SilverThistle
I'm Scottish so I've heard that word used plenty, and in it's proper context. It's really NOT a nice name to be called. It certainly isn't a name to be used in affection for a close (female) friend by a man. *shudder*
There's no grey area here, it's just simply not a name anyone would want to be called. It's derogatory. The word might sound harmless to someone who's unsure of the meaning, but it's really not.
Had it been used once I might have been able to overlook it. Maybe. But it's used over and over and over. If Dave were real he'd find himself without any friends if he persisted in calling them that name.
I can only assume the Author knows the word from a Scottish acquaintance and used it without knowing the connotations. It was a terrible choice of word. If she had even checked the Urban Dictionary she'd have been in no doubt that it was a poor choice.
For me, that word just sucked all the joy out of reading this and I abandoned it.
Note: I received this book from the publisher