Hunky Highlanders

American readers of romance novels can't get enough men in kilts, says Shirley English.

Ever since Mel Gibson, an Australian brandishing a dubious accent, played William Wallace, the Scots hero, in Braveheart, his 1995 film, American women have regarded Scotsmen as being sex on legs.

American authors, some inspired by their Scots ancestry, cannot churn out the potboilers fast enough. Almost half of all paperback fiction sales in America are romances, with 53 per cent of readers rating Scottish historical romances, with titles such as Devil in a Kilt and Kiss of the Highlander, as their favourites.

Women in Scotland, however, are less enthralled with their menfolk.

In Scotland, women greet such descriptions of the local talent with incredulity. “If you find him, let me know,” is a common response.

It seems that rather than sweep you off your feet, the typical Scotsman is more likely to swipe the remote control and hide it after switching to a sports channel.

Update: Kitty has pics of men in kilts!