This is the third book in the Hart and Mercy series, and it definitely has some of the same vibes as the first two in the trilogy. It's unique, fantastical, and charming, with excellent banter and vivid world-building. I love Bannen's immersive writing style. Some scenes are so heartfelt and wonderful, while others are filled with tension and suspense. However, the main romance and some parts of the story fell a bit flat for me, and the story overall was missing that special something that captivated me in the first book.

I'm a little bummed because I loved Hart and Mercy and liked Twyla and Frank, so I kind of expected to love this one too. I did like that the characters from the first two books were in this one. Some time has passed, and it is so wonderful, and a bit heartbreaking, to see what's happened in all of their lives.

For me, Duckers and Zeddy stole the show. I've loved Duckers throughout this whole trilogy, and he didn't let me down in this book. He's so funny and loyal and caring, and I just adore him and his wonderful friendship with Rosie. I also love, love, love the banter. The dialogue is absolutely top-notch.

The fantasy elements are great too, especially the dragons. You can never go wrong with dragons!! That being said, some of the plot points were outlandish, especially toward the end, and the romance between Rosie and Adam fell flat for me. I feel like it went from work acquaintances to love very quickly with little build-up, and I just didn't feel the chemistry between them. It also annoyed me how much Rosie's lingerie was brought up. It was talked about so much that each became an eye-roll moment for me.

Overall, this was just an ok read. It was my least favorite in the series, though there were some great, stand-out scenes that made it worth the read. Thanks to Orbit Books and NetGalley for providing me with a copy of the book. All thoughts are my own.

This was a fun little adventure romance and I really enjoyed getting into it. The setting was really fun, and I really enjoyed Rosie throughout.

Thanks so much for letting me read this ARC!

I was not ready for this series to end. I put off reading it until I was mentally in a headspace to read it. I am not typically a fantasy girl, but there is something about this world that will suck you in. The humor is unmatched, the characters are all perfect, and the storylines are soso different.
When the portals between Tanria and the other world are broken, the engineer who created them is called in, Adam. He and Rosie have meet in the past, felt a spark, but ... life happens. Now the two are together again, essentially stuck in Tanria due to the portal issue. This was a happy ending to the series.

[There is a time jump of 10ish years in this, so be prepared. Duckers is no longer a rookie cop, but a seasoned veteran. He and Zeddy have broken up since then, but are successful in their own rights, there is more to play with them, but I won't give spoilers. I know we don't get the entire novel for them, but they have their time to shine in this one too]

Immortal demigod Rosie Fox can die, but she resurrects each time. After one hundred and fifty-seven years of being alive, watching partners, friends and family journey into the unknown waters of death, she's feeling abandoned. But the Tanria portals are starting to glitch. She's eletrocuted and recovers but she's the only one who can see the magical thorns growing out of the damaged portal. Dr. Adam Lee, portal inventor, is called to repair the damage. All the portals begin to fail one by one, and the evacuations are incomplete leaving Rosie and Adam trapped inside the Mist. Together.

Why I started this book: Requested an ARC because of my love for [book:The Undertaking of Hart and Mercy|58510253] and this wonderfully strange world.

Why I finished it: Delightful romantic mess with the problem of living forever and how that changes how you move through the world and the choices you make. Perfect summer romance about death, life and the power of finding someone who understands you.

Another delightful jaunt through Tanria - well, maybe not as delightful for our protagonists, who are stuck in Tanria. But delightful for me as a reader!

One of the standout aspects of this series (aside from the cuteness and the fun of it all) has been the world. It's generally second to the plot and the relationship-building, but has always been what sets these books apart to me. And in this one, the world of Tanria steps into the spotlight in quite a major way.

I feel like Megan Bannen has done an excellent job across the three books of making it feel like a neighbourhood with the characters, and the cameos never feel forced. I quite loved the appearances of Hart in this book, which is growth for me as he was testing me in the first book with all his "she's so hot she's making me sexist" bs (not a direct quote) (is a direct quote from Flight of the Conchords). There's so much personality injected in all the side characters, I love it.

