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Hart and Mercy #3
The Undercutting of Rosie and Adam
'Playfully unique, delightfully steamy, utterly romantic, and overall unmissable!' Ali Hazelwood
From the author of The Undertaking of Hart and Mercy comes a new heart warming fantasy rom-com with an opposites-attract twist set in the delightful world of Tanria.
Immortal demigod Rosie Fox has been patrolling Tanria for decades, but lately, the job has been losing its lustre. After one hundred and fifty-seven years of being alive, everything is beginning to lose its lustre. When Rosie dies (again) by electrocution (again) after poking around inside a portal choked with shadowy thorns only she can see, she feels stuck in the rut that is her unending life.
Thanks to Rosie's meddling, the portal inventor, Dr. Adam Lee, must come in person to repair the damage. When all the portals begin to break down, he declares an emergency evacuation of Tanria. In the mad rush to get out, Rosie and Adam end up trapped inside the Mist. Together.
And uptight Adam Lee in his bespoke menswear seems to know a lot more about what's happening than he lets on. . .
From the author of The Undertaking of Hart and Mercy comes a new heart warming fantasy rom-com with an opposites-attract twist set in the delightful world of Tanria.
Immortal demigod Rosie Fox has been patrolling Tanria for decades, but lately, the job has been losing its lustre. After one hundred and fifty-seven years of being alive, everything is beginning to lose its lustre. When Rosie dies (again) by electrocution (again) after poking around inside a portal choked with shadowy thorns only she can see, she feels stuck in the rut that is her unending life.
Thanks to Rosie's meddling, the portal inventor, Dr. Adam Lee, must come in person to repair the damage. When all the portals begin to break down, he declares an emergency evacuation of Tanria. In the mad rush to get out, Rosie and Adam end up trapped inside the Mist. Together.
And uptight Adam Lee in his bespoke menswear seems to know a lot more about what's happening than he lets on. . .
385 pages, Paperback
First published July 8, 2025
273 people are currently reading
14028 people want to read
About the author
Megan Bannen
7 books1,861 followersMegan Bannen is a USA Today bestselling author of award-winning speculative fiction. Her work has been selected for the RUSA Reading List, the Indies Introduce list, and the Kids’ Indie Next List, along with numerous best-of-the-year compilations. As a former public librarian, she has spent most of her professional career behind a reference desk, but she has also sold luggage, written grants, collected a few graduate degrees from various Kansas universities, and taught English at home and abroad. She lives in the Kansas City area with her family and more pets than is reasonable.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 1,083 reviews
August 9, 2025
In a Nutshell: A romantasy with an opposites-attract trope. Okay characters, okay plot, good ending. The third book in the Hart and Mercy trilogy. Can work as a standalone but better read in series order. This is my least favourite of the series. The 2025 series-finale jinx strikes again! 😢
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Plot Preview:
I had liked the first two books of the ‘Hart and Mercy’ series – quite unexpected as spicy romantasy isn't really my thing. But the creative worldbuilding, the interesting characters, and the darkish plots kept me entertained.
In my review for the second book, I had predicted that the third one wouldn’t be my cup of tea as the blurb sounded too formulaic. I still hoped that my guess would be wrong. But who knows me better than myself, right? This book (the last one of the series, which I didn’t know earlier) turned out to be the least satisfying in terms of main characters, storyline, fantasy, and romance. The secondary characters and the ending helped save my overall rating.
Bookish Yays:
🐉 Many characters from Book One: ‘The Undertaking of Hart and Mercy’ get a good role in this story! I have much fondness for these characters, so it was wonderful to see them get a deserved place in this series finale. The characters from Book Two: ‘The Undermining of Twyla and Frank’ are only mentioned in passing, but even that is good enough as it makes sense given the timeline.
🐉 Duckers and Zeddie get a well-earned separate Yay. I knew that they would never get a book of their own as we have already seen their relationship go through multiple phases in the earlier two novels. That’s why I am delighted that in a romance series that celebrates three new relationships, we actually get FOUR relationships. And funnily enough, the best love story is not indicated in any of the book titles. Love Duckers, love Zeddie, love them even more together!
🐉 It’s great to return to Tanria with its mists and its strange postal workers (love the funny nimkilim in this one!) and its curious mix of human and demigod denizens and the autoducks and the equimares and everything else! (Note: You’ll enjoy Tanria better only if you have read the earlier books as this book assumes familiarity with the worldbuilding.)
🐉 Dragons. Again. 🥰
🐉 The fairytale-esque story within this book, and its link to the main plot. Loved it!
🐉 The ending, with its action and the final resolution. The only part of the story where the proceedings are gripping, the tempo is steady, and the emotions are intense.
🐉 The epilogue. The perfect way to say goodbye to these characters and this world. Gotta give the final book credit for getting at least the ending right. I will miss some of these characters and the whole of Tanria.
Bookish Mixed Bags:
🥀 The tempo is somewhat random. The story starts off at a fairly fast pace (unlike the first two books), but then it drops and stays there for a long time, making the plot seem repetitive. The sameness of the location in this middle section doesn’t help. The final quarter increases the speed again.
🥀 It is nice to have a romance story with a height gap where the female character towers over the man. Even when we have the tall-woman-shorter-man combo in this genre, the gap usually isn't more than a couple of inches. So to see this giant woman and a “pocket-sized” man is unusual for sure. However, after a point, the comments about Adam’s height get very repetitive, as if the book wants to keep reminding readers that he’s diminutive.
🥀 Rosie as a demigod: not that impressive. She hates that she is immortal, which is a refreshing change from the usual portrayal of gods and demigods in fiction. But except for this one characteristic, the writing makes her sound like any typical twenty-something woman. I was hoping for a more mature and sensible personality considering the woman is almost 1.5 centuries old.
🥀 Adam was a mostly boring and lacklustre lead, all the more for a romance MMC. The only one thing I like about him is his backstory.
🥀 The fantasy part of this romantasy is slightly better than in Book Two. But it is too vague for more than half the book and suddenly jumps up several notches in the final quarter. I wish there had been more consistency in these elements.
Bookish Nays:
👙 This story is set ten years after Book Two. The gap is a bit too much for such a small series, especially when most characters are humans. I don’t know if such a big time-jump is justified by the plot.
👙 The storyline is the most basic so far. I wish the content had retained some of the darkness of Book One. With a paper-thin plot, a fairly predictable mystery (you can guess the ‘who immediately’; you just can’t guess the ‘how’ until a certain point) and slow pacing, I was never enthralled by the proceedings.
👙 Rosie as a character: too shallow. Her arc keeps circulating through limited topics: her frustration with her immortality, her hatred for her unfashionable uniform, her anger at her father, her attraction towards Adam and his physical appeal, and her obsession with her lingerie. She is the weakest lead of this series, which is really sad as she is physically and potentially the strongest.
👙 The lingerie content is so annoying after a point! It’s as if this was the only trope with the potential for humour and so the writing goes on and on about Rosie’s intimates and her need for fancy bras and panties. The whole thing felt juvenile.
👙 It goes without saying that if I didn’t like the FMC and the MMC, I didn’t like the romance. It is weirdly insta and slowburn at once. There is nothing to connect the characters except physical attraction. The writing aims for a grumpy vs. sunshine vibe, but IMHO, it failed miserably.
👙 Personal preference: Yet again, too many profanities and too high spice levels (with one extended steamy scene towards the final quarter). These two issues existed in the earlier books as well, so I was somewhat prepared for this, and I wouldn’t have complained if they were required by the content. But the implementation, especially of the cussing, feels frivolous this time.
👙 Just as in the second book, I hate that all the chapters come from the female lead’s perspective. If Adam has equal billing in the title and is a complex lead, he should have had some chapters for his feelings. Only the first book used both Hart and Mercy equally in the plot development.
Overall, this has been yet another addition to the 2025 jinxes of disappointing-final-books of ongoing series. To be fair, it was not the worst I have read, and the ending did fill my heart with happiness, but I wish the story had been stronger, the lead characters better sketched, and the humour slightly less immature.
While this book *can* work as a standalone, you will not get many of the plot points and the Tanrian worldbuilding if you start here. So I would suggest beginning with Book One if you are interested in the series.
Recommended to those who enjoyed the earlier books and wish to send off those characters with a fond farewell.
2.75 stars.
My thanks to Little, Brown Book Group UK and Orbit for providing the DRC of “The Undercutting of Rosie and Adam” via NetGalley. This review is voluntary and contains my honest opinion about the book.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Connect with me through:
|| My Blog || The StoryGraph || Instagram || Facebook ||
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Plot Preview:
Rosie, an immortal demigod, has long served as a Tanrian Marshall, but after more than a century of service, she is frustrated with the repetitiveness of her work and the regular losses of those around her. While on her latest assignment, she discovers a sinister-looking shadowy haze inside the portal leading to Tanria. Unfortunately, the shadows are visible only to her. Because of her meddling, the portal is now defunct, and the inventor of the magical doorway, Dr. Adam Lee, has to be summoned. It is soon clear that the damage goes far beyond the single portal, so when all the portals start malfunctioning, Adam asks for an emergency evacuation of Tanria. Things don’t go to plan, and Rosie and Adam find themselves trapped in the Tanrian mists with two other characters. Now it is up to the demigod and the doctor to get them out of Tanria unscathed.
The story comes to us in Rosie’s third-person perspective.
