’m apparently in my cozy era, because Bargains with Benefits was another easy, wholesome read.

It’s my first time reading Jillian Witt, but I already know I’ll be adding her other releases to my TBR. Among the many things I liked here, Witt writes found family and relationship development incredibly well. I felt invested from the very beginning in the characters—particularly Luna, the FMC, who just radiated light and truly sucked me into her journey.

While there’s an underlying plot here that generally works well, more than anything this is a relationship read—in the sense that you truly see the character evolution and growth. There’s a certain warmth and fulfillment that comes with our heroine’s journey that is delightfully cozy and warm to be a part of.

Spice here hits just at the right level, but more than anything this is a book about acceptance—of yourself, and of others. I hadn’t realized this was part of a broader universe, but will definitely be reading more here in this world next time I need an easy palate cleanser.

Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for approving me for the ARC!

This romance novel offers a heartfelt and engaging story that draws readers in with its emotional depth and chemistry between the main characters. The author does a great job building tension and connection, creating a relationship that feels both passionate and believable. The plot moves at a comfortable pace, balancing romantic development with personal growth and conflict. Whether you're a fan of slow-burn stories or love-at-first-sight tales, there's a lot to enjoy here. The setting and supporting characters add richness to the narrative, making it a well-rounded and satisfying read. Perfect for anyone looking to get swept away in a love story that lingers after the final page.

✨ Bargains with Benefits by Jillian Witt is a cozy romantasy gem that delivers everything I crave in a comfort read—magic, mischief, mystery, and a romance that blossoms in the most heartwarming (and hilarious) way possible. If you're looking for a story that will make you laugh, swoon, and root for two complete opposites to fall hopelessly in love, this is the book for you.
Meet Luna: our colorful, clever, and totally unapologetic heroine. She's half-fae in a world where that's basically a social death sentence, but instead of dimming her light, she shines brighter. Luna doesn’t care about fitting in—she’s all about blazing her own trail, with a side of sarcasm and mischief. She’s vibrant, messy, magical, and beautifully human in the best ways. I adored her from the very first page.
Then there’s Vincent—brooding, buttoned-up, and born into a rigid, old-money fae family. He’s used to rules, structure, and burying his emotions so deep they might as well be locked in a vault. But when Luna crashes into his life, all bets are off. She challenges him, infuriates him, and—slowly but surely—cracks his icy facade wide open. Watching him unravel and learn to feel was so satisfying. He’s the ultimate grumpy-to-soft MMC and I ate up every single scene he was in.
Their forced partnership is full of sparkling tension, reluctant teamwork, and slow-burn chemistry that builds deliciously with every page. As they work together toward a common goal, they’re also learning what it means to be true to themselves in a world that tries to label and limit them. And yes, the magical plot is engaging and clever, but it’s their emotional growth and connection that makes this book so special.
Witt’s writing is warm, witty, and filled with just the right balance of whimsy and realness. She creates a world where it’s okay to be different. You’ll fall in love with the characters, laugh out loud at their banter, and maybe even get a little misty-eyed when things get real.
💫 If you’re in the mood for a feel-good romantic fantasy with quirky charm, soft magic, endearing characters, and a love story that feels like a warm hug—Bargains with Benefits will absolutely win you over. It’s the book equivalent of sipping sweet solstice sips by a fireplace and realizing you’re exactly where you need to be.
Don’t sleep on this one—you’ll want these characters living rent-free in your head just like they are in mine. 🖤✨

This book gave me everything I wanted: cozy vibes, emotional depth, and a romance that made me smile.

Luna, a half fae trying to save the inn she loves, teams up with a grumpy journalist looking for his next big story.

I really loved Luna as a main character. I loved watching her try to carve out a place for herself while navigating a strained relationship with her father. Vincent came off as arrogant at first, but he turned out to have the kindest heart Their dynamic was such a perfect sunshine and grump pairing.

This story had plenty of cozy charm but also brought real growth and depth.

If you’re looking for a cozy fantasy, this one is a perfect pick.

Thank you NetGalley and Jillian Witt for the gifted copy.

4.5

This was such a sweet, cozy, and cute little read! ''Bargains with Benefits'' is about a half-fae named Luna who makes a deal with a fae journalist named Vincent to save her inn. The story has cozy fae romantasy, fae bargains, opposites attracting, elemental magic, complicated family relationships, a little bit of spice, and plenty of comforting warm feelings, following in a happily-ever-after and a cottage, inn, and bay side as setting! Honestly, it gave me Hallmark movie vibes but with a fae twist. I enjoyed every moment of this book!

I really liked the fmc Luna. Seeing her trying to find her place to belong and navigating her way through the challenging relationship with her father was enjoyable and inspiring to see. She's very gentle and kind even amid it all and I just really liked her. She was the perfect strong yet soft and very loveable heroine of this book!

