I flew through the Undercutting of Rosie and Adam much sooner than I did book 2. It is the third and final installment in the Hart and Mercy series.

It’s a slow burn tale of a (somewhat) self-destructive demigod and a stoic scientist finding love in the most unexpected circumstances.

Book two threw me off with glitter-spitting dragons, which were anti-thesis to what I knew of dragons. All that surprise and shock was only reserved for book 2.

Of the three books in the series, this one isn’t heavy on the romance. It is narrated through Rosie’s POV, so for the most part her feelings felt unrequited, yearning for Adam to acknowledge the spark between them. If this had a dual POV, it’d have added more angst and pining from both the sides instead of just listing to Rosie falling hard for Adam.

The main characters, in both book 2 and 3 are over 50, so if you haven’t read books with this age range, you can try it with this series.

Rosie and Adam’s story was tad bit emotional in the last act but it made me ponder about mortal/immortal life and time.

It was so endearing to see all my favourite characters popping up in this book. This is one of those series you just need to relax and go with the flow.

Thanks to the publisher and NetGalley for the DRC of the book!

Have really enjoyed this series and am sad to be saying goodbye. I loved the cosiness and whimsy that I experienced in the previous two books and I absolutely loved Rosie’s character. I do wish that this had been dual POV like the others, but I understand to an extent why it wasn’t. Would definitely recommend this series

One day I’ll learn not to request arcs of third books in series, but if I do it won’t be because I’ve read all three Hart and Mercy books in three days to write this review! Although now I am a little sad to say goodbye to such an engaging series.

I would highly recommend this instalment and the whole series. Megan Bannen does an excellent job of drawing you in to the world and romance, the characters are bonkers yet loveable and you won’t want to put the book down.

It never crossed my mind that this would be our goodbye to Tarnia and Eternity, or even that we would ever have to say goodbye. I just wanted to keep this world in my life to always have a magical place to escape to.

One thing is certain: I could never have pictured a better ending for this series. No notes. Megan Bannen created another original story full of humour, heart and adventure, weird life forms and gods, backed by interesting mythology and stories.

Characters remain original and relatable, even if not fully human. I loved Rosie energy and mind, and it was an absolute joy to experience everything from her mind. And when I mean joy, I mean I never felt the need to see things from other character’s perspectives. All Rosie emotions were so well flashed out, it would be the only way to experience this story fully. She doesn’t have filters, she is attentive and expansive, and I felt I could understand all the remaining characters well enough just from the interactions with her and the details she thinks and overthinks about.

The romance was touching and beautiful, I loved Adam, even though my heart still belongs to Hart.
Megan Bannen made me cry yet again, with the difference that I cried on many different chapters (starting on the second!!), for many different reasons, until the very last page of the book.

I can’t express how much I enjoy this series, how much I appreciated reading about mature adults finding happiness and love, and seeing them grow throughout the series.
This is a book full of emotions, love and healing in this book, and I recommend it to everyone in need to escape reality. This is the last book in the series, and I recommend reading them in order.

<i>I would like to thank Little, Brown Book Group UK | Orbit and NetGalley, for the opportunity to read the eARC in exchange for an honest review. </i>

So this was an unusual one. I’d never heard of this series before, and was sent the book randomly because it might be something I’d like. OK, that’s lovely but a bit odd - quirky romantasy isn’t usually my thing.

Reader, I devoured this in two days. My weekend: GONE.

I’m sure the writing style will be compared to other famous satirical authors like Terry Pratchett or Robert Rankin, but Megan Bannen’s prose isn’t really that. It’s whimsical, certainly, but more in a Victoria Wood or ‘Vicar of Dibley’ way. This is Real Life (ie ‘our world’) comedic attitudes in a fantastic setting, and it’s glorious.

I was a little lost initially, as jumping into book three of a series without any knowledge of the others can be tricky. Fortunately, because immortal guardswoman Rosie (and her partner Duckers) is so very likeable, within a chapter or two I was fully invested. Also I have absolutely added the previous two books to my Wishlist, but while their characters are mentioned, past knowledge isn’t really needed here. Join the ride anytime.

For readers daunted by the ‘romance’ angle, that’s not initially the focus of the book. This is more akin to a mystery, as portals to another part of the realm have been glitching out, thus potentially stranding citizens far from home. There has to be an evacuation and investigation as to what’s happening, with the confused Guards helping equally puzzled scientist/engineers as magic and science come together in a potentially dangerous System Error scenario.

Of course things take a turn for the worse as Rosie, portal expert Dr Adam Lee, Duckers and his chef ex-boyfriend get cut off in a realm with mysterious magical plants growing everywhere, limited food options… oh and dragons. Fortunately the latter are essentially giant puppies that burp glitter, but even so.

This is a real adventure, told with gentleness and heart, combining found family with Rosie’s constant worry about her own immortality - how can she connect with anyone if she’s just going to see them age and die one day? Also her neglectful and irreverent God of a father has left her with a lot of issues. She’s a fantastic gung-ho heroine one minute and a regular confused woman the next.

