5⭐

Thank you M. Stevenson, Tor Publishing Group and NetGalley for the ARC!

𝑩𝒆𝒉𝒐𝒐𝒗𝒆𝒅 was a magical read. The world was immersive and rice; where the world-building was strong but still cosy.

It was a heart-felt read that I did not expect to enjoy this much. It's a tale of two opposing kingdoms, where a chronically ill duchess who does not have magic in a magic filled society is forced to marry the King of the neighbouring country, a bookworm who got cursed to turn into a white stallion during the day.

The chemistry between Aric and Bianca was sizzling from the very beginning and I loved seeing how it developed overtime during their adventure. The tension and slow-burn between them had me hooked and the book had some spice but it did not encompass the entire book.

I appreciate how the author set the world in a queer-normative world where there are also badass lesbian lady knights and generals! The treatment of Bianca's 'condition' was well done. The representation was very respectful and done with thoughtful intentions.

Every side character had very good motivations and development in general. I loved reading about Marya, Tatiana and Catalina. They also provided a touch of levity in situations where things trended darker.

I enjoyed the road journey a lot. I think that made me feel like I needed more and more to read about these characters and made it even more cosy. This book honestly was so healthy to read about that I praise the author for the mental health representation. There is so much thought put into this book and it turned out to be an amazingly crafted tapestry of adventure.

I cannot wait for the sequel!

Couldn't put this book down. I got drawn into it because of the cover (long-haired blond bishonens are the love of my youth) and because the author said on her socials this is a bi4bi romance. However, in the book, Aric's (mmc) sexual preferences are never discussed. Bianca (fmc) has an ex-girlfriend so she's clearly presented as bisexual. There are at least 3 lesbian side characters (one of them is fmc's ex, another is fmc's sister, 3rd one appears a bit later and I don't wanna spoil). Bianca has a chronic illness that resembles an allergy / auto-immune disease (as per author's note, it's meant to represent Coeliac disease), and her parents implanted ableist beliefs in her that she's weak, incapable and undesirable because of it - a big part of the plot is untangling the internalized ableist beliefs and inferiority complex.

A dominant theme across the plot and the romance is the protagonists facing their inferiority complexes over not living up to expectations. Bianca because of her illness and presumed lack of magic, Aric because of his bookishness and not being into expected masculine interests like politics or military. He's smart but not much of a fighter or schemer and he was judged for it both by the court and by his late mother. I will always adore a MF romance where the important plot point is that mmc is "not masculine enough". We don't have enough romantasy showcasing women attracted to other kind of men than muscular alphas and brooding shadow daddies, and the truth is that there's a much wider spectrum of preferences and attraction than just 1-2 kinds of "most desirable man". Aric is kind and caring and insightful, but he worries it's a weakness and vulnerability.

And the truth is, it made the bonding scenes so much more believable when both protagonists struggled with vulnerability, fitting in, having to choose between duty and self-expression, parental and societal judgement, etc.

I also liked Bianca's development from thinking the country she's coming to is very "backwards" to acknowledging it has some advantages over her own, and Aric also admitting some of the truly backwards things could be something he should improve if he becomes the king.

The horse curse plot reminded me of the old historical fantasy movie called Ladyhawke where a couple was cursed that the woman was a hawk at day and the man was a wolf at night. The horse can telepathically communicate with Bianca, but only with her - presumably a part of their magical marriage bond. It has a few other fairy tale references, for example its own version of "seven league boots".

For some unknown reason, I've seen this book advertised as "cozy romantasy" and I'd swear this is even less "cozy" than Wooing the Witch Queen because everyone is trying to kill Bianca from assassins to bandits to villain's soldiers. Not counting her own illness and stubbornness. And tbh good for this book to not be cozy, last time I picked a truly cozy fantasy I got bored to sleep. I think the only reason both books are marketed as "cozy" is because the romance is more wholesome and non-toxic and low angst?

Bianca and Aric fall under "miscommunication to lovers" and arranged marriage trope. I saw the miscommunication setup from a mile and I didn't really like the part where Bianca acted very entitled and offended by everything just to plant the miscommunication grudge. As a person relating to her struggles with inferiority, I couldn't imagine her not blaming herself for every shortcoming and mishap since she arrived to Aric's country and blame him for snubbing her rather than worry she's at fault somehow.

