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Lucky Santangelo #8
Goddess of Vengeance
Jackie Collins’ fierce and wildly beautiful heroine Lucky Santangelo is back with a vengeance—in a novel full of power, passion, revenge, and the raging family dynamics of the Santangelo clan—and, as always, Lucky comes out on top.
Lucky runs a high profile casino and hotel complex, The Keys in Vegas.
Lennie, her movie star husband, is still writing and directing successful independent movies, while Max, her stubborn and gorgeous teenage daughter is about to celebrate her 18th birthday, and her son, Bobby, owns a string of hot clubs. Lucky has everything. Family. Love. Life.
And everything is exactly what billionaire businessman Armand Jordan is determined to take from her one way or the other.
Born a Prince in the small but affluent Middle Eastern country of Akramshar, Armand comes to America with his American mother at an early age, and rises to become a real estate business titan. Armand regards women as nothing more than breeding mares or sexual playthings, so when his people inform him that the one property he covets more than anything, The Keys, is not for sale, he is shocked. That a mere woman would dare to turn down his offer to buy The Keys is unthinkable, and Armand vows to force Lucky’s hand whatever it takes. And so the battle for power begins . . .
Meanwhile Bobby is dealing with shady Russian investors, while his girlfriend—smart and independent Denver Jones—is becoming a Deputy D.A. in the L.A. drug unit.
And Max, Bobby’s seventeen year old sister, is busy embarking on a forbidden affair with a sexy young movie star. An affair they have to keep on the down-low lest Lucky finds out.
The word is that “what happens in Vegas stays in Vegas” and what happens in Goddess of Vengeance will blow your mind!516 pages, Hardcover
First published September 13, 2011
255 people are currently reading
2917 people want to read
About the author
Jackie Collins
224 books2,690 followersThere have been many imitators, but only Jackie Collins can tell you what really goes on in the fastest lane of all. From Beverly Hills bedrooms to a raunchy prowl along the streets of Hollywood; from glittering rock parties and concerts to stretch limos and the mansions of power brokers-Jackie Collins chronicles the real truth from the inside looking out.
Jackie Collins has been called a "raunchy moralist" by the late director Louis Malle and "Hollywood's own Marcel Proust" by Vanity Fair magazine. With over 500 million copies of her books sold in more than forty countries, and with some 30 New York Times bestsellers to her credit, Jackie Collins is one of the world's top-selling novelists. She is known for giving her readers an unrivalled insider's knowledge of Hollywood and the glamorous lives and loves of the rich, famous, and infamous. "I write about real people in disguise," she says. "If anything, my characters are toned down-the truth is much more bizarre."
Jackie Collins died of breast cancer Saturday, September 19, 2015. Jackie Collins, who had kept her illness secret, said recently that she believed in an afterlife, that she had no regrets and that she had emulated Frank Sinatra in that “I did it my way.”
Visit Jackie's website: www.jackiecollins.com
Twitter:
www.twitter.com/JackieJCollins
Facebook:
www.facebook.com/jackiecollins and Pinterest:
www.pinterest.com/jackiejcollins
Jackie Collins has been called a "raunchy moralist" by the late director Louis Malle and "Hollywood's own Marcel Proust" by Vanity Fair magazine. With over 500 million copies of her books sold in more than forty countries, and with some 30 New York Times bestsellers to her credit, Jackie Collins is one of the world's top-selling novelists. She is known for giving her readers an unrivalled insider's knowledge of Hollywood and the glamorous lives and loves of the rich, famous, and infamous. "I write about real people in disguise," she says. "If anything, my characters are toned down-the truth is much more bizarre."
Jackie Collins died of breast cancer Saturday, September 19, 2015. Jackie Collins, who had kept her illness secret, said recently that she believed in an afterlife, that she had no regrets and that she had emulated Frank Sinatra in that “I did it my way.”
Visit Jackie's website: www.jackiecollins.com
Twitter:
www.twitter.com/JackieJCollins
Facebook:
www.facebook.com/jackiecollins and Pinterest:
www.pinterest.com/jackiejcollins
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 310 reviews
July 7, 2017
Ok series! exciting and fun storyline..had a bit of family feel to this and was nice to see Gino (paperback!)
July 2, 2013
What can I say about Goddess of Vengeance? If you've read any of Jackie Collin's novels, then you know it is pure unadulterated fun that you hate to see end.
Lucky Santangelo is back! Her and husband Lennie are very happy. He's directing indie films and she's busy running her new hotel and casino complex, The Keys, in LA. They have three children, and vibrant Max is about to turn eighteen. She's involved in an affair with a movie star that at all costs must be kept secret.
Lucky's son Bobby owns a string of nightclubs, but has gotten involved with shady Russian investors. Lucky is kept busy juggling fame, wealth and her family, but all of her happiness is about to be on the line.
Young Prince Armand Jordan is not used to being told no. He wants something, he acquires it. What he wants is The Keys and Lucky isn't selling. So, he does what any spoiled brat would do. He decides to play hardball and goes after Lucky and her family with everything he has. Armand doesn't know that when you play with matches, you get fire, and Lucky brings the blaze to him with a vengeance!
With many sub-stories and characters, the light shines on not only Lucky and her glamorous high-maintenance life, but also on her children. The stakes are high and the game of cat and mouse will keep you entertained as the pages just fly by. A heart-pounding ride of suspense, drama, love, hope and vengeance, Jackie Collins is at the top of her game and Goddess of Vengeance is one of her best works yet.
Lucky Santangelo is back! Her and husband Lennie are very happy. He's directing indie films and she's busy running her new hotel and casino complex, The Keys, in LA. They have three children, and vibrant Max is about to turn eighteen. She's involved in an affair with a movie star that at all costs must be kept secret.
Lucky's son Bobby owns a string of nightclubs, but has gotten involved with shady Russian investors. Lucky is kept busy juggling fame, wealth and her family, but all of her happiness is about to be on the line.
