birth. The healthy twin, Diana, is adopted by a wealthy political family. The other sister, Nadia, has a heart condition and is adopted by a working-class family with an alcoholic father and chain-smoking mom. They meet as adults. A few heartfelt conversations later, we discover the poor sister is pregnant by the rich sister’s boyfriend.

This brings me to my next issue with the story. The timeline kept changing and I didn’t always know if I was reading about the past or the present.

And if there already wasn’t enough drama in this story, the poor sister develops a heart condition during her pregnancy and needs a heart transplant. She calls her estranged twin (because the baby’s daddy now wants nothing to do with either sister) and asks her sister to be the baby’s guardian if she doesn’t survive. 🙄 It ends well. I would have one-starred this book if the author had killed Nadia. She was wrong for getting with her sister’s boyfriend, but life had dealt her plenty of blows and I didn’t want to see her lose her fight to live. I felt the issue with the father could have been explored a bit more. $50,000 is a drop in the bucket when compared to what he owed their daughter. Don’t let Rick off that easily.

[Janice Spina · Rating 5 out of 5]

The Color of Hope, book 3, is a moving and unforgettable story in the Color of Heaven Series. This story involves a successful lawyer with a perfect life. Diana Moore has everything anyone could possible want but something is missing in her life. She has a handsome and rich boyfriend and all is going well and leading up to what she thinks she needs - a husband and eventually children. But something happens to change all that.

Diana discovers that she has a doppelgänger and vies to meet this woman to discover who she is. When she does, her life takes an unexpected turn and not all positive. Can she trust this woman? Is she her twin? How could this happen that her adopted parents did not know about this second baby? Would they have adopted her too? Diana has so many questions but feels compelled to aid this woman who has had a tragic upbringing, not as gifted as she had been in her life.

This was an emotional and heartfelt read with so many tragedies that kept befalling one woman. I found myself trying to cheer both women on as they struggled to find peace and love in their lives. This is part of a wonderful series of stories by this creative writer that will touch you and break your heart. Once I catch my breath and stop the tears, I will reach for the next book in the series.

[Nana · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book was full of surprises. Nadia and Diana were twins whose mother died in childbirth. Nadia had a heart defect so the decision was made to separate them when being put up for adoption. As adults, Diana heard a few times there was someone who looked just like her at a different law firm. She decided to look into it and she did indeed find she had a twin. It was a powerful story. Sometimes I had compassion, sometimes I was angry and when Nadia seemed to be set out to hurt Diana because Diana seemed to have had a better life than she did, I tried to have understanding. But after everything Diana did for her, Nadia told her to give up her boyfriend because she wanted him to remain her doctor, I was so mad and had a few choice words that I almost threw the book which was on my kindle. I didn't do it so I could finish the book and I am glad I did. It was a lot of emotions reading the book which is a good thing. Gets the blood pumping. I can see why this is a favorite book in the series.

[J. Florence · Rating 5 out of 5]

I gave this book a five star rating because I thought it was an outstanding book.
The storyline was great and was so believable. Things like this really happen in life.

Two women that are twins and separated at birth, neither knowing that they had a twin sister, find each other.

They become friends, only to have a tiff and the rich one left town. The other one got pregnant and because of a birth defect she had had at birth, got very ill. She contacted her sister and she came and took care of her until after the baby was born.

It was hard to tell you about this story without telling you things you need to read yourself. This was a great book with lots of things happening that I didn't even begin to touch on.

Love and forgiveness was a big part of this book. Something everyone needs to learn to do.
I thought Julianne MacLean done a great job writing this book.

