Plot 3/5
Characters 4/5

I really loved the characters, especially the book loving mmc but the plot…
I didn’t feel anything reading it.
There was not a lot of action and it was quite repetitive.

3.75* rounded up.
This book is perfect for My Lady Jane lovers! If you, like me, are still grumpy that we don't get season 2, pick up this book I beg of you!

This was a really cosy and sweet read, which was very easy to pick up, more world building would have been appreciated, but I also understood that's not what this book was setting out to give us.

The story follows Bianca, who is due to be wed to a King of a Kingdom where there is threats of war, but on her wedding night a spell turns her now husband into a horse by day.

We have horse jokes galore, we have representation of chronic illnesses, lesbians and bisexuals and it's all wonderful.

All in all, I really would recommend this book, it was so so easy to pick up and hear all about Bianca riding her husband (hehe)

I was so excited to read this given the pun title, pun tagline, and the listing as a cozy fantasy. Unfortunately those were not true. There is no humour inside this book. I was hoping for either a fantasy rom-com or at least something light-hearted in tone, but the book plays itself very straight.

Sadly it isn't cozy, either -- the plot hinges on politics (complicated and serious), the protagonist and her husband are on the run from assassins (high stakes and high tension), and if they should fail their two kingdoms will go to war (high stakes and high tension, literally the fate of all people in two large kingdoms). I don't think publishers understand what "cozy fantasy" means.

I enjoyed the first half more than the second half. Bianca and Aric had excellent reasons for distrusting and even hating one another. I wish that level of effort had been put into resolving their issues and then creating a romance, but unfortunately the moment they realise someone else is manipulating things behind the scenes it's straight into trope-ville. Oh, he's so handsome I can't stop staring despite my life being in danger. Oops, my towel almost slipped off in front of him. Oh, there's only one bed and wouldn't it be ever-so-hot to grind myself against his erection while he's asleep & unable to consent. The author tries to have some conversations between them to force a connection, but it's always very unrealistic. A "let me spill my darkest secrets and wishes to someone I yesterday despited and thought was trying to murder me". You don't know this person at all, why would you immediately jump to deepest intimate secrets rather than, I don't know, getting-to-know-you topics? Discussing the problems at hand? Making plans for what to do after hopefully reversing the horse-transformation problem? Worst of all is that protagonist Bianca has always been ruled by duty, and ML's reaction to this is "no, we shouldn't be beholden to our people or our families, we rule kingdoms, we should be allowed to rule ourselves and do whatever we want without anyone judging us!" Which is... certainly An Opinion. Especially in our current world climate where the rich ARE doing whatever they want and the rest of us are suffering for it. Very tone-deaf to have literal royalty arguing for no rules, no responsibilities, no oversight - just because he wants to spend all day reading without his subjects getting mad that he's ignoring critical matters of state.

If this is enemies-to-lovers, then the enemies stage worked much better for me than the lovers stage. The protagonists also confess their love at the 63% mark, which is simply far too soon to have the romance problems solved in any romance or romantasy novel.

I wish the novel lived up to the title-and-tagline promise of a fantasy rom-com. I think a lot of problems could have been solved if the novel weren't trying to be so serious - I wouldn't judge politics, romantic development, or themes quite so hard if this were a comedy.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for a free ARC in exchange for an honest review.


Rating: 2 stars -- Not terrible, but did not meet my expectations from the blurb, title, etc. Neither funny nor cozy despite promising both.

Behooved by M. Stevenson is a stunning and unforgettable novel that completely swept me away. From the very first page, Stevenson’s rich, lyrical writing style draws you into a world that feels both mythic and deeply personal. The story masterfully blends fantasy, folklore, and human emotion, creating a narrative that is as imaginative as it is emotionally resonant.

The characters are beautifully complex, each carrying their own struggles, hopes, and vulnerabilities. Stevenson has a real gift for crafting authentic, layered personalities that linger with you long after you finish the book. The world-building is immersive, full of vivid details and atmospheric moments that bring the setting to life without ever overwhelming the story’s emotional core.

What truly sets Behooved apart is its exploration of identity, belonging, and transformation. It’s a story that feels timeless yet fresh, with themes that are universally relatable. Every twist and turn felt purposeful, and the conclusion was both satisfying and deeply moving.

Behooved is a brilliant, original novel that deserves a place on every fantasy lover’s shelf. I cannot recommend it highly enough and am already eager to see what M. Stevenson writes next!

