Black Sheep

by Tabatha Vargo

Ever since the day I was dropped at her family’s door HUNGRY, DIRTY, and TORN, I’ve wanted her.But to taint her perfect skin with my black touch would be a SIN.So I made a pact with myself— NEVER TOUCH NICOLE PALMER.However, when she returns home from college, she’s different, and I’m not sure I can trust myself to keep my pact.I can’t submit to her TEMPTATION no matter how sweetly she begs because she’s the GOLDEN CHILD, and I’m the BLACK SHEEP."The struggle, heartache, growth, and the love within Black Sheep by Tabatha Vargo tore through my heart in ways I will never forget. If this book does not touch your soul, you don't have one." ~Audrey Carlan, #1 NYT Bestselling Author"I cannot praise Black Sheep enough and highly recommend you drop everything, and read this bad boy TODAY!! 10+ STARS!! #LovedIt #Bestof2016" ~Lucie Lu's Book Reviews"Without a doubt, 10 stars." ~Romance Ever After Book Blog"This book was simply amazing! From page one I fell in love with Tyson, darkness and all." ~Devilishly Delicious Book Reviews

Genres: Romance, New Adult, Dark, Abuse, Friends To Lovers, Contemporary Romance, Dark Romance

245 pages, Kindle Edition

First published September 18, 2016

About the author

Tabatha is a New York Times & USA Today Bestselling author, best known for her sexy adult romance Little Black Book.
Tabatha writes in all genres, including adult and new adult, and isn't afraid to venture into the dark side occasionally, as she proved with her dark prison romance, Slammer.
She's an avid reader of all things smutty and writes sexy stories featuring redeemable alpha bad boys and sweet, strong women.

SBR Media represents Tabatha. For inquiries regarding foreign rights, audio, and other media outlets, please contact Stephanie Phillips. stephanie@sbrmedia.com

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Reviews

[warhawke · Rating 3 out of 5]

Genre: Contemporary Romance
Type: Standalone
POV: First Person - Dual
Rating:




Tyson Payne never knew the love of a family. Growing up with a drug addict father, he was exposed to the darkness of life at young age. He was happy to finally got out of it when he was adopted by the Palmers.

Nicole Palmer grew up surrounded by familial love. When her family took in a quiet boy, her fascination of him amplified as she watched him grew up into a fine young man. She was determined to get through him despite the fortress he built around his heart.



I picked up this book because it sounds potentially dark and/or sad but it wasn't really either for me.

I was hell, and she was heaven, and I’d never drag her down with me.

Tyson had a dark/sad history. Unfortunately, I couldn't connect his past and present. I understand his past is a sensitive issue for some, but I wish it was more elaborated for a stronger impact. He also kept mentioning about his darkness but I couldn't see much of it except for the little glimpse of his past. I do like how appreciative he was to people who gave him chance to flourish.

I could never be what she wanted, even if she did accept my blackness

Nicole always saw good in people and that included Tyson. She wanted to show him light even when he preferred to stay in the dark. I like how she took responsibility to her loved ones, even if at times she could be incredibly naive.

She lit up my soul and my heart. Maybe she could scare away my demons, and we could be together.

The story had good potential but the execution could have been better. There was no revelation to the readers because everything was laid out easily. As mentioned with Tyler's issue, there were too many telling and not enough showing. There were also questions left unanswered. If things were unraveled differently, it could have added depths to both characters and story.

Black Sheep is a story of a man rising up from adversity and the woman who believes in him and encouraged him to break out of his shell. It would appeal to readers who prefer things on the lighter side.


♦ ᛯ ♦ . . . (F)BR With Loyda . . . ♦ ᛯ ♦


For more reviews/reveals/giveaways visit:

[⚔Irunía⚔ · Rating 1 out of 5]

It was boring af, nothing really happened in the book. The author concentrated on MCs' relationship that wasn't exactly a thrilling thing to read about. The heroine pursues the hero, he denies her cuz he is not good for her/he is indebted to her parents/he has a psychological trauma or whatever it was that made him ignore her feelings but entertain himself with the OW at the same time.
Not my kind of story🙆🏼‍♀️

[❥ KAT ❥ Kitty Kats Crazy About Books · Rating 4 out of 5]

TITLE: Black Sheep
AUTHOR: Tabatha Vargo
GENRE: CONTEMPORARY ROMANCE
CHAPTERS:
RELEASE DATE: September 18th, 2016

MY RATING: 4 STARS


BLACK SHEEP: This story solely focuses on Tyson Payne and Nicole Palmer and is spoken in 'Dual Perspectives' Tyson has had a dark gritty harrowing past, living with a drug addicted father, a life of hell as he feeds his father's addiction which Tyson has endured throughout his young life.

