Thank you to Macmillan Audio for providing me an early copy of this audiobook. All opinions are my own.

This was such cute little Romantasy. It felt a little NA to me, and definitely slow burn, but certainly a fun time.

Bianca’s new (politically arranged) husband gets turned into a horse during an assassination attempt on their wedding night, and now they’re on the run.

I mean, what a fun premise! 😂

Honestly, I went in thinking he’d be a horse more of the time, but I liked that they got plenty of time together in human form, and could communicate no problem throughout. But don’t worry, him being a horse still leads to plenty of funny moments! 😝

Aric is such a sweetie. Definitely a cute little cinnamon roll, and as they start to learn the truth about one another, there are many sweet moments.

Overall, a fun little Romantasy story, a bit on the light side, not too terribly steamy, but definitely very cute.

Audiobook notes: Natalie Naudus is a favorite narrator of mine, and she did a fabulous job with this one.

What this book is giving:
✅ Contemporary Romance
✅ Single POV
✅ Husband Cursed on Wedding Night
✅ Cinnamon Roll MMC
✅ On the Run
✅ Political Intrigue
✅ Chronic Illness Rep Rep

Rating:
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ / 5
🌶️🌶️ / 5

I thoroughly enjoyed the audiobook. The narrator was excellent. Natalie Naudus enhanced the story and experience.
The writing and story was a fun, adventure, romance with a bit of intrigue.
I give this book 5 stars. Highly enjoyable and entertaining.

Being bisexual and having celiac disease is not a replacement for not having a personality.
The pacing is bad and the characters are flat

Weird in the best way, witty, and surprisingly heartfelt

Behooved is one of those books where you start off thinking, Wait, what exactly am I reading?—and then before you know it, you’re emotionally invested in a half-human, half-horse situation you didn’t see coming. It’s quirky, a little absurd, but also unexpectedly deep. M. Stevenson walks that fine line between humor and heartache really well, and Natalie Naudus absolutely nails the delivery.

Pros:
• The writing is sharp—funny, self-aware, and oddly poignant. It doesn’t take itself too seriously, but still manages to hit emotional beats that land.
• Natalie Naudus brings the perfect mix of sass, sincerity, and timing to the narration. She makes the weirder moments feel grounded, and the tender ones feel real.
• The story isn’t afraid to be different. It leans into the bizarre in a way that feels fresh and actually kind of cathartic.
• Themes of identity, acceptance, and belonging are woven in without ever being preachy.

Cons:
• The humor might not work for everyone—it’s offbeat, and occasionally leans into absurdism in a way that might lose more traditional readers.
• There were a couple pacing issues where scenes lingered just a touch too long, or the narrative veered a bit.
• The tone can swing fast—from satirical to sincere—and while I liked it, it may feel jarring to some.

All in all, Behooved is weird, wild, and kind of wonderful. If you’re open to something different that blends humor and heart, it’s absolutely worth the ride. And if you’re listening, Natalie Naudus makes the whole thing feel like a one-woman show you didn’t know you needed.

This was such a sweet, tender, and fun love story and Natalie Naudus did exceptionally as a narrator.

She really brought out a perfect voice for every character. From bad-ass Bianca to shy guy Aric, it was perfect. I wasn’t expecting this story to make me cry, but it did and I think some of that definitely has to do with the Naudus’s delivery. I wish I had better words, I really was enchanted by this.

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

What a unique story! The Romantasy is for all the horse lovers. I did find the pacing of the relationship a bit off, but overall enjoyed it.

Narration was excellent.

I was so happy to have received this audiobook! the narration was perfect and truly brought the story to life. I thought this was such a unique fantasy read; I never would've thought id find myself swooning over a horse romance but alas here we are... I loved seeing their banter and also their relationship grow. highly recommend!

This was such a fun read and has so many of my favorite tropes including arranged marriage, forced proximity, slow burn, rivals to lovers, who hurt you and so many more! Plus the audiobook is really enjoyable if you’re looking for something lighthearted and fun to listen to!

ALC Review: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Whimsical vibes and that tension? Such great build up between the two mains. Quite a few good laughs mixed in the dark undertones throughout the story.

The narrator did a great job. I had no problems understanding who everyone was and the emotion she was able to pull from the story was great.

A cozy romcom fantasy that likes to mix things up a little bit. Focusing on inner struggle and strength than physical strength. This also gives a realistic view of two sheltered individuals being thrown into completely unexpected circumstances without any real world experience.

Thank you NetGalley and Macmillan Audio for this ALC!

