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!!

4.75⭐. Thank you NetGalley and Hodder & Stoughton for the ARC.

I'll just first preface that Behooved is silly, whimsical, and definitely focuses more on the romance than the fantasy worldbuilding. The mystery and the main antagonist aren't really that deep or multidimensional respectively. I needed to be sold on the romance first and foremost above everything else for me to like to this book.

Fortunately, it hits all the necessary checkboxes on what I'd like out of fantasy romances: a relationship that takes well-enough time for the couple to organically fall in love, an attraction borne out of appreciation for the other's virtues & respect for each other rather than OH NO THEY'RE HOT, appropriate stakes that it doesn't feel jarring when the couple starts having sex in the midst of it all, and none of that weird bioessentialism. Oh, and bi4bi protagonists!

After a rocky start where tempers flew between the royal newlyweds Bianca & Aric, once they realize they were both unwitting pawns of a greater scheme and that the other wasn't as awful as they expected, they quickly settled in a likeable civility with each other. Aric even apologized for his rudeness towards her. Even though he was misled into having a less than flattering preconception of Bianca's character and so his initial frostiness was understandable, he still didn't excuse himself for his poor treatment. After which, he really bloomed into such a charming love interest for our heroine. I have little patience for bickering between love interests that are meant to pass off as ~sexual tension~ but aren't that necessary when you really think about it.

I love that they actually took the time to get to REALLY know each other, making up for the lack of courting they never got to do before their rushed arranged marriage. They learnt about each other's passions, and most poignantly, their respective insecurities as children of royals. One of the tropes I tend to find frustrating in multiple fantasy romances is at least one-half of the couple insisting on keeping secrets from the other. In Behooved, Bianca is hesitant of confiding in Aric about her chronic illness due to being taught her whole life to keep her "weakness" to herself lest she be exploited by others. But Aric finds out about it soon enough since she can't exactly hide it completely while both are on the run, and he is just freaking observant of his wife. And once that Secret is out of the way, it makes their relationship all the more stronger. Aric is tender and attentive to Bianca's needs, and even validates her when she berates herself for being too ill.

No but I ADORE how both of them grew to believe in each other when they themselves did not. Bianca sees Aric's gentle heart, love for books and respect for the environment as important traits to becoming a good ruler. Aric sees Bianca's selflessness and compassion to protect others at her own expense as traits that make her strong. And for the first time, the parts of themselves that they have always felt ashamed of were validated by someone else. Is it any wonder that they fell in love? ♡ I didn't even mind the Only One Bed trope being used here, because I do find it more interesting when it's a married couple feeling self-conscious about it, which is something even a little bit subversive.

(Perhaps my only teeny tiny nitpick about their romance is when they confess their love for each other, there's that line of mutual "I wanted you from the moment I saw you", which ... looking back, I don't buy because there was a lot of apprehension from both of them towards this arranged marriage. And I didn't get Love At First Sight vibes.)

The disability representation we got in Bianca was written sensitively and wholesomely, which isn't too surprising given how the author M.Stevenson also has celiac disease. I love that Bianca is the more "active" of the couple; she enjoys fencing and is more trained in weaponry as opposed to Aric. One thing I also appreciated was that she's not portrayed as some kind of "Super Disabled Person". That her chronic illness is something she can just Overcome If She Puts Her Mind Into It. The story doesn't imply that all she needs is to do is try hard enough, or push herself enough. Bianca experiences flares at inconvenient timings; it's not something she can control. She doesn't get cured, and all she can do is manage her symptoms. There's a respect for Bianca's body and condition with her receiving support in the form of accommodations in mind to help her cope.

The side characters don't exactly get as much development since the story largely focuses on Bianca & Aric, but I do find them charming enough. Particularly Bianca's lesbian twin Tatiana, and Aric's righthand woman Marya. Spin-off, anyone? The queernormativity is a delight. I would've preferred an extended ending where Bianca confronts her parents for the mess they put her in (as well as their shitty parenting), but it's not a huge deal that we didn't get it.

