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Men in Kilts
At a mystery conference in Manchester, Katie Williams makes her move on a burly Scotsman...and winds up falling in love before the night is over...
369 pages, Kindle Edition
First published October 7, 2003
136 people are currently reading
1892 people want to read
About the author
Katie MacAlister
122 books5,988 followersFor as long as she can remember, Katie MacAlister has loved reading. Growing up in a family where a weekly visit to the library was a given, Katie spent much of her time with her nose buried in a book. Despite her love for novels, she didn't think of writing them until she was contracted to write a non-fiction book about software. Since her editor refused to allow her to include either witty dialogue or love scenes in the software book, Katie swiftly resolved to switch to fiction, where she could indulge in world building, tormenting characters, and falling madly in love with all her heroes.
Two years after she started writing novels, Katie sold her first romance, Noble Intentions. More than thirty books followed during the years after Noble's publication. Her novels have been translated into numerous languages, been recorded as audiobooks, received several awards, and placed on the New York Times, USA Today, and Publishers Weekly bestseller lists. She also writes for the young adult audience as Katie Maxwell, and for the mystery world as Kate Marsh.
Katie lives in the Pacific Northwest with her husband and dogs, and can often be found lurking around online.
Two years after she started writing novels, Katie sold her first romance, Noble Intentions. More than thirty books followed during the years after Noble's publication. Her novels have been translated into numerous languages, been recorded as audiobooks, received several awards, and placed on the New York Times, USA Today, and Publishers Weekly bestseller lists. She also writes for the young adult audience as Katie Maxwell, and for the mystery world as Kate Marsh.
Katie lives in the Pacific Northwest with her husband and dogs, and can often be found lurking around online.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 251 reviews
August 29, 2010
Where to begin? Did I hate it or just really dislike it? One star? Why?
Wow. I finished this yesterday and thought I'd give it a day to see if it grew on me any. Nope.
Katie is a mystery novelist who travels to Scotland for a writer's convention. Since she's basically completely unknown to everybody this is a bit thin as a premise to begin with. There she meets Ian. Ian is a talk brooding Scot who doesn't say much. Katie falls instantly in love and has copious quantities of unsafe sex with the man. She immediately moves in with him and takes up as the matron of a sheep farm in the highlands. The rest of the book is Ian being grumpy, Katie refusing to actually ever talk to the man, Katie getting worked up by everything, Katie generally being TSTL, and lots of talk about sheep.
Didn't like the heroine. Didn't like the hero. Didn't much care for the supporting players. Thought the book generally lacked a plot. Thought that it was a collection of glimpses into the lives of two people that I would happily erase from my memory if I could.
Not the worst book I've read this year, but certainly in the bottom five.
Wow. I finished this yesterday and thought I'd give it a day to see if it grew on me any. Nope.
Katie is a mystery novelist who travels to Scotland for a writer's convention. Since she's basically completely unknown to everybody this is a bit thin as a premise to begin with. There she meets Ian. Ian is a talk brooding Scot who doesn't say much. Katie falls instantly in love and has copious quantities of unsafe sex with the man. She immediately moves in with him and takes up as the matron of a sheep farm in the highlands. The rest of the book is Ian being grumpy, Katie refusing to actually ever talk to the man, Katie getting worked up by everything, Katie generally being TSTL, and lots of talk about sheep.
Didn't like the heroine. Didn't like the hero. Didn't much care for the supporting players. Thought the book generally lacked a plot. Thought that it was a collection of glimpses into the lives of two people that I would happily erase from my memory if I could.
Not the worst book I've read this year, but certainly in the bottom five.
March 12, 2018
Men in Kilts is a sweet, silly, romance novel that will keep you giggling!
I have always had a strong bond with Katie MacAlister and her books. Her and a few other authors were "there for me" when my Dad was sick, and by them I mean their books. This was one of those books that kept me laughing during a really tough, emotional time. Because of that, my ties to this book are probably a little stronger than they need to be. So, thank you to Katie for writing this book and thank you to luck for letting me find it during my time of need.
Katie is fantastic for silly, light hearted comedy within her romances. This book is probably one of the goofiest, and it had me actually giggling along with every fun comment. The relationships were stereotypical (minus the fact of the kilts and Scottish men), but that didn't bother me to much. The humour is what set this book out among all of the other romances I was reading at the time.
Are there "negative" points to this book? Yeah.
1. It's full of humor. That means, if you are looking for a serious, romance novel this isn't for you. It's full of slapstick and lighthearted humor, so reader beware!
2. The villain is dull, but this is a romance novel and not an action/adventure (at least in my mind).
My pros:
1. It's funny! Some of the scenes are a little wild with it's humor, but it worked for me.
2. It's not just a "fall in love, the end" kind of books. There is some plot mixed in with the sex scenes and romantic antics.
3. The book doesn't take itself too seriously, so it's easy to read and to have a good time.
Overall, this book is a nice "getaway" book. It's fun and doesn't focus on all of the negatives in life. I had gone back to it in Summer 2017 and I still enjoyed it, I just never got around to marking it down.
Five out of five stars.
I have always had a strong bond with Katie MacAlister and her books. Her and a few other authors were "there for me" when my Dad was sick, and by them I mean their books. This was one of those books that kept me laughing during a really tough, emotional time. Because of that, my ties to this book are probably a little stronger than they need to be. So, thank you to Katie for writing this book and thank you to luck for letting me find it during my time of need.
Katie is fantastic for silly, light hearted comedy within her romances. This book is probably one of the goofiest, and it had me actually giggling along with every fun comment. The relationships were stereotypical (minus the fact of the kilts and Scottish men), but that didn't bother me to much. The humour is what set this book out among all of the other romances I was reading at the time.
Are there "negative" points to this book? Yeah.
1. It's full of humor. That means, if you are looking for a serious, romance novel this isn't for you. It's full of slapstick and lighthearted humor, so reader beware!
2. The villain is dull, but this is a romance novel and not an action/adventure (at least in my mind).
My pros:
1. It's funny! Some of the scenes are a little wild with it's humor, but it worked for me.
2. It's not just a "fall in love, the end" kind of books. There is some plot mixed in with the sex scenes and romantic antics.
