Thank you to NetGalley for the eARC! I am so elated to have been able to get early access to such a charming book! I was drawn to this book as soon as I saw the cover.

Rating: 5 ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ / 5
Spice level: 🌶️🌶️ . 5 / 5

This book was such a good palate cleanser after all the dark books I’ve been reading lately! This is a cozy romantasy with a ✨dabble or two✨ of spice 🌶️ (quality over quantity, people!). The plot is also *chefs kiss* for a cozy romantasy. It isn’t a life or death storyline, but it’s still important for the character development and story outcome. I LOVED this story and I can’t wait for more!

This book felt like a warm cup of tea that I couldn’t stop sipping even if it would have my cheeks blushing. 🤭

The slow burn, the spice, the stolen glances, the characters AND their growth? I loved it ALL.

If you are looking for a cozy romance book that consists of magic, slow burn, quality spice, and forearms(wink), I highly recommend this! ✨


**disclaimer: I received this eARC from NetGalley and am leaving this review of my own accord. All thoughts are my own.**

First, I wanted to say thank you for having the opportunity to read an ARC copy.

I just finished this book and feel like I could gush about it forever. If you are looking for a sweet read that feels like a hug or being snuggled under the beat blanket this is it. The FMC is strong and sassy. The MMC is the perfect golden retriever book boyfriend. There are fun magical elements, family drama and a sense of belonging throughout. The characters never lose faith in each other and we get the perfect ending. If you’re looking for sometime to feel realistic in your romance this probably isn’t it. But if you want to escape for a few hours to a beautiful world with the coziest, happiest feelings read this today. I hope book 2 isn’t to far behind!

Thank you so much Jillian Witt and ARC provided by Victory Editing NetGalley Co-op for the eARC of this book. This was a perfect Cozy Romantasy read! The characters were perfectly written and I cannot wait to read more from Jillian Witt! I really was intrigued by the cover and it did not disappoint!

I absolutely loved this cozy romantsy!
It gives the perfect blend of fae, half fae and humans. The story follows Luna half fae, bar tender maybe cozy inn owner and Vincent, fae, journalist. There story begins before they even realize it when she’s throwing a drink in his face without thinking twice about it. This story brings the perfect blend of being proud to be your own unique self, learning family dynamic, and togetherness.

In the beginning I was hoping to learn more about the magic here but it was given at the right time. I haven’t read the series before this one that takes place in the same world but I am very excited to read the next in this series.

Got it for the title. So intriguing

And no regrets. Soooo good

I was hooked from the start.

Can’t wait for everyone else to read this.

Tqtqtq for this opportunity

Premise:
The reader joins Luna, a half-fae, right as she is getting what she’s always wanted: to manage the Cliff House Inn. The problem is, there hasn’t been a visitor in months, and the owner, her estranged father, is threatening to sell if she doesn’t fill the inn by Long Night. She pairs up with Vincent, a fae writer with a recommendation column. Vincent puts products and places on the map with his column, but dreams of working on more impactful stories for the paper. The impactful story just so happens to be about Luna’s father potentially bribing the city’s mayor. Luna and Vincent strike a bargain that if Luna can help uncover her estranged father’s actions, Vincent will write a glowing recommendation for the inn. Mutual attraction has them questioning the bargain and their true intentions with their goals.

Review:
I enjoyed the book. The story was cute and cozy, the author’s voice and the tone of the novel was great. It was a fantasy but easy to settle into the town/ world she built.

I felt emotionally invested in Luna and Vincent. Their dialogue felt natural and the hesitancy in getting together was believable. The slow-burn was timed well in my opinion! The role their past trauma’s played in their current relationship and professional life was clear. For me, Vincent’s story arc was more fleshed out. I felt a direct connection from how his past influenced his current personality. His want was clear and the stakes were known. He wanted a job and without the job would be forced to move back with his parents, further he wanted a promotion writing more serious journalism pieces so he would feel less used for his recommendations column. Once he was able to accept that Luna cared for him beyond his recommendation and despite his family name, he was able to fully accept himself and stand against the system. The addition of his wind as a sentient side character, was fantastic. I enjoyed its ‘personality’ and how it helped to paint a picture of Vincent’s feelings changing throughout the story.

