And if you’d like to write to me, I love hearing from readers. You can reach me through my website contact page or through Facebook or Twitter.
Thank you again for allowing me to be a part of your reading life.
Best wishes always.
—Julianne
Questions for Discussion
1. During Josh’s description of his childhood experiences from Chapters Eight through Twelve, what passages or images suggest an overlap between Josh’s memory of that time in his life, the reality of his near-death experience and Leah’s ghostly presence at his bedside?
2. After Josh wakes up in the hospital, were you aware that Leah was a ghostly presence? What clues can you identify that suggest she was not an active resident doctor at the hospital and not a living person? What elements suggest that she was a living person? How would you explain these?
3. The issue of the line drawn through the request for a psychiatric consultation in Josh’s medical chart is never resolved. Discuss what you believe happened with his chart and why there were no notes about his alleged interviews with Leah.
4. Discuss the author’s use of color in the novel when describing the various settings, clothing and events.
5. Discuss the following passage from the end of Chapter Forty-six: “A bluebird landed in a tree across from where we sat. For a long while I sat in Josh’s arms, admiring the bird’s vivid plumage until she lifted off the branch and flew away again.”
6. Have you had a near-death experience, or know another person who has? What was it like for you or them? What do you believe about the phenomenon?
7. Analyze the dreams that Josh has in Chapters Thirty-two, Fifty, and Fifty-four.
8. Do you believe Holly’s mother was right to take her husband back so quickly after their separation? Do you believe their marriage has a bright future? Why or why not?
9. Discuss Dr. James as a husband and father. Was there anything to admire about how he conducted himself? Do you believe there is hope that he can change?
The Color of Heaven Novels are also available as audiobooks.
Other Books in the Color of Heaven Series
THE COLOR OF HEAVEN
A deeply emotional tale about Sophie Duncan, a successful columnist whose world falls apart after her daughter’s unexpected illness and her husband’s shocking affair. When it seems nothing else could possibly go wrong, her car skids off an icy road and plunges into a frozen lake. There, in the cold dark depths of the water, a profound and extraordinary experience unlocks the surprising secrets from Sophie’s past, and teaches her what it means to truly live…and love.
Full of surprising twists and turns and a near-death experience that will leave you breathless, this story is not to be missed.
“A gripping, emotional tale you’ll want to read in one sitting.”
—New York Times bestselling author, Julia London
“Brilliantly poignant mainstream tale.”
—4 ½ starred review, Romantic Times
Includes Bonus Content: A Bookclub Discussion Guide
Purchase THE COLOR OF HEAVEN
THE COLOR OF DESTINY
Eighteen years ago a teenage pregnancy changed Kate Worthington’s life forever. Faced with many difficult decisions, she chose to follow her heart and embrace an uncertain future with the father of her baby—her devoted first love.
At the same time, in another part of the world, sixteen-year-old Ryan Hamilton makes his own share of mistakes, but learns important lessons along the way. Twenty years later, Kate’s and Ryan’s paths cross in a way they could never expect, which makes them question the possibility of destiny. Even when all seems hopeless, could it be that everything happens for a reason, and we end up exactly where we are meant to be?
Includes Bonus Content: A Bookclub Discussion Guide
Purchase THE COLOR OF DESTINY
THE COLOR OF HOPE
Diana Moore has led a charmed life. She is the daughter of a wealthy senator and lives a glamorous city life, confident that her handsome live-in boyfriend Rick 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.
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.
Includes Bonus Content: A Bookclub Discussion Guide
Purchase THE COLOR OF HOPE
THE COLOR OF A DREAM
Nadia Carmichael has had a lifelong run of bad luck. It begins on the day she is born, when she is separated from her identical twin sister and put up for adoption. Twenty-seven years later, not long after she is finally reunited with her twin and is expecting her first child, Nadia falls victim to a mysterious virus and requires a heart transplant.
Now recovering from the surgery with a new heart, Nadia is haunted by a recurring dream that sets her on a path to discover the identity of her donor. Her efforts are thwarted, however, when the father of her baby returns to sue for custody of their child. It’s not until Nadia learns of his estranged brother Jesse that she begins to explore the true nature of her dreams, and discover what her new heart truly needs and desires…
Purchase THE COLOR OF A DREAM
THE COLOR OF A MEMORY
Audrey Fitzgerald believed she was married to the perfect man—a heroic firefighter who saved lives, even beyond his own death. But a year later she meets a mysterious woman who has some unexplained connection to her husband…
Soon Audrey discovers that her husband was keeping secrets and she is compelled to dig into his past. Little does she know…this journey of self-discovery will lead her down a path to a new and different future—a future she never could have imagined.