I'm never a reader for the romance, and these books are more romance-forward in the plot than my usual reads, but they're just such a good time and there's a lot of other things to enjoy on top of some romance. So all that to say, I do think the romance of this one was a bit underbaked and one of the weaker aspects. They've truly known each other for - let me check my hypothetical notes here - 5ish days? And they're professing their love for one another? It's okay to slow down a bit, my dudes. You can be horny for one another without declaring yourselves soulmates and never being out of each other's sight again!

I had been very excited to get a Rosie book, as I loved her as a side character in the previous two books, though there were times that I thought perhaps she worked better as a side character overall - but I still really did adore her as a character. And Adam was wonderful as well! They did have chemistry, I got their attraction to one another, but I do wish it had a bit more time to just breathe in the back half of the book.

I ultimately did have a slight preference for the other two books, but all three did put a smile on my face even if this third book wasn't the Duckers/Zeddie-led book that we deserved.

All in all, a very cute, super fun series that has a fully-realized world and if you need a happy little romance read, then I would very easily recommend any of the three books in the series.

Thank you to the publisher, Orbit, and to NetGalley for the ARC.

⭐️⭐️⭐️ (3/5)

I enjoyed returning to the familiar world of this series and appreciated the cameos from previous characters. Rosie, the main character, was a highlight for me. I loved how she tries to embrace her immortality, her body, and her bold, unapologetic personality. However, her obsession with lingerie didn’t land for me.

That said, the main storyline didn’t fully pull me in. I found myself less invested in the dynamic between Rosie and Adam, and more curious about the side characters—especially Duckers and Zeddie. At times, it felt like their story had more tension and heart than the central romance. While I’m glad I read it, I didn’t feel the same spark as I have with earlier books in the series.

Thanks to NetGalley for providing me with this arc in exchange for my honest review.

I was really looking forward to Rosie and Adam’s story and wrapping up the series. While I enjoyed parts of it, this one didn’t hit the same as the first book for me.

There’s still the usual banter/humor that’s been consistent throughout the series. However, the romance itself felt a bit rushed, and too much on the instalove side of things than I prefer. It lost some depth because of it.

That said, I’m still really glad I read it. It was sweet, familiar, and there’s something satisfying about seeing the final couple get their moment and things all wrapping up.

Thanks to Orbit Books and NetGalley for the ARC!

4.25 stars!

What I love about these books is that they are always so fresh! Without giving away spoilers, I was nervous after Hart and Rosie had a conversation that it was going to go the way of The Undertaking of Hart and Mercy but Megan put a fresh little spin on it and it was completely different (and thank goodness because the last 20% of Hart and Mercy *destroyed* me).

I adored Adam's seriousness and how he tried to remain in control of himself at all times. The dry humor was so fun. I loved Rosie's lack of filter. It made the banter so much fun.

What I didn't enjoy was how many stories we had to read. The Salt Sea, the Briar Thief (which eventually made sense). It's a me problem, I get bored when there is a story in a story, but because this is a fantasy world, we don't "pre" know the beliefs.

This was so fun! I've loved this series so far, and getting yet another aspect of it was so great! Rosie is a demigod, and is immortal, so she takes far more risks thank her partner can handle! We see Penrose Ducker again here, and we go in an entirely new adventure.

The portals are down, and no one knows why. They've called in Dr. Lee, or Adam, to help with the glitch. But Rosie knows she saw something inside, just no one else seems to be able to see it. For now. Life and death, science and magic, everything comes together for a twist at the end that left me with my jaw open!

5/5 ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
This book was the perfect conclusion to the fantasy rom-com world Megan Bannen created! I absolutely adored Rosie from her first “my dude”. Her unabashed love of quality undergarments and sassy personality made her one of my favorite FMC’s! The return of Duckers, the hands-down best side character ever written, the deeper exploration of the gods, and the scrumptious slow-burn romance with the uptight Dr. Adam made this an incredibly fun and magical third installment!

Thank you @orbitbooks_us and @netgalley for this advanced copy. You can pick up this book in less than a month on July 8th!!

What I loved:
- witty banter & humor
- charismatic & tall FMC
- short king
- opposites-attract
- forced proximity
- side characters second chance (MM)
- satisfying conclusion
- gods & demigods
- spice

Megan Bannen brings her trilogy of stories set in the strange, magical world of Tanria to a close with her affecting new novel, The Undercutting of Rosie and Adam. Rosie Fox’s life has been a lot less interesting since her friend got rid of Tanria’s biggest danger (see The Undertaking of Hart and Mercy). The discovery of adorable dragons by another pair of friends (see The Undermining of Twyla and Frank) has rendered the formerly lethal territory into a tourist destination. There’s just not enough danger in these parts for Rosie until the portals that provide the only safe route into Tanria go on the fritz.

