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The Color of Shame
When her immunity to psychics is discovered, Sara is sucked back into spying for the criminal organization she was poised to escape.
The worst scars are hidden . . .
For years, Sara served the shadowy Agency, until a mission gone wrong left her physically and emotionally wounded. Haunted by these scars, Sara is counting down the days to her reconstructive surgery, the final step towards freedom from the Agency's clutches.
Just as she's close to escaping, Sara’s path crosses with Beckett, an uptight English professor with the uncanny ability to delve into people's minds with a mere touch.
Anyone’s mind except Sara’s.
Unbeknownst to her, Beckett is a member of a clandestine society of memory magicians, and he sees in Sara the perfect instrument to catapult his career within their ranks.
Sara and Beckett clash fiercely, both determined to follow their own paths. But the Agency’s grip on Sara is tighter than she realized, and they give her one more assignment: work for Beckett and his program to help budding memory magicians. And report back all the details.
While forced to work side by side, Sara and Beckett soon discover that first impressions can be misleading, and animosity can transform into an intoxicating mix of frustration and fascination.
As the lines blur between loyalty and self-preservation, Sara finds herself torn between protecting Beckett and his students or safeguarding her own precarious freedom.
Will Sara's immunity be her salvation or her downfall? Can she navigate the treacherous landscape of spies and memory magic while protecting her heart?
The worst scars are hidden . . .
For years, Sara served the shadowy Agency, until a mission gone wrong left her physically and emotionally wounded. Haunted by these scars, Sara is counting down the days to her reconstructive surgery, the final step towards freedom from the Agency's clutches.
Just as she's close to escaping, Sara’s path crosses with Beckett, an uptight English professor with the uncanny ability to delve into people's minds with a mere touch.
Anyone’s mind except Sara’s.
Unbeknownst to her, Beckett is a member of a clandestine society of memory magicians, and he sees in Sara the perfect instrument to catapult his career within their ranks.
Sara and Beckett clash fiercely, both determined to follow their own paths. But the Agency’s grip on Sara is tighter than she realized, and they give her one more assignment: work for Beckett and his program to help budding memory magicians. And report back all the details.
While forced to work side by side, Sara and Beckett soon discover that first impressions can be misleading, and animosity can transform into an intoxicating mix of frustration and fascination.
As the lines blur between loyalty and self-preservation, Sara finds herself torn between protecting Beckett and his students or safeguarding her own precarious freedom.
Will Sara's immunity be her salvation or her downfall? Can she navigate the treacherous landscape of spies and memory magic while protecting her heart?
370 pages, Kindle Edition
Published November 1, 2023
11 people are currently reading
25 people want to read
About the author
Hollie Smurthwaite
7 books56 followersHollie Smurthwaite writes paranormal romances where magic meets reality, blending wit, angst, and steamy chemistry with themes of trust, empowerment, and found family. Known for her complex characters and humor in dark moments, her stories make readers laugh, cry, and sigh.
She lives in Chicago with her husband, son, and a tragically small number of pets.
For a free prequel short story to The Psychic Colors series, sign up for her newsletter.
She lives in Chicago with her husband, son, and a tragically small number of pets.
For a free prequel short story to The Psychic Colors series, sign up for her newsletter.
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Displaying 1 - 12 of 12 reviews
November 18, 2023
I sooooo love Sara and you did an outstanding job telling her story. UPDATE:
Killing with kindness always baffled jerks.
I love that quote from the book and Sara is spot on. She knows a jerk when she sees one, and she has seen plenty of them. Sara works for The Agency, or she did until a mission went wrong. Terribly wrong. It left her scarred, inside and out. Because of that, they had let her go, but does a shadow agency ever let anyone go?
Psychic groups collide when Sara meets Beckett, a stiff English professor, and it is discovered that she has immunity to being read. Beckett, well, when push comes to shove, his love and loyalty will shine…BUT it will be a rough road to get there.
Hollie Smurthwaite’s vivid descriptions bring the characters to life. I can see them through her words, feel their emotions, join in their fight for life and love.