Tyson's finally free as he breaks through the ties that bound him to his father, but he still has demons chasing his tail, he's saved by a caring, loving family with a daughter Nicole.

Even though this family love him and welcome him into their fold with open arms and only want the best for him, in his mind he classes himself as the 'Black Sheep' always on the outside, unworthy of love, dirty and soiled. A product of his upbringing and what he's endured at the hands of many sadistic people under the care of his father.

Nicole has loved him since the day he walked through the door of her family's home. No matter how often she tried getting close to Tyson he'd push her away, never wanting to tarnish her heart with his dark soul.

MY THOUGHTS

This definitely kept me entertained throughout, a few gripes with this was the constant push and pull between Nicole and Tyson became too much after a while, I lost that connection between them because of it, he'd always push her away and she'd always come back running only to be pushed away again.

I didn't get the warm fuzzies that I would normally expect to get from an attraction from the beginning that these two professed to have felt. But the story made up for it in other ways, it wasn't necessarily dark but it was just the right amount of angsty grit to keep me invested until the end.

The angst and emotional pull on your senses is definitely worth a one click..

[Lo Bookfrantic · Rating 3 out of 5]

3 Stars

Full review to come...this one ugh def was not what I was expecting. I guess I kinda feel cheated I was hoping for more emotional deep writing with some dark based on the title, blurb and cover but instead I just couldn't really connect with the characters... ugh I really wanted to love this one.




F(BR) with my shhlut War I'm the one on the left because she looks like she's FREE lol



~~~~BLURB~~~~
Ever since the day I was dropped at her family’s door
HUNGRY, DIRTY, and TORN,
I’ve wanted her.
But to taint her perfect skin with my black touch would be a SIN.
So I made a pact with myself—
NEVER TOUCH NICOLE PALMER.
However, when she returns home from college, she’s different, and I’m not sure I can trust myself to keep my pact. I can’t submit to her TEMPTATION no matter how sweetly she begs because she’s the GOLDEN CHILD and I’m the BLACK SHEEP.

Book Order: Standalone


Amazon US: https://amzn.com/B01M0HNM8R
Amazon UK: https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B01M0HNM8R
iTunes: https://itunes.apple.com/us/book/id11...
Kobo: https://store.kobobooks.com/en-us/ebo...
BN: http://tinyurl.com/hfogsep

[Leo (Queen of the Rants and Spoilers)]

It was a sad story and it was hard for me to read, I'm having a time rating this book.
Triggers:
the hero has been sexually and mentally abuse by his father and his father's drug dealers. He can't stand to be touched due to his father's dealers touched him sexually he also thought that he killed his father when he was 12 years old.
He pushes the heroine away because he thinks he's not good for her.
The heroine saw him kissed another girl and also saw him have sex with OW.

[1-Click Addict Support Group · Rating 5 out of 5]

Just WOW!!! Tyson's story sucked me right in right from the prologue. I was on the edge of my seat as I was reading, not wanting to believe what was happening; yet, at the same time I felt the pain Tyson was going through and knew that maybe, just maybe it was justifiable! For someone so young to have to carry such burden and endure so much injustice is just beyond me. I wanted to reach out and comfort Tyson but I knew that nothing would comfort him until he got rid of the one causing so much pain.

As I read on I was happy that staying with the Palmers would lead to Tyson's happiness, after so many years of abuse. Not only that, this is where his beacon of light finally appeared to him: Nicole Palmer. For Nicole the moment she met Tyson she knew he was it for her but she also knew that it would not be easy to get him to open up to her. She loved him from a distance in hopes that maybe one day he would see her and allow her to see the real Tyson.

I appreciated it the dual POV because it allowed me to see what was in each one's heart. Now there were many times that I wanted to smack sense into Tyson and tell him that he deserved to be loved no matter what!

Their story had me gasping, crying, cursing and loving them both. I wanted them to find their own HEA but before they could do that they were going to have to face their demons head on.

Whatever you do just be ready the twists and turns this roller coaster will have you going through. Without a doubt Black Sheep is one of my favorite books from Ms. Vargo and I cannot wait to learn what she has in store for us in the future!! ~ Kara, 5 Brilliant Stars

~~~

Going into this book I knew that it was going to be an emotional roller coaster ride, but it was a ride I wanted to be on. Black Sheep brings out your emotions, makes you feel so much for these characters, and makes you shed a few tears. These two characters go through so much, but in the end they have each other.

