Rosie Fox, demigod and a marshal of Tanria, is weary of immortality, and only in part because her immortal father the Trickster has been nothing but a thorn in her side for her 157+ years of life. When some poking around at a portal kills her by electrocution (again), Dr Adam Lee, the portals' inventor, must come to repair the damage. When his repairs can't quickly fix the portals, and all of Tanria must evacuate, that includes Adam, Rose, and her partner Penrose Duckers. Only, one person seems to have missed the evacuation order - Duckers's ex, Zeddie Birdsall - and saving him means that all four are trapped on the Tanria side of the portals with a growing infestation of shadowy plants and no way back home.

Megan Bannen has a knack for compelling characters, fun plots, ridiculous worldbuilding that stretches the imagination with each book, and for making me cry. Like Undermining of Twyla and Frank, this book focuses a little more on plot over romance, but the romance creeps in, like the vines growing all over Tanria. It may not take long for Rosie to mentally undress Adam - she never had a filter anyway - but it does take time for the two of them to admit their feelings (despite Duckers's teasing). The slower burn of the romance complements the speed of the plot buildup, and the romance itself crests nicely with the climax of the plot.

I'm always invested in the new ways Bannen expands her worldbuilding. She introduces a new component each time that fits nicely into Tanria without erasing anything from a previous story. We still have funerary boats, the salt sea, and glitter dragons, but now we have an expanded universe with more background on the war between the old gods and the new.

I was delighted to be a part of the Joyful Chaos traveling ARC group, and also to have access to an ALC to listen simultaneously. Jim Frangione and Kacie Rogers, though because the book is almost entirely from Rosie's perspective, Rogers is the primary narrator. I found myself drawn in by both the storytelling from Bannen and the narration. I laughed, I cried, and I thoroughly enjoyed myself with the sort of romantasy that Bannen excels with.

Megan Bannen has done it again! If you are looking for a cosy fantasy rom-com with plenty of feet-kicking moments, excellent plot pacing, and the occasional tear, this series is for you! I really enjoyed getting to know Rosie better as a character, with all of her quirkiness and sass as a cherry on top. One of my favorite parts was seeing the small cameos of previous main characters still having a place within this world and story, notably Hart, Mercy, Zeddie, and Duckers. The magic and world building are so fun and inventive, and I really enjoyed seeing how Bannen tied Rosie’s and Adam’s stories together. The opposites-attract romance was beautifully written and I didn’t want the story to end. My heart is both full and broken that this was the final installment in the Hart and Mercy series, as I would read any and all stories about Tanria! This series has firmly cemented itself into one of my all-time favorites, and I will be rereading them on loop when I need a dose of comfort, giggles, and meaningful romance.

As always, thank you to NetGalley and Orbit for access to this eARC for review; all thoughts are my own.

Thank you so much to Orbit and NetGalley for an e-ARC of this book!

I am absolutely heartbroken that this series has come to an end. The world that Megan Bannen has created is one of whimsy and wonder and heartbreak and joy. It is absolutely everything I look forward to in a fantasy series.

Enough about the series as a whole, let’s talk about Rosie and Adam.

Rosie is a Tanrian Marshall, and has been for many, many years. As part of her godly father, she is burdened with immortality. Rosie has made the decision to avoid connections, at least those of the romantic kind, because watching those that she loves wither and die has become a pain she knows all too well. Everything is keeping to plan until the portals into Tanria begin to malfunction more than usual and their creator is called in. Adam Lee is stone cold and utterly emotionless. He’s detached and Rosie isn’t convinced that he feels anything ever. Despite their opposing personalities, a jaunt trapped in Tanria together leaves them closer than they ever thought they could be to another person.

That’s a long summary but it feels necessary given my extreme love for both of these characters. Rosie has been mentioned many times throughout this series. Usually a one liner that mentions her immortality. When I realized who this book was about, I was so excited. Rosie is such a fun character to experience. She is loud and bright but deeply thoughtful and sentimental. She is so incredibly well rounded and her relationships and love for others is so wonderful to read.

Then we of course, have Adam. I loved his character so much, especially since he is so different from the other love interests in this series. Though I’ve never seen Arcane, Viktor is who I imagined. Adam is extremely smart but very distant. Rosie notices throughout the book that Adam doesn’t have any friends or family to rely on, but he still manages to keep going and occasionally huff a laugh at her jokes. I don’t want to spoil anything, but his selflessness and true character is put on display and it makes him all the more lovable.

The romance between these two works so well. It’s genuinely a perfect match. I also love love loved the height difference. It’s something you don’t usually see in books, but Megan Bannen does a great job of creating diversity through different body types, ages, and height differences (lol). That’s something I’ve loved about all of her books.

