I squatted down to watch Jacob remove the hook and toss the fish into the bucket.
“Well done, surgeon,” I said.
He looked at me with those flirtatious green eyes that never failed to take my breath away.
“Diana!”
The panic in Nadia’s voice sent my insides into a frenzy. Jacob and I both rose to our feet, and I ran the length of the dock to reach her.
“What is it?” I asked.
She was scrambling awkwardly to reach for something in her pocket, while shifting Ellen from one arm to the other.
“It’s my pager,” she said. “It just went off.”
Our eyes locked on each other’s while she checked to make sure she hadn’t imagined it. I turned to Jacob.
“Her pager just went off,” I told him.
He immediately pulled out his phone and called Dr. Reynolds at the hospital. “Hey,” he said. “What’s going on?”
He listened for a moment, and checked his watch. Then his eyes lifted and he nodded at both of us. “We’ll be there in under two hours.” He ended the call. “Looks like today could be your big day,” he said to Nadia. “Are you up for it?”
She smiled at him and her eyes filled with moisture. “Yes, I am.”
I took Ellen from her arms. Then Jacob offered his hand and helped Nadia rise to her feet.
Epilogue
Nadia
WHEN THE FOUR of us drove from Jacob’s cabin to the hospital for my surgery, I spent a great deal of time watching Ellen in her car seat. I also gazed out the window at the colorful autumn leaves in the forest, and felt a surprising sense of calm.
I told Diana and Jacob that no matter what happened, I had never been happier, and on that crisp October morning – while sitting on the quiet beach at dawn with my daughter in my arms – I felt somehow closer to heaven. I truly believed that if I died on that day, I would leave this world knowing I had lived a full and complete life – for I had achieved something not everyone can achieve.
By some miracle, I had broken through the walls of my childhood isolation and learned how to trust and love. Despite the years apart from my sister, and our differences, and the appalling mistakes I had made, she loved me regardless, and forgave me for my mistakes.
Then I was blessed with the knowledge of motherhood – though none of it was ever handed to me on a silver platter. I had fought tooth and nail to survive long enough to hold my baby in my arms. The love I felt for her was a love I never imagined could exist, and it gave me great strength.
As we drove to the hospital, I wondered if my birth mother had known this kind of love before she passed on. Was she able to hold Diana and me in her arms, even just for a moment? Maybe one day I would meet her again, and she would tell me everything.
But on that particular day, I had something important to do. My fight wasn’t over yet. I had to see if someone else’s heart might be right for me, and if it was the right one, I would accept it and be grateful for my donor’s generous gift.
But this is a terrible thing I am doing here – keeping you in suspense like this.
Dr. Reynolds was brilliant during the surgery, and I am in his debt.
It’s been three weeks since my transplant, and I am home again with Ellen and Diana, though the transplant team is still monitoring me closely. I take medicines to prevent my body from rejecting the new heart, and so far, there have been no complications, but it will be a long, hard road to a full recovery.
Meanwhile I wonder about the person who signed the donor card that saved my life. What were the circumstances of his or her death? I have been given limited information due to issues of confidentiality, but I can’t help but think of the family, and how difficult it must have been for them. I hope they know how grateful I am.
So I will cherish my time here, because every moment – every heartbeat – is a gift, and I have learned that no gifts should be squandered.
Please do not forget that, even when life seems hopeless. Especially then. Because you never know when it might take a sudden turn for the better, and you’ll find yourself in a situation you never could have predicted.
Maybe there is someone in your future who will change everything. Maybe there will be gifts that will surprise you.
Live for it. Dream of it. Or if you already have it, treasure it.
Dear Reader,
Thank you for reading THE COLOR OF HOPE. It’s the third book in a series I began with a novel called THE COLOR OF HEAVEN, which revolves around a woman who drives her car into a frozen lake and has a near-death experience that answers questions about her past. I released THE COLOR OF HEAVEN in 2011, and completed a follow-up book, THE COLOR OF DESTINY, which was released in September 2013.