I met Sara in The Color Of Betrayal, Jolene and Cass’s story. Sara is a diverse character, suffering from dyslexia. She is vivacious, has a snappy wit, and people are drawn to her beauty. She trusts no one, except, possibly, Jolene, Cass and Kiera, but they have not seen each other for years. She does not want to take her troubles to their door, so she tries to handle the situation on her own. As the danger rises and betrayals take her down, I fear for her. The tension and pacing pick up, making me flip the pages…rapidly.
I love when Sara brings Ren into the story. Ren has a level of innocence that makes me want to shelter her, protect her. I love when Sara brings a level of fun and companionship to the others in the group.
I have had my eye on one character in particular, waiting for him to show his ugly side. When he does…Hollie creates a twist that had me smiling. I love when an author throws something totally unexpected my way.
I wouldn’t change a thing about The Color Of Shame by Hollie Smurthwaite. My question is: Will Ren get her own story? The series could end here and I would be satisfied, but when a find a fascinating character, I want more. I want them to have their happy ever after.
Killing with kindness always baffled jerks.
I love that quote from the book and Sara is spot on. She knows a jerk when she sees one, and she has seen plenty of them. Sara works for The Agency, or she did until a mission went wrong. Terribly wrong. It left her scarred, inside and out. Because of that, they had let her go, but does a shadow agency ever let anyone go?
Psychic groups collide when Sara meets Beckett, a stiff English professor, and it is discovered that she has immunity to being read. Beckett, well, when push comes to shove, his love and loyalty will shine…BUT it will be a rough road to get there.
Hollie Smurthwaite’s vivid descriptions bring the characters to life. I can see them through her words, feel their emotions, join in their fight for life and love.
I met Sara in The Color Of Betrayal, Jolene and Cass’s story. Sara is a diverse character, suffering from dyslexia. She is vivacious, has a snappy wit, and people are drawn to her beauty. She trusts no one, except, possibly, Jolene, Cass and Kiera, but they have not seen each other for years. She does not want to take her troubles to their door, so she tries to handle the situation on her own. As the danger rises and betrayals take her down, I fear for her. The tension and pacing pick up, making me flip the pages…rapidly.
I love when Sara brings Ren into the story. Ren has a level of innocence that makes me want to shelter her, protect her. I love when Sara brings a level of fun and companionship to the others in the group.
I have had my eye on one character in particular, waiting for him to show his ugly side. When he does…Hollie creates a twist that had me smiling. I love when an author throws something totally unexpected my way.
I wouldn’t change a thing about The Color Of Shame by Hollie Smurthwaite. My question is: Will Ren get her own story? The series could end here and I would be satisfied, but when a find a fascinating character, I want more. I want them to have their happy ever after.
October 20, 2023
I'd like to thank the author for the opportunity to read a free ARC of this book.
I stayed up much too late into the night reading this book because I just had to know what was going to happen next and couldn't find a place to stop! And the last few chapters had me sobbing and going through a lot of tissues. I ended up finishing the book in one sitting and only got about 3 hours of sleep that night. I have no regrets. ;)
This is book #3 in the Psychic Colors series, and if you're new to the series, I definitely recommend starting with #1 The Color of Trauma. Each book in this series follows different main characters, but there is some overlap, so it's best to read the series in order.
I really enjoyed this third book in the series. I liked Sara when she was introduced in #2 The Color of Betrayal, and I loved getting to know her better in this book. I enjoyed how her personality clashed with Beckett's - opposites attract - and all the interactions between them were hugely entertaining. Both Sara and Beckett's POVs were interesting and fun to read. Generally, I'm not the biggest fan of the fake dating trope, but it worked for me here (maybe because it didn't take too long to move from fake to real).
Beckett's college program for young memory magicians provided a perfect opportunity for exploring the magic system and the different types of memory magic in this world more deeply without getting info dumpy. And it added some great secondary characters into the mix - I especially enjoyed Ren and the bond that developed between her and Sara.
