I really loved The Undertaking of Hart and Mercy. It made me sob near the end and I loved all the characters and it was just so good. Unfortunately, I felt the exact opposite with The Undermining of Twyla and Frank. I was so hoping this book was closer to the first one than the second one and I will say I did like it better than Twyla and Frank, but it's nowhere near the high of Hart and Mercy.

First off, I do not understand why there is a ten year time jump between this book and the last one. It makes no sense. The only reasons I could see were to make the death of a minor character be less sudden, but I think that death was just there to shove exposition about the world in, because other than that initial moment of grief, we never really see anyone upset about it. The other reason it to set up that the vines have been taking over Tanria for a while, but seeing as no one an see the vines/Rosie doesn't notice them for years, it could have easily been said to start before the start of book one.

So the major romance is between Rosie and Adam. I don't see the chemistry. Okay, but there's one point where Rosie is like "Maybe the reason I love you is because you're the opposite of my dad" and the face I made was not pretty. I felt like Adam and Rosie really had one very uncommon commonality and that was kind of the reason they fell in love with each other. Otherwise, I did not feel the tension. Rosie is attracted to him, but it felt like too much too quickly with nothing backing it up. Zeddie and Duckers, two prominent side characters from the previous books, also get stuck in Tanria with Rosie and Adam, so we kind of get a side view of their relationship rekindling and it was frustrating because I wanted to see it fully. Then, sorry for the spoiler, because of stuff happening at the end of the book, we don't even get to see their wedding???

The plot itself was not as compelling as I hoped it would be. While I understand the characters getting stuck in Tanria and the vines starting to strangle the landscape was bad, there didn't feel like there was any urgency. The story really doesn't pick up until the very end and it was just too little too late.

Overall, I would recommend Hart and Mercy as a standalone. The second and third books just don't live up to the promise of that first book and it absolutely works as a standalone.

So much wow! I can hardly form words right now, because my mind is still reeling from this book. The series started out strong and ended even stronger!

The writing: Linguistically, this book is a delight. The play between common, every-day banter alongside eloquent descriptive details is remarkably hard to pull off, yet this book merges the two still elegantly.

The story: There is excellent use of tension and intrigue. I could hardly stand to be parted from this book, as I was in a constant state of needing to know what was going to happen next.

The subtext: I didn't know it was possible for a book to be so light and simultaneously so heavy. I smiled and I cried and I stewed in my thoughts, because this one really made me think. Deep—so deep.

This book is a reminder of the complex nature of families—and the complex nature of people. It is a reminder of the importance of life. It is an acknowledgment of both the strength and fragility of families. It is celebration and a dirge.

A very satisfying conclusion to a fantastic series.

This was ridiculous, but entertaining enough for me to finish it. The secrets that Rosie and Adam were stupid. There was no reason to keep them secrets and if Adam would have told everyone his, then they could've figured out how to fix everything much sooner.

This is a really good cozy romantic fantasy! It’s got lots of mystery, adventure, and comedy. I love the FMC’s sass and all the quirky side characters. This reminded me of Gena Showakter’s writing style a little. I had so much fun reading this. It was great that it wasn’t a huge fantasy world with complicated magic and hard to say names.
I love the characters’ terrible jokes. I think Rosie’s obsession with “intimate apparel” is hilarious. I’m OBSESSED with the fact that Adam wears glasses. That’s so rare in fantasy books. This is book three in a series (Hart and Mercy) but you can read it as a standalone.
The ending was good and wrapped the book up nicely!

