Customer Reviews

If Only You Knew

5 star:		(8)
4 star:		(5)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

In Alex Hairston's, If Only You Knew, Jamal King is everything you would expect an artist to be. Jamal is sensitive, handsome, loving...and broke. Unfortunately, the love of his life, Jessica, does not see life through the same lenses as Jamal. While Jamal is content living the simple life, Jessica dreams of diamonds, a huge house and a Mercedes Benz. When Jessica meets Trey, a big-time drug dealer, she manages to throw both her and Jamal's life into a downward sprial as she goes about the business of chasing the almighty dollar.

I found this book to be an excellent read. Hairston managed to capture the essence of several African-American men who want nothing more than to love their women and live an honest life. Jessica represents some of our young African-American women, who believe money can buy happiness. Hairston did an excellent job of showing us that unconditional love can take you further than a Mercedes anyday--especially when it is attached to respect it is genuine.

Spring is here and if you are looking to take a break, pick-up a copy of If Only You Knew by Alex Hairston.


T. RHYTHM KNIGHT
APOOO BookClub

Alex Hairston has done it again. This book left me yearning for more. Alex does a fantastic job with character development. I felt like I knew each one of them personally. The title really fits the story. Jamal has a heck of a lot of DRAMA to deal with. It was refreshing to read about a brother with values and morals. Alex did an outstanding job writing from both the male and female perspective. He was able to capture a true female voice. I highly recommemnd this book to anyone looking to read a book with substance.

Jamal King is a talented artist who makes a modest amount of money selling his art wherever he can. He also works as an assistant manager of an arts and crafts store. The love of his life, Jessica, has a desperate need for all the things money can buy; clothes, cars, houses and plenty of cash to line her purse. Of course, at this time Jamal can't supply those things for her so she casts her eyes on a friend they grew up with who makes plenty of money, but who also makes plenty of trouble, not only for himself but for Jessica and everyone around him as well.

Meanwhile, Jamal has found a long lost love from high school. She seems genuinely interested in Jamal's work as an artist and is supportive of him. She too, has been unlucky in her choice of lovers, but things seem right with Jamal and they move in together. Soon after they connect, Jamal's artwork attracts the attention of an attractive, African American art promoter. He needs to travel to art shows in order sell his works and it looks as if he's going to make a ton of money. That's when he finds out what his new love is really all about.

Meanwhile his favorite uncle dies and leaves behind a secret that hits the family like an exploding bomb. His twin sister's marriage is in trouble and a troublesome aunt is released from jail.

Using tangled love affairs, mixed-up family situations, explosive friendships complete with gunshots and cops, Alex Hairston has woven an exciting tale that holds your interest from the first page.

Reviewed by alice Holman
of the RAWSISTAZ Reviewers

Great story and excellent read! You won't be able to put this book down until you finish it!

This book gradually grew on me.Very powerful in this story is the effect of drugs on the Black community.It points out how the superficial Jessica contribute to this demise when she leaves Jamal, a good man, but broke, to hook up with the drug dealing Trey who can provide her with a Mercedes Benz and all the material stuff she dreams of.The author is good at characterization.Also noteworthy was his effective manner of crafting the story. Other issues dealt with in this story, making it multidimensional, concern abandonment and reuniting with an absent parent (244), sexual abuse and what it can cause (214), sexual harassment by a woman (187). Well done!
What is hard to take is the turn of events between Jamal and Jillian, after the start of such a beautiful relationship between them. As one of African origin myself, I disliked the way the word "nigga" was thrown about. Also the many and explicit sex scenes in the story were a bit overkill I thought.
Shadow and Jamal being parented by their grandmother is reminescent of a similar situation in "What Goes Around..." by Paula Aird. Check it out! Also both grandmothers give the same words of wisdom "no one's perfect" or "we're all human".
All in all an enjoyable read.

"If you only knew" is another masterpiece that was created by the one and only Alex Hairston. The story in this book is totally different from Mr. Hariston's first book "Love don't come easy" and in my opinion that says a lot about the author's creativity. So, I have to give it up to Alex for writing this story from a different perspective.
This book is about a very good man with a kind hart named; Jamal King who loves his women Jessica unconditionally. He loved his women enough to forgive her after she messed up badly.In the real world I know some women that fail to appreciate a man like Jamal King until he is long gone. And this story is a perfect example of that. Every reader can learn the simple life lessons from this story such as not to take kind people for granted and to learn how to forgive one another. I really enjoyed reading this book and I am sure other readers will too. Keep up the good work Alex!

Alex Hairston is an excellent writer and the story was very good! I never wanted to put this book down. My only problem with the story was the lead character Jamal - I liked him but he was a total pushover.

This book was superb because the charcters came to life on the page. I read this book in 3 days and was looking for more even after the story ended. I can hardly wait for Alex's next book.

Alex, this book was outstanding I really enjoyed every page
I have nothing new to read so hurry and get book #3 out on the press

This is a must read the characters jump off the pages.
A creative story told by a new and up coming author, never found a dull moment in the book. This book is funny and realistic just when you think you know what's going to happen........If you only knew!