Overall this is a really good read. I like the disability representation with Bianca's condition and relatability of the 'unknown' cause so many people experience.

When Aric was initially transformed into a horse and turned his head grumpily, all I saw in my mind was Maximus from Disneys Tangled and it made me laugh so hard.
I really enjoyed the banter back and forth between Biana and Aric at the initial transformation, it was really funny.

There was so much internal monologue that it almost felt too much. I feel like the book could have been slightly shorter and still have the same impact if some of the monologue was excluded.

Still a very enjoyable read.

Cute and cosy. I had a really fun, easy time with it, I was more invested in the first half than in the second. I just wanted more from the world (so interesting!), the magic system, and the romance. Swan Princess meets My Lady Jane vibes but with a litlle less tension.




Thank you to NetGalley and Hodder & Stoughton for the earc.

My Lady Jane Fans will go feral over this. With the whimsy of Howl's Moving Castle and humour of The Princess Bride, Behooved manages to be both lighthearted and filled with a steamy romance that had me glued to the pages.

Bianca is someone who absolutely does not know her own worth. Her parents have always called her weak, always seen her as disposable. She has always been the dutiful daughter, always hoping to make herself useful in whatever way she can, in spite of her debilitating illness that could creep up on her at any moment. But despite all of that she's no wilting wallflower, she is someone who has trained since birth to survive, to kill if necessary, and I really loved how Stevenson almost subverted the damsel in distress trope because Aric was absolutely more the damsel than Bianca ever was. She's an easy character to like, to empathise with, someone so unsure of their own power, so used to being seen as nothing more than a chess piece on her parents board, but her marriage to Aric opens something up inside her, and I honestly loved the journey of self love and worth she went on in this book.

Though we don't get Aric's pov, and I was a teeny bit disappointed by this, he's still fairly well developed as his own character. This is by far Bianca's book, and she is where the focus lies, but I enjoyed the time's we see him open up to her, begrudgingly at first, but the more time he spends with her, the more we understand the reasons for his aloofness. He's someone who has been told he's worthless, similarly to Bianca, and it's this feeling of being broken that bridges the gap between the two.

I mentioned Howl's Moving Castle before and I really think it's a good reference for this book, not only because of the whimsy but because of the almost basic introduction to the magic and world. I don't mean that in a bad way, this was absolutely more character/romance focused and it 100% worked with the way the characters are written, but for those who like a bit more to their world building, you may be slightly disappointed. The focus lies solely with our characters and the somewhat hilarious situation they find themselves in. Be prepared for horse/riding puns a plenty, a lot of blushing and nakedness. Stevenson does a great job of dealing with some hefty topics with enough levity that they never bog the plot down in any way. Her writing style, descriptions and use of humor really propel the plot along and I found myself flying through the pages.

The romance was almost perfect, the only thing it was missing for me was Aric's POV because I needed to feel that boy pining as much as Bianca was, but that's more a personal preference and I still loved it as a whole. It's the kind of enemies to lovers where they both fall hard early on, but neither are willing to put their differences aside and admit it... until the horse situation anyway, with some grump/sunshine thrown in for good measure. These are two people who have been told they are worthless, useful only as pawns in a bigger game, and it took a long while for them to realise that they are in fact worth more than that, worth loving. But alongside this journey, Stevenson gives us a story full of pining, of want and tension and it really does scream 'save a horse, ride your husband'... in more than one way if you get my meaning.

The side plot of the assassination was well woven through the book and I enjoyed how it allowed Stevenson to bring in some side characters to add tension, drama and a whole bunch of humour to the story. I especially loved Bianca's sister Tatiana, and some of their interactions, especially after she'd married Aric had me cackling. It really is just a fun book, it reminds me of Kingfishers in a lot of way, the quirkiness and the fast paced storytelling, but Stevenson has absolutely made this story her own and I am eager to see what she writes next.

Behooved was an absolute delight from start to finish. This was silly and whimsical and heartwarming. For those of us who grew up binge watching The Saddle Club, with our Breyer figurines and persistent nagging our parents for a pony of our own.

arranged marriage
cosy fantasy
queer representation
chronic illness rep
one bed/stable trope

This book does not shy away from how silly it is and I LOVE that. 𝑫𝒓𝒂𝒈𝒐𝒏 𝒔𝒉𝒊𝒇𝒕𝒆𝒓𝒔? 𝑵𝒆𝒗𝒆𝒓 𝒉𝒆𝒂𝒓𝒅 𝒐𝒇 𝒉𝒆𝒓. Vibrant, colourful world building was the expectation here and it delivered. But what really stole the show for me were our main characters, Bianca & Aric, their banter was lighthearted and fun and they absolutely melted my heart.

