The Santangelos--A Novel

June 22, 2015
Lucky Santangelo, the plucky, devilish heroine of Collins's mega-selling series, returns to defend her Las Vegas hotel and casino empire, the Keys, against Middle Eastern royalty and a menacing Columbian drug lord. Lucky was last seen valiantly protecting the Keys from a takeover by billionaire Armand Jordan, who was then assassinated. She has now become the target of a revenge plot hatched by Jordan's father, Emir, the misogynistic king of fictitious Akramshar. After a two-page prologue catches readers up, the action plays out with rapid-fire chapters and seamless plotting, every sexy move made extravagantly melodramatic. King Emir's first hit is a personal one that devastates Lucky. As she runs interference, frothy subplots bubble to the surface involving her nightclub magnate son, Bobby, whose girlfriend, is a high-powered L.A. district attorney working on apprehending "sleazebags who sell drugs to children and murder people when they get in their way." After a mesmerizing call girl slips Bobby a roofie at his new club opening, he's framed for her murder. Then Lucky's teen daughter, Max, is accosted by a pushy photographer while on an increasingly dangerous Italian modeling assignment. Thinking the events are all too coincidental, Lucky fears she is at the mercy of one or more vengeful villains and departs her lush Palm Springs abode for some L.A.-based sleuthing with her best gal pal, Venus. Her husband, Lenny, invigorates her with love and "Tantric sex." The Santangelo clan is in usual fine form with this fresh yet classically over-the-top page-turner, spearheaded by an indefatigable, libidinous heroine. Collins devotees will devour this flashy, racy indulgence.

January 1, 2015

Her daughter is Europe's hot new model, her son is being set up for murder, and enemies circle like vultures, but does that stop Lucky Santangelo? Absolutely not. With a one-day laydown on June 16.

Copyright 2015 Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.

May 15, 2015
Collins' (Confessions of a Wild Child, 2014) latest stay-up-all-night-then-take-a-shower novel about the drop-dead gorgeous Santangelos (some of whom do drop dead) begins with a Middle Eastern king who wrongly believes sexy hotel owner Lucky Santangelo killed his favorite son. Like the eight previous installments about this glamorous-but-cursed family, this one features multiple plot twists, bad guys, and murders. It's not literary; it is R-rated, sometimes laughably so, with references to blow jobs and mind-blowing performances in the sack. The family's eye for an eye motto remains never fuck with a Santangelo. (Collins helpfully reminds readers of past retributions.) And, of course, Lucky's kids did not grow up to be plumbers and secretaries, or priests and nuns. Bobby, a six-feet-three stunner, co-owns a popular nightclub, and Max is a fashion model. Unlike the Santangelos, the villains are neither likable nor genetically blessed. In the end, one character lives with vengeance in his heart, and another knows her romance with a movie star is all going to work out. In other words, Collins leaves the door wide open for more raunchy-but-fun sequels. HIGH-DEMAND BACKSTORY: With more than 500 million books sold in more than 40 countries, Collins is always a big draw, hence the 150,000 first print run and megapublicity campaign for her latest sizzling Santangelo saga.(Reprinted with permission of Booklist, copyright 2015, American Library Association.)