The Color of Joy (24 page)
Excerpt from
by Julianne MacLean
Sylvie Nichols
Someone once told me, in a genuine effort to be helpful, that I was crippled by regret. I couldn’t deny it. If I had a dime for every time I wished someone would invent a time machine—so I could go back and make a few different choices—I’d be a rich woman today.
But we all know that time machines don’t exist. Of this, my sister has reminded me constantly. Jenn has been telling me for years that I need to let go of the past and move on with my life. She even took me into her home to live rent free for a year so I could get out of a “less than ideal” work situation and train for a new career.
I appreciated her help, honestly I did, and because of her I am now a fully certified dental hygienist, working hard every day to look forward, not back.
Life is good.
Change
is good. It helps us to grow. Of that, at least, I am certain.
But no matter how far forward we travel in life, is it ever truly possible to let go of the past? Isn’t it part of our identity? Our soul? We can’t simply erase memories from our mind, so what are we to do? Fight every day to block them out? Turn away from them? Pretend they don’t exist? Wouldn’t that be phony and superficial?
All my life, these questions have weighed me down, but finally I have the answers. I have them because of a simple phone call—a phone call one summer that changed my life.
Praise for Julianne MacLean’s
“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 with 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:
The Pembroke Palace Series:
A Kiss Before the Wedding – A Pembroke Palace Short Story
The Highlander Series:
The Rebel – A Highland Short Story
The Royal Trilogy:
Harlequin Historical Romances:
Contemporary Fiction:
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
Other Books in the Color of Heaven Series
Excerpt from THE COLOR OF TIME
Praise for Julianne MacLean’s Historical Romances