Irreparable Harm by Randy Singer

Genre: Legal Fiction 
Publisher: Waterbrook Press
Released: May 20, 2003
421 pages

About the Book:

A fight for life. A battle for right.

Attorney Mitchell Taylor is trapped in a lose-lose situation.

Bright but inexperienced attorney Mitchell Taylor is torn between warring personal and professional interests. Can he help his client - a young surrogate mother - and save the child she carries without sealing the fate of others?

When Dr. Nathan Brown and his wife, Cameron, undergo a controversial method of in vitro fertilization, some of their cloned embryos are used to achieve a pregnancy in surrogate Maryna Sareth while the others are cryogenically preserved. Dr. Brown's premature death, however, and mounting evidence that the baby has Down's Syndrome unleash a legal, ethical, and moral firestorm.

Dr. Brown's dying wish is that the remaining embryos be used for stem-cell research. His wife wants to force the abortion of the baby Maryna carries in hopes that one of the remaining embryos can produce a "healthy" child.

Meanwhile, Mitchell wrestles with an agonizing ethical dilemma: Can he protect the embryos, which requires that a federal legislative ban on cloning be overturned, while at the same time helping the beautiful young surrogate save the child she carries - possible only if the ban is upheld?

With time running out, Mitchell and Maryna must run the gauntlet of bioethical nightmares, corporate treachery, and life-threatening confrontations if they are to save the unborn and avoid irreparable harm.

My Rating & Thoughts:    ⭐⭐⭐

There is quite a bit happening at once and a lot of scientific talk that I found it hard to follow at times. I really liked the character of Mitchell and was rooting for him to succeed. A lot is thrown at him days into his first job as a lawyer. I was scared for Maryna and what she had gone through to get to this country and then what is happening to her now. There were a few people that frustrated me, in particular Cameron and The Rock. Some of the things that particular people were able to do in the state they were in felt a bit unbelievable and too convenient. I did really like Mitchell and Maryna and their faith discussions, but I did not like the ending. It felt like it was wrapped up way too quickly and left me with questions. Due to the main subject matter this is definitely a book that gives you stuff to think about and which side you would be on, but there was too much medical and research jargon for me.

(I purchased my copy of this book; opinions expressed 

in this review are my honest opinion and completely my own.)

Check out my reviews of other books by this author: 

   

By Reason of Insanity

Directed Verdict 

Dead Lawyers Tell No Tales 

Fatal Convictions 

The Cross Examination of Jesus Christ 

The Judge