Drop Dead Beautiful

May 14, 2007
I
t's not easy being rich, gorgeous, successful and a happily married mom, but Mafia princess turned Hollywood producer and real estate mogul Lucky Santangelo, last seen in 1999's Dangerous Kiss
, again proves up to the challenge. In Collins's latest vendetta romance, Lucky plans her father Gino's 95th birthday bash while building a Las Vegas megaresort, unaware that family foe Anthony Bonar (né Bonnatti) is plotting revenge. In turn, Anthony is unaware of wife Irma's sexual awakening in the arms of their Mexican gardener, who in turn is unaware of Irma's affair with a federal drug enforcement agent. Meanwhile Lucky's 16-year-old daughter, Max, tells her parents she's with friends when she's really headed to a rendezvous with a man she meets on the Internet. That date provides the novel's fast-paced action, while Irma provides the novel's best sex and violence. Less gripping subplots include the on-again off-again relationship between Lucky's business partner, Alex, and his jealous girlfriend, as well as the off-again on-again romance between Lucky's best friend, the diva Venus, and her star-stud boyfriend, Billy. Collins delivers Lucky's usual mix of celebrity fantasy and godfather justice while Max promises to grow up in future sequels as troublesome and triumphant as her glitzy mom.

June 1, 2007
Collins (Lovers & Players) once again invites readers into the world of the rich and famous in her latest Lucky Santangelo novel. Lucky (Vendetta: Lucky's Revenge) leads an incredibly charmed life as a beautiful and successful businesswoman who owns a major movie studio and has built an empire of Vegas hotels. But it's far from simple, as her family continues its decades-long feud with the Bonnatti family, who is responsible for the murders of her mother and brother. Collins claims that her characters are inspired by real personsif so, she has divulged many intimate details about Hollywood's elite. Yet the startling revelations of Collins's characters do not merely propel the story line forwardthe intrigue behind the Bonnatti/Santangelo feud is tangible and real, which creates a sinister undercurrent throughout the novel. While Collins's novels provide an inside view into a lavish lifestyle few enjoy, her attention to detail imbues her latest with a believability that catapults the novel toward its explosive conclusion. A great summer read; recommended for all popular fiction collections. [See Prepub Alert, LJ 12/06.]Sheri Melnick, Harrisburg, PA

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