3. The book doesn't take itself too seriously, so it's easy to read and to have a good time.
Overall, this book is a nice "getaway" book. It's fun and doesn't focus on all of the negatives in life. I had gone back to it in Summer 2017 and I still enjoyed it, I just never got around to marking it down.
Five out of five stars.
May 9, 2010
This was one of those books where I had a stupid grin on my face for the majority of the time I spent reading it. I love Katie MacAlister's sense of humor and characters. This was a fun trip into modern Scotland, compared to the historicals I had read that also took place in Scotland.
Even with the laughing out loud throughout the book, it surprisingly had a few teary eyed moments as well.
Best part was the little glossary at the back of the book to help translate some of the expressions that the hero had that my silly American side didn't recognize ;)
I recommend this for fans of humor, fans of Scottish heros, and fans of chick-lit.
Even with the laughing out loud throughout the book, it surprisingly had a few teary eyed moments as well.
Best part was the little glossary at the back of the book to help translate some of the expressions that the hero had that my silly American side didn't recognize ;)
I recommend this for fans of humor, fans of Scottish heros, and fans of chick-lit.
May 1, 2012
Oh boy. I'm not a fan of this book. I thought the premise was ok, but the execution of it was disappointing. I couldn't get past the irritating main character who acted like a ridiculous teenager even though she is a divorced 37 year old.
What is it about the Scots? Why do we turn the men into 6'6" tall men who reduce women to babbling idiots? And trust me, Kathie (really? From an author named Katie?) is absolutely reduced to a babbling idiot who can't even act professional for the writers conference she's attending or participate in the panel she's a part of in any meaningful way because (omg omg OMG) the Scot is in the room!
So disappointed.
What is it about the Scots? Why do we turn the men into 6'6" tall men who reduce women to babbling idiots? And trust me, Kathie (really? From an author named Katie?) is absolutely reduced to a babbling idiot who can't even act professional for the writers conference she's attending or participate in the panel she's a part of in any meaningful way because (omg omg OMG) the Scot is in the room!
So disappointed.
September 19, 2008
I read this book because I've really enjoyed Katie's paranormal novels. I'm not generally into reading straight up romances. I will say that although this book was set in contemporary Scotland, it definitely didn't fit the straight up boy gets girl, boy loses girl formula. Then again, none of her books read as remotely formulaic.
As usual the dialog is funny often during sex scenes. The villain is annoying, but it is still funny although I very much would have volunteered to slap her for Kathie. The plot went beyond the romantic leads getting together, and I found that twist to be interesting. I also liked the place descriptions and Brit/Scots dialog both items added flavor to the story.
Overall, very enjoyable book. I read it in a day and I don't generally have the time to read novels that quickly.
As usual the dialog is funny often during sex scenes. The villain is annoying, but it is still funny although I very much would have volunteered to slap her for Kathie. The plot went beyond the romantic leads getting together, and I found that twist to be interesting. I also liked the place descriptions and Brit/Scots dialog both items added flavor to the story.
Overall, very enjoyable book. I read it in a day and I don't generally have the time to read novels that quickly.
October 22, 2008
After LOVING the Aisling Grey books I was looking forward to Men in Kilts (b/c honestly? Who doesn't love a hot Scot??) but I was really disappointed in this book. The heroine came across as whiney and there was no oomph to what plot there was.
NOT Katie's best book...
NOT Katie's best book...
January 15, 2012
Men in Kilts: A valiant Effort...
I did not get adequately through this book what so ever. I'm not going to make any asumptions about the rest of the book because i quit so early I couldn't accurately tell you. However, I can talk about what I did have the rather unpleasant opportunity of reading...
2 things i liked about this novel
1. The Plot/description: Hot Scottish man and a woman with enough gumption to approach him! I love it. Its just the recipe for a good contemporary bit of fluff full of hot sex, great scottish scenery, and hot Scottish men.
2. The Hero: Ian. Hot, 6'6", sense of humor, likes to read. Farmer. Delicious brogue.
DROOL/SWOON :)
3. The IDEA of the heroine: spunky, middle aged, loved and lost (which i thought would meant a little experienced) a writer. she sounded fun....
The reason i DNF
H.E.R.O.I.N.E. She is a 37 year old divorced woman and dreadfully immature. I understand seeing a man and having a sudden bout of youthful lust and zeal but seriously...did all your sense need to leave your wee brain! Her reaction to penises alone is enough to make you want to stab her who says "Glorioski" or "hoo" or "I hope you brought a shoehorn" ... If i were that guy i would have packed it away and hightailed it out of there.
I did not get adequately through this book what so ever. I'm not going to make any asumptions about the rest of the book because i quit so early I couldn't accurately tell you. However, I can talk about what I did have the rather unpleasant opportunity of reading...
2 things i liked about this novel
1. The Plot/description: Hot Scottish man and a woman with enough gumption to approach him! I love it. Its just the recipe for a good contemporary bit of fluff full of hot sex, great scottish scenery, and hot Scottish men.
2. The Hero: Ian. Hot, 6'6", sense of humor, likes to read. Farmer. Delicious brogue.
DROOL/SWOON :)3. The IDEA of the heroine: spunky, middle aged, loved and lost (which i thought would meant a little experienced) a writer. she sounded fun....
The reason i DNF
H.E.R.O.I.N.E. She is a 37 year old divorced woman and dreadfully immature. I understand seeing a man and having a sudden bout of youthful lust and zeal but seriously...did all your sense need to leave your wee brain! Her reaction to penises alone is enough to make you want to stab her who says "Glorioski" or "hoo" or "I hope you brought a shoehorn" ... If i were that guy i would have packed it away and hightailed it out of there.
April 26, 2008
I really enjoy Katie MacAlister's Dragon series so I thought I would give her contemporary romance a try. I find her mixture of humour and romance quite refreshing. I was glad to see I was correct with her romance, as well.
A refreshing story on an American authors first trip to England where she falls madly and helplessly in love with a strapping Scots man. But meeting his family tends to be a bit on the disastrous side.
All I can say is....why can't I get my ex-pat other half to wear a kilt for me? LOL
A refreshing story on an American authors first trip to England where she falls madly and helplessly in love with a strapping Scots man. But meeting his family tends to be a bit on the disastrous side.
