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.

I would like to thanks the publisher and NetGalley for providing me an ARC of "Behooved" by M.Stevenson.

2,5⭐️

I didn't have a lot of expectations for this book; the summary sounded fun, reminding me of " The Swan Princess," even though here it's the prince who turns into a horse. I was really surprised by the beginning; while I thought the writing lacked descriptions and depth, I found myself very invested in the story. The first 145 pages (40%) were very good: fast-paced but with a strong foundation of world-building. Despite the seriousness of the story (arranged marriage), there were fun moments (I laughed a lot). And then... I don't know what happened; maybe I had expectations, and that's why I was so disappointed with how the story evolved.

One of my biggest problems is the target audience of the book; it's written as if it reads like a YA, but it's not. The MCs are 26 and 28 years old, yet they acted like horny teenagers to me. There is a lot of emphasis on physical appearances and attractions. I wasn't expecting any spicy scenes, and while they weren't very detailed, it was so cringe-worthy... I am not a big fan of spice, but that doesn't mean it can't be well written; however, here... I almost died from embarrassment.

The romance lacked feelings, emotions, and a real bond between the characters. It was flat; I felt like they just liked each other because they appreciated how they looked . The focus was too much on fleshly desire. When I am told a book is a slow burn, I am expecting yearning, longing, and not sex scenes at not even 50% of the book. I gave up on a swooning romance when Bianca said to Aric (not even halfway through the book): "I always wanted you," because at the beginning, she said again and again that she despised him. It's an arranged marriage; they spoke once before marrying, so explain to me how she could want Aric from the moment she laid her eyes on him . This is not romantic feeling, but physical attraction.

Bianca was fine at the beginning; the representation of her chronic illness is good , but it doesn't make for a strong FMC. For someone 26 years old, she thinks like a 16-year-old and is too focused on the feelings of Aric's body against hers . Also, she is badass, and it's the kind of FMC I like the least because strength isn't just about how you wield a sword. It's a shame because I really liked her background and her relationship with her family. On the other hand, I liked Aric a lot. He is kind, compassionate, passionate, and funny (even though he is described as cold and aloof in the summary). I loved his way of thinking, and it's a real change from all the love interests you can find in romantasy.

As for the plot , it was somewhat predictable. I wasn't surprised at all, and since I had enough of Bianca, I just wanted it to end soon.

It's the first book by M. Stevenson, and while it wasn't for me, I think it will be enjoyable for people who like romantasy and want light reading. There were good ideas, but it lacked enough depth and investment on my part to really love it (plus the cringe sex scenes).

Thank you to NetGalley and Hodderscape for providing an e-ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.

Summary:
Behooved is a cozy fantasy filled with magical mishaps, political intrigue, and a slow-burn romance. The story follows Bianca, who is sent to a neighboring kingdom to marry its new king and secure peace between their lands. However, their wedding night takes a disastrous turn when an assassination attempt leads to a spell gone awry—transforming her new husband, Aric, into a horse.

Forced to travel across the kingdom in search of a cure, Bianca and Aric embark on a journey filled with danger, discovery, and unexpected companionship. As they work together to unravel the mystery behind the attack, their relationship gradually deepens, leading to a beautifully developed romance.

What I Loved:
✨ A Heartfelt and Natural Romance – The relationship between Bianca and Aric unfolds in a way that feels organic and deeply rewarding. Their slow-burn dynamic is full of trust-building moments, mutual appreciation, and sweet, heartfelt interactions.

✨ A Unique Blend of Magic and Political Intrigue – The story weaves together fantastical elements with courtly drama, keeping the stakes high and the plot engaging. The balance between magic, mystery, and character growth kept me fully invested.

✨ Meaningful Themes and Representation – I really appreciated the inclusion of both bisexual and chronic illness representation. Additionally, the book explores themes of self-worth, challenging the idea that perceived flaws equate to weakness.

What Could Be Improved:
📖 Humour Could Have Been More Playful – Given the premise, I was hoping for a bit more tongue-in-cheek humour. While the story is charming, leaning further into its comedic potential could have made it even more delightful.