This was like a romcom fantasy romance that gave me My Lady Jane vibes. It was fun and whimsical, but I felt like it was missing something. I think Aric was an interesting character. It's not often that I read about a fluffy MMC in fantasy. I wish I could have been in his head to know if he truly trusted Bianca in the beginning, to see how far his growth developed. Bianca's illness is a mystery to me. It's part of the story and brought up alot, yet we don't have any answers by the end of the book. There's also no full-circle moment with the parents. Bianca's parents are why she decided to step up and marry Aric, yet after the attack, they are silent. It feels weird to me that it wasn't addressed towards the end. Especially since we now know that Aric or Bianca weren't the ones to force the marriage.

I listened to the audiobook and enjoyed it! I felt immersed in the world and the narrator did a fantastic job!

I want to thank Netgalley, Macmillan Audio, and M. Stevenson for the ALC! All thoughts and opinions are my own.

Behooved by M. Stevenson is a cozy, whimsical romantasy with horseplay, hijinks, and one cursed prince you just might fall for. 🐎💘

Bianca is a chronically ill noblewoman who agrees to a political marriage—but when her cold, broody husband-to-be turns into a literal horse after an assassination attempt, things get weird fast. With Bianca wrongly accused of murder and a cursed prince by her side (or saddle), the two must ride through magic, mystery, and a slow-burn romance that trots straight into your heart.

Sweet, swoony, and delightfully strange in the best way.

#Behooved #NetGalley #RomantasyReads #CursedPrince #SlowBurnMagic #CozyFantasyVibes

This was a pretty quick read, with a lot of tropes you might have been expecting, but for a book about a girl turning her husband she barely knows into a horse accidentally I thought it would be way less serious? There were definitely some funny moments, but for the most part the book almost tried too hard to be serious. I liked the romance at parts, the buildup felt really organic until we got to them professing how they wanted eachother and the way that was done was almost rushed and just the way the scene was written would not have been my first choice from a couple who went into the arranged marriage against their own will, and acted on spite because of that. I did really really love Eric's gentleness towards her and her condition that her parents cut her down for. I would have really loved to see her have some kind of confrontation with her parents also. the book felt both too long and not long enough because of the contents of some of it.

In conclusion, I can't in good conscience fully recommend this book, but its also not the worst book I've ever read.

Thank you to NetGalley, Macmillan Audio, Bramble, M. Stevenson, and Natalie Naudus (audio narrator) for the opportunity to read and listen to the audiobook of Behooved in exchange for an honest review.

Political tensions are high. That's why Bianca has been set up to marry Prince Aric to help ease the tensions between their two kingdoms. When she meets, him, she is rather surprised at his countenance.

The wedding goes well. It's the wedding night where shenanigans begin. An assassination attempt almost takes Aric's life, but Bianca somehow turns him into a horse and saves his life! The people of the castle and kingdom do not know this, so they suspect that it is the new queen that has set up this assassination for her own gains.

Able to become human at night, Aric and Bianca bond, using the horse situation to their advantage when needed. Together, they aim to find out who was really behind the assassination attempt to bring peace and justice to their kingdoms.

This novel is a rather cute and cozy fantasy romance. The prince-as-a-horse offers some comedy, while also having those "Swan Lake" inspired vibes. Transformation stories are always fun. The characters aren't necessarily enemies-to-lovers, just those who don't know each other in an arranged marriage. The assassination attempt makes conflict for the two characters, as Aric himself thinks Bianca had devious intentions. The turning-into-a-horse element came later than expected, as the author spends a good amount of time with Bianca and her family, developing the character and getting the reader immersed into Bianca's mindset and viewpoint.

This novel makes for a whimsical and fun ride that any cozy romantasy reader will enjoy.

I was hesitant on the book since I wasn’t sure if a man turning into a horse would be something I’d like. I was very surprise because I enjoyed this book, it was explained as “spicy” but the first “spicy” scene was in chapter 23 or 24. I do love the story line about their relationship growing and actually falling in love after getting to know eachother on their journey after an arranged marriage that neither of them wanted.

Save a horse, ride your husband. Literally 😏

Behooved was such a fun book! The plot was interesting and well devised, the characters were well matched and showed genuine growth and the passage of time felt pretty real.

Bianca, the Flower of Damaria, is betrothed to Aric, heir to the throne of Gildenheim. Instilled with a strong sense of duty, Bianca sets off for her marriage only to be met with public indifference by her groom. On the night of the wedding, just when they finally start to communicate, an assassin breaks in to kill them. Bianca tries to protect her new husband, using a magical locket fired by her sister. But… things don’t turn out as they should. Because her husband poofs into a cloud of white light and suddenly there’s a horse in his place! Now they must race against the clock to break the curse and return to the castle before someone else usurps the throne.

Like inside this plot was just so much fun! The main lovers had such animosity between them at first and it honestly was very satisfying watching them grow closer together throughout the book. It was a sudden change and it felt natural. While a book like this could have felt like an extended camping trip kinda situation there was enough side questy kinda stuff to make it interesting.

