Bianca will do anything for her kingdom. Her whole life she has had a sense of honor and duty instilled into her. So when her parents arrange for her to marry the reclusive and soon-to-be King Aric to prevent war between their kingdoms, she agrees. "Better a marriage than a war."

The prince is quite unwelcoming and cold towards Bianca, making her wonder if she made the right choice.
On their wedding night all hell breaks loose, there is attempted murder, blood magic, oh and Bianca accidently turns her new husband into a horse.
She and Aric must flee after someone who wants them dead, framed her for his murder. They might be married, but they are complete strangers- and enemies, which will make being on the run together quite interesting to say the least.



"Sometimes I wish I could scour unwanted memories from existence, all I did by keeping them was pick at wounds that should have long since scarred over."

"Caring doesn't make you weak- Caring means you're strong. It means you're brave enough to let yourself feel, even though it puts your heart at risk."

"Would you say someone with a broken arm is weak for not using it?- Strength isn't about what your body can do- it's about how you respond to adversity."

"I knew that wanting him was a blade that could be turned against me, to love someone was to throw down your shields, lay your heart bare and watch as it was cut in two."


"Knowledge was power, and blackmail is control."



- Enemies to Lovers
- Bisexual FMC
- Arranged Marriage
- Forced Proximity


Behooved feels majestic and eventful like a Disney princess movie with some added spice. It has it's humorous moments without turning it into a romcom. I love the inclusivity in how the book mentions the FMC is bisexual and another side character is a lesbian, this added a nice touch. The author also had a lovely way writing and describing the happenings.



The Narrator has a classy voice which fit perfectly for Behooved's theme. Her voice is also clear and she articulates words well, which made this audiobook great to listen to. I binged it and listened to it in two sittings, thanks to how engaged I was by how she brought so much life to this story. Characters expressions and personalities were perfectly conveyed.



Thanks so much to NetGalley, Bramble, and Macmillan Audio for this Audiobook ARC/ALC

I’ll start with providing some clarification for reader expectations. Though the synopsis throws the word “cozy” out there, this is not a cozy book. Stevenson writes high stakes, uncomfortable environs, many violent encounters, and pretty spicy romance. There is nothing cozy about this book. Also, I didn’t really like it very much. Behooved falls short for me mainly because it feels pretty generic. It also relies on tropes I find annoying. I’m not surprised; many mainstream romantasy offerings disappoint me, but I know other readers gobble them up, so I keep on reading them, to my chagrin, and reviewing them for (some folks’) bookish entertainment.

I really dislike the miscommunication trope. Grown folk with a decent level of maturity do not make assumptions of the magnitude made between Bianca and Aric, especially given the two are royalty and the welfare of kingdoms is at stake. I don’t care what kind of intricacies the plot weaves into the situation to try and bolster it up with certain nuances for the circumstances; our protagonists aren’t dummies, and they would have found a way to communicate. And to top things off, after they found out there was a huge miscommunication, things between them were abruptly copacetic and too quickly physically intimate.

I feel the selling point for this book relied on buzzy trope phrases that give the impression those details will factor in to the story more than they do. Bianca’s illness never really gets a proper backstory and feels incidental and convenient (it turns out not to be an illness at all, really), and Aric’s preference isn’t really for being in a library but for reading a book instead of doing anything else. There’s no prevalent library setting in the book.

I also think the synopsis here gives way too much away, as I may have enjoyed being surprised by the prince turning into a horse instead of going into the plot already expecting it. I actually read the synopsis ages before I started listening to the book, so I forgot a couple of details from it, such as the nightly return to human form, which made for a nice surprise. If I’d reread the blurb, I think I’d have felt genuinely spoiled for the story. I don’t like knowing most of what’s going on before I start a book. One time, I opened a kid’s magazine and spoiled Secret of the Wings. I still feel that disappointment. Yes, that was intentional melodrama. I know some bookish folk don’t mind knowing a bunch of stuff ahead of time, but I like the element of surprise in my stories.

I’ve listened to quite a few of Naudus’ narrations, and I’ve never been disappointed. If you’re an audiophile who picks listens based on the narrator and you’ve never heard Naudus read, I don’t think you’ll be disappointed with the performance.

