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!

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.

I’m very thankful for the opportunity to have read this ARC.

This book was a decent, cosy fantasy with a little bit of spice.

The MCs, Luna and Vincent, were both likeable but Vincent’s wind power was the star of the show! I loved how much personality his wind power had and thought it was a really fun take on magical powers.

The plot was a little predictable or cheesy at times, but it was great to wind down with a fairly low-stakes fantasy book at the end of a long day and I had some genuine laughs.

Bargains With Benefits was my first ever ARC read, and I'm so glad it was! This story wrapped me up like a warm blanket with its cozy atmosphere, playful flirtation, a dash of mystery, and just the right amount of spice. I laughed, I cried, and I absolutely swooned over Vincent (and his wind—it has a personality of its own!). New book boyfriend alert!

Luna and Vincent's chemistry was magnetic from their very first meeting. Their connection had me smiling and kicking my feet. Add in some found family, magical whimsy, and open-door moments that hit just right, and this book became an instant favorite.

If you're looking for a low-stakes romantic escape with charm, magic, and heart—Bargains With Benefits is it. Jillian Witt is now on my auto-read list. I can't wait to check out the Compass Points books.

This story was so fun and inviting but also heartwarming. I loved how Luna was slowly gaining confidence and felt the strength and power of female friendhip.
The romance is swoony and sweet.

3.75/5*

Bargains with Benefits is a cozy, low-stakes romantasy with a dash of spice, but more than that it's the journey of the two main characters railing against what they've been taught and told to be, and making different choices in order to be better.

Eclectic half-fae Luna and reserved old fae Vincent aren't a pair who should match, by their society's standards, and yet their chemistry was undeniable. I loved the way that they complimented each other and broadened the other's horizons, both about their feelings for each other and their preconceptions at large. Once things got going, the dual-POV format had me hooked as we got to peer inside their heads and experience attraction bloom into something deeper.

My only problem was getting there: whilst I enjoyed the story and the world building, for the first third of the book I just wasn't gripped enough by it, and had to somewhat forge on. I wish the build up had been edited down just a little more, because once it reached a certain point, I was fully invested and loving the story, and devoured a big chunk of it in one evening. That being said, this isn't a long read, so even the small period that didn't fully grip me wasn't very long, and I was drawn in enough to make the pay-off definitely worth it.

This felt like a blend between the cozy, Shire-like setting of Lila Appleton's books and the modern-but-magical tech enabled world of Cora Crane's, and I'm super excited to read more of Jillian's work.

***Thank you to NetGalley and Victory Editing for the eARC***

This was a really sweet novel in a fantasy world that wasn't "too fantasy". Our two main characters both have parental issues and an instant attraction to each other. The stakes are perhaps different than the characters think they are at the beginning, but at no point did you ever think one would do anything to betray the other. The tension comes from what the other characters do or did in the past to get to this point. There is obviously magic in this story, but even if you aren't interested in the current magic trend, you could enjoy this sweet story. And while I can't tell if therapy is something the fae do in this world, I hope it is. There is some serious family trauma all around. This would be a great summer just vibing read.