Tyson had a very rough life until he went to live with the Palmers. There he met Nicole Palmer. The light to his darkness. He always wanted Nicole, but knew he would never be good enough for her. This made me so sad for him because little did he realize that ever since Nicole first saw him she wanted to be with him too. They both wanted each other but they couldn’t be together because of Tyson’s fears.

This story is about love, loss, and redemption. These two were made for each other but it takes a long road to get where they are happy together. The back and forth between these two made me get a bit irritated but I knew why it was happening because there was a lot of stuff going on for them both.

The ending to this book was perfect for this story. Tyson and Nicole had a rough path to get to where they were in the end, but it was all worth it for them. Ms. Vargo once again pulled on my heart strings and I can’t wait to see what she writes next. ~ Leah, 4.5 Stars

[Audrey Carlan · Rating 5 out of 5]

One of my absolute favorite books of the year. Tyson and Nicole were two deeply complex characters I fell head over heels in love with. I was beyond invested in their story as if these two were personal members of my own family. I wanted to wrap my arms around them and hold them close, that's how real they are to me.

I can't even go into detail in this review. Just know that this book is the best book of Tabatha Vargo's I've ever read. If you want emotion, love, strife, gut-wrenching fear and to honestly feel something. This book is for you.

Blessed be.

"The struggle, heartache, growth, and the love within Black Sheep by Tabatha Vargo tore through my heart in ways I will never forget. If this book does not touch your soul, you don't have one." ~Audrey Carlan, #1 NYT Bestselling Author

[Linathebookaddict · Rating 4 out of 5]

{ARC kindly provided in exchange for an honest review.}


Title: Black Sheep
Author: Tabatha Vargo
Category: Romance, Drama
Series or Standalone: Standalone
POV: Dual
Plot: 4
Characters: 4
HEA: Not telling


I loved this book. After Slammer this is my favorite book from this author.
This is the story of Tyson Payne and Nicole. Tyson has lived through a nightmare his entire childhood. He has seen and done things no child should have to experience. His whole life changes when he can finally break free from his hell and find peace with a proper family.
They love him, care for him but his demons will never allow him to fit in.
But not everything is dark because Tyson has just met his angel.
Nicole has always loved Tyson. She wants to prove to him that he is worthy of love but will he allow it? Will Tyson's secret bring them close or tear them apart ?
I loved the book. The author knows how to tell a good story. The book will make you smile, it will break your heart and the heroes will frustrate you! Just have faith and enjoy the ride.

I recommend it.

4 Stars

[Paula Phillips · Rating 4 out of 5]

Tyson did not have the best childhood growing up, in fact, it was downright awful, and when I always read books where the child was treated like this, my heart always goes out to the characters. When he was twelve years old, he was living with his druggie Dad and decided to put an end to it all. One thing led to another, and eventually, Tyson found himself living with an old high school buddy of his Dad's and his family. The Palmers were amazing and took Tyson in and treated him like he was one of their flock. From the day that he arrived, he was smitten by their daughter Nicole. For both of them it was love from the very first sight but of course being foster siblings meant that it was severely frowned upon to do anything and could be seen as incest. When it came to Nicole, she knew that there would be no-one else for her except for Tyson as he always had her heart. Black Sheep has a lot of angst and back and forth moments between Nicole and Tyson as they don't seem eager to cross into that forbidden zone. However about 3/4 of the way through the book, tragedy will hit the Palmer family, and we see this moment bringing Tyson and Nicole closer but with tragedy brings terrible decisions that will have the power to push them apart again. Will they finally face the truth and confront their demons and feelings and realise that they were always meant to be together ? Near the end , Black Sheep had a heart-stopping moment where I was like OMG this can't be the end , how dare you do this to me Tabatha but then she redeemed herself in the Epilogue which is a five years later moment which made me happy and forgive her. Black Sheep is one of those forbidden love stories that will suck readers in from the beginning.

[Kate · Rating 2 out of 5]

I am most certainly in the minority here. I can see why so many people liked this book there is angst, heart-breaking moments intermixed with anger, hurt and pain. What I missed? Some happy moments. I don’t expect rainbows and unicorns.

