If at first you don't succeed, then try, try again…right?
Only two things matter to Lance, protecting his girls and football. After almost losing the girls, Lance is more determined than ever to safeguard them and fulfill his dream to become a professional athlete. With the NFL draft looming, will his promiscuity derail his dream and endanger the girls again?
Imani, proud and Black, continues along the academic path to a chemical engineering degree and a promising career. Will her racist preconceptions thwart her progress?
A shattered Melody is more determined than ever to find true love at college just like her parents. But will she continue to make the same mistakes that almost killed her?
As they attempt to recover from the unimaginable, can their friendship endure...The Colors of Love?
K. R. Raye is the author of the Colors Trilogy. She lives in Maryland with her husband and two sons. Throughout her diverse career working as a mechanical engineer, adjunct professor, and in sales, she continues to weave her love of marketing, computer information systems, and operations together with her passion for writing.
The Colors of Love is the second book in the Colors Trilogy by K.R. Raye. This is a New Adult contemporary story with emotion, challenges, friendship, college life, lessons, triggers, romance, and drama. We re-join Lance, Imani, and Melody as they face some serious challenges and navigate their way through college and life. Their friendship is about to be tested in many ways. Are they up for some serious challenges? Only time will tell…. Bring on Book #3! Happy Reading!
There is so much to be said about this work that I’m finding it difficult knowing where to start. Maybe a short synopsis will do the job …
“The Colors of Love” in essence is the story of true friendship, life and love in modern times. Moreover, it reflects on the Urban community. Allow me to elaborate.
This is the story of 3 friends; Melody, Imani and Lance. Three very different people, each with their strengths and weaknesses. It is an Urban Drama. Truth be told, from the three friends, my favorite was Lance. Now, getting back to what I was saying, the overall gist of the story speaks of what true friendship can endure, as well as what things can happen during the quest for love. Particularly, when you are young (of college age).
At first, we find ourselves in the midst of a very intense suicide scene. Kevin, whom is Melody’s ex-boyfriend and consequently also an abuser, has her held captive while Imani watches—Lance is on his way. Kevin’s whole mentality is “If I can’t have her, no one will” but subsequently ends up killing himself. The entire scenario is horrific, and truly traumatizing.
After all of this Lance pledges his allegiance to the girls and swears to be their ‘forever protector‘. And so, the story goes on.
From there the story takes an interesting turn. Suddenly, the reader is being thrust into Imani’s love endeavors. I suppose that this is where they title stems from.
Imani is a hard headed female, with her mind set on her studies and future career. With all of her virtues, Imani has one problem, she is too stubborn to allow herself to fall in love. And love has come knocking at her door time and time again. It’s come in the form of DJ, Marco, Trev, and so many others that I lost count.
Lance and Melody remain in the background of this story for most of it.
The drama is intertwined with all sort of goodies for the Drama-Lover. Love, loss, heartache, complicated relationships, twisted emotions, even bigotry is thrown in the mix. Truth be told, it reminded me of a Soap Opera.
Not wanting to give too much of the story away, I suppose I should get into my Pros and Cons.
Let’s start with the Cons.
1) I was sort of let down in the fact that the story started off super strong—the whole suicide scene really enveloping me. The it changes directions completely. Here is the thing, or at least what I think it is: This is the 2nd installment in a collection. People are led to believe that each installation can stand alone, but they cannot. The start of this one, was the end of the first. This can potentially throw off a reader that did not read the first part. Like me. Since, in no part of the first few chapters one is told that this is essentially a flash back of the past, then one is under the impression that this is what the entire story is going to be about, but it is not. I think that the author should have spread this suicide scene throughout the story in the form of flashbacks. That may have worked better.
2) Time and time again I found myself at my wits end with Imani. She just kept ticking me off. By the half way point of the story, I simply did not like her very much. I continually thought, “How can a smart person be so damn dumb!?” By the end of the story, Imani does kind of redeem her actions, but (for me at least) it wasn’t sufficient to change my mind about her. I think that one of the things that bothered me the most about her was that she repeatedly got mad at the guys that she turned down whenever they found a new love interest. Basically, she got jealous—like she wanted them to never stop pining over her, and never find love. Grrr! So many times I just wanted to kick her in her junk. *giggling*
3) I really wish that Melody and Lance had been more towards the forefront of the story. While the story was about 3 friends, many times it seemed like Melody and Lance were an after thought—sort of thrown in here and there.