Vincent, Luna's love interest, is also on a journey to find himself. He has a difficult relationship with his parents as well, and being an old fae and journalist means judgement as well as that people often surround him just because he writes popular articles. Although he might seem arrogant at first, he actually has the softest and kindest heart—just like Luna. I feel that they complement each other very well and beautifully, as they motivate one another to be the best versions of themselves without trying to change each other. The love he has for her, simply because she is Luna, was just the sweetest. And then her little obsession with his hair. They're just so adorable together and just...They made me smile a lot and I felt all the warm fuzzy feelings while reading about them. I truly appreciate how healthy and safe their relationship felt.

Plot-wise, there's not much happening in the sense of like that there's a whole lot of drama. There are definitely some mysterious things going on and a reveal which changes some things in the story, so, It's definitely not that nothing is happening, but I liked that there wasn't anything too much happening and I found the slow-pacing low-stakes to be very comforting, calming and cozy. (I didn't see that reveal coming tho).

There's not much negative that I have to say other than that there were moments when I didn't really feel a connection with the characters. Sometimes, It felt like I was reading about them instead of that they felt...real? I sometimes felt disconnected from them and the story itself because of that and the book couldn't really hold my attention at some certain points while reading. Nevertheless, I never lost interest in reading further and I wanted to keep turning the pages! I know this is intended as a standalone, but I hope for a sequel because that ending really sparked my curiosity, and I didn't want to leave the cozy little world of these characters.

If I could describe this book in one word, it would be "cozycomforting" (yes, I just made that a single word). I would definitely recommend reading this if you're in the mood for anything cozy, whimsical, magical, fae/half-fae/human, a strong fmc, and a whole lot of cuteness. Maybe this will become one of your other comfort reads!

Thank you to Netgalley, the publisher, and the author for providing me with an arc in exchange for an honest review!

I want to like cozy fantasy so bad it’s such a fun idea. But I need the drama I cannot get into these cozy story. It was a fun premise and idea it’s super cute but I’m hundred percent the problem. I just cannot get into these books

✦ 𝒞𝑜𝓏𝓎 ℛ𝑜𝓂𝒶𝓃𝓉𝒶𝓈𝓎 ℛ𝑒𝒸 ✦

Bargains with Benefits
By: Jillian Witt
314 pages

𝘊𝘰𝘻𝘺 𝘧𝘢𝘦 𝘳𝘰𝘮𝘢𝘯𝘵𝘢𝘴𝘺
𝘚𝘰𝘮𝘦 𝘴𝘱𝘪𝘤𝘦
𝘍𝘢𝘦 𝘣𝘢𝘳𝘨𝘢𝘪𝘯𝘴
𝘏𝘶𝘮𝘢𝘯𝘴/𝘧𝘢𝘦/𝘩𝘢𝘭𝘧-𝘧𝘢𝘦
𝘌𝘭𝘦𝘮𝘦𝘯𝘵𝘢𝘭 𝘮𝘢𝘨𝘪𝘤
𝘊𝘰𝘮𝘱𝘭𝘪𝘤𝘢𝘵𝘦𝘥 𝘧𝘢𝘮𝘪𝘭𝘺 𝘥𝘺𝘯𝘢𝘮𝘪𝘤𝘴
𝘏𝘌𝘈

What a fun, sweet, cozy fae romantasy with low stakes, fae bargains, half-fae heroines, flirtatious magic, and some angst and heat.

Meet Luna Pierce our half-fae FMC trying to find her place and has a heart of gold. Meet Vincent our full-bloodied fae with Old Fae heritage trying to become a valued reporter. Luna & Vincent’s story was sweet. I loved the way Vincent's wind magic flirted with Luna. It was too cute.

I really enjoyed Luna navigating the complex relationship with her father. She was raised by her human mother who made her believe that her fae father wanted nothing to do with her. It was endearing to read how she untangles these lies and reconnects with her father who supports her unconditionally.

I haven’t read Jillian Witt's Compass Points series yet, but this series is set the same world but with new characters. And every book in the series ends with a HEA.

If you're looking for a light-hearted, feel-good romance story, this is an excellent read.

Thank you @author.jillianwitt and @netgalley for a #gifted eARC!