Purchase THE COLOR OF A MEMORY
THE COLOR OF LOVE
Carla Matthews is a single mother struggling to make ends meet and give her daughter Kaleigh a decent upbringing. When Kaleigh’s absent father Seth—a famous alpine climber who never wanted to be tied down—begs for a second chance at fatherhood, Carla is hesitant because she doesn’t want to pin her hopes on a man who is always seeking another mountain to scale. A man who was never willing to stay put in one place and raise a family.
But when Seth’s plane goes missing after a crash landing in the harsh Canadian wilderness, Carla must wait for news… Is he dead or alive? Will the wreckage ever be found?
One year later, after having given up all hope, Carla receives a phone call that shocks her to her core. A man has been found, half-dead, floating on an iceberg in the North Atlantic, uttering her name. Is this Seth? And is it possible that he will come home to her and Kaleigh at last, and be the man she always dreamed he would be?
Includes Bonus Content: A Bookclub Discussion Guide
Purchase THE COLOR OF LOVE
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Available February 2015
THE COLOR OF JOY
Pre-order Today
Praise for Julianne MacLean’s
Historical Romances
“MacLean’s compelling writing turns this simple, classic love story into a richly emotional romance, and by combining engaging characters with a unique, vividly detailed setting, she has created an exceptional tale for readers who hunger for something a bit different in their historical romances.”
—BOOKLIST
“You can always count on Julianne MacLean to deliver ravishing romance that will keep you turning pages until the wee hours of the morning.”
—Teresa Medeiros
“Julianne MacLean’s writing is smart, thrilling, and sizzles w
ith sensuality.”
—Elizabeth Hoyt
“Scottish romance at its finest, with characters to cheer for, a lush love story, and rousing adventure. I was captivated from the very first page. When it comes to exciting Highland romance, Julianne MacLean delivers.”
—Laura Lee Guhrke
“She is just an all-around wonderful writer, and I look forward to reading everything she writes.”
—Romance Junkies
Other Books for your Kindle by Julianne MacLean
The American Heiress Series:
To Marry the Duke
An Affair Most Wicked
My Own Private Hero
Love According to Lily
Portrait of a Lover
Surrender to a Scoundrel
The Pembroke Palace Series:
In My Wildest Fantasies
The Mistress Diaries
When a Stranger Loves Me
Married By Midnight
A Kiss Before the Wedding – A Pembroke Palace Short Story
Seduced at Sunset
The Highlander Trilogy:
Captured by the Highlander
Claimed by the Highlander
Seduced by the Highlander
The Rebel – A Highland Short Story
The Royal Trilogy:
Be My Prince
Princess in Love
The Prince’s Bride
Harlequin Historical Romances:
Prairie Bride
The Marshal and Mrs. O’Malley
Adam’s Promise
Time Travel Romance
Taken by the Cowboy
Contemporary Fiction:
The Color of Heaven
The Color of Destiny
The Color of Hope
The Color of a Dream
The Color of a Memory
The Color of Love
The Color of the Season
The Color of Joy
About the Author
Julianne MacLean is a USA Today bestselling author of many historical romances, including The Highlander Series with St. Martin’s Press and her popular American Heiress Series with Avon/Harper Collins. She also writes contemporary mainstream fiction, and The Color of Heaven was a USA Today bestseller. She is a three-time RITA finalist, and has won numerous awards, including the Booksellers’ Best Award, the Book Buyer’s Best Award, and a Reviewers’ Choice Award from Romantic Times for Best Regency Historical of 2005. She lives in Nova Scotia with her husband and daughter, and is a dedicated member of Romance Writers of Atlantic Canada. Please visit Julianne’s website for more information and to subscribe to her mailing list to stay informed about upcoming releases.
Table of Contents
Prologue
Destiny
Awakening
Cognition
Release
Discord
Breaking Open
The Holiday Season
Epilogue
Dear Reader
Questions for Discussion
Other Books in the Color of Heaven Series
Praise for Julianne MacLean’s Historical Romances
Other Books by Julianne MacLean
About the Author