I personally didn’t feel as if Nicole and Tyson had a connection really there was always this invisible wall between them and I just didn’t get it. I know it was due to Tyson and his issues but I didn’t see them gaining any ground.

There is a constant push and pull with the MC that it is at times it was painful to read. The Hero thinks that the heroine is light, and pure and innocent to his darkness, his contagiousness. It is clear that he has never overcome what has happened to him. I didn’t see any development in the book to him developing as a character.

Nicole has always loved Tyson. I admire the heroine’s tenaciousness towards the Hero but then again love is a fickle thing and well what people don’t do for love or in this case do. But at some point was it all really worth it? It was for Nicole. See? It’s me that is the problem here with the book.

Nicole and Tyson’s relationship is complicated. At the age of 12 Tyson is taken in by the Palmers and his life changes somewhat for the better especially when he sees an angel, Nicole Palmer. Over the years Tyson develops feelings but knows he can never act on them as the Palmers offered their home to him. He also doesn’t want to taint Nicole and their lives so he is always an outsider.

I did find it slow at times but then it would pick up again and when I finally thought that we were gaining ground we weren’t and went back to square one. Which got tedious at best.

From what I read all in all the author is talented and she knows how to suck you into a story that leaves you helpless with your emotions but also angry of the unfairness of it all. For the fact that this is borderline YA on the cusp of NA there are some very violent themes that not everyone will be able to deal with.

Review can also be found @http://jerisbookattic-reviewblog.blog...


Book received by author in exchange for an honest review.

[Lucie Lu's Book Reviews · Rating 5 out of 5]

I don’t know where to begin with this review, apart from saying it was FREAKIN’ AWESOME!!

But seriously I don’t know what to say without giving too much away and I really, really don’t want to do that. I want you to experience everything for yourselves. I guess I can only recommend you do what I did, which was: check out the cover (swoon!!), look at who the author is (instant one-click) and read the blurb (sold!!). Honestly that’s all you need, because as soon as you open the book and read the first page, you’re a goner. That is all it took for me to be hooked and unable to put it down.

Seriously I loved every single second. My adrenaline was pumping, I felt like my heart was going to pound out of my chest and I had tears streaming down my face and all that was just by chapter three!! Anyone who knows me, knows that I love me some angst, I actually crave it and Black Sheep was full of it. I could not get enough!!

I am not the fastest of readers, but when a book grabs me the way Black Sheep did, I devoured it within a couple of hours. Once you begin reading, don’t expect to be doing anything else, because you will not be capable of tearing yourself away. This book will suck you in and spit you out once done.

I have been so incredibly lucky this year and have read some amazing books, that I have listed as The Best of 2016. There is absolutely no doubt that Black Sheep is right there at the top with the best of them.

Now I am ashamed to admit that I have only read one other book by Tabatha Vargo. I know, right?? Shocking…I hang my head in shame, but Black Sheep is most definitely a turning point for me and I can confidently say it will not be my last. I am now going on the search for the rest of Tabatha’s work. Her writing is so addictive and captivating that like me, if you haven’t read her previous books, you are going to want to.

I cannot praise Black Sheep enough and highly recommend you drop everything, and read this bad boy TODAY!! It left me so emotionally exhausted in the best possible way, that anyone with a pair of ears will be recommended this book by me.

10+ STARS!! #LovedIt #Bestof2016

[Amy K · Rating 5 out of 5]

So many emotions going on inside of me from this story, I don't even know where to begin. First, it took me less than a day to read this which is saying something because most books take me at least a week. From the moment this began, I was drawn to Tyson wanting to know less than I did about his past (because it's heartbreaking) and hoping for his future to be brighter for him. His relationship with Mr and Mrs Palmer is endearing. The way they take him in and make him part of the family touched my heart especially after learning how he grew up. Throughout the story I kept cheering for Tyson and Nicole, but it was understandable as to why he struggled so much with his feelings. As with all of Tabatha Vargo's books, the characters were likable, the story intrigued me and kept me wanting more, there was a rich background giving you insight to the thoughts, feelings, and utter emotions driving the characters actions. There is heartbreak that comes in many forms, unbelievable amounts of tension, and of course there were moments of pure steamy hotness! I flew through this book desperate to find out all it all ends up, if there is a HEA, and now I'm sad it's all over. The ending, though it ripped my heart to shreds, gave us closure on a story that has more ups and downs than you can imagine. I absolutely adored everything about this book. Each time I read a book by this author I know three things for sure: 1-It'll be hard to put down 2-It's going to be Hot, hot, HOT! and 3-I'm going to want to throw my Kindle across the room at some point (possibly more than once).

