firstly, thank you to the publisher for an arc and an alc!

this was a fun, quirky, and a little corny, romcom in which our mcs bianca and aric are thrust into an unwanted arranged marriage to stave off war between their countries. nothing goes as planned when an assassin is sent to murder aric on their wedding night, and bianca unleashes a spell from her sister to protect them, accidentally changing aric into a horse…

as for the audio, i always enjoy natalie naudus!!

Audiobook Review of Behooved

I had no idea what I was getting into just from the cover, but this one ended up being such a pleasant surprise. Even though it’s fantasy, the names were easy to say and felt real, which I weirdly appreciated a lot. The male lead wasn’t your typical brooding hero. He was a little nerdy, kind, and just genuinely not toxic. And the female lead? Strong, capable, brave, but not in your face about it. They balanced each other out in a really sweet way.
It had a few spicy moments, but for the most part it gave me that nostalgic fairytale feeling I had as a kid. Think Beauty and the Beast meets an old-school episode of Charmed. It was well written, super fun, and just really easy to get lost in.
Definitely recommend it to anyone who loves a bit of romance with their magic.

I am so sorry but this book just wasn’t for me. I might’ve just not been in the mood for it, but I did try. I did enjoy the narrators. I think a lot of people really will enjoy this. Unfortunately I wasn’t one of them.

This beautiful cover just didn’t deliver the mystical fantasy I was hoping for. I did go into this blind wondering how the cover and title was going to play into the story.. I didn’t expect the horse thing.. quite interesting. Otherwise this story was ok. But the romance did not deliver for me.. or the magic.. or the characters. But the cover is beautiful! And the narrator did a good job on the audiobook. Wasn’t the biggest fan of Aric’s voice. Definitely classify this as a lighter fantasy.

🐝 "Little B"
❤️‍🩹 FMC With Chronic Illness
📖 Bookworm MMC
🔮 A Wayward Spell
💜 Cozy Fantasy


I love to see the representation of chronic pain/illness! 😍 Having someone accept you as you are, when you live with chronic health issues, is the dream. Melted my heart as someone who struggles with it myself, to see the acceptance. 🥹

I loved this. Super cozy, interesting to see the FMC kinda take the lead & see the MMC be more gentle.

*I received an advance review copy for free in the form of an audiobook (advanced listening copy) from NetGalley, and I am leaving this review voluntarily. This is my honest feedback about the book as an avid reader.*

The narrator did a great job, I love her work.

Huge thank you to the author, MacMillan Audio & NetGalley. 💜

Available for purchase on May 20th, 2025

The author's passion shines through in this book. I was a horse crazy youngster so little inner me was screaming with joy over that hilarious plot line. Admittedly, I had a harder time with the MMC's weaker personality, but that's a reflection of me and not the book. I recommend this one to all fantasy lovers! Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for providing me with a copy of this book.

-arranged marriage
-accidental curse
-slow burn
-begrudging allies to tolerant companions to lovers

Bianca is a dutiful daughter who agrees to an arranged marriage to a new king in order to prevent war with his kingdom. An assassin crashes their wedding night and in a clumsy attempt to save her new husband, Bianca accidentally turns him into a horse. The two of them flee from the assailant and ridiculous shenanigans ensue. This was a fun, cozy fantasy. Some of it was so silly, but I had a few good laughs and it was extremely entertaining. I definitely recommend this as a lighthearted romantasy.

This was such a fun audiobook, I really had a good time listening to it and it kept me engaged the whole time!

If you’re a fan of My Lady Jane, you’re going to eat this up. Definitely the same vibe and similar storylines but it was unique enough to stand on its own!

I loved the characters, too. As a chronically ill girlie I saw so much of myself in Bianca and her journey to understanding her body and her strength. And Aric!! We love a blushing man who’s so obviously in love to us but not the fmc.

This is a cozy fun fantasy. The overall premise that your husband is magically transformed into a talking horse is a great set up for plenty of hijinks.

I was kind of taken out of the story because there was seemingly no world building. It was hard to stay connected to the characters and immersed into the world.

Now the narrator was fantastic. She brought a lot of passion and emotion to the words. And the voices she made for all of the characters were distinct.

This book is a fun fantasy romance and a great audiobook. It could be me, but the beginning was a little slow, not knowing what I was preparing for. As soon as the FMC and MMC cross paths, the story really moves along. She’s been trained to weild a sword where his strength is in his mind and the books he loves.

Definitely a one horse trope story with some fun banter. The story centers on the journey for the two main characters. Not only do they get to know one another since they start off as strangers, but also learn to overcome the flaws they see in themselves. I enjoyed the dual narration of this audiobook. The voices are well balanced and have a great tone. Overall, it’s a lighter standalone fantasy story with a light splash of romance, that doesn’t get lost in too much plot or world building. Your story is about the characters, their journey, and their happily ever after.

The story started out really well, I liked the arranged marriage and unknown illness storylines. It was a different spin on a familiar story. However, the romance was not believable and felt unearned. No yearning or want, just reluctant allies and then boom- lovers. The ending was rushed. I think the book tried to have too broad of a scope for a standalone, there was too much information given and none of it fleshed out.

