I think the author might be making the assumption that ‘if you don’t feel awkward receiving the gift, it can’t be bribery’ - which I don’t think is what the law says, and hardly seems like a sound moral standard either.

I suppose the idea is ‘if you don’t feel awkward, then there can’t be any sense of obligation, so no quid pro the quo’.

But of course that’s not true.

Although I suppose the author only said this makes it look like it’s not a bribe. Presumably it might still actually be one.