Young Prince Armand Jordan is not used to being told no. He wants something, he acquires it. What he wants is The Keys and Lucky isn't selling. So, he does what any spoiled brat would do. He decides to play hardball and goes after Lucky and her family with everything he has. Armand doesn't know that when you play with matches, you get fire, and Lucky brings the blaze to him with a vengeance!
With many sub-stories and characters, the light shines on not only Lucky and her glamorous high-maintenance life, but also on her children. The stakes are high and the game of cat and mouse will keep you entertained as the pages just fly by. A heart-pounding ride of suspense, drama, love, hope and vengeance, Jackie Collins is at the top of her game and Goddess of Vengeance is one of her best works yet.
September 25, 2011
I know this is cliche, but this book requires wine to go with all the cheese or a cheese grater. We read Jackie Collins purely as a guilty pleasure. Lucky is a character that we love! I was looking forward to the latest Lucky saga and the old school mafia mixed with the Hollywood glamour that has made this series so popular. In this one Lucky owns the fabulous Keys Hotel in Las Vegas and is throwing her daughter Max an 18th birthday party there. Max, continues to be annoying and bratty like the previous novel. Sadly, the author wants us to think she is cool and fresh (Jackie's words not mine.) Well, she and her friends are not. Bobby, Lucky's handsome son, is still in love with boring, has no confidence Denver (a hard to believe love match.) The good part of the book is Armand Jordan, a ruthless chauvinistic Prince who thinks all women are whores. His character is so twisted, he made me continue to turn the pages. When he decides he wants Lucky's hotel we get ready for a showdown, because everyone who has read this series knows Lucky is a ball buster. Sadly, Ms. Collins forgot how to write Lucky's character. All she tells us is that Lucky is a badass with black eyes. The next page, Lucky is a badass, with "once again" black eyes. OK, we know this now show us why she is a badass, don't just tell us! There was plenty of sex in this novel, but not the real action we expect from Lucky Santangelo.
May 7, 2012
Throughout the first 2/3 of the book, I was anxious to see what happens, and it was a page turner. However, towards the end Collins rushes to tie up all of the loose ends in her plotline. This book is ok, but not one I would ever read again or suggest to a friend. Scintillating, but unoriginal.
September 22, 2011
Sorry everyone! Have I changed or has Jackie Collins changed? I have loved all of her books over the years. They were my un-guilty pleasure. So I don't know what happened. The story was flat. Extremely repetitive thoughts and dialogue (I felt like I was reading Danielle Steel for a while there). I, for once, didn't care what happened to Lucky, or Max, or anyone else. I got about halfway, skipped to the end to see if anyone died, then stopped. C'mon Jackie, either give up Lucky and move on the the new people or focus on Lucky. There are too many people to care about any of them. They are like cardboard cutouts of themselves.
If you must read it, get it from the library like I did!
If you must read it, get it from the library like I did!
February 5, 2013
Excellent! 10 of 10 stars
August 29, 2015
this was indeed a book by jackie collins.
September 13, 2011
"Just look at everything you've accomplished. You've built hotels, run a movie studio, had three kids, and you're married to Mister Amazing. Admit it, you're a goddamn superwoman!"
"No," Lucky answered after a thoughtful pause,"I'm a woman who took chances every inch of the way. I had to fight for my independence. Believe me, It wasn't easy."
"Right," Venus said. "And that's exactly why you and I understand each other so well. We both know that being a strong, successful woman in this town can be a lonely and difficult path."
"Agreed," Lucky said. "You gotta kick @ss like a guy, and get called a bitch for your trouble."
Lucky Santangelo fought her way to the top at a time when glass ceilings still had yet to be shattered. Once there, she wasn't given a free ride. Every so often someone comes along who underestimates her and thinks they can walk all over her. Such is the case in 'Goddess of Vengeance'. Armand Jordan, Prince in the small but affluent Middle Eastern country of Akramshar, has set his sights on Lucky's high profile casino and hotel complex, The Keys in Vegas. Only the best will do for Armand, and The Keys is it. With money never being an object, he's not prepared to take no for an answer. Maybe Armand should have done a little research because with a little bit of digging he could have found out Lucky's family motto is 'Never F@ck with a Santangelo'.
This is the second book of Ms. Collins' that I've read. I loved the character of Lucky. To sum up in a word what Venus said in the first quote at the top of this post, Lucky is amazing. I liked how she kept her cool when threatened and that she showed she has lots of integrity. There is an incident toward the end that proved it. I liked seeing how the dynamics of the Santangelo/Stanislopolous/Golden family work. I loved Lucky's advice on marriage:
"The secret to a sensual, sexy marriage is knowing when to leave children, pets, family commitments, and business affairs at the door."
"Rule number one: Leave any family problems outside the bedroom,
Rule number two: Remember the first time.
Rule number three: No inhibitions.
And rule number four-the most important rule of all: Absolutely no interruptions."
Armand is a guy you love to hate. Do they come any worse? A bona fide woman hater with a sick need to humiliate woman. He is every woman's nightmare of a man. The perfect bad guy. Not a lovable thing about him. While Ms. Collins admits traditionally her characters are based upon real people, I can't help but hope she broke tradition for this character. At the very least, I hope she highly exaggerated his persona.
Max was a fun character. She's a traditionally teenager with a bit of a wild streak. I'm sure there will be a few moms out there that won't be pleased with Lucky's reaction to finding out about her daughter's latest boyfriend. At first, I sort of cringed at her reaction, but as I thought about it, I have to agree it's probably not a bad way to deal with the situation. It will be interesting to see if the relationship Max establishes in this book will continue on in another. Plus, the poem Collins included about the 'first time' was a nice touch. Somehow this relationship reminds me of another one I'd heard rumors of from years past. Could there be a hint of Jackie in Max? I wonder? One last thing, the way Max treated Ace is a text book case of how not to treat a nice guy.
