This is my first ever ARC review- I feel like I don't need to summarize the book because I am not sure I could do any better than the official summary! But I will say that I really enjoyed reading this!

I particularly loved the sweetness of the romance and the character growth that happens within the story. There was a little bit of what I would call modest spice-nothing overt. The yearning between the two MCs was excellent. I love how their relationship grew and progressed.

The FMC’s mysterious disability representation was also a nice touch. She was able to be strong while also having what is perceived as a weakness and was still successful throughout the book.

The MMC was thoughtful and misunderstood and I love a misunderstood sad prince! He had his own weaknesses to cope with and the fact they were thrust together almost against their will but still fit with each other in the end was great.

The quest to break the curse and save the kingdom was exciting and intriguing. I was engaged the entire way through this book waiting to see what happens next. I want to read more honestly- I want so much more from this world where magics are different between neighboring kingdoms and why! I want to know more about some of the side characters! I want to know how the relationship between Aric and Bianca progresses over time! I am really looking forward to the potential for more from this author!

I do wish there was an epilogue- maybe there will be in the fully published version. Or perhaps we will get lucky with a sequel to expand upon the world.




Thank-you NetGalley for an ARC of this book!

Charming and cozy, Behooved is a royal treat from mane to tail!

Sent across the sea for an arranged marriage to avoid war, Bianca takes her duty seriously. Once married to Aric, things take a magical turn and Behooved takes off on a delightful adventure!

Fans of cozy fantasy will love this slow-burn romantasy with a soft hearted hero and a heroine suffering from celiac disease. Readers of T. Kingfisher’s Swordheart will love this newest from M. Stevenson.

Thank you to Bramble for the early copy! 💕🎉

Thank you to NetGalley and Tor Publishing for the ARC ebook in exchange for my honest review.

I need to prefice this review by stating that I do not care for cozy reads in any genre. I want angst and drama. But Behooved got me. I was instantly absorbed into the plot and Bianca's life. Per the author's note in the back, Bianca clearly suffers from something akin to Celiac's disease and she's been dealing with it for over a decade. Her parents don't think she'll amount to much, what with her disease as well as her lack of magic. So she is essentially sold to the neighboring kingdom to wed the next king and seal a treaty. There's a threat of war coming from the new king so Bianca does her duty to her own kingdom and its people.

Her wedding night just happens to be a huge mess due to an assassination attempt and an accidental cursing which turns the Prince into a horse by day and a man by night. Even with all the dramatics there, it's still just a cozy, good time. Aric and Bianca grow closer, clear up some misunderstandings between the two of them, and start to work together towards the goals of breaking the curse, clearing Bianca's name of regicide, and getting the Prince to the coronation at a specific date and time.

I loved this. I loved Aric's personality entirely. He was just so well written. And he didn't even hold a candle to how amazingly well-written Bianca was, our chronically ill, bi queen. The queer rep was well done. It didn't come across as a token to garner readers, it felt genuine and everyone treated it as a normal occurrence. The disability rep, while limited to Bianca, was also well done. She wasn't a damsel in distress because of her chronic illness. Bianca kicked more ass than Aric.

Overall, I loved it. The pacing was wonderful. I flew through the story. The world-building is about on par with what to expect out of a romantasy, not too in depth but enough detail to ensure you aren't lost. The characters (all of them, mains and sides alike) were the shining stars of this story. I'm looking forward to seeing more of M. Stevenson's work in the future.

Oh my gosh, this BOOK. The romance, the fantasy, the comedy (I actually lol’d a few times and still do thinking about certain scenes). BEHOOVED is such an enchanted story that gives all the characters (even minor ones) their own agency that drives them. The marriage of convenience trope was spun with loads of misunderstandings and a bigger enemy than anyone would have suspected. Bianca is wonderful, reading about her chronic condition and her wrestling with duty and want made for a great development for her. And Aric! We love a guy who’s curious, loves books, and displays a soft side! Thank you NetGalley and Bramble for the eARC!

HORSE GIRLIES HORSE GIRLIES HORSE GIRLIES HORSE GIRLIES HORSE GIRLIES HORSE GIRLIES HORSE GIRLIES HORSE GIRLIES HORSE GIRLIES HORSE GIRLIES

HORSE BOYS & HORSE PEOPLE
(Inclusion matters 🏳️‍🌈)

Now that I have your attention,

• cozy fantasy romcom
• bisexual & disability rep
• marriage of convenience
• queer normative world

Are you a horse person? I'm actually terrified of horses 😂 I just don't have the dominant personality required. I tend to pretend every horse in fiction is a unicorn and I've never met a unicorn so idk if they would vibe with me or not.

Anyway anyway anyway.

If you are a horse person and you like cozy fantasy, this is your book.