I had liked the first two books of the ‘Hart and Mercy’ series – quite unexpected as spicy romantasy isn't really my thing. But the creative worldbuilding, the interesting characters, and the darkish plots kept me entertained.
In my review for the second book, I had predicted that the third one wouldn’t be my cup of tea as the blurb sounded too formulaic. I still hoped that my guess would be wrong. But who knows me better than myself, right? This book (the last one of the series, which I didn’t know earlier) turned out to be the least satisfying in terms of main characters, storyline, fantasy, and romance. The secondary characters and the ending helped save my overall rating.
Bookish Yays:
🐉 Many characters from Book One: ‘The Undertaking of Hart and Mercy’ get a good role in this story! I have much fondness for these characters, so it was wonderful to see them get a deserved place in this series finale. The characters from Book Two: ‘The Undermining of Twyla and Frank’ are only mentioned in passing, but even that is good enough as it makes sense given the timeline.
🐉 Duckers and Zeddie get a well-earned separate Yay. I knew that they would never get a book of their own as we have already seen their relationship go through multiple phases in the earlier two novels. That’s why I am delighted that in a romance series that celebrates three new relationships, we actually get FOUR relationships. And funnily enough, the best love story is not indicated in any of the book titles. Love Duckers, love Zeddie, love them even more together!
🐉 It’s great to return to Tanria with its mists and its strange postal workers (love the funny nimkilim in this one!) and its curious mix of human and demigod denizens and the autoducks and the equimares and everything else! (Note: You’ll enjoy Tanria better only if you have read the earlier books as this book assumes familiarity with the worldbuilding.)
🐉 Dragons. Again. 🥰
🐉 The fairytale-esque story within this book, and its link to the main plot. Loved it!
🐉 The ending, with its action and the final resolution. The only part of the story where the proceedings are gripping, the tempo is steady, and the emotions are intense.
🐉 The epilogue. The perfect way to say goodbye to these characters and this world. Gotta give the final book credit for getting at least the ending right. I will miss some of these characters and the whole of Tanria.
Bookish Mixed Bags:
🥀 The tempo is somewhat random. The story starts off at a fairly fast pace (unlike the first two books), but then it drops and stays there for a long time, making the plot seem repetitive. The sameness of the location in this middle section doesn’t help. The final quarter increases the speed again.
🥀 It is nice to have a romance story with a height gap where the female character towers over the man. Even when we have the tall-woman-shorter-man combo in this genre, the gap usually isn't more than a couple of inches. So to see this giant woman and a “pocket-sized” man is unusual for sure. However, after a point, the comments about Adam’s height get very repetitive, as if the book wants to keep reminding readers that he’s diminutive.
🥀 Rosie as a demigod: not that impressive. She hates that she is immortal, which is a refreshing change from the usual portrayal of gods and demigods in fiction. But except for this one characteristic, the writing makes her sound like any typical twenty-something woman. I was hoping for a more mature and sensible personality considering the woman is almost 1.5 centuries old.
🥀 Adam was a mostly boring and lacklustre lead, all the more for a romance MMC. The only one thing I like about him is his backstory.
🥀 The fantasy part of this romantasy is slightly better than in Book Two. But it is too vague for more than half the book and suddenly jumps up several notches in the final quarter. I wish there had been more consistency in these elements.
Bookish Nays:
👙 This story is set ten years after Book Two. The gap is a bit too much for such a small series, especially when most characters are humans. I don’t know if such a big time-jump is justified by the plot.
👙 The storyline is the most basic so far. I wish the content had retained some of the darkness of Book One. With a paper-thin plot, a fairly predictable mystery (you can guess the ‘who immediately’; you just can’t guess the ‘how’ until a certain point) and slow pacing, I was never enthralled by the proceedings.
👙 Rosie as a character: too shallow. Her arc keeps circulating through limited topics: her frustration with her immortality, her hatred for her unfashionable uniform, her anger at her father, her attraction towards Adam and his physical appeal, and her obsession with her lingerie. She is the weakest lead of this series, which is really sad as she is physically and potentially the strongest.
👙 The lingerie content is so annoying after a point! It’s as if this was the only trope with the potential for humour and so the writing goes on and on about Rosie’s intimates and her need for fancy bras and panties. The whole thing felt juvenile.
👙 It goes without saying that if I didn’t like the FMC and the MMC, I didn’t like the romance. It is weirdly insta and slowburn at once. There is nothing to connect the characters except physical attraction. The writing aims for a grumpy vs. sunshine vibe, but IMHO, it failed miserably.
👙 Personal preference: Yet again, too many profanities and too high spice levels (with one extended steamy scene towards the final quarter). These two issues existed in the earlier books as well, so I was somewhat prepared for this, and I wouldn’t have complained if they were required by the content. But the implementation, especially of the cussing, feels frivolous this time.
👙 Just as in the second book, I hate that all the chapters come from the female lead’s perspective. If Adam has equal billing in the title and is a complex lead, he should have had some chapters for his feelings. Only the first book used both Hart and Mercy equally in the plot development.
Overall, this has been yet another addition to the 2025 jinxes of disappointing-final-books of ongoing series. To be fair, it was not the worst I have read, and the ending did fill my heart with happiness, but I wish the story had been stronger, the lead characters better sketched, and the humour slightly less immature.
While this book *can* work as a standalone, you will not get many of the plot points and the Tanrian worldbuilding if you start here. So I would suggest beginning with Book One if you are interested in the series.
Recommended to those who enjoyed the earlier books and wish to send off those characters with a fond farewell.
2.75 stars.
My thanks to Little, Brown Book Group UK and Orbit for providing the DRC of “The Undercutting of Rosie and Adam” via NetGalley. This review is voluntary and contains my honest opinion about the book.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Connect with me through:
|| My Blog || The StoryGraph || Instagram || Facebook ||
July 5, 2025
A tall redheaded rootin’ tootin’ cowgirl (all I could picture was Jessie from Toy Story, your mileage may vary) becomes en-vined (you’ll get that joke later) with a Short King Cranky Inventor who’s trying to fix magic-y science-y portals. Glittery dragons abound (don’t tell Adam) and Rosie may not have much, but she has excellent underwear and a dead beat God-dad. While familiarity with the previous two books may not be necessary to enjoy this one, if you haven’t read them you won’t understand why I cried so many times near the end. (note: I do not mean “my eyes welled up and I sniffled” babe I was bawling full on red faced nose blowing the whole shebang). Can love conquer all? Not always, but it can sure try.
June 13, 2025
4.25⭐️| TikTok | IG |
This series is such a blast to read!
A bit of mystery, a lot romance, a fun little world, + found family.
I love that in all of these books the MCs have been a bit unconventional (for romance book standards). I think more authors should step outside the “tiny FMC + massive MMC” box and give us MCs that are real and relatable. I also think the books that do, like this one and Megan Bannen’s previous books, deserve a LOT more hype.
This was a fantastic wrap up to the series and I’m sad to say goodbye to Tanria - but so excited to see what’s next for this author.
What’s to love…
- tall Queen FMC + short King MMC
- Age Gap (LOL)
- found family
- great banter
- cozy mystery subplot
- DUCKERS he’s really the best side character
- such a fun world
What’s not to love…
- I am a fan of high angst, so this one felt a little too mellow in that regard
- in the previous books the romance feels front and center, but in this one it takes a bit of a backseat, especially in the beginning
Audio Narration: 4.5/5 These are spectacular reads and the audiobooks really bring them to life. The final installment in the series did not disappoint on audio!
Pausing, inflection, emotional range are all fantastic. Variation in character voices is good. Great pace, this is one that feels pretty natural at 1x!
Thank you NetGalley and Orbit for the eARC. All opinions are my own.
This series is such a blast to read!
A bit of mystery, a lot romance, a fun little world, + found family.
I love that in all of these books the MCs have been a bit unconventional (for romance book standards). I think more authors should step outside the “tiny FMC + massive MMC” box and give us MCs that are real and relatable. I also think the books that do, like this one and Megan Bannen’s previous books, deserve a LOT more hype.
This was a fantastic wrap up to the series and I’m sad to say goodbye to Tanria - but so excited to see what’s next for this author.
What’s to love…
- tall Queen FMC + short King MMC
- Age Gap (LOL)
- found family
- great banter
- cozy mystery subplot
- DUCKERS he’s really the best side character
- such a fun world
What’s not to love…
- I am a fan of high angst, so this one felt a little too mellow in that regard
- in the previous books the romance feels front and center, but in this one it takes a bit of a backseat, especially in the beginning
Audio Narration: 4.5/5 These are spectacular reads and the audiobooks really bring them to life. The final installment in the series did not disappoint on audio!
Pausing, inflection, emotional range are all fantastic. Variation in character voices is good. Great pace, this is one that feels pretty natural at 1x!
Thank you NetGalley and Orbit for the eARC. All opinions are my own.
Want to read
July 3, 2024A THIRD BOOK? We being fed ✌️
Want to read
December 11, 2024torn between fist pumping that there’s a third book and crashing out immediately because it’s NOT a book about Zeddy and Duckers???? HELLLLOOOOO???
somebody sedate me im unwell
somebody sedate me im unwell
June 21, 2025
Cozy, cute, fun and so comforting.
This book felt like a warm hug.
I listened to the audiobook version and I loved the narrator. She captured the spirit of the characters perfectly.
Thank you Hachette Audio for this ARC!
This book felt like a warm hug.