Rosie has been chaffing in her much more restricted role of Tanrian Marshall for years. She hates that she has to wear a boring khaki uniform and actually follow regulations these days. It doesn’t help that Rosie is immortal and has been growing a bit weary of routine in general. She’s pretty done with her occasional deaths, too, especially since her resurrections weird everyone out. Her latest death came from smacking a malfunctioning portal (it works about 50% of the time, she declares). To make things worse, Rosie wakes up to the news that Dr. Adam Lee has been summoned to work on the machines. The last time Rosie encountered Adam, she caught feelings.

I expected romance and a magical mystery from The Undercutting of Rosie and Adam. This book certainly delivered. What I didn’t expect was a trickster. I’ve always loved a trickster story. Who doesn’t love a character who mocks the elite? Who upsets the status quo? Who has a ribald sense of humor? Who teaches unexpected lessons on top of all that? The trickster in this novel is one of the darker ones. (No one is getting the god of thunder dressed up in a wedding dress here.) Rosie’s father is this world’s trickster, a very narcissistic trickster who pops in and out of his daughter’s life on a whim. That said, this character kept me wondering if he was pulling strings in the background or if he was going to get tangled up in his own webs.

I love a trilogy that not only delivers amazing episodes but also builds to a big conclusion that ties everything together. This makes summarizing The Undercutting of Rosie and Adam tricky because there’s quite a bit of lore baked into the plot. Readers should definitely start with The Undertaking of Hart and Mercy and read the series in order to fully understand what’s going on with Rosie, Adam, and the mysterious, shadowy plant that seems to be destroying Tanria. Not only is there lore, but characters from the first two entries in the series reappear in cameos (which I love). Now that the last book in the trilogy is due out next month, readers can binge all three—which I am certain a lot of readers will want to do.

A giant thank you to Orbit Books and NetGalley for the opportunity to read this book!

I have been a huge fan of this series since The Undertaking of Hart & Mercy and to be honest I’m so so so sad that it’s ended! This was a phenomenal wrap up
to the series and there were quite a few twists and turns I didn’t see coming! Duckers is again such a fantastic supporting character and really added a ton of substance and personality to this book, much like the previous books. Similarly to The Undermining of Twyla & Frank I wish we had dual point of view (I was a bit spoiled by the first book) but overall I’m ecstatic to give this book five stars! I will miss Tanria, the dragons, and—of course—Saltlicker.

I am a huge fan of Megan Bannen’s Hart & Mercy world, so I literally screamed when I got the approval to read the third and (sadly) final installment.

I will say, this was a bit of a disappointment though for it being the last one in the series. Hart & Mercy and Twyla & Frank were SO much fun. Unputdownable, and the romance was wonderfully developed in each.

I didn’t think the romance was as well …executed in this one. Rosie and Adam barely had any chemistry in my opinion before they decided to get together. And the plot lulled around the 60-80% mark when that happened. The pacing fell off in the middle chunk of the book and dare I say I was bored.

The ending when they went into the underworld ended up saving the book for me, especially with the sacrifices that were made. I liked Adam’s lore, I thought that was interesting and it felt somehow reminiscent of Greek myth which I adore.

A sad end to one of my favorite worlds, but I wish had more spark to it.

I can't believe the world of Tanria is over!! I'm so sad to see this series completed, but boy it was such a fun ride. This interconnected standalone trilogy is probably one of my favorites of all time. Each book from Megan is unique and wonderful in its own way. I have fallen in love with each main couple and silly animal delivering mail, as well as howled in laughter over various shenanigans featuring an evil hedgehog, dragons, and/or Duckers. Rosie and Adam were the perfect addition to this series and I loved the whole giant demi-god paired with a petite man (aka pocket man). Their dynamic was refreshing and exactly what I needed when I picked this up. I've said it before and I'll say it again, I wish I could live in Tanria for real. If you haven't had the pleasure of reading any book in the Hart and Mercy series, definitely move it up on your TBR stack as a favor to yourself. I will most likely recommend Megan Bannen for the rest of my days and revisit some of her fantastic stories time after time.