Bianca is an interesting character. Extremely dutiful and resolute in her actions, she takes her vows very seriously. She also suffers from a ‘condition’ which is never truly cured. I actually kinda like that her condition isn’t magically gone by the end because it feels more real. It’s improved so thanks to some sage advice and witchery, but not gone.The book is told from Bianca’s perspective and I actually liked it being one POV in this case.

The audiobook narration was very good! I listened to this while commuting to and from work (1 hour commute both ways 😭) and it never felt like the story lagged or got bogged down. The narrator did a great job differentiating voices and adding inflection when needed.

If you love fairy tales, royal romances, magic and strong female main characters then you’ll love this book!

Thanks very much to the publisher and netgalley for providing me with an eALC in exchange for my honest review!

Sometimes I just want to read something cute and cosy, full of charm and adventure. Behooved gives this in spades. In it we follow Bianca, a princess, who has always put duty first. So when she must marry the seemingly cold and aloof, but frustratingly handsome, Prince Aric, she does as her duty dictates. But after a wedding night assassination attempt leads to magical mishap transforming Aric into a horse, Bianca takes action mounting up and escaping their attackers. Now they are on the run and on a deadline to break the curse and make it to the coronation in time.

So, I kind of love the bonkers premise of this novel. It’s super cute, funny, and adventurous. The characters and supporting characters are lovable, and I loved seeing them support one another. The relationship between our two protagonists is an enemies to lovers dynamic due to misunderstandings on both their parts with some really humorous moments as they learn more about each other. Although I wished the relationship and the characters themselves were explored and developed a bit more. Bianca’s chronic illness and how it impacts who she is and how she moves through the world was a really interesting perspective. I also really liked the magic systems, especially how the two countries use magic so differently. It was really intriguing and I wished it were explored and developed a bit more. All in all this was a really lovely read full of coziness and adventure.

This is perfect for anyone looking for an adventurous, romantic fairy-tale escape.

Thank you very much to NetGalley and the publisher for providing me with an advance review copy. I am leaving this review voluntarily.

Hilariously fun! This will make you laugh and giggle! Such a light hearted read with the sweetness of falling in love and saving one another.

💙 Behooved by @mstevensonbooks
Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

🐴 “Caring means you’re strong. It means you’re brave enough to let yourself feel, even though it puts your heart at risk.”

💚 This was such a fun read! I ate this one up, y’all! The audiobook is absolutely fantastic. I loved how lighthearted this story is, while still touching on some deep topics (see quote above). I am a horse girlie, so this was the perfect read for me!

💙 After the Queen’s mysterious death, Bianca is forced to marry Aric, the heir apparent to Gildenheim. While he’s very handsome, it is obvious that neither of them want this arranged marriage.

🐴 On their wedding night, they’re attacked and somehow Aric is magically changed into a horse. They then realize they’re being hunted. Someone wants the throne of Gildenheim for themselves.

💚 The two of them take off an adventure across the country to find out who’s responsible. On their journey, the tension between these two builds up! The banter between them is next level good. I found myself literally laughing out loud at the sassiness. The horse puns were perfection. 😂

💙 Read this if you love:
-chronically ill rep (the FMC)
-arranged marriage
-one horse trope (literally 😂)
-political intrigue/drama
-banter
-great puns
-slow burn
-standalone

🐴 Thank you so much, @brambleromance and @torbooks for this ARC! It was such a fun ride!

Thank you Macmillan Audio and NetGalley for early access. All thoughts are entirely my own.

Overall I had a good time listening to this audiobook. This would be perfect for those who enjoyed My Lady Jane or Princess Bride. It was cozy, quirky and I liked the grumpy x grumpy dynamic of the characters which leads to hilarious banter and tension.

It’s a very fast paced and easy read/listen and I was living for all the horse puns.

Natalie Naudus does an excellent job solo narrating the story and keeping you engaged through the whole book.

Read if you like:
🐴 Cozy Romantasy
🐴 Queernormative World
🐴 Arranged Marriage
🐴 One Bed
🐴 Chronically Ill representation

Thank you to NetGalley and Macmillan audio for providing me with this copy of Behooved for an honest review.

First, if you enjoy lots of politics in books, I feel like you may enjoy that aspect in Behooved, because to me I felt like there was quite a bit.
I enjoyed the beginning of this book quite a bit and then I just felt like the romance got slightly forgotten. There was hardly any slow burn or angst like I was hoping. The world building and magic wasn’t really there and all around the story fell a bit flat for me.
I liked the idea and got some Swan princess vibes with this one. I also enjoy the narrator, she did a great job as far as voices and spoke clearly.
I know there are definitely people that will enjoy this book. It was more cosy than anything with low romance.