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His Womanly Ways
Alex is a womanizer. He makes no excuses for it. Yes, he picks up women at the local bar, leaving them with just a memory of a good night and a good lay, but he hasn't had any complaints yet. That is, until he picks up the wrong woman. Not satisfied to be tossed aside as just another notch in Alex's bedpost, she curses him, wishing he “knew what it was like for a woman.” And he's about to find out what she means, embarking on a genderswap journey that he can't stop. Alex starts slowly gaining secondary female characteristics. Waking up with his cock gone, replaced by a vagina, was bad enough. Then it gets worse, as his body becomes more like a woman than the man he used to be. Alex tries to hide the changes he's going through, for fear that someone will discover his secret, but keeping this quite literally “under wraps” might be impossible before the curse runs its course.With the help of his female best friend, Eve, Alex tries to deal with who he is becoming. He feels like he's lost his identity, his mind not matching the body he now has. But Eve sticks by him, and they become closer as Alex's changes progress. What started out as friendship may become something more before Alex's journey is over. Perhaps this curse was actually a blessing in disguise.
229 pages, Kindle Edition
First published May 27, 2015
2 people are currently reading
45 people want to read
About the author
K. Lynn
31 books14 followersK. Lynn has been an avid reader and writer since childhood. In her youth, she could most likely be found in the local library, devouring books that covered everything from WWII History to Dr. McCoy's latest adventures aboard the Enterprise, with some X-Men thrown in for good measure. Once she had read everything that was on the shelves, she turned around and read them again. K. Lynn was also known to create elaborate adventures that more than once made it to the page. Ink-filled papers gave way to overflowing computer memory as the years went on, but the stories never ceased.
While in college, K. Lynn increased her involvement in LGBT issues and writing within the LGBT fiction genre. She has become a long-time fan of the authors that seek to explore the commonality that exists within all sexualities and genders. Most of K. Lynn's work features LGBT characters, many of whom are in established relationships and show how love perseveres through every trial and tribulation that life holds. She also has a particular interest in seeing transgender characters gain a larger foothold within the LGBT fiction genre, hoping that the market for these works expand in the future.
K. Lynn has degrees and certificates from UNC-Chapel Hill in the areas of American History, Religion, Creative Writing, Public Health, and Journalism. She is a member of Mensa and has an extensive writing and editing background. To her, life is an ongoing adventure where she seeks to learn something new every day. When K. Lynn is not writing short stories, she is working on her novels. Her interests range from erotica to education, with stops along the way in paranormal fiction, historical novels, and established relationship romance. Give her a good story and she's willing to read.
While in college, K. Lynn increased her involvement in LGBT issues and writing within the LGBT fiction genre. She has become a long-time fan of the authors that seek to explore the commonality that exists within all sexualities and genders. Most of K. Lynn's work features LGBT characters, many of whom are in established relationships and show how love perseveres through every trial and tribulation that life holds. She also has a particular interest in seeing transgender characters gain a larger foothold within the LGBT fiction genre, hoping that the market for these works expand in the future.
K. Lynn has degrees and certificates from UNC-Chapel Hill in the areas of American History, Religion, Creative Writing, Public Health, and Journalism. She is a member of Mensa and has an extensive writing and editing background. To her, life is an ongoing adventure where she seeks to learn something new every day. When K. Lynn is not writing short stories, she is working on her novels. Her interests range from erotica to education, with stops along the way in paranormal fiction, historical novels, and established relationship romance. Give her a good story and she's willing to read.
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Displaying 1 - 11 of 11 reviews
September 16, 2015
Depending on who you ask, the magical curse is either a familiar trope of gender-bending fiction, or an overused cliché. As these stories usually go, an arrogant, womanizing, alpha male hooks up with a beautiful woman, sates his lust, and then walks out of her life with little more than a thank-you. This is where the curse comes in, usually something along the lines of wishing he'd understand what it means to be a woman.
His Womanly Ways certainly embraces the trope, but avoids the cliché by taking the story in a different direction. K. Lynn begins by offering up one of the best morning-after revelations I've ever come across in the genre. After that, she plays to expectations by having Alex desperately search for the woman who cursed him, but she doesn't settle for having the entire story hinge on that search. In fact, that futile search eventually fades to the background, leaving Alex to cope with the changes to his body, his emotions, and his life.
