I can almost always rate my favorite books within a series. I simply can’t with this trilogy. Each book is as amazing as the last and has its own special qualities. The Undercutting of Rosie & Adam is no different.

This book had a little bit of everything I’ve come to love from this trilogy- the banter, the jokes, the wonderfully weird characters & setting, and of course the most epic of love stories. This story is a little different in the fact that we’re introduced to a new character that isn’t local & doesn’t quite fit the same mold as the outlandish, colorful characters in the rest of the series. And that made this one stand out all the more in best ways. Adam was a fantastic MMC and his dry quiet demeanor made the slow burn with the brash & witty Rosie all the more enjoyable.

I loved how Megan Bannen can make usually feel completely immersed in the world building of Eternity & Tanria and still make the characters’ loves & lives be a pivotal focus. I rarely cry when reading a book, but I was most definitely in tears during the final few chapters of this story. I’m going to miss this world & these characters so much!

Thank you to NetGalley & Orbit for an ARC of this book.

This was such a fun and delightful read! I loved returning to Tanria. Megan Bannen created such a unique and whimsical world. Thank you NetGalley and Orbit Publishing for the eARC.

The characters in this series are so lovable. They feel authentic and genuine. It was great seeing characters from the previous two books (and, I especially love that Penrose Duckers is a unifying thread!) and I enjoyed getting to know Rosie and Adam in this one.

This book made me laugh so many times. Bannen is so good at dialogue! She uses it effectively to develop a humorous tone and to develop her characters. Overall, the plot developed at a smooth pace. I didn't feel like moments dragged and everything felt purposeful. That being said, I thought Hart's conversation with Rosie could have unfolded in a more creative or seemless way. It felt very "this is an important detail for later in the book, so I am going to force this random meet up between these two characters." I'm wondering if this moment could have happened in a more authentic way.

I thought the twists and turns were predictable, but that didn’t take away from the fun of this book-- not at all! I was still invested in the characters and their journey even when I could see things they could not yet.

For a fun and light read, Megan Bannen still manages to tackle some serious themes. There’s so much here about death, grieving and loneliness. And, I thought she handled these themes with care and nuance.

I definitely recommend this book and would gladly recommend it to someone look for something fresh and fun to read!

What a wonderful conclusion to this wonderful series. Truly a great story filled with love, adventure, loss, life, emotion, and comfort. I loved every minute of this beautifully woven tale where I fell in love with new characters and was comforted by the ones we’ve met along the way in this series. Bannen truly has crafted such a delightful world here and gives us so much with a rich and expertly crafted tapestry and I’m so so happy to have been along for the ride.

This book is a weird and delightful mishmash of many things—ridiculous humor, fantastical worldbuilding, rich mythology, heartwarming friendships, cute romance—but somehow it all just works.

The story follows Rosie Fox, a six-foot-something immortal demigod working as a Tanrian marshal, a sort of park ranger in the land where gods were once imprisoned. Humans have built an entire tourist industry around Tanria, but the only way to access the land enclosed in a misty dome is through portals. But lately, the portals have been malfunctioning, and even more troubling, Rosie is the only one who can see strange “shadows” lurking inside them. The marshals have called in the creator of the portals, Adam Lee, to investigate, with Rosie assigned as his escort. But the shadows are spreading with each passing moment, and the two are thrust into a race against time to figure out what really happening to the portals and the land of Tanria itself.

Confession time: I'm a fool and read this as a standalone. Can it be read as a standalone? Yes, but there are two important things you should know beforehand:
1) This book spoils the plot of the first book.
2) This is a fairly complex world, and there's not much recapping.

In the beginning, I had no idea what was going on (People drive ducks? Why travel through portals to a prison for gods?) but I was having a great time. It wasn't until the 40% mark that I felt like I truly had a grasp on the world.

