This is my first Jillian Witt novel. I absolutely loved the characters! Bargains with Benefits is a refreshing get-to-know-each-other romance where the drama is not based on the relationship but in what is going on around them. The novel also has a powerful message of learning to see past our prejudices, leaning on your friends, and asking for help when needed. I will continue to follow this author and her writing.

The world of this story is one where humans and fae coexist in a delicate balance of magic, social hierarchies, and complicated family dynamics. Vincent is a full-blooded fae from one of the oldest and most influential families, while Luna is half-fae, raised entirely outside of fae society and its rigid expectations. The two clash almost immediately, but soon realize that each holds something the other needs. A bargain is struck—but what begins as a simple exchange quickly grows into something far deeper and more life-changing than either of them could have anticipated.

There’s a cozy, small-town feel to this book—a gentle, heartwarming sense of community and connection even amidst the social obstacles. Luna, our whimsical, golden-hearted heroine, is trying to find her place in the world while also working to save her family's beloved inn. Vincent, meanwhile, is trying to carve out a future for himself that honors his own values and dreams—free from the control of his powerful, problematic family as a writer for the local newspaper. I absolutely loved watching their relationship unfold, growing from reluctant allies to genuine friends, and then to something tender and romantic.

While the book is light on spice, it's heavy with sweetness. Their bond is filled with trust, quiet understanding, and the kind of support that feels earned and deeply mutual. Watching them lift each other up as they navigate their individual struggles was incredibly satisfying. The worldbuilding, especially the nuances of fae and human society living side-by-side, added real depth without ever overshadowing the heart of the story.

One of the most charming aspects was how the characters' magic felt like its own presence in the narrative—almost like an additional character. Each person's magic has its own unique personality, quirks, and temperament, which adds a whimsical and delightful layer to the story.
Luna and Vincent’s journey is cozy, enchanting, and quietly powerful. By the end, I was completely invested in their story. It’s the kind of book that wraps around you like a warm blanket—charming, and full of heart.

Bargains with Benefits brings us a cozy tale of Luna, a half fae determined to save her inn, and Vincent, and old fae, who is in charge of a groundbreaking piece for his paper. These two find out how they can both help each other and strike up a bargain that can benefit their goals. However, can they continue to pretend that they want more than what they bargained for?

This was such a cozy read. I will admit that I was a bit confused at first, but once the bargain was made, it was easy to follow and read. I absolutely adore the characters and how unique but similar they are. The magic world building is cozy and small, so once there was a bit more information, it was easy to understand the magical world. The plot was cute and had me interested but the relationships are what kept the pages turning. The FMC and MMC have amazing strengths and I appreciate the refreshing take on a relationship with healthy communication.

Thank you Jillian Witt and Netgalley for the opportunity to read this as an ARC!

I received this ARC through NetGalley and I was pleasantly surprised. This book was so cozy yet fast paced that even through my current reading slump, I didn't want to put it down. I am so happy with the direction Jillian went with this novel (No miscommunication trope for the win). Vincent and Luna deserve all their solstice dreams coming true, and I would happily recommend this to anyone wanting to dip their toe into the romantasy genre. Thank you again for allowing me this advanced copy, and I am excited to see what adventure we will go on in the next book!

Half-fae Luna Pierce is faced with the challenge of saving her estranged father’s failing inn that she calls home. In order to prove to her father that she is up for task, she strikes a bargain with arrogant fae and newspaper columnist, Vincent Andiveron. Vincent, who writes a recommendations column, wants to be seen as a serious journalist and takes on an investigative piece about Luna’s father. While the bargain is mutually beneficial, the waters become muddied when they find themselves facing a growing attraction to each other. The question becomes, can they both help each other get what they want when they are both starting to want more.

I went into this read fairly blind. I was not familiar with the author or story beyond the synopsis NetGalley provided. I was expecting a cozy, low stakes fantasy romance and while I would say that is an accurate description, my expectations were far exceeded.