I listened to the audiobook version and I loved the narrator. She captured the spirit of the characters perfectly.
Thank you Hachette Audio for this ARC!
June 22, 2025
Big thanks to NetGalley, Hachette Audio, and Megan Bannen for the audiobook ARC in exchange for my honest review!
Listen… I honestly really liked this one 😍 Did I know it was the third in a series? Nope! 😅 But that didn’t take away from how much I enjoyed it from start to finish. It totally works as a standalone, though now I’m definitely going back to read the first two 📚✨
The Undercutting of Rosie and Adam is a romantic fantasy set in the magical, slightly chaotic world of Tanria—home of dragons 🐉, donuts 🍩, and now, an unexpected love story between immortal demigod Rosie and genius inventor Adam 🛠️. When the portals begin to fail, the two are forced into close quarters in the Mist… and let’s just say, the sparks fly 💥💞
With its blend of humor, heart, and high-stakes adventure, this story delivers on both the fantasy and the romance. Themes of love, change, and connection shine throughout 🌌
📅 Pub date: July 8, 2025 — don’t miss it!
Listen… I honestly really liked this one 😍 Did I know it was the third in a series? Nope! 😅 But that didn’t take away from how much I enjoyed it from start to finish. It totally works as a standalone, though now I’m definitely going back to read the first two 📚✨
The Undercutting of Rosie and Adam is a romantic fantasy set in the magical, slightly chaotic world of Tanria—home of dragons 🐉, donuts 🍩, and now, an unexpected love story between immortal demigod Rosie and genius inventor Adam 🛠️. When the portals begin to fail, the two are forced into close quarters in the Mist… and let’s just say, the sparks fly 💥💞
With its blend of humor, heart, and high-stakes adventure, this story delivers on both the fantasy and the romance. Themes of love, change, and connection shine throughout 🌌
📅 Pub date: July 8, 2025 — don’t miss it!
Want to read
July 4, 2024ITS A GREAT DAY FOR ANNOYING PEOPLE (me)
Read
July 23, 2025A fun paranormal romance between the immortal daughter of a god and a very nerdy inventor who try to solve a problem surrounding an invasive thorned vine that most people can't actually see! This was entertaining and the characters are very nice. Also it's fun to see a tall, plus size woman so committed to wearing luxurious underthings! We see characters from previous books in the series and get to see a little more about the gods and the afterlife. Not my favorite of the series but a good reading experience that wraps things up nicely. The audio narration is done well. I received an audio review copy via NetGalley, all opinions are my own.
July 14, 2025
3.5 Stars
One Liner: Had some fun moments!
Rosie Fox, the immortal demigod, had been patrolling Tanria for decades, but there are only so many times she can die and be born again before the newness wears off! When it happens yet again in a portal, the portal’s inventor, a grumpy Dr Adam Lee, arrives to repair the damage.
However, the portal breakdown and the duo ends up stuck in the Mist by a thorny plant. With nothing much to do, Rosie realizes that their personal histories are tangled. Maybe they can find a way to fix the issues while also ensuring they don’t end up stuck in the Mist forever.
The story comes in Rosie’s third-person POV (mostly).
My Thoughts:
I was rather excited to read this one since Rosie is a demigod and all that. Of course, I hoped for the Ducker & Zeddie subplot too, since I was rooting for them from the first.
There’s a time leap between the previous books and this one. It makes sense once you delve a little into the story.
The FMC is a tall, curvy, and loud character, an immortal demigod who is more than a century and a half old but with the personality of someone in their twenties. I like her quirkiness, though it sometimes feels forced. The repetition about 'soft intimates' did get boring.
The MMC is a short, composed, and efficient inventor with an interesting backstory. This reveal was my favorite part of the book. And it was well-written.
The last quarter is the strongest, where quite a few adventures take place. The setting and the old gods come alive in this section. Compared to this, the rest of it feels a little bland despite the sprinkling of OOT humor and a heavy dose of profanity.
For those eager to know about Duckers and Z, yes, they have a subplot. It could have been better, though! Two very important developments happen off-page since the book is from the FMC’s POV, and she is not present during those events. This diluted the impact. I was looking forward to their scenes.
We meet the dragons again! The scenes with the pink dragons that chirp like birds and sneeze sparkling goo are always a treat. Can I ride a dragon, too, please?
Meeting the side characters again is one reason I like the standalone series. They have tiny roles, enough to make series readers happy, but not enough to confuse someone picking the book at random.
The romance is where things get a bit off. It is both insta-love and slow-burn. I appreciate the theme chosen – height differences in couples, where the woman is much taller than her guy (the FMC is 6’5”). You can see this on the cover too!
The pacing is slow, as it is in this series. However, combined with the repetition, it doesn’t have the same impact as the first book. The setting also doesn’t stand out any longer until the last quarter, when it comes alive.
There’s an epilogue of sorts, which is good. The book has many moments. I would be lying if I said I didn’t laugh. I did! I laughed, chuckled, and snorted many times, even when I rolled my eyes.
To summarize, The Undercutting of Rosie and Adam is a slow-paced but entertaining read. While the book has some flaws, it should still leave you with a smile. Rounded up the rating as I enjoyed it.
Thank you, NetGalley and Little, Brown Book Group UK (Orbit), for the eARC. This review is voluntary and contains my honest opinion about the book.
#NetGalley #TheUndercuttingOfRosieAndAdam
One Liner: Had some fun moments!
Rosie Fox, the immortal demigod, had been patrolling Tanria for decades, but there are only so many times she can die and be born again before the newness wears off! When it happens yet again in a portal, the portal’s inventor, a grumpy Dr Adam Lee, arrives to repair the damage.
However, the portal breakdown and the duo ends up stuck in the Mist by a thorny plant. With nothing much to do, Rosie realizes that their personal histories are tangled. Maybe they can find a way to fix the issues while also ensuring they don’t end up stuck in the Mist forever.
The story comes in Rosie’s third-person POV (mostly).
My Thoughts:
I was rather excited to read this one since Rosie is a demigod and all that. Of course, I hoped for the Ducker & Zeddie subplot too, since I was rooting for them from the first.
There’s a time leap between the previous books and this one. It makes sense once you delve a little into the story.
The FMC is a tall, curvy, and loud character, an immortal demigod who is more than a century and a half old but with the personality of someone in their twenties. I like her quirkiness, though it sometimes feels forced. The repetition about 'soft intimates' did get boring.
The MMC is a short, composed, and efficient inventor with an interesting backstory. This reveal was my favorite part of the book. And it was well-written.
The last quarter is the strongest, where quite a few adventures take place. The setting and the old gods come alive in this section. Compared to this, the rest of it feels a little bland despite the sprinkling of OOT humor and a heavy dose of profanity.
For those eager to know about Duckers and Z, yes, they have a subplot. It could have been better, though! Two very important developments happen off-page since the book is from the FMC’s POV, and she is not present during those events. This diluted the impact. I was looking forward to their scenes.
We meet the dragons again! The scenes with the pink dragons that chirp like birds and sneeze sparkling goo are always a treat. Can I ride a dragon, too, please?
Meeting the side characters again is one reason I like the standalone series. They have tiny roles, enough to make series readers happy, but not enough to confuse someone picking the book at random.
The romance is where things get a bit off. It is both insta-love and slow-burn. I appreciate the theme chosen – height differences in couples, where the woman is much taller than her guy (the FMC is 6’5”). You can see this on the cover too!
The pacing is slow, as it is in this series. However, combined with the repetition, it doesn’t have the same impact as the first book. The setting also doesn’t stand out any longer until the last quarter, when it comes alive.
There’s an epilogue of sorts, which is good. The book has many moments. I would be lying if I said I didn’t laugh. I did! I laughed, chuckled, and snorted many times, even when I rolled my eyes.
To summarize, The Undercutting of Rosie and Adam is a slow-paced but entertaining read. While the book has some flaws, it should still leave you with a smile. Rounded up the rating as I enjoyed it.
Thank you, NetGalley and Little, Brown Book Group UK (Orbit), for the eARC. This review is voluntary and contains my honest opinion about the book.
#NetGalley #TheUndercuttingOfRosieAndAdam
June 19, 2025
This one let me down.
The time jumps between books just don’t work for me. I adored Hart and Mercy, then Twyla and Frank and the community around them, but in this book it almost becomes a locked door book in the sense that we have a small cast with not much movement…
Normally this is great for found family, but I couldn’t connect to any of the characters - even Duckers who has always been the highlight for me.
Immortal demigod Rosie Fox has been patrolling Tanria for decades, but lately, everything has become boring. Especially when she keeps dying and coming back.
When all the portals begin to break down, uptight, stern inventor Dr. Adam Lee declares an emergency evacuation of Tanria. Unfortunately, Rosie and Adam end up trapped inside the Mist. Together.
I did not see the romance between Rosie and Adam even though I did find their interactions more steamy than the previous couples especially towards the end.
The book was boring despite the seemingly high stakes with boring repetitive activities and descriptions.
Sadly, this book felt like fan service to see the characters in one final book. A nostalgic hurrah that just really didn’t work.
Audiobook arc gifted by publisher.
Bookstagram
Tiktok
The time jumps between books just don’t work for me. I adored Hart and Mercy, then Twyla and Frank and the community around them, but in this book it almost becomes a locked door book in the sense that we have a small cast with not much movement…
Normally this is great for found family, but I couldn’t connect to any of the characters - even Duckers who has always been the highlight for me.