Overall, 2.5 stars for the book and 5 stars for the narration, averaging out to about 3.75. I’m going to say a 3.5 combined overall. My quest for a unique, interesting, and non-formulaic fast-fiction romantasy from the mainstream continues.

My thanks to Macmillan Audio for the ALC, for which I willingly give my own, honest opinion.

Huge thanks to @macmillan.audio for the #gifted advanced listening copy of this wildly fun, fast-paced romantasy! #macaudio2025

Bianca may be from a magical family, but she has no powers of her own - making her an ideal candidate for an arranged marriage meant to preserve alliances. So when her parents hand her a contract to marry Aric, the infuriating heir to a rival kingdom, she signs… and is promptly swept into a royal mess. Her betrothed? A brooding jerk. Their first meeting? A disaster. But when a magical curse goes sideways and danger forces them on the run, their reluctant partnership turns into something far more complicated - and far more swoony.

I devoured this book. Equal parts spicy fairytale and coming-of-age adventure, Behooved is romantic, hilarious in the best way, and full of heart. Fans of enemies-to-lovers, magical political intrigue, and reluctant royal pairings will find a lot to love here. Bianca and Aric both grow tremendously as they fight not only curses and assassins but also the weight of expectation. This was a total “Bookstagram made me do it” read - and I’m so glad it did!

🎧 Audiobook Notes 🎧 Natalie Naudus delivers an excellent performance, perfectly capturing Bianca’s dry humor and Aric’s reluctant charm. She nails the story’s emotional beats while keeping the banter sharp and engaging. (10h 27m)

This is a good book, but not a great book. If you're looking for something that's exactly like the last ten romantasy books you've read with an arranged marriage trope and insta-love then this will satisfy that itch. For me, this didn't really have enough substance, stand-out characters, or world-building to become a new favorite.

Bianca is the dutiful, second daughter of Demaria who is forced to marry the foreign Prince Aric of Gildan to satisfy a trade treaty. Things start off poorly between them when he doesn't show up to greet her ship and turns worse when he's cold and distant at her welcome ball. But it all falls apart on their wedding night when an assassin tries to kill the Prince. Bianca uses the protection charm gifted to her by her sister, and she accidentally turns Aric into a horse. This leads them into a road trip to the Demarian border so Bianca's sister can reverse the curse.

What I did like
This had fun banter, a lot of sexual innuendo, and apart from neither Aric or Bianca really exhibiting any stand-out personalities, they were fun characters with a mutual respect for one another. Bianca has a chronic illness of some sort. I'm guessing a food intolerance though it is never explored too deeply. She's also pan or demi-sexual, another aspect of her that we never got too deep into.

What I didn't like
It seemed like the makings of a really cool world here with interesting magic systems. The Demarians are Adepts which I *think* is magic they can tie to objects, and the Gildans are blood magicians which seemed like more nature magic. None of it was really explored too deeply. We don't know if they need a charm or a spell to cast magic, if it has any boundaries or rules, or how certain people are better than others, which was disappointing.

We also never know why the two countries are at odds or need a treaty to begin with. There are the threads of a deeply political assassination plot that is kind of brushed under the rug for a romantic road trip. The answers are handed to them at the end, and frankly, were pretty obvious considering we'd only met a few of the court players. I also can't tell you much about the characters, apart from Bianca likes practicing swords, has a chronic illness, liked a girl once, and is a dutiful daughter. Aric likes books and feels unworthy to be king. This could have benefited greatly from either dual POV or more time spent in Bianca's home before she's rushed off to her wedding. And not feeling deeply connected to these characters hindered my commitment to their romance.

Overall, this book was romance with a dash of fantasy, and I prefer fantasy with a dash of romance.

I could not get into the plot of the story. It wasn’t like I thought it would be based on the synopsis that was given to me. I wanted to like it but I was having a really hard time trying to like the characters and understand the plot to grasp onto the characters in a brisk way. There was so much wrong that I couldn’t make it right.

