This was a fantastic addition to the series! Megan has done it again! Charming, warm, witty and so much amazing world building. Rosie is such a fun character and it was lovely to revisit our friends from the previous books. I especially love that because Rosie is long-lived we have the opportunity to really span the decades in this world and see so much of the characters lives. One of my favorite things about this series is how fresh and original it feels. Recent romantasy offerings can very often feel like the same three books just remixed. It is a huge joy to find something that stands apart and feels new. The world building here is unparalleled and I was thrilled to dive a little deeper into the religions, rituals and history of Tanria. If Megan wanted to write anything featuring the Gods and their journeys I would eat it up! A girl can only read so many Hades/Persephone retellings before she starts craving new gods!

I'd also like to note that the audio production was fantastic. Kacie Rogers was excellent and I thought she found a great tone and pace for this story. She was so funny which was super important since Rosie is hilarious. I found her characters to be distinct and I had no trouble following the story or understanding who was speaking. (I was pleased with her previous performances in Nikki Payne's books and I've been hoping I would have more opportunities to experience her narration. I think she's underutilized so I was thrilled to see her name as the narrator here.) Jim's addition was fine, but I'm not sure it added anything to the story. I was also very pleased to see this was presented in solo narration style. I know Duets are very popular right now, but I think solo was a great choice for this book.

Thanks so much for the opportunity to review this audio ARC! I'd also love to take a second to say I think a special edition hardcover set now that we have all three books in the series would sell very well. I think readers would be thrilled to be able to display a complete special edition set full of artwork.

Loved the narrator of this audiobook but the book itself felt a bit flat to me. Quite a lot of cussing as well which I found a bit gratuitous and over the top. I preferred the first in the series the most. This particular love story wasn’t as gripping.

Thank you Hachette Audio and Netgalley for allowing me to read this ALC!
The Undercutting of Rosie and Adam is part of a series but can definitely but read as a standalone (that's what I've done and I was not lost!)
Immortal demigod Rosie Fox is stuck in the cycle of death and duty until a broken portal (and her latest electrocution) throws her together with its mysterious inventor, Adam Lee. When they get trapped in the Mist as all portals collapse, Rosie starts to suspect Adam knows more than he’s saying. As danger rises, the two must untangle their pasts and maybe their hearts before time runs out for good. This story was super fun, I was truly entertained from beginning to end, will definitely read the first 2 books now!
Listening speed: 1.75X
Narrators: Jim Frangione & Kacie Rogers
Feedback: I loved Kacie Roger's narration. With her narration, the love story didn’t just unfold, it bloomed. Truly amazing! Jim Frangione's voice is like a warm hug, so comforting, expressive, and full of heart! Very good casting!

I loved this. I didn’t realize this was the last book in this series when I started it, and while part of me is bummed because I love this world, the other part can acknowledge that this was absolutely the perfect ending.

I love that the main characters of all 3 books of this series is just ‘whoever Penrose Duckers is partnered up with’ because I am so in love with him as a character. No offence to Hart or Twyla/Frank, but Rosie was the perfect partner for Duckers. They’ve been partners for a long time when this book starts, but the way Penny D & RoFo just work off each other was perfect.

Adam was such an interesting character. I adored Rosie. Once the slow burn started lit on fire, things seemed a bit quick for my personal preference but I did love the build up and I do get why it was written the way it was. It just worked. This may be closer to a 4.5/5 for me, because of that + while I’m all for Rosie having an interest, I don’t think I could read the word ‘intimates’ one more time. But I’m still rounding up to a 5.

The Zeddie inclusion was such a pleasant surprise. It fit the story well, and made the ending even more satisfying. Loved seeing Hart and Mercy more. Hart and Rosie’s friendship?? Incredible. This series as a whole made me cry so much more than I expected. My poor little pillow is soaked after the last few chapters of this book.

This was amazing, and I cannot recommend it enough. The whole series in general is well worth reading, and listening to. All of the narrators for each of the books have been great, so definitely worth picking up that way as well if you’re an audiobook lover. At no point did I feel like I knew what was going to happen next, yet the story always made sense. Such a great read.

Thank you to the publisher & NetGalley for the opportunity to read & listen to an advanced copy of this book! I voluntarily read this book, and all thoughts and opinions are my own.

This was such a quirky, heartfelt little journey through grief, purpose, and accidental electrocutions. Rosie Fox is an immortal demigod who’s kind of over it all, and Adam Lee is the grumpy, buttoned up portal inventor who somehow ends up stuck in the Mist with her. The banter? Sharp. The vibes? Offbeat but cozy. The romance? A sweet slow burn layered with grief, trauma, and hilarious snark. Not as emotional as The Undertaking of Hart and Mercy for me, but still really solid and unique. Definitely one to read when you want fantasy romance with a weird heart.

The first half is a two star ⭐⭐read and the last half is a four star ⭐⭐⭐⭐read that averages to three stars ⭐⭐⭐. Which is a fitting rating because this is the definition of an OK read.