For Luna, I could piece it together in retrospect, but I wished her story was fleshed out a little more. She wanted to keep the inn because she liked it and it was a connection to her mother, but what were the stakes of losing the inn? We never heard much about the mother/daughter relationship so it was difficult to get invested in why it was so special to Luna. Further, it sounded like she didn’t enjoy working at the inn with the grumpy manager never letting her do anything or accept ideas; I do wish he had appeared again to explain or repent. Compared to the tavern which she seemed to love and have friends and people around and she had a definite job no matter what happened to the inn. Once she found out the secrets her mother kept from her, she was able to fulfill her goals. But again we never heard much about the relationship between her parents, the rise nor the fall. Learning more about that would have made Luna’s conclusion feel more satisfying. Though it was interesting to compare Luna’s mom to Vincent’s parents - two sides of the same coin in terms of blind prejudice.

Overall, I liked the story and how it highlighted the stories of a mixed human-fae and a full fae who didn’t play by society’s rules. I also enjoyed the hints of society changing as well and not defining themselves in one camp or another but rather embracing the melting pot. The mystery of the locked door and the truth of the bribe scandal kept me interested in the plot.

I recommend if you want a cozy, low-stakes romance with a touch of magic and loveable characters!

~~ arc review✨
bargains and benefits is about a half fae named luna who want to revive her inn by making a bargain with a fae journalist called vincent. while their bargain leads them to unravel some old fae family mysteries, it also makes them face some emotions bigger than what they counted on.
°°°
first things first; i absolutely devoured this cute and cozy fantasy!!! the vibes of the town and characters were so heart warming that i just needed more detail about them, and i hope we get to see different aspects of the city in the coming books. this book is also interconnected to the authors other series, while it is not necessary for you to read them before, i must say that bargains with benefits got me curious to learn more about the history of this fae, half fae, and human filled universe.
the worldbuilding was interesting. i loved reading about the different fae families and their elements. those aspects gave the book an almost regency based environment which i always enjoy. i feel like i needed more information but there's a high chance all of that was established in the former series.
the writing of the book was very easy to get into and fast paced. while i prefer a much slower pacing, this didn't bother me much and i think for the times where we need a quick, fun, light book to cure our reading slump, bargains with benefits will come in hand!!! the little mystery we had going on was also very entertaining and it had me interested throughout the whole book.
i loved our characters. while vincent was a little bit too grumpy at the beginning, he didn't have any difficulties making me like him soon after starting to read. and luna with her sunshine personality, was an absolute delight to follow through!! the whole theme of not knowing where to fit among society, and eventually finding your own people with whom you are a hundred percent yourself warmed my heart. while it shows the importance of every relationship in our lives, it also shows that the people around you should be one's that stand with you while you shine in your own unique way, rather than trying to dim your light and try to complete you in areas where you're not lacking but only different.
overall, this book felt like a warm hug and i cannot wait for the world to meet luna and vincent, and even the cliff house inn!!!!
mark your calendars, this book will be out
june 3rd, 2025
thank you so much to netgalley and the author jillian witt for granting me with an eARC in exchange for a honest review🤍

love love love!!!


This book was cozy magical perfection and a warm hug. I adored the characters and their development, and cliff house inn sounds so idyllic, I would love to stay.
I don’t know why this was giving Gilmore girls and Chesapeake shores but solely based on aesthetic, but I’m glad it did. I was immediately enchanted by Luna and her story, and could not stop coming back to this even when I was supposed to be doing other things !

No notes for this one. Just a solid 10/10 recommend if you’re looking for the coziest new fantasy read <3

Huge thank you to Jillian Witt and NetGalley for this advance copy prior to release date 🤍


4.5/5⭐️

Thank you to Netgalley for this ARC.