With thanks to Hodder & Stoughton and NetGalley for the ARC!

This book was a whimsical cosy delight! I felt like this book was written specifically for me, and I loved every page.

We follow Bianca, a dutiful daughter to a noble house who is married off to the heir of Gildenheim, Aric, in an attempt to stop a war that is rapidly advancing. Neither of them are very happy about the marriage, and things are decidedly frosty between them. Disaster strikes on their wedding night and Aric is turned into a horse.

What follows is a fun plot of trying to turn Aric back into a human man, and a plot to steal the throne of Gildenheim. It has all the tropey goodness that I love - only one bed! I cannot stress enough how funny I found this book, and how quickly I fell in love with the characters. Bianca is so dutiful and is trying to do the right thing, and when she begins to care for Aric, it's genuinely so sweet. And Aric! Aric was grumpy at first, for a good reason, and when he started to trust Bianca, it was wonderful to watch their relationship progress.

I had such a good time with this book. Highly recommend this for the people who had model horses in a giant plastic box, or a model horse stable living in their cupboard with their ponies they were fiercely protective of. This was everything I never knew I needed.

That was a wild ride!!

I finally stopped horsing around and started this book, the easiest 5/5 to give. It was so fast paced which I loved and I love a vunurable MMC!!

The horse jokes were elite and the contant anxiety the FMC has regarding her flare ups made me feel so soooo seen.

Loved it all!!!!

It’s taken me a couple days to write this review as I’ve been so sad to have finished it and I’m really missing the characters and being in that world. I really hope there will be a sequel so I can be reunited with them all. We follow Bianca who agrees to marry the neighbouring kingdom’s heir Prince Aric, but not out of love but out of duty to her country and parents. I really connected to Bianca, she has a chronic illness and having multiple chronic illnesses myself, I could really relate to how she felt and the judgements she experienced. It broke me seeing how her parents spoke to her, which in turn affected how Bianca viewed herself and how she assumed everyone must view her the same way. Bianca is so much stronger than she has been made to believe. I’m so thankful Prince Aric helped her see the truth. There is humour and banter and i really got attached to the characters and their journey. Aric turning into a horse on their Wedding Night following an assassination attempt wasn’t how they expected the night to go but honestly I’m glad. It gave them time to get to know each other and build their trust with each other.
Loved it so much. I can’t wait for everyone to read it. I want to be back with these characters already

PLEASE BRING MORE FROM THIS AUTHOR AND THIS WORLD

When the heir apparent of Gildenheim, Price Aric, threatens war, Bianca of Damaria agrees to travel to his kingdom and forge an alliance through marriage. But despite having pushed for the wedding, Aric appears to hate Bianca on sight. When an assassination attempt on their wedding night goes wrong and Prince Aric is magically turned into a horse, Bianca and her new husband – man by day and horse by night – find themselves reluctant allies on a quest to break the curse and save Aric’s throne.

I had the BEST time with this. It was so fun, engaging and fast-paced – I flew through it in half a day.

Behooved takes a classic storyline – arranged marriage to secure a political alliance that’s not quite as it seems thanks to threats to the crown – and puts a new spin on it: a man turned into a horse. While arguably a bit ridiculous, the horse girl in me loved it and not *just* because of the horse element.

I really enjoyed the development of both the storyline and the relationship between Bianca and Aric. The growth of their relationship from distrust and miscommunication to understanding and support was well done and paralelled the physical journey they went on to get answers. The further they travelled, the further their relationship progressed, with some funny moments along the way.

There was so much to love about this book:
- The representation of Bianca’s condition/illness
- The queernormativity of the world
- A fun, engaging storyline
- The development of solid communication and a strong relationship
- Some hilarious moments with Aric in his horse form.

I cannot recommend this enough to those of you looking for a fun, fast-paced and cosy fantasy romance with a husband-turned horse.