Every single time I think this world can’t get better, it does. The way that the gods play a role in this series is very reminiscent of Percy Jackson. They are flawed and the stories that go along with them may feel like myth, but they are very real. There was quite a bit of foreshadowing in the prior books (and even this one) as to where the lore of Tanria would go. I think that this plot fits in really well with the others while being its own distinct plot line.

I’ve yapped so much already so I think I’m going to cut off here even though there’s a million more positive things I can say. So in conclusion, I adored this book. I loved the romance and the plot and the way it acted as a sort of epilogue for the other characters in the series. This is my first 5 star series in a while and it absolutely deserves it.

⭐️: 3.75
🌶️: 1.5

Thank you to NetGalley, Orbit Books and Megan Bannen for sending me an ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.

My best friend had held up the first book in this series while we perused a local bookshop and told me she thought I’d enjoy it. I immediately bought it (because that woman is rarely wrong) but it stayed on my physical TBR waiting to be read. Then magically I was approved for this ARC and realized I needed to catch up asap before I jumped into the Rosie’s version of Tanria.

I will say that over the series, my favorite book is still the first one. Maybe it’s because it is the only one that was dual POV or maybe it’s because it had just such a special spark. I’m not sure. But the magic waned a little in the second and by this book…it felt rather erratically evaporated.

I’m not exactly sure what I just read. The pacing felt a bit all over the place. Like the author wanted to tie up everything in a neat little bow but wasn’t quite sure how to get there. It’s as if she had the ending already figured out and then just kinda threw in a bunch of random details to fill in the space.

I will say, I didn’t care much for Rosie as a FMC. She just didn’t feel very defined somehow? You could feel her deep loneliness that comes with immortality but her recklessness never really came through. Her frustrations with her dad were evident but even that relationship fell flat to me.

Normally insta love doesn’t bug me too much but with these two…I just didn’t find it believable. Yes they have some things they share in common, but the progression was like slowly there and then BAM! I love you! Maybe it was their lack of chemistry? It read more like she was trying to talk herself into reasons to liking him rather than just doing it?

I do love how the whole series ended and getting to see some of our favorite characters grow and evolve. Even the ones we just got glimpses of made me want to go back and read their books again. I just wish this particular story had been different but maybe I just didn’t want it to end at all?

This book took me awhile to get into. The world and the characters were so familiar and lovely, but the relationship between Rosie and Adam just didn’t seem to jive as well as the others. I would say around the 60% mark the book picked up for me. I felt like the chemistry between the main characters finally clicked and helped to bolster the story rather than run beside it. I loved the twists and slight mystery in the story related to Adam. I also liked the deeper look into Rosie’s relationship with her father. I didn’t realize this was the last story in the series and while I am sad to see that end, I will say overall I have enjoyed the series.

Rating: 3.3/5 ⭐️

Thank you to NetGalley and Hachette Book Group for this advanced reader copy. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

I really enjoyed this book! It was a great conclusion to the series. I really enjoyed being inside of Rosie’s head and all the sass. I really liked Adam too! I love a short king MMC, which I feel like I don’t see very often. I loved the banter between the FMC and the MMC. I loved the plot; it’s a lot of fun within a cute world. I’m sad to see this series end!

This was such an absolute joy to read and a perfect conclusion to this remarkable world. It was heartfelt and humorous and I loved that the beloved characters from the previous book were included. I loved that the history and gods of Tanria were further fleshed out, rounding out an incredibly enjoyable series.

The Hart and Mercy series does. not. Quit.

Rosie Fox is absolutely hilarious and I love her attitude. I’m sure a lot of us have already fallen in love with her from the past 2 books, but having her as a MC is really a treat.

We get so much more lore in this story too and I loved it! The myths, the legends and the truths all blend into one and it was truly a wild ride. Just the perfect amount of swoon-worthiness and the return of a bunch of other amazing characters. The ending legitimately had me tearing up from happiness, Megan Bannen is just so wonderful at making these heartfelt, real characters!!

The perfect blend of romance and fantasy, I’ll be recommending this series for life!

Megan Bannen delivers another charming fantasy rom-com set in the cozy, donut-and-dragon-filled world of Tanria. Immortal demigod Rosie Fox's existential crisis feels surprisingly relatable, while her opposites-attract chemistry with uptight inventor Adam Lee provides plenty of entertaining friction when they're trapped together in the mysterious Mist.

The world-building remains consistent and delightful, with satisfying cameos from Hart and Mercy characters that enhance rather than overwhelm the story. Bannen's signature humor hits throughout, though it occasionally disrupts the romantic tension. The portal mystery keeps things moving, even if the resolution feels slightly rushed.

very fun romance and fantasy book with some cool vibes. although at the beginning i was a bit annoyed by every other page there being a paragraph or two about how hot the MMC is, this somewhat faded by 15% so i wasn't really worried. 5 stars. tysm for the arc.

