Have I Told You by F.L. Jacob

Synopsis via goodreads:

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?

Warning: This book contains sexual encounters and graphic language that some readers may find objectionable. Contains graphic material that is not suitable for anyone under the age of 18.

My review:

Rating: 4 out of 5 stars

Have I Told You is an interesting story about Sabrina and Caston. These two people are from opposite sides of the world. However, when their worlds unexpectedly cross (or so we think), they, rather quickly, bloom into a full blown romance. This book was a wild read!

I (like so many others I’m sure) absolutely fell in love with Caston Black. He is your typical fantasy man; tall, dark, handsome, and rich. When we are first introduced to him, he is made out to be a rich loner, just looking for the next “Black Hollywood Sweetheart”. However, once he is entranced by Sabrina, we see a completely different side of him. He is not only caring, but extrememly overprotective, and did I mention rich???? What woman wouldn’t fall for him?? Well, this brings me to Miss Sabrina Bennett.

Sabrina Bennett is introduced to us first as a confident dancer when she first catches Castons’ eyes. Little do we know, there is way more going on underneath. Being in an extremely physically, mentally and verbally abusive relationship has left Sabrina battered, bruised and with some serious self esteem issues. She almost immediately falls for Caston when he protects her from the despicable excuse for a man in her life, Mark. That’s about where the normalcy ends with Sabrina and where my irritation with her began. She almost immediately moves in with Caston and very rarely questions any of the things he says/does for her. I’m sorry, but if I had self esteem issues, I think I would almost undoubtedly question when a man, who I’ve only known for less than 24 hours, provides me with an iPad, conveniently stocked with all of my accounts. Does it even cross her mind to be a little concerned as to how he got that information?? No.
Now, without giving up too much information from the story there are definitely some other “unlikely events” that happen, that should have her running far away from this man. However, most of these “events” are passed over as no big deal in her mind.

Though I was a little irritated with Sabrina as I read through this book, I begun to take a deeper look at the meanings behind some of these things. I have decided to consider it a “Love Conquers All” story. Caston truly does love Sabrina, as we can tell because every few chapters the dialogue would switch from Sabrina’s point of view to Caston’s.
He cares deeply for her and only wants to give her everything she could possibly need. Though she does come off as dense some of the time, I think that her feelings for Caston are true and real as well.

The obstacles that these two overcome to be together are GINORMOUS! Between crazy ex-lovers, mothers and abusive boyfriends, it is definitely a book that will keep you wanting to find out more! The story ends on a serious cliffhanger, leaving the reader hanging on to find out what will ultimately happen between Caston and Sabrina. I myself, am intrigued to read the next book in this series. What or who else could possibly try to stand in their way??