The transformation itself is wonderfully detailed, and deliciously slow. There are so many clichéd ways Lynn could have handled that morning-after revelation, but she forgoes the lusty exploration and settles for a very realistic approach. Alex is horrified to find a fully functional vagina between his legs, and does his very best to pretend it's not there. That resistance doesn't last forever, but it's a gradual evolution of his new feminine sexuality, assisted by an equally gradual erosion of his masculine prejudices and fears. Along the way, Lynn keeps the focus on the realistic consequences of the situation, teaching him the fine art of packing (to fake the 'proper' fit of his pants), binding (to hide his growing breasts), and . . . well, dealing with that time of the month.
This is not just Alex's story, however - it's also the story of Eve, his neighbor and best friend. It's that friendship that guides much of the story, and which keeps Alex sane throughout. Again, avoiding the cliché, Lynn doesn't just make her the instantly understanding, perpetually amused best friend. No, Eve freaks out almost as much as Alex - on more than one occasion - and struggles alongside him. Their relationship is the emotional core of the novel, and it's what keeps things optimistic, with moments of real happiness and contentment to balance out all the fear and the drama.
Where Lynn ultimately takes the story I won't spoil here, but it's a resolution that's both surprising and refreshing. His Womanly Ways is a story that's fun, smart, and sexy.
As reviewed by Sally at Bending the Bookshelf
His Womanly Ways certainly embraces the trope, but avoids the cliché by taking the story in a different direction. K. Lynn begins by offering up one of the best morning-after revelations I've ever come across in the genre. After that, she plays to expectations by having Alex desperately search for the woman who cursed him, but she doesn't settle for having the entire story hinge on that search. In fact, that futile search eventually fades to the background, leaving Alex to cope with the changes to his body, his emotions, and his life.
The transformation itself is wonderfully detailed, and deliciously slow. There are so many clichéd ways Lynn could have handled that morning-after revelation, but she forgoes the lusty exploration and settles for a very realistic approach. Alex is horrified to find a fully functional vagina between his legs, and does his very best to pretend it's not there. That resistance doesn't last forever, but it's a gradual evolution of his new feminine sexuality, assisted by an equally gradual erosion of his masculine prejudices and fears. Along the way, Lynn keeps the focus on the realistic consequences of the situation, teaching him the fine art of packing (to fake the 'proper' fit of his pants), binding (to hide his growing breasts), and . . . well, dealing with that time of the month.
This is not just Alex's story, however - it's also the story of Eve, his neighbor and best friend. It's that friendship that guides much of the story, and which keeps Alex sane throughout. Again, avoiding the cliché, Lynn doesn't just make her the instantly understanding, perpetually amused best friend. No, Eve freaks out almost as much as Alex - on more than one occasion - and struggles alongside him. Their relationship is the emotional core of the novel, and it's what keeps things optimistic, with moments of real happiness and contentment to balance out all the fear and the drama.
Where Lynn ultimately takes the story I won't spoil here, but it's a resolution that's both surprising and refreshing. His Womanly Ways is a story that's fun, smart, and sexy.
As reviewed by Sally at Bending the Bookshelf
July 9, 2015
What a fun, clever, and sexy story! K. Lynn wove a delightful "what if" tale with a womanizer, turned woman. I can't say too much without spoiling the book for you, but I highly recommend it to those who like non-traditional romance.
July 7, 2015
Okay. I really liked this. I kept waiting for them to find the woman who cursed Alex, and I could've sworn that woman was Marcy haha I hope there's a sequel. Dunno, it feels unfinished.
July 13, 2016
Warning: This review contains spoilers.
Note: It is possible that some trans, non-binary, and gender non-conforming people might find aspects of this story triggering. It’s about a cisgender (i.e. not transgender) man who is transformed against his will by some unknown force to have the body of a cisgender woman while retaining his (male) psyche.
If you’re looking for a book about what it’s genuinely like to be transgender, gender fluid, or non-binary gender, this isn’t it. But if you want a fun and somewhat interesting read about what it might be like to have to adapt to a body different from the one you had before, this might be right up your alley.
I have very mixed feelings about this story. On the one hand, it was light-hearted and entertaining, and there were definitely some relatable elements. There were some funny parts, especially toward the beginning. On the other hand, I think we ought to be well past the stage where we need metaphors to understand what trans people go through every day. I think a book about an actual trans person would have been better. And if it was about misogyny, a book about a man learning it firsthand would have been superior as well.
I expected Alex to actually have to experience what it's like for a woman socially--not just body-wise. I was mildly annoyed at the way the woman he slept with at the beginning made such a fuss over how "women" are treated (i.e., that men are scum who sleep with them and then leave because men can't do relationships). Yet Alex's BFF, Eve, was doing *exactly the same thing* and never had any consequences. It felt outdated to me, the idea that a woman has to get even with a man for this behavior.