I was soon rooting for every character to get their happy ending, especially with the emotional moments that are handled beautifully. The sheer wit and fun makes the darker parts of the story hold even more impact, and I honestly can’t wait to dive back into this world in the first two parts of the series.

A huge recommend if you’d like a clever and endlessly endearing magical tale of finding yourself and the one you love.

The Undercutting of Rosie and Adam is the perfect ending to the trilogy. Set 10 years after the first two books, Rosie is getting a bit fed up of immortal life. After dying once again whilst trying to point out something weird in one of the portals, she ends up stuck inside Tanria along with Adam Lee - the inventor of the original portals. What follows is a funny and cosy quest storyline to get out of Tanria before the weird shadowy thorns take over the whole place.

I really liked Rosie as the FMC - we only really see glimpses of her in the first two books and this book solidifies her as a fun and lighthearted character. Adam is almost her complete opposite but I enjoyed when his dry humour started to come out and we learnt more about his history. Their romance was a bit instalove for me but I think this is because we only get Rosie’s pov - I always prefer a dual pov romance book to get the full feeling for the characters emotions. Duckers is my favourite character from the series so I was glad he played a huge supporting role in this book. His friendship with Rosie was so sweet and I liked that he remained the funny, carefree character from the previous books despite being 10 years older. It was also great to see so many of the characters from the previous books return (including the dragons!).

The pacing of the book was good and it felt easy to fall back into the world of Tanria despite the time jump. I did find the last 20% of the plot a bit slow and I do think it would have benefited from Adam’s pov but overall I really enjoyed the book.

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

I think this might be my least favourite romance of the series so far and, even days after reading, I can't quite put my finger on why, so strap in guys, because this one is going to be all over the place.

Let's start with what I loved, namely Rosie Fox. Rosie is one of those characters it's hard not to fall head over heels for. An immortal demi-god she's spent the last century and a half watching the people she loved die, knowing that she never can, and that is something that weighs heavily on her. It's funny because at over 150 years old, you'd kind of expect her to be this 'wise beyond her years' (well maybe not beyond her years but you get the gist) kind of character, instead Rosie relates more to the child who does exactly the opposite of what you ask them to do, the kid that sticks their hand in the plug socket after you warned them it wouldn't end well. She partly acts that way because of the whole not being able to die thing, but also because doing those things are one of the only ways she gets to feel truly alive. It's hard not to fall for her, to feel for her, and despite some of the issues I had with this book, reading it from Rosie's pov was truly a joy.

Duckers is another character I've loved following through the series, he does seem to get the short stick of being partners with whoever is the MC of the book, but I felt he had a much bigger role in this one and I loved seeing his relationships with Rosie. There's quite a big time jump between this and the last book, 10 years in total, which means these characters have had time to grow and I thought Bannen did a great job of filling us in on where everyone was, who was married, who had kids, who'd retired etc. I did like Adam, Rosie's love interest, and the scientist who originally made the portals into Tanria. His story was an interesting one, I just felt like this book desperately needed his POV for me to get truly invested in the romance.

We know Rosie's interested, she isn't exactly the most subtle person ever, all the talk of her intimates, spending as much time with him as possible, wanting to get any reaction out of the stoic scientist she can. But Adam, Adam was as closed off as you can get, understandable when you hear his story, but apart from a few blushes and unintentional laughs, it's very hard really detect his feelings for Rosie. It felt one sided for a good long while, and then bam, they quite literally crashed together. We just needed a few chapters from Adam's POV, not that necessarily gave anything away about his story, but allowed us to see how Rosie was affecting him, because it was incredibly hard to see from an outside perspective. It was however, a romance for the tall girlies because Rosie is 6ft plus and Adam is definitely under 5'5"... even if he wont admit it himself.

Despite the romance, I really enjoyed the plot of this one. Because of Rosie's demi-god status, as well as a few other things I wont mention for spoilers, we get a real deep dive into the history of the world, God's and the making of Tanria. I love world-building, and enjoyed this intricate look we get at the stories and lives of the god's both old and new. For those of you who want more Dragons from book two, rejoice because Mary-Georgina and co make a come back in this one in the most hilarious and heartbreaking way. Bannen really lent into the lore of her world with this one, and that part of the story, hearing about the god's, both good and not so good, was absolutely something I loved.

There was a moment when I thought our characters wouldn't get their HEA, the ending of this one is super emotional, but fear not because Bannen knows what she's doing. How she weaves Rosie and Adam's stories together, the parallels between the two of them, it was just emotional and beautifully done. As with any of the previous books this one is filled to the brim with hi-jinks, plot twists and just quirk galore, meaning that even though I might not have been as invested in the romance, I was still glued to the pages. If you loved Bannens previous books in this series I would absolutely give it a go because, even though it wasn't my favourite, I still enjoyed it.

Unfortunately for me, this is a dnf at the 20% mark. Though I feel that this is maybe more of a me problem as I haven't read the other two books in this series and a lot of the start of the book seems to be telling me about characters that are already loved and known in this universe.