4) Now to the technical bits. I really wish that the author wouldn’t had used SO MANY CONJUNCTIONS. It seemed like every time someone did something they “did this AND that”. It was really frustrating. What ever happened to “doing this, THEN that”?
5) The story could have used one more eye in reference to the polishing up of the prose. There were instances of missing punctuation and the like.
6) My last Con is that I think that there might have been a few too many characters introduced in this story. The fact that there were so many is probably what attributed to the “washing out”, if you will, of Lance and Melody.
All right, that covers the cons. Now on to the Pros.
While you will see that my list of Pros isn’t all that long, trust me when I tell you that they are enough to keep the reader hooked.
1) DRAMA,DRAMA AND MORE DRAMA! Holy Toledo! I mean, there is so much going on that you just can’t (and don’t want to) let the book go. It’s, in the absolute, a page turner.
2) Every character is written so well that you feel as though you really know them. From the supporting characters to the main ones, you just get that feeling that you’ve met them before. 3) The overall ambiance of the story is captivating. It’s college life with some indubitable, manacle, true to life turmoil. Great for the person that gets off on that kind of thing. Without the shadow of a doubt, while the technical bits needed some work, the overall story was fascinating.
This is my first book by this author and I am a fan. I was hooked from the very beginning. From the mix of characters to the amazing plot. I found myself emotional during some parts of this book, which I love. Very well written and entertaining. I will be reading the other books in this series.
I loved book 2!! It was even more raw and real with a glimpse of our characters. This book hit my heart and soul with so many real life factors. Love, abuse, friendship, acceptance, and the struggles of life. Lance, Imani, and Melody tell a powerful story, and it’s one you want to read.
This author is something else. I really enjoyed the first installment of this series, really connected with Imani, Melody, and Lance, and found the way that she weaves this installment to build on the amazing foundation, and make it even greater. This group of friends has been through hell and back, and seems like they're still in for a wild ride throughout.
Not only the drama and happenings in their own personal lives, but also through the world's issues and beliefs. I find the writing style to be addictive, and found the story to weave a path through my mind so that even when I wasn't reading it, it still had me whirling with thoughts. I love this series, and cannot wait to continue on this path, as it finally seems like some folks are getting their happily ever after. Highly recommend!
This book was very good and I would highly recommend reading this series in order. This book is raw and dealing with what happened in book 1....a bit heartbreaking for me and took me on a roller coaster of emotions.
There is a lot in this story with Melody, Imani and Lance as they are still navigating their friendship along with college life and the future. This story has Lance still being very protective over Melody and Imani.....Melody trying to move on after Kevin and Imani still focused as ever on her college degree. Secrets, love, angst, race and friendship that is test all tied in this story.
I enjoyed reading this story. This is the second book in this series which I highly suggest reading as it is just as enjoyable as this one. This is a well written story where the author used details to make the story pop and come to life. I enjoyed how I was pulled into the story from the start. The characters are connectable and have great growth throughout the story. There is great chemistry between them which makes the story easy to read. This is a fast paced story that is hard to put down. An engaging story that you don't want to miss. There is much going on in this story but the other did a great job of keeping the story flowing. This made such a great story to read. I highly recommend this book.
This was a story about love in the African American community. It shows the love of friends Lance, Melody, and Imani. This book touches on a lot of sensitive subjects such as domestic violence, suicide, promiscuity, interracial dating, and even crossing unspoken lines in relationships. I feel this is a good read for young adults, especially those who are still finding their way. The story telling lends itself to be read by any gender and a wide range of ages, but is best suited for more mature audiences. I didn't read the first book but had no trouble following along with the storyline and I'm looking forward to reading the third installment of this series to see how the story further unfolds.