Immortal demigod Rosie Fox has been patrolling Tanria for decades, but lately, everything has become boring. Especially when she keeps dying and coming back.
When all the portals begin to break down, uptight, stern inventor Dr. Adam Lee declares an emergency evacuation of Tanria. Unfortunately, Rosie and Adam end up trapped inside the Mist. Together.
I did not see the romance between Rosie and Adam even though I did find their interactions more steamy than the previous couples especially towards the end.
The book was boring despite the seemingly high stakes with boring repetitive activities and descriptions.
Sadly, this book felt like fan service to see the characters in one final book. A nostalgic hurrah that just really didn’t work.
Audiobook arc gifted by publisher.
Bookstagram
Tiktok
June 26, 2025
3.75 ★— As someone that truly loved (and even cried a little during) my read of The Undertaking of Hart and Mercy, the first book in this trilogy, I’m so happy that the final entry puts a lovely bow on this heartwarming series.
Bannen keeps up the humorous and light tone she’s used throughout, with Rosie Fox - a 150-year-old immortal demi-goddess working as a Tanrian Marshal - still grappling with the fact that she’s undying and destined to outlive everyone around her.
Through a portal failure in her town, she ends up spending more time with Professor Dr. Adam Lee, an engineering professor called in to fix the issue. Hijinks ensue, and in typical Megan Bannen fashion, through humor, wackiness, and with the help of a beloved cast of returning characters, the two fall in love while trying to restore the portal’s function.
I truly enjoyed myself and found this super delightful and cute! What I love most about this series is how quaint it feels, with a setting and characters that have grown and evolved across the trilogy. Seeing familiar faces reappear in this final installment added so much warmth and nostalgia.
My only real complaint (and this is more of a personal preference) is that Rosie and Adam’s romance felt a little too insta-love-y for me. As someone who enjoys more of a slow burn, I didn’t feel fully invested in their dynamic because of how quickly it developed. That said, the ease and speed of their connection does fit both their characters and the overall tone of the book.
I’m so happy I got to see how everyone, including characters from the earlier books, ended up. This is a perfect book for anyone looking for something in a fantastical world with low stakes that’s still heartfelt. For those who’ve read the previous two books, this is a satisfying and sweet conclusion to a lovely series.
Audiobook/Narration note:
I actually relistened to the audiobook for this one, and I have to say — the female narrator is incredible! She brings Rosie to life with a slightly raspy, grounded tone that’s absolutely perfect for a heroine like her. It really enhanced the experience and made me appreciate Rosie’s character even more. For anyone that’s remotely interested in experiencing this story as an audiobook, I can truly, truly recommend it!
___________________________________________________
Thank you to NetGalley and Orbit Books for the ARC, and to Hachette Audio for the ALC, both in exchange for an honest review.
Bannen keeps up the humorous and light tone she’s used throughout, with Rosie Fox - a 150-year-old immortal demi-goddess working as a Tanrian Marshal - still grappling with the fact that she’s undying and destined to outlive everyone around her.
Through a portal failure in her town, she ends up spending more time with Professor Dr. Adam Lee, an engineering professor called in to fix the issue. Hijinks ensue, and in typical Megan Bannen fashion, through humor, wackiness, and with the help of a beloved cast of returning characters, the two fall in love while trying to restore the portal’s function.
I truly enjoyed myself and found this super delightful and cute! What I love most about this series is how quaint it feels, with a setting and characters that have grown and evolved across the trilogy. Seeing familiar faces reappear in this final installment added so much warmth and nostalgia.
My only real complaint (and this is more of a personal preference) is that Rosie and Adam’s romance felt a little too insta-love-y for me. As someone who enjoys more of a slow burn, I didn’t feel fully invested in their dynamic because of how quickly it developed. That said, the ease and speed of their connection does fit both their characters and the overall tone of the book.
I’m so happy I got to see how everyone, including characters from the earlier books, ended up. This is a perfect book for anyone looking for something in a fantastical world with low stakes that’s still heartfelt. For those who’ve read the previous two books, this is a satisfying and sweet conclusion to a lovely series.
Audiobook/Narration note:
I actually relistened to the audiobook for this one, and I have to say — the female narrator is incredible! She brings Rosie to life with a slightly raspy, grounded tone that’s absolutely perfect for a heroine like her. It really enhanced the experience and made me appreciate Rosie’s character even more. For anyone that’s remotely interested in experiencing this story as an audiobook, I can truly, truly recommend it!
___________________________________________________
Thank you to NetGalley and Orbit Books for the ARC, and to Hachette Audio for the ALC, both in exchange for an honest review.
July 9, 2025
The Undercutting of Rosie and Adam by Megan Bannen
Hart and Mercy series #3, final book. Fantasy, romance, Romantasy. Best read in series order.
Rosie Fox has been patrolling Tanria for decades. She’s been feeling a little lost lately, bored with her job and life. As an Immortal demigod, she can die, which scares her coworkers and friends, but she comes back to life to continue working another day.
Tanria has changed over the years and the original portals are breaking down. The inventor, Dr Adam Lee, the inventor of the portals, is called in to make repairs in person. When he declares an emergency evacuation, Rosie and Adam get stuck inside Tanria.
🎧 I alternated between an ebook and an audiobook which is narrated by Kacie Roger and a small portion by Jim Frangione. It’s a marvelous performance where Rosie’s snark and humor just jumps off the page. She’s irreverent, and feisty with just a pinch of sadness she covers up with her outspokenness. It all comes out clearly via the audiobook and I’m so glad I was able to listen to this book and read along via ebook. I did listen at 1.5 to better match my reading speed.
Sad it’s the end of the series.
Wonderful world building, quirky characters with heartwarming and often humorous romance in a fantasy setting.
I can’t wait to see what this author comes up with next.
I received a copy of this from NetGalley and publisher Hachette Audio.
Hart and Mercy series #3, final book. Fantasy, romance, Romantasy. Best read in series order.
Rosie Fox has been patrolling Tanria for decades. She’s been feeling a little lost lately, bored with her job and life. As an Immortal demigod, she can die, which scares her coworkers and friends, but she comes back to life to continue working another day.
Tanria has changed over the years and the original portals are breaking down. The inventor, Dr Adam Lee, the inventor of the portals, is called in to make repairs in person. When he declares an emergency evacuation, Rosie and Adam get stuck inside Tanria.
🎧 I alternated between an ebook and an audiobook which is narrated by Kacie Roger and a small portion by Jim Frangione. It’s a marvelous performance where Rosie’s snark and humor just jumps off the page. She’s irreverent, and feisty with just a pinch of sadness she covers up with her outspokenness. It all comes out clearly via the audiobook and I’m so glad I was able to listen to this book and read along via ebook. I did listen at 1.5 to better match my reading speed.
Sad it’s the end of the series.
Wonderful world building, quirky characters with heartwarming and often humorous romance in a fantasy setting.
I can’t wait to see what this author comes up with next.
I received a copy of this from NetGalley and publisher Hachette Audio.
July 11, 2025
4.25 / 5 Stars
I really enjoyed this book! The world in this book and series is vivid and unusual, so a quick layperson synopsis: Rosie is an immortal demigoddess. At 157 years old, she has lived a long life and seen many people come in and out. She is always a mourner never the mourned. And having lived this long, she is unapologetically herself. She loves a good bra and panty set. She is direct, sassy, has the flimsiest filter, and lives by the motto “act first, think never” because why follow social norms when you outlive them?
When Rosie notices a shadowy thorn thing in the portal that lets mortals pass in and out of Tanria (where Rosie lives), her team calls in Dr. Adam Lee. Dr. Lee has “an oppressive lack of personality” and has “never known an emotion he can’t quash.” And yet, there is something not so boring about him, perhaps a secret? One that Rosie very much wants to discover.
You will probably like this book if you like:
🐉 Cozy, whimsical fantasy books
🌹 Grumpy x Sunshine
🐉 Found family
🌹 A magical world with gods/demigods and extensive myths
🐉 Only one horse but instead of one horse it’s a pink, adorable dragon
🌹 Funny and playful prose
🐉 A tall queen (6’5”) and short king (5’5”)
I loved Rosie and Adam. Rosie is just not afraid to be herself at all times and it was really refreshing. She was funny and wild but was also navigating a complicated relationship with her father (a narcissistic god). Adam was quiet and introspective and I love a grumpy man who comes out of his shell for the lady that he loves. Their banter, once they realize there might be a flicker of something between them, was so charming. And the side characters were so fun and one-of-a-kind (obsessed with the chain smoking chief marshall).
I also think that if you find yourself in a reading slump where you feel like you are reading the same type of writing style over and over, you should pick up a book from this series. I found the prose to be so unique, playful, smart, while also being very silly. How often do you get to read a book where you see the words “susurrus” (great SAT word) and “turd” in the same paragraph?
This may have been because I was coming into this series at the third book (most definitely a choice), but it sometimes took a hot second to figure out what each of the magic things were. Like it took a second to fully comprehend that an autoduck was a car that could also drive in water. And some of the rules of the magical world are still a little unclear to me (don’t ask me what you can and can’t do in The Mist), but the vibes were good so I just went with it. The mix of the magical world with the mythology of that shaped the world was super interesting though!
I found that the ending was a tad slow and long at times, but it also had incredibly poignant moments that I really enjoyed. I will definitely go back and read the other books.
