Title: Men in Kilts: Brannan
Author: Celia Kyle
Length: 7,900 words (33 pdf pages)
Publisher: Summerhouse Publishing
Genre: m/m contemporary
Rating: C-
Blurb:
Seth Cooper has one reason—and one reason only—for attending the Highland games each year… Men in kilts for as far as his eyes can see. This year, just like the all the others, he’s on the prowl, hunting for a hottie in plaid to “get to know” better. Intimately better. Horizontally or vertically, it doesn’t matter which, he’s not at all picky. Lucky for him, he finds his hunk-o-the-day the second he arrives, and as for the icing on the cake, the guy’s an honest-to-goodness Highlander. The only question is… Will Seth manage to hang on to the kilt-clad man, or will the end of the day find him heading home alone?
Review:
So I’m all about a man in a kilt and was happy to pick this one up, but the insta-love vibe from Brannan along with what I thought was some rather out of character behaviour ruined this one for me somewhat.
Seth is off to the Highland games for one reason only, to hook up with a hot guy in a kilt. As he’s getting himself psyched up for the hunt, he opens his car door and slams it into Brannan. Instantly Brannan is onto his game, taking him under his wing and offering to escort him around the games for the day. In order to impress Seth, Brannan signs up for the caber toss (the big poll throw) and before long they are standing in the crowd kissing. Brannan’s cousin tells him to get a room and gives him the keys to his RV where Seth and Brannan have sex.
This story takes place in North Carolina, at an event which is generally renowned for it’s macho men, and Brannan and Seth are just going at it in the middle of the event with people all around them. Really? Somehow I think a bit more discretion would be called for given the surroundings. I’m not saying there aren’t plenty of gay guys there for Seth to scope out, but I didn’t even see people going at it like that at Pride, let alone at a Highland games in North Carolina. Then after the sex, Brannan is already making plans to take Seth back to Scotland to meet his mother. Granted, Seth was a bit more “slow down” than that, but Brannan had known the guys for a couple of hours and had decided he’s the one.
So, unfortunately, those two factors kind of took away my enjoyment of the story. I would have loved more descriptions of the games, but it is meant to set up an extended sex scene while wearing a kilt. Still, if the insta-love doesn’t sound like it will bother you, it is hot and the sex is steamy, but it wasn’t enough to make it work for me.
Every now and then I can deal with a little Insta-love, though it is almost always a turn off. But out of character behavior is the kiss of death for me. I’ll probably leave this one alone
I was just kind of shocked that they were basically humping in the middle of a crows at the Highland Games in North Carolina. Really? Seemed unrealistic unless you want to get your ass kicked.
Yeah, those two things would ruin it for me, too – particularly the idiotic making out in the crowd.
I know there is kind of a style where conventions such as discretion are ignored, but it throws me off because if everything else about the story is supposed to be set in “regular” time then I expect that. And I don’t care if gay or straight, I’ve never seen two adults making out in the middle of a crowd at any family oriented festival. A kiss yes, but not full on groping.