[Carol · Rating 5 out of 5]

Seriously amazing story, well written! Touches on real life issues, so traumatic for a child, dealing with abusive parent, drug user, then other horrific matters relating to said events. Then he meets a family, the Palmers who give him unconditional love, and there is so much from this family and their children. He just isn't sure how to deal with it all, and can he trust them, when he has been betrayed in the past. Beautiful, emotional, loving, giving, truly a story worth reading.❤️❤️

[✿kawehi.reviews · Rating 3 out of 5]

A LOT of push and pull incurred within this read. Feelings of despair, unworthiness, and an unsullied past. A man who does not feel good enough to feel loved meets knight in shining armor in the appearance of the woman of his dreams.

I felt like this was a read of love, respect, acceptance, and taking chances.

Maybe it was just me, but, it felt a little angsty and overdramatic for me. But over all, I did enjoy it.

[Red Cheeks Reads · Rating 5 out of 5]

Another great book from Tabatha Vargo. This story was kind of dark but I have come to expect that from this author. But, I just loved the hero, Tyson. He was damaged, sexy, and sweet. He ticked all of my boxes right away and I loved his protectiveness and love for his foster family. It shined through the entire novel and completely stole my heart. Nicole was also a great character. She went after what she wanted even at the cost of embarrassment. I loved her for that. She also “stood by her man” in the toughest of times.

The story was written well and spanned a good length of time, which I happen to love. The girl was full of sass and the guy was as alpha as a they come!

This one is a really sweet story that I think everyone will love. Pick it up and enjoy this sweet dark romance with plenty of sizzle.

~Amie

[Lustful Literature · Rating 5 out of 5]

Josie's Review

I look for certain qualities in a book when rating 5 stars, the realness, rawness and the ability to write a story that I can lose myself in. I found all that and more in Black Sheep. The prologue started out strong and had me completely engrossed with Tyson and Nicole’s story. The subject matter and issues that are addressed in this book are rough and not easy to handle, but the author did an amazing job in bringing it to the forefront. This story had me crying, yelling and screaming but also had me believing in chances and fate.

The story is told in dual POV and while Nicole’s character is great I just couldn’t stop seeking out more of Tysons POV. Nichole is awesome. She’s loved Tyson since the moment they first met. She gives as good as she gets but the real story was Tyson.

I’m usually not a fan of inner dialogue, I’m more of a fan of the action between characters but with this book, the inner dialogue was necessary and intense. Tysons conflict is better understood and told by the thoughts and descriptions the author uses. It was easy to fall for this character and get lost in him. I mean yes the female lead was well written but I gravitated to Tyson. My heart broke for the young boy of the past and the man he is today. The words and story are raw and to see how he truly he felt like he was no good for her broke my heart. He loved this girl from the moment he laid eyes on her but he felt his shaded past and the demons that plague his dreams would only bring pain and destroy her.

The angst level was high in this story, but so was the love they shared for each other. When Nicole needs Tyson he’s the only one able to put her back together. The push and shove in this relationship gave me whip lash but I just knew when these two got together it would be worth it. As much as he feels he’s unworthy of Nicole, it’s her love for Tyson that makes him see himself as more. There is no doubt while reading that Tyson and Nicole belong together because they are so in tuned with each other. The chemistry level was hot and when they finally let their guards down the pages just steamed right up. Just when Tyson and Nicole find happiness and a balance with each other, his pasts comes back just to remind him how unworthy he is. When Nicole learns the ugly truth about Tysons past will she turn her back on him or love him for the man and boy she’s always loved? You are going to have to click and find out its worth it.

[Teri · Rating 4 out of 5]

I received an advanced review copy from the author for a fair and honest review.

Wow... So many emotions... I cried!!!

When the story starts off, I thought to myself that this doesn't seem that different from many other stories out there. Well, I was so wrong. Nicole's story is unexpected and so emotional. Being only 18 years old, she is one strong girl!!

And Tyson.... I wanted to strangle him!!!! If you love someone, you don't get with others. And the back and forth with his feelings!! Agh!!! Stop running away!

As I read I didn't know how this would all end. It was a roller coaster. I was using my hand to block off the part I hadn't read yet because I didn't want to accidentally see something that would give the end away!!!