The characters had a lot of depth. The dual POV really gave me good insight into both of the main characters thoughts and feelings. Their growing attraction and feelings for each other felt steady and not rushed. I also liked that they both had a complicated family history that contributed to the way their personalities had formed as adults. You could tell how their actions were influenced by their life experiences.

Though this was a very character driven story, the politics and magic systems were fleshed out enough so that I wasn’t left questioning why things were the way that they were. The hierarchy and biases between humans, half-fae, and fae were also made very clear. I enjoyed the clear descriptions of the town and the different establishments, they made it very easy to picture things in my head as I read.

Overall, this story exceeded my expectations of what a cozy fantasy romance could be. There was a lot more plot and character development than I went in expecting, including intriguing side characters that I hope to see in future books.

A half-fae tavern wench who moonlights as a groundskeeper for an inn is given the task to get the inn full for an upcoming festival or the proprietor will sell it. She seeks the help of a witty journalist to help her get her inn on the map, but the bargain may be too steep for her liking.

This adorable story meets our FMC who is trying to make ends meet and living with the grief of the death of her mom and her estranged dad. As fate would have it, she meets a local, very well-known, journalist whose recommendations lead people to flock to taverns, restaurants, and bars a plenty. When she learns the inn she loves is now under her management and is threatened to be sold, she must fill the rooms. She strikes a bargain with the journalist: a good review for help on an assignment of his. But everything goes awry when she learns his assignment is her estranged father.

Filled with supportive friends, a meet cute, lots of angst, and tons of adorable moments, this is a warm and cozy romantic story that you will adore.

Half-fae Luna Pierce is living her dream of running the Cliff House Inn, an inn that is owned by her estranged Fae father. But when her father threatens to sell the inn, Luna convinces him to give her time to prove that the inn can be profitable, too bad she doesn’t possess fae magic herself, oh and the fact that she threw a drink in the face of Vincent Andiveron, the recommendations columnist for the Bayside.

But lucky for them, all is not lost, since Vincent also has a dream, and it isn’t writing the recommendation column, he wants to write investigative pieces and has the best idea for a story but lacks a source. That is until he meets Luna, and they strike a bargain – he will help her make her inn the “must-visit” destination and she will help him crack his story about her father. What could go wrong??

I will be blunt – this could have been a great story, but I had issues – first and foremost it is written in First Person Narrative and if that wasn’t bad enough – it is a dual POV FPN – I seriously dislike FPN, but I hate dual POV FPN – I just can’t. Secondly, it was kind of predictable and a bit cliché, and finally the romance was blah (and clearly my idea of “spicy” is not the same as the author’s). The story does have some bright points; I did like both Luna and Vincent and I thought the family issues were handled well. But for me this story was a miss, it felt more like a YA fantasy than an adult cozy fantasy, and I didn’t read the previous series, but I don’t think that would have made difference.

2.5 stars, rounded up

*I am voluntarily leaving a review for an eARC that I requested and was provided to me by the publisher/author. All opinions in this review are my own. *

Firstly I would like to say thank you to Jillian Witt for the opportunity to read this book early! I had such a fun time reading this book and loved the world it was set in.

If you are a lover of Cozy, low stakes romantasy books then this one would be great for you! I loved the way these two characters bonded over the course of this book, it felt incredibly natural and it was such a sweet love story to watch develop.

This is the first book by Jillian Witt that I have read but it definitely won't be my last, I'm a huge lover of books set In fantasy worlds where it isn't life or death for the characters because sometimes a girl just wants to read something whimsical and magical without the added threat of assassins or trying to rule a kingdom. The way this book is set out is the perfect amount of plot and romance where I never felt overwhelmed by the plot but was still very much invested in where it was going!

I am very much looking forward to reading the rest of Jillian Witt's back catalogue of books and seeing what she writes next!