Things I liked:
The FMC is disabled and is actually a main part of the plot. It doesn't magically go away or is only mentioned once and never again. This is how you do a disability representation.
The miscommunication in this books made sense to the story and the characters and was NOT the conflict at end. I normally hate miscommunication tropes but this one was done well.
I really liked Bianca as a character. She was strong and determined while also being flawed and didn't always make the right choices.

Things I didn't like:
I think there could have been more to the ending. There was so much potential that was just sitting there but never got used. There was a lot of build up for a rather simple ending. It was a bit underwhelming and disappointing. It wasn't terrible, just not as good as it could have been.

And that's it. That's the only thing I didn't like about the book. Overall it was a really good story with characters you can love and root for. It was a four star ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ read for me.

Bianca has always valued duty over all else. Living with a chronic illness, she feels duty is all she has to contribute to her family and country.
When a treaty demands a noble marriage to an unknown king, she feels honor bound to carry out the terms her parents signed.
Set in a queer normative fantasy world, Behooved is a comedy of errors with realistic characters. It's a very cute story, although the whole thing takes place over at most a few weeks and is somehow called a slow burn? It was a little insta lovey for me.
Overall, it was a wholesome, refreshing read that I would recommend to others. It's not some astounding piece of literature but it is a well thought out story of unexpected strength and love.

This book was such a fun, heartwarming ride—literally. Bianca and Aric’s relationship starts off on the worst possible foot, but watching them go from reluctant allies to something much deeper was so satisfying. Bianca is a fierce, capable heroine who doesn’t let her chronic illness define her, and Aric is the kind of shy, bookish love interest I adore. Their dynamic was equal parts frustrating and adorable, and their banter kept me entertained the whole way through.

Beyond the romance, there’s political intrigue, a magical curse, and an assassination attempt gone wrong, all of which made for an exciting plot. I really enjoyed the world of Gildenheim, though I wish we got to explore more of its magic system and side characters. Some of them felt a little underdeveloped, and I would have loved to spend more time with them.

That said, this book was such a cozy, charming read. It had just the right mix of humor, adventure, and romance, plus great chronic illness and LGBTQ+ representation. If you love fairytales with a twist, grumpy-sunshine pairings, or just the idea of a man being cursed into a horse and his new wife having to deal with it, this one’s for you!

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the eARC in exchange for my honest opinion.

4.5 🌟

I thoroughly enjoyed this book! I was not expecting to love it as much as I did because I was not 100% sold on My Lady Jane, but I feel like this book did the horse thing very nicely. I liked that it did not focus on Aric when he was a horse. Obviously there are scenes between Bianca and Aric when he is a horse, but all of their touching scenes together happened in his human form.

If you love a studious, nerdy mmc and a tough, both mentally and physically, fmc then you will love this book. I thought that Aric and Bianca worked really well together and that their little miscommunication in the beginning worked well in the story without being annoying. I liked the addition of Bianca's chronic illness because she was still the strong one while also dealing with her illness. And I loved that Aric lifted her up when she called herself weak by saying like you are dealing with so much on top of the illness and that screams strength to me. I loved it.

Bianca, our protagonist, is immediately relatable. She's a woman burdened by duty but yearning for more, and her initial meeting with the aloof and seemingly hostile Prince Aric sets the stage for a tense and frustrating relationship. However, the assassination attempt and subsequent curse throw everything delightfully off course.
The humor in "Behooved" is spot-on. The absurdity of Bianca having to literally ride her husband to safety provides ample opportunities for comedic moments. Stevenson masterfully uses the situation to explore their characters, forcing Bianca and Aric to rely on each other in ways they never anticipated. The descriptions of Aric's equine antics are genuinely funny without ever feeling disrespectful to the characters.
But at its heart, "Behooved" is a romance, and a surprisingly touching one at that. Watching Bianca and Aric navigate their unusual circumstances, learning to trust and rely on each other, is genuinely heartwarming. The forced proximity (and the fact that Bianca literally carries him!) allows them to see beyond their initial prejudices and discover each other's true character. The "frustratingly attractive man by night" aspect adds a delicious element of tension, and the slow burn of their romance is incredibly satisfying.
Overall, "Behooved" is a charming and engaging read that will leave you smiling. M. Stevenson has crafted a unique and memorable story, blending humor, intrigue, and romance into a truly unforgettable package. If you're looking for a lighthearted fantasy with a strong female lead, a compelling plot, and a romance that will sweep you off your feet (or onto a saddle!), then "Behooved" is definitely worth a read. Highly recommended!

Wow - I just LOVED this! Mariana has such a an easy to sink into and evocative writing style, I was gripped from the very first page. I’ve been looking for something to fill that My Lady Jane hole and this was just perfect! I loved Bianca’s tenacity and earnest commitment to her morals and goals. She was a very compelling MC and I enjoyed how much time and thought she put into each decision, especially when it came to Aric. I adore a bookish and cautious MMC and he fit the bill perfectly - hooves and all. The stakes were present from the off and provided a fantastic mix between heart pounding action, cosy humor and romance. I loved it so much and can’t wait to see it out in the world!!