Definitely a must to add to your "to read" list!!

[Annmarie · Rating 3 out of 5]

I understood why he was so damaged from his past. I hated what he did to Nicole and I felt her heart break when she walked in on him with the other girl having sex. I don't know how she went back after that but see that she was just torn apart after everything that happened with him and then her parents. There was a lot going on here and she went through so much. He did too, and I'm glad he got counseling at the end, but the way he treated her, even though he thought it was to protect her, I just couldn't brush aside. He wants to protect her but he's the main one hurting her. They both had a lot going on and by the end it was on a more positive track. It's a HEA but it took a while to get there.

[Romance Ever After Book Blog · Rating 5 out of 5]

We all have a small handful of our “go to authors.” Those authors that we will always one click. We know they will bring us on one hell of ride, leave us a wreck. An emotional wreck but a good wreck none the least. That author that, no matter how many books she writes, each one will be unique an perfect in their own way. Tabatha Vargo bring something different to everything and this was no exception. I loved this story.....for 2 reasons. Let me explain.

Okay, so in a lot of books I read there is a lot of fillers. Words that don't have much meaning, but are there to fill in the gaps. Don't get me wrong, I don't mind fillers. But sometimes I feel like I'm reading....and reading....and reading just to get to my favorite “I'm on the edge of my seat” part.

When I read a story most of the time about 80% (70% if I'm lucky), I get to the climax, the 'Oh my god I can't believe this is happening I'm so scared will he make it will she make it will they get through this will they get that happily ever after???' THAT is one of my favorite parts! You can't put the book down, action packed part of the story. The part where you don't even realize you are holding your breath until you finish. Some stories don't give us this until around 95%. 5 pages of crazy and BAM insert their happily ever after. Not this story.
That crazy hold your breath stuff....starts on page one and continues through the ENTIRE THING FROM START TO FINISH. No freaking joke. This book came along at precisely the right moment. I wanted something to hold my attention from beginning to end. This book, without a doubt was the one.

The second reason this story was amazing was Tyson Payne.
We all have our favorite type of alpha. Well...mine is that damaged one. That one you want to reach in, grab him, pull him OUT of this hell and protect him forever. The one with the rough exterior but insides that make your heart break into a million pieces. The man you find yourself crying (real tears) for what this man has had to endure and how he feels about himself. If this is your type of man, meet your next book boyfriend. And, because there were no fillers, you get 100% of this damaged man.

So, with that being said, grab a chair or lay on the couch. Grab a pillow, blanket or both. Grab a drink and a small snack because when you start this journey I promise you will not move (and if you are like me..breath) until you reach the end.
Without a doubt, 10 stars for me.

[Romance Readers Retreat · Rating 5 out of 5]

Another fantastic read from this author that is an emotional rollercoaster that grips you from the heart-breaking prologue and pulls you along. 

Tyson’s life has been pure hell and after doing what no child should have to endure at the hands of his own parent he takes drastic action and from the start you want him to be happy. When he ends up with the Palmer family you can’t help but breathe a sigh of relief that he is going to be ok but Tyson is his own judge and jury and won’t let go of his past actions making him a dark and broody character. 

Nicole is lovely and I loved how she went after what she wanted in Tyson and though their relationship was complicated by the bond of fostering you are rooting for them both. The push and pull from Tyson was to be expected but I loved how no matter what Nicole stood by him. 

A both heart breaking yet sweet story of these two tragic characters that left me in tears so keep the tissues to hand.

[MoodyJess]

DNF @ 75 %
I'm sorry. I can't.
The repetition, and need for both characters perspective on the same moments was not working for me. The dual
pOV is fine, but more than half of this book is a duplicate.

I Cannot believe I made it this far. ..call me cold hearted, go ahead. The theme is beyond the colour of coal. Could absolutely anything in the book go right? The utter disparity I felt-the heart break, I cannot go on. It's not poorly written, it's just kind of all over the place. Every awful thing that can happen in ten books has happened in this book and though it's dark, and down right dreadful-it's Too dark for me.

I did skip to the end (I know...) but I had to see what happened. Even the ending was dramatic enough to a point of being predictable and unstable.
The themes that go on in this book are no joke-all of which are very sensitive, and I feel empathy for the characters, but it's just not for me.

[andrea have sassy books to read · Rating 4 out of 5]

so this was so sad...BUT SO GOOD!!!!!!!!
i mean

the tension was so delicious thick, it made my breathing hard and my heart beat go faster
really good i love it!