Behooved is such a cute, cosy and fun time! This is my first time reading a book in the cosy romantasy genre and I can’t wait to read more. The world building was nicely done, not overwhelming at all. Arranged marriage just slaps everytime and this was no exception.
I loved the main characters, they were such a breath of fresh air! Their banter was entertaining.
Our fmc Bianca is a chronic illness rep and not afraid to come to her man’s aid. Our mmc Aric is a softer mmc than I’m used to, he’d rather be in the library than on the battlefield, but I love that he’s thoughtful and sweet.

The narrator Natalie Naudus did a fantastic job and I would definitely listen to more audiobooks narrated by her.

Read this book if you like
one bed
Arranged marriage
Cosy fantasy
Chronic illness
Magic gone awry


Thank you NetGalley and Macmillan audio for the ALC!

This enchanting tale follows a young woman sent to a neighboring kingdom for an arranged marriage to the future king. But everything changes on the wedding night— assassination attempt threatened his life, and a bizarre twist of fate, she may have accidentally turned him into a horse.
Now now bound by a magical mishap and political intrigue, the two unrevealed secrets hidden in both of their kingdoms. As they work together to break the curse, they discover that love might be the most unexpected magic of all.

It’s a lighthearted and cute story that seems aimed towards a younger audience, but there is spice in it. The overall tone is easy-going and playful, making for a decent, quick read, overall, I enjoyed it, though I could see how it is may not be the style for everyone.
All in all, is a simple and fun story I found entertaining, especially if you’re in for something light

I received a copy of the audiobook via NetGalley for honest review and this in no way affects my opinion or review

4.5/5
Absolutely loved for a cozy, cute fantasy. Bianca is a great character with flaws and isn't trying to be extra. She does have a chronic illness which she can't figure out what is happening. I love this cute relationship with a shy MMC who's just nerdy and sweet. the world building is pretty minimal along with the magic explanation but it's enough to understand what's going on between the 2 courts. I did listen to this book and the narrator was on point and I could distinguish who was who and hear emotions and great story telling (I listen at 3x speed for reference). absolutely loved it.
thank you MacMillan Audio and NetGalley for the opportunity to listen to this story.

Behooved surprised me with its emotional weight and unique premise. The blend of magical realism and raw human struggle felt fresh and deeply personal. Some moments were a bit abstract, but the heart of the story shone through. A poetic, thought-provoking read that lingers after the last page.

This read far more like YA than an adult fantasy. The world building was weak and the leads lacked romantic chemistry.

The narration was fine, but wasn’t one of my favorite performances. I think it might of worked better if the narrator had leaned more into the silliness of the plot (hello, my husband is a horse) instead of playing it so serious.

Behooved is a cozy romantasy in the same vein as Apprentice to the Villain. It’s a little bit silly, a little bit ridiculous, and the kind of book that you can’t take too seriously. It’s an easy, fun read. It was also well written and humorous. The horse puns were really quite excellent throughout. I also felt the character development was good, and I enjoyed the overall plot. The biggest stumbling block for me is that the book drops off in the second half and it becomes repetitive. The audiobook narration was absolutely stellar. Natalie Naudus understood the type of book this was and fit the narration to that vibe perfectly. She brought so much energy and charisma to the role. I had so much fun listening to her narration, and I believe it added to my enjoyment of the story.
✨
✨
Overall Rating: 3.5⭐️

Arranged marriage
Magic System
A spell gone wrong
Someone wants them dead
He falls first

She was chosen to marry the next king to link their two Kingdom. Why not her older unmarried sister instead, because she will tell the soon to be king exactly what she thinks of him and she prefers something else. Her parents also need the FMC out of their kingdom before they figure out the weakness in her. The FMC will serve her kingdom by marrying the next king but something goes terribly wrong during the ceremony. She and the king are now on the run from whomever is trying to kill the soon to be king.

📖 Bookish Thoughts
I adored Bianca. She’s a warrior dealing with awful parents and chronic illness. Her parents are the worst—their critiques live rent-free in her head. But despite everything, she’s passionate about protecting her people, even if it means sacrificing her own happiness. Which is how she ends up married to Aric. And when he’s turned into a horse? She wastes no time dropping the horse puns.

Aric is sweet and considerate! Immediately he was trying to help her through her flare-ups! He was also very determined to give her freedom and choice. This was after their disaster of a wedding. Their communication is a mess, though!

