Cursed Blessings

by Lynn Kelling

Lev Baxter’s life has been spent searching for the truth of the world’s dark mysteries, and hiding from his own secrets. Burdened by love and lust for his married best friend, Shaw Montgomery, Lev escapes into the arms of countless, unnamed women in foreign lands, far from his true temptation. But Shaw seeks him out and Lev succumbs. The price he pays lies in a Romanian demon’s curse, and his guilt drives him into hiding. When the curse comes to fruition and Lev has no choice but to carve it from his body, no amount of running or hiding can save him from the truths which find him at last. (M/M)

Genres: M M Romance, Paranormal, Dark, LGBT, Gay, Friends To Lovers, Fantasy

18 pages, Kindle Edition

First published December 19, 2013

About the author

Lynn Kelling began writing in order to tell stories that aren’t afraid of the dark, don’t hold anything back and always strive to be memorable, forging lasting attachments between character and reader. Her inspiration comes from taking a closer look at behaviors and ideas lurking at the fringes of life—basically anything that people may hesitate to speak of in mixed company, but everyone wonders about anyway. Her work is driven by the taboo in order to expose the humanity within it. Lynn is an artist, designer and lover of any form of creative self-expression that comes from a place of honesty and emotion, whether it's body art or opera. She has had multiple novels published, has written over fifty works of erotic fiction of varying lengths, and always has several novels in progress.

Reviews

[Kynthos-the-Archer (Kyn) · Rating 4 out of 5]

Cursed Blessings has full frontal on-page male birth scene in vivid colors. So unlike many other mpreg books that usually safely employs an off-page birth scene (boo). To date I have only read one that has on-page birth scenes (yes in plural) and that was a quirky M/M scifi book called Acquainted with the Night by Tymber Dalton of which I adored to bits as it has everything my deviant little mind could ever ask for - (Check out my checklist here).

The difference between the two is that the birth scenes in Acquainted has an arousing aspect to it unlike this book plus it wasn't anything as intense or graphic as what that poor guy in this book has gone through. The birth here was very traumatic and somewhat gruesome. I really have to salute the protagonist for his balls of steel in his brave attempt to save a life and his remaining male pride knowing the macabre he has to face to achieving his goal. That tub scene is going to stay put in my mind and I shall replay it whenever I felt I need a bit of morbidity in my M/M books.

Nope. This IS NOT an erotica as I don't think what happened is meant to arouse someone unless that someone gets off on morbid stuff. I am not sure what it really is. What I know is that it contains bit of male romance and a shot of the paranormal forces. Whatever it is, I liked it. I liked the author's brave take on mpreg and it is really well written. The pregnancy and birth has a touch of realism in it although it IS an impossible feat for a male's body to perform unless he magically grew a womb, which isn't too far of a stretch here with the presence of paranormal elements in the story. I guess the author pulled it off successfully. I loved it and it left me wanting more.


I love this cover. So daring.


BOOK DETAILS:
Title:Cursed Blessings
Author: Lynn Kelling
Publication Date: December 19th, 2013
Publisher: Fantastic Fiction Publishing
Type: Short Story, 5,300 words (approximate)
Genre: Gay/Bi Mpreg Paranormal Fiction
Tags/Keywords: gay, bisexual, paranormal, mpreg, pregnancy, birthing, birth, home birth, self-mutilation, horror, gore, pain, trauma

Description:
Lev Baxter’s life has been spent searching for the truth of the world’s dark mysteries, and hiding from his own secrets. Burdened by love and lust for his married best friend, Shaw Montgomery, Lev escapes into the arms of countless, unnamed women in foreign lands, far from his true temptation. But Shaw seeks him out and Lev succumbs. The price he pays lies in a Romanian demon’s curse, and his guilt drives him into hiding. When the curse comes to fruition and Lev has no choice but to carve it from his body, no amount of running or hiding can save him from the truths which find him at last. (M/M)



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* Reviewed on February 21st, 2014


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[Steelwhisper · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.5* rounded up.

This is the first non-fanfic mpreg I ever read, and it wasn't bad at all. That scene in the tub was well-written and quite horrifying.

[Jyanx · Rating 2 out of 5]

I guess I was just expecting to be a bit more horrified than I actually was. The tub scene was pretty gruesome, but I think the happy ending off set it a little too much for me. I didn't really buy the instant baby bonding, or his love connection. Just a bit too convenient for me. I felt like the plot devices were just a bit too easy to spot, and it made me feel disconnected, and kind of irritated.

[Silkeeeeeereads · Rating 4 out of 5]

Well, maybe I am just a freak of nature but this book didn't scare me.  I felt the desperation, love and awe, but not fear. I wonder why everyone else feels fear over this and I don't.  Anyway, decent but no real ending. Way too short.  Hence the four stars. 

[Bookwatcher · Rating 4 out of 5]

OMG... Few books shock me.. This one didn't. This book totally freak me OUT!
If you read the blurb of the book you will know EVERTHING that happens. It's very short, so not much is said, there is the HORRIBLE present, and one flash back telling about how everything happened.
I never read a male-preg so devasting as this one. It's dark and I don't even know if I should said its a romance... You will be so shocked with the open scene I doubt you will care if there is a romance...
Imagine you... In a bathtub... Ready to...

No, I will not said it. You must read it but be warned, this book is not for the faint of heart!!!!