Gosh, this series feels so out of my comfort zone, but every time I pick up one of Megan Bannen's stories I simply do not want to put it down. The Undercutting of Rosie and Adam transports the reader back to Tanria to hear a new cozy, lovely, sweet story in a wacky, creative, and truly original world. I love Bannen's continued choices away from traditional romance tropes and characterizations, and Rosie and Adam have a special place in my heart. I'm so glad we learned more about Rosie, a background character in the first two books, and her unlikely match in Adam. Also, the fact that we have the reverse trope in size (tall, strong, oh and IMMORTAL Rosie vs. short, suit-clad Adam) is so refreshing. Bannen's continued subtle world building is unmatched. I learn something new every time I pick up a book in this setting, and it never feels tedious or time consuming. I will read every book in this series without fail; they're the perfect cozy fall or rainy day read. Thank you SO much for the opportunity to receive and read this ARC!

Many thanks to NetGalley and Orbit for the preview. All opinions are my own.

4+ stars

I'm so sad to say goodbye to this world and these characters, but this was a great conclusion. We got more lore than ever before, more found family, more sparkly dragons, and more characters that just tug at your heartstrings. This felt a little less romance-forward; the burn was extra slooooooow, and the in-world problems were heightened. But the end was so so sweet.

Rosie is larger than life on both the outside and inside; she's absolutely hilarious. Adam is so stoic and buttoned up. I do sometimes struggle with romances where one character is so quiet and where we don't get their POV. It's very hard for me to buy into the romance when I can't see the pining. But they are a perfect match, and their backstories really added to it. I absolutely got a little choked up at the end, but it was great.

I can't possibly end my review without an ode to Duckers, the best sidekick and side character ever. I'm so happy that although he never got a full book of his own, he did get the HEA he so richly deserved. All hail, Penrose Duckers.

While I really love the creativity of this world, I did not love this book I struggled with these two characters as a couple and didn't feel like there was a connection or any chemistry between them.

Thank you to NetGalley and Orbit for providing me with a digital ARC of this novel!

I very much enjoyed the first two books in the Hart and Mercy trilogy. The series has so many positive things going for it - Megan Bannen balances cozy fantasy with romance, while also weaving a unique, adventurous plot into each book. The world is so charming that it fills me with happiness whenever I'm reading one of the books. The third installment is exactly what I expected, and it concludes the series well. I've been in a bit of a reading slump, and The Undercutting of Rosie and Adam was the first novel I've read in months that actually grabbed my attention and made me excited each time I sat down to read it. It's really good!

The story picks up ten years after The Undermining of Twyla and Frank. It follows Rosie, a 157 year-old, immortal demigod marshal who is feeling stuck in her life. The portals in Tanria start acting weirdly, so their well-dressed, yet reserved inventor, Adam Lee, is called in to take a look. Things take an unfortunate turn, and Rosie, Adam, Duckers (Rosie's work partner for the past decade), and a fourth character I won't spoil get stuck on their own in Tanria. Rosie must help the group find a way out of the Mist, even as she realizes that it's not so bad to be stuck in close proximity to Adam. The story features dragons, mysterious growing vines, and even has cameos from or updates on most of the other characters from the first two stories. While you will probably follow this installment just fine if you haven't read either of the two preceding books, I highly recommend reading them both before you pick this one up; otherwise, you'll miss out on so many rewarding references.

This is a great conclusion to the series. The first two books are actually fairly tonally different from each other. Hart and Mercy has high stakes and a lot of dark content, while Twyla and Frank is way cozier with less urgency. Rosie and Adam bridges the gaps between the two perfectly. It has a lot of parallels to Hart and Mercy, and the vibes are more similar to that book overall. However, it keeps some of the lightheartedness and warmth that was so present in Twyla and Frank. If you liked either book in the series, I think you'll be satisfied with this one. My favorite thing about this series is the fascinating setting of Tanria, so I was delighted that we got to spend so much time there in this book. Rosie and Adam may be my favorite of the three novels, because it features all of my favorite things about the series in one story.

