This book was so much fun! I went into it completely blind; I fell in love with the cover and decided to read it on the spot without knowing anything about it. First of all, this book gives Gail Carson Levine and fairytale retelling vibes all day and I’m here for it!

Without giving too much away, I can say that the characters are interesting and layered. The FMC has some kind of chronic intestinal distress and I think many readers will find that representation welcome. The MMC also struggles with low self esteem and both MCs parents seem to have made this worse for them both. Both MCs have satisfying growth in this tale.

I loved the fun magic systems and the political intrigue elements in the story. There is a romance element and personal growth storyline and both were satisfying. The relationships in the story were interesting and went beyond just the MMC and FMC, which was nice.

I was able to have access to the audiobook version as well as the ebook version thanks to Macmillan Audio, Tor/Bramble, and NetGalley and the narrator, Natalie Naudus, did a wonderful job. She has a variety of voices and intonations that made each character distinct. Naudus has excellent diction and clear enunciation and is a pleasure to listen to—she really does this fantasy story brilliantly!

I will recommend this story to my cozy fantasy and romantacy readers and I think regular romance readers looking for a switch up would like this too.

This was my first cozy storyline of the year and it was marvelous! The health rep that was showing in the FMC was so well done, felt like I was reading about myself in there. Aric is such a wonderful book love interest!

Thank you Bramble for the eARC in exchange for an honest review.

I love a good cozy fantasy read that’s easy to dive into. Behooved had all the elements I love… arranged marriage, enemies to lovers, and adventure. But unfortunately, this one just didn’t land for me. I’m not sure if it was the writing style that felt a bit more YA or if Bianca‘s character fell a bit flat, but I just struggled to stay engaged and excited about continuing on reading. I know not all books you read are going to be ones you love, but I’m hopeful that if this lands in the right hands, it will be loved and appreciated the way it deserves.

The premise of this book reminded me of Shrek. If Fiona was a man who became a horse instead of an ogre. It also gives whimsical childhood vibes. I typically do not like forced marriage tropes, however this one is splendid. I think i’m fantasy, especially for political kingdom reasons, the trope can be amazing. This book proves that. There’s chronic illness representation that isn’t just magically “poofed away” like many fantasies will do.
The age rage of our main characters are ones I feel I don’t see often.

All around a good tale with many good features.

Bianca is promised in marriage to the heir of a neighboring kingdom. On their wedding night, they're attacked by an assassin and she defends herself with a magic charm ... that turns her husband into a horse. Oops? After a few other plot points, she hops on his back and they ride away for a road trip honeymoon to get his human body back and foil the plot against the throne.

As you might expect, this is a silly, cute fantasy. Personally, I wouldn't classify it as "cozy" because despite the silliness the stakes are still very high! I also appreciated the disability rep: Bianca has an unknown "condition" that causes her terrible nausea and fatigue. The author's note included a personal relationship with celiac disease as well as thoughts on how it might have affected epic fantasy characters who survive on lembas bread for the duration of their quests...

This objective review is based on a complimentary copy of the novel.

E-ARC generously provided by Netgalley in exchange for an honest review! Thank you!

What a delightful romantsy novel filled with so much emotion! I adored the comedy sprinkled throughout and the development of Bianca and Aric's relationship. The setup of the story was great, especially with the slow build of introducing the characters. The plot was great since Bianca had accidentally cursed her husband, Aric, into becoming a horse and the antics to break it. The romance was slowly building as they learned to accept and learn more about each other. The minor characters were great as well like Tatiana, Bianca's sister, stood out. Overall, I thoroughly enjoyed this fantastic romantsy, especially for those looking for strong comedy and banter.

Behooved is an excellent cozy romantasy that is full of magic and whimsy! This did take a while for me to get into, but once it fully grasped my attention, I didn’t want to put it down!

Bianca is a very realistic main character. She has an illness, which according to the author’s note is based on celiac disease. I really liked this addition to the book–especially the fact that even if this is a fantasy novel, there is no cure for it. Aric is quite hard to read at first, but as the book goes on he is really lovely. Their banter was so good!

I enjoyed the plot of this book–very easy to follow, predictable yet satisfying, and entertaining. This is the perfect book to read when you want something to escape into with low stakes and great pacing. Overall, this was a silly and fun book! Thank you Netgalley and Bramble for the early copy! All thoughts and opinions are my own.

Behooved by M. Stevenson is an utterly delightful & highly entertaining cozy fantasy romance that is a ride of a time.

Behooved is great for those looking to read…
💜 Cozy Fantasy Romance
💜 Arranged Marriage
💜 Chronic Illness Representation
💜 Queernormative World
💜 Bi4Bi Pairing
💜 Only One Bed
💜 Bookish Love Interest
💜 Hate to Love

This was wildly unexpected but just a fun & easy to escape in read that had me amused, immersed & entertained though out. I love a nerdy bookish book interest & this was a great hero along with a fierce heroine.

I am always so grateful for the chronic illness representation & I thought this was done so well. I live for feeling seen in the books I read & I am so thankful for this.

I was fortunate enough to listen to the audiobook of this & it was just wonderful. I could not stop listening to this. The narrator did great & I listened at 2x & it was perfect for my ADHD brain.

If you are looking for a cozy, easy to escape in fantasy romance that’s unique & wild adventure, I highly recommend Behooved!

Massive thanks to NetGalley, Tor/Bramble & Macmillan Audio for the gifted copy, which I voluntarily read & reviewed.

I will post on socials & Amazon around release week & add links once I do. I

I had such a great time listening to the audiobook for this wonderful story. Natalie Naudus was a perfect pick for the narration and Bianca’s voice. This fantasy world was interesting and I loved the characters.