Thank you Orbit Books and NetGalley for providing the eARC! All opinions are my own.
Publication Date: July 8, 2025
_________________
Pre-Read Thoughts: A cozy romantic fantasy where she is a foot taller than him?! How could I not? We love a short king.
I really enjoyed this book! The world in this book and series is vivid and unusual, so a quick layperson synopsis: Rosie is an immortal demigoddess. At 157 years old, she has lived a long life and seen many people come in and out. She is always a mourner never the mourned. And having lived this long, she is unapologetically herself. She loves a good bra and panty set. She is direct, sassy, has the flimsiest filter, and lives by the motto “act first, think never” because why follow social norms when you outlive them?
When Rosie notices a shadowy thorn thing in the portal that lets mortals pass in and out of Tanria (where Rosie lives), her team calls in Dr. Adam Lee. Dr. Lee has “an oppressive lack of personality” and has “never known an emotion he can’t quash.” And yet, there is something not so boring about him, perhaps a secret? One that Rosie very much wants to discover.
You will probably like this book if you like:
🐉 Cozy, whimsical fantasy books
🌹 Grumpy x Sunshine
🐉 Found family
🌹 A magical world with gods/demigods and extensive myths
🐉 Only one horse but instead of one horse it’s a pink, adorable dragon
🌹 Funny and playful prose
🐉 A tall queen (6’5”) and short king (5’5”)
I loved Rosie and Adam. Rosie is just not afraid to be herself at all times and it was really refreshing. She was funny and wild but was also navigating a complicated relationship with her father (a narcissistic god). Adam was quiet and introspective and I love a grumpy man who comes out of his shell for the lady that he loves. Their banter, once they realize there might be a flicker of something between them, was so charming. And the side characters were so fun and one-of-a-kind (obsessed with the chain smoking chief marshall).
I also think that if you find yourself in a reading slump where you feel like you are reading the same type of writing style over and over, you should pick up a book from this series. I found the prose to be so unique, playful, smart, while also being very silly. How often do you get to read a book where you see the words “susurrus” (great SAT word) and “turd” in the same paragraph?
This may have been because I was coming into this series at the third book (most definitely a choice), but it sometimes took a hot second to figure out what each of the magic things were. Like it took a second to fully comprehend that an autoduck was a car that could also drive in water. And some of the rules of the magical world are still a little unclear to me (don’t ask me what you can and can’t do in The Mist), but the vibes were good so I just went with it. The mix of the magical world with the mythology of that shaped the world was super interesting though!
I found that the ending was a tad slow and long at times, but it also had incredibly poignant moments that I really enjoyed. I will definitely go back and read the other books.
Thank you Orbit Books and NetGalley for providing the eARC! All opinions are my own.
Publication Date: July 8, 2025
_________________
Pre-Read Thoughts: A cozy romantic fantasy where she is a foot taller than him?! How could I not? We love a short king.
August 20, 2025
Fun. That is the first impression after reading The Undercutting of Rosie and Adam. I have been enjoying this series very much. Is this the last book on the series?? I hope there is more.
I like Adam. He is quite and nerdy but he is fantastic hero. So good. Miss Bannen certainly brings her comedy to her story and she done a great job.
4 stars
I like Adam. He is quite and nerdy but he is fantastic hero. So good. Miss Bannen certainly brings her comedy to her story and she done a great job.
4 stars
July 9, 2025
This was an absolutely magical end to a beautiful series that I imagine I'll be rereading for years to come.
The world of Hart and Mercy is a comfort place for me and I was a little startled by the time jump that occurs in this book. It makes sense to move things forward ten years so the partnership between Rosie and Duckers can be more established. Duckers is also a seasoned staff member now, not just a rookie. He dated Mercy's brother in the past, but they've broken up and Zeddy has gone on to become a well-respected chef.
When the portals between the "normal" world and Tanria have started to fail, they send for the engineer who created them, Adam Lee. Rosie and Adam met years ago during another round of portal maintenance and felt an attraction. Now, we see their relationship evolve as they are stuck in Tanria without portals along with Duckers and Zeddy.
I thought the twist about Adam's background was pretty obvious when the first hint appeared, but I still loved watching Rosie arrive at the conclusion. Rosie was somewhat undeveloped in the earlier books and she blooms into a likeable, interesting character in this story. Showing her loneliness in the early scenes was a crucial step in this, but it also meant I shed a few tears soon after I started reading! Those scenes also served as reminders of the traditions of this world. I usually reread previous books before going into a new one in a series, but I didn't feel like that was necessary here. The reminders put me right back into this world.
Duckers and Zeddy's storyline was significant and also had some nice moments of levity. We also got to see Hart and Mercy a few times throughout the story. Frank's little dragon friend had a larger role than he does, which was lovely.
I'll miss Tanria. There's a novella in an anthology that takes place in this world and I hope Megan Bannen takes us back to this wonderful place again.
Reviews are for readers. I received an advanced copy on NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. I preordered a hard copy because I adored this book.
The world of Hart and Mercy is a comfort place for me and I was a little startled by the time jump that occurs in this book. It makes sense to move things forward ten years so the partnership between Rosie and Duckers can be more established. Duckers is also a seasoned staff member now, not just a rookie. He dated Mercy's brother in the past, but they've broken up and Zeddy has gone on to become a well-respected chef.
When the portals between the "normal" world and Tanria have started to fail, they send for the engineer who created them, Adam Lee. Rosie and Adam met years ago during another round of portal maintenance and felt an attraction. Now, we see their relationship evolve as they are stuck in Tanria without portals along with Duckers and Zeddy.
I thought the twist about Adam's background was pretty obvious when the first hint appeared, but I still loved watching Rosie arrive at the conclusion. Rosie was somewhat undeveloped in the earlier books and she blooms into a likeable, interesting character in this story. Showing her loneliness in the early scenes was a crucial step in this, but it also meant I shed a few tears soon after I started reading! Those scenes also served as reminders of the traditions of this world. I usually reread previous books before going into a new one in a series, but I didn't feel like that was necessary here. The reminders put me right back into this world.
Duckers and Zeddy's storyline was significant and also had some nice moments of levity. We also got to see Hart and Mercy a few times throughout the story. Frank's little dragon friend had a larger role than he does, which was lovely.
I'll miss Tanria. There's a novella in an anthology that takes place in this world and I hope Megan Bannen takes us back to this wonderful place again.
Reviews are for readers. I received an advanced copy on NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. I preordered a hard copy because I adored this book.
May 19, 2025
Oh how I wanted to love this book as much as I adored the rest of the series! Alas, while I mostly liked it, I didn't love it.
First, the good: if you appreciated the whimsical banter that Bannen delivered in the previous two books, you'll experience more of the same here. The not so great:I felt a little bogged down by overly descriptive writing and slightly abrasive characters. Oddly, in places where this same style of writing worked previously in the series, it now felt forced and distracting to me. The romance felt too weak, just instalove with little chemistry or tension.
It's not you, it's me — I think maybe it's just been too long since I spent time in this world — but this was my least favorite of the series. Hart and Mercy was amazing, Twyla and Frank was solid, and this one just lacked the same oomph as its predecessors. If this genre is your favorite, though, please do give this a shot ... your mileage may vary!
Thank you to Orbit Books, NetGalley, and Megan Bannen for an advance copy for honest review. I still have heart-eyes for Bannen's work in general and will definitely be looking for her future novels.
First, the good: if you appreciated the whimsical banter that Bannen delivered in the previous two books, you'll experience more of the same here. The not so great:I felt a little bogged down by overly descriptive writing and slightly abrasive characters. Oddly, in places where this same style of writing worked previously in the series, it now felt forced and distracting to me. The romance felt too weak, just instalove with little chemistry or tension.
It's not you, it's me — I think maybe it's just been too long since I spent time in this world — but this was my least favorite of the series. Hart and Mercy was amazing, Twyla and Frank was solid, and this one just lacked the same oomph as its predecessors. If this genre is your favorite, though, please do give this a shot ... your mileage may vary!
Thank you to Orbit Books, NetGalley, and Megan Bannen for an advance copy for honest review. I still have heart-eyes for Bannen's work in general and will definitely be looking for her future novels.
July 6, 2025
This is the third book in a trilogy, but it can absolutely be read as a standalone, each book follows different characters. Still, I recommend reading them all!
In this one, we’ve got a very tall 157 y.o demigoddess. Honestly, if that doesn’t make you want to start reading, I don’t know what will!
This installment felt more magical, more fantasy-heavy than the previous ones (at least to me). There are even more dragons, sea horses, portals, and adventures across different worlds.
Honestly, I’m writing all this while tearing up, completely cried my eyes out at the end. Thank you for that...
I just love the atmosphere of this world. A magical Wild West? 5/5 just for the concept! Add in the found family and the way all the characters are so beautifully connected, it made me tear up in the softest, most sentimental way. I adore the humor and the lightness of this series. I’m definitely reading everything this author writes from now on.
The awkwardness between the main characters was so funny, and their chemistry was a perfect slow burn. Plus the side characters? Total cinnamon rolls!
And I couldn’t stop smiling at how much Rosie adored quality lingerie, girl, you’re not a demigoddess, you’re a goddess.
Adam? Also a cinnamon roll. I just wanted to protect them all!
I listened to the audiobook, it was pleasant, easy to follow, and added so much to the atmosphere! I felt like I was right there with them.