I loved that we got to see how Denver's and Bobby's relationship has progressed. I felt we didn't get a real look into their relationship in 'Poor Little Bitch Girl' and was pleased to see how the two were doing. I enjoyed seeing a little insecurity on both their parts and the elevator scene, well, you'll just have to read about that one for yourself.
I was surprised to see Annabelle and Frankie again. While Frankie will probably never change, I can't help wondering if perhaps Annabelle might? Now that would be an interesting thing to see.
Do you remember the Enjoli jingle back in the late 70's early 80's with the lyrics "I can bring home the bacon, fry it up in a pan and never let you forget you're a man. Cause I'm a woman."? For some reason the jingle kept dancing through my head while reading this book. It was one of my favorite commercials when I was little.
On the Lisarenee Romance Rating Scale this one gets a STEAM rating - too hot for a fan, but you still have a handle on things. You should use extreme caution when reading a book with this rating in public. People may inquire as to why you looked flustered and flushed. Overall, I gave this one 4 1/2 out of 5 roses.
Notes: I received an advance copy of the actual book prior to release from the publisher. If you'd like to win a copy of 'Goddess of Vengeance', Visit my blog at: http://www.seducedbyabook.com/2011/09...
I have a giveaway going today through September 16th.
"No," Lucky answered after a thoughtful pause,"I'm a woman who took chances every inch of the way. I had to fight for my independence. Believe me, It wasn't easy."
"Right," Venus said. "And that's exactly why you and I understand each other so well. We both know that being a strong, successful woman in this town can be a lonely and difficult path."
"Agreed," Lucky said. "You gotta kick @ss like a guy, and get called a bitch for your trouble."
Lucky Santangelo fought her way to the top at a time when glass ceilings still had yet to be shattered. Once there, she wasn't given a free ride. Every so often someone comes along who underestimates her and thinks they can walk all over her. Such is the case in 'Goddess of Vengeance'. Armand Jordan, Prince in the small but affluent Middle Eastern country of Akramshar, has set his sights on Lucky's high profile casino and hotel complex, The Keys in Vegas. Only the best will do for Armand, and The Keys is it. With money never being an object, he's not prepared to take no for an answer. Maybe Armand should have done a little research because with a little bit of digging he could have found out Lucky's family motto is 'Never F@ck with a Santangelo'.
This is the second book of Ms. Collins' that I've read. I loved the character of Lucky. To sum up in a word what Venus said in the first quote at the top of this post, Lucky is amazing. I liked how she kept her cool when threatened and that she showed she has lots of integrity. There is an incident toward the end that proved it. I liked seeing how the dynamics of the Santangelo/Stanislopolous/Golden family work. I loved Lucky's advice on marriage:
"The secret to a sensual, sexy marriage is knowing when to leave children, pets, family commitments, and business affairs at the door."
"Rule number one: Leave any family problems outside the bedroom,
Rule number two: Remember the first time.
Rule number three: No inhibitions.
And rule number four-the most important rule of all: Absolutely no interruptions."
Armand is a guy you love to hate. Do they come any worse? A bona fide woman hater with a sick need to humiliate woman. He is every woman's nightmare of a man. The perfect bad guy. Not a lovable thing about him. While Ms. Collins admits traditionally her characters are based upon real people, I can't help but hope she broke tradition for this character. At the very least, I hope she highly exaggerated his persona.
Max was a fun character. She's a traditionally teenager with a bit of a wild streak. I'm sure there will be a few moms out there that won't be pleased with Lucky's reaction to finding out about her daughter's latest boyfriend. At first, I sort of cringed at her reaction, but as I thought about it, I have to agree it's probably not a bad way to deal with the situation. It will be interesting to see if the relationship Max establishes in this book will continue on in another. Plus, the poem Collins included about the 'first time' was a nice touch. Somehow this relationship reminds me of another one I'd heard rumors of from years past. Could there be a hint of Jackie in Max? I wonder? One last thing, the way Max treated Ace is a text book case of how not to treat a nice guy.
I loved that we got to see how Denver's and Bobby's relationship has progressed. I felt we didn't get a real look into their relationship in 'Poor Little Bitch Girl' and was pleased to see how the two were doing. I enjoyed seeing a little insecurity on both their parts and the elevator scene, well, you'll just have to read about that one for yourself.
I was surprised to see Annabelle and Frankie again. While Frankie will probably never change, I can't help wondering if perhaps Annabelle might? Now that would be an interesting thing to see.
Do you remember the Enjoli jingle back in the late 70's early 80's with the lyrics "I can bring home the bacon, fry it up in a pan and never let you forget you're a man. Cause I'm a woman."? For some reason the jingle kept dancing through my head while reading this book. It was one of my favorite commercials when I was little.
On the Lisarenee Romance Rating Scale this one gets a STEAM rating - too hot for a fan, but you still have a handle on things. You should use extreme caution when reading a book with this rating in public. People may inquire as to why you looked flustered and flushed. Overall, I gave this one 4 1/2 out of 5 roses.
Notes: I received an advance copy of the actual book prior to release from the publisher. If you'd like to win a copy of 'Goddess of Vengeance', Visit my blog at: http://www.seducedbyabook.com/2011/09...
I have a giveaway going today through September 16th.
June 25, 2020
If a zero star review was possible, this book would be worthy of it. However, I do think that this book is quite an entertaining read, in fact, I couldn't stop laughing at how cliche and ridiculous this entire book was.
