Author: F.L. Jacob
Adult Romance
Release Date: October 30, 2013
Synopsis
Caston Black has it all, according to the outside world. The owner of the best-selling gentlemen’s magazine, Black Hollywood, has good looks, fame, fortune, and a reputation that precedes him. He can have any woman he wants, as long as he doesn’t keep them. Caston sets his sights on Sabrina for his next Hollywood Sweetheart. Little does he know he will find the woman to share his life, the one he is meant to keep forever.
Sabrina Bennett has been in a mentally and physically abusive relationship that has destroyed the beautiful, confident dancer who arrived at college three years ago. She thinks the only good thing left in her life is her abusive boyfriend. Keeping her boyfriend happy is her number one priority, no matter how impossible. She’s been broken and molded into a frightened, unsure girl desperate to be worthy of love.
Meeting by chance one evening, sparks fly between Caston and Sabrina. Neither expected the feelings they bring out in each other. Trying to have a normal relationship in their abnormal world is almost impossible, happiness is a new way of life for the lovers. They want to move forward, but the past won’t let go.
Can Caston help Sabrina heal from her past abuse? Can Sabrina show Caston he is as strong as he appears to be? When is the price of love too much? What do you do when the biggest threat to the person you love is you?
Sabrina Bennett has been in a mentally and physically abusive relationship that has destroyed the beautiful, confident dancer who arrived at college three years ago. She thinks the only good thing left in her life is her abusive boyfriend. Keeping her boyfriend happy is her number one priority, no matter how impossible. She’s been broken and molded into a frightened, unsure girl desperate to be worthy of love.
Meeting by chance one evening, sparks fly between Caston and Sabrina. Neither expected the feelings they bring out in each other. Trying to have a normal relationship in their abnormal world is almost impossible, happiness is a new way of life for the lovers. They want to move forward, but the past won’t let go.
Can Caston help Sabrina heal from her past abuse? Can Sabrina show Caston he is as strong as he appears to be? When is the price of love too much? What do you do when the biggest threat to the person you love is you?
My Review
October 31. 2013
3 Stars ★★★
ARC provided by Author for Honest Review
Have I Told You was a crazy ride and
F.L. Jacobs had me engrossed from start to finish. Caston Black is a well-known
name, considering he owns Black Hollywood, a gentleman’s magazine. He’s famous,
wealthy and can get a girl with simply a look. Unbeknownst to him, one look at
Sabrina is all it takes for him to consume him in every way.
“Once her face looked out into the crowd, I felt
her eyes boring into my soul.”-Caston
Caston works his magic to find out more about the ballerina beauty.
First he wants her for the magazine then he wants her for himself. Things aren’t
so easy since Sabrina’s in an abusive relationship. And I’m not saying abusive
lightly. Her boyfriend is a real asshat. I did have trouble connecting with Sabrina
at this point. Its one thing to go through what she did but to go out with him
after the fact was beyond strange in my eyes. It happened, and I’m still trying
to figure out why or even how she could love him. Perhaps it’s hard for me to
grasp their relationship since many times women have no idea their man is
abusive, at first he’s a perfect gentleman until his dark side begins to show.
Sabrina didn’t even have the luxury of time, Mark’s evilness was there from the
start.
”I got so used to being unhappy, I developed a new definition
of what happy means to fit my new reality. I guess I didn’t realize it, until I
was presented with a gift that brought light to what I’d have been missing.”-Sabrina
A chance meeting at a party brings Caston and Sabrina
together. Sabrina has known idea the hunk of a man before her is the owner of
Black Hollywood. It’s hard enough for her to fathom why a God-like creature
like him would even want to spend time with her. Rather quickly the two become involved
and only then does the true chaos begin. Caston’s sister is a real character,
and I in no way mean that nicely. She’s crude, disrespectful and I really just
wanted her to get slapped. (It’s a high hope I have for the next book!)
“I wanted him to be my knight in shining armor, not
Mr. Black Hollywood.”-Sabrina
Finding out Caston was hiding a big secret sends Sabrina running.
She has to decide if what she feels is real and if he feels the same. Sabrina could
care less about his fame and fortune and makes sure he and everyone else knows
it. Can someone feeling as worthless as her find a way to appear confident and
strong? Maybe pose for Caston’s magazine. I did appreciate the fact that
Sabrina thought about her decisions and actions. Sure she didn’t always take
what I would consider a reasonable amount of time but then again with a hot hunk
of man meat like Caston waiting around, I don’t think I’d take my time either.
Sabrina unknowingly gains a murderous enemy as if she needs more on her plate. Every time things
look to be settling for her and Caston, life blows up in their face. A high point to all the tension was the dual
POV’s, it really helped explain the stories of both Caston and Sabrina more at
points in the story where readers needed to know background more than they did
themselves.
This was a drama filled read with a capital “D.” Overall I enjoyed the concept and was kept
interested the whole way through even if a few parts had me cringing and/or
stomping my foot like a five year old. The ending made me mad and even worse
was the cliffhanger. But then the little things like Caston using the title, “Have
I Told You,” to tell Bree little things made me smile again and I’m certainly
anxious to see what else the future holds for Caston and Sabrina.
Things I Didn’t Like So Much
Caston’s belittling and total dislike of people with low or
no confidence in the beginning of the story, since that’s exactly what Sabrina
is when they meet.
Sabrina wanted out of her relationship with Mark for freedom
but immediately jumped in with Caston.
If both the above points didn’t get repeated by the
characters it would have been fine but it got to be almost contradictory on a
few levels.
Got to feel like this was more erotica. Seemed like all they
did was have sex. Barely talked to each other and almost each chapter had at
least one sex scene. They weren’t bad, I just had a hard time balancing the sex
with story.
His parents. Just WOW. I’m appalled, totally turned off and
really just feeling beyond awful for Caston. Though this was a little out
there, it was still a shock like a realistic and off-putting scene on 60
Mintues.
Beverly is just all kinds of eww and she brought a creepy horror
quality to the book.
Teaser
Sabrina’s legs gave out from under her. I sunk to the floor with her, cradling her to my chest. All the commotion had made people on the dance floor and the music come to a halt. Everyone was staring up here. Sara, thankfully, was right there to draw the curtains to shut us off from the rest of the club.
“Sabrina, please settle down. Shhh, baby, please.” I stroked her head, trying to calm my hysterical girl.
Sara fetched a glass of water and knelt down to hand it to her. She laid her hand on Sabrina’s shoulder and kissed her ivory skin.
Sara looked up and caught my eye. Her look was pure resentment. She had almost the same experience with me and Beverly.
“You have to get her out of here, Cass,” Sara spoke in a hushed tone.
“I know.” I mouthed back. Tears were burning my eyes, but I couldn’t let them fall. I had to be strong for her.
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Author Bio
I am a mommy of two, wife to an amazing man, and full time employee. Life is crazy and my love for reading had fizzled over the years but thanks to a wonderful group of ladies that I met last year I started reading again. Their love for books turned me on to many great writers who I would have never discovered if I hadn't started reading again! I started writing for them. They brought out my love for writing that I haven’t seen in years. Starting this process was tedious and nerve wrecking, but my lovely ladies and my fabulous husband have inspired me to take my love for writing to the next step.
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