Bianca was a character I related to on many levels. She has a hard time believing in herself because of what she has been told by her parents about her chronic illness. It was so powerful to see her find confidence in herself. Also, I’m glad that her illness cannot just be magically cured and she keeps fighting even when she is having one of her flares of sickness and pain. Many times in fantasy where there is magic being used so much in the world, an illness would have been healed quickly in the book. It feels much more real to see her having to continue on even when she feels terrible and this shows her strength. I like that this was an empowering story along with the fantasy and romance aspects.

Arranged marriages are quite common in fantasy novels and I enjoyed seeing how M. Stevenson had Aric turn into a horse. There was so much humor because of this, especially with the horse puns. Bianca and Aric’s relationship was charming in every way. Aric is the type of character I adore. He at first seems to be aloof, but it doesn’t take long to see the man he really is. Such a sweetheart. I like how they both are able to help the other feel more comfortable being who they are. Their romance was sweet.

I look forward getting my own copy of this wonderful book for my collection and reading more of M. Stevenson’s writing. I recommend this book to cozy fantasy fans, fantasy romance fans, and fans of My Lady Jane.

ok, i sat on it for a day. listen, there were fun parts. but also it was largely a mess.

the plot? nonsensical. the magic system? relatively nonexistent? but that’s ok because it’s a romantasy and it’s about the romance, right?

however, the romance here was kind of… a mess? i mean don’t get me wrong, they were cute but it was just so all over the place. it was “oh we hate each other” and then “truce because we’re on the run” and then “ooh we are in love” and it just felt VERY fast to me.

it was also like… incredibly my lady jane derivative. like idk why i would read this when i can just watch that.

again, fun, but not my cup of tea.

Behooved by M. Stevenson is a captivating exploration of self-discovery. This enchanting novel not only takes readers on a refreshing journey but also offers a delightful fairy tale romance that will resonate with horse enthusiasts. The witty narrative had me eagerly turning the pages, eager to uncover what would happen next.

I am shocked to learn the characters are 26 and 29. So many examples I could name of the main characters trying to throw quips and it just fell so flat and cringe.

The plotline is very simplistic, every character falls into their trope easily. I knew the villain as soon as they introduced him. It was all very surface level writing. EXCEPT when we are going on and on AND on about being weak, about not being good enough, about whether you are worth it.. honestly could have chopped at least 50 pages of the same boring internal conversation.

If it was labeled as YA and an editor had chopped some of the internal dialogue down I would have bumped this up to a 3 star. The writing is very readable it truly just needed some TLC.

Thank you to NetGalley and TOR/Bramble for the ARC copy!

This is a quick read, definitely slow to get going and most of our time is spent over just a few days of travel. It felt like the last 25% of the book was the strongest section with how everything came together and the plot was really moving along. Most of the book felt as if it could have been condensed or had more going on to really flesh it out. Overall, it was a fun concept and our cast of characters was endearing and interesting to read about.

Perfect for fans of "My Lady Jane", arranged-marriage, spells gone awry, and top-notch banter! I highly recommend Behooved to anyone in search of a cozy-romantasy that will make you laugh, cry, and want to shake the two main characters, screaming "JUST KISS ALREADY!".

Thank you, NetGalley and the publisher for an ARC of Behooved! Pub Date: May 20, 2025

A cozy and unique romantasy!! I think this one will be a big hit for any fans of My Lady Jane yearning for a second season. I love the chronic illness rep and the absolutely badass FMC.

Thanks to NetGalley and Tor for this advanced copy.

This was such a sweet, tender, and fun love story. We have quite literally a Shy King Aric, who melted my heart as easily as he melted Bianca’s. And Bianca herself? Such a warm hearted—tough as nails—protagonist. I wasn’t expecting this story to make me cry, but it did. I loved the world, the magical and political systems that were effortlessly built into the story. All of the side characters shined! I wish I had better words, I really was enchanted by this.

Thank you Netgalley, Macmillan, and M. Stevenson for the e-ARC in exchange for my honest review.

DNF at 13%. The writing here was just very awkward, and there’s little context for the story. And given the very obvious parallels to My Lady Jane, I’d have liked something to make this stand out a little more, but beyond being cringe, I can’t say it’s all that compelling.

Behooved hit that rare sweet spot for me: comforting without being shallow, fun without being fluffy. The magically-infused world had just enough structure to feel lived in, but it never got bogged down in lore. I liked that the stakes were personal and emotional more than epic. And yes, I was absolutely charmed by the fact that one of the main characters spends much of the book... not entirely human. Somehow, it worked.

The tone felt cozy-adjacent, with bits of humor and tenderness threaded through. I especially appreciated the way the book handled disability and queerness like it was just part of the fabric of the world. Nothing preachy or heavy-handed. Just present.

It wasn’t trying to be flashy, but it delivered exactly what I wanted: a lovely setting, characters I cared about, and a story that left me feeling like I’d spent time somewhere warm.

I went into this book expecting it to be cheesy. HOLY COW, was I wrong! The FMC was written so beautifully, and the growth throughout the book was amazing. The enemies-to-lovers was so well done, with lots of banter and just a little yearning. Love that it’s a standalone, and the story was all wrapped up at the end. Highly recommend Behooved to anyone who loves romantasy!

This was a fun, charming, and light-hearted read that had the perfect blend of romantasy and comedy. As a former horse girlie, I was kicking my feet over some of the banter and how lovable tropes were woven into the characters’ precarious situation. The writing style was enjoyable and this book was really easy to unwind with at the end of a stressful day. Personally, I like a little more world building and reason/purpose explained for magic systems in order for it to feel like a fully fleshed out world, because there were moments when I felt like there was a small disconnect between the setting and the scenario. All this being said, I really enjoyed this read and I’m grateful for the opportunity to read it early!