My rating:
add to my books
Loading...
Chances (Lucky Santangelo #1)
The book that made Collins one of America's favorite authors sweeps readers from the sophisticated playgrounds of Europe to the glittering gambling palaces of Las Vegas, plunging into the world of the Santangelo crime family. The book introduces street kid Gino Santangelo, who makes it all the way to the top, and his beautiful and daring daughter, Lucky.
Mass Market Paperback, 816 pages
Published
August 1st 1991
by Warner Books
There is a good chance some of your friends read this book. Sign in to see!
sign in »
Friend Reviews
To see what your friends thought of this book,
please sign up.
This book is currently not featured on any Listopia lists.
Add this book to your favorite list »
Community Reviews
(showing
1-30
of
2,275)
Chances was exactly the right book at the right time for me. I’d been working very hard and needed a break. Happily, the next weekend was sunny and I was able to spend a lot of it out in the garden with my pink yoga mat (same shade as the book cover, incidentally), a pillow, and this book.
Chances starts in 1977, as crime boss Gino Santangelo is on his way back to New York after a period of exile. Daughter Lucky, who has been running the show in his absence, isn’t thrilled and a power s...more
Chances starts in 1977, as crime boss Gino Santangelo is on his way back to New York after a period of exile. Daughter Lucky, who has been running the show in his absence, isn’t thrilled and a power s...more
In my teens I found a dog-eared copy of Jackie Collins "Chances" laying on a park bench. I picked it up and started reading the story of Gino Santangelo. What started out as a boring afternoon became my introduction into adult fiction and my love for Jackie Collins.
For three days straight everything in my life stopped. I read this book at breakfast, on the way to school, after school, while out with friends and I did my chores. I even hid it from my mom because I knew s...more
For three days straight everything in my life stopped. I read this book at breakfast, on the way to school, after school, while out with friends and I did my chores. I even hid it from my mom because I knew s...more
I LOVE these books about the Santangelo family, and this one kicks it all off! I read them in my high school days, but really want to go back and read all of them again! This is just one of those mindless beach reads, but with action, sex, mobsters, bad marriages, and trouble! I give it two thumbs up!
This is the book that made me a big fan of Jackie Collins.
I like how she writes about celebrity scandals and power grabbing. I like how she breaks the spirit of the rich and famous. Her works make you wonder about how twisted hollywood really is.
Gino Santangelo is one fine guy in my book. Yet again, I found myself having a crush on a fictional character. His rise from rags to riches (and i mean extreme riches) ahd me rooting for him all the way even if he made the usu...more
I like how she writes about celebrity scandals and power grabbing. I like how she breaks the spirit of the rich and famous. Her works make you wonder about how twisted hollywood really is.
Gino Santangelo is one fine guy in my book. Yet again, I found myself having a crush on a fictional character. His rise from rags to riches (and i mean extreme riches) ahd me rooting for him all the way even if he made the usu...more
view all 3 comments
What a great start to a series by Jackie Collins. It is no wonder why she is one of my ultimate favorite authors of all time! I felt like I was watching a movie the whole time I was reading! This story had everything, Crime, sex, drugs, whores, pimps, lust, deceit, revenge, love, backstabbing and friendship. I really enjoyed the time setting of the story, having it begin in the early 20’s I could picture Harlem and the people. This 1st book in the series is based mostly around Gino and his story...more
Angel
rated it
·
review of another edition
·
review of another edition
Recommends it for:
all my friends and family
Recommended to Angel by:
a friend
even though this book has gutter language,sex and scandal, it doesshow how two different individuals came out from their lives of poverty to the much wealth they actually deserve.The concept and the plotting of the story all comes together,I love Carrie and Gino's life struggle and how their children who lead completely different lives meet... i consider Jackie Collins book a masterpiece which reflects the current situation of the world before us ...i just love this book and the way she writes.....more
So, it took my a freakishly long time to finish reading this, but I am so glad I did. I am a huge fan of Jackie Collins, and I think this book will probably be one of my favorites by her. I love how, in this books it spans several decades and not once gets boring, and I love how she mixed in the present day and past into one flowing story. Which is a style she also wrote in her book Deadly Embrace. I have really fallen in love with the Santangelo set of characters and look forward to more in thi...more
‘Expecting conceit they found courtesy. Expecting arrogance they found a man concerned with people’s thoughts and feelings.’
And me - expecting a sweet little story — found an in-your-face, wham bam, bordering-on-vulgar, yet nonetheless exciting mobster tale. Let me tell you, dear little Jackie Collins has got a mouth on her like a truck driver. She frequently drops the f’bomb, hesitates little in calling women C-U-Next–Tuesdays or — most blush-inducing for me because I hate the word...more
And me - expecting a sweet little story — found an in-your-face, wham bam, bordering-on-vulgar, yet nonetheless exciting mobster tale. Let me tell you, dear little Jackie Collins has got a mouth on her like a truck driver. She frequently drops the f’bomb, hesitates little in calling women C-U-Next–Tuesdays or — most blush-inducing for me because I hate the word...more
I just re-read this book. The first time I read this book was in the 80's. Second time around was just as good as I remember the first time being. This was the first book I ever read by Jackie Collins and I have been a fan ever since. She had me at the first page of this book and it has been a great ride through every single one of her books since then. There are a few that I have not had a chance to read yet some being her earlier novels and the Thrill and L.A. connections somewhere in the...more
The Santangelo saga begins. It all starts from the beginning, when Gino is a little boy, and goes through all the experiences, he went through to build his empire. Gino had it hard, alot of tragic incidents, and no one to back him up, that made him the man with so much motivation the man he had become. It proves it does not matter where you come from you have passion anything is possible.
