This was a very cozy romantasy and one that I rather enjoyed, even if it didn't hook me as much as I'd have liked.

The magic system seemed quite basic but easy to follow once I got my head around it and the characters came to life in my imagination. It was a fun listening experience, with Kasi Hollowell narrating flawlessly and a solid plot.

I would say that it felt low stakes because though there were stakes they seemed to be solved fairly quickly. I would definitely recommend this to fans of "fluff" fantasy and it was a refreshing read for me for this reason.

Overall, I had a pretty good time with this and I'm thankful to Netgalley and the publishers for the ALC

I love a story where the female character is strong, independent, and powerful. Compass Points delivers all of those traits and rounds out the story with just a little romance. Fantasy Fiction is always improved with a mean villain and this story doesn't disappoint. Looking forward to finding out how this story continues.

A sweeping, magical adventure full of heart, danger, and the best kind of slow-burn romance.

Compass Points by Jillian Witt is the kind of book that quietly takes your hand, then runs with you headfirst into a world of magic, mist, and messy emotions, and I loved every page of the journey.

Rose is everything I want in a fantasy heroine: strong without being hardened, witty without being snarky, and quietly haunted by a past that unfolds with aching precision. Her skills as a magical weapons master are both rare and desperately needed, but what makes her unforgettable is her fierce loyalty and refusal to let herself be used, even as the world demands more of her.

Enter Luc: dangerous, beautiful, infuriating, and hiding more than he lets on. Their fake-dating arrangement had me grinning and gasping in equal measure. The chemistry is electric, the banter sharp, and the tension deliciously slow-burn. And underneath it all is a relationship built not just on attraction, but on trust, shared goals, and hard-won understanding.

The worldbuilding is gorgeous, lush and haunting, with a setting inspired by U.S. National Parks that brings a fresh breath of wild beauty to the genre. The mist plague, elemental magic, and divine lore add stakes and scope without ever overwhelming the emotional core. I especially adored the animal companion (I won’t spoil it, but it’s the perfect touch of cosy amidst the chaos).

Fans of A Deal with the Elf King and Emily Wilde’s Encyclopaedia of Faeries will find so much to love here, but Compass Points stands on its own as a story that’s both tender and thrilling. It’s a warm cup of tea and a lightning strike all at once.

I can’t wait to see where the series goes next. Highly, highly recommended for readers who crave romance with real stakes, magic with meaning, and characters who feel as real as your best friend.

3.5⭐
Enjoyed this easy to follow romantasy audiobook. It's giving cozy vibes with a little bit of action, elemental magic and not to mention a strong FMC fake dating with her enemy, or is it her ally?

Thank you NetGalley and Victory Editing for this ARC in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.

I thought this was very good and I will have to add this to the shop shelves. Thank you for the chance for us to review.

The fantasy in this short and simple book was easy to understand. The primary characters are likable and captivating. This might be the beginning of a truly fantastic series! Its plot, conflict, and world-building are all strong. All of the intriguing turns were vividly brought to life by the narration. I'm eager to follow its future developments!

Such an exciting adventure, and I loved the audio!

The narration really brought to life all the interesting twists, and I really enjoyed how exciting each reveal was. Also fun watching the different relationships develop #nospoilers! 🩵

Let me start off by saying that I requested all three arcs as they came out for this trilogy! I live and breathe this series👀

The audiobook was done so well! I needed something to listen to while running and I couldn’t think of a better choice!

Title: Compass Point
Author: Jillian Witt
Rating: ⭐4.5/5

Review:
I went into Compass Point expecting a familiar fantasy formula—magic, fae, a slow-burning romance—and while those beloved elements were there, this book surprised me in the best way. It delivered all the things I love about fantasy, but with a depth and nuance that kept me hooked from beginning to end.

The plot does a brilliant job of teasing just enough information to make you feel like you’re piecing things together, only to reveal there’s more beneath the surface. I found myself chasing every crumb the author dropped, desperate to see the full picture. It’s an addictive kind of storytelling—clever, immersive, and so well-paced.

The balance between the overarching plot (a deadly mist plague and its continent-wide threat) and the romance between Rose and Luc was executed perfectly. Neither element overshadows the other. Instead, they complement one another, weaving together character development, emotional stakes, and world-saving tension in a way that feels cohesive and compelling.

Rose is the kind of heroine I love—wounded but strong, with a quiet resilience that draws you in. And Luc? Dangerous, mysterious, and the perfect foil to Rose’s guarded nature. Their dynamic is chef’s kiss.

Would I recommend it?
Absolutely. If you enjoy magical weapon-making, deadly fae, a slow-burn romance, and fantasy stories that keep you guessing, Compass Point is a must-read.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for providing me with an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

I absolutly loved the humor of this book, with Ari being my favourite character. The story is well written though the innitial purpose of saving Rose's friend kind of got forgotten - at least for this volume, maybe it will be remembered again in the next.