I definitely recommend giving this series a try if you like:
• romantic suspense
• dark themes
• characters dealing with trauma (lots of trauma, ALL the trauma)
• steamy romance
• the idea of memory magic
• (as long as you don't mind cussing, these characters aren't shy with the cussing)
I stayed up much too late into the night reading this book because I just had to know what was going to happen next and couldn't find a place to stop! And the last few chapters had me sobbing and going through a lot of tissues. I ended up finishing the book in one sitting and only got about 3 hours of sleep that night. I have no regrets. ;)
This is book #3 in the Psychic Colors series, and if you're new to the series, I definitely recommend starting with #1 The Color of Trauma. Each book in this series follows different main characters, but there is some overlap, so it's best to read the series in order.
I really enjoyed this third book in the series. I liked Sara when she was introduced in #2 The Color of Betrayal, and I loved getting to know her better in this book. I enjoyed how her personality clashed with Beckett's - opposites attract - and all the interactions between them were hugely entertaining. Both Sara and Beckett's POVs were interesting and fun to read. Generally, I'm not the biggest fan of the fake dating trope, but it worked for me here (maybe because it didn't take too long to move from fake to real).
Beckett's college program for young memory magicians provided a perfect opportunity for exploring the magic system and the different types of memory magic in this world more deeply without getting info dumpy. And it added some great secondary characters into the mix - I especially enjoyed Ren and the bond that developed between her and Sara.
I definitely recommend giving this series a try if you like:
• romantic suspense
• dark themes
• characters dealing with trauma (lots of trauma, ALL the trauma)
• steamy romance
• the idea of memory magic
• (as long as you don't mind cussing, these characters aren't shy with the cussing)
February 4, 2024
this of a review from someone inexperienced with the genre. in a very short review, i found the book fluid and most readable. The pace was fast, and the exposition stacked up front, but unfolding steadily.
as a side note It’s not just a novel with a female protagonist, as with many such books i’ve read from women authors, but I think very much from a female perspective in that there is a lot of “insider knowledge” as it were. references weren’t lost on me—they were simply new. the only other author who this reminds me of is nk jemison, because the conflicts are female conflicts, perhaps more directly about the body. for the record, i’ve read widely among women authors. but compared to george sand and margaret laurence, which i mention because they are some of my favorites—well their novels could have just as well have been written by men. i am probably focusing too much on this, but for me it was pretty cool.
perhaps my perspective is odd because i am unused to the genre, but if you are a fan, then i would recommend this for sure.
it was also enjoyable having such a structured change in pov between the characters, by chapter.
this ended up being kind of oblique, but it’s what stood out to me personally.
as a side note It’s not just a novel with a female protagonist, as with many such books i’ve read from women authors, but I think very much from a female perspective in that there is a lot of “insider knowledge” as it were. references weren’t lost on me—they were simply new. the only other author who this reminds me of is nk jemison, because the conflicts are female conflicts, perhaps more directly about the body. for the record, i’ve read widely among women authors. but compared to george sand and margaret laurence, which i mention because they are some of my favorites—well their novels could have just as well have been written by men. i am probably focusing too much on this, but for me it was pretty cool.
perhaps my perspective is odd because i am unused to the genre, but if you are a fan, then i would recommend this for sure.
it was also enjoyable having such a structured change in pov between the characters, by chapter.
this ended up being kind of oblique, but it’s what stood out to me personally.
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October 10, 2023Right now, I'm still holding tight to my belief that it's not cool for me to star-rate my own book, but I can say this. A lot of work went into it, and I hope people will love Sara and Beckett as much as I do!
October 22, 2023
Well, I loved this book. While it can be read as a stand alone (there's enough background information provided about other books in the series), I really recommend starting from book one. The color of trauma is pink is absolutely brilliant and one of my favorite books.