Firstly, Goddess of Vengeance opens with Lucky Santagelo and her best friend, Venus, at lunch. Right away we are reminded, they are the two most beautiful, perfect people in the entire world- except of course for everyone else in the entire book. That is right, every single person in this world is apparently the most beautiful, sexy, "drop dead beautiful" person that could ever exist. That is incredibly unrealistic. I figure, Jackie Collins knew this was unrealistic so she only gave physical character "flaws" to people of color. For example, Bobby- Lucky's son- has a best friend named M.J.; in the book M.J. is described as "M.J. was African American and handsome, although slightly short." This is the only time Collins does not describe a character has incredibly perfect, tall, tan, and skinny. These are ridiculous social standards of beauty that do not live to do anything but hurt people who do resemble any of the characters in this book.
Next, during the luncheon with Lucky and Venus, we note is that Collins writes the entire book as a sitcom-esque recap of the previous events of the last book. Multiple references to things that happened in previous books. This takes up a lot of time in reading, I mean there are whole paragraphs where she writes these things. She also references Lucky's previous sexual relations with Alex just about every time they are in a room together.
I would also like to point out how the bad guy in this book is Middle Eastern, and in a previous book- "drop dead beautiful- two of the antagonists were Mexican and Asian. Does she have a bad thing against everyone who is not white?
And finally, there are way too many freaking characters in these books that I could not remember who everyone even was. I had to take notes and write down a little blurb about ever person she would introduce. This became especially important because some characters would be seen in the beginning and then not talked about again until chapters and chapters later, after she has introduced a whole new slew of people to remember.
Overall, I think this book was written for 40 something women who are sick of their lives as stay at home, soccer moms. I can picture some woman with box died hair reading this in their yard while drinking wine coolers at 11 in the morning.
Firstly, Goddess of Vengeance opens with Lucky Santagelo and her best friend, Venus, at lunch. Right away we are reminded, they are the two most beautiful, perfect people in the entire world- except of course for everyone else in the entire book. That is right, every single person in this world is apparently the most beautiful, sexy, "drop dead beautiful" person that could ever exist. That is incredibly unrealistic. I figure, Jackie Collins knew this was unrealistic so she only gave physical character "flaws" to people of color. For example, Bobby- Lucky's son- has a best friend named M.J.; in the book M.J. is described as "M.J. was African American and handsome, although slightly short." This is the only time Collins does not describe a character has incredibly perfect, tall, tan, and skinny. These are ridiculous social standards of beauty that do not live to do anything but hurt people who do resemble any of the characters in this book.
Next, during the luncheon with Lucky and Venus, we note is that Collins writes the entire book as a sitcom-esque recap of the previous events of the last book. Multiple references to things that happened in previous books. This takes up a lot of time in reading, I mean there are whole paragraphs where she writes these things. She also references Lucky's previous sexual relations with Alex just about every time they are in a room together.
I would also like to point out how the bad guy in this book is Middle Eastern, and in a previous book- "drop dead beautiful- two of the antagonists were Mexican and Asian. Does she have a bad thing against everyone who is not white?
And finally, there are way too many freaking characters in these books that I could not remember who everyone even was. I had to take notes and write down a little blurb about ever person she would introduce. This became especially important because some characters would be seen in the beginning and then not talked about again until chapters and chapters later, after she has introduced a whole new slew of people to remember.
Overall, I think this book was written for 40 something women who are sick of their lives as stay at home, soccer moms. I can picture some woman with box died hair reading this in their yard while drinking wine coolers at 11 in the morning.
July 30, 2012
Collins needs to stop. Or maybe I need to stop trying to relive my youth. I have not been able to read Collins' last two books. Like get past the first couple of pages can't read. But I thought "hey, it's a Lucky Santangelo book. There has to be something that will grab me."
But it's not even about Lucky except repetitive phrases of fantastic her life is, how perfect her family is, and how gorgeous she remains. This one is about her daughter, Max. And let's all be honest, Max is no Lucky--in any way, shape, or form.
And yet, the dialogue of all the characters continues to remain on a juvenille, high school, "OMG! TMI! LOL!" level (exclamation points included). And I have definitely crossed the line where I am just too freaking old to tolerate that from anyone over the age of 14.
SPOILER
Lastly, who is the Goddess of Vengeance? Because the sadistic rapist who was murdered at the end was killed by a hit man, underlining the word man, hired by the husband of the wife who the sadistic rapist raped. So the any vengeance to be found was by a man, who really makes a poor goddess.
This is an incredibly long review of a book that doesn't really deserve this many words but my iTunes is taking forever to download so I have nothing better to do at this exact moment.
But it's not even about Lucky except repetitive phrases of fantastic her life is, how perfect her family is, and how gorgeous she remains. This one is about her daughter, Max. And let's all be honest, Max is no Lucky--in any way, shape, or form.
And yet, the dialogue of all the characters continues to remain on a juvenille, high school, "OMG! TMI! LOL!" level (exclamation points included). And I have definitely crossed the line where I am just too freaking old to tolerate that from anyone over the age of 14.
SPOILER
Lastly, who is the Goddess of Vengeance? Because the sadistic rapist who was murdered at the end was killed by a hit man, underlining the word man, hired by the husband of the wife who the sadistic rapist raped. So the any vengeance to be found was by a man, who really makes a poor goddess.
This is an incredibly long review of a book that doesn't really deserve this many words but my iTunes is taking forever to download so I have nothing better to do at this exact moment.
November 27, 2015
Woohoo!!!!!!!! Lucky Santangelo rule!!! I'm so glad that Armand Jordan finally died. Hoho(I'm feeling so mean). Anyway, its unfortunate that Armand die in a tragic way where he got shot between his eye. It's clear that Armand create lots of enemy who seeks for revenge especially Martin Constatine, Nona Constatine's husband(The woman who Armand humiliate in all possible way and cast her out of his house half naked). Well, I can actually imagine how beautiful Lucky Santangelo is.
Anyway, I think I should read Lucky Santangelo's from the first book on but unfortunately I haven't bought it. I think I'm gonna buy the whole series as soon as I can(if I got plenty of money).
Anyway, I think I should read Lucky Santangelo's from the first book on but unfortunately I haven't bought it. I think I'm gonna buy the whole series as soon as I can(if I got plenty of money).