👑 What You Can Expect
• Cursed prince
• Arranged marriage
• Bi + chronically ill FMC
• Soft MMC
• Communication issues
• Slow burn romance

📖 Final Score: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
🎧 Audio Score: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
🗓 Pub Date: May 20, 2025
Thank you Macmillan Audio and NetGalley! All thoughts are my own.

Absolutely loving Behooved! I was hooked by chapter 1 and absolutely loving Bianca and Aric’s banter! Bianca lowkey such a badass! I am horrible at not spoiling so all I will say is I definitely recommend. It was beautifully written and the narration had me in the story and was definitely a favorite! Great job! I am so excited for Pub day tomorrow for this book so I can get my own copy to add the collection! Thank you so much NetGalley!

𝑹𝒆𝒗𝒊𝒆𝒘: 𝑩𝒆𝒉𝒐𝒐𝒗𝒆𝒅 𝒃𝒚 𝑴. 𝑺𝒕𝒆𝒗𝒆𝒏𝒔𝒐𝒏
My rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

𝘉𝘦𝘩𝘰𝘰𝘷𝘦𝘥 is comfort in book form—the kind that wraps around you like a blanket and lingers. Think hot chocolate by the fire, candlelight on the walls, and Darcy walking out of the mist again because you’re never tired of it.

I’d heard this book described as cozy, and it absolutely is. But it’s also sharp, funny, and full of heart. It took me straight back to hiding under the covers with a flashlight and 𝘌𝘭𝘭𝘢 𝘌𝘯𝘤𝘩𝘢𝘯𝘵𝘦𝘥—but with adult banter, the perfect amount of spice, and emotional depth that lands.

As a loyal 𝘔𝘺 𝘓𝘢𝘥𝘺 𝘑𝘢𝘯𝘦 fan still in mourning over the show cancellation, this plot scratched an itch I didn’t know I had. After an assassination attempt upends their arranged marriage, Bianca and Aric literally ride off into the horizon—Bianca on the back of her newly-equine husband. Their journey to break Aric’s curse has them galloping through danger and right into each other’s blind spots—misunderstandings and buried shame slowly giving way to trust, reassurance, and something that feels a lot like love.

The romance is earned and deeply satisfying—vulnerable, funny, and tender in all the right places.

And the rep here? Top-tier. The LGBTQ+ inclusion is affirming and seamlessly woven into the world, and Bianca’s chronic illness is written with rare care. Her strength doesn’t come from being cured—it comes from how fiercely herself she becomes.

𝑶𝒕𝒉𝒆𝒓 𝒉𝒊𝒈𝒉𝒍𝒊𝒈𝒉𝒕𝒔:
🐴 Banter with just the right mix of horse humor
💚 “There’s only one” x3 – stall, bed, horse
🐎 Plot twists breadcrumbed to perfection
📖 A soft book boyfriend who’d rather be reading than stabbing
💜 Withering looks
💙 Scene-stealing side characters

Also? I get to say it again—2025 is truly the year of the blonde MMC. I didn’t clock Aric’s golden locks until the end, and when I did? I was kicking. My. Feet. Blonde book boyfriends everywhere, and the Dramione surge hasn’t even hit yet? Say less.

𝑻𝑳;𝑫𝑹: 𝘉𝘦𝘩𝘰𝘰𝘷𝘦𝘥 is a warm, affirming fantasy with sharp humor, earned emotion, and a magical road trip full of heart. Come for the horse curse, stay for the slow-burn tenderness, stellar rep, and a bookish blonde MMC you’ll want to keep.

UPDATE: THANK YOU!!! to Macmillan Audio for approving me for this ALC on NetGalley!! The narrator here is perfect. It’s such a dynamic story to have on audio—I loved it just as much the second time!

Opinions entirely, genuinely my own. ✨🐴

Thank you NetGalley for approving me for this ARC!
I requested this book because of the many reviews saying it was a comedic fantasy, kind of like the Princess Bride. Well...I am here to tell you that there is not a single element of humor in this book. We follow the fmc Bianca who marries to keep her kingdom safe from war from an opposing territory. Well during that marriage they are attacked and she somehow turns her husband into a white stallion. This book is set on them trying to figure out how to change him back, them getting to know each other and of course falling in love. We learn that the fmc has a chronic illness but it never goes more than them calling it her "condition". Overall it was a super easy listen. It just lacked banter, character interaction and more plot.

