A fun and romantic read with all the feels of cosiness and warmth. The banter amongst the characters was very entertaining and the adventure was delightful. The relationship between Bianca and Aric was sweet and refreshing, I adored them both so much. A fabulous read for anyone looking for a delightful romantasy.

5/5 stars, would recommend and will read over and over again!

I genuinely haven't laughed out loud reading a book for a long time. This is such an enjoyable, funny and sweet read, and I devoured it in less than 24 hours. Behooved is a cozy adventure fantasy with a sprinkling of sweet romance, and it packs a punch with the banter. It's an easy read that doesn't take itself too seriously.

Bianca is a noble daughter from Damaria, her parents on one of the seats as the ruling families of the Council that governs the kingdom. Their country believes in using their magic on things and not people, and have made great advancements in technology and weaponry via their Adept Guild of magical users who are trained for almost a decade. She is married off via a written agreement to the heir apparent of Gildenheim - Aric, after his mother, the Queen, suspiciously passes quite suddenly. Gildenheim use their magic (blood magic) on people, but not for nefarious purposes as Damaria would have their people believe. The story goes that Aric is making these demands under the threat of war, but not everything is as it seems.

Bianca is anxious upon her arrival, having heard many rumours of her husband-to-be, and not many of them positive. Her sister, Tatiana (an absolutely chaotic breath of fresh air who uses her magic for her own wild and fun purposes), gifts Bianca an amulet that has a protection spell inside. Naturally, Aric feeds into those rumours and we as readers don't know what to believe. On the night of their wedding, Aric is attacked. Bianca tries to intervene, and somewhere along the way, magic goes awry and Aric turns into a horse. Chaos and hilarity ensues, and suddenly Bianca and Aric are off on a journey to break the spell before the date of the coronation, and others with sinister motives decide to take the throne for themselves.

I loved this book. The characters are fun, and the writing is fantastic. The story is written more YA, but the writing itself is mature and intelligent, and the banter is witty and funny, and are things I would absolutely say myself if I found myself in that situation. The romance is slow burn in terms of how quickly it plays out in the book, but the timeline is quite accelerated. If you ignore the slight 'insta-love' aspect of the timeline, it's a very sweet romance that I fell in love with myself.

The chronic illness rep was one of my favourite aspects of this book. Though not mentioned in the book, the author hints in her acknowledgements that Bianca struggles with coeliac disease. I struggle with coeliac disease and other autoimmune conditions and some days I am so fatigued I struggle to get out of bed. It was so refreshing to see that we had a really cool FMC who was so capable, yet she still had her bad days and her struggles, and she admitted when she needed her rest. It felt so relatable, and I was so appreciative of this inclusion. I also really enjoyed the political machinations and intrigue trope - I love this element in fantasy novels, and I feel like it added a real gritty aspect to the story.

This story doesn't take itself too seriously and you shouldn't either. It is an easy read that doesn't need much investment, and it's a genuinely funny read. There were some plot holes and things missing, but not enough that it detracted from the story, and I actually loved that this was a standalone. I feel like everything I read lately is a series and sometimes I just want a fun standalone read that I don't have to commit to - and Behooved delivers exactly that.

Thank you so much to Netgalley and Hachette ANZ for the eARC of this book.

This deeply funny and adventurous Romantasy book follows a duty-bound noblewoman with a chronic illness and the heir apparent who would rather be reading a book. Bianca knows that duty comes before anything else. So, when war looms, she agrees to marry the heir of the neighbouring kingdom to keep the peace. All she has to do is honour her family name, avoid ruining anything, and ensure they don’t learn about her condition, or at least not until she’s married and crowned, that is.

However, when she arrives, her soon-to-be husband is cold and aloof. He doesn’t even meet her upon her arrival and seems to hate her, which is strange considering he was the one who pushed for this marriage. To make matters worse, she accidentally turns him into a horse while trying to stop an assassin! She didn’t realise that the magical locket her sister gave her would do that.

This is an amazing book with romance, compelling relationships, hilarious hijinks, and plenty of comedy. I found myself laughing at 1 in the morning because I just couldn’t put it down; it was that good!

This book is perfect for those who enjoy horsey books, fairy tales, and a lot of romance.

Rating - ★★☆☆☆ (2/5)
Spice - ★☆☆☆☆ (1.5/5)

What to expect?
➼ Magical world building
➼ Shy MMC
➼ Animal transformations
➼ Chronic illness representation

⚝──⭒─⭑─⭒──⚝

Firstly, thank you to NetGalley and Hachette Australia & New Zealand for an eARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.

I think this book is a really easy read and can be fun if you go into it with the right mindset. That said, looking deeper, the plot was lacking which made it fall flat for me. It’s definitely a cute, cosy read, but it should be read as just that.

There were some likeable characters; I thought Aric and Bianca had a nice dynamic, and Tatiana was a standout. The romance tried to go for an enemies to lovers vibe, but honestly, it would have worked better without that initial tension it just didn’t quite fit the tone of the story or their characters.

Overall, the story felt a little underwhelming. It was quick and easy to get through, but I probably wouldn’t reach for it again.

