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Summary: When it comes to revenge, there's only on word Santangelo.
Review: Chances is a non-stop action. If you like sex, murder, intrigue, love and lust, the Santangelo Family for you. Gino the Ram who is almighty and powerful and a up and coming star Lucky Santangelo who has yet to begin her adventures. I have read all of Jackie Collins books except her latest LA Connections which will be next. But if you want to start at the beginning of the Santangelo Family saga, Chances is where I got hooked. ENJOY IT I did.
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Summary: Chances is Absolutely Phenomenal
Review: Chances is my all time favorite book. I loved these two novels ("Chances" and "Lucky") by Jackie Collins so much that I named my daughter Lucky.
The two books are truly cannot-stop-reading novels.
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Summary: No Hollywood wives or husbands here
Review: How did the Monkees sing it? "Now, I'm a believer!" After plowing through two Hollywood novels by the same author, this long novel was a welcome change. It offers interesting characters with interesting quirks and interesting biographical stories, for the most part. As I read the book, I looked forward each day to picking the book up to read, and basically that's what a "good" book is all about (wouldn't you agree?), keeping the reader interested, wanting to find out what happens next, like an intriguing "soap opera" (I don't watch them, so maybe Collins is a substitute for that TV storytelling....and she works fine as a substitute....better, I'd say). The only criticism I would make is about the abrupt and somewhat unbelievable ending of this book. Yes, I know, this is the beginning of a series, but check this out. You are a long-time, experienced gangster (Enzio Bonnatti), already an old man, and you want to "hit" two rivals: Do you send a timid, ineffectual son to kill his own father and sister? No, you send a professional. Now, the hit fails (everyone but Bonnatti seems to see the failure coming) and one of the intended victims (Lucky) shows up at your home, which is guarded by whom? One overweight, incompetent lout ("Big Victor")? Just one fat thug? (Russo doesn't count, because he's out picking up the wannabe movie producer.) I don't think so. Let's have a team of bad guys here, please. Now, does the lout frisk the intruder? No again. Instead, you, the old mobster who knows he has to be careful all the time meets the intruder in his own bedroom and, well, the rest is "history." Jackie's history. But the rest of the book works better than this implausible ending. One more minor complaint. Why is it that Ms. Collins always has her men interested in the upper portion of the female anatomy, and not the bottom portion? She seems not to realize that not all men are interested in the female upper anatomy, as much as they are the lower anatomy. No men in this book have these different tendencies. They're all "upper anatomy" men. A shame for those of us like the lower half better, poor sniveling ingrates that we are. Why is it that I kept imagining most of this book taking place in Los Angeles/Hollywood? I know the blackout was in New York, but I kept seeing L.A. There are some references to Bel Air and other parts of L.A., but most of the action is in New York. Can you tell I'm not a New York person? I can. Diximus.
Rating:
Summary: No Hollywood wives or husbands here
Review: How did the Monkees sing it? "Now, I'm a believer!" After plowing through two Hollywood novels by the same author, this long novel was a welcome change. It offers interesting characters with interesting quirks and interesting biographical stories, for the most part. As I read the book, I looked forward each day to picking the book up to read, and basically that's what a "good" book is all about (wouldn't you agree?), keeping the reader interested, wanting to find out what happens next, like an intriguing "soap opera" (I don't watch them, so maybe Collins is a substitute for that TV storytelling....and she works fine as a substitute....better, I'd say). The only criticism I would make is about the abrupt and somewhat unbelievable ending of this book. Yes, I know, this is the beginning of a series, but check this out. You are a long-time, experienced gangster (Enzio Bonnatti), already an old man, and you want to "hit" two rivals: Do you send a timid, ineffectual son to kill his own father and sister? No, you send a professional. Now, the hit fails (everyone but Bonnatti seems to see the failure coming) and one of the intended victims (Lucky) shows up at your home, which is guarded by whom? One overweight, incompetent lout ("Big Victor")? Just one fat thug? (Russo doesn't count, because he's out picking up the wannabe movie producer.) I don't think so. Let's have a team of bad guys here, please. Now, does the lout frisk the intruder? No again. Instead, you, the old mobster who knows he has to be careful all the time meets the intruder in his own bedroom and, well, the rest is "history." Jackie's history. But the rest of the book works better than this implausible ending. One more minor complaint. Why is it that Ms. Collins always has her men interested in the upper portion of the female anatomy, and not the bottom portion? She seems not to realize that not all men are interested in the female upper anatomy, as much as they are the lower anatomy. No men in this book have these different tendencies. They're all "upper anatomy" men. A shame for those of us like the lower half better, poor sniveling ingrates that we are. Why is it that I kept imagining most of this book taking place in Los Angeles/Hollywood? I know the blackout was in New York, but I kept seeing L.A. There are some references to Bel Air and other parts of L.A., but most of the action is in New York. Can you tell I'm not a New York person? I can. Diximus.