I also found myself really frustrated at the way it felt very much like an emphasis on women having to conform to societal beauty norms. For example, at one point, Eve puts makeup on Alex because he looks “too butch” without it. He doesn’t seem to like it, but he later ends up deciding he needs it in order to “pass.” At the same time, he feels like he might be somewhere between being male and female, yet he is obligated to look as feminine as possible and never quite gets around to considering other gender expressions.
It was strange to me that Alex was able to somehow begin accepting his womanly body through self-pleasure, as though dysphoria (the feeling of disconnect between one's assigned gender and one's actual gender) can be relieved via enough orgasms. That's just not how it works.
I was super disappointed that Alex never ended up experiencing the thing he was supposedly being punished for--hooking up. He also never experienced things like street harassment, job discrimination, or any number of ways women face overt and subtle aggressions. He never had any of the issues actual trans people do, either, other than some relatively mild body dysphoria.
Finally, the biggest thing that angered me was the idea that Alex had to submit to Eve sexually (i.e., let her penetrate him) in order to be redeemed. That is disgusting, and quite frankly offensive. The idea that someone needs to be penetrated for some kind of mystical actualization is incredibly heteronormative, outdated, misogynistic, and gross.
The writing style was smooth, and the characters were generally likeable. I guess I just feel like I’m not sure what the author’s intent was with the concept. It never seemed to produce any of the things it could have. Maybe I hoped for more than this story was supposed to deliver.
Note: It is possible that some trans, non-binary, and gender non-conforming people might find aspects of this story triggering. It’s about a cisgender (i.e. not transgender) man who is transformed against his will by some unknown force to have the body of a cisgender woman while retaining his (male) psyche.
If you’re looking for a book about what it’s genuinely like to be transgender, gender fluid, or non-binary gender, this isn’t it. But if you want a fun and somewhat interesting read about what it might be like to have to adapt to a body different from the one you had before, this might be right up your alley.
I have very mixed feelings about this story. On the one hand, it was light-hearted and entertaining, and there were definitely some relatable elements. There were some funny parts, especially toward the beginning. On the other hand, I think we ought to be well past the stage where we need metaphors to understand what trans people go through every day. I think a book about an actual trans person would have been better. And if it was about misogyny, a book about a man learning it firsthand would have been superior as well.
I expected Alex to actually have to experience what it's like for a woman socially--not just body-wise. I was mildly annoyed at the way the woman he slept with at the beginning made such a fuss over how "women" are treated (i.e., that men are scum who sleep with them and then leave because men can't do relationships). Yet Alex's BFF, Eve, was doing *exactly the same thing* and never had any consequences. It felt outdated to me, the idea that a woman has to get even with a man for this behavior.
I also found myself really frustrated at the way it felt very much like an emphasis on women having to conform to societal beauty norms. For example, at one point, Eve puts makeup on Alex because he looks “too butch” without it. He doesn’t seem to like it, but he later ends up deciding he needs it in order to “pass.” At the same time, he feels like he might be somewhere between being male and female, yet he is obligated to look as feminine as possible and never quite gets around to considering other gender expressions.
It was strange to me that Alex was able to somehow begin accepting his womanly body through self-pleasure, as though dysphoria (the feeling of disconnect between one's assigned gender and one's actual gender) can be relieved via enough orgasms. That's just not how it works.
I was super disappointed that Alex never ended up experiencing the thing he was supposedly being punished for--hooking up. He also never experienced things like street harassment, job discrimination, or any number of ways women face overt and subtle aggressions. He never had any of the issues actual trans people do, either, other than some relatively mild body dysphoria.
Finally, the biggest thing that angered me was the idea that Alex had to submit to Eve sexually (i.e., let her penetrate him) in order to be redeemed. That is disgusting, and quite frankly offensive. The idea that someone needs to be penetrated for some kind of mystical actualization is incredibly heteronormative, outdated, misogynistic, and gross.
The writing style was smooth, and the characters were generally likeable. I guess I just feel like I’m not sure what the author’s intent was with the concept. It never seemed to produce any of the things it could have. Maybe I hoped for more than this story was supposed to deliver.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
July 26, 2015
ThreeandHalfStars
Note: It is possible that some trans, non-binary, and gender non-conforming people might find aspects of this story triggering. It's about a cisgender (i.e. not transgender) man who is transformed against his will by some unknown force to have the body of a cisgender woman while retaining his psyche.