All I can say is....why can't I get my ex-pat other half to wear a kilt for me? LOL
November 28, 2010
I only made it to page 156 before I decided that life is too short to slog through a book this bad that doesn't even meet any challenge requirements.
There are a number of reasons that I didn't like this book.
One of them is my fault. I have been reading LOTS of books that involved mortal peril. There is danger and violence and someone is always either fighting for their lives, trying to escape evil or their soul is in very real danger. Everyone's love is proven at the tip of a blade. Strength (both physical and mental) is tested, both of the hero and of the heroine. The story lines may be fantastical or not (even though I've said that I don't like law enforcement books, they fit that mold and thus I read them and enjoy them despite the fact that I tend to picture my real life law enforcement co-workers in the starring roles...awkward). But I really like that level of struggle and triumph. This book had none of that.
The only struggle in this book is whether the female lead will be manipulative enough to annoy the crap out of the male lead. Through horrendous writing, we get to know this 37 year old woman from Seattle who married and divorced a guy when she was 18 years old, then somehow manages to be creative enough to become a mystery writer. She goes to this mystery conference in England where she meets this Scot in the first few minutes of the conference and somehow, without any conflict at all, they basically decide to be together forever. But because Katie has another 300 pages to fill, we get to watch said woman cry (A LOT), scheme (quite a bit), act inappropriately (too often) and basically demonstrate all the female qualities that give women everywhere a bad name. I can't find a single redeeming quality in this woman and really it seems that the only reason this Scot is with her is because despite the fact that she starts out with her whole body blushing at the idea of sex (and not because it makes her hot, it actually EMBARRASSES a 37 year old woman from a vital city to even imagine having sex with some guy), she starts having sex with him at every turn (and not in a, wow, this is a hot book kinda way, but in a passing, we had sex on the desk and it was great...that's it. It's not a scene I get to read, almost thankfully, but just mentioned while she's blathering about how she has to go head to head with the damned housekeeper again).
I can't really get to know the Scot very well, not after half the book has passed because the main character, Kathie, has spent the whole book mewling about this, that and the next thing. The only time we get to see a slice of his character is when she's worked herself up to the point of tears about whatever her overactive imagination has dreamed up to be upset about this time to see that he isn't a real man after all because he just holds her and asks what's going on, then disarms her with the perfect answer to her ridiculous blubbering. Then he goes back to work and she starts in on the NEXT ridiculous-ass thing that she thinks is coming between them.
Half way through the book and really I just started hoping that he'd kick her sorry butt out of the house and basically end the BOOK. Since once they weren't together any more, the story would essentially be over except for more of her belly-aching, which THIS time would FINALLY be warranted.
So for now, I kiss Katie MacAlister au revoir (funny typo there, to the god, au dieu, decided to pair "mon dieu" with "au revoir"). I am done with her. Maybe some day when I have had enough of the intrigue that I've come to enjoy and I'm looking for something sedate and the antithesis of everything I truly love about my favorite female leads, I will come back to her. Some day when I've read everything else on the planet. Thanks for making it easy Katie.
There are a number of reasons that I didn't like this book.
One of them is my fault. I have been reading LOTS of books that involved mortal peril. There is danger and violence and someone is always either fighting for their lives, trying to escape evil or their soul is in very real danger. Everyone's love is proven at the tip of a blade. Strength (both physical and mental) is tested, both of the hero and of the heroine. The story lines may be fantastical or not (even though I've said that I don't like law enforcement books, they fit that mold and thus I read them and enjoy them despite the fact that I tend to picture my real life law enforcement co-workers in the starring roles...awkward). But I really like that level of struggle and triumph. This book had none of that.
The only struggle in this book is whether the female lead will be manipulative enough to annoy the crap out of the male lead. Through horrendous writing, we get to know this 37 year old woman from Seattle who married and divorced a guy when she was 18 years old, then somehow manages to be creative enough to become a mystery writer. She goes to this mystery conference in England where she meets this Scot in the first few minutes of the conference and somehow, without any conflict at all, they basically decide to be together forever. But because Katie has another 300 pages to fill, we get to watch said woman cry (A LOT), scheme (quite a bit), act inappropriately (too often) and basically demonstrate all the female qualities that give women everywhere a bad name. I can't find a single redeeming quality in this woman and really it seems that the only reason this Scot is with her is because despite the fact that she starts out with her whole body blushing at the idea of sex (and not because it makes her hot, it actually EMBARRASSES a 37 year old woman from a vital city to even imagine having sex with some guy), she starts having sex with him at every turn (and not in a, wow, this is a hot book kinda way, but in a passing, we had sex on the desk and it was great...that's it. It's not a scene I get to read, almost thankfully, but just mentioned while she's blathering about how she has to go head to head with the damned housekeeper again).
I can't really get to know the Scot very well, not after half the book has passed because the main character, Kathie, has spent the whole book mewling about this, that and the next thing. The only time we get to see a slice of his character is when she's worked herself up to the point of tears about whatever her overactive imagination has dreamed up to be upset about this time to see that he isn't a real man after all because he just holds her and asks what's going on, then disarms her with the perfect answer to her ridiculous blubbering. Then he goes back to work and she starts in on the NEXT ridiculous-ass thing that she thinks is coming between them.
Half way through the book and really I just started hoping that he'd kick her sorry butt out of the house and basically end the BOOK. Since once they weren't together any more, the story would essentially be over except for more of her belly-aching, which THIS time would FINALLY be warranted.
So for now, I kiss Katie MacAlister au revoir (funny typo there, to the god, au dieu, decided to pair "mon dieu" with "au revoir"). I am done with her. Maybe some day when I have had enough of the intrigue that I've come to enjoy and I'm looking for something sedate and the antithesis of everything I truly love about my favorite female leads, I will come back to her. Some day when I've read everything else on the planet. Thanks for making it easy Katie.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
July 22, 2016
Kathie is a mystery writer who is attending a conference in London where she meets Iain who is a Scottish sheep farmer. Turns out it is love at first sight but it is a long road to happily ever after.
I read this one as part of a challenge and I was pleasantly surprised at the humor, there were parts where I genuinely laughed out loud. The other good thing was the setting, I have never thought about sheep farming or life in present day Scotland. As a romance novel it was a lot of passion I think and most of the sex took place off stage which was nice because there was quite a bit of it.