I am now happily at work on the fourth novel in the series, THE COLOR OF A DREAM, which will be Nadia’s story. The book will pick up where this one leaves off, and will explore what happens to Nadia after her heart transplant surgery.
Please visit my website and sign up for my New Book Alert mailing list to stay informed about the release date, which I expect to be in early 2014.
If you would like to select this novel for your bookclub, please read on for a list of possible discussion questions.
Best wishes and happy reading!
Julianne
Questions for Discussion
1. In what ways are Nadia and Diana mirror images of each other?
2. In Chapter Forty-six, after Diana returns to Bar Harbor, she says: “In the beginning – when I was fresh out of law school – I’d wanted to help people through a difficult time as quickly and smoothly as possible, be their advocate, and share with them my hope and optimism about the future. Unfortunately, the longer I practiced, the more jaded I became. Conflict and bitterness surrounded me on a daily basis, and after what happened to me in LA, I suddenly understood that a messy divorce could happen to anyone, even me.” How does this compare to what is happening to Nadia at the same time? What are the similarities and differences in their life trajectories?
3. When Diana and Nadia argue in Chapter Sixty-six, who did you sympathize with more? Did you feel Diana was wrong to date Dr. Peterson? Was Nadia unreasonable to ask Diana not to continue seeing him? Explain your reasoning.
4. In chapter Sixty-six, when Nadia calls for Diana in the middle of the night because she’s having heart troubles, and asks her to call Dr. Peterson, did you wonder – as Diana did – if she might be faking it? Or did you think Diana was irrational or paranoid to suspect such a thing?
5. At any point, did you feel Nadia was Diana’s ‘evil twin’? Or did you ever feel that Diana filled that role? If so, when? And how does personal point of view create that label for each one of them?
6. In what ways are Diana and Jacob mirror images of each other?
7. What did you think of Rick in the early part of the novel? How does this compare to how you felt about him at the end? How would you describe him as a person? Is he true to life?
8. Do you believe Diana and Jacob were truly meant for each other? Will their relationship last?
9. How many acts of sacrifice can you identify in the novel?
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
Available early 2014
THE COLOR OF A DREAM
Books 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 Series:
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
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 her recent release 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.
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Contents
Lost and Found
Chapter 1
Chapter 2
Chapter 3
Chapter 4
Chapter 5
Chapter 6
Chapter 7
Chapter 8
Chapter 9
Chapter 10
Chapter 11
Discovery
Chapter 12
Chapter 13
Chapter 14
Chapter 15
Chapter 16
Chapter 17
Chapter 18
Chapter 19
Changes
Chapter 20
Chapter 21
Chapter 22
Chapter 23
Chapter 24
Chapter 25
Chapter 26
Chapter 27
Chapter 28
Chapter 29
Chapter 30
Chapter 31
Chapter 32
Chapter 33
Chapter 34
Chapter 35
Chapter 36
Chapter 37
Chapter 38
Chapter 39
Chapter 40
Chapter 41
Chapter 42
Chapter 43
Chapter 44
Chapter 45
Starting Over
Chapter 46
Chapter 47
Chapter 48
Chapter 49
Chapter 50
Chapter 51
Chapter 52
Chapter 53
Chapter 54
Chapter 55
Chapter 56
Chapter 57
Autumn Leaves
Chapter 58
Chapter 59
Chapter 60
Chapter 61
Chapter 62
Chapter 63
Chapter 64
Chapter 65
Chapter 66
Chapter 67
Chapter 68
Chapter 69
Chapter 70
Chapter 71
Chapter 72
Chapter 73
Chapter 74
Chapter 75
Epilogue
Reader Letter
Questions for Discussion
Other Books in the Color of Heaven Series
Books by Julianne MacLean
About the Author
The Color of Heaven Series [03] The Color of Hope Page 20