The Black Sheep - Part 1: Greed

by Tiana Laveen

He’s the family’s black sheep. She’s the light he never thought he deserved.


Roman Wilde has worked hard to bury his past—a former Marine turned Vegas card shark and master manipulator, now reborn as a successful financial analyst. But when his ruthless Southern family drags him back into the con game, his carefully built life begins to collapse. One wrong move could cost him his career, his freedom… and the woman he can’t stop thinking about.

Genesis Caldwell has sworn off love—especially smooth-talking charmers like Roman Wilde. But when her brother’s enigmatic best friend crashes into her world, resistance proves futile. Their chemistry is undeniable, their connection electric. What begins as a forbidden flirtation quickly ignites into something deeper… and far more dangerous.

Roman never expected to fall in love. But his shadowed past is creeping back—and it’s determined to destroy everything. Now, he must reveal the truth and risk losing Genesis… or keep her safe in the dark.

The Black Sheep – Greed is a dark romantic suspense from USA Today bestselling author Tiana Laveen. Featuring a possessive alpha hero, a strong heroine, emotional scars, and high-stakes danger, this standalone story is Book 2 of the Seven Deadly Kins series.

🔒 No cliffhanger. HEA guaranteed. Mature themes – reader discretion advised.

238 pages, Kindle Edition

Published February 11, 2025

About the author

Tiana Laveen was born in Cincinnati, Ohio. She moved away, and now lives inside of her mind, but her heart is occupied with her husband, two children, and twisted imagination. She enjoys a fulfilling and enriching life that includes writing books, public speaking, drawing, painting, listening to music, cooking, and spending time with loved ones.

Tiana Laveen is a uniquely creative and innovative author whose romance fiction is geared towards those who not only want to temporarily escape from the daily routines of life, but also became pleasantly caught up in the twisted, well developed journeys of her unique characters. Tiana creates a painting with words as she guides her reader into the lives of each and every main character. Her dedication to detail and staying true to her characters is evident in each novel that she writes.

Reviews

[Serena Books · Rating 2 out of 5]

Comenzó fuerte, me perdí un poco en medio y terminó en suspenso…




•Mi opinión puede contener Spoilers.
•Esta destinada a ser un descargo personal no para que alguien más lea pero si lo haces y te ofende, me disculpo porque sé lo que es que te guste un libro y otros lo critiquen.



The Black Sheep - Part 1: Greed de Tiana Laveen Serie The Seven Deadly Kins libro 3

Argumento:

Él es la oveja negra de la familia, y ella es la luz que lo saca de las sombras. LIBRO 2 y PARTE 1 de la serie 7 Deadly Kins:

Roman Wilde, un ex marine texano con un oscuro pasado como tiburón de las cartas de Las Vegas y maestro manipulador, se ha reinventado como un exitoso asociado financiero. Pero cuando el despiadado patriarca de su familia le exige que vuelva a sus antiguas costumbres de estafador, la vida cuidadosamente construida de Roman comienza a desmoronarse. Acorralado, se ve obligado a ser más astuto que uno de los hombres más peligrosos de Texas, utilizando todos los trucos que aprendió durante años de apuestas de alto riesgo y engaños despiadados. En un juego mortal del gato y el ratón, un movimiento en falso podría costarle todo: su fortuna, su libertad e incluso su vida. Genesis Caldwell, una higienista dental con un corazón herido pero esperanzado, proviene de una familia unida que valora la devoción por encima de todo. Después de reevaluar sus prioridades, se encuentra en una pausa en sus relaciones, pero cuando el irresistible y encantador amigo de su hermano se cruza en su camino, no puede resistirse. Roman Wilde ha encontrado su camino hacia sus sueños, obligándola a no contar ovejas, ni hombres como él, fuera de su futuro por el momento. Roman nunca tuvo la intención de enamorarse tanto de la hermana de su mejor amigo, pero la innegable química entre él y Genesis enciende chispas que no se pueden ignorar, y se lanzan de cabeza a una relación. Mientras abre la puerta al amor, también deja entrar sin darse cuenta la oscuridad de su linaje. Su oscuro pasado ha venido a visitar su presente. Ahora, Roman debe decidir si le contará la verdad al amor de su vida, o la ocultará detrás de las sombras del engaño, con la esperanza de que las historias de su pasado nunca vean la luz del día...