📚✨ARC REVIEW TIME✨📚
🌙 Bargains with Benefits

Thank you NetGalley for the ARC in exchange for an honest review! 🙏💖

This book is a cozy romantasy with ✨heart✨, magical politics, found family vibes, and a slow(ish)-burn romance that will tug at your feelings 💕 But don’t be fooled — it’s not all low-stakes fluff. There’s depth, there’s growth, and yes… surprise spice 👀🔥

🌸 Luna = half-fae, raised human, grieving, chaotic soft girlie trying to hold on to the inn that's become her safe haven 🏡💔
📰 Vincent = old fae, emotionally repressed journalist with wind magic and ✨unexpected charm✨ trying to escape his oppressive fae family 🌀

After a very unfortunate drink spill (oops 🍹), they strike a bargain:
🤝 She helps him with an article that could expose some shady fae politics
🏨 He helps her turn the inn into a Solstice destination hotspot

What I LOVED:
💞 Luna and Vincent learning to trust + support each other
🌀 Vincent’s WIND literally flirting with Luna 😭
🫶 Messy characters with real flaws and emotional baggage
👀 That magical worldbuilding — Sandrin Bay feels like a place you could actually visit!

Counting the days until book two!! 🧚‍♂️📆💖

𝓐𝓡𝓒 𝓡𝓮𝓿𝓲𝓮𝔀 - 𝓑𝓪𝓻𝓰𝓪𝓲𝓷𝓼 𝔀𝓲𝓽𝓱 𝓑𝓮𝓷𝓮𝓯𝓲𝓽𝓼 𝓫𝔂 𝓙𝓲𝓵𝓵𝓲𝓪𝓷 𝓦𝓲𝓽𝓽.

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ stars.

A cozy fae romantasy read with playful, flirtatious magic and low stakes.

I firstly want to mention I have not read the Compass Point series and not once was I confused or lost in this book, it was effortless executed and stands so well on its own. If anything it has made me want to go back and read the Compass Point series so I can re-visit this world!

Our FMC is very much the sunshine to our grumpy journalist, and whilst there was slight miscommunication between the two in their relationship - I did not mind it at all. I loved the magic system, it is very easy to follow which is my preference which goes hand in hand with how easy this book was to read.

There is slight spice in the book, which was unexpected but I enjoyed it! It was well placed and I think it was timed well. The pacing of the whole relationship was well done in my opinion and I am happily awaiting book two from those little hints towards the end that we were given!

I recommend this book to anyone who loves a cozy read or anyone who is just in the mood for a light romantasy read!

Release date: 3rd June 2025.

Thank you NetGalley for providing me with an e-arc of this book in exchange for an honest and unbiased review.





Goodreads review - Live: 13/05/2025
Fable review - Live: 13/05/2025
Instagram review - Live: 14/05/2025 9am BST
Amazon review - Live 03/06/2025

Thank you NetGalley for the ARC and for the wonderful time I had while reading this cute story. First, the cover. Perfect cuteness. A nice visualization of the story. It caught me, and made a perfect job.
The writing was so sweet so simple but so elegant. The characters the interaction was perfect. A mood elevator-a mental holiday. This was the first book I've read by Jillian Witt, and I am now desperate for more..

Bargains with Benefits is the cozy romantasy I didn’t know I needed! Luna and Vincent are total opposites, but watching their relationship blossom from a bargain into something deeper was so heartwarming. Luna’s fierce loyalty and hidden vulnerability paired beautifully with Vincent’s dry wit and grumpy charm. I loved their chemistry, especially the way they challenged and softened each other throughout the story.

If you’re craving a sweet and lighthearted cozy fae-filled escape with heart and charm, this is it.

📖
⭐️⭐️⭐️/5
🌶️🌶️/5
📆 Pub Date Jun 03 2025
♥️ Opposites attract
♥️ Half-fae heroines
♥️ Mysterious magic
A mysterious cozy romance. As part of their bargain, Luna agrees to help Vincent get information on Luna's estranged father in exchange for his help saving Luna's inn. In the fae-dominated world, Vincent and Luna work toward a common goal, but lines blur as they fight for equality. The chemistry that develops between the two characters is swoon-worthy as Vincent's sweet character and charming wind fall in love with Luna's strong, determined character. Overall, I enjoyed Jillian Witt's magical world and just wanted to immerse myself in this book and stay at Cliff House Inn. I would like to thank NetGalley and the publisher for providing me with an advanced reader's copy in exchange for an honest review.

This really was the cosy, cute fantasy that it promised to be.

I really enjoyed this, the characters are easy to get behind. A sweet romance for sure.

A bargain that eventuates into the cutest HEA romance?! Sign me right up!

This cozy, cute fantasy was just what I needed. The world building and character building is amazing, and the author did such a great job incorporating the side characters into the story just as much as the main ones!

I believe this book is interconnected with others, but this is the first one I read and I didn't feel like I missed out on anything! I actually can't wait to read the others. This was such a quick, fun read!