Luckily they weren't digging their heels too deeply and dragging this miscommunication too much. They turned towards understanding and supportive discussions reasonably fast.

There are 2 open door spice scenes and 1 vaguely mentioned. The protagonists are mid-to-upper-20s of age. Bianca is around 26 because it mentions her break up with her ex 10 years ago when she was 16. She does read fairly young though, but that's likely because she was sheltered by her parents who saw her as too weak to live a proper life.

I must say the assassination plot was very predictable, after the attempt happens all the details of the scene immediately implicate what's going on and the question who was behind it feels more like a red herring than a true dilemma. My biggest complaint is that there's seemingly no resolution / a dropped plot point about any consequences for those who assassinated the queen, Aric's mother. Yes, she wasn't a good mother, but are we just letting regicide slide?

To sum it up, the romance was very sweet and cute and the plot had enough of mounted dangers combined with time pressure that I kept turning the pages. The chapters were short, breezy and often ending on cliffhangers to invite the reader into a "one more chapter..." dare. Very well done debut. I enjoyed this one immensely, and the theme of seeing your own strengths rather than weaknesses and caring about people who appreciate you more than about the people who harshly judge you was very timely and relatable.

Thank you Netgalley, Hodder & Stoughton / Hodderscape for the ARC.

Oh my GOD this was cute. I had no idea what I was going to step into with Behooved but I loved every single page!

We mainly follow Bianca, a Duchess soon to become queen when a spell goes wrong and she's fighting for her life. This was such a fun story and with disability awareness too.

Thank you for the ARC!

Easiest 5 star of 2025.
The narrative style was so easy to love I was flying through the pages from the start. And enchanting and easy to follow world build, I was sucked into the story immediately.
A mysterious request for an arranged marriage brings Bianca to Aric and on their wedding night, things go very wrong!
The reluctant allies trope is one of my favourites and being driven together out of necessity was so good. It really gives me similar vibes to The Hurricane Wars. I love that Bianca knows her own mind and SHE is the one with the swordplay skills!
I can’t wait to share this book with absolutely everyone who will listen. I thought it was dramatic, funny and heartwarming.

*thank you to netgalley and the publisher for an early copy of this book in exchange for an honest review*

What an absolutely delightful read!
a truly enjoyable book—funny, magical, and full of charm. From the start, the story pulls you into a world that feels both playful and unique.The writing is delightful, the characters are lovable, and the humor keeps you smiling the whole way through.a tale that feels fresh and exciting, with plenty of surprises and laugh-out-loud bit also heartfelt moments.If you’re looking for a book that’s lighthearted, entertaining and full of heart Behooved is a perfect choice. It’s a story that stays with you in the best way!

I thank Netgalley, Hodder & Stoughton and M. Stevenson for sending me an e-ARC in exchange for an honest opinion.

I'll start by saying that this book was entertaining, and super easy to follow. I'd say it's a fast paced fantasy rom-com.

Bianca, our protagonist, is a stoic, responsible, dutiful noblewoman (in her mid twenties) who must marry the king of a neighboring country. But magic happens and he becomes a horse! And there's a coup! It's up to Bianca to make this right again, while also dealing with severe pain.

The world-building and magic (and its use) were kept short and sweet, providing only the necessary details.

The political intrigue is more a side topic, as a reader you don't get to see much to it, since the story follows the relationship between Bianca and Aric, from reluctant allies to lovers. They are interesting because they are not your typical heroes. Both fight their battles in silence and suffer because of less to no agency.

The book also discusses themes like illnesses, self perception, agency, power and responsibility, natural resources, animal extinction and problematic families, while also keeping the fun, adventurous atmosphere. (So no one will feel like being lectured!)

I loved this book so much!
The vibes and atmosphere were impeccable.
This felt like a very unique read, which I feel is quite rare in romantasy currently.
Beautiful inside and out!

Is this book perfect? - Almost.
Is this book cozy fantasy? - Depends on your feel for cozy.
Is this book truly unique and highly entertaining? - Hell yeah!
Is this book galloping away with horse puns? - You betcha!

The premise of the book is rather straightforward:
FMC has to marry foreign prince due to political reasons.
Said prince gets cursed and turned into part-time horse.
There's an assassin.
Bride and groom gallop away to break curse and also not get killed.

I did not think this book would hit me right in the feels. I was so entertained and amused by it, with a generous side of heart-eyes.

