Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #235162 in Books
• Published on: 1995-07-21
• Original language: English
• Binding: Paperback
• 608 pages

Customer Reviews

Outrageously compelling
Chances is the saga of the Santangelo family and follows Italian stallion Gino in his rise from tough street kid to millionaire gangster, as well as his wild daughter Lucky (possibly Jackie Collins' most beloved character) and her quest to make her father proud and Carrie a black socialite with a haunting past she's desperate to keep secret.

Perhaps not as literally adept as some of her contemporaries (although this particular novel was written in the late 70s so her style may have developed in the last few decades), Jackie Collins has become synonymous with the blockbuster (bonkbuster!) novel. Helped by her insider knowledge into the workings of Hollywood, the lives of celebrities and the dark underbelly of fame, what she lacks in writing style she has more than made up for with her outrageous plots and equally outrageous characters.

A real page turner with a fast paced plot which speeds full throttle through the decades to a heart stopping and thrilling conclusion.

Amazing!
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!

You can't put it down!
This gripping novel contains the 'usual' JK style but with a sprinkle of innocence. (As one of her earliest peices) The very beginning of Gino & Lucky, evidently written as she explores her own path of inspiration. Page after page of cleverly scripted material which delivers mind sharpening activity & real emotion like no other!
I have read nearly all of her novels, but this one is hard to match, let-alone beat! So Enjoy!