As with the first two books, the characters truly shine in this novel. Rosie is probably my favorite FMC of the series. I love how honest and true to herself she is, no matter what is happening around her. She's super likable; I enjoyed reading the book from her perspective. Adam is also a fairly compelling love interest, especially when we finally learn his backstory. I thought the author did a good job of fleshing him out, even though we only learn about him through what he is willing to share with Rosie. Of course, all of the side characters are amazing - especially Duckers! I loved seeing his growth over the years. There are plenty of lovable creatures, as well - including Mary Georgina, a new nimkilm, and more.

Another thing I appreciated was seeing the author's writing grow in this book. One of my critiques of Twyla and Frank was that the overarching themes were a little heavy handed, but that wasn't an issue this time. The author still had a few small things she repeated frequently, but I didn't feel like much of the story was spent repeating plot points that had already been established. Everything had a purpose, and it all came together beautifully at the end. Sometimes it's hard with fantasy to write a mystery in which the reader can guess about what might happen next, since there are often so many wild possibilities, but Megan Bannen did a fabulous job of setting up the mystery and dropping clues without making anything too obvious. I thought the pacing was better in this book than in its predecessors, as well.

I have a couple of critiques, but they are very minor. One is that I would have loved to have seen more of Duckers' romance play out. So many things developed while Rosie was not in the room, which makes sense, given the plot, but was a tad disappointing after following Duckers so closely throughout the series. I almost wish this book had been about him, with Rosie and Adam as the side characters (even though I adored Rosie!). Or even a short story concluding the series from his point of view would have been cool. Additionally, I thought the romance between Rosie and Adam veered slightly into instalove territory. I liked how easily they got together (not all romances need to be focused on the will-they-won't-they trope), but I would have liked to have seen a few more scenes in which they were alone and building their connection before they actually realized their feelings for one another. Lastly, and this has been a critique of mine throughout the series, I think the author could have shown more of Tanria and expanded the worldbuilding. Since the characters were stuck there, I was hoping we'd see some new places and creatures, but they mostly stayed in the same places we already knew about. If you're a fan of the old gods and new gods lore, you'll be happy, because that is fleshed out well in this book. I just wish Tanria had been similarly developed more.

Overall, though, I would argue that this is the strongest book in the series. It's been such a joy to read these novels, and the author concluded everything on a good note. I'm sad to see the series ending, but happy that it was wrapped up so well. There are no loose ends, which is always nice! I definitely recommend this to anyone who enjoyed the first two books. If you haven't read The Undertaking of Hart and Mercy, but you like quirky romantasy books, you should definitely go read that one first!

4 out of 5 stars.

I love this series with my whole heart, and it’s bittersweet to see it come to an end. Every single story was a five star read for me. This is just cozy fantasy romance at its best. An interesting and cute world, great characters, fun plot, and themes that are important and handled with nuance and care. The banter is top tier. And I LOVE that these characters are full on adults. They have their own lives and backstory and aren’t necessarily just participating in the story for the romance.

Rosie & Adam are precious. I love that it takes someone as funny and carefree as Rosie to break Adam out of his shell. Grumpy / Sunshine at its best. The forced proximity was great. I LOVED how caring they were with each others immortality. Ugh. Perfection.

You simply must read this series if you love cozy fantasy.

I loved this and am crying that it’s over 😭😭 it was the perfect ending to this trilogy. I enjoyed that there was seemingly little conflict in this story, because I needed everything to wrap up nicely. As much as I loved Rosie and Adam together, I was super pleased to see Duckers and Zeddie again too!!

The Undercutting of Rosie and Adam: the third (and final it seems) book in the Tanria series. I love this world that Meg Bannen created and it was fun to be back in it!

This time, the story takes place 10 years after the last book and is told from Rosie’s perspective, a Tanrian Marshal and a Demi-god who can’t die. The portals into Tanria start to breakdown and Rosie and her partner Duckers (my fave) must escort the creator of the portals, Adam, into Tanria to fix them. There is a bigger mystery as to why the portals are shutting down and the team needs to figure it out or be stuck on the other side of the mist forever.

