Most Helpful Customer Reviews
13 of 14 people found the following review helpful:
3.0 out of 5 stars
Life of the Rich and Famous, September 26, 2006
Angela Winters' mainstream novel, View Park, is an explosive and sizzling debut. View Park is the first of three novels about the Chase family, one of the wealthiest families residing in the Los Angeles suburb of View Park. Steven Chase is the powerful and successful patriarch of the Chase clan. When he is not busy running his cosmetic conglomerate or planning hostile takeovers, he and his wife are busy interfering in their adult children's lives. Similar to the television families of the eighties (Dallas, Falcon Crest, Dynasty), except featuring an African American cast, the parents are controlling and the children are reckless and rebellious. When the two entities intersect, drama and conflict are guaranteed to occur.
The storyline is tied around the Chase's youngest daughter, Haley, witnessing a murder while on her married lover's, who happens to be a Senator, yacht. The family goes to great lengths to protect her as it becomes obvious that someone is trying to take her life as a result of what she witnessed. In addition to Haley's trials, the reader also gets to witness the dynamic between Steven Chase, the owner of a Los Angeles-based cosmetics company, and his sons as he attempts to take over successful beauty salons in the area to create a massive chain of his own. The conflicts that his oldest son, Carter, has with fulfilling his father's wishes, while still trying to pursue his own law firm, are evident.
The Chase offspring, through their escapades, attempt to develop some unlikely relationships. It was difficult for this reader to buy into, not only the unlikely relationships, but the whole Chase family dynamic and how the parents interacted with their children - namely Haley with her parents. This reader also desired more of a picture painted to make it appear as if the reader was actually there in View Park. Sadly, that was never accomplished. I would recommend this book to anyone that loves a gripping, family drama without your typical storyline.
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11 of 12 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
View Park by Angela Winters: An PeoplewholoveGoodBooks Review, July 7, 2006
The Chase Family is one of the most powerful and influential African-American families in the Los Angeles area. Steven Chase along with his wife Janet, has taken his small cosmetics company and turned it into an Fortune 500 company. Steven is now determined to take over a chain of hair salons--only owner Avery Jackson refuses to sell. When Steven realizes Avery is a tough nut to crack, he demands that sons Carter and Michael make it happen or else.......
Carter Chase, determined to make his own way, starts his own law firm only to keep being pulled into family business by his father. Carter gets more than he bargained for when he goes after Avery, soon sparks fly and Carter is torn between loyalty to his family or his growing feelings for Avery. Michael Chase is very much involved in the family business and almost as ruthless as his father Steven. He handles the "dirty" work yet always comes out on top. Happily married to former model Kimberly, his life seems perfect or is it? Leigh Chase, now home after volunteering in Africa, is also determined to make her own way. After deciding to start a free clinic in the "hood", she goes to her mother for help with funding. Janet agrees to fund the clinic on one condition: Leigh must agree to date the man her mother sets her up with. But Leigh gets more than she bargained for, when the man refuses to take no for an answer and won't let go..... Last but not least, Haley is the "problem" child, long tired of living in the shadow of her "perfect" sister, she lives by her own set of rules. But when Haley witnesses a murder on her married boyfriend's yacht, she's in for the fight of her life when the killers come after her but when Detective Sean Jackson (Avery's brother) comes to the rescue, will Haley lose her heart as well?
View Park has all of the elements of a great story: Drama, Suspense, Mystery, Romance, and Betrayal. It is the essential summer read. Angela Winters has written an engrossing story with interesting , unforgettable characters. With an writing style similar to Jackie Collins, Angela Winters is an author on the rise! I give this book 5 stars. Reviewed by Shay C of PeoplewholoveGoodBooks
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3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:
3.0 out of 5 stars
Life of the Rich and Famous, March 23, 2007
Angela Winters' mainstream novel, View Park, is an explosive and sizzling debut. View Park is the first of three novels about the Chase family, one of the wealthiest families residing in the Los Angeles suburb of View Park. Steven Chase is the powerful and successful patriarch of the Chase clan. When he is not busy running his cosmetic conglomerate or planning hostile takeovers, he and his wife are busy interfering in their adult children's lives. Similar to the television families of the eighties (Dallas, Falcon Crest, Dynasty), except featuring an African American cast, the parents are controlling and the children are reckless and rebellious. When the two entities intersect, drama and conflict are guaranteed to occur.
The storyline is tied around the Chase's youngest daughter, Haley, witnessing a murder while on her married lover's, who happens to be a Senator, yacht. The family goes to great lengths to protect her as it becomes obvious that someone is trying to take her life as a result of what she witnessed. In addition to Haley's trials, the reader also gets to witness the dynamic between Steven Chase, the owner of a Los Angeles-based cosmetics company, and his sons as he attempts to take over successful beauty salons in the area to create a massive chain of his own. The conflicts that his oldest son, Carter, has with fulfilling his father's wishes, while still trying to pursue his own law firm, are evident.
The Chase kids, through their escapades, attempt to develop some unlikely relationships. It was difficult for this reader to buy into, not only the unlikely relationships, but the whole Chase family dynamic and how the parents interacted with their children - namely Haley with her parents. This reader also desired more of a picture painted to make it appear as if the reader was actually there in View Park. Sadly, that was never accomplished. I would recommend this book to anyone that loves a gripping, family drama without your typical storyline.
Reviewed by: Lena Willis
APOOO BookClub
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