Lucky is one character you fall in love with, she is her dad inside and out, a women you will not mess with, ...more
Lucky is one character you fall in love with, she is her dad inside and out, a women you will not mess with, ...more
I must admit I was absolutely shocked by how good this story was. I can't wait to read the second installment about Lucky. It was a very easy read but also had an addicting storyline. I could really see it as a mini series. I know that it was written during the Dallas, Falcon Crest era. It really is a soap opera. However, I highly suspect that there is some aspect of truth behind this novel. It also reminds me of the Godfather saga. Gino is a character that you can both love and love to h...more
i really liked this book and i am ashmamed of this fact. it was quite possibly the trashiest novel i have ever read.. with that said, i couldn't put the book down.. it was long and you loved how much more you got to get to be involved with the characters. i loved gino and carrie..i give this book two very embarrased thumbs up.. so worth the read, you will feel dirty, but breathless at the end! :)
I really loved this book. Collins creates great characters in Gino The Ram, his daughter named Lucky Santangelo, and a whole bunch of other characters you either love or love to hate. Collins covers several decades in this 800 page novel, and she has great pacing skills throughout this heavy book. But time flies as you read the novel. It's one of those you just can't tear your eyes away from.
I read this when I was a teenager and had no business reading it. But I loved it. So, maybe my 5 stars are off if I read it again. But, it was made into tv movies and stuff, so the story was actually a good story. Jackie Collins stuff is full of garbage though...good story with a lot of garbage in there.
My review is one of a teenager, because that was when I read it. I loved it at the time because it
had sex, love, murder, drama, treachery, hate, basically you name it. I also loved Gino and Lucky.
I honestly feel though that if I read it now in my 30's, I may not see it in the same light.
had sex, love, murder, drama, treachery, hate, basically you name it. I also loved Gino and Lucky.
I honestly feel though that if I read it now in my 30's, I may not see it in the same light.
I picked up this book on a whim. I had heard of Jackie Collins and when a good friend of mine said he read her I figured why not. It was great. It really got me hooked on books with a million different characters and story lines happening all across the world that finally intersect on the last page of the book. It's grand storytelling.
All the makings of a great book! Great organized crime plot, well-developed characters, action, and (of course) sex. Absolute page-turner and not a disappointment. Was happy to have the next book ready to pick up when this one was over!
This book kept me from doing anything for about a week. I've said this before, but I love these books. They are the complete opposite of my life and its like reading a soap opera.
Read this book when I was in my teens and I absolutely loved it! Literally couldn't put it down. Then went on to devour every other Jackie Collins novel I could lay my hands on!!!
I read this book when it came out; I was a senior in high school. It was that fun, forbidden element that made it a nice diversion from my usual reading. Gino was hot and Lucky added some zest to my own imagination. Jackie's books read quickly; something good and mindless I need every now and then. Since I don't watch the crap that's on tv now - still more fun for me to read; also considering how I prefer to read classics and literary fiction, I find that reading Lucky's adventures is just simpl...more
Probably one of my favorite books! This book is a light read that is filled with exciting strong characters and it's a great way to escape for a weekend!
I read this forever ago! I do know that I have loved all of Jackie Collins books though. They are gritty and fast paced.
I STILL want to be a Mafia Princess! This book (and I read 'em in order in the early 90's) got me hooked on Lucky Santangelo.
Her books are always good! If you need a pick me up, read one of her books. Very entertaining and page turners.
I have honestly read this book more times than I can count. It's THAT good!! As well as the rest in the series.
This is by far her best book ever! I have read it 4 times, and could sit down and read it again today...
First ever Jackie Collins book I read. Love the characters and the woven, layered storytelling.
Fun book, with a lot of intrigue, and things that seem impossible in a 'normal' world still happen.
this was the very first book series i ever read!!!! now i own it and the dvd... awesome series!!
Excellent read, really enjoyed the whole series, love this author! :-)
There are no discussion topics on this book yet.
Be the first to start one »
Readers Also Enjoyed
Librarian Note: There is more than one author in the GoodReads database with this name. See this thread for more information.
Jacqueline Jill "Jackie" Collins is a British-born novelist. She is the younger sister of actress Joan Collins and the elder sister of real estate developer Bill Collins.
More about Jackie Collins...
Jacqueline Jill "Jackie" Collins is a British-born novelist. She is the younger sister of actress Joan Collins and the elder sister of real estate developer Bill Collins.
Share This Book
No trivia or quizzes yet. Add some now »
“Carrie lay on the bed and gazed at the ceiling. She was back in business. It was a day to remember. December 7, the same day the Japanese bombed Pearl Harbor. The next day America declared war on Japan.
America declared war. And she was a whore again.”
—
5 people liked it
More quotes…
America declared war. And she was a whore again.”