✨ALC & ARC Review✨

For some context, I have been a big fan of this series so far with the first two books, The Undertaking of Hart and Mercy and The Undermining of Twyla and Frank. Those two both got solid 4/4.5 star reviews from me. Somehow I managed to like The Undercutting of Rosie and Adam the most.

It isn't often for me that the first book of a series isn't my favorite book, but here we are. We had the opportunity to get to know Rosie throughout the previous books. This fiery, careless, death-prone immortal demi-god with stunning red eyes. It was so fun to get to dive into her character, learn who her dad was, and how she internalized her immortality. Watching her fall in love with a character with such depth was beautiful.

Adam is a selfless brainiac who created the portals that linked Tanria and the remainder of the world. His aloofness drew Rosie in and every little bit of himself that he shared with her had her drooling for more.

The whole connection of who Adam is, who Rosie's dad is and how Rosie and Adam's lives have been forcefully intertwined for a looooong was a true surprise. I did not see it coming but it created such a beautiful and devastating love story. Megan Bannen really had me on the edge of my seat wondering whether or not the two of them would make it to the end of the book alive.

The audiobook was phenomenal, just like the other two. The narrators, Jim Frangione and Kacie Rogers, did such a great job bringing these characters to life. I especially loved Kacie's Duckers voice. It may have been my favorite thus far.

Big thanks to NetGalley for both the ARC (Orbit) and ALC (Hatchette Audio) for this book. I loved having the opportunity to experience both. I honestly don't know which one I'd push on my friends. It was an easy read or listen.

I really do hope one day that we can get a book or novella about Duckers and Zeddy.

Megan Bannen has done it again! The third installment of this wonderful series was excellent. I couldn’t help but love the FMC, Rosie, who is an immortal that faces the daunting task of outliving all the people she loves. We are reunited with several characters from previous books and we get to root for Rosie as she looks for the meaning of life and finds someone to share it with. I loved this book and highly recommend it!

The Undercutting of Rosie and Adam
4.25 ⭐️

I was so excited to read this one when I got it on @netgalley! The final chapter in Eternity- and what a fun ride.

Rosie, Adam, Duckers and Zeddie set out to cure Tanria from its mysterious mist and the vines that only Rosie can apparently see. After everyone is evacuated, the four team up and adventure ensues, complete with dragon riding!

This was cute! I love the characters and the Meeping dragons 🐉! I’m gonna miss this weird and cozy world.

Thanks to NetGalley for the ARC!

4.75/5 stars

Wow, this was adorable and spicy and heart-wrenching and just everything I wanted it to be! I loved this as much as I loved the first book in the series, and slightly more than the 2nd - I'm so sad this trilogy is over!

This book was clever, well written, and absolutely refreshing. It mixed trauma, love, family expectations, and grief, all into a beautiful story with unexpected humor that was full of lessons about life, loss, and death. The characters were so unique but well rounded; the lore and worldbuilding intriguing; and the story so captivating that I simply couldn't put it down. I had high expectations for this one, and it met them!

This is definitely a comfort read for the future and I can't recommend it highly enough to anyone that loves a good story, some awesome fantasy, and a bit of spice.

4.5 stars

A perfect ending to the Tanria trilogy! I loved Bannen’s first Tanria book and was a little less enthusiastic on the second; this third entry I think ties up Tanria’s and the townspeople’s stories beautifully as well as depicts a delightful fairy-tale love story.

That’s what <i> The Undercutting of Rosie and Adam </i> really is: a fairy tale. Bannen’s previous Tanria books were romance novels set in a playfully irreverent fantasy world, but Rosie and Adam’s story is a sincere homage to folk tales and fairy stories that leans fully in to the high personal and cosmic stakes of them both. From the very beginning of the book, readers familiar with fairy tales are going to know exactly how the story is going to end, and that isn’t a bad thing—it’s an embrace of time-honored storytelling techniques that takes the reader along a very worthwhile journey.

Rosie is a funny, sassy daredevil who’s always felt left behind by her mortal friends and family. Adam is a self-isolating geek who falls hard and fast for Rosie’s flamboyant, gorgeous self. They’re easy to root for, and the way that their love story intertwines with the fabric of Tanria’s very reality is extremely satisfying as a reader who’s been watching Bannen’s worldbuilding unfold throughout the series.

I highly recommend that, if you even somewhat enjoyed the previous two Tanria books, you pick up this final installment. It’s a very satisfying conclusion.