Bargain with Benefits is a cozy fantasy romance about a half fae and a high fae who strike a bargain to help each other achieve their goals. Luna wants to get her inn to full capacity by winter solstice, and Vincent hopes to finally write a featured article for the local newspaper. All the while trying to overcome prejudice and to not fall in love. This story was so charming that I could not put it down. I enjoyed the longing and tension between the two main characters and was rooting for them more with every chapter. The magic system was easy to understand and written in a refreshingly adorable way.

I absolutely loved every part of this book and look forward to reading the rest of the series. This is the first book, but it is set in the world of Compass Points, which is the author's previous trilogy. It makes mentions of what happened in the Compass Points multiple times, but as someone who has not read that trilogy yet, it did not take away from Bargain with Benefits or divulge any spoilers. If you like to read books in chronological order, you may want to read Compass Points first.

This is a perfect book for someone looking for a lighthearted cozy fantasy or a romcom set in a fantasy world. Thank you Victory Editing NetGalley Co-op for providing this book for review consideration via NetGalley. All opinions are my own.

I also intend to post a book recommendation video on Tiktok during the last week of May.

This book is so lovely and cosy. Despite having never read the authors previous works, I felt so comfortable in this world immediately and felt I understood the social heirarchy and the magic system immediately.

It's so important to me when main characters have a healthy communication style and these characters had that in droves. The amount of trust they had in each other was so admirable and it just highlighted how great of a team they were.

I really enjoyed this, and it has made me want to go back and read the linked series to read more about this world.

Luna is the grounds keeper for Cliff House Inn. She loves the place.
Unfortunately it hasn't had any guests in a very long time.
It's owned by her estranged father, one of the old fae families. Luna is half fae.
She hasn't talked to her father in years. When he found out she didn't have magic, he wanted nothing to do with her.

After all these years, he shows up to tell her she has a month to fill Cliff House or he will sell it.

That's all the info I'm giving. It should be enough to pique your interest!

I thought this was great! These characters are so loveable, you can't help but root for them. One of my new favorite cozy reads! I didn't realize this was connected to the authors other series Compass Points. Now I'll have to give them a go.

Looking for a charming and feel-good fantasy read? Check out Jillian Witt's Bargains with Benefits! This cosy Romantasy follows Luna, a half-fae trying to save her inn, and Vincent, a fae journalist. Their initial bargain quickly turns into something more. Witt does a great job of exploring self-acceptance with a hint of mystery thrown in. I absolutely loved this book, it's a real pick-me up that still delivers on the fantasy. Definitely going on my list of favourite cosy fantasies!

"If it makes a difference, I really don't want you to say no"

Bargains with Benefits is a cozy fantasy with some not so low stakes and very good character work set in a fae human world filled with wonders.

Luna was raised by her human mother away from the fae world despite her half fae heritage. After her mother's death she ends up moving to Sandrin bay, a fae human community, where she's living in a cottage as a grounds keeper of her estranged fae father's inn while also working in a tavern with her two closest friends. When the lack of customers in the inn causes the manager to quit Luna is tasked by her father to fill the inn with guests by the Solstice or he will sell it and Luna will lose her home and safe haven.

Vincent is old fae, stifled by his parent's expectations of how old fae should behave and their outdated, traditional and out right horrible views on place of humans in fae society. He's working as a journalist at a local press, writing a beloved recommendation column Benefit of Magic in an attempt to gain some freedom and distance himself from his parents. When he's offered the chance to write an article on an old fae that is suspected to be opposed to building a school for magical education of the half fae and bribing the head of the city he quickly jumps to the opportunity.

By sheer chance, one misplaced comment and a Solstice sip beverage accident Luna and Vincent meet and form a mutually beneficial bargain. A bargain that will help Luna save her Inn and get Vincent the needed information for his expose.

I very much enjoyed Luna's and Vincent's relationship and how they supported one another through tough times and bad situations. The fact that they weren't perfect or without prejudice but managed to overcome them and grow together was a very nice and welcome surprise.

"I wanted to believe we could be more than out first meeting"

I LOVED the way Vincent's wind interacted and flirted with Luna and how flustered he would become in those situations.

I very much enjoyed this book and can't wait for the next installment of this series. It's a solid four star read for me, it would've been a five star if it weren't for the following few things.

I must say the couple of smut scenes in the last half of the book really took me by a surprise as I was not under the impression there was any spice in this books. I am not opposed to smut in books but I think this one could have done without it or maybe just some fade to black moment where it's implied but not described in so many details. It was a bit jarring as nothing in the writing, dialogues or general vibe of the story indicated that there'll be smut. Also, the exchange of "I love you"s was a bit out of left field and too insta lovey for me as they've known each other for no more that 6 weeks at that point.

A spicy, surprisingly emotional fake-dating romance with heart and depth. The characters were well-developed, and the chemistry felt genuine. Loved the balance of humour and heat.