The voice actor was great, she didn’t do the overacting, damsel in distress voice (which I hate) and had enough variety to distinguish who was speaking.

Thanks to Bramble and NetGalley for the ALC.

The audio: NATALIE NAUDUS!!!! That is almost all I need to say, because Natalie is one of my favorite narrators, and always does an incredible job. With the most pleasing voice to listen to, excellent pacing, range, and quality, this audiobook was great!!

The book: When an assassin tries to take Aric out on the wedding night of their arranged marriage, Bianca acts desperately and releases a curse that hits her new husband on accident and turns him into a horse. Fleeing from danger, Aric becomes her ride or die (literally). The journey that ensues builds trust between the two, and feelings beyond duty grow. Aric falls head over hooves for Bianca, but is she ready to take over the reins of her life and do something for her own happiness for once?

I had fun with this book. I think it's great for a good time if you aren't going to take it too seriously. The horse shifting premise was unique and the jokes had me laughing. The romance was sweet, the bi and chronic illness rep were great, and both of the MCs were likable. I liked that the MCs were over 25, I've seen some people say it reads as YA but I think it's just the nature of the book being a bit silly. I do think some of the plot doesn't completely track for me, but I don't always mind that if the book is engaging and fun. I'll be looking forward to more from this author!

Book: 4/5
Audio: 5/5

3.5 Stars
This was a lot of fun and I enjoyed following the MCs throughout their journey but I'm not entirely satisfied with this as I feel like I have so many unanswered questions lol. The romance was cute though it felt sudden but I did really like our FMC Bianca and seeing her character growth.

Thank you NetGalley & Macmillan Audio for the ARC!

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️/5

Behooved is a fun fantasy with a propulsive plot and a compelling main character.

I enjoyed this one, but a few elements fell flat for me. Aric and Bianca’s romance felt underdeveloped and rushed, especially given that Aric was a horse for a large portion of the story, which naturally made their relationship development more difficult. I also felt that Aric’s character lacked depth (which, once again, could be because he is a horse for much of the story). Still, during the parts where Bianca (and thus, the reader) gets to sit down with Aric and truly understand him, I enjoyed his sweet character and development. Bianca was a wonderful main character, and I appreciated her character development and the chronic illness representation. The world-building was intriguing and immersive, and the pacing fit the story well. The magic system was interesting, but I would have loved more exploration of its mechanics. M. Stevenson’s prose was lovely, presenting an entertaining plot. Although a few parts of the story felt a little silly, this was an enjoyable read!

Natalie Naudus once again narrated this audiobook beautifully. Her voice fit the main character perfectly, and her energy and emotion made this story even more atmospheric and fun. I highly recommend the audiobook!

Thank you to the publisher for the free ALC!

Behooved by M. Stevenson was an absolute delight! I went in blind, and snorted a few times in shock of some of these situations our beloved heros found themselves in 😆 There were plenty of heartwarming moments that hit in all the right places for romantasy lovers.

There was the right amount of fantasy to shine a light on the romance and make it a thrilling adventure. If you are looking for a romantasy that feels lighter and leaves you smiling wide, then I definitely recommend this one!

Very cute Beauty and the Beast retelling. Loved the chronic illness representation, loved that the FMC needed to rest, there wasn't any "be stronger push yourself to breaking". Too many fantasy books push that agenda and its not realistic or healthy.
Also the MC being a lil book worm, obsessed.

This book does such a great job of portraying chronic illness/pain and the effects of past trauma on new relationships - the book was cute and quirky while still being deep and meaningful

⭐⭐⭐⭐.5 rounded up
Spice level: 🌶️🌶️/5
Bianca's parents have forced her into a marriage with a kingdom threatening war; her sister, Tatiana, sends her off with a magical locket of protection she can only use once. On meeting her husband, Aric, she can tell her loathes her. After an assassination attempt the night of their wedding, Bianca finds Aric has been turned into a horse. As Aric is not yet coronated, they have a short window to try and break his curse and save their kingdoms.

I found this to be a a relatively cozy fantasy read with plenty of tropes. Bianca is particularly driven to be a dutiful daughter and a chronic illness she initially masks and works to cope with throughout. Even in a world with magic, there's no easy fix to her condition. She doesn't have magic herself but it's handy with blades and knows how to ride horses. The narrator does an excellent job with the character voices.

Thank you to Macmillan Audio for an ARC on NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own. This book will be published on 5/20/25. I'll be posting to Instagram closer to release

This was such a sweet love story! The narrator did an amazing job (I’ve listened to many books with this particular narrator and they always do a great job!)

It was fun with a lot of hilarious moments but it also has a deeper message. Despite seeming “weak” that real strength lies within.

I absolutely enjoyed the progression of the love story between the main characters.

Behooved is a solid adventure story, but the courtly maneuvering leading into that adventure is lackluster. Much of the overarching story, rooted in that courtly maneuvering, is predictable as a result. I was skeptical of the romance but it won me over as we got to know the Pony Prince better.

Bianca's "affliction" troubles her throughout the story but is never defined beyond vague tummy troubles. It's probably good chronic illness representation.

I appreciate the author's light sprinkling of horse related terms in the prose without declaring an all-out horse pun war.