⭐️4,5/5
• She’s tall, he’s short
• Age gap (honestly, a gap in everything)
• Found family
• Gods and demigods
• Saving the world (as always)
• Dragons
Thank you NetGalley and Orbit for the ARC!
In this one, we’ve got a very tall 157 y.o demigoddess. Honestly, if that doesn’t make you want to start reading, I don’t know what will!
This installment felt more magical, more fantasy-heavy than the previous ones (at least to me). There are even more dragons, sea horses, portals, and adventures across different worlds.
Honestly, I’m writing all this while tearing up, completely cried my eyes out at the end. Thank you for that...
I just love the atmosphere of this world. A magical Wild West? 5/5 just for the concept! Add in the found family and the way all the characters are so beautifully connected, it made me tear up in the softest, most sentimental way. I adore the humor and the lightness of this series. I’m definitely reading everything this author writes from now on.
The awkwardness between the main characters was so funny, and their chemistry was a perfect slow burn. Plus the side characters? Total cinnamon rolls!
And I couldn’t stop smiling at how much Rosie adored quality lingerie, girl, you’re not a demigoddess, you’re a goddess.
Adam? Also a cinnamon roll. I just wanted to protect them all!
I listened to the audiobook, it was pleasant, easy to follow, and added so much to the atmosphere! I felt like I was right there with them.
⭐️4,5/5
• She’s tall, he’s short
• Age gap (honestly, a gap in everything)
• Found family
• Gods and demigods
• Saving the world (as always)
• Dragons
Thank you NetGalley and Orbit for the ARC!
June 22, 2025
megan bannen wrote this series for me and only me. this is peak literature. this is peak romance. short king representation on ten. i wrote this through tears.
July 7, 2025
This review was originally posted on Books of My Heart
Review copy was received from . This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.
I believe this is the last book in the Hart and Mercy series and it sticks the landing solidly. The Undercutting of Rosie and Adam begins about ten years after the events of the prior books. Duckers finally found a partner who will stick with him in Rosie, well at least most of the time when she isn't dead. Rosie has finally hit the portal into the Tanria and the mist one too many times and this time it isn't coming back on and they have to send for the inventor to fix it. Except it isn't Rosie's fault this time, there is a spectral vine growing in the gates causing issues and soon it will overgrow in all the gates to Tanria.
Rosie has died about a hundred times. It is never fun and usually freaks people out. She had a hard time keeping a partner as Marshall until Duckers was assigned to her. They've been partners for years and always have each other's backs. The relationship they have built over this years is a lot like family and I love the way they tease one another. They are assigned to watch out and protect Adam, the inventor of the portals when he comes to fix them. Soon it is realized that everyone needs to evacuate Tanria because all of the gates could fail at any time. And while there is water in Tanria, a normal human wouldn't be survive for long since there isn't any food except ambrosia and that isn't going to work.
Rosie and Adam get stuck in Tanria when the gates fail, along with Duckers and a very surprised Zetti, new chef to the dragon preserve's fancy restaurant. Rosie has had a small crush on Adam since meeting five years ago. While others might see him as dry and boring, she understands his deadpan wit and loves it. As they get to know each other, they find that maybe they have more in common than they knew and Adam probably understands just what is it is like to live long enough to watch all those around you die. The slow build of their relationship is delicious as Rosie drags Adam out of his isolation and sees what a caring man he is under that tweed suit.
Bonus for all the Duckers and Zetti fans. As they are also stuck in Tanria, they have some forced proximity to assist in hashing out the feelings between them. It has been ten years since they broke up and Zetti came back to Eternity even hotter than when he left. He has also made something of himself. But there is a history there and some baggage to dig through before the end.
I liked the lore to this story and role that Rosie's trickster father played. Both in the long ago lore of the thief trying to steal immortality and in the substantial daddy issues Rosie has. It appears that Adam also has some issues with Rosie's dad just to round some things out. Rosie and Adam will have to make some hard choices to set the world right, do some much needed pruning and find a way to save their friends. They will also need to tame some of Adam's issues with Dragons, he has his reasons but I don't think he is used to the new to poodle like variety now in Tanria.
The Undercutting of Rosie and Adam is a great place to wrap up the series. It gave us solid insight to the characters of the prior books and set Tanria to rights. I am happy with the ending to the story and the series. It seemed fitting and I felt at peace seeing where the dragon refuge and most of the characters ended up in life.
Narration:
Performance: ★★★★
Character Separation: ★★★★
Diction: ★★★★
Pacing/Flow: ★★★★
Sound Effects: None
I was really happy a different narrator was selected for this book. Kacie Rogers fit Rosie's voice really well and made her feel like someone who came from the roaring twenties. She captured both the fun of Rosie and the solemnity of Adam. Jim Frangione did a really good job as well but only played a bit role as he was the narrator for the lore that set up this entire story. Overall a good combination.
Listen to a clip: HERE
Review copy was received from . This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.
I believe this is the last book in the Hart and Mercy series and it sticks the landing solidly. The Undercutting of Rosie and Adam begins about ten years after the events of the prior books. Duckers finally found a partner who will stick with him in Rosie, well at least most of the time when she isn't dead. Rosie has finally hit the portal into the Tanria and the mist one too many times and this time it isn't coming back on and they have to send for the inventor to fix it. Except it isn't Rosie's fault this time, there is a spectral vine growing in the gates causing issues and soon it will overgrow in all the gates to Tanria.
Rosie has died about a hundred times. It is never fun and usually freaks people out. She had a hard time keeping a partner as Marshall until Duckers was assigned to her. They've been partners for years and always have each other's backs. The relationship they have built over this years is a lot like family and I love the way they tease one another. They are assigned to watch out and protect Adam, the inventor of the portals when he comes to fix them. Soon it is realized that everyone needs to evacuate Tanria because all of the gates could fail at any time. And while there is water in Tanria, a normal human wouldn't be survive for long since there isn't any food except ambrosia and that isn't going to work.
Rosie and Adam get stuck in Tanria when the gates fail, along with Duckers and a very surprised Zetti, new chef to the dragon preserve's fancy restaurant. Rosie has had a small crush on Adam since meeting five years ago. While others might see him as dry and boring, she understands his deadpan wit and loves it. As they get to know each other, they find that maybe they have more in common than they knew and Adam probably understands just what is it is like to live long enough to watch all those around you die. The slow build of their relationship is delicious as Rosie drags Adam out of his isolation and sees what a caring man he is under that tweed suit.
Bonus for all the Duckers and Zetti fans. As they are also stuck in Tanria, they have some forced proximity to assist in hashing out the feelings between them. It has been ten years since they broke up and Zetti came back to Eternity even hotter than when he left. He has also made something of himself. But there is a history there and some baggage to dig through before the end.
I liked the lore to this story and role that Rosie's trickster father played. Both in the long ago lore of the thief trying to steal immortality and in the substantial daddy issues Rosie has. It appears that Adam also has some issues with Rosie's dad just to round some things out. Rosie and Adam will have to make some hard choices to set the world right, do some much needed pruning and find a way to save their friends. They will also need to tame some of Adam's issues with Dragons, he has his reasons but I don't think he is used to the new to poodle like variety now in Tanria.
The Undercutting of Rosie and Adam is a great place to wrap up the series. It gave us solid insight to the characters of the prior books and set Tanria to rights. I am happy with the ending to the story and the series. It seemed fitting and I felt at peace seeing where the dragon refuge and most of the characters ended up in life.
Narration:
Performance: ★★★★
Character Separation: ★★★★
Diction: ★★★★
Pacing/Flow: ★★★★
Sound Effects: None
I was really happy a different narrator was selected for this book. Kacie Rogers fit Rosie's voice really well and made her feel like someone who came from the roaring twenties. She captured both the fun of Rosie and the solemnity of Adam. Jim Frangione did a really good job as well but only played a bit role as he was the narrator for the lore that set up this entire story. Overall a good combination.
Listen to a clip: HERE
July 14, 2025
“When was the last time the world had made her pause and think, That's amazing? When was the last time she had been adequately grateful to be alive?”
Rosie, being an immortal Demigod, has been a Tanrian marshal for a very, very long time and feels that her existence has become rather stale. Yet when the portals that transport people in and out of Tanria begin to fail, Rosie Fox and her marshal partner Duckers are sent to investigate. Upon arrival Rosie notices showdy thorns growing in the Mist inside the portal, thorns only she can see, and so this perplexity causes Adam Lee, the inventor of the portals to be called in to fix the problem. When it looks like all the portals in Tanria are in danger of completely failing Adam calls for an immediate evacuation, but in all the chaos he, Rosie, Duckers and his ex boyfriend Zeddie become trapped inside Tanria. With dwindling food supplies and the growing shadowy thorns making their situation worse they must all find a way out before they’re trapped inside for eternity.
The Undercutting of Rosie and Adam by Megan Bannen takes readers on one last wild adventure through the wonders of Tanria with a romance sure to soften thorny hearts.