This follows Luna Pierce - a half-fae who has been given the task by her estranged Fae Father than she needs to bring customer back to the Inn where she lives and grew up , or he will sell it.

In comes Vincent Andiveron , who is the columnist for a thriving recommendation column, that has made every business he has written about a huge success. However he wants to be writing more serious pieces, after being given a tip that Darius Piece could be bribing the local mayor to stop a half-fae school he goes to investigate. As this story could be the big break his career needed.

This investigation leads him to Luna-Darius' daughter- the two of them make a bargain together. Luna helps Vincent with his story and Vincent helps Luna by writing about her Inn in his column.

But there is so much more to the story than either of them knew.

This was a really cool story , set in a magical world of fae. I loved the slow-burn of Luna and Vincent's attraction while working together to find the truth.

Oh Jillian….
You must forgive me for being slightly oblivious, and not realizing that this book was interconnected with Compass Points.
That being said, I absolutely loved Compass Points and now I love this book too 😂
So the squeal I let loose on the first page when I realized it was within the same universe was pretty damn loud! 😅
I know everybody’s talking about how cozy this book is but this feels a lot more nuanced than that to me.
I find a quiet strength in this book, both MCs are living their lives as best they can with what they have, who they are and what they can do without making a fuss.
They may not be struggling, starving, or in a world crumbling with war, but instead they are trapped in a social, economical and species caste system.
The same type of systems we see all over the world right now. And though both characters come from different sides, they have no idea how deep the other side feels these prejudices until they come together, both with their own self serving goals to accomplish.
What starts off as needing to use one another, very quickly turns into a shared understanding that neither are happy with the status quo.
They joined forces in the hopes of not only accomplishing their goals, but by the end, changing their world.

After the death of her mother, half-fae Luna’s estranged dad resurfaces with an interest in her. After all this time, he’s offering her the opportunity to take charge at Cliff House Inn… that is, if she can fill it by Long Night.

Vincent is a columnist at the paper in town writing local recommendations but he’s looking for a more serious role. He’s also part of one of the oldest Fae families around…

Luna needs a recommendation for her inn and Vincent needs access to Luna’s father whom is allegedly dispensing bribes to keep a new magical school for all from being built.

Together they go from enemies to lovers and help each other embrace their sense of self and individuality. Along the way we all get to know the friends and coworkers in town and explore a grand theme of friendship.

I think this was a wonderful, low stakes romantic fantasy. I do think parts of the writing were very repetitive but not enough to put me off from enjoying this delightful read.

Thank you to NetGalley and Victory Editing NetGalley Co-op for providing this eARC in review for an honest review

Bargains with Benefits was exactly the kind of book my heart needed. From the very first chapter, I was hooked on Luna’s world—her charming little inn, her hidden half-fae heritage, and that perfect balance of magic and everyday warmth. The writing made me feel like I’d stepped into a magical coastal town I never wanted to leave.

Luna and Vincent’s dynamic was adorable—awkward at first but filled with chemistry and genuine connection. I loved how their relationship unfolded naturally, full of banter, respect, and just the right amount of sizzle. It gave me major comfort-read vibes, but with enough intrigue and tension to keep me turning pages late into the night.

This book felt like a hug in story form. Wholesome friendships, a cozy setting, a bit of fae mischief, and a slow-burn romance with heart—what more could I ask for? I absolutely can’t wait for the next book in the Fae by the Bay series!

*thank you to netgalley and the publisher for an early copy of this book in exchange for an honest review*

What a cute, cosy romantascy read! Having not read the previous series I went in to this a little unsure of whether I’d understand the background but Jillian Witt does a fantastic job of covering the basics at the beginning and slowly embedding the facts along the way.

Luna Pierce is a half-fae working at her fathers inn and her best friends tavern when she finally gets the chance she’s been waiting for all her life - the opportunity to run the inn herself. Vincent Andiveron is from an old fae family and trying to make his own way in the world. What starts as a business bargain between the two, quickly leads to more in this enchanting read.