That said, I adored this story because there was just so much character. The humor and worldbuilding had me imagining this is an adult cartoon in my head. There are adorable pink dragons with glittery snot, ornery equimaris mounts, and a perpetually-stoned dikdik nimkilim mailman. Weird but fun is the best way I can describe it.

Rosie is is the sort of character that you want as your best friend. Dependable, hilarious, and always cracking jokes to lighten the mood, even in the face of impending doom. As an immortal demigod, she's a tall girl who's lived over 150 years and has the unusual habit of occasionally dying (and later reviving). In contrast, Adam is very serious and reserved, but Rosie manages to bring him out of his shell. At their core, they're very similar: they care deeply for others, and they both have moments of vulnerability and weakness. They felt very normal and real, and yet they're still capable of heroic deeds akin to the legends of their world's mythology. This, plus the height difference between the two, was a refreshing departure from the usual fantasy romance tropes.

There's also a cute second-chance side romance happening in the background, and plenty of moments that are touching not just romantically, but friendship and family-wise too. As the story progressed, it took on a fairytale-like quality to it as well. As I mentioned before, this book has many facets, but they're all done well in my opinion.

I'll definitely be going back to read the first book in this series and more from Megan Bannen in the future.

"In a world where women were supposed to be small and men were supposed to be strong, Rosie had spent too much of her life bemoaning the fact that she towered over everyone she had ever dated, when what she really needed was a guy who was as vast on the inside as she was on the outside."

Thank you Orbit for providing this ARC for review!

When I first read The Undertaking of Hart and Mercy it was one of my absolute favorite books of the year so I jump on the chance to return to the fabulous world that Megan Bannen has built inside these books.

The Undercutting of Rosie and Adam is a heartwarming send off for this series, these characters, and this world. The book is a fun blend of genres. It's not quite a full on fantasy, not quite a full on romance, but not a romantasy either. It's a unique story with colorful characters who love each other romantically and platonically.

Our main character this time around is Rosie Fox, a demigod who can't die. Her voice is outlandish, outrageous, over the top, and very charming. As a romance, this installment leaves a bit to be desired. Perhaps I will forever be chasing the high of Hart and Mercy's epistolary enemies to lovers deliciousness, but while the softer, instalove between Adam and Rosie is cute and sweet, it didn't leave me swooning. However, as a fantasy story about the capricious nature of gods, the cost of living forever, and what we'll do for the people we love, this book is a resounding success. I loved the way Bannen plays with foundational myths about humanity that resonate with everyone regardless of their culture or religion. The ultimate story she tells in this series is very life affirming and I'm sad to see it come to a close.

4.5 stars
I cannot even express how excited I was to be approved to read The Undercutting of Rosie and Adam; As I am a huge fan of the series! I genuinely did not think that I could love the series more after The Undermining of Twyla and Frank as that book captured my heart.

Yet Bannen delivered the most charming FMC in Rosie, she is funny and filled with wit, in so many ways she embodies everything I adore in a FMC.
The layered sparks the couple shares had me ensnared and felt extremely satisfying as it all unfolded. Bannen, delivered on a full circle experience that just warmed my fantasy loving soul as the world was engaging and all encompassing; bringing us along on a wonderful journey through the whole series alongside having all the stories come to a satisfying conclusion was a masterful feat. I cannot recommend this series enough and it has for sure become one i will re-read endless times

Thank you to NetGalley and Orbit for giving me the wonderful opportunity to read this ARC

*review on Goodreads and IG to come closer to publish date.

https://www.instagram.com/p/DJo3mTgtt7L/?igsh=YTJveWgza3Y1Zm1s

Rosie and Adam’s story brought such a satisfying—dare I say, perfect—conclusion to the world of Tanria. I’ve been captivated by both characters ever since The Undertaking of Hart and Mercy, and their story turned out to be everything I hoped for and more. The third installment in this fantasy series preserves all the unique elements and magical moments that fans of the first two books have come to cherish. It was a joy (and yes, I might’ve shed a few tears) to watch everyone’s happily-ever-afters unfold so beautifully.