Things that were odd, the heroine she was a little overly-emotional. For the life of me I did not get why she cried so much or why she was in such a rush by 37 you should be a little more confident in who you are. Nor did I understand why Iain loved her, I am all for strong and silent but you know this is a book I require a little explanation. Which brings me to my last issue all of the dangling subplots. For example Kathie has a best friend who we never meet she just sends a few e-mails. Also a times some things are glossed over while other things we get a lot of detail, personally I would have preferred a more streamlined story without so many of the side stories that went no where.
Overall it is not a bad read, quite the opposite it is entertaining and funny I think it just needs better editing.
I read this one as part of a challenge and I was pleasantly surprised at the humor, there were parts where I genuinely laughed out loud. The other good thing was the setting, I have never thought about sheep farming or life in present day Scotland. As a romance novel it was a lot of passion I think and most of the sex took place off stage which was nice because there was quite a bit of it.
Things that were odd, the heroine she was a little overly-emotional. For the life of me I did not get why she cried so much or why she was in such a rush by 37 you should be a little more confident in who you are. Nor did I understand why Iain loved her, I am all for strong and silent but you know this is a book I require a little explanation. Which brings me to my last issue all of the dangling subplots. For example Kathie has a best friend who we never meet she just sends a few e-mails. Also a times some things are glossed over while other things we get a lot of detail, personally I would have preferred a more streamlined story without so many of the side stories that went no where.
Overall it is not a bad read, quite the opposite it is entertaining and funny I think it just needs better editing.
October 3, 2008
I love Katie MacAlister's tone in her books. Funny and sexy and generally the main characters are relateable. I struggled a little with this character more than others of hers - but the book itself was so fun I felt it wasn't a big deal.
July 25, 2015
I picked up this book thinking it would be a fun, light read about one of my favorite countries. What followed was probably one of the worst reading experiences I've ever had in my life.
This book is unrepentantly terrible. I'm not kidding, it's truly awful.
I've actually had to take a little time after finishing it just to collect my thoughts so I can feel like I'm shedding light on everything that was wrong with this seemingly normal romance book.
In the end, I decided to just do bullet points:
--The heroine is a 37 year-old American woman who is a mystery writer and goes to Scotland for a writer's conference in which she will be speaking. 3 pages are spent total on this. That is also the only 3 pages in the book where she talks about her career at all.
--For being 37, the heroine (Kathie) sure acts like a 14 year old. And not in a fun, life-affirming way either. She is always either flying into a rage or bursting into tears and throwing things at the hero. Unless, of course, she's getting so overwhelmed by his sexiness that she's forgetting her anger and jumping him like a horny goat. Most of the book she actually seemed more like she was genuinely developmentally disabled in some way. I don't say that as a joke or for a laugh. I say it as a PSA.
--She moves in with the hero (Iain) after 3 DAYS of knowing him. This means giving up her entire life in America, (her house, her friends, her family) and moving to the highlands of Scotland, a place she has never been to live on a farm which she has never done before and has no understanding of.
--!!!Speaks!!!In!!!Near!!!Constant!!!Exclamation!!!Marks!!!
--Frequently uses British slang like 'Bloody Hell' and various Scottish jargon even though—wait, let me check, yep, she's definitely still an American with an American accent. This is more of a personal pet peeve but holy shit does she make it annoying. It's CONSTANT throughout the book.
About 1/3 of the way into the book, decides it's her 'mission' to make Iain propose to her and say 'I love you'. Starts devoting all of her time to this but never actually talks to him about it or lets him know how she's feeling. She basically devotes a quarter of the book to tricking him into proposing to her. Need I say why this made my teeth grind?
--Thinks she's superior to everyone else. Always thinking snide comments about everyone around her. That would be fine if everyone wasn't always taking care to point out how 'kind' she is and how 'sweet' and 'good'. She's not. I wouldn't be friends with this woman if you paid me.
--Acts like a brat immediately toward the grown son of the hero, not bothering to question why he wouldn't take an instant shine to the woman who is moving in with his land-owning father after only knowing him for 3 days. She never resolves this and continues to play childish little games and pranks with him through the entire book.
--Drools over the hero's good-looking brother so much that it's actually embarrassing to read. If he's hot, fine. But practically licking your boyfriend (or, sorry, 'soulmates') brother in front of him is pretty messed up. Iain never said anything about it even though his ex-wife cheated on him before she left and this is later addressed in the book as a huge problem for him. Okay then.
But all of this is minimal compared to my two biggest problems with the book:
--Kathie's puritan views on sex of any kind. She's a 21st century woman who has been married once before and the author seems to be trying to write her as very modern but she gets grossed out every time that the sex that she's constantly having with her boyfriend is brought up or alluded to in any way. She doesn't want Iain telling his friends that they're together because then she knows they'll assume that she and he are 'Doing it', (her words, not mine). Meanwhile she's hanging off of him like mud, at one point even trailing along after him, holding onto his pockets as he walks. I guess she just wanted his friends to think he'd adopted her from some American orphanage? She's too embarrassed to talk about sex even when they are literally having it. She speaks in 'Um...gee' ellipsis so often during the '….Oh...... mercy!' sex scenes that even when I held back my vomit enough to read them closely, I could never actually figure out what he was supposed to be doing to her. I think, if it's possible the author may be even more embarrassed by sex than her character. Not sure why she's writing erotic romances, if that's the case.
This immaturity also extends to her limited usage of swear words. Look, I get it, not everyone is a potty-mouth and some people are made very uncomfortable by swearing but there's something about yelling out 'Glorioski!' when having an orgasm that's neither sexy nor funny and ended up just being nauseating.
All of these blushing Victorian sensibilities extend, of course, to her birth control which she doesn't like talking about or taking. Which OF COURSE leads to her getting accidentally pregnant. Iain has to be the one to tell her via a guessing game about the calender that any real grown woman would've won LONG before Klueless Kathie. She is so in the dark about her own menstrual cycle- through her own design – that she gets accidentally pregnant and a man has to be the one to point out that she's missed two periods. Oh, no, I'm sorry, Kathie doesn't refer to them as periods, instead going with the rage-inducing nickname of 'Mister Monthly Visitor' or 'MMV'. I will remind you, this is an almost 40 year old woman.