If you're looking for a book about what it's genuinely like to be transgender, gender fluid, or non-binary gender, this isn't it. But if you want a fun and interesting read about what it might be like to have to adapt to a body different from the one you had, this might be right up your alley.
I have very mixed feelings about this story. On the one hand, it was light-hearted and entertaining, and there were definitely some relatable elements. On the other hand, I think we ought to be well past the stage where we need metaphors to understand what trans people go through every day.
I found myself really frustrated at the way it felt very much like an emphasis on women having to conform to societal beauty norms. For example, at one point, Eve puts makeup on Alex because he looks "too butch" without it. He doesn't seem to like it, but he later ends up deciding he needs it in order to "pass." At the same time, he feels like he might be somewhere between being male and female, yet he is obligated to look as feminine as possible and never quite gets around to considering other gender expressions.
The writing style was excellent, and the characters were generally likeable. I guess I just feel like I'm not sure what the author's intent was with the concept. Maybe I hoped for more than this story was supposed to deliver.
I was given this in return for an honest review by Inked Rainbow Reads.
Amy
Note: It is possible that some trans, non-binary, and gender non-conforming people might find aspects of this story triggering. It's about a cisgender (i.e. not transgender) man who is transformed against his will by some unknown force to have the body of a cisgender woman while retaining his psyche.
If you're looking for a book about what it's genuinely like to be transgender, gender fluid, or non-binary gender, this isn't it. But if you want a fun and interesting read about what it might be like to have to adapt to a body different from the one you had, this might be right up your alley.
I have very mixed feelings about this story. On the one hand, it was light-hearted and entertaining, and there were definitely some relatable elements. On the other hand, I think we ought to be well past the stage where we need metaphors to understand what trans people go through every day.
I found myself really frustrated at the way it felt very much like an emphasis on women having to conform to societal beauty norms. For example, at one point, Eve puts makeup on Alex because he looks "too butch" without it. He doesn't seem to like it, but he later ends up deciding he needs it in order to "pass." At the same time, he feels like he might be somewhere between being male and female, yet he is obligated to look as feminine as possible and never quite gets around to considering other gender expressions.
The writing style was excellent, and the characters were generally likeable. I guess I just feel like I'm not sure what the author's intent was with the concept. Maybe I hoped for more than this story was supposed to deliver.
I was given this in return for an honest review by Inked Rainbow Reads.
Amy
June 2, 2015
Original review on Molly Lolly
Four stars!
This story was very interesting. I liked how Alex deals with the curse and his increasingly female body. His best friend Eve is a rock for him to handle everything and truly supportive of him. She’s got a bit of a hairpin temper and it tends to be at wrong times. However she means well and wants Alex to be happy. I would have liked the curse storyline to have been resolved somehow. But it didn’t matter too much at the end. The very last scene wasn’t that great. I got why Alex left his job and wanted to move. But he didn’t have to go far. And his plan to leave Eve was kind of hair-brained. The romance doesn’t start until almost the end of the story. They went through some bumps together but overall that was kind of thin. However they did wind up together at the end with the start of a new potential life together.
Four stars!
This story was very interesting. I liked how Alex deals with the curse and his increasingly female body. His best friend Eve is a rock for him to handle everything and truly supportive of him. She’s got a bit of a hairpin temper and it tends to be at wrong times. However she means well and wants Alex to be happy. I would have liked the curse storyline to have been resolved somehow. But it didn’t matter too much at the end. The very last scene wasn’t that great. I got why Alex left his job and wanted to move. But he didn’t have to go far. And his plan to leave Eve was kind of hair-brained. The romance doesn’t start until almost the end of the story. They went through some bumps together but overall that was kind of thin. However they did wind up together at the end with the start of a new potential life together.
September 8, 2015
I received this billed as a Trans Erotic Romance... not so much.
It's more of a forced trans (MtF) via a curse with a lot of masturbation. Either I'm super sensitive, not in the right headspace or this was bad from word go.
Was not amused at all.
The friendship between the main characters was nice.
It's more of a forced trans (MtF) via a curse with a lot of masturbation. Either I'm super sensitive, not in the right headspace or this was bad from word go.
Was not amused at all.
The friendship between the main characters was nice.
June 8, 2015
It was tough for Alex to face up to what was happening to his body. That night of lust that turned sour set him on a path that was to change everything. The platonic relationship with Eve was Alex's saviour. A very enjoyable story.
August 23, 2015
The erotica I've read to date regarding cisgender, heterosexual men transforming into females after taking a magic pill/joining a scientific study (etc, etc) have been fast-paced, sex-filled, and a little silly. After I finished them, I felt like I had binged on cotton candy.