Bannen’s distinctive humor and her gift for crafting a whimsical, enchanting world filled with lovable characters make her an auto-buy author for me. As a longtime fan of fantasy, I’ve never come across a setting as original and endearing as Tanria—dragons with glitter? Found family with a magical twist? And seriously, are they still hiring nimkilim? Because that is quite literally my dream job.

I wrote this after finishing Hart and Mercy’s story, and it remains true for Twyla and Frank, and now Rosie and Adam (and of course, Duckers and Zeddy)—I just want to give everyone in this series a giant hug, move to Bushong, become a nimkilim, and never leave.

I will never stop recommending this book and series to anyone who’ll listen. In my opinion, you’ll get the most out of Rosie and Adam’s journey after reading the first two books—it truly elevates the experience, making the laughter, banter, swoon-worthy romance, and heartwarming full-circle moments all the more rewarding.

Thanks to Netgalley and Orbit for this ARC!

I was thrilled to return to the zany world of Tanria to read the conclusion of Megan’s series and it did not disappoint! It was lovely to revisit characters from previous books and meet new ones.

I loved Rosie’s take charge but kind attitude and Adam was a great foil for her. Duckers might be my favorite character of the series so I enjoyed spending so much time with him. The “quest” vibes continue in this installment and I was dialed in.

Rating: 4⭐️

A+ on wrapping up this series. I will be honest, I didn’t remember Rosie from previous books, but I remembered everything else and this hit me right in the feelings. As a big fan of mythology I love how their gods, and myths come to life, and how they play a big part in the plot.

Also, as a tallish woman I love that she fell in love with a pocket man! That made me giggle incessantly. There was very little about this book I can find to criticize, it even cast a kindly rose-colored hue on mortality. The pacing was good, the comic relief was great. Everything really came together brilliantly, and I kicked my feet when the lovable side characters came back at the end.

Tears in my eyes. I loved the Undertaking of Hart and Mercy so much, it’s become one of my top fantasy novels to have ever read. The Undermining of Twyla and Frank hooked my heart after, and I was so happy to be approved for an ARC of this novel, the last in the series. The Undercutting of Rosie and Adam follows familiar faces and some new ones, and I was utterly delighted to be back in this world and to witness Rosie and Adam’s story.

Rosie’s a great character, I liked her small bits in the previous books, but it was great to finally get into her head and point of view. Her journey of love in this novel is incredibly heartwarming and deserving. I cried along with her by the end and she differentiates enough from Twyla/Mercy/Hart as narrators for her to really come into her own. While it is harder to connect to Adam because we do not have his POV, and he’s pretty standoffish for a good chunk of the book, him and Rosie were so lovely. Their story encompassing the tragedy of life and of love, but also the good parts is exactly what made me fall in love with Hart and Mercy’s story, so it felt very full circle to come back to those similar themes. And of course, Duckers. Let me tell you, I was so happy he was here for a majority of this book, I will never get tired of him, he is the CONSTANT.

Compared to the previous novels, I think this one takes some more time to really find it’s footing. It’s a slow start, but by the 50-60% mark, I was locked in and on the edge of my seat following these characters and wondering what was going to happen. To this, I wonder how the novel would have felt if it started in a different spot than it did. The first half isn’t boring, but it did take me more time to get through it. The romance was paced well and given the circumstances these characters are thrown into, the timing and how little time it takes them to feel these things makes enough sense.

Won’t say what exactly because it’s a small spoiler but there’s something in the beginning (and end) that throws me for a loop and made me sit back and think through a lot of things and I still am not sure if I liked that choice (namely at the beginning, the choice at the end makes more plot sense), but this isn’t anything to deter from the narrative.

A really lovely and weird world Megan Bannen has created here and I loved being there along the ride of it. Excited to see what else she does!

Thank you to NetGalley & Orbit Books for the ARC! Book releases July 8th, 2025!

