The Color of Hope

The Color of Heaven Series, Book 3

By: Julianne MacLean

Narrated by: Jennifer O'Donnell

Length: 7 hrs and 1 min

Publisher's summary

Diana Moore has led a charmed life. She's the daughter of a wealthy senator and is living a glamorous city life, confident that her handsome live-in boyfriend is about to propose. But everything is turned upside down when she learns of a mysterious woman who works nearby - a woman who is her identical 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.

©2013 Julianne MacLean (P)2014 Julianne MacLean

Great series!

Love this series! Looking forward to all the rest of the books in the series.

Color me "Hooked" on the series!

This book tells the stories of 2 girls that look identical. Diana grew up with every possible advantage, in a loving home that was financially secure. The other girl, Nadia, knew very little love. Her father left her mother struggling to support them and she spent time homeless. I found the stories emotionally gripping and it was impossible to quit listening. The narrator was very good, the only minor problem I had was sometimes I had a hard time figuring out which girl she was talking about, the voice sounded the same for both. (which it would because they were supposed to sound the same) This was the 3 book in a series, I've also read the 1st book and it was very good too, but I liked this one much more. I'm planning on reading Book 2 and I've pre-ordered Book 4 since it's a continuation of Nadia's life.

I did win an audible credit, from an author contest, for this audio book. I was so glad to find another great series of books. I'll be Dreaming of my next great read releasing on July 22, 2014. The Color of a Dream. Thanks Julianne MacLean for a great read and the WONDERFUL series!

Good book

It was a good story. I would recommend this book. I enjoy this series very much.

Glad I changed my mind!

Tried to listen to this book several times but just could not get into it. Slow start and not much of a story line. I tried again and what a surprise! It did have a good story and even had a good “life reminder”. I stayed up late to finish it!

THE COLOR OF HOPE

I just cannot say enough good thinks about this series. Each novel is beautifully written and is such a great story. Thank goodness I still have several books to read or listen to. So I am on to get the next novel in the series cause I just cannot wait to find out what happens next and the connection that will be made.

wonderful series

Love the series The Color of Heaven. This book was so good! One of my favorites.

Beautiful book!

I really loved this book. warm and heartfelt. I ordered more of her books. really enjoyable reads and hard to stop listening.♥️

Good book...

It wasn't my favorite Julianne MacLean book but I liked it. I would recommend it to a friend.

Are Identical Twins Capable of Hating Each Other?

Would you consider the audio edition of The Color of Hope to be better than the print version?

I don't know, since I didn't read the print version, however, I believe the narrator did add lots to the emotional appeal of the book.

Who was your favorite character and why?

Both Nadia and Diana had character flaws, but both in the end were able to overcome them. I believe it's a toss up. They are both 'favorite'.

Which scene was your favorite?

When Diana and Nadia met each other face to face for the first time.

Was there a moment in the book that particularly moved you?

Yes, when Nadia left a voice mail telling her twin that she needed her help and wanted her to take care of her baby if she died.

Any additional comments?

This is a real-life story testing your own moral beliefs. Identical twin sisters struggle with conflicting emotions, which finally tear them apart, but their souls searching for the right path find it, leaving only love and hope.

About the Story: This is a story about Diana Moore, seemingly living a charmed life. It is also about her twin, Nadia Carmichael, who has had the worse of possible fortune. They were parted at birth when their birth mother died, neither knew the existence of the other. Diana Moore became the daughter of a wealthy senator who has had great success in the political scene. She’s also been given the best education and social standing possible.
Nadia starts life with heart problems and until her heart was repaired when four she’s moved from one foster parent to another. She is finally adopted into a poor family. When she’s nine, her dad walks away leaving Nadia’s mother to take care of them both. They hardly have enough to keep going, but when her mother can’t keep up with the rent, they are evicted by the landlord. Misery issues, living out of the car.

Fate plays with us all no doubt. Even though Diana’s home is in Washington, D.C., she’s living in Los Angeles, working as a lawyer for a top-notch firm with an exceedingly handsome man sharing her bed. Nadia is also in the same town, only blocks from Diana, working at another law firm as a receptionist.

People who know Diana tell her about seeing someone who looks exactly like her working in another firm. This is when she discovers she has a twin and contacts her, which changes both their lives forever. It is all a shock for Diana and Nadia. Twins have a lot in common, even though they have completely different upbringing. And this my friends, is the rub.
My Thoughts: This was a deep emotional read, with no clear ending in sight, taking twists that take the reader into the anguish of both sisters, nodding in agreement, thinking, yeah, I get that. Diana realizes that she’s had the world given to her. She’s a lucky woman. And she also sees the life Nadia has suffered. She has compassion for Nadia and introduces her to a better life.

The first four chapters start out in the worst possible time of Nadia’s life, in her voice. The next chapters take us back into Nadia’s past. She tells the story of how she managed to get herself in such a situation. She states that the past doesn’t dictate the present, but she wants the reader to understand why she did what she did. It also allows the reader to understand what is happening. It’s a nifty style of writing that Julianne MacLean uses.
At chapter 12 we begin Diana Moore’s story. She also tells her story, in first person. Rick Frazier, her boyfriend, was part of her life and she wanted him to be a larger part. But, seriously reader, Rick had problems. He didn’t want commitment. He just wanted to be with, no strings attached, an extremely successful girl with a high society family. He had been with Diana for two years, living in her apartment. The relationship starts unraveling when she mentions she’d like to eventually get married and have children. At the reaction Rick had, I was ready to kick him out of the apartment myself!

Diana for all her success, still second guesses herself, unsure if she makes the right decisions. Nadia knows she’s damaged goods, but feels the world owes her more. And when these two worlds come together, the pain of the path these two women take is extremely emotional, full of betrayal, but eventually of healing. I teared up several times.
I liked the voice of the narrator. It has a unique quality, adding to the spirit of the book. It wasn’t overly cultured, but very down to earth and seemed perfect for these two women. The philosophical part of me pondered that both voices being exactly the same for the twins, was something of an equalizer for two women with such vastly different backgrounds. In the final analysis, was there really so much difference between the two women, after all?

I hope to be able to catch more of her series. This book/audiobook was well worth the read/listen. Not only is it a well-written plot, but it gets you thinking about human nature in general. What acts are forgivable? Is being truly sorry for doing something stupid enough to be able to be forgiven? What should you expect from a long-term relationship? How much do genetics versus environment play in who we really are?

It is my understanding that the series is not held together by a particular family or town or an overall plot needing resolution. Its only continuous thread is its real-life magic. Even though Julianne MacLean has eight books written she has no end number in mind. I hope to be able to catch some more of her series. This book/audiobook was well worth the read/listen. Not only is it a well-written plot, but it gets you thinking about human nature in general.

Wow, great series.

I joined audible escape and just finished listening to "The Color of Hope" the 3rd book in this fantastic series and I can't wait to start book 4. I love the narration it grabs me and holds me captive until the last word is uttered. For me, this series is soul-filling.