The Dark Side of Love is a very engaging illustration of the degree to which our lives are governed by events that are random and not within our control. The whim of an old woman at a charity auction sets in motion a fateful meeting between the gay protagonist and an apparently straight man. A death in the family forces the protagonist to reconnect with his estranged, addicted brother and the brother's girlfriend. Relationships that seemed unlikely grow in warmth and intensity, while grief and long- suppressed anger fuel a violent confrontation. There is no neatly satisfying ending, but you will find yourself supplying various ending scenarios of your own in order to resolve the lingering ambiguities of this subtly involving story.