Thank you to Orbit, NetGalley, and the author for sending me an early copy!

Gosh I love this series. While I guess this could be read without reading the first 2, I think it would be very confusing and plus the first book is my favorite and you should 1000% read it.

This world is wild and I really enjoyed seeing the lore get built up in each installment. Zombies to Dragons to Portals and Gods? Yes please. Also I LOVED that Duckers is our constant partner in these adventures. He is such a delight and watching him grow up throughout the trilogy was a hilarious and enjoyable ride (I mean he was an adult in the first book, but like a baby adult).

Rosie is such a fun character and I love her fashion focus - gotta get those fancy boots and immaculate intimates - and her constant distain for the Marshal's uniforms was hilarious. I'm so glad we got to spend a book with her cause she seemed like a hoot from the peeks we got of her in the other books - and a hoot she was. Adam was a grump in like the best way where his genuine kindness was constantly leaking through. They were an adorable match and can I get 3 cheers for Rosie being so much taller than him!?

Worldbuilding wise, having one of the demigods godly parent be available to pop in at any time was a new interesting dynamic and I really felt for both of them just never quite being in the same place for their relationship. I thought the ending wrapped up the story very well and overall it was an excellent ending to a series that I've enjoyed so much.

Thank you to NetGalley and Orbit Books for the arc in exchange for a honest review.

This was a solid final book in the series in terms of world and overall plot, but it still fell short of the first book for me.

I really enjoyed being back in this world, but I had the same issues with this one as I did with Twyla and Frank: the romance seemed lacking in both chemistry and building of the relationship. I think a lot of that had to do with Hart & Mercy being dual POV and both of the other books being single POV. Since we didn't get to see both sides of the relationship, the attraction between Rosie and Adam felt told and not shown with them finally declaring their love towards the end of the book. I also hated how he was referred to as a pocket boyfriend. For some reason it just reeeaaallyyy didn't work for me. I was also disappointed with the way the parent relationship was handled in this one at the end.

The plot and the overall conflict in the world were still fun as usual. The tone of the series shifted after the first book, so the 2nd and 3rd books are a little more lighthearted. That does fit with the events of the series, so it's not a jarring change. And the cameos of characters from the first 2 books are nice to see, along with Duckers having a larger role in this one.

In general I had a good time with this, but wasn't fully invested in the main relationship. Would read more from the author and in this world, but won't be running out to buy a copy.

3.75/5

Few series have delighted and entertained me quite as much as Megan Bannen's Hart and Mercy series and it's finale, The Undercutting of Adam and Rosie, is just as charming, entertaining, unique and entertaining. Dynamic characters, creative as all get out, it is a entirely enjoyable read.

Three books in, and I still think it's really difficult to top The Undertaking of Hart & Mercy, but honestly bless Megan Bannen for continually trying. I'm always so delighted by these bonkers books.

Rosie and Adam were very sweet, and while I feel like they were a bit under-developed individually, I thought Bannen tackled their stoic/sunshine dynamic well. This installment definitely feels like an epilogue for Tanria and the series as a whole, and I think these characters carried the ending through quite well.

I really wish Duckers and Zeddie had their own book, though. I could feel Bannen trying to give them a satisfying conclusion alongside Rosie and Adam's adventure, but the timeline of the series has unfortunately skipped over some of their best parts. Fingers crossed for at least a novella at some point to give them their proper due 🤞

Such a delightful series overall! I already can't wait to reread these.

I fell in love with this series early on and book 3 is no exception. Megan knows how to write a perfect cozy fantasy that doesn’t leave you in a slump. Rosie and Adam are such a power dynamic and so well written. The originality of Megan’s work is absolutely perfect.

The third and final installment of the series, these books do not work as a standalone. This was a beautiful conclusion to a series I will always hold dear in my heart.

The wild and zany world building continues to grow in this novel. I thought the look into immortality was interesting and satisfying. The romance was swoon worthy and the humor continues to hit. A beautiful final installment.

Thank you to NetGalley and Orbit Books for the arc in exchange for a honest review.