This series has quickly made Megan Bannen one of my auto-buy authors. The stories and romance are always fresh with each book, but I love the peaks into other characters that we've already met along the way.

Tanria was definitely one of my absolute favorite worlds, and I was so happy to get to explore it much more with these two loveable characters! Rosie felt so relatable, with her constant energy, almost existential dread of her loved ones, and having a need for purpose & maybe…..very nice things. ✨ Adam was certainly one of the most surprising characters I’ve read in a while, especially the reveal of his purpose in the plot. He was a stern, monotone character at first & he progressed incredibly well in my opinion. Love does that, doesn’t it?

This book had me laughing, crying, and smiling the entire ride, especially with its almost hilariously perverted tone.

🌱
ARC REVIEW
⭐4.5

I can honestly say I thought this was the perfect last installment of this story! One of my favorite things is that the characters are all connected and show back up in this book, just giving the reader little glimpses of their lives now after reading their stories in the previous two books.

I love the way that Bannen writes, especially the hilarious banter between characters! I was extremely invested in the characters and even though I felt fairly confident that it would be a happy ending, you just never know! The story was written in a way that had me guessing (and worrying) about what was going to happen with Rosie and Adam. I was terrified that they weren't going to end up together, or that one of them would be mortal and the other wouldn't

The character development of all the main characters (including some Gods) was absolutely executed with perfection. We got to see some major, positive growth and it made me love them even more!

With this being the last instalment, I also felt like Bannen wrapped things up beautifully and really brought the entire story full circle.

Really, my only critique (if you can really classify it as that) was that the last 1/3 of the book felt like a bonkers fever dream! I think it fits the wild world that Bannen has cultivated, but it was still insane none the less and at times difficult to follow

I’m so sad to say goodbye to this special little
World that Megan Bannen has created. What a perfect way to wrap this story up! It ended where we started - with themes about life , LIVING and death.


Also as someone with daddy issues this made me absolutely sob.

Thank you so so so much for this arc ! I loved this cozy and unique fantasy series.

I felt like the pleading eyes emoji after I finished to book because I can’t believe it’s done, the book is finished and the final page has been read. I would love to stay in Tanria for good. It was so perfect and funny and soft and OTT and I had the time of my life reading it.

The undercutting of Rosie and Adam is the story of Marshal Rosie Fox and Dr Adam Lee, the inventor of the portals from Eternity to Tarnia. When the portals begin malfunctioning, Dr Lee is called to investigate and Rosie, alongside our beloved Duckers, is assigned as his escorts. The three of them try to figure out how to fix everything and stop the invisible vines from appearing, all the while Rosie battles with her immortality and her feelings towards it.

I love how the author combined those introspective moments with plenty of humor that we got from the crew in this book. We really focus on Rosie’s feelings and emotions and I loved reading about them and how her dying affects not only her, but those around her. It provided huge amounts of depth in the book that was well-balanced with the lighter moments.

I also feel this book is a love story to found families as over the books, these people have created their own family and it’s perfect. We see the previous characters briefly (like Hart and Mercy, Zeddie and Duckers, Frank and Twyla) and we see the love their have for each other which is perfect. And it’s balanced well by the slow-burn romance between the two main characters.

Adam is such and interesting character and I have a feeling he’s going to be well-loved. He has that quiet mentality but is loyal and loving to the core and for me, it shined through. Him and Rosie make a wonderful couple and they compliment each other well.

I want to go back and read this story again now, I already miss the entire gang.

Jumping back into the world of Eternity and Tanria felt a bit like coming home. RoFo is one of my favorite characters and getting to see her interiority was wonderful. I loved that both Rosie and Adam were immortal but recognized that it's not the gift that many supervillains have seen it as across time. The fact that they were able to get rid of that immortality while still getting to enjoy a life together felt like the perfect ending. I was so glad we got to spend more time with Penrose Duckers who is a highlight of the whole series. With the dragons coming back into play and Eloise and Mary Georgina being fan favorites, this was the perfect ending to a wonderful trilogy.