OMG, I LOVED the chemistry and story. This had such cute connections and was written in a way that helped you feel the frustrations, sadness, and happiness throughout. I can't wait to recommend it to friends!

Bargains with Benefits is a cute and cozy fantasy romance. It follows half-fae Luna, who is trying to save an inn she loves, and old fae Vincent, who is trying to branch out from writing recommendations and into hard-hitting stories, as they strike up a bargain that helps them achieve their goals. Although I had trouble finishing this book, I did enjoy the characters, they were relatable and lovable. The world-building was easy to follow, and easy to picture what was happening in the story. My main issue with this book was the pacing; I found it difficult to want to pick it up because, no matter how much I read, it felt like I was spending a lot of time reading without much happening. I appreciate getting the chance to read this.

A solid 3.5 stars for me! ⭐ The book was super cute with its easy going cozy fantasy world. The characters, Luna and Vincent, were humourous and personable. I enjoyed the setting of this magical world and the author did a great job in discussing it. The plot was simple yet quaint in its meaning. The story did have a small hit of spice which didn't overwhelm any of the relationship developments. My one complaint would be that about 2/3 of the way into the book, the story felt a bit rushed. Overall, this was a good cozy fantasy book with a nice dash of spice thrown in.

Fun, cozy with a theme of forgiveness, some romance, and a dash of magic. I honestly needed something relatively light, and while this book delves into some difficult topics, there was enough light-heartedness to offset some of that difficulty.

I loved the characters, the world and its lore, and the relationships between the characters. Even without reading the "prequel" series, I understood what was going on well, and this story stands on its own legs.

Looking forward to any further adventures in this world.

Note: There is some spicy scenes towards the end of the book (2ish) and easy to see coming.

I really enjoyed this book, particularly the micro-trope of "his magic is obsessed with her," which I have not seen before. It added such a clever plot element (and some spice!) by functioning as an inner voice for the mmc the same way the "shifter" tropes do, but was instead sweet and nonviolent I will definitely seek more of that out. The banter was fun, the characters were well developed and I found myself caring about them, the burn was just slow enough and the world building/ elemental magic system was great. I enjoyed the political undertones as well. I was genuinely surprised by some of the twists and turns of the plot and kept finding myself sneaking away from my work to finish reading this one! Spicy but sweet. I have not read the authors previous trilogy set in the same world, but will, and will keep an eye out for the rest of the books in this series. Must read if you like cozy, spicy romantasy!

A charming fae romance with wit, warmth, and just the right amount of spice
Bargains with Benefits delivers a delightful blend of whimsical romantasy and slow-burn romance that I really enjoyed. Luna Pierce, a half-fae trying to save her inn and navigate complicated family ties, is a wonderfully relatable heroine—strong, warm, and a bit guarded. Vincent, the arrogant but surprisingly charming fae journalist, provides the perfect foil, and their witty banter kept me engaged throughout.
The story shines in its low-stakes, cozy setting with touches of magic, fae politics, and found family vibes that add depth without overwhelming the romance. The worldbuilding felt fresh and inviting, and the low-stakes were enough to keep me invested in Luna’s journey to belong and Vincent’s shift in perspective.
If you enjoy opposites-attract dynamics with a magical twist, plus a sweet but spicy slow-burn, this standalone in the Fae by the Bay series is definitely worth a read. It pairs nicely with other cozy fantasy/romantasy like Emily Wilde’s Encyclopaedia of Faeries and The God and the Gumiho.
The only reason I’m not giving five stars is that I wanted a little more complexity in the conflict and pacing felt a bit uneven at times—but overall, a very satisfying and enjoyable read!

Ooooh yes. Cozy cozy cozy! Such a cute book. I thought I’d finish it in one reading but I actually ended up taking my time because of how much I enjoyed being in this little world 💖

This book is absolutely charming! It was so well written I couldn't put it down. Everyone behaved like actual people. Neither of the MCs fell into the trap of making their relationship their whole personality. Both characters had their own lives, struggles, wants, and needs. The MCs had amazing chemistry and banter. This book was super cozy but also had some heat. 10/10 can't recommend enough! Run don't walk when this hits the shelves!