📖 The Pacing May Not Suit Everyone – While I personally enjoyed the steady progression of the romance and character development, readers looking for fast-paced action might find some sections a bit slow.

Overall Thoughts:
Behooved is a charming, lighthearted fantasy with a lovely romance, engaging world-building, and meaningful themes. It balances adventure, political intrigue, and emotional depth while keeping the story cozy and comforting. I just wish it had leaned slightly more into its humour! That said, I’m definitely looking forward to reading more from this author in the future.

⭐ Final Rating: 4/5 Stars

I think a fun time can be had with this book in which a prince suddenly turns into a horse on his wedding night, but only if you're really along for the ride (ha!) and turn your brain off a little while reading. Otherwise this will be a frustrating read, and I'm speaking from experience. I know it's a weird thing to say about a fantasy book that shouldn't be taken too seriously, but there is no logic to be found here. Bianca is married off to the neighboring kingdom so war may be avoided. Her parents kinda hate her, but she is an ever-dutiful daughter who wants to protect her country and quickly accepts her fate. Even though her betrothed is rumored to be a murderer. Their first meeting is cold, and their wedding night would have been too, if Prince Aric hadn't suddenly turned into a horse during an assassination attempt. They gallop away into the night and the rest of the book is about them trying to figure out what the hell just happened. Me too, because there is so much I didn't understand:

- Bianca heard the rumors about her future husband and knew this wouldn't be a union of love, but she still is so very offended by literally everything he does. Like, he asks her to join him for breakfast via letter, and she simply cannot believe he wouldn't come and ask her that in person. Girl, he is the ruler of this kingdom?
- Bianca brings a dagger to her first meeting with Aric when there's literally a war at stake?
- And is it really enough to only send one woman and her staff to a foreign kingdom to ensure an alliance?
- Aric thinks that Bianca sent the assassin although she was in danger too. Honestly, they belong together if they misunderstand each other on purpose every time.
- The way they were trying to figure out who actually sent the assassin when there was a great total of like 3 characters introduced by name, and only one who would benefit from Aric's death.
- The world building doesn't go beyond: There's this country where magic is strictly regulated and that country where magic roams freely, and they better don't make war.
- Speaking of the magic: Everyone with magic potential has to be trained for NINE years, so that they are not a danger to the public. But Bianca's sister can do what she wants, just because, I guess?
- Said sister gave Bianca a spell that she might use when she's in danger. It's a spell that turns an attacker into a horse. It turns an attacker into a horse while they still have full conscience, giving them a super heavy body with which they may kick or trample Bianca to death even better. Wouldn't it be smarter to turn them into a guinea pig or something?

The list goes on, but I think that these are enough examples to illustrate my frustration with this book. The romance gave nothing either. Let me tell you how their relationship developed:

Step 1: Miscommunication
Step 2: Banter
Step 3: Love

Mind you, it's been like 5 days. And don't forget the never-ending traveling during step 2 where every inn along the way had of course only one bed. You know, the bed where the spice can happen. The entire book reads like YA, but of course it's actually not, we have to check off the popular tropes.

Take my review with a grain of salt, this book was clearly not for me. There were some things I liked, like the chronic illness representation or the way how gender didn't matter in this world, but that's really not enough to sing praises for this book.

Huge thanks to NetGalley and Hodderscape for providing a digital arc in exchange for an honest review.

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.

4.25 stars

This is such a cute romantic read. A future queen having to ride her horse husband to get answers and a cure before his coronation. The banter between the pair was so funny.

This is a slow burn and forced proximity. I would say the story is very YA but there are spice scenes. I would have liked more world building and more scenes with the side characters, but I enjoyed the fast pace of the book. Both of the main characters were likeable with great chemistry.

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.

Behooved was such a fun surprise! A prince who's a horse by day? Yes, please. Bianca and Aric’s slow-burn romance was both sweet and hilarious, and the cozy fantasy vibes were perfect. I loved it and can't wait to see what's next!

Thank you NetGalley and Hodderscape for this ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Fun, escapism concept but sadly lacks a strong voice, or characters, for me to fully immerse.