An endless thank you to the author, publisher and NetGalley for providing me with an advance copy of this book. I would absolutely love to read more from this author, especially if they continue to be as magical as this.

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.

Behooved had a lot of potential, and while it didn’t fully deliver for me, there were still things to appreciate. Bianca is a strong protagonist, and the chronic illness representation? Fantastic. We absolutely need more of that in books.

The humor and horse puns add a fun touch, but the story never fully commits to being either a lighthearted romcom or a deeper, more emotional narrative. It hovers somewhere in between, which makes it feel a little unsure of itself. The romance, too, could have been stronger—there’s a shift from mutual annoyance to miscommunication to insta-love that happens so fast, it doesn’t quite feel earned.

The pacing dragged at times, and I kept waiting for that hook that would pull me in completely. That said, there were definitely enjoyable moments, and the unique premise kept me curious enough to see how it all played out.

Overall, Behooved is a decent read with solid representation and some charming humor, even if it didn’t completely win me over. If you’re in the mood for a story with a unique setting and a protagonist worth rooting for, it might still be worth a shot! ⭐️⭐️⭐️

Thank you Netgalley, Hodder & Stoughton and M. Stevenson for this ARC.

I came into this book not quite sure what to expect, however it turned out to be a relaxing cosy fantasy, with much amusement on a curse that turns the King into a horse every day! I enjoyed the banter between our two main characters, Bianca and Aric, their relationship did take a while to warm up to me which was partly the plot and a little on my side (took a while for me to feel invested.

Bianca is a Duchess who is told by her parents she is to marry a King in a neighbouring kingdom to ensure peace, however not everything is as it seems. Aric is about to be crowned King after the unexpected death of his Mother, and is not very welcoming to Bianca, especially after he becomes cursed to turn into a horse during each day, and a man by night. The story follows their journey to remove the curse and slowly fall for each other.

The horsey innuendos definitely made me chuckle, and roll my eyes in amusement in parts. The characters were well written and had good representation. I would recommend this as an easy to read light hearted novel.

Tropes:
- Only one bed
- Chronic illness rep
- Arranged marriage/marriage of convenience
- Cosy fantasy
- Queer-normative world
- Hate to love
- Witty banter

Behooved is a delightful romantasy that strikes the perfect balance between magic, adventure, and heartfelt romance. The story flows effortlessly, drawing readers into a world where fantasy elements feel both enchanting and natural.

The male main character (MMC) is particularly compelling—charming, layered, and impossible not to root for. His journey, alongside the well-crafted plot, keeps you hooked from start to finish. The book delivers an engaging mix of romance and intrigue, making it an absolute pleasure to read.

If you love romantic fantasy with depth and warmth, Behooved is a must-read!

Horse girlies you have been summoned! (words I never expected to say while writing a book review). Behooved is a whimsical, lighthearted rom com that follows Bianca, who agrees to an arranged marriage with the prince of a *neigh*boring kingdom. After a wedding night assassination goes awry, her new husband is cursed to spend his days as a horse and his nights as his handsome former self. This book was absolutely adorable and had me giggling and kicking my feet until 3am. While a bit predictable, it was an easy to follow, low stress read and I enjoyed it immensely.

What I loved:

* arranged marriage
* disability/chronic illness rep
* cozy fantasy
* enemies to lovers

Thank you to Netgalley and HodderBooks for giving me the chance to read the e-ARC.

Based on the premise, I went into this book expecting a kind of traditional fairytale where one character has to save the other, they try to defeat the villain, and they also fall in love along the way. And it didn’t disappoint.

While it did have flaws, I had fun with it.
Our characters are forced into marriage to avoid a war, so obviously they hate each other. When the MMC turns into a horse on their wedding night, they are also forced to work together to break the spell.

The first half was a bit more enjoyable than the second one.

I would’ve liked the FMC to be a bit more bad ass, considering this is the impression I got at the beginning. The MMC was her opposite: non-violent and a bookworm. He was adorable.
The plot had a good flow; it didn’t have a lot of situations that sidetracked them from the story.
They had the chance to get to know each other better and get closer, while also struggling with their own personal issues.
I think I would’ve really liked Aric’s POV, not just Bianca’s because her inner thoughts made the writing a bit repetitive. I can understand what she struggled with, but repeating it all the time became boring at a certain point. And it might’ve helped with convincing us better about their relationship. It seemed mostly based on lust.