My only nitpick is I feel the insta-love trope is getting a bit overdone, I’d rather an insta-like situation especially when we know we’re going to see these characters in further books.

I’m looking forward to picking up the next book in the series and I’ve already added the previous series to my TBR!

Thanks to NetGalley and the publishers for this ARC!

What a fun, cozy, low-stakes read! Sometimes I need to get away from the high fantasy worlds and tension filled romances and this hit the spot. The friendships are wholesome, the cardinal magic is interesting, and the family dynamics were realistic when you get beyond the magic. After I got through the info dumping at the beginning of the book, pretty much necessary in a fantasy world within a shorter novel, the story made me want to check out all the recommendations in Vincent’s articles and visit Sandrin (staying at Cliff House Inn of course).

This is the first book I have read by Jillian Witt and it has me wanting to check out her previously published books in addition to anticipating the next in the Fae by the Bay series.

Thank you Victory Editing NetGalley Co-op for providing this book for review consideration via NetGalley.

Such a fun, low stake enemies to lovers!! From the get go I was obsessed with the relationship of Luna and Vincent and the writing style. It was SO captivating, fast and fun to read! Definitely a good cozy read & will be reading more from this author! I really loved the use of dual pov as well and that we got to see their journey from each of theirs experiences and got to know their personality!! It was done so uniquely!! This also really reminded me of my love for divine rivals!!!
Thank you so much net galley for the opportunity to read this book early!!
Review will be posted on TikTok later in the week to keep my posting schedule!

”Luna was fae and human. Half of each, and wholly perfect. I wished she’d had more people in her life who made her feel that way.”

“My gaze met his, and those deep brown eyes were my calm in the storm. I knew he was trying to communicate with me.”


GENRE: Cozy Romantasy
RATING: ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐/5
FORMAT: eBook Arc

Would I recommend to others?: I definitely would, especially if you need a tale to make your heart feel lighter and brighten up your day, if you need some hope that you can find a partner to love you the way you are and stand by your side

Long Review:
Bargains with Benefit takes us on an adventure of finding love despite previous betrayals. It takes on a journey of building a new community with people that appreciate us for who we are.

This is a take where humans and Fae live side by side but are at odds. Of course, the in-betweeners are the half-fae and our FMC, Luna, is one! Our MC, Vincent, is Old Fae. Despite being part of a group that wasn’t sure of their footing, when Vincent saw Luna, he thought:
”She seemed so sure of her place in that moment. My wind surged with longing, like a squall in my chest. It must be nice. I might be old fae, but I no longer knew where I fit in this city.”


The fact that Vincent did not know where he fit in is something he will then find he has in common with Luna AND Luna will show him how it is for someone to be so sure of themselves in a world where they do not fit in anywhere perfectly
“I was decidedly uncomfortable, but I liked that about her. She didn’t hide herself from the world like I did. She was unapologetically her in everything she did. Her curiosity was intoxicating. How she spoke whatever was on her mind had me hanging on her every word. And her energy—the confidence she exuded simply by being herself—was more attractive than I was prepared to ignore.”


Luna is a colorful, strong personality, in which the fire shines behind her eyes. The first time Vincent sees her, she is wearing a sweater that allows her to “fit in” and Vincent immediately could tell it wasn’t her and saw her for who she is:
“Seeing the top on the bartender, I regretted it further. The sweater was all wrong on her. It seemed too timid, too reserved for someone whose eyes still raged like a summer storm.”

“My heart beat rapidly as I watched her go. She was the sea retreating from the shore it bore down on, and I feared she took a piece of me with her when she left.”


Not only is Vincent slowly becoming obsessed with Luna but his magic, which is Wind, is also becoming obsessed with her and comes out unprovoked in relation to Luna and (A BIT OF A SPOILER AHEAD:
We find out that Luna and Vincent’s magic goes hand in hand:
“Wind wrapped around me as I did. It was lovely how well the wind and water worked together. Some might think they were constantly competing for control, but I thought they had more of a partnership than we realized. The wind circled tighter, bringing an uncommon warmth that took me a moment to recognize. When I did, I glanced over my shoulder to see Vincent standing at the bottom of the steps.”