I was totally sold by the premise on this! I think it'll do fantastically once it's published, but I'm picky when it comes to fantasy voice and this one was too shallow. And I don't like a first chapter full of info-dumping.

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!!!!

I found this book very lighthearted and adventurous! Although the pacing of the journey, and consequently the book, was a tad off, I could still envision the adventure and the scenery. Just to expand on the pace - the beginning, and the middle of the book was quite slow in comparison to the ending. Their relationship advanced rather quickly, and I found the timing of the first spicy scene a tad awkward.

Tatiana is quite funny and I enjoyed her character a lot. If the author were to expand on this world, I would love to read a spin-off surrounding her and her magical experiments.

Bianca is feisty, adept in using weapons but above all she bound by duty. When her parents tell her the soon-to-be king of a neighbouring kingdom has insisted on a bride to avoid war she knows she must leave her home and do what she must do to protect her people. On her wedding night an assassination attempt goes wrong, her new husband Aric is magically transformed into a horse and his court think she has murdered him! All she can do is ride her husband away from the castle and find a way to turn him back before war breaks out.

The main thing I loved about Behooved is just how unserious it is. Yes, there is magic, romance and spice but there is a thread of humour running throughout with plenty of jokes of the equine variety. It's a super quick and fun standalone read that I would say is less romantasy, more rom-com fairytale with great diability rep and plenty of horsification.

This was a very cute Romantasy, it basically read like a grown up fairytale☺️

I thought the author including Bianca's condition was great, because she mentioned it in her author note and it gives me a better understanding of an illness I knew little about previously. I always enjoy learning something new with diversity in characters.

I did like Bianca, she's smart and knows enough basic skills to get her out of sticky situations which is believable, but her inner monologue was sometimes a little long and repetitive. I mostly noticed this towards the end of the book when she mentions worrying about her retinue again. It is good to know that she hasn't forgotten about them but it maybe felt once or twice too many times personally. And calling herself weak quite often was a little irritating also🙈

I didn't think I'd like Aric at first - due to bad first impressions - but then we learn more as a reader, and it became hard not to. I like that he isn't a typical MMC; he is sensitive, shy, easily embarrassed but also kind and passionate. He is similar to Bianca, feeling that he doesn't measure up to expectations of others, and I think this is something they will grow from together.

I enjoyed this and would be interested in reading more books by the author☺️

Thank you to Netgalley, Hodder & Stoughton, Hodderscape and the author for the review copy, provided in exchange for an honest opinion.

A magical and cosy read. LGBTQ rep and disability rep too for even more marks!
The perfect book to pick up your spirits and have you giggling whilst kicking your feet
The banter is amazing, the romance beautiful and the world building feels effortless.
Highly recommend this for other readers

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!!

Thank you to NetGalley and Hooder & Stoughton for the ARC

I thought this fantasy novel sounded fun but I didn't anticipating liking it so much. I was honestly blown off course. The worldbuilding was great! Detailed and vivid. The characters were fleshed-out and surprisingly loveable. I loved our strong FMC. She was badass, clever and in charge. She dealt with her problems like a girl and I lived for it! The romance was surprisingly sweet and cute. Highly recommed!

I read this in two sittings! I really love this as a debut, and the dynamics between Bianca and Aric are really fun and they were both charming characters! I really adored the romance and thoroughly enjoyed Aric's soft boy characterization being juxtaposed with Bianca's headstrong approach in particular. The spice we get was a pleasant surprise as well. 👀

This could've been a 5 for me, but personally the FMC's inner thoughts got a bit too repetitive and that distracted me. There were some other repetitive details in the first half that I kept noticing too, which I feel made the pacing hiccup some, and added to the YA vibes in the writing style. Some parts of the plot were predictable, and I actually have many questions that probably won't be addressed (mostly related to the world + politics) since I'm pretty sure this is a standalone, but it was still nice overall!!! The various tropes and reps that were mentioned by the author for this book was well done, I think! I just wish the bi4bi was stronger for one of the characters.

Can't wait to see what Stevenson does next!!!

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!

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