We met Rosie in Hart and Mercy’s book so it was fun to finally learn more about her. I found the character of Adam a bit dull at times, but that was kinda his personality. Of course my fave character was Duckers and I was so happy to see him partnered with Rosie.

The tropes:
- forced proximity 🌫️
- Second chance romance 👨‍❤️‍💋‍👨
- Grumpy/sunshine 🥀
- Found family 🐉

I really loved the pace of the first half of the book but I found I kinda of zoned out in the last 30% on some of the details on the world building. But despite this, I enjoyed the story and the mystery component. Hart and Mercy was still my favourite of the series (and one of my fave reads of 2024) but this book tied up the series nicely with all the previous characters making appearances. . Thank you to Orbit Books for providing this book for consideration via NetGalley. All opinions are my own.

✨The Undercutting of Rosie & Adam✨

Author: Megan Bannen
Release: July 8, 2025

And we are BACK in Megan’s magical world full of water/land vehicles, cuddly dragons, demigods, and hilarious banter. Set 10 years after books 1&2, we get to follow Rosie Fox, the lovable and sunny demigod Marshal who we have met briefly in the previous installments.

Rosie and Duckers are at it again when a mysterious shadowy thing that only Rosie can see begins to cause issues with their portals to Tanria. Calling in the inventor of these portals, Adam Lee, they escort him through Tanria as the infestation grows and the portals trap them within. As they seek an escape as well as the cause, Rosie, Duckers, and Adam learn that the answers are much deeper and older than they imagined.

Character cameos from books 1&2 bring such nostalgia, Rosie and Duckers are utterly hilarious, and a love that blossoms from finding someone who understands you takes us through the pages from cover to cover. No one ever realizes how lonely immortality can be until they experience the loss after loss. I laughed and smiled so much. The stakes are low. The plot cozy. And the banter kept the pace steady.

Tropes you may find in TUORAA are grumpy x sunshine, forced proximity, golden retriever FMC, meddling gods, living legends, found family, sloooooow burn, low spice, banter, low stakes, unique magical world, and a HEA.

Thank you, Megan, Orbit Books, and Netgalley for this gifted arc. it’s been such a pleasure to be in this world again!

eARC Review: The Undercutting of Rosie and Adam by Megan Bannen
Pub Date: July 8th

Thank you to Orbit for the eARC and for @daniallreads organizing the traveling ARC! All thoughts and opinions are my own and I am leaving this review voluntarily.

Oh MY, friends!!! If you've been around here for a while you know that The Undertaking of Hart and Mercy is one of my all time favorite books, so much so that I've reread it multiple times! And here we are with our last book in this series and I am just so bereft to be leaving Tanria!!

BUT - this was the absolutely perfect ending to the series! I loved the overarching plot and the mystery of it all and I really liked the romance and how it grew gradually over the book. This will absolutely be one that I reread (can't wait for the audio!). The book follows Rosie, Demigod and Tanrian Marshall, who is tasked with helping figure out why strange thorns are taking over the portals into the mist. The Marshalls call upon engineer Adam Lee to get to the bottom of this mystery - and it just so happens that Rosie hasn't stopped thinking about Adam since their last encounter. But Adam might know more than he's letting on...

I think the romance here does take a teensy bit of a backseat to the overarching plot but honestly I was having so much with the plot and trying to figure out what was going on. I actually read a huge portion of this in one day because I absolutely just did not want to put it down! I also absolutely loved to see the cameos of characters from the other books, which is something I missed a bit from the second book. I did get quite emotional at the beginning of the book for spoilery reasons but it was just so nice to see all the characters from the past books!

Outside of this, my favorite part of the book? That would be PENROSE DUCKERS, my friends!!! Duckers is a fan favorite for good reason and I just absolutely continue to adore him - he brings so much humor to this series and I just LOVE HIM, OKAY???

Anyways, highly recommend this whole series and I'm going to go re-listen to Hart and Mercy now...