The Colors of Love was the first book that I have read by this author. I love that she tells a story in a way that is believable to what happens in real life. Not all the parts of the story have happy endings. Mainly follows the different relationships of a trio of friends. The group experiences a tragedy in the first few pages. Melody is left especially damaged from this event. Her best friends Imani and Lance try to love her the best they can. Lance is a college football star who is known as the campus playboy who doesn’t have long-term relationships. Melody struggles with commitment after abuse. Imani is focused on being happy, but sometimes that means making choices that were not a part of her plans. This book has a mix of different situations that young adults can experience.
I believe that this author is trying to break me. After the horrible relationship in the first book, one would think that Melody would get a break. Nope. Then throw in Marco and Imani, Imani and Lance, Lance and Heather, graduation and so much more. I don’t know if I can take book three but I know I will read it.
If I wasn’t already attached to these characters from the first book, my attachment grew deeper with the second book. I have a feeling that I am going to be shattered after the third book. There was soooooo much that happened in this book. This story picks up immediately after the tragedy that ended the first. Melody is recovering. Imani and Lance, each facing their own guilt and recovery, protect and shield Melody from everything. Imani finds an unexpected love. Melody faces heartbreak, again, and again. Lance discovers a family secret that leads to a positive outcome. Everyone graduates. Lance gets drafted. Lance gets injured. Lance marries Heather. Melody needs a guardian angel. Imani marries Marco. Imani gets a premonition.
The rollercoaster of emotions doesn’t end. The bounds of this friendship are tested time and time again, but they prove to be strong and elastic. I can’t wait to dive into the third book. This series is phenomenal.
The Colors of Love (The Colors Trilogy Book 2) by K.R. Raye . This is a great story in the Colors Trilogy. Its the continuing story of Lance who has been known in the past for his way with the ladies but now he knows for the sake of his girls he has to settle down. Imani is usually the level headed one of the bunch but when she gets in a long distance relationship with a guy she loses all her good sense. Melody is still reeling from the last relationship she was in and has decided she doesn't want to go thru that again. All the while they are trying to juggle school along with all these relationship issues. Lance is also trying to continue to hope to make the NFL draft and be a positive role model for his girls. Will they all be able to make it? Read this fun young adult story that will have you turning pages as fast as you can.
Soooooo, how was it?! Admitting, I questioned whether the anticipated experience I typically encounter in a page racing—I “GOT TO” read one more page before the end of night—romance novel would occur. I wondered this for several pages. And, the more I wondered—the more drawn in and intimately I became involved with the characters in the “Colors of Love.” Fate (well-maybe) sent this book my way. It directed me to reflect on my (past) experiences/friends’ experiences, questioning the details of those youthful relationships—those that were beautiful…but, honestly, more focus was brought to those that were NOT so beautiful. The toxic and THE THANK GOD IT’S OVER relationships came to my mind more. The fate—well, the fact that I originally believed I was interested in this novel only to recapture the innocent not so complex (happy-go-lucky) pieces of youthful love. What I unexpectantly received was an unopposing need to concede to seeing apparent “red flags” in (past) relationships in perhaps a more self-revealing and honest way. Anyhoo, the youthful, but, mature relationship plights connected with me as K.R. Raye unfolded a light and untroubled writing style and tone, while addressing the troubled components of some relationships (suicide, infidelity, promiscuity, overly zealous love pursuits and the like). Agreeably, the expected love/loyalty conquers all steadily emerged, keeping in line with the highly sought after romance novels I usually desire, even if I say otherwise. So, at the close of the book all was well in the world even if briefly. Why Brief? Well, it appears there will be more issues to tackle in the next book, but such is life. I’m game for the next read; as long as love continues to prevail… Colors of Love was an inviting and fun book with real life issues. I’m definitely open and committed to reading K.R. Raye’s next book—“True Colors.”
Melody, Imani, and Lance are back and their friendship is seemingly stronger than ever. That is, until they are faced with more hardships and tragedies that test them each individually and as a group. The Colors of Love is Lance’s story, but Imani shares the spotlight most of the time.
There is a lot going on throughout The Colors of Love and so many characters with issues of their own to meet. Emotions run high from page one and never let up. In this book you get love, sadness, deceit, betrayal, heartache, grief, and jealousy. There is a lot to take in, including possible triggers: suicide, racism, domestic violence, and kidnapping.