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
June 15, 2019
Vapid nonsense with shallow and unlikeable characters. A brainless and pointless read.
April 15, 2020
Didn't finish it - found it dull and repetitive
February 5, 2022
I truly love the book, I love seeing the kids all grown up and in their own affairs. Jackie Collins will always be one of the top phenomenal authors ever. This book kept me engaged and I kept wanting to know what was going to happen next. I can’t wait to read the final book in the series.
June 17, 2021
Lucky seems to have it all. Her spouse is a movie star, her daughter is about to turn 18, and her son is the owner of a chain of nightclubs. Armand Jordan, a billionaire businessman, is hell-bent on forcing his way into her life in whatever way he can. Armand considers women to be nothing more than breeding mares or sexual playthings, so he is taken aback when his people tell him that The Keys, the one property he desires above all others, is not for sale. It's unfathomable that a mere woman would refuse his offer to acquire The Keys, and Armand pledges to compel Lucky's hand in any way he can.
Glamour, vengeance, money, sex, and drugs are all present in Jackie Collins' book. She is a writer who focuses on the glitz and glam of Las Vegas. The story features a variety of subplots, some of which are important to the main plot and others which aren't. Lucky is shown as a strong and determined woman, whereas Armand Jordan is represented as a powerful opponent. Every character's feelings are discussed in depth in the book. Jackie Collins is an expert at capturing the emotions of teenagers, adults, and even sadistic brains. The beginning seemed to be Fine, but the author's detailed descriptions of various subplots ruined the reading experience. The connection between these subplots and the main plot is also hazy. The book's ending offers nothing new, and the revenge storyline is underutilized. For lovers of Jackie Collins, this book may be thrilling, but for others, it is just another cliche.
Glamour, vengeance, money, sex, and drugs are all present in Jackie Collins' book. She is a writer who focuses on the glitz and glam of Las Vegas. The story features a variety of subplots, some of which are important to the main plot and others which aren't. Lucky is shown as a strong and determined woman, whereas Armand Jordan is represented as a powerful opponent. Every character's feelings are discussed in depth in the book. Jackie Collins is an expert at capturing the emotions of teenagers, adults, and even sadistic brains. The beginning seemed to be Fine, but the author's detailed descriptions of various subplots ruined the reading experience. The connection between these subplots and the main plot is also hazy. The book's ending offers nothing new, and the revenge storyline is underutilized. For lovers of Jackie Collins, this book may be thrilling, but for others, it is just another cliche.
October 10, 2015
Time taken to read - 1 day
Pages - 516
Publisher - St. Martin's Press
Blurb from Goodreads
Lucky runs a high profile casino and hotel complex, The Keys in Vegas.
Lennie, her movie star husband, is still writing and directing successful independent movies, while Max, her stubborn and gorgeous teenage daughter is about to celebrate her 18th birthday, and her son, Bobby, owns a string of hot clubs. Lucky has everything. Family. Love. Life.
And everything is exactly what billionaire businessman Armand Jordan is determined to take from her one way or the other.
Born a Prince in the small but affluent Middle Eastern country of Akramshar, Armand comes to America with his American mother at an early age, and rises to become a real estate business titan. Armand regards women as nothing more than breeding mares or sexual playthings, so when his people inform him that the one property he covets more than anything, The Keys, is not for sale, he is shocked. That a mere woman would dare to turn down his offer to buy The Keys is unthinkable, and Armand vows to force Lucky’s hand whatever it takes. And so the battle for power begins . . .
Meanwhile Bobby is dealing with shady Russian investors, while his girlfriend—smart and independent Denver Jones—is becoming a Deputy D.A. in the L.A. drug unit.
And Max, Bobby’s seventeen year old sister, is busy embarking on a forbidden affair with a sexy young movie star. An affair they have to keep on the down-low lest Lucky finds out.
The word is that “what happens in Vegas stays in Vegas” and what happens in Goddess of Vengeance will blow your mind!
My Review
This is the 8th book in the Santangelo's series, if you haven't read any of them, go and get the firs one, do not start here. Lucky is our main character, top dog of her world, she is beautiful, powerful sexy and rich. The story also visits along with the life and doings of her seventeen year old daughter Max, soon to be eighteen and her friends. Her brother Bobby and the bad guy of the piece Prince Armand, rich and powerful in his own country and what he wants he gets. He comes to America, determined to buy Lucky's Casino, he always gets what he wants and no silly woman or anyone else will stand in his way. Women are beneath him, noone is above him and he will stop at nothing, not even murder to achieve his goal.
In typical Collins fashion, the book tackles everything from teen angst, family conflict, secrets, power, money, sex, drugs and violence to name some of the topics covered in this book. I love Jackie Collins, she is an easy read and her books are a tamer version of all she has witnessed in Hollywood. The writing is easy to get into and follow and as long as you aren't easily shocked or offended, sure there is drugs, prostitution use, misogyny and all kinds of swearing scattered throughout this book.
In order to enjoy the story fully I definitely suggest going back and reading the previous reads as the characters have all been through so much and some of it is referred to in this book. This is a perfect read at the end of a long day, by the pool or when you just need to shut off the world for a bit and read some scandal in another world, 4/5 for me. I will of course read this author again, I have her newest release just waiting to be picked up and read.
Pages - 516
Publisher - St. Martin's Press
Blurb from Goodreads
Lucky runs a high profile casino and hotel complex, The Keys in Vegas.
Lennie, her movie star husband, is still writing and directing successful independent movies, while Max, her stubborn and gorgeous teenage daughter is about to celebrate her 18th birthday, and her son, Bobby, owns a string of hot clubs. Lucky has everything. Family. Love. Life.
And everything is exactly what billionaire businessman Armand Jordan is determined to take from her one way or the other.