What a journey it has been in Tanria/Eternity/Bushong! I really liked this final entry in the series, which really explored a lot of the mythology/lore of this world, including the Old Gods and the New Gods that we've learned bits and pieces about in the other books. This seems to be set about 10 years after the first book, and it features Tanrian Marshal Rosie Fox, an immortal woman who is not afraid to test her immortality in the name of her job. Rosie stumbles upon an anomaly in the portals that allow travel to and from Tanria, and she and her partner (Penrose Duckers, who will be familiar to other readers of the series) are assigned to work with Dr. Adam Lee, the professor who happens to be the inventor of those portals, as they try to repair them. If you liked the first two, you'll like this one - we've got the adorable Tanrian dragons, a wise-cracking female main character who is Working Through Some Things, more world-building, a whole bunch of opposites attract sexual tension, and stakes that feel pretty high. A great way to end a very inventive series!

Wow I just love, love, love this series!! Each couple is full of so much heart and genuine connection, and Rosie and Adam are no different. I adored how careful they were with each other, from the period behind the veil to the big showdown at the end, they were always putting the other one first. As always, the worldbuilding was intriguing and easy to understand, and I loved seeing the cameos from past characters, especially ten years on! Also… Duckers and Zeddie story when? I NEED it. Overall, I adored this story as much as its predecessors and will continue returning to Megan’s soft hearted, hilarious and emotional romantasy again and again.

The Undercutting of Rosie and Adam is the third installment in the Hart & Mercy series by Megan Bannen. It follows Rosie, a demigod and Tanrian marshall who is immortal, and Adam, the inventor of the gate into Tanria. After experiencing some issues with the portal and noticing a shadow inside that nobody else is able to see, Rosie finds herself dead (again). Dr. Adam Lee is called in to repair the portal. After venturing into Tanria to see if they can find the root of the problem, Rosie and Adam (along with Duckers and Zeddie), find a mysterious briar quickly overtaking the entire place. They end up trapped there (along with Duckers and Zeddie), and have to race to keep the whole realm from being destroyed.

This book is the only one in the series written in a single POV (Rosie's). I did feel sad not being able to have Adam's perspective, but Rosie is so lovable and funny that you don't end up missing it much. I loved seeing the history and mythology of Tanria and Eternity being expanded. In the first two books we have mentions of the Old Gods and New Gods, how Tanria was made, etc. In this book Megan Bannen really breaks down lore specific to The Briar Thief, The Salt Sea, and The Trickster. I loved having those characters appear, among other gods, and found them all to be really unique and charming. We get to see many characters from the previous books pop back in. I love that Hart and Mercy have started a family, that Duckers is still playing matchmaker, and that even The Warden makes an appearance. Rosie and Adam have amazing chemistry and banter. I love how Adam slowly opens up and Rosie's increasing list of cute nicknames (Dr. Sassafrass and Tiger are my favorites). There is a little bit of spice, but it's on the mild side and only one dedicated scene in the whole book.

Overall, I think this is my favorite book in the series. Rosie really stole my heart, and the world building is so great. I'm sad this is the final book, but am so happy I found this series. It's beautifully written, funny, sad, heartwarming, and just fun.

As a bonus, please enjoy the (increasingly unhinged) notes from my read!

Chapter 3:
Really love the expanding on the mythology of Tanria. It's written so beautifully!

Chapter 4:
Appreciate seeing Hart and Mercy again. I love that their family has grown.

Chapter 5:
RoFo and Penny D is the buddy cop comedy of the year!

Chapter 6:
Is it a requirement of all deadbeat dads to call their children "kiddo" and refer to themselves as "your dear old dad"? Asking for a friend...

The friend is me.

Chapter 8:
This whole last part had me holding my breath. Of course it's Zeddie and Duckers trapped!

Chapter 9:
Yes! Saltlicker still kickin' 10 years later!