This is the second book in a trilogy. It is able to standalone if you have not read the first one. This book is just as good as the previous one. The characters of Melody, Imani and Lance have been even more developed. They are continuing to grow in their friendship and in their own lives. This is a great balance between a contemporary book that focuses on friendship and a romance. I truly enjoyed this book and I was rooting for the characters. I truly recommend this book as it is an easy quick read!
Once again I was a tad disappointed. I started off thinking that Lance was gonna be the star of this book but it didn’t really feel that way, it seemed to be more about his escapades than him protecting his girls. Imani was very annoying to me in this book, the mixed signals, how she handles the issues with melody, she was just too all over the place.
I will say that unwavering friendship is a wonderful thing and I think it’s beautiful in these books. It’s always good to have a couple of good people on your corner.
The Colors of love is book two in a Trilogy. I Did not read book one in this series, and I was still able to keep up with book two. I thought this book was well written I was sucked in right from the begging. The Charaters in this book are wonderful I love the three friends Melody, Lance and Imani. I Feel the characters can be relatable. If you are into Contemporary Romance reads, then this is the book for you. I read this book in two days and I cannot wait to read book three by this author and i plan on going back and reading book 1 also. Thank you to this amazing author for a great read and i look forward to reading more books by you soon. I Suggest all you Romance readers pick this up i would even say young adults would enjoy this book as well :)
I love love love this author and this series! The Colors of Love was beautiful! I can’t wait to read book 3, I may even restart before I get my hands on book 3. Dealing with the aftermath of book 1, Lance, Melody, and Imani end up on adventures over the next few years of school. The time crunch in this one is definitely quicker than book 1. Race definitely becomes an issue in the book. Imani is a strong presence. Imani even struggles with it herself. Can’t see past it, on how she should only be dating her own race all others are off limits. It’s definitely a learning experience for her, and I am glad Melody had a meltdown and opened Imani’s eyes to reality. Melody is still struggling, with her boyfriend blowing his brains out, she needs to let go. But that's easier said than done. Jumping into a relationship that she didn’t realize had some serious race implications. Then there’s Lance. Lance is still jumping from woman to woman, till junior year spring break changed his life for multiple reasons. He found out his real dad is alive and well, also not a criminal. Also accepted him with open arms into his family fold. Then there’s Imani, he loves her but doesn’t know how to tell her. He feels the night they spent together was a mistake. Will he ever tell Imani, how he truly feels? Will Melody ever be able to get past what happened to Kevin? So many questions and tons of answers, I just refuse to post the spoilers. I want you to jump feet first into a book trilogy that’s worth every penny!
An enjoyable and engaging read, which kept me happily turning the pages. Having read book one, it was nice to be back with the three friends, Lance, Imani, and Melody. The storyline continues from the previous book, and the friends are all coming to terms with the traumatic events that occurred. Having nearly lost his two friends, Lance is determined to protect them, along with fulfilling his dream of becoming a professional footballer. Imani, is continuing with her chemical engineering degree and the hope of a promising career. Melody has been left shattered but is even more determined to find true love like her parents. As the friends try to recover from the unimaginable, their friendship is tested. Lance’s promiscuity may not only affect his NFL dreams, but also endanger the girls again. Meanwhile, Melody is at risk of making the same mistakes that nearly got her killed, and Imani’s racist preconceptions may prevent her academic progress. This is an emotional rollercoaster of a read, full of drama and angst, but fundamentally the friendship element shines through. The characters are all likeable and relatable, making me feel engaged with them and their lives. I look forward to book three, and with ‘catching up’ with the trio of friends again.
I was completely absorbed throughout this entire book. While I had reservations from the first in the series, the second one has blown me away! Very rarely do I find a series that gets so much better after the first book. This dives deeper into each storyline, and I loved it!
Our favorite trio are back in college after traumatic events, and they are trying to find a way to support each other but still get on with their lives. Lance is doing everything he can to protect his girls and keep his eye on the ball, but something keeps nagging in the back of his mind. Imani continues to be close with her group and finds a new task in challenging her limiting stance on racial issues as well as finding a man that can keep up with her. Melody keeps settling for much less than she deserves but her friends just can’t reach her to snap her out of it. Will any of them make the progress they want or are they bound to stay unhappy with only each other to rely on?