Before beginning this, I knew that a broken portal was at the center of the story, and I thought that was intriguing. Portals are one of those aspects that are often used as a means to an end in most stories so I was curious how this would differ. Using the word 'undercutting' in the title made me wonder how it would pertain to the story.

Rosie is an immortal demigod who dies once again trying to remove shadow vines that only she can see from the portal. The damage caused by her electrocution is massive. Don't worry she comes back to life no worse for wear. However, the portal isn't so fortunate, and its inventor Adam Lee is summoned to repair it. All the portals soon breakdown and the two are left after everyone else has evacuated. In hopes of getting home they look to legendary stories, but will the price be too high?

The early chapters of this are awkward with dialogue that is unnatural. It felt like it was trying too hard to convey humor and camaraderie. It fell flat and was difficult to press through. The overuse of profanity was weird. Profanity doesn't bother me, but this was a mess. If you saturate dialogue with profanity, it waters down the effect becoming background noise. When that happens you have wasted words which are never a good thing in a novel. It was an odd combination to have this cozy fantasy world with heavy profanity laced dialogue. Perhaps it was a case of trying too hard again. Edgy characters shine through their actions not poor dialogue choices.

Adam's backstory was my favorite aspect. I didn't predict that there would be a section dedicated to it. The narration of his section was a step above the rest. His story was also better developed than the remainder of the novel.

The last half picked up the pace with plenty of interesting conversations and twists. I was surprised at how much I liked this section after not enjoying the early chapters.

I understood the characters' struggles, but I didn't connect with them. The flat characters were something I just couldn't get past. There were missed opportunities to bring out the colorful sides of them.

The narration was ok. I'd give it 3 stars.

All books aren't for all readers so please check out other reviews if you have an interest in this one.

Thank you to Hachette Audio for providing an Advance Listening Copy via NetGalley. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

3.5 stars
Rosie was spicy fun in the previous two books and now she gets to bring that main character energy to the latest crisis in Tanria. And in this one, we get more dragons!! I always enjoy the stories in this fun series. The narration was also great! It felt like the ending of the series but I hope there will be a next one.
*Thanks to Hachette Audio, Orbit Books & NetGalley

This was one of my most anticipated reads of 2025, so I was absolutely ecstatic when I received an ARC of this book, and it was an absolute delight to be back in this world!

Much like the previous book in this series, I could not put it down! Bannen has such an addictive writing style, and I absolutely love the world and mythology this author has created. This is probably, in my opinion, the least memorable of all the books, but I still thoroughly enjoyed Rosie and Adam's characters.

I am a little bummed that we probably won't be getting a Zeddy and Duckers book, though. Hopefully Bannen will listen to the masses and write one anyways!!!

Dual narration - Jim Frangione and Kacie Rogers
New to me narrators, I always enjoy finding new narrators. These two did a great job giving life to the characters and their story.

This was a fun and engaging listen. I really enjoyed the storyline. The characters are developed well and there is great world building details. I have not read or listened to the first two books in the series and I didn't feel lost while listening so that really says something there. The author has great style of writing.

Thank you NetGalley and Orbit for the opportunity to read and listen to this ARC in exchange for my honest review!
This series is so fun and original, and I think it doesn’t get talked about enough. The narrator for the audiobook did an excellent job. I’m going to miss this world and characters. Rosie’s character is a lot of fun and liked her with Adam. Perfect grumpy/sunshine. Although the romance fell short for me. I enjoyed this story with mystery and romance and feels it ties the series up nicely. I loved finding out about what the previous books characters were up to. I do wish Duckers and Zeddie had their own book or a novella but at least we got a taste of them in this book.
If you like unique cozy fantasy with some romance, I highly recommend this series!!!

Rosie, a demigod and lingerie lover, had been patrolling Tanria for a long, long time. As she grapples
With her immortality the portals to Tanria begin to act up, bringing in the very posh inventor, Dr. Adam Lee. He invented the portals and is looking into why they are failing. As they do this, along with Rosie’s partner Duckers, they find themselves trapped in Tanria along with Duckers’ ex-boyfriend. As they wander and encounter a mysterious plant and strange creatures, Rosie can’t help her attraction to the quiet doctor.

I love these stories. They are so fun and original. Yet another lovely tale that made my day!

Thank you NetGalley, Orbjt, and Hachette Audio for both the digital ARC and the audio ARC! Spectacular, as always!

Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for an advanced copy of this audiobook.
I love this series, and I really enjoyed this book. The world building is unlike anything else I have ever read. Excellent narration.

Thank you to NetGalley and Orbit Books for the ALC. I thoroughly enjoyed this book! The fantasy elements were fun and refreshingly different from typical fantasy tropes. As someone who reads a lot, I really appreciate finding a book with unique world-building.

We also love a tall girl and a short king—that dynamic was a lot of fun. However, some elements of the romance fell a bit flat for me; the main couple felt more like colleagues than lovers at times. I actually found myself wanting more scenes with Zeddy and Duckers instead of Rosie and Adam. Adam’s personality, in particular, felt a little too understated, and he got a bit lost amid everything else happening in the story.