✅ strong female protagonist
✅ endearing love interest
✅ steamy romance
✅ intriguing plot
✅ amazing world-building
✅ magic
✅growth and healing
One of the best elements of this series is the world it’s in. I love that’s it like nothing I’ve read before, with people having magic abilities related to memories and that’s really expanded on here. A part of this book focuses on a university program for memory-magicked young adults and helping them reckon with their powers. This book more than any others in the series really delves into memory powers, and you get to learn about new memory powers that are pretty mind blowing!
But this book isn’t just about memory surgeons/magicians. It’s really about trauma and growth and healing. If you took out all the magical elements (which were fantastic and you should never do!) you would still have a really meaningful story about personal growth. The protagonist (Sara's) reactions and how she dealt with constant adversity were so compelling and felt so vivid. I was completely immersed in Sara's personal journey.
Sara is probably my favorite character of Hollie Smurthwaite’s. She really knows herself and even having such a tragic past won’t let her trauma stop her from enjoying her life and finding genuine moments of happiness. She was so likeable and engaging and genuine, she and her life felt real to me. The relationships she builds with others in the novel are really inspiring.
In terms of the romance, I found it in some ways to be sweeter than in the other novels. There are definitely sexy moments, don't get me wrong, but there’s such an emphasis on kindness and gentleness which was really touching.
While this installation took longer to hook me than the other two, when I finished reading I so happy to have been consumed in the colors world and really enjoyed the story.
I’m always so excited for a new Smurthwaite book to come out and always read them day of! I'd recommend this book for any fans of magic-fantasy, romance, or stories with vivid and interesting plots!
I received an advanced copy of the novel in exchange for an honest review.
✅ strong female protagonist
✅ endearing love interest
✅ steamy romance
✅ intriguing plot
✅ amazing world-building
✅ magic
✅growth and healing
One of the best elements of this series is the world it’s in. I love that’s it like nothing I’ve read before, with people having magic abilities related to memories and that’s really expanded on here. A part of this book focuses on a university program for memory-magicked young adults and helping them reckon with their powers. This book more than any others in the series really delves into memory powers, and you get to learn about new memory powers that are pretty mind blowing!
But this book isn’t just about memory surgeons/magicians. It’s really about trauma and growth and healing. If you took out all the magical elements (which were fantastic and you should never do!) you would still have a really meaningful story about personal growth. The protagonist (Sara's) reactions and how she dealt with constant adversity were so compelling and felt so vivid. I was completely immersed in Sara's personal journey.
Sara is probably my favorite character of Hollie Smurthwaite’s. She really knows herself and even having such a tragic past won’t let her trauma stop her from enjoying her life and finding genuine moments of happiness. She was so likeable and engaging and genuine, she and her life felt real to me. The relationships she builds with others in the novel are really inspiring.
In terms of the romance, I found it in some ways to be sweeter than in the other novels. There are definitely sexy moments, don't get me wrong, but there’s such an emphasis on kindness and gentleness which was really touching.
While this installation took longer to hook me than the other two, when I finished reading I so happy to have been consumed in the colors world and really enjoyed the story.
I’m always so excited for a new Smurthwaite book to come out and always read them day of! I'd recommend this book for any fans of magic-fantasy, romance, or stories with vivid and interesting plots!
I received an advanced copy of the novel in exchange for an honest review.
October 19, 2023
I have been waiting 10 months for this book. Ten! And, thankfully, it totally delivers. The Color of Shame is the third book in a series (a trilogy, maybe?), and I really, truly, wholeheartedly recommend that you read the books sequentially and without much of a break in between. Book 2 is especially critical for understanding this one as that's where Sara is introduced and where she plays a decent-sized role. Even having read it (but 10 MONTHS ago), I still stopped this book about a half chapter in and went back to skim book 2 as a reminder. And in my review of book 2, I mentioned reading book 1 as all but necessary for understanding book 2, so just do yourself a favor and start at your beginning.