I could cut the tension of this chapter with a knife. Dr. Sassafrass 🤣🤣🤣

Chapter 10:
Tanria is the Upside Down. I'm waiting for the demogorgons to make an appearance. Also I screeched at "That's my hankerchief"!


Chapter 11:
It's getting more like the Upside Down, but with significantly more outrage over more unflattering undies!

Chapter 12:
Plot prediction: Rosie and Adam are reincarnations of The Briar Thief and the god who cried the Salt Sea. The thorny vines are visible to them for this reason.

Duckers is the annoying younger brother that everyone in this series needs at any given time, and I love him.

Chapter 14:
Plot prediction: Adam is also immortal. That's why he is afraid of dragons. I was waiting for Rosie to start screaming "Panties! Glorious panties!" When she opened the box from Mercy 🤣

Chapter 15:
Yay! Mary Georgina makes an appearance!

Chapter 16:
Gah I hope Z and P get together by the end of the book.

Chapter 17:
Rosie is gonna hve to go to the house before they can get out. And find the source of the vines.

Chapter 18:
I FREAKING KNEW IT!!!!!!!!!

Chapter 19:
OMG OMG I FREAKING KNEW IT!!!!!!

Chapter 21:
All this tension is going to kill me!

Chapter 22:
Everyone is in love and the portal is fixed. Something devastating is about to happen.

Chapter 23:
DEVASTATION! ABSOLUTE DEVASTATION (in both a good and bad way)!

Chapter 24:
The slow-burn was totally worth it. Rosebud 😍😍😍😍

Chapter 25:
I love the character growth and seeing them process old traumas.

Chapter 26:
Adam is gonna have to go through the door. I'm ready to be devastated again.

Chapter 28:
Love that The Warden and Hart's mom made an appearance. I got choked up when mentioned Hart, Mercy, and their kids. Also, WTF Salt Sea!

Chapter 29:
Hot damn, I love a good redemption. BRB, gotta go bawl my eyes out!

Chapter 30:
This book has expanded the Tanria universe and lore so much. I wished for more elaboration in the first two books and I'm so happy to find it in the third.

Chapter 31:
NGL, that letter freaking wrecked me!

Netgalley provided me with free ARC of this book. My review, and subsequent increasingly unhinged notes, are my own honest opinions.

This was such a great conclusion to the world of Tanria.

This book follows Rosie and Adam as they race to save the world of the living while being trapped in Tanria. It’s here they explore saving fears and facing immortality, a challenge really hard to grasp for those who never face it.

This book is full of banter, hard conversations about grief, love, and family, and very cute and funny. We see all of our old favorite friends from the previous two books and get the Zeddy/Ducker answers we all were waiting for too.

Definitely a perfect way to end the series.

This was such a fun book! I have really enjoyed reading this series. I highly recommend this series! It is very well written.

This series is so outlandish but so fun! I haven’t enjoyed the sequels as much as the first in the series, but this still had no shortage of entertaining banter, otherworldly plots, and tons of adventure. Rosie & Adam were a fun couple to follow, though they didn’t really convince me until about 70% of the way through, even though Rosie was “in love” well before that. Not quite insta-love, but a touch. We got to see more of the gods and lore of this world in this book, which I also enjoyed learning about.

Wow. What an incredible conclusion to this series of interconnected standalones in the brilliant world of Tanria. Did I cry? YES. That ending was absolutely fantastic. I am going to miss the autoducks, equimaris, and MEEPing dragons so much.

I loved Rosie and Adam as a couple. Their love was probably the slowest burn out of all the couples. Additionally, I loved them so much as a couple. They both had such incredible backstories and grew together as a couple.

Read this book if you like:

🧡forced proximity
🧡dislike to lovers
🧡fantasy world with dragons
🧡found family
🧡a questionable story involving a 🦈

Thank you so much to Megan Bannen and Orbit Books for the eARC of this book!!