Red's Hot Honky-Tonk Bar-Pamela Morsi

Red's Hot Honky-Tonk Bar
Pamela Morsi
Mira, Jul 2009, $13.95
ISBN: 9780778327295

In San Antonio forty-six years old Red Cullen, owner of Red's Hot Honky-Tonk Bar, has no belief that she is capable of taking care of young children. So when her daughter Bridge calls explaining she is being deployed to Iraq, Red needs to care for her two grandchildren nine year old Olivia and six year old David. Bridge further explains her former mother-in-law is incapacitated by a stroke end ex husband Mike is in Korea serving in the military, making Red look responsible and compassionate leave.

Red is appalled that she is stuck with the brats for a few months; for that matter Olivia and David are just as ill having to spend time with their tattooed grandma. However Red’s musician boyfriend Cam Early is not just delighted he provides the kids and granny his home for use and enchants the youngsters. Red is stunned that she is having fun with little kids and that she is considering keeping the younger fiddler permanently instead of her usual kick them to the curb though a bake sale seems a bit too much to ask of her.

Red makes this an interesting family drama as she is suddenly thrust into caring for her grandchildren though she feels incapable of performing the deed; a sort of female Uncle Buck. The support cast especially the kids and cam seem genuine and hence the deep look at a middle age vulnerable adult whose image is that of a tough broad but Olivia, David and Cam prove otherwise. They turn RED'S HOT HONKY-TONK BAR into a passionate strong contemporary.

Harriet Klausner