And problem #2:
--The villain- and I use that word in the most silent movie-esque sense – is a classic femme fatale. An ex of Iain's who is not quite finished with him and uses every opportunity to put Kathie down and belittle her (which, fuck you, Kathie. I agree with most of the shit she was saying). And, of course Iain just doesn't see that bad in her and won't tell her to go to hell. Give me a break.
Kathie spends so much time and energy worrying about the ex (Bridget) and thinking about her and obsessing over her that I actually started to wonder if Kathie might not be in love with her and I'd actually stumbled into a halfway decent book.
Kathie, once again, acts incredibly childish toward this woman (SHE STOMPS OFF IN A SNIT BEFORE SHE EVEN HAS A CONVERSATION WITH BRIDGET, BTW) much like a teenage girl who is worried about losing her boyfriend to a cheerleader. At least, that's how it played.
Kathie even describes Bridget as a 'Predator after my man'. Don't make me barf. Again.
I gather that we were supposed to be rooting for Kathie in the sparring scenes between these two when Bridget was throwing little cuts her way and Kathie was bragging about being the one to actually win the man but I was too distracted by the stone walls of feminism falling in on us all after so much work. Somewhere Tina Fey and Amy Poehler are crying, you guys.
At one point, in a stunning Kathie moment, she finds out that Bridget's ex-husband was abusive to her and automatically assumes that Bridget made it up without knowing any other information. Good job, sister suffragette. You're really making strides.
All of this comes to a head in the last chapter. Now, the last chapter is obviously important. It's where your characters are supposed to face their biggest challenge, the pinnacle of your plot. It's supposed to cleanly and concisely let us know what the real problem was all along and how it's gonna get solved.
Anyway, Iain yelled at Bridget and she stormed off in a huff. There. I just saved you ten bucks.
At some point, reading this book felt like what I imagine having Stockholm Syndrome might be like. I only finished it because I honestly wanted to see how bad it could get (worse and worse) and because I harbored the secret, if impossible hope that it would actually end with everyone dying. I'm giving it one star because I fear that giving it no stars would make people think that I had just forgotten to rate it. I didn't. This book sucks. Don't read it.
This book is unrepentantly terrible. I'm not kidding, it's truly awful.
I've actually had to take a little time after finishing it just to collect my thoughts so I can feel like I'm shedding light on everything that was wrong with this seemingly normal romance book.
In the end, I decided to just do bullet points:
--The heroine is a 37 year-old American woman who is a mystery writer and goes to Scotland for a writer's conference in which she will be speaking. 3 pages are spent total on this. That is also the only 3 pages in the book where she talks about her career at all.
--For being 37, the heroine (Kathie) sure acts like a 14 year old. And not in a fun, life-affirming way either. She is always either flying into a rage or bursting into tears and throwing things at the hero. Unless, of course, she's getting so overwhelmed by his sexiness that she's forgetting her anger and jumping him like a horny goat. Most of the book she actually seemed more like she was genuinely developmentally disabled in some way. I don't say that as a joke or for a laugh. I say it as a PSA.
--She moves in with the hero (Iain) after 3 DAYS of knowing him. This means giving up her entire life in America, (her house, her friends, her family) and moving to the highlands of Scotland, a place she has never been to live on a farm which she has never done before and has no understanding of.
--!!!Speaks!!!In!!!Near!!!Constant!!!Exclamation!!!Marks!!!
--Frequently uses British slang like 'Bloody Hell' and various Scottish jargon even though—wait, let me check, yep, she's definitely still an American with an American accent. This is more of a personal pet peeve but holy shit does she make it annoying. It's CONSTANT throughout the book.
About 1/3 of the way into the book, decides it's her 'mission' to make Iain propose to her and say 'I love you'. Starts devoting all of her time to this but never actually talks to him about it or lets him know how she's feeling. She basically devotes a quarter of the book to tricking him into proposing to her. Need I say why this made my teeth grind?
--Thinks she's superior to everyone else. Always thinking snide comments about everyone around her. That would be fine if everyone wasn't always taking care to point out how 'kind' she is and how 'sweet' and 'good'. She's not. I wouldn't be friends with this woman if you paid me.
--Acts like a brat immediately toward the grown son of the hero, not bothering to question why he wouldn't take an instant shine to the woman who is moving in with his land-owning father after only knowing him for 3 days. She never resolves this and continues to play childish little games and pranks with him through the entire book.
--Drools over the hero's good-looking brother so much that it's actually embarrassing to read. If he's hot, fine. But practically licking your boyfriend (or, sorry, 'soulmates') brother in front of him is pretty messed up. Iain never said anything about it even though his ex-wife cheated on him before she left and this is later addressed in the book as a huge problem for him. Okay then.
But all of this is minimal compared to my two biggest problems with the book:
--Kathie's puritan views on sex of any kind. She's a 21st century woman who has been married once before and the author seems to be trying to write her as very modern but she gets grossed out every time that the sex that she's constantly having with her boyfriend is brought up or alluded to in any way. She doesn't want Iain telling his friends that they're together because then she knows they'll assume that she and he are 'Doing it', (her words, not mine). Meanwhile she's hanging off of him like mud, at one point even trailing along after him, holding onto his pockets as he walks. I guess she just wanted his friends to think he'd adopted her from some American orphanage? She's too embarrassed to talk about sex even when they are literally having it. She speaks in 'Um...gee' ellipsis so often during the '….Oh...... mercy!' sex scenes that even when I held back my vomit enough to read them closely, I could never actually figure out what he was supposed to be doing to her. I think, if it's possible the author may be even more embarrassed by sex than her character. Not sure why she's writing erotic romances, if that's the case.
This immaturity also extends to her limited usage of swear words. Look, I get it, not everyone is a potty-mouth and some people are made very uncomfortable by swearing but there's something about yelling out 'Glorioski!' when having an orgasm that's neither sexy nor funny and ended up just being nauseating.
All of these blushing Victorian sensibilities extend, of course, to her birth control which she doesn't like talking about or taking. Which OF COURSE leads to her getting accidentally pregnant. Iain has to be the one to tell her via a guessing game about the calender that any real grown woman would've won LONG before Klueless Kathie. She is so in the dark about her own menstrual cycle- through her own design – that she gets accidentally pregnant and a man has to be the one to point out that she's missed two periods. Oh, no, I'm sorry, Kathie doesn't refer to them as periods, instead going with the rage-inducing nickname of 'Mister Monthly Visitor' or 'MMV'. I will remind you, this is an almost 40 year old woman.