A charming romance featuring a duty-bound noblewoman with a chronic illness, a prince who would rather be in a library than on a throne and a magical ride through a world of enchantment. A somewhat expected romance begins galloping away with their hearts and these two characters must rely on one another to unravel a curse to save the throne. A cosy fantasy world, a charming main character and a sweet romance that blooms through the pages.

𝐓𝐡𝐚𝐧𝐤 𝐲𝐨𝐮 𝐭𝐨 𝐇𝐚𝐜𝐡𝐞𝐭𝐭𝐞 𝐀𝐮𝐬𝐭𝐫𝐚𝐥𝐢𝐚 | 𝐇𝐨𝐝𝐝𝐞𝐫𝐬𝐜𝐚𝐩𝐞 𝐟𝐨𝐫 𝐚 𝐝𝐢𝐠𝐢𝐭𝐚𝐥 𝐚𝐝𝐯𝐚𝐧𝐜𝐞𝐝 𝐫𝐞𝐚𝐝𝐞𝐫 𝐜𝐨𝐩𝐲 𝐯𝐢𝐚 𝐍𝐞𝐭𝐆𝐚𝐥𝐥𝐞𝐲 𝐨𝐟 𝐁𝐞𝐡𝐨𝐨𝐯𝐞𝐝 𝐛𝐲 𝐌. 𝐒𝐭𝐞𝐯𝐞𝐧𝐬𝐨𝐧

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

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

If you watched and loved the TV show ‘My Lady Jane’, and are equally as sad as I am that it was not renewed for a second season, then ‘Behooved’ will fill that void in your soul perfectly.

Be prepared for a lot of horse puns (I definitely didn’t hate them, but when I say a lot, I really mean it), cosy fantasy vibes, banter and some cute canoodling in the one bed available at the inn. And - finally - something slightly different within the romantasy genre!

“And whatever you’ve been told, you are worthy. Even if you don’t believe it yourself.”

In my eyes, the characters were without a doubt the best part of this book. I loved each and every one of them (except maybe Varin), and particularly liked both of the main characters. Both Bianca and Aric had great character development, and I thoroughly enjoyed that she was the one trained in swordplay (despite her illness) while Aric was the more bookish, reserved type. It was a refreshing role reversal to a lot of typical fantasy and it’s always great to read books with a disability-representative protagonist. The array of side characters were brilliant, with Tatiana and Marya being my favourites with their witty and snarky comments. Even Evito’s use of the messenger birds was clever, and the puffin was especially cute.

“And I will do anything it takes to protect her from you, even if it means facing whatever tortures you contrive.”

There were a few reasons why this book lost a star for me. I am not really a fan of insta-love and the speed at which Bianca and Aric fell in love felt a bit ridiculous. Even more so when they clearly had been miscommunicating and not fond of each other in the days (yes, only days) between them meeting and falling in love.

I also felt like there were gaps in the worldbuilding. For example, I was utterly confused as to why Bianca needed to take a ship to Gildenheim, but then could ride with Aric to the border between the two kingdoms. I thought the two were on completely separate landmasses, but apparently not? I’m assuming this was just to show off their ships, or it was a quicker route, but I’m hoping a map in the final published version may clear up the geography for readers.

The other reason this lost a star was for the writing. It wasn’t bad, but for me there was an excess of metaphors and some of the words used required a dictionary. I understand the POV character is a noblewoman with an upper class vocabulary, but I don’t really like having to look up the meanings of words like “ameliorate” while reading.

That being said, ‘Behooved’ will be a great book for readers new to fantasy, in particular, as it reads more like a young adult novel but with adult themes throughout. This didn’t deter me from enjoying the book, though, even as a seasoned fantasy-romance reader. The plot was easy to understand, in that it was straightforward and didn’t take a lot of guesswork to figure out. The one thing I didn’t quite pick up on was exactly what was ailing Bianca. Her condition is made clear in the author’s note at the end, though I would have much rather seen it explored and discovered by Aric and Bianca together in an epilogue some time after the events of the book.

“To love someone was to throw down your shields, lay your heart bare, and watch as it was cut in two.”

Thank you to NetGalley and Hachette ANZ for sending me a digital ARC of ‘Behooved’. All opinions shared in this review are my own.

An adorable cozy romantasy about a duty-driven noble Bianca who was set to marry the soon to be king of the neighbouring region, Prince Aric. Trying to look above the fact that she was marrying a stranger, that stranger turns out to be cold, distant, and loathe the arrangement that she thought he pressured her family into. When a failed assassination attempt to kill the prince failed, Bianca and Aric were thrown together to figure out who was trying to kill them and make it to his coronation before the next-in-line is crowned. To make matters worse, a magic gone wrong turns Aric into a literal white horse. With her new husband by her side, Bianca needs to figure out her next step without getting both of them killed, or worse, falling in love for her husband that clearly resents her for the arrange marriage.