Rosie Fox is beging to chafe against her decades long job patrolling Tanria for the Marshall's service. While checking the portals Rosie dies (again), which is fine because she is an immortal demigod, she notices shadowy vines and thorns are beginning to take over. Rosie is the only one that is able to see what is happening. Dr. Adam Lee is called in as the inventor of the portals to try to repair the damage. Rosie, Adam, Duckers and Zeddie Bridsall end up trapped on the other side of the portal. They must find their way home before time runs out. But while trapped feelings between both couples quickly become apparent.

I would give this more than five stars if I could. It is hard to say exactly how much I have loved this series and the final book was such a lovely send off. Megan Bannen has created such a fascinating world populated with some of the best characters I have come across in books. Rosie Fox and Dr. Adam Lee are another great pair. We need more stories where ultra tall babes and short kings get together. Their love story was sweet and funny. They had incredible chemistry and were willing to do anything for the other person. They each had their own interesting backstories happening through the book as well. I'm so glad we got the outcome to the series long will they won't they between Zeddie and Duckers. Those two hold such a special place in my heart. We also got to catch up with our previous couples Hart and Mercy & Twyla and Frank. This will be a series I revisit frequently. I can't wait to see what Megan does next.

Thank you to NetGalley and Orbit for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.

I absolutely adored this book. Rosie was such a funny MC. The entire story was so sweet and perfect and the love story with Adam was amazing. This entire series has been perfection and I truly hope that the author puts out more books. If this book is the end of the series, it was a perfect conclusion to a spectacular series.

The world that Megan Bannen has created is fun, quirky, and magical - I never want to leave! If you loved the first two installments, then “The Undercutting of Rosie and Adam” is a must read. Rosie is an immortal demigod. Living and loving is hard when you have to watch everyone die while you live on forever. There is one man whom she met 5 years ago that she hasn’t been able to stop thinking about. The inventor, Adam, must visit the border of Tania when a portal stops working. This adventure involves being stuck in Tanria, a mysterious vine, dragons, and beloved side characters.

For those who love:
🌹 Romantic Fantasy
🌹 Unique World-building
🌹 Slow Burn
🌹 Adventurous, High-Stakes Plot
🌹 Dragons
🌹 She’s a Tall Queen

Many thanks to the publisher and NetGalley for the opportunity to read this ARC.

This was another fun addition into this world Bannen has created. I loved coming back to Tanria and seeing all the familiar faces from the previous 2 books. This time we follow Rosie Fox; Tanrian Marshall who's also a demigod with a tendency to die on the job. Rosie as been partnered with Penrose Duckers and I loved seeing him older and more grown up since he was following around Frank and Twyla after Hart retired. Duckers has always been a favorite so getting more of him was great. Our POV character is Rosie though. The 2 are at the middle of an investigation surrounding the portals into Tanria malfunctioning because Rosie sees something inside one before it blows up in her face and she dies. Again. The illusive inventor of the portals, Adam Lee, is called in when the engineers cannot fix this issues.

Rosie has been holding a secret flame for Adam since she last saw him 5 years ago when he last came to work on the portals. The 2 are drawn to each other the entire time they're around each other while trying to fix the portals, failing, and then getting trapped in Tanria with Duckers' ex-boyfriend Zeddy as well. The 4 get up to some hi-jinx, have some emotional moments together, and also work through some issues together while opening up to each other. Despite the mutual pinning situation between Rosie and Adam, I felt like they caught feelings for each other way too fast. The first half of the book kind of dragged on but it was still enjoyable. The second half flew by much faster and a lot of portal jumping occurred which got slightly confusing before it made a lot of sense.

The way the epilogue ended makes it seem like this is the last book in this world which I'll be sad about because it means we don't get a Duckers/Zeddy book. But maybe that's okay. Everyone ended up where they needed to be in the end.

What's not to love about a hero who spends ninety percent of the book pining away in hopeless agony?" Ma'am.

Megan Bannen has crafted such a unique world and I'm genuinely sad to leave it. The juxtaposition (and integration) between a mostly normal and at times mundane world in Bushong and the fantastical delight that is Tanria has been so enjoyable to read about.

I loved getting to see Duckers and Zeddie again. Hart and Mercy continue to be some of my favorite characters ever. I really enjoyed learning more about the Old and New Gods, and their relationships and histories. I will say that I wasn't as invested in Rosie and Adam's relationship as I had hoped. This relationship definitely felt like the most insta-love of the series, even though nothing really happens between them until over halfway through. That being said, I still loved them. I loved the opposing personalities, the height difference, the age gap (lol).

The first two books lean more in the direction of interconnected standalones, but I think you'd do yourself and the story a disservice if you read Undercutting without reading having read Undertaking and Undermining. All in all, this really was the perfect end to a magical series. (If it has to end. If Bannen changes her mind and decides to write more I will eat them up.)

Eternal thanks to Orbit for the opportunity to read and review this ARC.