Thank you to Hodderscape via Netgalley for the opportunity to read ahead of publication in exchange for an honest review.

5⭐

Thank you M. Stevenson, Hodderscape 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 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!

Editors & Publicity team of this book, if you're looking at this review, we're begging you for the sequel for BEHOOVED!

Full disclosure: this is a 5 star rating for the vibes.

Is the story absolutely perfect? No. Is the story perfectly lovely, hilariously witty, & deliciously sweet? 100% - and that is why it’s getting full marks from me. I’ll be honest, I could have done with a slightly slower burn with a few more days of angst between Bianca and Aric before they realise their love for each other, but the book is a quick read, and they go through so much together that I could justify it.

At its heart this book is really about two lonely souls who are perceived to be less than ideal heirs - and are reminded of it constantly. Finding each other through duty, they help each other realise that they maybe aren’t weak but rather have strength is a different way… their unconditional support (and later love) for each other is truly lovely to watch unfold. Added to this is the absurdity of the situation, some truly laugh out loud horse innuendos and puns, and two MCs that are incredibly endearing. A perfect recipe in my eyes!

Thank you to Hodder & Stoughton | Hodderscape, Stevenson & NetGalley for the opportunity to read & honestly review Behooved prior to its release.

5⭐

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

Behooved by M. Stevenson was a magical and heart-felt read that blew my expectations for the cost fantasy genre. The chronic illness & queer representation is incredibly well done and I enjoyed reading about these characters so much! The chemistry between Aric and Bianca was sizzling from the beginning and watching it develop and unfold was satisfying to read about. The slow burn and tension between them was magnificent! There is so much effort put into this book and it turned out to be an amazing!

𝑻𝒉𝒂𝒏𝒌 𝒚𝒐𝒖 𝒇𝒐𝒓 𝒕𝒉𝒆 𝒑𝒖𝒃𝒍𝒊𝒔𝒉𝒆𝒓 𝒇𝒐𝒓 𝒑𝒓𝒐𝒗𝒊𝒅𝒊𝒏𝒈 𝒂𝒏 𝒆𝑨𝑹𝑪 𝒇𝒐𝒓 𝒓𝒆𝒗𝒊𝒆𝒘𝒊𝒏𝒈. 𝑨𝒍𝒍 𝒐𝒑𝒊𝒏𝒊𝒐𝒏𝒔 𝒂𝒏𝒅 𝒕𝒉𝒐𝒖𝒈𝒉𝒕𝒔 𝒂𝒓𝒆 𝒐𝒇 𝒎𝒚 𝒐𝒘𝒏 𝒂𝒏𝒅 𝒕𝒉𝒆 𝒑𝒓𝒐𝒗𝒊𝒔𝒊𝒐𝒏 𝒐𝒇 𝒕𝒉𝒆 𝒇𝒓𝒆𝒆 𝒓𝒆𝒗𝒊𝒆𝒘 𝒄𝒐𝒑𝒚 𝒅𝒐𝒆𝒔 𝒏𝒐𝒕 𝒊𝒏𝒕𝒆𝒓𝒇𝒆𝒓𝒆 𝒘𝒊𝒕𝒉 𝒎𝒚 𝒓𝒂𝒕𝒊𝒏𝒈 𝒐𝒓 𝒓𝒆𝒗𝒊𝒆𝒘.

Thank you M. Stevenson, Hodderscape & NetGalley for the ARC!

Behooved is a whimsical subverted fairytale that throws reluctant allies-to-lovers together in an action-packed journey across a magical landscape.

This is a perfect example of a fun, exciting romantasy. It was like a Disney movie in a book, will a little bit of romantic spice which is suitable for new adult readers!

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 protagonists.

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 chronic illness rep was also very well presented and something to think about whilst reading. I loved that the characters were humanised with “imperfections".

The perfect blend of humor, heart, and representation makes this a must-read. If you love witty, fun stories that don’t take themselves too seriously but still have something to say.