Audiobook review: Kilt to Order by Susannah Nix
At twenty-eight, Cassie is going on her first date since 10th grade. Her love life is non-existent and something always goes spectacularly wrong. She thinks that if she has sex just once, she’ll get over the awkwardness and her nervousness that leads to sneezing, and her good friend Gareth seems like a great choice to help her.
Kilt to Order is a wonderful friends-to-lovers romance that left me smiling for days. Casey lives in a rental home with her older brother and two of his good friends, one of which is Gareth. Casey and Gareth are true friends: they joke around and confide in one another. I love that Cassie isn’t “Gareth’s best friend’s baby sister” but rather she is Casey, Gareth’s friend. And this friendship is what allows Casey to open up to Gareth about her dismal love life. I love the scene when she approaches him about sex. Casey decides to back out, but out of concern for her, he insists she tell him what’s going on. He snuggles her and it’s sweet but also sexy.
Gareth is so kind and caring. While most of the world views him as eye candy, Casey knows him. The pair click as friends and burn things up as a couple. He takes it slow because he wants Casey’s first time to be perfect, but he admits to himself it’s because he doesn’t want their time together to end. Both Casey and Gareth mature and grow, overcoming intimacy fears through communication and love.
Narration: The story is shared via alternating first person present-tense narrative, with Callie Dalton performing Casey’s POV and Lee Samuels performing Gareth’s POV. Both narrators are really well-suited for their main character roles. They bring out the MC’s personalities, making both feel real. Dalton’s voice is upbeat and bubbly, which fits Casey’s optimism and sunshine. Samuels uses a deepish voice that is perfect for Gareth who is in his late twenties; it’s youthful without sounding young. Both narrators alter dialogue based on gender and age, creating unique voices for all supporting characters. Sometimes it was hard to distinguish the difference between Casey’s dialogue and inner monologue. I also felt that Samuels’s performance was noticeably slower than Dalton’s.
Overall, I really liked Kilt to Order. I had a moment of fear when there was over an hour left, and they seemed like they were at an HEA. I love that the author tosses in a road block that forces Gareth to confront some dark emotions, but that she doesn’t take it so far to have it drag on. I love that this couple is cute and sexy and meant to be. I plan to pick up more of Nix’s titles soon.
My Ratings
Story: A
Narration: A-
Jen
About the Book:
A wallflower enlists her Casanova roommate to give her lessons in seduction.
Being both a Highland Games athlete and a firefighter makes me doubly popular with the opposite sex. I’ve had my share of women under my kilt, but I never expected to be propositioned by my bookworm roommate.
Casey’s one of my best friends and my buddy’s little sister. What am I supposed to do when she confesses that she’s on a mission to lose her virginity—and I’m the guy she trusts to do the deed?
If I say no, she’ll only turn to another dude instead. Someone’s got to keep her out of trouble, so I agree to give her some hands-on experience. I can teach Casey how to bring a man to his knees and still keep things platonic. A little friends-with-benefits action shouldn’t be a problem.
Uh, yeah. Small problem. The more boxes we check off on Casey’s lesson plan, the more I suspect I’ve taught her too well.
Because the man being brought to his knees is me.
Author: Susannah Nix
Narrators: Callie Dalton & Lee Samuels
Series: Kilt Trip #1
Genre: Contemporary Romance
Audiobook Release Date: October 4, 2023
Length: 10 hrs; 2 mins
Source: Book Review Tour
Audio Speed: 1.3x