Truly remarkable literature is hard to find these days, and even the amazing stuff gets ignored or forgotten more often than not. This is especially true for a society wherein only about 3% of the population reads books. However, erotic novels are doing their part to keep the art alive and I couldn’t be more thankful for it. Because the average human mind can’t fathom most of the scenarios depicted in today’s top sex books, it eventually becomes necessary to seek inspiration from their sticky, sexy pages in order to keep your love life intact. Neglecting to explore the filth and fodder available on today’s erotic novel market is a damn, dirty shame if you ask me (and you did).
That’s why I frequently get into heated debates with my closest friends about the latest and greatest kink books. We like to sit around and share out experiences with one another over margaritas and tacos, meanwhile generally excluding everyone else in our lives so we can fully immerse ourselves in the various plot twists and character descriptions in the novels we picked that month. My quirky group consists of several different personalities, but everyone seemed to like this one book called “Men in Kilts” by Katie MacAlister which meant I had to check it out or else I’d be out of the conversation completely. So, was it worth the effort to keep up with the Joneses or should I have taken my horniness somewhere else? Well, let me clear things up a bit by describing what it is we’re talking about exactly.
Who’s the Author?
The writer of this book is known for her talents in romance, mystery, thrillers, science fiction and fantasy, although she admits to loving all different sorts of literature herself and says she got her start as a non-fiction craftswoman. Katie MacAlister is the example of a multi-faceted author, known as Katie Maxwell when she writes for young adults and as Kate Marsh when she pens a mystery. Her novel, “Men in Kilts” was described by critics as an obvious expression of Katie’s kinky imagination, with countless scenes depicting sexy situations wherein Katie’s well-developed characters can indulge in torment and teasing to their heart’s delight.
As the author of popular erotic novels like Noble Intentions and The Corset Diaries, Ms. MacAlister also penned a few other equally fantastic books called A Tale of Two Vampires, My Big Fat Supernatural Honeymoon, Sex and the Single Vampire, and A Girl’s Guide to Vampires. Her work has been translated into several foreign languages and has even been made into an audiobook. The contents of her novels have won numerous industry awards and books from Katie’s impressive collection have also landed on the New York Times, Publisher’s Weekly and USA Today best-seller lists.
What’s the Book All About?
Men in Kilts is supposed to be a hilarious story about a 37-year-old woman named Kathie who has recently suffered through a divorce. Her journey leads her to a castle belonging to the ancestors of a rich Scottish man named Ian (of course). The super loveable tale involves these realistically neurotic characters intertwining their lusts and curiosities while making the reader howl with laughter. Their banter is hilarious but also pertinent to the development of the plot, gently entangling the audience in a full-blown love affair that includes healthy heaps of romance, fetish, kink, and everything else a fantasy fan would want out of an erotic novel.
The Experience
I started reading “Men in Kilts” after a good friend of mine recommended it and at first I couldn’t put it down. But let me back up a bit and explain how difficult it was to get a copy of this book. Apparently, everyone on the planet wanted to read it because even the biggest book stores were sold out. My friends started thinking I was lying about my interest in it, but the package finally arrived one afternoon and I got started on it right away to prove them wrong. As I said, it was hard for me to put it down. The author starts right in with some hilarious scenarios and a brief overview of the main character’s lifestyle. I felt like I knew Kathie immediately, which made it easy for me to put myself in her shoes and go along for the ride. . .at least at first.
As far as an erotic novel is concerns, I thought the sex scenes were rather vanilla when compared to some of the more intense novels available. The author might need to have some better sex before she starts trying to describe such things to old pros like me, or maybe I’m just dead inside. The content did make me laugh out loud a few times though. So, while the humor was on-point and the characters were familiar, nothing else was relatable so my interest eventually dropped off. I mean, the premise of the story was okay, but the execution was sort of disappointing for an award-winning author. In my humble opinion, I think this book would work best for a single person who’s just now getting a taste for erotica, or maybe for someone who gets turned on by humor more than kinky sex scenes. It’s definitely not the hottest piece of literature I’ve ever handled, thus none of the pages in my copy are stuck together yet.
Here are my qualms with the book: First of all, the protagonist is kind of annoying once you get to know her and have a chance to witness her behavior around Ian. Here’s this 37 year old woman who has gone through a rough divorce like a grown woman, yet she’s overly emotional and blatantly immature when it comes to men and sexuality. I wasn’t sure if I was reading a character or reading the life story of the author. I felt like both women had been kept under a rock their whole lives, so most of my mental energy was focused on imagining ways to help them escape their oppressive situations. Never have I had such a reaction to a fantasy sex novel.
Secondly, even when the hunky, kilted character named Ian gave the scene his best effort, I never felt like it was enough. There was always one more thing that he could have or should have done that he didn’t. It was like mental tantra punctuated by moments of sheer whimsy. This must be what it feels like to go to war. I suppose the book is a prime example of how character development that’s TOO GOOD can come back to bite the author in the ass, but I digress. My opinions were shared at the next margarita and tacos lunch but nobody seemed to agree with me that Kathie’s attitude and the author’s inability to finish a side plot was off-putting.
Thirdly, the price of the book is sort of exorbitant considering how many pages there are. I felt a little ripped off at first, but at least I got my money’s worth in comic relief. I’m not sure I’d recommend this book to my hardcore friends and partners, but I’d certainly pass it around for a good laugh and some creative ideas in the bedroom.
The Ups and Downs
There’s no such thing as the perfect piece of literature. We separate our books, movies and music into distinct genres for a reason. Good authors are able to combine the interests of different demographics into one book, but those works are rare and we shouldn’t compare everything else to them or that wouldn’t be fair. A decent read depends on the audience, the book’s contents, and the style of the author, although a few basic guidelines can make some books more successful than others. As for Katie MacAlister’s erotic novel, “Men in Kilts,” these are the things you should know and consider before spending any money on it:
PROS
- Hilarious plot and dialogue for comic relief between sessions
- Relatable content and characters
- Lighthearted and easy to read
- Perfect for erotica book beginners
- Good for long-term couples
- Quirky cover art
CONS
- May not be as arousing as some would like
- Main character’s demeanor somewhat unrelatable
- Several editing flaws
The Takeaway
I have to admit that despite all this novel’s flaws it still came across as a refreshingly inspiring story about two unlikely people falling madly in love. I mean, who wouldn’t fall head over heels for a strapping Scots man on their first trip to romantic Europe right after leaving a terrible relationship? Everyone loves watching Stella get her groove back, even if she is a little bit of a whiney bitch who freaks out when she sees a penis. Kathie’s over-emotional personality juxtaposed nicely with Ian’s warm, calming demeanor, although fathoming a real unity between such different folks is a tough pill to swallow. That’s apparently where a good imagination comes into play, and it’s certainly needed with all the side stories and dangling subplots sprinkled throughout the pages. Overall, Men in Kilts is an entertaining and sexy book (as long as you don’t “read” too deep into the story).