Behooved is a fun, light read that truly gave me a break from all that's going on in real life. I dove into the story and thoroughly enjoyed the adventure, gobbling it up within a matter of days, and was quite content in doing so. It gave me the Ladyhawke-esque vibes I adore and one could say I'm quite feral for Aric. His character is amazing and I adore him, particularly how Stevenson portrayed his character in such a way that the reader was able to see past Bianca's POV to how Aric really was long before Bianca could see it clearly.

I want to mention the portrayal of celiac's disease in this book. While I've been tested for celiac's disease and do not have it, I was given the test due to the similarities of my own "condition" to celiac's, and it was such an amazing experience to read a book where the main character who is a hero in her own right had the same problems I've experienced for nearly 20 years. I've always supported inclusion in literature, having written inclusive characters myself, but it truly feels wonderful to be on the receiving end of it all and to witness a character with the same pains you experience yourself. Anyone who has IBS, celiac's, and the vast majority of other bowel/intestinal issues will find themselves within the pages of this book.

3.5 stars ⭐️ ⭐️⭐️💫

This was a different kind of romantasy for me to read. Both of the main characters have to get married and end up having an assassination attempt on the night of their wedding. Throughout the story, they try to find out who tried to assassinate him and who put a magical spell on him. Together, they try to come together and find a cure for the spell. It’s about a guy who turns into a horse what was different too was that the FMC had a chronic illness and is also bi. It was interesting having the representation that it had in the story. The growth between the two characters and their relationship was very well written. This is a cute light easy read lots and lots of horse puns… lol
Thank you, NetGalley, for the arc of the book in exchange for an honest opinion of behooved

I can't wait for this one to hit the shelves so other readers can get their hands on it! I loved the romantic, fairy-tale vibe that this book gave. While not quite a cozy fantasy, I can see cozy readers having a great time reading this one!

Did you like My Lady Jane? Well then, I have just the book for you! The MMC turns into a horse during the day.

It’s a standalone fantasy romance with an arranged marriage between a shy, nerdy king-to-be and a bi noble from an enemy kingdom. She suffers from celiac disease, and you don’t often see that type of rep in fantasy. Both main characters suffer from insecurities and toxic family history. Their love builds quickly; it was entertaining to see them work together and bring down their shields.

First and foremost, thank you NetGalley for the ARC!

this book gave me all the warm and fuzzies and i had such a fun time falling in love with these characters! The way that Stevenson effortlessly gives each character such depth and personality made it that much easier to connect with the story overall.

i love how Aric starts out as your typical standoffish, “i’m doing this because i have to, not because i want to” type. and Bianca “it is my duty” Liliana, just for you to end up finding out that they both yearned for each other the whole time in secret. ugh, i just eat this trope up every time.

i absolutely loved how anxiety and insecurity is so prevalent in this story because it just helped me connect and relate to the characters.

if you’re looking for sweet romantic comedy vibes with a splash of magical accidents, this read is perfect for you!

Cozy, cute, and well paced. Though I wanted a little more depth to the characters I enjoyed Behooved.
I especially love that the story is similar to others and the tropes have been used in similar ways in other books I've recently read M. Stevenson used them to the absolute best of their ability.
Excited to have this one in store, I think its going to be a fast favorite!

I thought it was a cute book but it reminded me a little too much of My Lady Jane. I would recommend this to readers of light-hearted fantasy/romance.

As I read the synopsis for this, I immediately knew that I needed to read this. Bramble made my dreams come true and approved me for an early copy of this book, and please let me tell you that this book did not disappoint - it was everything I didn’t know I needed in a book.

The tropes are f**king excellent -
💒arranged marriage
👑Royalty
☕️cozy
🛏️only one bed
👸🏻terrific MFC - I adored Bianca
🍞MFC with chronic illness
🤴wonderful (and dreamy) MMC

It’s only February 8 and I already know that this book is one of my most enjoyed of 2025 - I loved this and can’t wait to read more by the author!

Absolute and utter recommendation - I hope you love it as much as I did.



Many thanks to Bramble and NetGalley for the DRC

Thank you to Bramble and NetGalley for the ARC in exchange for an honest reivew

I would recommend if you're looking for (SPOILERS

-m/f fantasy romance
-marriage of convenience
-chornic illness rep
- a curse
- roadtrip
-slow burn

This was a lot of fun. Lady Jane vibes, two people who resigned themselves to never falling in love and whoops is that what this is. A curse that turns her marriage of convenience husband into a horse. I love how she has to protect and save him throughout the book, and these two fall for each other in the softest of ways even with everything up against them. A cozy and fun world. I'm excited to see what M. Stevenson writes next.