While there were things left under developed (the world and the magic system), unresolved (a confrontation with Bianca’s parents, who plotted everything and were left unpunished) and things that I don’t think were handled well (Bianca’s apothecary’s reveal at the end and how she handled it, basically brushing over it), it was entertaining.
Go into it for a good time, but expect plot holes and unresolved issues.

This book was an expected delight! From the blurb I was expecting something reminiscent of a fairy-tale retelling, but actually this book was surprisingly unique and I loved it. World building was good, characters were brilliantly fleshed out, and the drama was high. The romance felt natural, and I really enjoyed the magic. I'll definitely be looking out for more from this author!

I received a copy from the publisher in exchange for an honest review

This was a fast paced, easy and fun fantasy read with romcom moments, but also had a solid fantasy plot with twists that kept me hooked.

Fans of My Lady Jane will love this as there’s some big similarities between MLJ and this book! This book is definitely an adult fantasy though as there are a couple of spicy scenes.

I loved the representation of queer normative characters and chronic illness in this book. I loved the author’s note about their own experience with Celiac Disease and how this motivated them to write a fantasy character that deals with the same issues.

This book has 2 of my all time favourite tropes - marriage of convenience and only one bed! And they were done really well.

Bianca and Aric are both great characters, and their relationship development felt like mutual healing. Both have been made to feel worthless by their parents, and watching them work through their insecurities together was heartwarming. Their connection felt inevitable and real, and their journey toward overcoming their personal struggles was lovely to read. I just know people will love Aric as he’s a slightly grumpy cinnamon roll MMC who loves books and flushes A LOT!

We follow Bianca, she travels to the neighbouring kingdom to marry the prince, on their wedding day an assassination attempt leaves Aric turning into a horse and together they flee for safety- beginning the story of slow-burn romance.

To me this book reads less romantasy and more a romcom, I think it would be enjoyed by people who don’t like fantasy much.

Likes:
The book is well written, easy to read and engaging. It’s a simple plot but the unique aspect of character turning into a horse made the story enjoyable and fun.

The story has great chronic illness representation, we see Bianca suffering with a sickness which is incorporated into the story in an important and fluid way- later on in the book we find out something about her sickness which I thought sullied rep. Nevertheless, it was still quality rep.

The characters have likeable personalities, Aric follows the trope of a grumpy character, initially their relationship starts rocky as they were forced into the marriage and experience a miscommunication trope.
Throughout the book the characters have natural banter and funny interactions. I mean, turning into a horse must have some funny moments.

I loved the little creatures of this world at the beginning, we see a creature on the boat and in the forest which were very cute moments and I wish we experienced more.

Dislikes:
It’s a very weak fantasy plot, the politics are lacklustre(I wish the world and politics of both countries and their magic were expanded more) and the plot only felt important during first and last portion of the book.

We spend too much time travelling whilst they’re on the run and it lost my interest, it felt like multiple things were repeated during this time causing the story to feel stale. We did have some fun moments during this time though, but to me it felt like their travelling journey was just a bonding vacation between them and It didn’t feel like stakes were high enough for someone being the princes assassin.

The book loves its one bed trope. I felt like it was overused, it was funny occasionally but got boring.

——

3.5 star, I had fun and enjoyed my time but it was an average experience for me. It’s a great debut novel and I think people into more romance will enjoy it more.

Conceptually I think there's a lot to like about this. Accidental magic that turns the prince into a horse. Two countries with very opposing views and infrastructure around magic. Political intrigue. Lots of fun staples of romance tropes such as only one bed and misunderstandings and arranged marriage. Also I fricken love magic horses.

Ultimately I think the execution was just serviceable, the romance was fine and the prose unmemorable.

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

"Behooved" is a fun and breezy read that hits the mark if you're in the mood for something light. I really enjoyed how smooth it was to read, and the connection between Arin and Bianca totally stole the show—they brought a nice mix of humor and warmth to the story.

Sure, the plot is pretty predictable and doesn't get too deep, but that's exactly what you want from a book like this. It delivers exactly what I was expecting: a well paced, enjoyable escape without any heavy drama. All in all, a good pick for a laid-back read