And in regards to magic, in this magic based Fae community, each Fae family has their own elemental magic and in recent years, there have been developments to incorporate Half-Fae & humans together. Luna moved to this town after losing her mother, as her dad lives in the area. BwB deals with building a relationship with a parent that was never around:
“I’d like to think the city taught me how to deal with all manner of people, those who liked me and those who believed me not worth their time. The one person I never learned how to deal with was my father.”


As we go through the story, we start to learn more about Luna’s human mother and Fae father. Luna’s mother being human pushed Luna away from her dad and she didn’t know the whole truth. Now, her dad (Darius) is trying to fix their relationship:
“Part of me wanted to hear his side of the story. The pain of his absence wouldn’t disappear, but we could only start fresh once I understood his perspective of these childhood events.”


In the end, Benefit with Bargains shows the importance of every relationship in our life. Not only that, it shows how we are whole as a person and our partner is someone who stands with us, beside us, rather than someone who completes us as we are not lacking in anything.
“When everything I knew collapsed like a house of cards, Vincent refused to let it fall—his wind would hold every piece in place until I was ready for my next move. He was solid ground, even as the continent tilted beneath my feet. Maybe he made me feel safe, too.”

“The image of a partner with whom to share my burdens. A friend with whom to share my joys. And a lover with whom to share my heart.”

“I knew Vincent was with me. We may have started this relationship with our own goals and desires, but they’d merged somewhere along the way. A joint desire to stand with each other. To support each other. To partner together through whatever life brought. It was intoxicating to know someone was as focused on my pleasure as I was on theirs.”


This is a story of two beings with a scent of: Moonflower x Juniper with Leather x mint with Vincent’s Wind loving Luna just as much as Vincent does:
“You are magic to me. It has nothing to do with your element.” His wind swept in and wrapped around us even as he said it.

“Your element might have something to say about that.” He glanced over his shoulder like his magic was a physical thing perched there.

“We’re still in a heated debate about which of us brings you more pleasure.” He winked.”


Thank you to the author and NetGalley for the eArc in exchange for my honest review

A spicy little surprise with real heart beneath the heat

Bargains with Benefits might sound like a trope you’ve read before—fake relationship with benefits attached—but Jillian Witt makes it feel fresh, fun, and way more emotional than expected. It’s sexy, yes, but it’s also about two people learning how to be vulnerable in the middle of what was supposed to be just a convenient arrangement. Spoiler: it’s never just that.

Pros:
• The chemistry is off the charts. Like, “I should not be this invested in a fake fling” levels of tension.
• The emotional beats land harder than you’d expect—this isn’t just smut with fluff; there’s substance in the way the characters open up to each other.
• The banter is chef’s kiss—playful, sharp, and genuinely funny.
• Pacing-wise, it keeps things moving without dragging or feeling rushed. The steamy scenes are balanced with real growth.

Cons:
• Some side plot threads didn’t get quite the payoff they hinted at—there’s potential there, but it felt a little surface-level in places.
• A few tropes leaned toward predictable (especially around the third-act conflict), though they were still well-executed.
• If you’re not into explicit scenes, this one might be a bit much—it leans spicy, and it knows it.

Overall, this is the kind of rom-com-meets-sizzle that’s easy to devour in one or two sittings. If you’re into fake dating with real feels and don’t mind some heat, Bargains with Benefits delivers exactly what the title promises—and then some.

A very cute and cozy read when looking for something easy and fun. Starts with an almost enemies to lovers vibe but very low angst which is always great. Fun world of magic and light touch of emotions dealing with opposing family views.

Thank you Victory editing and Netgalley for the opportunity to read in advance for my honest review

Luna and Vincent were so fun to meet. I loved this cozy romantasy with magic and high fae. Low stakes and perfect. I had the best time with the banter and slow burn.

A very cute and cosy romantic fantasy!

I really liked the different characters and the development of the relationship between Luna and her father, Darius.