Unfortunately, THE SANTANGELOS read like more of the same old, same old for me. Nothing at all to be excited about. I thought this was a very disappointing conclusion of the series.
I also kept being thrown out of the story by the jarring fact that the characters weren't portrayed realistically. From pop culture references and the like, it's supposed to be a present day setting, right? Well, Gino Santangelo was born in the early 1900s and would be almost 110 by the events of this book! Lucky should be well into her 60s, and Max should be in her 30s, not still 19!
I also didn't understand the complete 180 on the characterization of Gino's wife, Paige. For this book she was suddenly (and lazily) turned into an antagonist after being portrayed very differently before--it was just boring and didn't fly.
Bobby Santangelo is also a major disappointment. The person he ends up with is laughable (and totally unrealistic) considering the fact that she should almost be old enough to be his grandmother by now!
Like many others, I started gobbling up Jackie Collins novels when I was about 13. I loved CHANCES and have read it twice--I think it's the best of all the Santangelo books. But now in my 30s I realize that I've long-since outgrown her writing. Her style didn't evolved over the years...and I'm no longer 13. :(
I give THE SANTANGELOS a C.
RIP Jackie Collins.
I also kept being thrown out of the story by the jarring fact that the characters weren't portrayed realistically. From pop culture references and the like, it's supposed to be a present day setting, right? Well, Gino Santangelo was born in the early 1900s and would be almost 110 by the events of this book! Lucky should be well into her 60s, and Max should be in her 30s, not still 19!
I also didn't understand the complete 180 on the characterization of Gino's wife, Paige. For this book she was suddenly (and lazily) turned into an antagonist after being portrayed very differently before--it was just boring and didn't fly.
Bobby Santangelo is also a major disappointment. The person he ends up with is laughable (and totally unrealistic) considering the fact that she should almost be old enough to be his grandmother by now!
Like many others, I started gobbling up Jackie Collins novels when I was about 13. I loved CHANCES and have read it twice--I think it's the best of all the Santangelo books. But now in my 30s I realize that I've long-since outgrown her writing. Her style didn't evolved over the years...and I'm no longer 13. :(
I give THE SANTANGELOS a C.
RIP Jackie Collins.
