American Cool
by Susan DiPlacido
ISBN-10: 0595448771
Review by Heather Froeschl
Life is about taking risks…if you don’t take risks you end up lonely and afraid of change, and what fun is that? Well, it is safe. In Susan DiPlacido’s latest book, “American Cool,” her characters are risk takers and they’re making life changes all over the place. This book is hot!
A collection of short stories, “American Cool” is not for the faint of heart who cringe at steamy love scenes or shudder at the prospect of taking a step over the line. This is a hot summer read that you will return to in the cold winter months to warm up with. More than a good read, the tales offer a good bit of edge. Take Marie, the main character in the story I, Candy. She’s a guy’s best friend, a hard worker, and she’s seemingly pretty plain looking. Then she makes some changes…gets her nose done, some inches added up top, and all of a sudden she’s getting free drinks at the bar. Is this what she wanted? Not exactly. But what she gets in the end is something she could have had all along. She made some changes, and made some realizations at the same time. In Bloodlines, young Paula becomes involved with some very iffy business. She’s always admired her Uncle Dean, right from the first time he laughed at her blatantly disobeying her parents by climbing up a tree. As the years go on, she ends up helping him keep track of his “sports records” and making collections in the middle of the night. She gives him an alibi when the cops show up one evening. She gives up her chance to get out of the life in order to stick around for the family. In the end, she takes family commitment to a place it shouldn’t go. She warns her father not to ask questions he doesn’t want the answers to. Coyote Blues has Rita all hot and bothered. She can’t make up her mind about what she wants in her life. She’s torn between the allure and gamble of Vegas and the tortuous affections of her man. She can’t exactly have both, and she can’t live without either of them. Witnessing her come to terms with her needs is a steamy read!
Combining tales of minor league baseball, mob family traditions, taking poker to a new level, Las Vegas, and a girls’ first time with a very uncool guy named Miguel, “American Cool” is a fine example of a short story collection. The writing is tight and fresh; the tales hot, raunchy, and entertaining, if not disturbing. It’s over the top and just the way I like a fast read. I always look forward to more of Susan DiPlacido’s work, so as always, I am anxious to read more. This book is for adults, and while I hate to claim being one, I highly recommend it!
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