Mi humilde opinión:

Romance oscuro con violencia y suspenso, amiga pequeña del mejor amigo, polos opuestos.

El comienzo del libro comenzó fuerte, Roman el protagonista fue puesto en una celda de prisión y molido a golpes pero él como ex marine supo como protegerse para salir con vida. Su abuelo fue quien lo puso allí comprando al jefe de la policía y a los guardias. Era bastante perturbador lo que el abuelo Wilde era capaz de hacer para convencer por las malas a su nieto para que trabaje para él haciendo negocios sucios. No deja de conspirar y acosarlo durante todo el libro pero Roman no da el brazo a torcer porque no piensa ser la manipulado por él. Roman hizo cosas malas en el pasado pero dejo eso atrás para enderezar su vida, yendo a la universidad y consiguiendo un buen trabajo en finanzas, es un tipo extremadamente apuesto e inteligente y le gusta el dinero. Cuando conoce a Genesis, la hermana menor de su amigo Tony, tiene una conexión inmediata con ella y comienzan una relación.

Me gustó que la pareja fuera diferente, no solo en color sino en personalidades, me pareció que se complementaba y había pasión entre ellos. Pero tengo que decir que algunas expresiones en las escenas de sexo me hicieron levantar las cejas y soltar la carcajada: … su boca húmeda alimentó su océano, curvó su larga lengua rosada y la movió por todo su húmedo jardín, penetrando su fortaleza, bajó su espada erecta, entre otras. No me parece mal pero no suelo reírme durante las escenas eróticas y estas expresiones me hicieron recordar a cuando leía viejos romances históricos.

Si bien me pareció que hacían buena pareja individualmente me gustó mas Genesis que Roman. Ella era una heroína fuerte que tenia los pies sobre la tierra, un buen corazón y piensa que el dinero no compra la felicidad. En cambio no entendía el humor de Roman o que se riera en situaciones serias. Tampoco me agradó mucho que yendo en auto a una cita con ella, que no era la primera, le salta una notificación de Tinder con otra mujer, y él le diga que todavía esta abierto a salir en citas. Yo la verdad me hubiera bajado del auto. No entendí esto.

Otra cosa fue la música, me encantan las Playlist en los libros pero aquí los temas estaban todo el tiempo en en medio de las escenas, los protagonistas estaban haciendo algo y de pronto sonaba una canción, siempre parecían estar escuchando música. No me molestó exactamente pero si me resultó un poco curioso y a veces salido de la nada.

Para ser un libro de este estilo, oscuro, con familia disfuncional y un villano de abuelo tan frio y diabólico, a todo el drama le faltó más acción y peligro, algo mas de emociones. Todo era tranquilo, había bastante narración, me costó un poco entender todo y terminarlo. Recién al final sucede algo, el padre de Roman es herido de gravedad en prisión, el abuelo ha ido demasiado lejos para convencerlo de que se una a él, todo quedó en suspenso…

[K.L. F. · Rating 5 out of 5]

The Thirst for Power is Real

Tiana Laveen did not come to play with The Black Sheep – Greed (Part 1). We’ve heard whispers about him in the first two books, but now, his story takes center stage—and trust me, he’s got a lot to say.

He’s been watching from the sidelines, moving in the shadows, but make no mistake—this man is no one’s victim. He’s been wronged, betrayed, and pushed past his breaking point. Now? The reckoning has begun.

But here’s the kicker—just when he’s ready to let his rage consume him, she walks in. She shouldn’t want him, and honestly? He should probably stay far away from her. But there’s something about her—something that makes him want to protect, possess, and maybe even hope again. Too bad love isn’t enough to stop the storm that’s coming.