⭐️ ⭐️⭐️⭐️.5


This has all the potential to the start of a really great series!
Good world building without being overwhelming, a solid plot and good conflict.

Rose is a strong and confident FMC
Luc is a golden retriever of a MMC with the “who did this to you” and “touch her and die” vibes

I am totally here for all of this. I love that he falls first and that there isn’t a back and forth, once Rose realizes she can trust him and spills all her secrets to him they finally give into their obvious attraction.


I love the magic system so far. The four fae courts being made by Gods and named after the four points in a compass. I will definitely be reading the following book/s when they release!

I also enjoyed the fact that this was read in duet. It really helps to get a feel for the characters and how they interact with each other.

Oh and who doesn’t love a talking shapeshifting animal sidekick!


Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for the ALC of this novel in exchange for my honest opinion

290 page new adult romantasy set in a world inspired by the United States National Parks (according to author)

Tropes:
💙 Who hurt you
🐾Slow burn
💙 Gods
🐾Elemental magic
💙 hidden identity
⚔️Single PoV
💙 grumpy/sunshine
🐾Dual timeline
💙 Rivals to Lovers
⚔️One bed
💙 Sassy shapeshifting sidekick
🐾Secret lineage
💙 fake dating
💙 Banter
💙 forced proximity
🌶️ Kissing scene(s) and an open-door spice scene with soft, vague sexual language

I loved listening to Kari Hollowell read this. She totally throws herself into each character, she was enjoyable to listen to and captured the emotions and voices of side characters well.

This is my first fae fantasy with fake dating as a trope, and I get it now...

“𝘐 𝘢𝘴𝘴𝘶𝘳𝘦 𝘺𝘰𝘶 𝘵𝘩𝘢𝘵 𝘐 𝘤𝘰𝘶𝘭𝘥 𝘣𝘦 𝘦𝘷𝘦𝘳𝘺 𝘣𝘪𝘵 𝘢𝘴 𝘴𝘢𝘵𝘪𝘴𝘧𝘺𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘢𝘴 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘱𝘢𝘴𝘵𝘳𝘺.”

Compass Points is a deeply charming adventure filled with sassy banter, delicious tension, and whimsical elements to keep you captivated!
I loved the high stakes yet cozy fantasy vibes of this book!

A quick, easy to read and understand fantasy. There was enough world building to justify a short fantasy but with just enough intrigue to make me want to pick up book two. I am almost sad because it could have been a thrilling fantasy with great depth and tension because the author is clearly good enough to create that and yet its been turned into a cozy read. I really hope we dive into more of the magic system and the world building in the next one. Slow to start with an interesting plot idea but like another reviewer said- you could have a drinking game around every time you hear the title! The pacing was on the quicker side once you were half way through but I felt it was well paced overall and suited the type of story it is.

Compass Lake is the home of the four Compass Points, each group of fae worships a different God and each has their own magic.


My favorite character seems to be the same as everyone else's... the sassy animal sidekick Arie, who is the comic relief, voice of logic and agent of mischief

The story is full of fae court intrigue, I found the banter & angsty build of the MMC &FMC relationship really enjoyable. I also enjoyed how we were showed the histories and secrets rather than being told about them, and, the flashbacks were very well written and helped divulge our heroine’s back story without the info dump!

Final Thoughts
Some of my favorite tropes here; fake dating, secret identities, angsty romance, witty banter. Wrapped up with battling a mysterious mist, gods and goddesses, fae court politics and an amazing animal shifter sidekick, you get a great story with a very satisfying ending. I’m eagerly ready to start book number two!

Thank you Jillian Witt via Netgalley for an ALC. All opinions are honest and my own.

Compass Points by Jillian Witt is a fast-paced, dual-timeline fantasy that blends elemental magic, fae politics, and a creeping mist-bound mystery. The story follows Rose, a secret weapons master with the rare ability to forge metal with magic. Twenty years ago, she trained alongside Aiden, her childhood best friend and son of the Nordin Point. Now, as the mist plague threatens, she is forced to confront her past, her powers, and a fae emissary named Luke.

The romance is well-balanced and avoids the cheesiness that often plagues fantasy romances (looking at you, ACOTAR). While the worldbuilding could have been more fleshed out early on, the plot grips you immediately and keeps moving. The audiobook’s narrator does a fantastic job, bringing distinct voices to each character. Though the ending felt a bit abrupt, this was an engaging fantasy adventure and I would look out for the next installment although would be hoping for more in depth worldbuilding and a more evenly paced plot. 3.5 rounded up.