Not sure what I was expecting with this plot but throughout the book I was laughing my head off at the fact that Aric became a literal horse, the twist gave the story such a fun and lighthearted moment. Then I was gripping and biting my knuckles at the times they were hunted down by the crowns and trying to guess who was behind all this. What a fun and heartwarming read.

Loved, loved, loved. Perfect cosy story, great characters and such a top notch romance. If you liked Between, Undertaking of Hart and Mercy and Swordheart please read next.

Where to start, Bianca is a great lead, intelligent enough to navigate her unwelcome arrival in Aric's kingdom, choosing the correct times to stand up for herself and when to let things slide. The tension and conflict between her and Aric is fun, but never childish, they don't dig their heels in at their own detriment and the formation of their truce is the sane thing to under the circumstances. The relationship progression is natural and Aric is easy to love, the romance is honestly perfect, love these two as a couple.

I'm hoping that due to a more open ending we get to see more characters in this world and focus on their love stories.

Behooved is a whimsical subverted fairytale that throws reluctant allies-to-lovers together in an action-packed journey across a magical landscape. I absolutely loved watching Bianca and Aric battling their perceived shortcomings, and finding strength in each other—and themselves. Full of charm, romance, and swashbuckling adventure, this debut is so much fun!

Behooved tells the story of Duchess Bianca, daughter of one of the nine noble houses of Damaria. When the queen of a neighbouring nation dies, Bianca is informed her hand in marriage has been offered to heir apparent Aric as part of a re-negotiated peace treaty, and on the night of their wedding, an assassination attempt goes awry, and Aric is enchanted, transforming into a horse from sunrise to sunset each day. What follows is their quest across the land to save Aric and their kingdom, with Aric and Bianca falling in love in the process.

I loved this concept, and thought it had the potential to be a super-fun, quirky romantasy with a similar energy to The Princess Bride or Tress of the Emerald Sea. Unfortunately, it did end up falling a bit flat for me.

So, what didn’t work for me:
-For some reason, it seems the author tried to start them off as enemies-to-lovers. There was no reason for this. It didn’t add anything, and just made Bianca come off as really paranoid and aggressive half the time as she interpreted all of Aric’s actions in the most dramatic way possible just so they could have that initial conflict.
-Generic tropes were favoured over exploring the interesting points of the story and the world (such as the different stance of magic the two nations take) to the point where it felt like they were shoved in just for the sake of marketing the books as including them
-Bianca was meant to be one of nine noble houses in her kingdom, who view having a singular monarchy as ‘archaic’, however it felt as if there was absolutely no consideration given to any of the other houses? Throughout the book Bianca and her parents act as if they are the sole decision makers, and the council is mentioned as an afterthought.
-Bianca is so self deprecating. For so long

What did work for me!
-Aric was a fantastic character, and I loved every second of him. I really enjoyed his dynamic with Bianca, with him as the quiet bookish one, and Bianca the sword-wielding badass
-Bianca’s chronic illness rep was really well-done. I loved the conversation she had with the greenwitch specifically!
-Bianca’s sister is awesome
-Marya is awesome
-When Bianca and Aric did get together, their relationship was really sweet
-And can we talk about this cover?? So beautiful!!

Overall this one was a bit of a miss for me, but I still had fun and would recommend if you want a light fantasy read with a cute couple. Thank you to NetGalley and Hachette for the ARC!

I wasn’t sure how I would feel about this book, the premise was so unique and intriguing! I was not disappointed in the least! Like tell me how this horse man made me swoon? The romance was so good, and the magic/political system was incredible. I would def recommend if you’re looking for a unique fantasy romance!

I deign that this book was not for me

I felt like the banter was contrived (as well as the romance) and the overuse of certain words like deign, oh seas oh stars etc was not vibing with me
And her chronic illness is just her being poisoned? So I’m assuming she’ll find out what it is and then she won’t actually be chronically ill
That main character also did a 180 personality wise - she was all submissive and willing to marry a stranger etc and then when he isn’t there when she docks suddenly she is combative and assertive?

Bianca, una joven con una enfermedad crónica, se ve obligada a casarse con Aric, el heredero de un reino rival, para evitar la guerra entre ambos reinos. Sin embargo, su boda se ve interrumpida por un intento de asesinato que transforma a Aric en un caballo durante el día y lo devuelve a su forma humana por la noche. A partir de este incidente, Bianca y Aric se ven obligados a colaborar para descubrir la verdad detrás de la conspiración y romper la maldición que los une.

A través de malentendidos y situaciones incómodas, su relación evoluciona de una obligación a una alianza genuina, mientras descubren el uno del otro sus fortalezas y vulnerabilidades.




~

Es un libro de romance con toques de fantasía, magia u aventuras.

Algo que me encantó fue que Bianca fuera la líder y la fuerza entre los dos, y que Aric lo supiera, la alentara y la apoyara en todos sus planes, sin intentar jamás eclipsarla. Él sabía perfectamente que ella era capaz de lograr todo lo que se propusiera.

Mientras lo leía me transporto a mi adolescencia, este era mi top en los libros que disfrutaba.

Ojalá el final hubiera sido menos apresurado.



Thanks to NetGalley, the publisher and the author for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.