The vibe is vibing, the puns are punning, the FMC is great, the tone is exactly what I want and need.

On top of that there's a queer normative world and autoimmune disorder rep.

5/5 stars

Thank you @netgalley and @hodderbooks for the eARC!

#Behooved #Netgalley #Bookstagram

Behooved is a fantasy rom-com about a dutybound, chronically ill noblewoman who enters an arranged marriage with a prince (to be crowned king). When an assassin attacks on their wedding night, Bianca tries to protect herself and her new husband, but accidentally turns him into a horse. She rides him to safety, but they have to figure out who was behind the assassination, how to undo the spell, and get Aric back to the castle in time for his coronation.

This book was easy to read through and easily had me hooked. The beginning was a little slow (it takes a moment before she actually meets Aric), but once that happens it was difficult to put down. I liked Bianca's characterization. She's the daughter of an important noble house in her country, and while her sister just kind of does what she wants, Bianca tries very hard to be the perfect daughter. Unfortunately, in her culture this means showing no weaknesses ever, concealing emotions, but also hiding the symptoms of her chronic disease, which she can't exactly control. I really liked the chronic illness rep, and it was sad to read how Bianca tried so hard not to show it, how she viewed her illness as a weakness that people will judge her for. I loved how when Aric finds out, he's very kind about it, and offers to help figure out what exactly she has and if there's better treatments than what she's taking so far.

I enjoyed the romance. They kind of get off on the wrong foot (hoof?), because it turns out both believed the other's country was forcing the marriage to prevent war, and it takes a moment before they realize the truth. The romance feels well paced after this, they start with a truce and slowly begin to care about each other more as the plot unfolds. I like how Aric was a sweet, bookish guy, which I feel we're not seeing enough.

The plot was not the most complex, but it was fun and there were some twists I hadn't necessarily predicted. I would recommend reading it for the romance and fun fantasy adventure more than for complex political scheming. The book overall was quite funny too. I especially liked Bianca's older sister Tatiana in this regard. I am also quite hopeful there's going to be a companion/sequel focused on Tatiana and Marya (Aric's captain of the guard and best friend).

There's some spice, but the scenes are quite short, and while I was not super invested in this, I did't mind it either as it was easy to read past.

Would recommend it to fans of romantasy and fantasy rom-coms

This book is the epitome of cozy! I really loved it. It was such a ride (ha!) reading it and all the puns have really gone to my head. Everyone around me better be ready for a tragic amount of puns in every sentence I speak for a good few weeks.
I can pinpoint the very first moment that I read the announcement for Behooved. I was sat on a train on my way to meet my friend as we made our way to London to watch a stage play. In my little section of the train, I couldn’t stop grinning at my phone and I definitely couldn’t smother the laughter that followed reading the premise. I went on to tell my friend about this book – it’s so unbelievably easy to pitch! – and have since mentioned it to every friend I speak to when books come up!
BEHOOVED is a cozy romantasy romp following Bianca after she turns her new husband into a horse whilst trying to stop him from being assassinated. She must ride away to safety upon her horse-husband’s back and find a way to turn him back into a human whilst also figuring out the mystery behind his attempted assassination. It was one of my most anticipated reads of 2025 and it did not disappoint.
With many books, it’s characters that I love first and foremost and here it’s no different. I love Bianca for her combination of strength, sensitivity, flummoxed reactions, balanced with a hysteria that I felt right along with her during several moments of the novel. Her voice really MADE the cozy aspects for me. Her sense of humour and puns set me giggling all the time! I also love that she’s a disabled character in a fantasy world and thought the representation was done really well. Her journey started with her feeling the need to hide her “condition”, as she calls her unnamed celiac disease, and holding herself to a standard where any vulnerability is a show of weakness. I especially loved how this internalised ableism rooted in her parents’ ableism was slowly unpacked.
And Aric. Soft, sweet, book-nerd Aric really drew out my protective instincts. He was a great character, both as a horse and as a man. I thought his wryness was so funny and his grumpiness went hand in hand with Bianca’s own. He was really so soft and lovely. I want to give him a big old hug!
I could wax and wane about several more aspects of the novel but in an effort to avoid spoilers, I won’t! Everyone should read this punny, heartfelt, cozy book! Take it straight from the horse’s mouth!
Thank you to Netgalley UK and the publishers for the arc!!