And problem #2:
--The villain- and I use that word in the most silent movie-esque sense – is a classic femme fatale. An ex of Iain's who is not quite finished with him and uses every opportunity to put Kathie down and belittle her (which, fuck you, Kathie. I agree with most of the shit she was saying). And, of course Iain just doesn't see that bad in her and won't tell her to go to hell. Give me a break.
Kathie spends so much time and energy worrying about the ex (Bridget) and thinking about her and obsessing over her that I actually started to wonder if Kathie might not be in love with her and I'd actually stumbled into a halfway decent book.
Kathie, once again, acts incredibly childish toward this woman (SHE STOMPS OFF IN A SNIT BEFORE SHE EVEN HAS A CONVERSATION WITH BRIDGET, BTW) much like a teenage girl who is worried about losing her boyfriend to a cheerleader. At least, that's how it played.
Kathie even describes Bridget as a 'Predator after my man'. Don't make me barf. Again.
I gather that we were supposed to be rooting for Kathie in the sparring scenes between these two when Bridget was throwing little cuts her way and Kathie was bragging about being the one to actually win the man but I was too distracted by the stone walls of feminism falling in on us all after so much work. Somewhere Tina Fey and Amy Poehler are crying, you guys.
At one point, in a stunning Kathie moment, she finds out that Bridget's ex-husband was abusive to her and automatically assumes that Bridget made it up without knowing any other information. Good job, sister suffragette. You're really making strides.
All of this comes to a head in the last chapter. Now, the last chapter is obviously important. It's where your characters are supposed to face their biggest challenge, the pinnacle of your plot. It's supposed to cleanly and concisely let us know what the real problem was all along and how it's gonna get solved.
Anyway, Iain yelled at Bridget and she stormed off in a huff. There. I just saved you ten bucks.
At some point, reading this book felt like what I imagine having Stockholm Syndrome might be like. I only finished it because I honestly wanted to see how bad it could get (worse and worse) and because I harbored the secret, if impossible hope that it would actually end with everyone dying. I'm giving it one star because I fear that giving it no stars would make people think that I had just forgotten to rate it. I didn't. This book sucks. Don't read it.
December 14, 2023
this book was insanely awful!!!!!
edit to add more about why:
this is a romance book, but there’s no build up or meaningful connection. they meet and she immediately loves him because he’s scottish, and this pretty much remains the theme for the rest of the book. occasionally, she’ll comment on him doing something “romantic” but she really only loves him because she’s physically attracted to him.
so after a couple weeks she starts saying “I love you” and is really upset when he won’t say it back. she finally confronts him, and he responds by saying that he’s saying it with every gesture. she swoons at this because it’s SO romantic, but actually at the end of the day there’s zero communication about where they really stand in their relationship and what they each need from each other.
emboldened by this, Kathie starts dropping hints about marriage, talking about how her visa expires after three months. so apparently, it’s impossible for Kathie to actually communicate?! so she gets hysterical over this because Iain isn’t proposing, but finally after two weeks of this (so how long have they been dating exactly..? a few months?), he proposes! you might think that’s the end of the story, but nope, we’re only halfway through.
now that we’ve already gotten the “happy ending,” there’s very little romance story left to tell… but fear not! Katie McAllister decided to talk about every wedding detail that no one cares about! yay! and THEN, we still get a whole section on how Kathie doesn’t want to send the lambs to slaughter, and Iain is like, “so.. this is my livelihood…” which makes you wonder: shouldn’t you have discussed this BEFORE marriage? Kathie literally moved to a different continent for you! why did neither of you think to discuss these basic things?
Overall: Made me ashamed to share a name with the mc
edit to add more about why:
this is a romance book, but there’s no build up or meaningful connection. they meet and she immediately loves him because he’s scottish, and this pretty much remains the theme for the rest of the book. occasionally, she’ll comment on him doing something “romantic” but she really only loves him because she’s physically attracted to him.
so after a couple weeks she starts saying “I love you” and is really upset when he won’t say it back. she finally confronts him, and he responds by saying that he’s saying it with every gesture. she swoons at this because it’s SO romantic, but actually at the end of the day there’s zero communication about where they really stand in their relationship and what they each need from each other.
emboldened by this, Kathie starts dropping hints about marriage, talking about how her visa expires after three months. so apparently, it’s impossible for Kathie to actually communicate?! so she gets hysterical over this because Iain isn’t proposing, but finally after two weeks of this (so how long have they been dating exactly..? a few months?), he proposes! you might think that’s the end of the story, but nope, we’re only halfway through.
now that we’ve already gotten the “happy ending,” there’s very little romance story left to tell… but fear not! Katie McAllister decided to talk about every wedding detail that no one cares about! yay! and THEN, we still get a whole section on how Kathie doesn’t want to send the lambs to slaughter, and Iain is like, “so.. this is my livelihood…” which makes you wonder: shouldn’t you have discussed this BEFORE marriage? Kathie literally moved to a different continent for you! why did neither of you think to discuss these basic things?
Overall: Made me ashamed to share a name with the mc
April 1, 2013
Kathie William, a mystery fiction writer , heads to England for a writers conference. During the conference she meets up with the most handsome and enticing man she has ever met in her lonely life. Kathie has never been one to take physical attraction lightly, she will get emotionally involved. After sharing a passionate night with this enticing stranger, she knows that she wants to spend as much time with him as she possibly can, never knowing if it will last or not. At first Kathie assumes that for him this is just a fling, but for Kathie, her emotions are definitely involved. Then she goes up to Scotland with Iain to this sheep farm and to meet his two sons. At this point all Kathie really knows is that she is falling for this Scot. Despite the fact that things are looking bright for them both, there are always obstacles in their path of true happiness, that will surely test them, but will it destroy or only make their bond that much stronger?