[Lindap · Rating 4 out of 5]

4 stars

Nicole's childhood was a good one with loving parents and a younger brother. Tyson's childhood was the opposite. From the moment they saw each other (as kids) they each felt a connection. However, Tyson never felt he was good enough. Never felt he could offer anything. Except darkness from his childhood. Yet, neither can let go......

Felt it was a bit repetitive, but I still enjoyed the story.

[Anne in VA · Rating 2 out of 5]

DNF at 50%. This is VERY angsty, yet somehow still cold and wooden. I struggled to care about either MC. They had their angsty yearning for each other that came off as bland, and that was essentially their whole personality. I almost dnf'd it immediately, but wanted to give it a chance. It never got more interesting.

[Morilyn · Rating 5 out of 5]

An emotional roller-coaster of mixed emotions all wrapped up in a passionate tale by Tabatha Vargo (a new-to-me author). I was engrossed in "The Black Sheep" & finished it in one very early morning session.

[Rebecca · Rating 4 out of 5]

When a boy lives in the very depths of hell for 12 long years, it’s easy to understand that he’ll have deep scars and even deeper demons…that his brokenness will penetrate every aspect of his life and force him to be closed off and feel unworthy of anything good because all he’s ever known is darkness, pain, and abuse. It’s also easy to understand why a girl would be drawn to a boy who does everything to protect her…everything to keep the light that surrounds her bright and untarnished.

He’s the devil to her angel…he’s the broody one alone in the corner while her cheerfulness and selflessness endear her to others. He’s haunted by his past while her memories hold love and contentment.

At face value, this broken boy and this angelic girl couldn’t be more opposite, which would stand to reason that their interaction should not spark feelings of love and his darkness should never invade her light. But there’s so much more to the boy who has now become a man and the girl who has loved him for 7 years sees who he is down to his soul, and while he may see himself as the black sheep of the family, she sees him as her EVERYTHING.

Tyson has always loved Nicole, but he’s done so from afar, keeping his feelings as well as his need for her to himself because he refuses to taint her goodness…he refuses to allow her to see his blackened soul. Tyson lives his life protecting those he loves because for the first 12 years of his life no one did that for him and he doesn’t want anyone he loves to be afraid or unprotected from the hazards and filth of the world.

Nicole doesn’t see Tyson the way that he sees himself; she sees him for the fighter and survivor that he is. Her only desire is to be with Tyson in a way that he refuses to allow, but what Tyson doesn’t understand is that every time he turns Nicole away…every time he makes her feel unwanted, even though he’s doing it because he feels she is too good for him, he loses pieces of her and winds up doing more damage than he could have ever imagined.

Nicole may not have the same life experience that Tyson does, but she’s a person who knows what it means to love with her whole heart and want to help those in need. She also knows how devastating life can be and she understands the things that have to be done in order to ensure life goes on even when people would rather it didn’t. She’s a guiding light for Tyson, even if she doesn’t know it, and that connection will hopefully see them through things that are out of their control as the story plays out.

Black Sheep is an emotional journey for both Tyson and Nicole. Tyson may be allowing his past to dictate his present, but the events that occur in the present also send the two characters spiraling out of control in a number of ways, and all of the emotional turmoil that they go through resonates from the pages of the book. Tabatha Vargo allows readers to truly understand how scarred Tyson is by what happened to him when he was little by giving readers his first hand perspective. Tyson’s torment and feelings of unworthiness become another character in the storyline, keeping Tyson a prisoner to his own thoughts and forcing him to act out against those he loves most. There were many times as I was reading that Tyson’s self-loathing really got to me; he was like a wounded animal acting out for survival when he didn’t have to…he just needed to take the love that Nicole was willing to give him and run with it, but it also makes sense why he couldn’t.

Tyson may not be easy to love, but he definitely deserves to be and Nicole makes it her mission to prove that to him regardless of how difficult the task may be.

A complimentary copy was provided in exchange for an honest review.

4.5 Poison Apples (The Fairest of All Book Reviews)

[Kristina at For The Love Of Books · Rating 4 out of 5]

Black Sheep by Tabatha Vargo was a heartbreaking story. The characters had so many ups and downs I felt for everyone of them. Tyson’s character was such a sad and a bit lonely sole. He never really felt he deserved anything good in life and no matter how many times Nicole tried to tell him he was special and good all he felt was darkness. The story is not all dark but you do have to wait for most of the book to see him change slowly into someone that feels worthy. I recommend this book to those that like a love story with angst, this one had me begging the two to finally get there. Loved the writing and will definitely be reading some more from this author.

