Lucky (Lucky Santangelo) Mass Market Paperback – February 1, 1998

I think Jackie Collins ranks up there with Tarryn Fisher and Rosemary Rogers in the Hierarchy of Smutty Trash™. These are desert island books, to be sure. I know, I know, everyone says they'd bring Dickens or Baudelaire, but I know who I am and I'm not trying to impress anyone. I love the simple pleasures in life and if you keep me in bad smut, good wine, and great company, I'm happy. So bring on that desert island, and I'm bringing my Jackie.LUCKY is such an epic wtfest of laudable proportions. If I had to describe it with two words, it would be "80s sleaze." Everyone plays musical beds, everyone does cocaine, everyone teases their hair, Madonna is still the sex symbol, and stretchy synthetic fabrics are in (the stretchier, the better, and bonus points for leopard print).The characters are even better than the setting, though. Lucky, the titular character, is the daughter of an ex-mobster millionaire playboy who wants to make her own way in the world. She talks dirty and doesn't take any guff from anyone, and despite some of the lurid content in this book, she's basically a total feminist and has a raging comeback for every misogynistic comment hurled her way. The secondary characters are also great. There's her playboy pops, obviously: Gino. Then there's Olympia, the high-strung, slightly overweight heiress who puts the erotic in neurotic. There's Santino, the sadistic mobster. Eden, the hooker with the heart of gold-plated sulfur. Carrie, the reformed hooker with the lawyer son in the middle of an existential crisis. Lennie, the actor-comedian who just wants to find love. Dimitri, the aging billionaire with the high-maintenance French mistress. Brigette, the precocious and annoying child who grows up to be a precocious and annoying sex kitten. And Jess, the good girl in love with the bad boy (who just doesn't know it yet). And Matt, the bad boy who is in love with the good girl and doesn't think he's good enough (it's actually really adorable).This is a long story, one of those epic sagas that were so popular in the 70s and 80s and then fell out of fashion in the 90s, which makes me sad because nothing makes me happier than finding a really thick and juicy story that you can bite into and savor like a steak. A longer page count, when done well, can really let you become attached to the characters, and by the end of the book you almost don't want to say goodbye to them. That's how I felt with this book. Even though the drama was so over the top that it was pure ridiculousness, it felt just real enough that I thought to myself, "Well, someone's probably done it." I read the Wiki on Jackie Collins and allegedly she drew inspiration from her own life for her books, which, okay - so do all writers. But Jackie Collins is the younger sister of actress Joan Collins, so I have no trouble believing that this teased and rhinestoned queen has rubbed elbows with the rich and famous and lived to tell about it. In fact, I want to believe it, because it makes these characters even more outrageous. Adultery, blackmail, domestic violence, drug addiction, murder, mob hits, kidnapping, inheritance battles, and scandal are all tropes involved in this messy soap opera. The last 100 pages are especially intense and had me sitting up in bed, saying (quietly, in a "whisper-yell" because everyone was asleep), "WHAT?"If you enjoy fun, trashy books and long, interesting storylines that feature a colorful and large cast of characters, I really think you should give Jackie Collins a try. This is my second book by her and she's just so fun. I always end up fangirling after I finish one of her books. Right now, I'm reading SINNERS and it looks like more of the same: smut, vice, and romance. What more can you ask for?Exactly.4 out of 5 stars

.great read. Couldn't put it down. Can't wait to start the next book in the series. Love the santangelo family!

The second book in the Lucky Santangelo series. It's a direct sequel to "Chances" which introduced us to the main characters. It runs from 1980 to 1984 and deals with young, beautiful and tough Lucky Santangelo and her family and assorted characters. There's way too many characters and situations to explain in a review...and that's sort of the problem. There are a huge amount of characters to keep track of and I occasionally got confused. Also it's long. My copy is 598 pages. There's also plenty of sex and violence all throughout the book. Still I was never bored and it all leads up to a satisfying conclusion with only a few minor loose ends which I'm sure will be cleared up in the next books which I have ever intention of reading (there are 11 in all). Collins was a very talented writer and this is worth reading.

I've read this book more than 10 times-which is a lot for me since I don't read often. I first read this when I was younger, maybe 16? I wanted to be Lucky-strong, independent. I reread it when I need a boost of confidence. Definitely worth it!

Really long, read! Like most of it. Way too long worded. Write another one, I willl keep reading your books.

Great story, I highly recommend the rest of the series as well. Five stars! It'll keep you entranced and completely enthralled.

Another awesome installment in this series. I loved it and can't wait to read the next one. Thanks so much

In an earlier review, I said Collins wrote trashy reads; I regret that now. "Trash" is sexist as it often only refers to light fiction written by women and there's LOTS of pop fiction by men that is hardly prize-worthy. I also think calling her work "trashy" was a way for me to act as though I was above it and just reading it ironically. The truth is, Collins is great at what she does and that's writing compelling, "can't put them down" novels that can make you turn off the phone so you won't be disturbed."Lucky" is Collins at her best. Don't worry if you haven't read "Chances": Collins summarizes the previous book in the opening chapters. Also, don't be turned off because there is a Mob element if that's not your thing because the Mob barely figures into this tale. What we get instead is a sprawling, multi-character tale full of coincidences, surprising developments (at least once a book, Collins springs something on me that I didn't see coming) and the usual doses of sex and money."Lucky" is an insanely fun read. Despite the fact that it was published in 1985, the novel is as enjoyable as ever and is my highest recommendation for a fun summer read of 2007.

I read all of Jackie Collins books in paperback or hardback in the 1980’s but decided (because I knew I wouldn’t remember the stories after so many years) to read them on Kindle. This is the third book I’ve now read the second time and enjoyed it just as much as the others. Lucky is the daughter of Gino who in his younger days could be described as a gangster who made a lot of enemies. However over the years he made millions of dollars building hotels. When he goes into hiding abroad to evade paying taxes he owes he asks his son to take over the business however he shows no interest so Lucky decides she’ll take over and she does so successfully. One thing I enjoy about Jackie’s books is the interesting characters she brings into the story, rich successful people and some not so successful. Definitely one to read

The second book in this series, and by far the best. We follow the lives of Lucky and Gino Santangelo, Lennie Golden and Carrie and Stephen Berkeley.The book took a while to get going, but when it does, Jackie Collins proves herself to be master at producing a suspenseful story. It's exciting, believable, and funny at times. The build up to the finale was a real nail biter. This book is for me, one of Jackie Collins' finest moments.Other books you might like to read Cold Steel on the Rocks We Are Cold Steel Kalter Stahl auf den Felsen Wir Sind Kalter StahlCold Steel on the RocksWe Are Cold SteelKalter Stahl auf den FelsenWir Sind Kalter Stahl

I had avoided reading Jackie Collins previously (for no good reason) but now I'm hooked! She has such tremendous insight into the underbelly of society one wonders where and how she acquired her knowledge! Wherever and however, the book is great. I'll be reading the next one in the series once I've read some of my ebook backlog! Easy to buy, just takes a time to read everything!

I haven't read a Jackie Collins book for years came across this one I couldn't put it down, absolutely brilliant, what a read, fantastic!!!!!!

I was brought up on Jacky Collins and loved the whole Gino and Lucky Santangelo 'saga'. However,this book kept reliving too much of previous books which I had read already so quite a lot of the bookbored me. For readers that havent read the previous books they will be able to understand so I seewhy Jackie had to put this in.