[D.C. · Rating 3 out of 5]

Um. Wow. What kept this from being a four-star? It's way too sketchy. Why it's a three star? Compelling writing, awesome premise, and she actually pulls it off. Completely by the way, yes, being pregnant is like that and it should happen to men every now and then. Just because.

[Ayanna · Rating 4 out of 5]

Concept was cool. I didn't like that Lev was the one being "punished," though. I thought it anyone should have been "punished," it should have been other-dude. He seemed like the bigger ass out of the two of them. Of course, I haven't analyzed the ethics of it all, so I'm going by gut instinct here.

Still, I rather liked it. It was a cool enough sketch.

[Kristie · Rating 4 out of 5]

THIS IS AWESOME!

Not an erotic book. Not a romance. Not anything I would have guessed. Honestly? I saw that it was a Lynn Kelling book and I bought it. I never needed another reason. If it's got Lynn's name on it, I'm getting it.

This is short, and yes, it leaves me wanting to know more about this curse. About these characters. Yes... another part of me knows I don't need to know anything else.

It's paranormal fun. Mpreg weirdness. Sweet and amazing at the end.

HOW DOES SHE DO THIS TO ME? I love you Lynn. You're my kind of author.

[Kazza · Rating 4 out of 5]

I like Lynn Kelling's writing - short stories, novellas, longer...the phone book. Whatever, I'm in now. Well named short M-preg story. You want something quick but with meat on the bones then I recommend it. Heed tags/blurb before reading I guess.

NSFW Review -

[Tully Vincent · Rating 5 out of 5]

Different and interesting take on mpreg. It's in your face, graphic, and not pretty; AND it's memorable. Short, and I would have loved more... but I've read this multiple times.

[Sue bowdley · Rating 4 out of 5]

I quite enjoyed this...would have made a great full length novel x

[Melanie · Rating 4 out of 5]

For such a short story this was really impressive, and scary. I think my heart stopped beating for a moment.

[Emma Sea]

NTS: not on amazon

[Det · Rating 2 out of 5]

I've been really thinking why I didn't like this book when most of the other who have read this love it. And I was even really looking forward in reading this book!

SPOILER ALERT!!!!!

Hmmm the giving birth part - it seems like this was the WOW/amazing/great part but I was not impressed, cringed at some part but I didn't felt the amazement factor of the way it was written or something maybe because I've read a lot more gory stuff from another book that's why the level of horribleness in the giving birth part lessened or felt a bit flat when I read it. ¯\(°_o)/¯

The romance - I was actually annoyed by the romance in this book.

Lev, the guy who would be willing to destroy a family just to be with Shaw. Hah! A big NO! But Lev at least compensates when he was cursed, not that he really deserved to be cursed but because he at least knows the reasons for his cursed including adultery. Another compensating factor was the love shown for his baby.

Shaw, I hate this guy! what's to like about him,seriously, I don't understand? He's a bastard! Left Lev after the first sex (like that phrase 'wham bam thank u ma'm) cheated on his wife, hurt Lev (and bec' he's supposed to be the bff I will assume he knows a bit what Lev feels for him which makes him a very big bastard) and returns to his happy family after the 2nd sex and keeps contact with Lev, even talking about his pretty wife just.like.that. Ugh!!

Then when Lev saw Shaw for the first time after their affair, he felt humiliation! Humiliation in the way he was seen or caught in that situation by Shaw? Why Lev, why!?

And the most hateful thing about Shaw was he never really fought his feelings for Lev. He only admitted his feelings when he was caught by his wife and had no choice! And he even have the guts to be mad! (ಠ_ಠ) Hmp!

1 star for the cover coz' I really love the mpregness (^ _ ^) and another star for the baby!

[Zane Kage · Rating 4 out of 5]

Mpreg usually sends me running. Gave this a shot because, well, Lynn Kelling. Stunned to say the mpreg wasn't creepy at all. It was good. Short, but good. She made it work. 4 relieved stars!

[Sabrina · Rating 1 out of 5]

DNF. (Sort of. I reached a point where I just skimmed through the whole thing)

I can't believe I wasted $0.99 on this. This should have been free.

The romance is non-existent, the whole curse thing was not explained and left in the air (you have a feeling who casted the curse but it was so thrown out there that it made the whole thing not matter at all), one of the MC's is a cheater so that's a big no-no while the other one was a home-wrecker when a child was involved so...another big no-no.

I refuse to believe people are giving this 4-5 stars and giving it praise. What a pile of garbage.

[Ana · Rating 3 out of 5]

I wasn’t expecting to like this. I read it for a challenge. I was mistaken with the task and I thought it was about reading a book with an out of my comfort zone theme. Nothing can be more out of my comfort zone than some issues addressed by this short story, but if I was going to read something I wasn’t so sure about, it had to be from an author I trust, and how well I choose the author. I really liked it.

Sure, is about a subject I dislike, but it was a great story. I really enjoyed most of it. I would even wish for a longer story because it had a very interesting plot. I only wish the cover would have been different because I think it gives too much away. I was very intrigued at the first pages but I, somehow, knew where the story might go. Other than that, I really liked it a lot.

[Adina Nicc · Rating 3 out of 5]

intense....

[Michelle *mke* · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.5 rounded up because of the birth scene.