4.5 stars ARC book review

Having read and loved the first two books in the Hart and Mercy series, I was thrilled to get the chance to read the ARC of the third book in the series, The Undercutting of Rosie and Adam. In this book we get to know Rosie, demigod and Tanrian ranger, as well as the mysterious Dr. Adam Lee, who invented the portals that give access from Bushong into Tanria through the Mist. Together they work to figure out why the portals are failing.

I loved this return to the world of Hart and Mercy and the chance to get to know some new characters, as well as spending time with a few favorite characters from past books. As with the other books there is a combination of the mystery of what is happening, and of course some romance. This one explored some different themes and history of the gods which I found really interesting.

Thank you to the publisher Orbit Books, author Megan Bannen, and NetGalley for the gifted digital ARC provided by the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for my honest review.

From the first book to the final, the series has been filled with such imagination and has been such a pleasure to read. Megan Brennan brings us a Demi god who keeps dying and now has upset the gate so they have to call in Dr. Adam Lee. But then they both end up getting stuck together. This is the type of fantasy world that has me kicking my feet every single time I go to read it. Whether the characters are immortal (this book), mortal, young, or a bit more up there in age (undermining) you will find it in this series. I am so sad to see this series end. But I’m so excited to see what Megan does next. If you’ve read the other two, I think you’ll love this one too I sure did!
Thank you to Orbit for the complementary copy. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

Thank you to NetGalley, Orbit Books, and Megan Bannen for the eARC of this amazing book!

This is the third book in the series, and we return to the unique, captivating, and magical world of Tanria. Megan’s writing brings this whimsical world to life with remarkable skill. Beyond revisiting this fantastic world, we also get to see what our beloved characters from the first two books are up to ten years after their previous adventures. This book is packed full of adventure, romance, and humor (I seriously couldn’t stop laughing throughout the entire read). The story follows Rosie Fox, a Tanrian marshal and a fearless immortal demigod, on her quest to uncover the mysterious shadow thorns that are causing chaos in Tanria with the help of Dr. Adam Lee.

I must admit, the romance in this book felt like it took a backseat to the story compared to the other two books in the series. However, I don’t believe this affected the overall quality of the book in the slightest!! The plot was incredibly intriguing, captivating me from the very first chapter. Rosie, the FMC, is an exceptional and easy to love character. She is brash, fearless, a badass, and honestly HILARIOUS. She is my favorite female character from this series. Dr. Adam Lee is quiet, reserved, and her opposite in almost every way, yet complements her perfectly. His dry humor had me rolling on the floor at times. They are the epitome of love at first sight, and I thoroughly enjoyed witnessing their relationship blossom and grow. (See what I did there? 😉)

The other romance in this story is between my all-time favorite character, Penrose Duckers, and Zeddie! I can’t fathom how anyone could like a character more than Duckers; he’s incredibly funny, and in every book, he gets better and better. Watching these two grow as a couple and as individuals over the course of the three books in this series was simply heartwarming, and I adore them both and their relationship so much!

This book is a wild ride filled with action, intrigue, humor, and romance! It’s brimming with the unique and whimsical creatures that inhabit this magical world, and I was delighted to see more of our favorite dragon, Mary Georgina, and our lovable grouch, Saltlicker. Megan’s world-building is simply phenomenal, and you can’t help but feel immersed in the story/world as you read it. This ending was the perfect conclusion for all of our favorite characters. And what can I say, I’m a sucker for happy endings. I highly recommend this book and the two previous books in this series!

Do yourself a favor and definitely go pick this book up on July 8th!!

Thank you NetGalley for the eARC of this book!
What a cute ending to this world. I love how Megan always writes unconventional romances, and this one was especially fun to read! She has done a brilliant job throughout these three books showing that love can come in all shapes, sizes, and at any age. I will miss this world and am excited to see what she writes next!