[Liz's Book Bucket List · Rating 4 out of 5]

{Received a copy from the author in exchange for an honest review}

This was my first book by Tabatha Vargo and it won’t be my last. I enjoyed every minute of this story! It was dark, gritty, emotional and heart-breaking. The first thing that really drew me to this book was that amazing cover…it is gorgeous! Then the synopsis sucked me in and I knew that I had to get my hands on this book. I am extremely happy that I read this book, it was defiantly one of my most enjoyable reads this year.

I fell in love with Vargo’s writing style. It was descriptive enough that I could picture the story playing out in my mind, but it was overly wordy where it made it hard to get through. I was addicted to reading this story! I wanted to read this book all the time, and if it wasn’t for my 3 year old, I would have devoured it in one sitting. I enjoyed the duel perspective between the two main characters, Tyson and Nicole. I don’t think it would have worked any other way because it allowed readers to understand the character’s emotions and motivations.

I think one of the strongest points of this book is the amazing character development. Tyson was such a complex and dark character. His dark history broke my heart, but I also enjoyed seeing him able to conquer his fears and past. I think that Tyson is one of my favorite characters from a dark romance. He was a brooding, protective alpha male that was easy to fall in love with. I also really enjoyed Nicole’s character. I did feel like her development was not as dynamic as Tyson’s, but it did not hinder how much I liked her. The side characters were also not as developed, but I really enjoyed Mr. and Mrs. Palmer. It is nice to read a story were the parents are truly genuine, compassionate and loving.

I loved the romance in this story! It was angsty, beautiful and slow-burning. I would almost say that this was one of the angsty-est books that I have ever read…and it was great. I felt like the mature scenes were done very tastefully and helped add to the connection between the characters. I am glad that Nicole and Tyson already had history with one another so that Vargo was able to focus on character development and the romance. It made their feelings for each other feel very genuine, rather than insta-lovey.

I think the pacing in this book was perfect and the ending really shocked me! I think that my mouth was probably hanging open because I was not expecting it. However, I am also very glad that there was a happy ending. I don’t know if I could have taken it if there was no happy ending after having to delve into Tyson’s dark past.

I would recommend this book to every reader who enjoys contemporary romance books. I think this would be a great book for readers who are new to dark romance because, although it is dark, it still has sweet aspects to it too. I am defiantly going to be picking up some of Vargo’s other books because this one was a winner.

[Melissa Jones · Rating 3 out of 5]

Black Sheep by Author Tabatha Vargo is a story that is heartbreaking and unfortunately, is likely a tragic reality for a lot of people in the world today. The young life that Tyson had to endure with his drug addicted father is becoming to normal for so many young kids in this present day...I see it all around us, even in my own family. I applaud this great author for taking on such a strong, real, tragic topic and leading the reader through the mind and emotions of someone who has been hurt and tainted by the worse but with lots of love and hard work finds his way out of the darkness.

[Nikki Reeves · Rating 4 out of 5]

*~*~* 4. 5 Stars *~*~*

Whew this book took me on an emotional roller coaster ride to hell and back. I swear one minute I was laughing, the next crying, the next screaming at my kindle… and the list continues. The emotions of this book are just endless from start to finish. There are so many unexpected surprises and twists I didn’t see coming.

Tyson has a lot of pain he’s hiding. He grew up in a horrible environment and his childhood memories haunt him every single day. When Tyson meets his new family, he expectations aren’t high. I mean who would take a twelve year old with a past like his. But the Palmer family isn’t at all what he expected. The minute he lays eyes on Nicole, Tyson’s whole world is turned upside down. Although Tyson wants Nicole in more ways than one, he knows he can never have her because he is damaged.

Nicole has been in love with Tyson since the moment she met him. She sees him for the man he is and not the damaged goods he believes he is. Tyson pushes Nicole away for a long time, but when a tragic accident brings them together everything changes. Can Nicole and Tyson have their happily ever after or will Tyson ruin it all before it even begins?

This book kept me on edge quite a few times. I adored Nicole. She is a super sweet girl who was always waiting for Tyson to open his eyes. Tyson frustrated me at times, but I also wanted to cuddle him too. I also wanted to smack both of them and yell just get it together. Overall, I enjoyed this book and I can’t wait to see what the author brings next.