TAINTED LOVE by Sonjia Marshall starts as a boy meets girl love story but quickly spirals into a tragic and unfathomable tale. Taylor is a thirty-something single woman who is a registered nurse.

On an evening out with her best friend and husband, she meets and begins dating Lamp, a police officer. After a whirlwind courtship, Taylor agrees to marry Lamp. However, prior to the marriage there are signs of something gone wrong. Lamp displays a deep hatred for homosexuals and becomes verbally and physically abusive towards Taylor. All Taylor knows is that Lamp is working with an informant to bring down a notorious crime ring. This informant infiltrates himself into the lives Taylor and Lamp and all hell breaks loose.

TAINTED LOVE is a story filled with duplicity and abuse, coupled with understanding and forgiveness. While the story is entertaining and dramatic, the author took some liberties, which made the overall story unrealistic. In other words, there is a lot of drama for drama sake. However, the characteristics portrayed are vibrant and alive. The messages construed are inspirational in the sense it displays perseverance and the power of hope and redemption.