This was a twisting, turning, wonderful story to read and I am reaching for the third in the trilogy right now. You will not be disappointed picking this up because you won’t want to put it down!
This is a great follow up to the first book in this series. After the horrific events at the end of the first book, and all that Melody and her best friends Lance and Imani were put through, this book shows us a bit more about the recovery process and the healing of the friendships between our main characters. Not only do we see how Junior and Senior year of college goes for them, but how the first few years after school turned out as well. This book is told from Lance’s perspective, for the most part, but has input from Imani and Melody as well. While I definitely don’t agree with all of the characters life choices, and at times found myself wanting to smack some sense into a few of them, I also found myself getting so lost in the story that the real world ceased to exist until I had to put the book down to do real world things. I can’t wait to see how this series ends.
The stunning cover was what attracted me to this book. Its faced paced beginning interested me as I have to admit, I hadn't read the first novel. I was quickly introduced to the characters and the world they lived in.
I have little to say about the novel except that it was enjoyable, exciting and was incredibly empathetic. I have to admit I felt a similarity to Melody but an extreme irritation that she was so held up in the fantasy of love.
I read this book in a day as soon as I got it and I definitely don't regret it! Its one I`ll recommend to my friends.
I loved this second book in the series, the continuation of these characters and their stories. I thought this book was even better than the first, and I was pulled back into the story straight away. I couldn’t wait to see what the author did with the story and what was next for the three friends. This book is just as well written as the first and I found myself even more drawn to the characters than before. I really like how it feels like you truly get to know these characters with each passing page. I have enjoyed everything about this series so far and I cannot wait to read the next book.
The book was given by the author in exchange for an honest review. Very baby spoilers to expand on a pro or con of the book.
I am a fan of the abstract cover concept. However, with this particular cover, the author may have missed the mark slightly. In the first book, The Colors of Friendship, the young lady in the yellow (Melody) is standing in the center. For me, whenever a character is in the center, it represents one being the focal point of the story, which she was for the very 1st book. In this cover, Lance looks to be the one in the center; however, the story really does seem a bit more about Imani with Lance sprinkled in here and there. It is slightly misleading.
In addition, the author is still very heavy with starting off sentences with conjunctions, both in narrative and in dialogue. I understand that in dialogue, it may be more natural, yet I do think they should be used within reason.
Supplemental characters were brought into the mix, and some were quite crucial in dictating the lives of the main characters. However, there were a few that were brought in way too soon, and others that were given a name, were in a couple of chapters, and then disappeared. One for example was the very wacky roommate that did the bird calls.
Another thing was the comparison of some of the characters to actors in movies. Yes, I know some of the actors mentioned in The Colors of Love. As a matter of fact, Johnny Depp is one of my favorites. If there are readers who don’t know those actors or who don’t look at movies, they may be loss when the author says that “so-and-so reminds me of the Johnny Depp that was in Pirates of the Caribbean” (for an example).
The Colors of Love touched on a lot of topics, including but not limited to:
1. Handling of tragedy on college campus 2. The difficulty of long distance relationships 3. Pride can keep you from the Love one deserves 4. Pro-black: a matter of choice or another form of discrimination? 5. New York City is NOT New York state
Handling of tragedy on college campuses: The reality is that what happened between Kevin and Melody has fast become the norm as opposed to the exception. Yet, not many people report it. One is because of shame and two, because the college is more concerned with covering things up than dealing with the problem. What would the donors say? How would it affect the college’s reputation? I do wish that how everyone was handling the tragedy was touched on a bit more beyond Imani was handling it fine, while Melody was still struggling and needed more therapy sessions.
The difficulty of long distance relationships: The strong demeanor of Imani was tested due to moments when she had to deal with long distance. Her desire to control everything, in many situations, cost her some key relationships. One that stood out in the beginning was the connection she experienced with Julian aka DJ. They appeared to have a good thing going, but when it got time to go their separate ways, Imani suggested that he “experience what’s out there first” despite him saying that he wanted to be exclusive with her.
For me, Imani lost a whole lot of kudos, and it all started with this incident.