As with all the books in the series we have a different set of main characters each time, with many of the characters from past books popping up throughout as side characters. This time around it is the turn of Rosie Fox, our immortal Demigod who though had only appeared briefly in the first two books was very memorable for her particularly loud personality. Whilst the story is set many years after The Undermining of Twyla and Frank, and many of the characters have grown, Rosie still maintains her fun ways. It is clear that Rosie has absolutely no filter, she will say anything and do anything and right from the beginning this is very entertaining. However, I did find that sometimes Rosie‘s dialogue could be a little too cringey for my personal tastes, she would use phrases such as “ my dudes”, or “hard no” and even named her cat, Blammo Tinky Fartface, which although may fit her character as she stopped aging in her early twenties, still unfortunately felt awkward to read. Yet despite this following Rosie always led to a whole heap of shenanigans and I loved that—from trying to fix portals with her fists to flying across Tanria on a dragon and showing a passion for fine clothing, and undergarments or intimates—there was just never a dull moment. We then also explore a more serious side too as often Rosie expresses the downfalls of being immortal, constantly losing those she loves while she carries on living, and so Rosie reflects a lot on the importance of endings and even her own death. I found this theme quite fascinating because on the surface being immortal would be a life without limits and fears, which in theory sounds great, I mean who wouldn’t want to keep their youthful body, but it would also be a lonely one. I have to say at times this felt a little bit too heavy and dark for such a cosy series and there were moments where I felt quite sad.
Yet to counteract these more poignant reflections was of course the romance, which I found delightful. When we first meet Adam Lee, he appears to be rather stoic, stiff and hiding a lot of secrets. He’s the very opposite of Rosie and at first I didn’t think that their relationship would develop in a natural way, I assumed it would feel forced. Bannen certainly proved me wrong because as we learn more about Adam we discover there is a lot more beneath the surface and that he understands Rosie like no one else ever could. The romance isn’t an instant thing which I was glad for, they slowly become friends, they slowly share their inner thoughts and then their sexual attraction escalates from there. I feel that Bannen really triumphs in crafting character relationships, she makes them feel so organic, wholesome and realistic even in a fantasy setting. It was so satisfying to see Rosie and Adam, two deeply lonely people, finally finding the perfect companionship.
One of my favourite characters throughout this series has been Duckers, who is just adorable in every way—hopeless, soppy and absolutely hilarious. Though he is much older now I was glad to see that he hadn’t lost his energetic personality or become overly serious and dull. Having Duckers in close proximity to his ex Zeddie was a great way to see him face his past, own up to the way he handled their relationship and also find some happiness. I was ecstatic that Duckers played such a pivotal role because I had been hoping for a lot more scenes with him in this last book. Rosie and Duckers also made for the perfect friendship as both their personalities matched perfectly and their easy banter really bought such a lighthearted tone. Mercy and Hart along with Twyla and Frank also shared a great friendship with Rosie, and it was nice to see that their lives were still filled with so much happiness and love, bringing a great sense of closure to their stories too.
“Eloise channeled her own excitement through her antlers, as thrilled to have a rider as Rosie was to be the rider. The dragon trumpeted at the same time Rosie whooped, a pair of outlaws out for a rollicking good time.”
The plot of this story invested me immensely because in essence Tanria was becoming polluted, it was dying from the inside and our character’s quest was to not only free themselves but to also save this beloved corner of their world, a world that I too treasured. I loved once again exploring the weird and wonderful flora and fauna, I was glad to once again ride with the iridescent, meep meeping adorable, glittery-vomiting dragons and to meet Saltlicker, Hart’s temperamental equimaris stallion and another nimkilim, one last time. I thought it was also fitting that we learn more about the old Gods and the new Gods and Bannen treats us to meeting a few of them firsthand. To learn more of the history of this world was absolutely riveting and once again brought a good sense of closure. The world of Tanria will always be such a favourite of mine because it is a bat shit crazy, whimsical and highly fantastical place and I have loved escaping there through these three books.
The Undercutting of Rosie and Adam is a wholesomely romantic and bizarre feast for us fans. It left me feeling satisfied, hopeful and pleased for how the lives of these cherished characters panned out and that’s exactly what I had wanted.
"Know what my motto is? Act first, think never, because fifty years from now, no one is going to remember this anyway."
ARC provided by Nazia at Orbit Books in exchange for an honest review—Thank you for the copy!
Rosie, being an immortal Demigod, has been a Tanrian marshal for a very, very long time and feels that her existence has become rather stale. Yet when the portals that transport people in and out of Tanria begin to fail, Rosie Fox and her marshal partner Duckers are sent to investigate. Upon arrival Rosie notices showdy thorns growing in the Mist inside the portal, thorns only she can see, and so this perplexity causes Adam Lee, the inventor of the portals to be called in to fix the problem. When it looks like all the portals in Tanria are in danger of completely failing Adam calls for an immediate evacuation, but in all the chaos he, Rosie, Duckers and his ex boyfriend Zeddie become trapped inside Tanria. With dwindling food supplies and the growing shadowy thorns making their situation worse they must all find a way out before they’re trapped inside for eternity.
The Undercutting of Rosie and Adam by Megan Bannen takes readers on one last wild adventure through the wonders of Tanria with a romance sure to soften thorny hearts.
As with all the books in the series we have a different set of main characters each time, with many of the characters from past books popping up throughout as side characters. This time around it is the turn of Rosie Fox, our immortal Demigod who though had only appeared briefly in the first two books was very memorable for her particularly loud personality. Whilst the story is set many years after The Undermining of Twyla and Frank, and many of the characters have grown, Rosie still maintains her fun ways. It is clear that Rosie has absolutely no filter, she will say anything and do anything and right from the beginning this is very entertaining. However, I did find that sometimes Rosie‘s dialogue could be a little too cringey for my personal tastes, she would use phrases such as “ my dudes”, or “hard no” and even named her cat, Blammo Tinky Fartface, which although may fit her character as she stopped aging in her early twenties, still unfortunately felt awkward to read. Yet despite this following Rosie always led to a whole heap of shenanigans and I loved that—from trying to fix portals with her fists to flying across Tanria on a dragon and showing a passion for fine clothing, and undergarments or intimates—there was just never a dull moment. We then also explore a more serious side too as often Rosie expresses the downfalls of being immortal, constantly losing those she loves while she carries on living, and so Rosie reflects a lot on the importance of endings and even her own death. I found this theme quite fascinating because on the surface being immortal would be a life without limits and fears, which in theory sounds great, I mean who wouldn’t want to keep their youthful body, but it would also be a lonely one. I have to say at times this felt a little bit too heavy and dark for such a cosy series and there were moments where I felt quite sad.
Yet to counteract these more poignant reflections was of course the romance, which I found delightful. When we first meet Adam Lee, he appears to be rather stoic, stiff and hiding a lot of secrets. He’s the very opposite of Rosie and at first I didn’t think that their relationship would develop in a natural way, I assumed it would feel forced. Bannen certainly proved me wrong because as we learn more about Adam we discover there is a lot more beneath the surface and that he understands Rosie like no one else ever could. The romance isn’t an instant thing which I was glad for, they slowly become friends, they slowly share their inner thoughts and then their sexual attraction escalates from there. I feel that Bannen really triumphs in crafting character relationships, she makes them feel so organic, wholesome and realistic even in a fantasy setting. It was so satisfying to see Rosie and Adam, two deeply lonely people, finally finding the perfect companionship.
One of my favourite characters throughout this series has been Duckers, who is just adorable in every way—hopeless, soppy and absolutely hilarious. Though he is much older now I was glad to see that he hadn’t lost his energetic personality or become overly serious and dull. Having Duckers in close proximity to his ex Zeddie was a great way to see him face his past, own up to the way he handled their relationship and also find some happiness. I was ecstatic that Duckers played such a pivotal role because I had been hoping for a lot more scenes with him in this last book. Rosie and Duckers also made for the perfect friendship as both their personalities matched perfectly and their easy banter really bought such a lighthearted tone. Mercy and Hart along with Twyla and Frank also shared a great friendship with Rosie, and it was nice to see that their lives were still filled with so much happiness and love, bringing a great sense of closure to their stories too.
“Eloise channeled her own excitement through her antlers, as thrilled to have a rider as Rosie was to be the rider. The dragon trumpeted at the same time Rosie whooped, a pair of outlaws out for a rollicking good time.”
The plot of this story invested me immensely because in essence Tanria was becoming polluted, it was dying from the inside and our character’s quest was to not only free themselves but to also save this beloved corner of their world, a world that I too treasured. I loved once again exploring the weird and wonderful flora and fauna, I was glad to once again ride with the iridescent, meep meeping adorable, glittery-vomiting dragons and to meet Saltlicker, Hart’s temperamental equimaris stallion and another nimkilim, one last time. I thought it was also fitting that we learn more about the old Gods and the new Gods and Bannen treats us to meeting a few of them firsthand. To learn more of the history of this world was absolutely riveting and once again brought a good sense of closure. The world of Tanria will always be such a favourite of mine because it is a bat shit crazy, whimsical and highly fantastical place and I have loved escaping there through these three books.
The Undercutting of Rosie and Adam is a wholesomely romantic and bizarre feast for us fans. It left me feeling satisfied, hopeful and pleased for how the lives of these cherished characters panned out and that’s exactly what I had wanted.
"Know what my motto is? Act first, think never, because fifty years from now, no one is going to remember this anyway."
ARC provided by Nazia at Orbit Books in exchange for an honest review—Thank you for the copy!
June 14, 2025
I have really loved this series and I was very excited to get to this story.
I really liked Rosie. She's been fun in the glimpses we've seen of her and getting to be in her head is a damn delight. She's snarky and sassy and an absolute marshmallow. Adam is stiff and mysterious and somehow the perfect compliment to Rosie. Of course seeing Duckers and Zeddie was an added bonus.