3.5 stars! This was a cute and fun book overall. Very much a fluffy fantasy romance with easily digestible world building and an interesting magic system. I think this would be a great palate cleanser if you've been reading heavy/epic fantasy books. The writing is very straight forward and the chapters are pretty short, which I like. Rose and Luc fall for each other fairly quick but they make a great couple🌶. There's also an animal companion, Ari, who talks to our FMC Rose and that is one of my personal favorite fantasy elements. The narrator has great inflection of her voice, but she does over-annunciate a lot of words that start/end with T and D, just FYI. I would recommend this to anyone who enjoys romantasy, fae, and magic!

Unfortunately I decided to DNF this book at 70%. There wasn’t anything in particular that caused me to make this decision. I tried to push through several times the story line just didn’t pull me in and I felt like I was forcing myself through the book. I didn’t love the narrator at first, I did have to speed it up to enjoy listening to it.

Compass Points by Jillian Witt is a compelling start to the Compass Points series, blending mystery, magic, and romance into an engaging story. Rose is on the run from her past, but it isn’t long before it catches up to her. As her secrets gradually unfold, she crosses paths with Luc—one of the Fae leaders she was determined to avoid. Their chemistry builds as they work together to combat the plague mist, a dangerous phenomenon caused by the imbalance of the Compass Points.

The unique magical system stood out, adding depth to the world-building without slowing the pace. The story moves at a steady rhythm, keeping me hooked as the pieces of the mystery fell into place. Kasi Hollowell's narration was excellent, bringing the characters and tension to life.

A strong first book in the series—I’m excited to see where it goes next!

Compass Points - Jillian Witt

I don’t know why I waited so long. I don’t know why I don’t have the next two installments. I think I need to get with the program.

Rose ran from the fae court and never expected to go back but when the Mist and Luc arrive in her town at the same time, it's become clear that her weapons are the only hope they have of surviving. Now she has to return to a place that she never had any intention of thinking of again.

Rose and Luc are amazing! I love their banter, I love their connection. The plot is amazing! The writing is superb! I have sooo many questions I’m hoping are answered in book 2! The world building was captivatingly beautiful and I am so glad I got the audiobook of this book. I loved the narration, I felt like I was truly there. Ari is my favorite character though. He is such a stinker I loved it.

You need to grab this series TODAY. Don’t be a dough head like me and wait… NOW! RUNNNN don’t WALK! :)

5 stars

This was so fast paced and fun. It had enough original elements to make it stand out but it still felt like such a classic fantasy. The stakes were not low, yet it still gave me a cozy feeling.

I feel like it's been so long since the last time I came across a male love interest I actually liked. Both him, the main character and the animal companion we're following throughout the whole novel are super likable and that made it easy to care. It also helped to have a less than 300 page space to tell this full first installment in the story, to avoid ever losing interest in the actual plot. It moved enough to keep things interesting.
I also want to point out that the past-timeline was really well used; it felt like every bit we got, we got at the right time.

The actual audiobook was great; I loved the narrator and what she did with the other character's voices.

I will be getting the sequel soon.

Absolutely! Here's a 5-star review for "Compass Points":

"Compass Points" is an absolute gem in the fantasy romance genre! From the very first page, I was captivated by the enchanting world-building and the elemental magic that brought this story to life. The protagonist is strong, relatable, and her journey had me cheering for her every step of the way. The fake dating trope was executed flawlessly, adding layers of tension and chemistry that kept me hooked until the last page. This book is a delightful blend of magic, romance, and adventure. Highly recommend to anyone looking for an engaging and heartwarming read!"

Rose is a master at creating weapons that are special, but when Luc comes asking for her help to defeat the mist that is spreading everywhere hurting everyone it comes in contact with. Rose declines even if Luc knows a little more than he should about her weapons. When the mist comes which has destroyed everything in its path including someone Rose cares or deeply while with Luc Rose agree's to help and see's her weapons may be the answer.

Luc convinces Rose to come with him and hide while pretending to be his love interest. Coming to Luc's home seems like the answer to keep Rose safe but it may actually put Rose in danger. Working together soon seems like the only answer to saving everyone but while there hidden secrets of who Rose truly is come to light when someone from Rose's past comes back into Rose's life and it's soon revealed he isn't who he's told Rose he is.

This book was a fun read, I liked the world building that happens in this book and the twists of who Rose truly is as well as who the villain is was really good. This ends with a lot of questions and some important stories started in this book/series. I really liked Rose and Luc we see a lot of their back story and I loved the connection thats revealed between the two. I really liked the start of this series we get so much storewide in this book that we need answers to. This is the first book i've read from this author but I really enjoyed her writing style and what she creates in this book. I am really excited to see what happens next. This is one of those books that is just fun, on you just enjoy your time while reading.