For the Rest of My Life

The plot sometimes stretches the imagination a bit, but it is entertaining and well written; the characters are well developed, likeable, and realistic for the most part; Christian testimony is natural, edifying, and true to the Scriptures, without being preachy or offensive. The focus is on the issues of trusting the Lord through the stresses of life and viewing marriage as a selfless commitment for the other person's well-being. It models well traditional upper-middle-class Christian values of education, loyalty, love, healthy dating relationships, self-discipline, living self-sacrificially, moral integrity, hard work, and especially how a loving Christian family acts together. The focus is on the heroine's feelings towards her boyfriend and her chances of getting Huntington's Disease, rather than on any deeper issues that could be examined, such as her feelings towards an abusive father (now helpless and unable to speak) or the on-going effects of violent rape (for other characters). The author did a good job of modelling a loving and healthy romance in spite of the stresses, misunderstandings, and offenses -- not the dark and brooding atmosphere of so many romances. I enjoyed reading it and wouldn't hesitate to recommend it (though not for young teens).

Sometimes sequels don't live up to the first book, but this time Harry Kraus did a wonderful job of picking up where he left off. For The Rest of My Life continues the story of Dr. Claire McCall as she moves through her journey of self discovery. In the first book, Could I Have This Dance?, Claire learned that she is at-risk for Huntington's Disease. Claire wrestles with finding out her results and what it will do to her relationship with the man she wants to marry, but also with her career. I found her response to the disease, the testing, her father who has HD, and other conflicts true to life. As the author of two non fiction books about Huntington's Disease and as a frequent speaker at HD conferences, I found the portrayal of the disease authentic. I like that the book focuses not only on the romance but on real- life issues and conflicts. The Pacing was excellent and Dr. Kraus did an solid job of weaving the various story lines together to make for an engaging read. I found the characters realistic for the most part, and while I did manage to solve the mystery in one of the stories before it was revealed, I still enjoyed the way it played out.Dr. Kraus once again did a great job at weaving faith into the novel without being heavy handed. The issues that Claire and others went through ate the same as what people are dealing with every day. This is a book I will recommend to the members of the Huntington's Disease community and others. Carmen Leal, Author of Faces of Huntington's and Portraits of Huntington's, Choosing Joy Through Life Lessons