That said, I still thoroughly enjoyed the book overall. Also I listened to the audiobook, and it was fantastic.

I was so excited to return to the delightfully magical and quirky world of Tanria for the third and final installment of this series. The Undertaking of Hart and Mercy was a pleasant surprise for me when I read it, and I have been invested in the characters and their stories ever since!

This book focuses on Rosie, an immortal demigod and Tanrian marshal, and Adam, a mortal doctor. They work together to uncover the cause of mysterious shadow thorns that are playing Tanria. The story is filled with Bannen’s trademarked humor and charm, and was the perfect ending to a truly wonderful trilogy!

If you haven’t read this series yet, add it to your TBR immediately! If you enjoy audiobooks, this one is narrated very well. The narrators do a great job with pacing, inflection, and articulation, and their variation in character voices is too notch as well. The expected publication date for The Undercutting of Rosie and Adam is July 8, 2025. Thank you NetGalley and Orbit for this eARC and ALC in exchange for my honest review!

So excited to have gotten the audio of this book!! Excellent narration - perfect voices for each character! Totally adds to the story.

I’ve been in love with this series ever since first meeting Hart and Mercy, and getting to know Rosie and Adam was such a treat! Rosie’s immortal status and Adam’s total question mark of a life were so interesting- I love how we waited for all these little nuggets about Adam to drop slowly throughout. I felt sympathy for Rosie as the daughter of the Trickster and a woman who outlives absolutely everyone she knows… she was fleshed out and formed so well that I believe she could’ve my friend 😭

It’s a treat with each book to see the progression of the lives of folks we’ve loved in all three books. Starting the story with Mercy’s dad’s funeral was a tender way to reintroduce readers to the current situation for the story. And obviously we love to see Duckers and Zeddie!!!

Always giving five stars for Megan Bannen’s writing! Hooray!

This series is so fun with its unique world building and charismatic characters. The last (last?!) installment is no different.

The interactions between Rosie and Duckers were hilarious in a charming oddball way. Rosie is a hoot, her personality and fashion sense make her very likable. Throw in a sparkling attraction to (short king) Dr. Adam Lee, and it’s a sweet slow burn ride all the way to the Salt Sea and back.

We see many familiar characters making an appearance, it’s heartfelt and adds a wonderful found family theme to the overall book. The passage of time and growth of the characters makes this a satisfying full circle experience. Surprisingly touching and I think fans will definitely enjoy!

Narration by Kacie Rogers was personable and entertaining, I really liked her delivery. While Jim Frangione does a few background chapters for the Briar Thief, I always enjoy his story telling and soothing voice. A great production overall.

Thank you to Orbit and Hachette Audio for the review copies.

🎧 <— audiobook
To my friend Lish, thank you for telling me to read HART AND MERCY all those years ago. I am forever in your debt.
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Rosie is a spitfire of a demigod from her res hair, to her red eyes, to her (seemingly nonexistent) filter. I loved every second of her story.

Adam is an inventor with a huge secret. One that if it ever comes to light…it could actually upset the natural order of the world.

Why did I spend the last 3 chapters + the epilogue of this book in TEARS

Ps: PENN + ZEDI !!!
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Thank you to Netgalley and Hachette Audio for the ALC!

Thank you NetGalley and Orbit for this eALC.

I really enjoyed this audiobook for the third installment! I felt the voices really reflected the characters in their tone and inflection. They truly brought these unique characters to life!

What a truly wonderful ending to a truly wonderful series. I would list the Undertaking of Hart and Mercy as one of my most favorite books and I was so excited but also devastated to read the final installment.

Rosie and Adam are truly compelling and interesting characters. This book takes place a decade after the second book and deal with mysterious vines growing around Tanria which eventually trap Rosie, Adam and others. There’s a lot of mystery, lots of romance and even more humor. I really enjoyed this book and I feel like it truly concluded this amazing series.

Audio Narration: 4.5/5 These are spectacular reads and the audiobooks really bring them to life. The final installment in the series did not disappoint on audio! Pausing, inflection, emotional range are all fantastic. Variation in character voices is good. Great pace, this is one that feels pretty natural at 1x!

This series is such a blast to read!

<i>A bit of mystery, a lot romance, a fun little world, + found family. </i>

I love that in all of these books the MCs have been a bit unconventional (for romance book standards). I think more authors should step outside the “tiny FMC + massive MMC” box and give us MCs that are real and relatable. I also think the books that do, like this one and Megan Bannen’s previous books, deserve a LOT more hype.

This was a fantastic wrap up to the series and I’m sad to say goodbye to Tanria - but so excited to see what’s next for this author.

What’s to love…
- tall Queen FMC + short King MMC
- Age Gap (LOL)
- found family
- great banter
- cozy mystery subplot
- DUCKERS he’s really the best side character
- such a fun world

What’s not to love…
- I am a fan of high angst, so this one felt a little too mellow in that regard
- in the previous books the romance feels front and center, but in this one it takes a bit of a backseat, especially in the beginning