Born a Prince in the small but affluent Middle Eastern country of Akramshar, Armand comes to America with his American mother at an early age, and rises to become a real estate business titan. Armand regards women as nothing more than breeding mares or sexual playthings, so when his people inform him that the one property he covets more than anything, The Keys, is not for sale, he is shocked. That a mere woman would dare to turn down his offer to buy The Keys is unthinkable, and Armand vows to force Lucky’s hand whatever it takes. And so the battle for power begins . . .
Meanwhile Bobby is dealing with shady Russian investors, while his girlfriend—smart and independent Denver Jones—is becoming a Deputy D.A. in the L.A. drug unit.
And Max, Bobby’s seventeen year old sister, is busy embarking on a forbidden affair with a sexy young movie star. An affair they have to keep on the down-low lest Lucky finds out.
The word is that “what happens in Vegas stays in Vegas” and what happens in Goddess of Vengeance will blow your mind!
My Review
This is the 8th book in the Santangelo's series, if you haven't read any of them, go and get the firs one, do not start here. Lucky is our main character, top dog of her world, she is beautiful, powerful sexy and rich. The story also visits along with the life and doings of her seventeen year old daughter Max, soon to be eighteen and her friends. Her brother Bobby and the bad guy of the piece Prince Armand, rich and powerful in his own country and what he wants he gets. He comes to America, determined to buy Lucky's Casino, he always gets what he wants and no silly woman or anyone else will stand in his way. Women are beneath him, noone is above him and he will stop at nothing, not even murder to achieve his goal.
In typical Collins fashion, the book tackles everything from teen angst, family conflict, secrets, power, money, sex, drugs and violence to name some of the topics covered in this book. I love Jackie Collins, she is an easy read and her books are a tamer version of all she has witnessed in Hollywood. The writing is easy to get into and follow and as long as you aren't easily shocked or offended, sure there is drugs, prostitution use, misogyny and all kinds of swearing scattered throughout this book.
In order to enjoy the story fully I definitely suggest going back and reading the previous reads as the characters have all been through so much and some of it is referred to in this book. This is a perfect read at the end of a long day, by the pool or when you just need to shut off the world for a bit and read some scandal in another world, 4/5 for me. I will of course read this author again, I have her newest release just waiting to be picked up and read.
September 14, 2011
Great cast of voice-overs, non-stop suspense, naughtiness and raunchy to the core.
Goddess of Vengeance is as raunchy as I expected, plus so much more. I had forgotten how wild Jackie Collins novels can be, it had been a long time since I had read one. However, this was quite different as I got to listen to it instead. My first audiobook experience with Jackie Collins was quite surprising, as this was also my first time in actually hearing her voice. Although, I did find Jackie's voice to sound exactly as I imagined. Sydney Poitier sounds so soulful with his deep voice, and together with their cast of characters, they did a great job on this audiobook. Another first for me was reading about Lucky Santangelo, since the series can be read out of order, I didn't feel as if I missed anything by not reading Jackie's prequel to this book. I found the complete cast of characters to sound pretty realistic. In Goddess of Vengeance Lucky has her hands full, when Armand the billionaire prince shows up in Vegas, with intentions of buying her hotel and casino, The Keys, although she's not selling. Meanwhile her spoiled daughter Max, and her mixed bag of friends are up to no good, and unknown to her mother, Max decides to throw herself a bash, for her Eighteenth birthday. Later Max ends up involved with a man a decade older than her, and she also knows he is one of her mother's friends ex's. While Max lustfully dwells on her relationship with this guy, her brother Bobby has problems of his own trying to run his chain of night clubs, yet still maintain his relationship with his down to earth girlfriend, Denver. Denver is constantly plagued with doubts in regards to her relationship with Bobby, who at times seems to far out of her league. This book is full of non-stop naughty, erotic and lustful action that kept me wondering what would happen next. If you are looking for a book that will take you away from your reality for awhile,(that is unless your reality is like this book, than that would be a bad idea) Goddess of Vengeance will do just that, plus more. As this cast of characters can easily be envisioned, as you listen to each CD. I found myself taking guesses at who some of these characters Jackie portrays in her novel, could actually be in real life, many times throughout the audiobook. Jackie's style of writing makes it pretty easy at times to figure out who some may be, without pointing fingers. I loved listening to Jackie's voice and that of Venus, Lucky's friend, throughout the audiobook. Their voices are so unique, and lets not forget about the voice of Mr Poitier. The only problem I had with this audiobook was trying to distinguish between the voices of Max, Denver and some of the younger female characters. Mostly due to them sounding similar, when they spoke to each other. Maybe Collins should take this into consideration when chosing her voice-overs, by making sure voices are not similar to each other in tone, as this would improve her audiobooks.
Goddess of Vengeance is as raunchy as I expected, plus so much more. I had forgotten how wild Jackie Collins novels can be, it had been a long time since I had read one. However, this was quite different as I got to listen to it instead. My first audiobook experience with Jackie Collins was quite surprising, as this was also my first time in actually hearing her voice. Although, I did find Jackie's voice to sound exactly as I imagined. Sydney Poitier sounds so soulful with his deep voice, and together with their cast of characters, they did a great job on this audiobook. Another first for me was reading about Lucky Santangelo, since the series can be read out of order, I didn't feel as if I missed anything by not reading Jackie's prequel to this book. I found the complete cast of characters to sound pretty realistic. In Goddess of Vengeance Lucky has her hands full, when Armand the billionaire prince shows up in Vegas, with intentions of buying her hotel and casino, The Keys, although she's not selling. Meanwhile her spoiled daughter Max, and her mixed bag of friends are up to no good, and unknown to her mother, Max decides to throw herself a bash, for her Eighteenth birthday. Later Max ends up involved with a man a decade older than her, and she also knows he is one of her mother's friends ex's. While Max lustfully dwells on her relationship with this guy, her brother Bobby has problems of his own trying to run his chain of night clubs, yet still maintain his relationship with his down to earth girlfriend, Denver. Denver is constantly plagued with doubts in regards to her relationship with Bobby, who at times seems to far out of her league. This book is full of non-stop naughty, erotic and lustful action that kept me wondering what would happen next. If you are looking for a book that will take you away from your reality for awhile,(that is unless your reality is like this book, than that would be a bad idea) Goddess of Vengeance will do just that, plus more. As this cast of characters can easily be envisioned, as you listen to each CD. I found myself taking guesses at who some of these characters Jackie portrays in her novel, could actually be in real life, many times throughout the audiobook. Jackie's style of writing makes it pretty easy at times to figure out who some may be, without pointing fingers. I loved listening to Jackie's voice and that of Venus, Lucky's friend, throughout the audiobook. Their voices are so unique, and lets not forget about the voice of Mr Poitier. The only problem I had with this audiobook was trying to distinguish between the voices of Max, Denver and some of the younger female characters. Mostly due to them sounding similar, when they spoke to each other. Maybe Collins should take this into consideration when chosing her voice-overs, by making sure voices are not similar to each other in tone, as this would improve her audiobooks.