That said, this book is much less about memory surgeons (here, magicians) and much more about personal growth and recovery. Sara is trying to put the Agency behind her and wants to start anew, but the Agency drags her back in for an encore. That encore puts her in Beckett's sphere. Beckett is extremely reserved and priggish and totally unlikable, and yet I found myself really liking him, stick-up-the-butt personality notwithstanding. In fact, I loved watching him get ruffled and confused by Sara's genuine effervescence and charm. (I did wonder if perhaps he sat somewhere on the spectrum.) And as much as I hated how people perceived Sara (pretty but stupid and slutty), I loved how truly smart and down to earth she was. In short, it is easy to root for Sara but less easy to root for Beckett; since he's what she wants, however, you'll root for the pair. And he eventually comes through.
Heroines from books 1 and 2 and the hero from book 2 have cameos but don't play extremely key roles, but it's good to see them anyway. The suspense part is a little weak, truth be told, and I don't fully feel like it satisfactorily resolved, but I just enjoyed Sara too much to worry about it.
So, this book was well worth the wait.
I received an ARC of this book for free from the author and BookSirens. I'm writing this review voluntarily, and it reflects my honest opinion. Thanks!
That said, this book is much less about memory surgeons (here, magicians) and much more about personal growth and recovery. Sara is trying to put the Agency behind her and wants to start anew, but the Agency drags her back in for an encore. That encore puts her in Beckett's sphere. Beckett is extremely reserved and priggish and totally unlikable, and yet I found myself really liking him, stick-up-the-butt personality notwithstanding. In fact, I loved watching him get ruffled and confused by Sara's genuine effervescence and charm. (I did wonder if perhaps he sat somewhere on the spectrum.) And as much as I hated how people perceived Sara (pretty but stupid and slutty), I loved how truly smart and down to earth she was. In short, it is easy to root for Sara but less easy to root for Beckett; since he's what she wants, however, you'll root for the pair. And he eventually comes through.
Heroines from books 1 and 2 and the hero from book 2 have cameos but don't play extremely key roles, but it's good to see them anyway. The suspense part is a little weak, truth be told, and I don't fully feel like it satisfactorily resolved, but I just enjoyed Sara too much to worry about it.
So, this book was well worth the wait.
I received an ARC of this book for free from the author and BookSirens. I'm writing this review voluntarily, and it reflects my honest opinion. Thanks!
November 6, 2025
This book is great!! It’s just as good as the first two books and killed my reading slump, at least for a while.
I really love the characters. I think Sara and Beckett's personalities mesh well, and they have fantastic chemistry. You can also understand how their feeling and see their love grow organically, which is refreshing since so many books now equate love to lust.
I also really like the conflicts and the dilemmas the characters faced. You see how their thought processes lead to this decision and the next logically, making you understand their perspectives and see things in their light. I think how the main characters handled their disagreements make sense and what they do to cause that, but I think the ending is too abrupt. I wanted more groveling from Beckett, and Sara didn't give him a chance to show how much he loved since she left but that was understandable. I also think how they escape from Andrew and the Survivalists happened too fast. I was honestly hoping for Beckett to do more and show his intellect and knowledge of literature and a different way.
The world building is fantastic! Each faction is recognizable and plausible in a world that might have secret societies like in the book. I also liked how information isn't dumped but slowly trickled in, making this world lived in and not an exposition dump.
All in all, this book was great! I would definitely read more books from her because this was amazing despite some of my nitpicks! I would really recommend people to give this book a shot because it is worth it!!
I really love the characters. I think Sara and Beckett's personalities mesh well, and they have fantastic chemistry. You can also understand how their feeling and see their love grow organically, which is refreshing since so many books now equate love to lust.
I also really like the conflicts and the dilemmas the characters faced. You see how their thought processes lead to this decision and the next logically, making you understand their perspectives and see things in their light. I think how the main characters handled their disagreements make sense and what they do to cause that, but I think the ending is too abrupt. I wanted more groveling from Beckett, and Sara didn't give him a chance to show how much he loved since she left but that was understandable. I also think how they escape from Andrew and the Survivalists happened too fast. I was honestly hoping for Beckett to do more and show his intellect and knowledge of literature and a different way.