This book is not like those books. And that's a good thing.
Synopsis: Alex is a handsome, successful man with a trail of one-night stands and a callous disregard for the women he sleeps with. Everything changes when he has sex with a woman who objects to her treatment and curses him, that someday he would feel exactly what it was like to be a woman in her shoes. The words end up haunting Alex and proving more true than he had ever expected. The rest of the novel is about how he deals with these changes, many of them erotic, and all of them emotional.
His Womanly Ways is thoughtful and well-written. Yes, the sex scenes are HAWT, and there's a satisfying amount of erotica to fill your spankbanks. What sets this tale apart, though, is the thoughtfulness that goes into character development. I found myself pondering the aspects of living life as a female. What defines the female experience, and how would that be experienced by the psyche of a cis het male inside a female body?
It's Alex's relationship with his best friend, Eve, that offers him the most support. We get to see their connection evolve as Alex comes to grips with his new circumstances, and it's this process that provides the anchor for the story. As another reviewer mentioned, this isn't the experience of a trans female. Alex is still very much a cis het male internally. I was also bothered by Eve's comment that Alex looked "too butch" towards the end of the book, and the observation about him "trying to pass." Gender is a complicated issue, and I got confused as to what the author was trying to convey by using those terms. That was my only hiccup in the story.
Overall this story is thoughtful, amusing, delightfully erotic, and the characters likable. The book is meaty enough to make you think while still getting you off. The author is skilled at balancing the fun sexy parts with the emotional parts, giving a reader a satisfying experience. I really liked it.
This book is not like those books. And that's a good thing.
Synopsis: Alex is a handsome, successful man with a trail of one-night stands and a callous disregard for the women he sleeps with. Everything changes when he has sex with a woman who objects to her treatment and curses him, that someday he would feel exactly what it was like to be a woman in her shoes. The words end up haunting Alex and proving more true than he had ever expected. The rest of the novel is about how he deals with these changes, many of them erotic, and all of them emotional.
His Womanly Ways is thoughtful and well-written. Yes, the sex scenes are HAWT, and there's a satisfying amount of erotica to fill your spankbanks. What sets this tale apart, though, is the thoughtfulness that goes into character development. I found myself pondering the aspects of living life as a female. What defines the female experience, and how would that be experienced by the psyche of a cis het male inside a female body?
It's Alex's relationship with his best friend, Eve, that offers him the most support. We get to see their connection evolve as Alex comes to grips with his new circumstances, and it's this process that provides the anchor for the story. As another reviewer mentioned, this isn't the experience of a trans female. Alex is still very much a cis het male internally. I was also bothered by Eve's comment that Alex looked "too butch" towards the end of the book, and the observation about him "trying to pass." Gender is a complicated issue, and I got confused as to what the author was trying to convey by using those terms. That was my only hiccup in the story.
Overall this story is thoughtful, amusing, delightfully erotic, and the characters likable. The book is meaty enough to make you think while still getting you off. The author is skilled at balancing the fun sexy parts with the emotional parts, giving a reader a satisfying experience. I really liked it.
August 31, 2015
So just imagine, close your eyes. You go to sleep one night and wake up and Bam! You no longer have any manly/womanly parts. I would totally freak.
It's really comical for a man to experience what a woman would. Also, he's not a fan of this and would like his man parts back. His one friend Eve of course thinks it's hilarious.
Now, this was a little bit weird and different. He was actually becoming a woman. The writing style was great and it kept me reading. There's a lot of moments he was exploring his new body. Going through the, this isn't right. Oh wait! Though I think I would have a heart attack if I woke up and I was a man.
This was a good story. I think it was very thought out. How many of us women ever thought, if only men knew how it felt to be one. Though, I was expecting that he would turn back into a man. So I don't know if I was disappointed or just thought the story was going into a different direction....Lissa
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It's really comical for a man to experience what a woman would. Also, he's not a fan of this and would like his man parts back. His one friend Eve of course thinks it's hilarious.
Now, this was a little bit weird and different. He was actually becoming a woman. The writing style was great and it kept me reading. There's a lot of moments he was exploring his new body. Going through the, this isn't right. Oh wait! Though I think I would have a heart attack if I woke up and I was a man.
This was a good story. I think it was very thought out. How many of us women ever thought, if only men knew how it felt to be one. Though, I was expecting that he would turn back into a man. So I don't know if I was disappointed or just thought the story was going into a different direction....Lissa
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February 12, 2016(3) I received an copy in exchange for an honest review. Review will be up on Boundless Book Reviews.
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