October 30, 2015
I admit it; I am a huge JC fan. I have always loved the sleaze and glamour that her books seem to hold. Jackie Collins is without a doubt in my eyes the Queen of Sleaze! She wrote her first book in 1968 and has been writing ever since. Her latest book was released in April 2011 and was downloaded to my Kindle as soon as I could get my grubby mitts on it.
We first met the character Lucky Santangelo in the book Chances published way back in 1981. She has since gone on to appear in another 7 books including this latest one. With a name like Lucky (only Jackie Collins could think of a name like that) you know that her life will be the polar opposite of her name. I have read all of JC's books but to be truthful my memory fades as it was in my late teens that I started reading them. Having said that, you are brought right up to speed with Lucky and her past in this current book. Anybody having not read JC books before can easily read this as a stand alone novel.
As a reader you dive head first into the world of the Santangelo's. You get to meet Luck and her husband Lennie. We also meet their eldest son Bobby and youngest daughter Max, as well as Lucky's friend Venus. All of the characters have ridiculously amazing lives and with their wealth and glamour comes drama! Lucky herself is an amazing character that could never exist in real life. If she does, I seriously want to meet this ballsy woman who always gets what she wants both in her personal life as well as business. Lucky unfortunately manages to attract the attention of Armand Jordan, who is also a ruthless business man. Armand is used to getting his own way and goes out of his way to buy Lucky's casino and resort The Keys in Las Vegas.
As much as the drama of all the characters and their lives is a tad unrealistic (at least in my ordinary world) it is such an escapist read that before you know it you are halfway through the book. I must say that as much as I love the Santangelo's the character Armand was a truly despicable character. Jackie Collins never has been shy in being graphically explicit and this book is no different. If you are not a fan of books that features a lot of sex and drugs, then maybe this is not for you. Her writing style is easy to read and the chapters flow from character to character making it easy to keep up with who is doing what. In addition to Lucky's family and Armand we also meet other characters that flit in and out of the book such as Max's friends and Venus' ex husband.
As usual with a JC book, it took me not time at all to finish the book and found myself wondering if maybe I should read some of her older books again. If you love sleaze, glamour, and major family dramas then the series of books featuring Lucky's family will definitely be up your street.
We first met the character Lucky Santangelo in the book Chances published way back in 1981. She has since gone on to appear in another 7 books including this latest one. With a name like Lucky (only Jackie Collins could think of a name like that) you know that her life will be the polar opposite of her name. I have read all of JC's books but to be truthful my memory fades as it was in my late teens that I started reading them. Having said that, you are brought right up to speed with Lucky and her past in this current book. Anybody having not read JC books before can easily read this as a stand alone novel.
As a reader you dive head first into the world of the Santangelo's. You get to meet Luck and her husband Lennie. We also meet their eldest son Bobby and youngest daughter Max, as well as Lucky's friend Venus. All of the characters have ridiculously amazing lives and with their wealth and glamour comes drama! Lucky herself is an amazing character that could never exist in real life. If she does, I seriously want to meet this ballsy woman who always gets what she wants both in her personal life as well as business. Lucky unfortunately manages to attract the attention of Armand Jordan, who is also a ruthless business man. Armand is used to getting his own way and goes out of his way to buy Lucky's casino and resort The Keys in Las Vegas.
As much as the drama of all the characters and their lives is a tad unrealistic (at least in my ordinary world) it is such an escapist read that before you know it you are halfway through the book. I must say that as much as I love the Santangelo's the character Armand was a truly despicable character. Jackie Collins never has been shy in being graphically explicit and this book is no different. If you are not a fan of books that features a lot of sex and drugs, then maybe this is not for you. Her writing style is easy to read and the chapters flow from character to character making it easy to keep up with who is doing what. In addition to Lucky's family and Armand we also meet other characters that flit in and out of the book such as Max's friends and Venus' ex husband.
As usual with a JC book, it took me not time at all to finish the book and found myself wondering if maybe I should read some of her older books again. If you love sleaze, glamour, and major family dramas then the series of books featuring Lucky's family will definitely be up your street.
September 30, 2011
Lucky Santangelo is back! The dynamite Jackie Collins recently released number 27, Goddess of Vengeance, and the Santangelo family and friends (and enemies) are back in a big way. Goddess focuses mainly on Lucky’s daughter, the eighteen-year-old Max, as she stars to make adult decisions- like sleeping with her mom’s best friend’s soon to be ex-husband. Venus and Billy have headed for splitsville, and Billy finds himself besotted over Max, while Venus simply starts sleeping around. Lucky is somewhat in the background of the story, but her fierce determination, loyalty, and balls of steel are at no shortage. When the disgustingly sleazy billionaire businessman/Middle Eastern Prince, Armand Jordan, tries to buy out Lucky’s precious casino and hotel complex, The Keys, Lucky quickly lets him know who has the last say. And we can’t forget Lucky’s gorgeous son Bobby and new girlfriend Denver, who are trying to work through there relationship obstacles.