My disdain with her increased because of her Pride, as well as her Pro-black stance.
Let me explain.
Many times, Imani would throw out mixed signals to different guys, as far as her interest. Yet the moment the guys recognized it and responded in kind, Imani would revert to behaving like a scared little girl or ultra defensive. In the first book, it was Trevor she was throwing signals to, yet all the time, rationalizing “he’s not my type”. In this book, it was a little of the same. The thing that angered me the most about the scenario in The Colors of Love was that it was with someone she had always been fully open with before, yet the moment he went out of his comfort zone, rather than both of them having an adult conversation about it, she assumed that she was just like the rest. To her rejection, he believed that everything was a mistake. Because of her pride (fear that she was just one notch in the belt as opposed to special), Imani put a great strain on a friendship that didn’t need to be there. Yet, at the same time, she would act weird, as well as get defensive, whenever someone would ask about him.
The more Imani’s character developed, the less respect I had for her, particularly during her interactions with Melody (the Pro-black issue). At times, Imani seemed to forget Melody’s nationality, and I cheered when Melody finally had her fill and told her off. If a woman wants to stick to her own race, that’s fine, but there’s no need to do it in a way that causes disrespect to someone else. Especially when you are friends with someone who is biracial. Although she somewhat redeems herself at the end, for me, it still wasn’t enough for me to feel as much fondness about her as I did before.
Melody, I would have loved to have tracked her progress, outside of her being hungry for love and just wanted to be in a relationship because other people around her were in relationships as well.
I do like the way the author painted out that the mentality of all New Yorkers isn’t the same. Many people, when they think of New York, they mainly think of New York City as opposed to New York. When, in reality, New York City is liberal, yet other parts, like upstate New York, can be quite conservative as well as discriminatory. There were key scenes that placed spotlight on that fact, and I applaud the author for interweaving that into the storyline as well.
So how did I feel about The Colors of Love? Let me do the overall Pros and Cons breakdown, followed by the verdict.
Pros
Touched on very important points as it pertains to race relations and relationships Main characters are developing Supplemental characters pushed the story along Football segments well written Lots of conflict Narrative voice engaging Like abstract approach to the covers
Cons
Too much conjunction use in narrative and dialogue Not enough spotlight on Melody’s development Feel like most of the spotlight should have been on Lance and his vow “to protect” as opposed to the dating life of Imani Too many new characters introduced towards the start of the book The way the author started Part Two was slightly misleading (point outlined by Mini Truth) Looks of the non black characters compared to movie stars Slightly too much filler information Danger element towards the end felt rushed (which would have been alleviated if some of the filler had been minimized or eliminated)
Unleashed Verdict: 3.25 out of 5 Stars
Despite the narrative voice and the touching on important topics, The Colors of Love had a bit too much going on with it. The filler chapters slowed down quite a bit of the action, and the resolution seemed thrown together and rushed to make up for it. It was too Imani centered when it should have been Lance centered, and Melody’s coping with her tragedy felt brushed over, making it seem insignificant. Yes, I will proceed with the next installment because there is a great story line here, but in comparison to the first book, The Colors of Love’s reflection is not as strong.
This is the 2nd book in the Colors Trilogy. We are back with Lance, Imani and Melody as they try to navigate college life. Dealing with new stresses, Romance, demons of the past and their future the 3 friends are going through their life's facing different situations and finding and losing love.
After the devastating events of the last book it has sent shock waves through the 3 friends. Now they are all trying to rebuild their lives and all the challenges that they will come against. As young adults there is a lot of angst. Love and romance are confusing concepts. One thing none of the friends want is a repeat of the last time one of them fell in love. With Melody's past relationship and the terrible end that came too she is reluctant to let another man close to her. Is she right to keep herself guarded and closed off? Imani is always strong and sensible but when she gets into a long- distance relationship with DJ she finds herself feeling and confronting emotions she's never felt before .
And finally Lance. Lance is definately a ladies man. However now he main focus is looking after his girls and becoming a professional athlete. So how will he react when there is another danger aimed at his girls or when his promiscuous history comes back to bite him.
This story is full of emotion as they all deal with their own problems but their love for each other and unwavering support shines though the pages.