The world building is fantastic! Each faction is recognizable and plausible in a world that might have secret societies like in the book. I also liked how information isn't dumped but slowly trickled in, making this world lived in and not an exposition dump.
All in all, this book was great! I would definitely read more books from her because this was amazing despite some of my nitpicks! I would really recommend people to give this book a shot because it is worth it!!
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
November 10, 2023
Loved Sara and Beckett's story. Theirs was a perfect fit in The Color of world. I loved her strength and her heart. I loved his formality and his brain. The push and pull between them was perfect. Oftentimes when I read these types of stories I get aggravated at the FMC because she is just too extra about her past trials and tribulations and how they affect the current situation. Sara was not written that way at all and I truly appreciated the strong female vibe that wasn't overdone. The supporting cast was great as well. I am interested to see if Ren will get her own book, or maybe Ryan will finally get his turn. Whoever it is, I am looking forward to reading their story. You won't regret the time spent on reading this book. It could be read alone, but I suggest starting with the first book in the series, The Color of Trauma to get to know Kiera and start your journey into the world of memory surgeons and magicians.
I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
October 22, 2023
Thank you author for the ARC! Much appreciated!
Let me preface that I jumped right into this series without reading the previous books.
The summary was enticing and interesting, and after reading the very first chapter I knew I was hooked.
The little quips and asides are what I adore in this novel. Sara is funny, witty, attractive and seriously intelligent , although she IS dyslexic: this causes everyone around her underestimates her, but thats to their own demise. Beckett is exactly what you would think of from the phrase “I come from old English money”.
It was a very sweet book, spice level ⭐️⭐️ (not overly detailed, but just enough) and I will say I did guess the antagonist correctly as soon as they were introduced. It didn’t make the book any less fun, though!
Let me preface that I jumped right into this series without reading the previous books.
The summary was enticing and interesting, and after reading the very first chapter I knew I was hooked.
The little quips and asides are what I adore in this novel. Sara is funny, witty, attractive and seriously intelligent , although she IS dyslexic: this causes everyone around her underestimates her, but thats to their own demise. Beckett is exactly what you would think of from the phrase “I come from old English money”.
It was a very sweet book, spice level ⭐️⭐️ (not overly detailed, but just enough) and I will say I did guess the antagonist correctly as soon as they were introduced. It didn’t make the book any less fun, though!
November 5, 2023
4.5 stars.
I love this series! Hollie has become an auto-read author for me. Although the suspense was lacking a bit in this one, the characters are so compelling that they more than make up for it. The chapters switch back and forth between the female and male leads, and their voices are so distinct, I didn't even need to be told whose POV each chapter was in. I loved Sara's bouncy optimism and Beckett's dry humor, and the way they each had their own flaws and strengths that made them real. The story is fast paced, filled with colorful descriptions, plenty of sexual tension, and lots of action. I hope there will be a fourth installment in this series!
I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
I love this series! Hollie has become an auto-read author for me. Although the suspense was lacking a bit in this one, the characters are so compelling that they more than make up for it. The chapters switch back and forth between the female and male leads, and their voices are so distinct, I didn't even need to be told whose POV each chapter was in. I loved Sara's bouncy optimism and Beckett's dry humor, and the way they each had their own flaws and strengths that made them real. The story is fast paced, filled with colorful descriptions, plenty of sexual tension, and lots of action. I hope there will be a fourth installment in this series!
I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
November 15, 2023
A really interesting and intriguing series. This book has Sara and Beckett. Complete opposites, Sara being strong and funny, Beckett, sweet and proper. A great, suspenseful story, full of action and twists.
I received an advance review copy for free and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
I received an advance review copy for free and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
November 16, 2023
Sara has ptsd and is trying to bide her time till she can get the surgery she needs. Until then she has one more mission with someone new. When she met Beckett she was totally the opposite of him. Over time he taught her and she taught him they compromised and helped others. Then they hit rock bottom. The only reason 4 stars was it was hard to follow in the beginning!
I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
Displaying 1 - 12 of 12 reviews