Men in Kilts
Grade : C+

Men in Kilts is the second book this year that lured me in with an irresistible title (the first was Nerd in Shining Armor). I love intellectual heroes, but like any red-blooded Outlander fan, I find it hard to resist a man in a kilt. I even wrote a purple prose parody on the subject back in 2000, and initially, MacAlister's kilt-obsessed Kathie (who gets off on being called "lass") reminded me quite a bit of my own parody. Written in the first-person POV, Men in Kilts is essentially the story of a woman who falls in love with a man from a different culture. Love, commitment, family ties, and culture shock are all prominent themes.

Kathie Williams is on a dream-trip to a mystery writers' convention in Scotland when she spots a gorgeous man across the room. Once she gets a little closer and hears Iain MacLaren's Scottish accent, she can hardly keep herself from drooling all over him. They have a whirlwind romance, beginning with a hotel room tryst and ending with Kathie moving to Iain's highland sheep farm with plans to stay indefinitely.

Almost immediately, Kathie becomes focused on gaining a firm commitment from Iain. She also has adjustments to make as she becomes acquainted with sheep farming, and the locals. Some folks are neighborly. Others, like Iain's son Archie and his old flame Bridget, are out for Kathie's blood. Kathie needs to figure out where she stands with Iain and how she can become accustomed to a very different life.

As one might expect with a book written in the first person, this is very much Kathie's story. We hear a lot about what she's thinking and feeling, and not a whole lot about Iain's thoughts or plans. Iain is presented as a taciturn, understated guy. Kathie thinks of him as a "quiet alpha," but he was very beta in my book. I tend to enjoy first-person POV, and for the most part I liked it here. Kathie is often quite funny, and although the humor and wry observations seem forced and a bit manic at first (such as when Kathie's uterus "jumps around"), eventually things settle down to a more even keel. Still, the book falls prey to some of the problems inherent in first person POV: there is a little too much of Kathie obsessing about Iain's feelings, and not quite enough of the inner Iain. Kathy often comes across as whiny, while Iain comes across as distant.

The secondary characters are something of a mixed bag. Sometimes, they strike just the right note. Iain's loquacious, determined ex-wife is a believable ex - a little annoying, but not evil. His sons and Kathie's relatives are also very natural in their behavior. On the other hand, Bridget really falls flat in her "evil other woman" role. Her actions are completely over-the-top, even though her Christmas present to Iain is good for a laugh or two. Similarly, there is a weird nine-year old girl who shows up a few times and talks obsessively about penises. This made me wonder if the author has been anywhere near a nine-year-old in the last decade. A three-year-old will talk to a stranger about penises; a nine-year-old will never do that.

Overall, I would characterize this book as a pleasant read. There are some rough spots, and the humor isn't always spot-on. But it was funny enough to keep the pages turning, and when Iain finally wears his kilt for Kathie - at precisely the right moment - I had a smile on my face. Moments like that helped to balance out the overly zealous villain and Kathie's whiny tendencies. MacAlister has the makings of a diamond in the rough. If she hones her craft, she could really improve in time.

Reviewed by Blythe Smith
Grade : C+

Sensuality: Warm

Review Date : October 10, 2003

Publication Date: 2003

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Blythe Smith

I've been at AAR since dinosaurs roamed the Internet. I've been a Reviewer, Reviews Editor, Managing Editor, Publisher, and Blogger. Oh, and Advertising Corodinator. Right now I'm taking a step back to concentrate on kids, new husband, and new job in law...but I'll still keep my toe in the romance waters.
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