Such a beautifully unique take on a genre that can feel over saturated and repetitive. I really enjoyed the story and the MMC was one of my favourites to date.

I found myself engaged, laughing and just having a great time listening to this book. I look forward to future work by M. Stevenson.

Thank you NetGalley for the audioARC.

Tomorrow is the release day for one of my most anticipated books this year, Behooved by M. Stevenson. This debut romantasy novel is for the horse lovers out there.

When Bianca is sent to marry the neighboring kingdom’s heir apparent, Aric, she doesn’t expect to turn her new husband into a horse on their wedding night. Um, oops. Nor does she expect for the two of them to be chased off by assassins. Bianca and Aric start off on the wrong hoof—I mean, foot—but quickly surmise that they must work together to undo his curse and save his kingdom.

As a former horse girl and fan of both fantasy and romance, this is exactly the book I needed.

What I Liked:
- This book is kind of bonkers! I’m not sure how many people can relate to accidentally turning their new husband into a horse on their wedding night—I certainly can’t—but it’s this kind of unexpected and silly storytelling that caught my interest. Behooved is just so much fun! From these wild events to Bianca’s humorous observations, this book is a wonderful escape.
- The romance! Bianca and Aric are forced into a marriage they don’t want, so they’re more enemies than anything else at the beginning. But through forced proximity and a common goal, they get to know each other, and it’s so sweet! (Spicy, too!)
- Flipped gender norms. Aric is the bookish guy who isn’t keen on fighting. Bianca is the woman who is great with weapons, at least in practice if not in the real world. She repeatedly has to save him, which I actually loved. And he’s not “emasculated” for it or anything; he’s simply accepted for the gentle man that he is. Love this!
- Queer-normative world. The main romance is between a man and woman, but I do like that the characters and world-building actively make space for queerness. Bianca is openly bisexual, while her sister is a lesbian. This is fully accepted in their world, which is great to see.
- Chronic illness. Bianca has a strange condition that causes her to have flare-ups. There’s actually some mystery surrounding this later on in the book. I hate how she’s been shamed for it, but love how Aric sees her with tenderness instead.

Audiobook:
Natalie Naudus narrates Behooved. I’ve heard her narrate several other books, and as always, she does a superb job here.

Final Thoughts
Behooved is the perfect book to escape into. The romance, the adventure, the court politics and family dynamics and horse themes—it’s joyous and clever. I fully expected to enjoy this book, and it more than lived up to the hype. I only hope that the fun won’t stop here; two characters at the end are maybe setup for their own romance, and I still have questions in need of answers. Please let there be a sequel! In any case, I look forward to reading more from M. Stevenson.

3.75/5 stars for me

I enjoyed Behooved but felt like it was a standard slow-burn fantasy romance. The FMC has a chronic illness that I feel like should have been flushed out better, especially with the ending.

I did enjoy the first parts of the book, but I felt the middle was a little too tedious. Their journey together fell a little flat for me. It seems ridiculous that the head of guard would allow two royals (one with no combat abilities) to adventure alone. I also felt like the side characters did not get enough book time to make them interesting to me, when i think they could have been major supporting roles.

Overall I enjoyed the book as a quick, light read. If you are looking for an epic, super flushed out fantasy world, this aint it. If you're looking for a light vibe read, this may be perfect!

This book felt like listening to a classic fairytale. Bianca is a softer character that is sacrificing for the good of her family and kingdom. Despite having an illness she tries to be strong and is set to marry a king from a neighboring kingdom. Their wedding night doesn't go as planned and Eric (the king) gets turn into a horse. Then the majority of the story is them going to find a cure to the curse and they fall in love along the way. Bianca and Eric's relationship starts against their will but as they spend time together and get to know each other they find they have more in common than expected, There is a bit of humor, running from attacks and heartfelt moments. One thing that kept me from giving it five stars is that the world building was lacking a bit and during their quest some moments felt a bit slow. I really enjoy the narrator she had a great tone and clarity. Also an honorable mention to the beautiful cover too.

Thank you to NetGalley and Macmillan Audio for this ALC, all opinions are my own.