If I had to say one phrase of what this book was it would be "A Breath of Fresh Air", and I definitely had a hard time putting this one down, and I was on VACATION lol. So it definitely was one that I loved and definitely could be considered a re read for sure. I really enjoyed reading Katie MacAlister, her writing is so sexy yet fun too, that anyone can enjoy themselves reading her books. Both Kathie and Iain were both a delight to get to know throughout this fun fun story, and also I loved the surrounding as well. I have always loved reading anything that takes place in Scotland. I don't get to read too many modern romances that take place with the Scots. So its always fun to read these kind of stories. I don't read too many contemporaries, I am more of a fan of historical and the paranormal, and a bit time travel. But there are a few contemporary authors that I really enjoy reading from, and Katie MacAlister is definitely one of those! Also one other aspect I truly loved about reading this book, is that Kathie and Iain are so very different, definitely takes a new meaning to "opposites attract". Imagine if you will, a true born Scot, that comes into a relationship with a modern American woman, there is definitely misunderstandings that will definitely occur between this couple, but its way amusing to watch these two interact with one another.
If I had to say one phrase of what this book was it would be "A Breath of Fresh Air", and I definitely had a hard time putting this one down, and I was on VACATION lol. So it definitely was one that I loved and definitely could be considered a re read for sure. I really enjoyed reading Katie MacAlister, her writing is so sexy yet fun too, that anyone can enjoy themselves reading her books. Both Kathie and Iain were both a delight to get to know throughout this fun fun story, and also I loved the surrounding as well. I have always loved reading anything that takes place in Scotland. I don't get to read too many modern romances that take place with the Scots. So its always fun to read these kind of stories. I don't read too many contemporaries, I am more of a fan of historical and the paranormal, and a bit time travel. But there are a few contemporary authors that I really enjoy reading from, and Katie MacAlister is definitely one of those! Also one other aspect I truly loved about reading this book, is that Kathie and Iain are so very different, definitely takes a new meaning to "opposites attract". Imagine if you will, a true born Scot, that comes into a relationship with a modern American woman, there is definitely misunderstandings that will definitely occur between this couple, but its way amusing to watch these two interact with one another.
February 21, 2014
When I came across this book under contemporary romance I thought one thing...hot Scotsman plus Katie MacAlister should be an automatic success. I was wrong. The writing in this novel is flawless in typical Katie fashion, the characters is were the whole enchilada falls apart. Kathie, the female lead, is a mystery author attending a conference across the pond. Suffering from an incorrigible case of jet lag she dons her finest and makes her way down the opening festivities. After having fallen asleep, drooled all over herself and another change of outfits she stumbles across a tall fortyish Scottish dream. He's kind, courteous, funny with the sex appeal that could cause a stampede of women. Now, here's the kicker, after getting rudely interrupted and losing sight of her dream man on night one she proceeds to sulk and pout the rest of the conference. A trip she has saved nickles and dimes for? When our insta-couple reunite just before the end of the conference fireworks fly. From there it's a supposed whirlwind romance except the Kathie is prudish, whiny, often self centered and tends to cry at everything. I grew to dislike her. Our stud, Iain, showed the predictable patients of a saint. He held her when she cried, he didn't get mad or upset when she accidently killed his cat or even when after being together for a couple of weeks dropped hints of marriage daily like a bomb on Hiroshima. Yet when the took a trip to the States to meet her parents and she casually forgot to mention the fact her landlord was also her ex-hubby she had the audacity to get snippy at him for being upset. Really? I felt I was thrown into a time vortex into the heart of middle school. I apologize, Katie MacAlister, but I feel this is one that could have been put on the back burner. However, knowing what this author is capable I will continue to read her novels.
January 22, 2010
Trying hard to get through this book but the main character is insipid, immature and acts like she's 14 instead of 37. I got the book from the library because of the title, but so far the book has been very disappointing.
Two days after she has sex with a hot highlander, she tells him she loves him, two weeks later she wants to talk marriage and this is all in the first 125 pages. (p.s. Is every gorgeous Scot 6 1/2 ft tall?)
MacAlister seems to try too hard to be funny with the little asides we get from the main character, whom I've grown to loathe. She cries at the slightest insult, gets tongue tied over a hunky guy and though she's scrimped and saved for over a year to attend her first writer's conference as an author, she pouts through most of it because she doesn't see her Scot anywhere around after the first night. Is she 12??? Geez!
I may try to give this book another go but I've a stack of reading piling up and this book is feeling like it isn't worth my time and effort.
~*~*~*~*~*~*
Okay I went back and made it through the book. The main character was still ditzy in spots and a caricature of women (saying I love you too soon and marriage immediately after) but the story had some funny parts too.
I hope this was an early book and she has gotten better.
Two days after she has sex with a hot highlander, she tells him she loves him, two weeks later she wants to talk marriage and this is all in the first 125 pages. (p.s. Is every gorgeous Scot 6 1/2 ft tall?)
MacAlister seems to try too hard to be funny with the little asides we get from the main character, whom I've grown to loathe. She cries at the slightest insult, gets tongue tied over a hunky guy and though she's scrimped and saved for over a year to attend her first writer's conference as an author, she pouts through most of it because she doesn't see her Scot anywhere around after the first night. Is she 12??? Geez!
I may try to give this book another go but I've a stack of reading piling up and this book is feeling like it isn't worth my time and effort.
~*~*~*~*~*~*
Okay I went back and made it through the book. The main character was still ditzy in spots and a caricature of women (saying I love you too soon and marriage immediately after) but the story had some funny parts too.
I hope this was an early book and she has gotten better.
February 12, 2019
I wasn't able to finish one chapter of this book because I disliked the main character THAT much. I normally like this author, but this book was awful. The main character is Kathie, age 37, mystery author. She saved up money to fly from the US to England for a mystery writers conference. She meets a handsome Scot the first night then obsesses over him for days during the conference. She is even on a panel and contributes nothing to it, making this trip a total wash career wise.
She then has unsafe sex with a man that she knows very little about, then meets his adult son after knowing him for 3 days, and decides that she's fallen in love at first sight and is thinking about moving to Scotland. So she plans on going back to Scotland with him.
We know nothing about this guy except that he's a very handsome Scot so what could there be to obsess over? We don't even know if he's a nice guy. She obsesses over their first date and doesn't even know what they talked about. So main character is shallow and confuses lust for love, slut shamed herself, (and slut-shamed by the son), and we still have no character development of love interest. This is all in the first 20-30 pages. I really tried to keep reading, but Kathie is do annoying that I couldn't do it.