A Cozy, Feel-Good Fantasy Romance

Bargains with Benefits is a charming, character-driven romantasy that completely swept me away. Jillian Witt blends a cozy atmosphere with heartfelt romance and just the right touch of magic.

Luna Pierce is a half-fae innkeeper with a struggling business and complicated family ties. Enter Vincent, a wind-magic-wielding journalist with secrets of his own. Their magical bargain sparks more than just business collaboration—it’s a slow-burn romance filled with witty banter, emotional depth, and genuine connection.

The world-building is inviting and whimsical, perfect for readers who enjoy immersive but not overly complex fantasy. This standalone, set in the Compass Points universe, works perfectly whether you’re new to Witt’s books or returning for more.

A joy to read from beginning to end. I’ll be watching closely for whatever Jillian Witt writes next.

This book was truly the perfect cozy, cutesy romantasy for me. I was hooked from just the first few pages and quickly fell head over heels in love with these characters. Luna is a half-fae who is trying everything to bring customers back to the magical inn she grew up visiting with her mother. Vincent is waiting for his big break with a chance to write a featured story at the newspaper he works at. When they bump into each other, they make a bargain to help the other achieve their goals but quickly realize that perhaps they want more between each other than just a bargain.

Luna is such an adorable, lovable main character. She has such sunny personality and I loved learning more about the family she found among friends and customers at the tavern she works at on the side. She’s unapologetically herself in a world that hasn’t always been kind to half-fae, and loves to bake to work through her emotions. Vincent was immediately charming and I loved his playful wind magic that has a tendency to flirt with Luna before he can stop it. These characters were such a good fit together and I loved the slow build up of trust, friendship, and deeper feelings for one another. I seriously couldn’t get enough of them!

I’ve read the first book in the Compass Points as well, which is another series set in the same world. The elemental magic, the politics, and the characters are all written so well and I will quickly be jumping into the second book in that series as I wait on the edge of my seat for the next book in this new series. I can’t get enough of these characters and this world!

This was such a fun cozy romance!

I really loved Lina’s character and her growth throughout the story. She was feisty and friendly while also being very true to herself. Vincent was also such a great character. I loved seeing his development with Luna and their chemistry continue to grow. I reallllllly appreciate that there was no theirs act breakup!

This story was all over the place in the best way! I loved the far courts and all the different types of magic. I felt so bad for Luna when she started discovering the truth but also so happy that she was able to get the relationship with her father she always wanted.

Bargains with Benefits (Fae by the Bay #1) by Jillian Witt

Blurb: When Luna bargained with an arrogant fae journalist to save her inn, the last thing she expected was to fall for him.

Rating: ****
Feels: Fun, Playful, Wonder, Inquisitive
Style: Fantasy, Cozy Fantasy, Fae, Romance Fantasy
First published : June 3, 2025 : 314 pages Kindle

Loved this cozy fantasy with spice !!! Getting to watch the relationship grow and bloom between Luna and Vincent was heartwarming, sweet and hot !!! I loved how magic was used to show his affection for her. Seeing his wind “play” with her and be cutesy with Luna was just adorable. The community, found family aspect of the story also had strong resonance with me. Family dynamics and friendships being built are things I love being explored in a story. This book was such a great read with so much depth and I love that there are other books related to keep reading about the community !!!

Favorite Quote: "Another bargain, Miss Pierce. Didn't we learn our lesson the first time?" " I'm not sure what lesson you've learned, but our first bargain has only left me wanting more."

This book has:
Strong FMC
Cinnamon Roll MMC
Rivals to Lovers
Found Family
Hidden Identify
Politics
Playful Magic