It’s a little difficult to write a synopsis with so many leading characters, and I always worry that readers new to the series will give up hope, but don’t! Once you start reading, it is easy to identify and connect with the jumbled cast. I really enjoyed learning more about Denver and Bobby and where there story continued from Poor Little Bitch Girl, and even diving into Max’s character more was interesting to read about. There is no shortage of raunchy scenes and vulgarity, of course, especially when it comes to Armand’s character and his dimwitted view of woman. The ending of the book really picked up for me, and I couldn’t put it down. I loved how all the characters were slowly gravitating towards one location, and had to see how it all finished. I will say that I thought the ending with Armand was a little bit of a letdown. I would have been okay with a much less easy and way out for him to die, after all his disgusting behavior and lewd acts. But other than that, another delicious and frantic story to add to the Santangelo collection!
It’s a little difficult to write a synopsis with so many leading characters, and I always worry that readers new to the series will give up hope, but don’t! Once you start reading, it is easy to identify and connect with the jumbled cast. I really enjoyed learning more about Denver and Bobby and where there story continued from Poor Little Bitch Girl, and even diving into Max’s character more was interesting to read about. There is no shortage of raunchy scenes and vulgarity, of course, especially when it comes to Armand’s character and his dimwitted view of woman. The ending of the book really picked up for me, and I couldn’t put it down. I loved how all the characters were slowly gravitating towards one location, and had to see how it all finished. I will say that I thought the ending with Armand was a little bit of a letdown. I would have been okay with a much less easy and way out for him to die, after all his disgusting behavior and lewd acts. But other than that, another delicious and frantic story to add to the Santangelo collection!
December 27, 2011
Let's face it, every Jackie Collins book over the past decade is the same as the last - just different characters. I decided to take this particular volume out of the library when I saw it was another Lucky novel. I have read every one of the Lucky novels so far and felt compelled to see what she was up to now. Also - how old is she supposed to be now?! I am assuming in her 50's but as with fine wine it seems Lucky just gets better with age.
Anyway, in this saga Lucky is propositioned by an Arab prince/business man to sell her profitable hotel in Vegas. She refuses and the misogynistic, drug addicted, delusional prince/business man vows to make her pay. She vows to kick his ass and of course she wins because Lucky always wins. There is a lot of trashy sex and sleazy language and all the stuff you usually get from Collins so rabid fans will not be disappointed. This book wasn't great but it was a quick read and so not a complete waste of time and that earns it 2 stars. Also, I know I will read the next Lucky novel Collins puts out.
Anyway, in this saga Lucky is propositioned by an Arab prince/business man to sell her profitable hotel in Vegas. She refuses and the misogynistic, drug addicted, delusional prince/business man vows to make her pay. She vows to kick his ass and of course she wins because Lucky always wins. There is a lot of trashy sex and sleazy language and all the stuff you usually get from Collins so rabid fans will not be disappointed. This book wasn't great but it was a quick read and so not a complete waste of time and that earns it 2 stars. Also, I know I will read the next Lucky novel Collins puts out.
February 11, 2014
I loved this book--couldn't put it down, until it was finished, so I read it in two days, and then I didn't want it to end. I love the way Jackie Collins tells a tale about rich, exciting, strong women and this one does not disappoint. This book continues the story of Lucky Santangelo and her daughter, Max, who is just turning 18. The story evolves around the upcoming 18th birthday party at her mother's hotel, "The Keys" in Las Vegas. You don't have to have read the previous books, as Collins fills you in on the back stories on all the characters. When reading these books, I often try to imagine who the real life people are that she has incorporated into her stories. I'll be looking forward to her next book.
September 20, 2011
I haven't read a novel by Jackie Collins in a long time, so I had forgotten what type of book she writes. This was actual the audio version that I got to listen to, so it was a real treat because Jackie Collins is actually reading it along with SydneyPoitier.
This book is part of a series, but it is very easy to pick up the story line if you read them out of order. So, if you are looking for a book that will let you escape for a while, this is a good choice! The cast of characters keeps the book really interesting and the the story line will keep you entertained.
This book is part of a series, but it is very easy to pick up the story line if you read them out of order. So, if you are looking for a book that will let you escape for a while, this is a good choice! The cast of characters keeps the book really interesting and the the story line will keep you entertained.
October 10, 2011
This book STINKS...don't waste 5 minutes reading it, don't read it if somebody gives it to you for free. I'm a long time fan of the fluff and sometimes 'dirty' Jackie Collins books, but this one isn't worth a second of your time.
November 1, 2011
Jackie Collins is my to go to for trashy books. If you want sex, drugs and beautiful people then she has it all. This was book 7 in the Lucky series. I like the first few a lot more than the more recent ones, but they are still fun and engaging.
October 23, 2012
Brilliant, had me hooked from the beginning to the end with the true style of a Jackie Collins storyline, it had glamour, raunchiness, money, revenge...it's been a while since i've read one of her books, will be looking out for more by her.
October 28, 2016
I am a long time Jackie Collins fan and I love the Lucky Santangelo series. I did get a little lost with all of the marriages, which kid from which marriage, etc. Still a good read. Wonder if anyone will take over??
March 4, 2022
Too many story lines and yet barely anything happened all while dragging the plots out for 500 pages. I didn’t like any of the characters and almost all of them are crummy people. Not sure if that was the intent. The last 50 pages were interesting and wild enough for me to bump this to 2 stars.
November 7, 2011
Love the Lucky Santangelo books. I can't wait for the next one!
November 12, 2011
I could not finish this - guess it was not my kind of book as others have really liked it.
November 6, 2011
I love Jackie!
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