Plot wise it was so good. I loved the slow unraveling of reveals, the meandering towards the build up, and the absolutely wonderful resolution. The last few chapters were some of the absolute best and exactly what I wanted for the end of this series.
Overall, I still love Hart and Mercy the most, but this one is a very very very close second.
**Huge thanks to the publisher for providing the arc free of charge**
I really liked Rosie. She's been fun in the glimpses we've seen of her and getting to be in her head is a damn delight. She's snarky and sassy and an absolute marshmallow. Adam is stiff and mysterious and somehow the perfect compliment to Rosie. Of course seeing Duckers and Zeddie was an added bonus.
Plot wise it was so good. I loved the slow unraveling of reveals, the meandering towards the build up, and the absolutely wonderful resolution. The last few chapters were some of the absolute best and exactly what I wanted for the end of this series.
Overall, I still love Hart and Mercy the most, but this one is a very very very close second.
**Huge thanks to the publisher for providing the arc free of charge**
July 8, 2025
I really enjoyed this, even though I couldn’t get through the first book in the series. That was more about the story not grabbing me than the writing, which I actually liked a lot. Megan Bannen’s writing is witty and fun, so I figured I’d give this one a shot. The premise pulled me in right away, and the characters had me laughing out loud. There’s a lovely found family element adding a wholesome vibe to the story, and if you’re a fan of the tall FMC and short MMC dynamic, this is definitely one to check out. I hadn’t read that kind of dynamic before, and I’m honestly kind of obsessed. The step stool kiss moment? Adorable. I also found myself invested in the Duckers and Zeddie side plot. They might have even stolen the show a bit. That said, I did feel the romance between Rosie and Adam was a little underdeveloped. I usually prefer single POV, but in this case, the story might have worked better with dual POV or at least a few scattered chapters from Adam’s perspective.
There are dragons, gods, demigods, and myths woven throughout the story, all of which add to the fun, messy magic of it all. If you enjoy books set in urban-adjacent fantasy worlds with chaotic but entertaining plots, quirky characters, and sharp, witty writing, this could easily be your next five-star read.
Thank you, NetGalley, and Orbit Books for the eARC in exchange for an honest review.
There are dragons, gods, demigods, and myths woven throughout the story, all of which add to the fun, messy magic of it all. If you enjoy books set in urban-adjacent fantasy worlds with chaotic but entertaining plots, quirky characters, and sharp, witty writing, this could easily be your next five-star read.
Thank you, NetGalley, and Orbit Books for the eARC in exchange for an honest review.
June 28, 2025
1⭐️
Thank you to Orbit Publishing for the audiobook arc in exchange for an honest review!
This was a tough read with embarrassingly cringey dialogue, zero chemistry with the romance, and a cat named, I kid you not....blammo tinky fartface.
The Undercutting of Rosie and Adam is the final installment in this trilogy of interconnected standalones. While the first two books were not the best, they were still enjoyable with a semblance of a plot. In this book, we center around Rosie, who was one of the most insufferable main characters I have ever had the displeasure of having the misfortune of entering their pov. Everything she said made me physically recoil and question how I got to this point in my life.
I wish I were the person I was before reading this book.
One nice note was that the narration was good, so good job to them!
Thank you to Orbit Publishing for the audiobook arc in exchange for an honest review!
This was a tough read with embarrassingly cringey dialogue, zero chemistry with the romance, and a cat named, I kid you not....blammo tinky fartface.
The Undercutting of Rosie and Adam is the final installment in this trilogy of interconnected standalones. While the first two books were not the best, they were still enjoyable with a semblance of a plot. In this book, we center around Rosie, who was one of the most insufferable main characters I have ever had the displeasure of having the misfortune of entering their pov. Everything she said made me physically recoil and question how I got to this point in my life.
I wish I were the person I was before reading this book.
One nice note was that the narration was good, so good job to them!
June 19, 2025
Confession: I was maybe even more invested in Pen and Zeddie's romantic arc than Rosie and Adam's. I've just adored them as side characters over the course of these three books, and it's been amazing watching their growth.
That doesn't mean I didn't care about Rosie and Adam, though. I love characters who are tough on the outside but super soft within, and they both fit that description, but both in very different ways. I loved seeing their connection deepen once they figured out they shared some of the same struggles.
And of course it was wonderful to be back in this whimsical world, and to revisit the previous main characters. One of my favourite things about the world building is that you're steadily being fed new small facts that make the world brighter and more detailed, and even in the third installment, I figured out so many new things about the world.
That doesn't mean I didn't care about Rosie and Adam, though. I love characters who are tough on the outside but super soft within, and they both fit that description, but both in very different ways. I loved seeing their connection deepen once they figured out they shared some of the same struggles.
And of course it was wonderful to be back in this whimsical world, and to revisit the previous main characters. One of my favourite things about the world building is that you're steadily being fed new small facts that make the world brighter and more detailed, and even in the third installment, I figured out so many new things about the world.
Read
June 17, 2025 rating:
3.75 stars
current-read:
Rosie is immortal and Dr. Adam seems mortal but tjere has to be more. Why is he always coughing?
pre-read:
28/5
What do you think of this series? Does it get better as the series continues?
I just did an ARC request on her website. Hope I can get it. I love this world. Send wishes please 💗
3.75 stars
current-read:
Rosie is immortal and Dr. Adam seems mortal but tjere has to be more. Why is he always coughing?
pre-read:
28/5
What do you think of this series? Does it get better as the series continues?
I just did an ARC request on her website. Hope I can get it. I love this world. Send wishes please 💗
future-releases
July 3, 2024A third book you say!?
Want to read
July 13, 2024i’m seated. the bookstore employees are scared and asking me to leave because ‘this july isn’t even over yet’ but i’m simply too seated!!!
August 10, 2025
"I'm a different person now - a better one, I hope. And Pen has changed, too. It's just that... You never stop being who you were, do you? You may be on page 120 of the novel that is your life, but that doesn't mean that page 37 doesn't exist anymore. Pen and I had a lot of pages together in the early chapters, so it's weird being here with him all of a sudden in the middle of the book."
The cozy and necessary finale to one of my favorite and best starts to a series ever!
My reviews to the rest of the series:
↬ The Undertaking of Hart and Mercy 5 shining stars ✨
↬ The Undermining of Twyla and Frank 4 stars ✨
I loved being back in Eternity and Tanria to visit my beloved characters and read about a new challenge and adventure. But I am still sad that Duckers never made it out of being the adorable side kick. I wanted the third book and finale to be about him. I wanted him to be the well deserved center of attention. The Undercutting of Rosie and Adam was entertaining, sometimes flirty but mostly another cozy fantasy like part two already was (The Undermining of Twyla and Frank). Part 1 with Hart and Mercy was simply too amazing and the other two books simply could not even come close to all the things that I felt and that happened in The Undertaking of Hart and Mercy.
✨ 3.5 stars rounded up
"Sometimes, a small kindness can be quite... large... to the recipient."
But I am still super happy to have read the whole series, to see all the storylines woven and come together.
To see the walls, the harsh exterior of Adam, aka Dr. Lee, come slightly askew was adorable and so sweet and heartwarming. To see him blush and get distracted by the talk or sight of the beloved intimates of Rosie was simply chef's kiss.
And to see the friendship between Rosie and Duckers bloom, her heart open up again, and her struggles with immortality and a self-centered god as a father was special and weirdly relatable at times.
"It has been a long time - a long, long time - since I did anything that resembled living. But here... I was alive for a few days. And I find that I don't particularly want to return to the life - no, the nonlife - that is waiting for me in Quindaro."
Oh Adam how you sneaked your way right into my heart, you soft cantaloupe.
I am gonna miss Hart, Mercy, Twyla, Frank, Rosie, Adam, Zeddie and Duckers, and all the Nimkilins and Dragons all around Eternity and Tanria.
"No one is better than you, because no one else is you."
Thank you so much to Netgalley, Little, Brown Book Group UK , and Megan Bannen for the arc in exchange for an honest review. The Undercutting of Rosie and Adam is out and available to be read as the finale to the series.
July 16, 2025
Thank you to @HachetteAudio and NetGalley for providing me with an audio ARC of this book. All opinions are my own.
This is a charming standalone in an interconnected series. Ideally, you'd read the first two books to fully appreciate the world-building—but I didn’t, and honestly, this story held its own. I never felt lost or like I was missing key context.
I loved Rosie! She’s such a fun character—witty, sassy, and unapologetically herself. Adorable. Adam was a sweet addition and an unlikely match for her, yet somehow, they made perfect sense together. I also appreciated the creative curse words—they actually added to the characters' charm.
The story was fast-paced and enchanting. I need to visit Tanria in my dreams someday. And the narration brought the characters to life so well!
Goodreads rating: 3.5 stars
This is a charming standalone in an interconnected series. Ideally, you'd read the first two books to fully appreciate the world-building—but I didn’t, and honestly, this story held its own. I never felt lost or like I was missing key context.
I loved Rosie! She’s such a fun character—witty, sassy, and unapologetically herself. Adorable. Adam was a sweet addition and an unlikely match for her, yet somehow, they made perfect sense together. I also appreciated the creative curse words—they actually added to the characters' charm.
The story was fast-paced and enchanting. I need to visit Tanria in my dreams someday. And the narration brought the characters to life so well!
Goodreads rating: 3.5 stars
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