Laveen delivers a slow-burn explosion, balancing dark romance, raw emotions, and high-stakes tension that keeps you turning the pages. By the end of this book, you’ll be fully invested, slightly wrecked, and desperate for Part 2—because this war is just getting started.

[BreakingtheEpigraph · Rating 5 out of 5]

This series just keeps getting better. Roman Wilde steps into the spotlight in 𝑻𝒉𝒆 𝑩𝒍𝒂𝒄𝒌 𝑺𝒉𝒆𝒆𝒑 – 𝑷𝒂𝒓𝒕 1: 𝑮𝒓𝒆𝒆𝒅, and he delivers. Being Cyrus Wilde’s grandson comes with a curse, and Roman is about to find out just how far Granddaddy is willing to go to get control of him.

Roman does not play by the rules. That makes him both a threat and a target. He has been running from the family his whole life, but Cyrus is not the kind of man to let things go. When Genesis, the younger sister of Roman's best friend, becomes involved, everything changes. Their connection is forbidden and messy, but impossible to ignore.

The story blends family drama, steamy romance, and psychological warfare in a way that feels raw and gripping. Every page sizzles with tension. I did not want to put it down, and I did not want it to end. The emotional stakes are sky high. The ending leaves you wide-eyed and begging for more. Ideal reader: Lovers of dark family secrets, flawed characters, and forbidden chemistry. When to read: When you want something that grabs your attention and does not let go.

[Cherryl · Rating 4 out of 5]

OMG!

Grandpa Wilde makes me want to do him end. That evil so and so just won't quit. He wants Roman to do his due diligence for the "family". Family my butt! That no good bastard wants it all for his selfish greedy azz. It's going to be interesting to see how Roman handles him regardless of his having his personal journal. He has pulled himself up by his bootstraps and is doing well. He's even fallen in love with Genesis. And, she's sticking by his side in his time of need. Even he and his best friend Tony have come to an understanding about their bro code.

Thank you Tiana for releasing both books at the same time because I hate cliffhangers and the waiting to get to the next part of a story.

[Pamelon · Rating 5 out of 5]

Tiana Laveen is a beast!! On to Part 2!! 💯👏🏾👏🏾👏🏾

The Black Sheep-Part 1: Greed (The Seven Deadly Kins Book 3) had me reading practically nonstop. Roman and Genesis are perfect for each other. They are each other's peace. This book started with a bang and ended the same way. Grandpa is still in everybody's business, plotting and scheming. Dude is a demon!

[Pooh · Rating 5 out of 5]

Thrilling!

Yet another great story by this author! Granddaddy Wilde is at it again. This time, Roman is in his crosshairs, and the so-called black sheep is not playing with the old manipulator. Roman has also found a beautiful love in Genesis, and their fiery and magnetic union is going to be put to the test. Hang on and enjoy the ride!

[Gwen · Rating 3 out of 5]

Okay

It took me a minute to get into the book than the others. Grandpa Wilde us up to his shenanigans again. However, Roman is not having it. Looking forward to what Roman has in store for him in the next book.

[Loette Johnson · Rating 5 out of 5]

whoop whoop

Roman is all that and a bag of chips. Conning and intelligent and will take you to see the king in one breath Genesis is his female match witty and has a no games allow attitude together they’re a force can’t wait to read the 2nd book to see how this all plays out

[LaTanya Wright · Rating 4 out of 5]

Slight of hand

So far I'm loving the Roman and Genesis story. They make a great pair and he will need all the support and help when it comes to dealing with that devil of a grandfather of his.

[Sarah · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great series!

This author never disappoints! I cannot wait to read the next book in this series and about the other cousins.

[Ramona Pullum · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is good

This is a good start. I am so invested in Roman and Genesis' story. I can't stop reading it. Now, on to part 2.

[Alicia Pressey · Rating 4 out of 5]

I am enjoying the storyline. Needs more action . Hopefully the action will come in book 2 . I really like Roman and Genesis chemistry.