I was very excited to read book 2 in this wonderful series, the first book was amazing from start to finish. So I had high hopes when I picked this one up, and needless to say, I was not disappointed! The amazing author created a sensational story once again, and I could not put this one down either.
I loved that this book continued the characters and what happened in the first, and continued. I enjoyed that we got to read about Lance and his story this time around. I really felt for him. And everything he was going through, as well as endured. The book really makes you feel a lot of emotions. Even when they're painful, you don't want to turn away, you want more, you want to feel. That's the power this book and author can have over you. It's rare and with its power, it's enlightening as well. The story and writing is captivating. I love how I have the ability to connect with the lead character each book surrounds. I really love that. The book was amazing, and I felt so much! I couldn't put it down! Loved it!
This author really has captured my interest since the first book in the series, and I know my interest will continue to be held. This book and series gives so much, it is impossible not to enjoy it! Wonderful read, highly recommend this must read book, series and author!
This is book 2 in a young adult romance series. I recommend reading book 1 before getting into book 2. I didn't and I think I would have been more involved with the characters had I done so. This is a story of friendships and life of young adults moving through their college years. The main characters are Melody, Imani and Lance and each come with different life perspectives. There is a lot going on throughout The Colors of Love including (possible triggers): suicide, racism, domestic violence, and kidnapping. It begins with Lance becoming a protector of his friends (and his desire with wanting to be a pro athlete) due to a traumatic experience that Melody goes through with an ex-boyfriend. Then we learn about Imani's love life - wanting to falling love but not allowing herself to do so. She has opportunities to find the love of her life, but she seems to back them off. What does this cause? Drama! Imani's lack of commitment to men who wanted to be committed to her drove me nutso. A theme in this storyline was race. It becomes an issue - Imani can't see past race in her own life, which hinders relationships. I wasn't sure who the story was going to be about - it seemed like Lance, but Imani jumped out as the main storyline for me. But overall, a pretty good read - and it covers a lot of important topics that young adults face in today's world.
Trigger warning – there is domestic violence/an abusive relationship.
I strongly suggest you read these books in order as the end of the first book is the start of this book. The Colors of Love is the second book in this contemporary romance trilogy.
Melody, Imani and Lance are back after surviving the horrors and still trying to cope with what happened in the first book. Their friendship is still strong but they find themselves with more horrors and hardships that test them. This book is Lance’s story but it seemed that Imani had a more starring role. This another journey through good times and bad times and times that will test themselves and their friendship.
There is a lot going on in this book and lots of characters showing up. There are so many emotions in this story. There is also a bit of everything going on with lies and deceit, angst and sadness, suicide and angst, drama and grief, heartache, love, jealousy and turmoil. There is racism, violence and suicide and interracial relationships and more. It is an engaging story that tackles a lot of issues and keep the pages turning.
The Colors of Love by K. R. Raye is book two in The Colors Trilogy. Wow this one was full of sooooo many surprises, secrets and crazy happenings! And just when I thought the book was almost over, I’m only 44% of the way done?! Hello what more can happen!? Melody’s rant toward Imani was perfection. I loved every word. Between all of the friends getting their own chapter it seemed, there was so much development. It sometimes became hard to keep up but because it all ties together it does come back around. I am so rooting for Lance. He is turning into a better guy although he does still have his moments. The love this trio of friends has for one another is so obvious and I am here for it.
This book was a definite page turner and I'm so glad I continued on after book 1! Sometimes a realistic drama is exactly what I need to take my mind off the cares of life! This book is full of intense nuggets including race issues, suicide, friendship struggles and the dreaded sexual mistakes we all seem to make and so so much more! I love the main characters and I'm looking forward to finding a bit more about their escapades in book 3. I was left in a bit of a confused state reading book 2, but that's why there's a Trilogy!
This book had such great development!! It really sucks you in. The story of three college friends and how their relationships develop and change. There was a large focus on race and contained quite a few triggering topics such as suicide, domestic violence, and kidnapping.
Though I would recommend this book as a stand alone book, I wish I would have read the first book first. I think I would have been interested from the minute I picked it up instead of having to give it a few chapters.