[Shalom Thein · Rating 5 out of 5]

It's an amazing book, so well written! It was my 3rd book of Julianne (A Curve in the Road and Prairie Bride) and I felt deeply touched by each one of them. Julianne describes so well how human we are in our weaknesses and how prone to err and one can feel how Julianne can love each character even when they fall into their mistakes. And still, in each story Julianne shows how people can be redeemed and end up living to the best that they were meant to be, how love and faith and the desire to live and bring good to this world makes everything worthwhile. I want to allow what I just wrote to speak for itself without using superlatives to describe my true admiration for Julianne, who must be an exceptional human being to be able to write as she does. Sincerely, Shalom Thein

[One-Click · Rating 4 out of 5]

Audiobook- available in the audible romance bundle
Narration - Jennifer O’Donnell - really good

I gotta say, I spent some time lost while listening to this book, so it’s important that you pay attention to the character names in each section so you remember who they are when they return.

This third book in The Color of Heaven series again recalls characters from previous books beginning with childhood and bringing them together as adults. A lot of strange coincidences and again with a few scenes that made me pretty mad at some of the characters. Enjoyable though. Well written and inspiring stories.

So I’m up for the next book in the series.

[Barbara "Cookie" Serfaty Williams · Rating 5 out of 5]

The Color of Hope (The Color of Heaven Series Book 3)

The story of Diana and Nadia. Diana and Nadia are twin separate at born because Nadia has a hold on her heart. Diana is adopted at born and her adopted parents are wealthy and she get everything. Nadia's adopted parents are blue collar workers and her adopted father is an alcoholic and he leave the family when she is 9.
Life go on for them until two people mistake Diana for Nadia. They met and learn they are sister then Nadia fall for Diana's boyfriend. Can sister forget each other when then just start to know one other?

[SandyL · Rating 3 out of 5]

Diana Moore was adopted and was told her mother died at her birth and she was an only child. She's shocked when she finds her doppelganger working nearby, and then Nadia turns out to be her twin sister separated at birth. Diana has had a golden life - Nadia, not so much. When Diana includes Nadia in her life and then her boyfriend cheats on her with Nadia, Diana is devastated. She moves back to the east coast and begins to build a new life. But when her sister becomes gravely ill, her life is disrupted again. I felt bad for Diana and I wanted to feel back for Nadia, but she just kept making bad decisions.

[Debby · Rating 5 out of 5]

The relationship of twins can be complicated when they are raised together. To be separated at birth and not even know you are a twin, then find out one day as an adult must be all but the most difficult life changing event anyone could go through. Add to that, one twin lives a fantastic, loving life and the other has many struggles and you know there's going to be quite a story.

Nadia and Diana fit this scenario. The wide range of emotions over the 2 years or so that the 2 women know each other and adjust to this "new life" is crazy, inspiring and thought provoking.

I would recommend this story and would like to ready the others in the series.

[Sandra · Rating 4 out of 5]

I wish that there were half stars as I really would like to rate this as 4.5 stars. Most of this story was delightful and I excitedly read it chapter by chapter, always telling myself 'Just one more chapter' an 'then just one more'; however I did find it a little slow in the beginning chapters and I found the end just went rather flat and read more like an admonition for those who haven't yet signed their organ donation documents - minor little let-downs.

Overall, a delightful, interesting and intriguing plot and well-developed characters, and I am looking forward to read more of Nadia's story in the next book. I love Julianne MacLean's stories.

[kathi Driskell · Rating 5 out of 5]

WHAT A STORY

I think this author Julianne Maclean is my new fave person! I read book 1 and now Book 3 of her series and I can’t see how anyone could not love these stories!
This book is not my usual go to genre but her first book had me hooked and this one was even better.
This story just proves the goodness and love of family is unequal to any other love.
To find your family and have a true sister makes me just miss my 2 precious sisters even more!
Tears come but happy ones when reading the end of this book.
What a great story!!
I wish I could give many more extra stars and accolades to this author for she has a very special gift of writing.

[Lisa N. · Rating 5 out of 5]

Tell her to twins and their journey and life

That's because very suspenseful in the terms and then pages that you read unexpected A connection between twins.You never know what life has in store for you but surprises were unexpected less things are gonna be there. This book brings you to emotional fillings in In your journey and reading this book.Come to find out that blood is thicker than water and things come in all shapes and sizes.Twins I have their own unique bond in life As we know it we will never know unless we are twins