She then has unsafe sex with a man that she knows very little about, then meets his adult son after knowing him for 3 days, and decides that she's fallen in love at first sight and is thinking about moving to Scotland. So she plans on going back to Scotland with him.
We know nothing about this guy except that he's a very handsome Scot so what could there be to obsess over? We don't even know if he's a nice guy. She obsesses over their first date and doesn't even know what they talked about. So main character is shallow and confuses lust for love, slut shamed herself, (and slut-shamed by the son), and we still have no character development of love interest. This is all in the first 20-30 pages. I really tried to keep reading, but Kathie is do annoying that I couldn't do it.
April 14, 2013
Loved this book. Fun, sexy, story!
July 11, 2019
Well, it's summer, and I do love Scotland and don't at all object to the hot and steamy, so there's my excuses for actually finishing this book. The online recommendation that prompted me to start reading also termed it a "Regency romance," which it patently is not, so the faint hope of a bit of time travel also kept me going. But here's the thing: while the male lead seems adequately lust-worthy, the female protagonist and narrative voice is so annoying and silly and ridiculous that I was sorry to have the descriptions of sheep-farming in the Highlands give over to the descriptions of the rumpy-pumpy. Spoiler alert: the man eventually does wear a kilt.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
March 11, 2023
When I started to read this, I was enjoying the fun dialogue, the saucy bits and overall where the story was progressing to. Except for the Scot, I did not see character development, the story dragged, and the ending was a complete letdown.
January 25, 2021
I thought this would be a nice smutty read. It wasn’t. There was very little smut, no plot, and dislikable characters. Finished, but do not recommend.
June 18, 2023
This book is absolutely amazing
April 29, 2009
I really enjoyed this book. She wrote in a way that you could hear the Scottish Brogue as you read it and at the end, included a dictionary of Scottish terms!
Mystery writer Kathie Williams firmly believes in rules when it comes to romance, and falling in love at first glance is not one of them. Yet somehow one look at Iain MacLaren and Kathie forgets the conference she’s attending to dream up ways to seduce the dishy Scotsman. She accepts a surprise dinner invitation from Iain, which leads to a much more intimate kind of evening than she ever could have imagined. Throwing caution to the wind, Kathie agrees to spend the rest of her vacation with him on his sheep farm in the Scottish Highlands, but any hope of a long-term relationship with her laconic lover means dealing with his assorted relatives and neighbors, a scheming ex-paramour who is not about to let Iain slip through her clutches, and Iain’s career, which involves letting adorable lambs become someone’s entree
Mystery writer Kathie Williams firmly believes in rules when it comes to romance, and falling in love at first glance is not one of them. Yet somehow one look at Iain MacLaren and Kathie forgets the conference she’s attending to dream up ways to seduce the dishy Scotsman. She accepts a surprise dinner invitation from Iain, which leads to a much more intimate kind of evening than she ever could have imagined. Throwing caution to the wind, Kathie agrees to spend the rest of her vacation with him on his sheep farm in the Scottish Highlands, but any hope of a long-term relationship with her laconic lover means dealing with his assorted relatives and neighbors, a scheming ex-paramour who is not about to let Iain slip through her clutches, and Iain’s career, which involves letting adorable lambs become someone’s entree
October 21, 2015
Having read enough books by this author to believe I would enjoy one set in Scotland (on my short list of places I must visit before I die), I began this story with high hopes. Sadly, my hopes were dashed pretty quickly when I met the female lead and took an almost immediate dislike to her. This did not improve as I worked (and I DO mean "worked") my way through the book. From the moment she fell in lust with the male lead when she spotted him across a room, until the very last pages, she is either whining to, crying on or baiting said male, whom I couldn't really believe would put up with a woman like her. I did stick with the story until the end, so there was something there that kept me reading (though it was a close thing by about halfway through). There were a few laughs and some colorful peripheral characters, and, of course, there was Scotland.
November 4, 2011
Humorous fun with a plot that is pure fantasy for any girl who loves Scotland and that mouth watering brogue! The heroine was the downside. Oh my goodness, she cried over everything! When someone said something rude, she sobbed. When she was embarrassed, she sobbed. When she was afraid she sobbed (could go on in finite um!) These were not just little trickle tears, either, they were air gulping drown your shirt gully whoppers! If not for her sense of humor, this book would have hit the (fire) wall.
January 6, 2010
super duper dumb, oh my. I like, of have liked MacAlister's glib voice in the past. Here it just seem vacuous to the point of pain. And there's no plot, and no conflict, at all. Ug. Heroine see hot guy, he thinks she's hot too, they have sex, they move in together, his family hates her, blah blah blah it hurts me even trying to remember the crap I skimmed in the most superficial manner possible.
May 16, 2013
I was going to give the book two stars, but the second half was much less annoying and I enjoyed the ending. So three stars it is! I loved all of the characters, except the leading lady was hard to take. She was almost 40 but behaved like a 14 year old. Even her inner monologues were childish. I'm glad that I finished it though. I really liked the premise of the plot, even though the execution of it was silly and far fetched. A light hearted and fluff piece.
June 28, 2016
I truly hated this heroine. she was supposedly 37 and had been married, had a successful career, lived life etc., but she exhibits the maturity level of a 13-year-old and it frustrated me though the whole book. Would not recommend if you like the females in the stories to have brains and be functional people.
May 30, 2019
It's hard to review this book without any spoilers, so I will make it short:
1. Kathie cries every two seconds and her writing career disappears into thin air after page 10 or so.
2. This book is HILARIOUS and I have no idea what was the last time that I laughed so hard I cried a bit.
3. I now know more about sheep than I ever expected to.
1. Kathie cries every two seconds and her writing career disappears into thin air after page 10 or so.
2. This book is HILARIOUS and I have no idea what was the last time that I laughed so hard I cried a bit.
3. I now know more about sheep than I ever expected to.
November 21, 2014
This book is not perfect--think humorous memoirish rather than romance novelish--but I love it anyway. It makes me smile, and have a happy glow.
Plus, I really Kathie and Iain, both separately and together. Theirs is a relationship that feels true, and likely to last.
Plus, I really Kathie and Iain, both separately and together. Theirs is a relationship that feels true, and likely to last.
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