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Summary: It's been a while
Review: I had an opportunity to meet and speak to J. Collins, at a book signing. she was fun and I enjoyed it much. Chances was a excellent book in a group of other stories about ms. Lucky. the book was great and it keeps you going.
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Summary: Take a Chance on "Chances"!
Review: I had read a couple of Jackie Collins' books before (loved them!) so when I saw "Chances" on sale in early January (2003), I bought it. I was half way through it when I decided I wanted to buy the rest of the books in the series to have available when I was done with Chances (of course bought them through Amazon.com). Jackie is such an awesome writer. I just finished Dangerous Kiss last night and now I'm done with all five in the series. You are kept intrigued with each book that you just want to know what happens until the end. I also love the way she incorporates past book's history into the storyline so that even if you didn't start the series by reading Chance, you would get enough information in the following books to get the gest of what went on (even though reading them all in detail is so much better).
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Summary: Mafia Story for Women
Review: I love this novel. I have read it several times and turned some of my friends onto Jackie Collins with this book. The characters are wonderful. Gino is every woman's dream and Lucky is who every woman wants to be. You will have a hard time putting this book down!
Rating:
Summary: A 10 Star Read...
Review: I remember as a young girl growing up, my mother used to read Jackie Collins' books. I used to sneak them to my room and try to read them, but I would never get past the 1st chapter because she would always catch me and snatch it away, saying I wasn't "old enough" to read books like this... Boy was mom right! At age 10 I would NEVER be able to appreciate "books like this".
CHANCES by Jackie Collins is one word -UNPARALLED. Never before have I read a novel so gripping and full of emotion... it is to the point where someone tomorrow can ask me "what is your favorite book?"... and instead of my answer being "too many to name"... I will respond "Chances".
Meet Gino Santangelo - mob boss, father, business man, player, friend...he is all of these things and more. Gino had a very tough life growing up. His mother left him and his father when he was just a young boy and his father lashed out by turning into an abusive monster. He went from home to home, where he toughened up, got smart and vowed to never be like his dad. Collins' takes us through his entire life, never missing a beat. We watch him grow, and become one of the most successful casino and hotel owners. But then an unfortunate event takes place banning Gino from America. Who will take his place? In comes Lucky his stunning daughter, who is a carbon-copy of her father in every way imaginable. She is determined to be bigger and better then her old man.
In this book we are also introduced to Carrie, a woman who was forced into prostitution at the tender age of 12, paving the way for the unfortunate circumstances she had to suffer through.
Both Carrie and Gino's stories ones to always remember. Compelling, and out of this world, CHANCES is really a 10 star book. I will definitely be picking up the 2nd book in the Santangelo saga.
Bravo Ms. Collins!!
Rating:
Summary: Amazing
Review: If I could give Chances more than five stars I would! Chances is the first Jackie Collins book that I have ever read and I think that I started with the right one. Chances takes you from 1913 all the way up to 1979 in a tale that begins with Gino Santagelo the infamous mob boss and his rise to power. Gino came from very humble begings, an abusive father, a mother who abandoned him at the sage of five and a damageing stint in a juvinle detention center yet managed to work his way up to owning two of the most successful hotel & casinos in Las Vegas. But once Gino is force into exile his duaghter the beautiful Lucky Santangelo takes over the family business and makes a name for herself as one of the most powerful women in Las Vegas. And lets not forget the story of Carrie and her son Steven. Carrie was forced into prostitution at a very young age and lived a life filled with drugs and alcohol that took her from various whorehouses to running a very successful one of her own, until the birth of her son Steven that is, when she managed to find a better life for her and her son. This was a brilliantly written story, however, while the chapters that focused on Gino may have been more exciting, Carrie's story was really superbly written. This book is really a great lead in to the second installment of this series 'LUCKY' which I plan to begin reading right away. I give Chances 6 Stars!
Rating:
Summary: Amazing
Review: If I could give Chances more than five stars I would! Chances is the first Jackie Collins book that I have ever read and I think that I started with the right one. Chances takes you from 1913 all the way up to 1979 in a tale that begins with Gino Santagelo the infamous mob boss and his rise to power. Gino came from very humble begings, an abusive father, a mother who abandoned him at the sage of five and a damageing stint in a juvinle detention center yet managed to work his way up to owning two of the most successful hotel & casinos in Las Vegas. But once Gino is force into exile his duaghter the beautiful Lucky Santangelo takes over the family business and makes a name for herself as one of the most powerful women in Las Vegas. And lets not forget the story of Carrie and her son Steven. Carrie was forced into prostitution at a very young age and lived a life filled with drugs and alcohol that took her from various whorehouses to running a very successful one of her own, until the birth of her son Steven that is, when she managed to find a better life for her and her son. This was a brilliantly written story, however, while the chapters that focused on Gino may have been more exciting, Carrie's story was really superbly written. This book is really a great lead in to the second installment of this series 'LUCKY' which I plan to begin reading right away. I give Chances 6 Stars!
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