The other reason is the 'meme-speak', I can't get used to it, and for me as a 37 year old, its a tad cringey to say the least. I may have been able to push through, but ever since hearing the cat called 'Blammo Tinky Fartface' I just can't take any of it seriously.

I like that the characters are quirky, and I did enjoy the funeral scene with the ritual for the dead, but not enough to continue.

I think this book will be perfect if you've read books one and two, and for a slightly younger (than me) audience.

I'm so sad to say goodbye to Eternity and Tanria! This series has been so much fun and this was such a great way to end it.

As expected, it was cosy, adorable and full of my favourite characters while focusing on someone we'd only seen as a side character until now.

The only thing that let it down for me was that it wasn't dual POV like the other two books in the series. I understand that this was likely done to not give away a big reveal, but I wanted to get to know Adam a bit more and from his own perspective.

I did really enjoy Rosie's character though, her narration was whimsical and often hilarious.

We also get to see a huge change for Tanria from the start of the first book but things also came back to that story, which was great. I like that all loose ends were tied up, creating a very definitive ending while still hinting at adventures that are being had by the characters.

This book and series are absolutely on my re-read list when I need something light and cosy.

What it feels like:
- SIlly but cosy vibes with heartwarming found family and character relationships.

What to expect:
- Heartwarming relationships and dialogue between different characters.
- A unique and familiar world (providing you have read the first two) that has depth in a way that strengthens the characters without feeling like a heavy read.
- A heartwarming romance story that is light on the fantasy.

What hit hard:
- Engaging Romance- The actual romance storyline was done in a way that gave both ease and depth at the same time. I always like the intrigue of not knowing everything about a character especially when they are the love interest and it worked really well here.
- Lovable Characters- I really love the characters in this whole series and I was so glad we got to see splashes of the previous characters as well as getting to know some of them better! I just liked both of the love stories co-existing and the dialogue between them all as friends- it really worked well for me.
- Intriguing Storyline- I really enjoyed the layers to the storyline especially Rosie’s dynamic with her dad and who he is in the world. I think having the coexisting elements to the story kept me engaged in the book overall especially having the background already.

What didn’t quite work for me (so might be worth keeping in mind):
- Romance- While the romance plot was very much adjacent to a romcom as appose to a Romantacy (my preference being the former), I did think at times it almost felt a little too ‘tropey’ and ‘insta-lovey’ for me although I absolutely know people love that and if you do you will love it here.
- Low Stakes- Definitely go into this one for more of a Romance/Cosy Fantasy vibes as it definitely isn’t High Stakes. I liked this element as I went into it looking for cosy but worth keeping in mind if you are usually a Fantasy or even Romantacy reader.

You’ll love this if you love:
- The series so far!! I think this book rounded off the series perfectly and was so engaging. I love it when a trilogy all comes together and this one definitely delivered. Everything about the story felt so wholesome and full and the writing created the perfect imagery to have me completely immersed!

My thanks to NetGalley and the publishers for this ARC .

I loved 'The Undertaking of Hart and Mercy' and 'The Undermining of Twyla and Frank', so I just knew I was going to love this too. Rosie and Adam are, as expected, an interesting couple with intriguing dynamics. At the start, I was a little surprised to see how much of a time jump we were experiencing from the last book - it had been 10 years since the end of Twyla and Frank's book. Duckers and Zeddy not being together completely threw me too, because I adore them and it felt wrong for them to not be together.

All this to say that I was completely enamoured with the whole storyline, and I would really love to see more books in this world still. Each one feels a bit like coming home at this point.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for access to this ARC, I'd give it 3-3.5 stars.

I wasn't the biggest fan of this series, it just didn't hit the same way for me as it did for others. But this was a lovely ending to the series.

The characters were relatable and the story had some good twists and turns which I enjoyed!

If you liked the first 2 in the series you'll love this one!

have been chading the high of the first book of this series forver budmt sadly this one did not do it for me. the romance was very insta love in my eyes and the language felt YA at times. sadly, I didn't connect to the characters.

The Undercutting of Rosie and Adam is a lovely ending to the series. Rosie is a great character, I loved her fearlessness, which I suppose is easy when you literally cannot die. Adam is a great addition to the cast of characters as well, I felt the tension was done well and forgive the insta love just because I adore these characters. Romance wise it’s a joy to read, definitely warmed the heart! In this book we also get more dragon glitter and some riding, which I very much enjoyed. The humour and tone are the same as the other books in this series, it’s very much an expansion of what’s come before and I wanted nothing more and nothing less. This series is great for those looking for some cozy fantasy romance that’s focused on older characters. Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for this advanced reader copy. This is a voluntary review of my own thoughts.

The only reason this is 4 stars rather than 5 is that I read The Undermining of Twyla and Frank immediately before it, and for me this one just didn’t resonate quite as much. Nevertheless this is an excellent conclusion to the story of this gently bonkers world, Gods, autoducks, glitter-breathing dragons and all. I loved the inversion for the main characters - because how many books are out there with 6 foot-plus heroes and dainty pocket-sized heroines? - and the gradual reveal of Adam’s story along with glimpses into the lives of previous characters in the series. Also, even a decade older and (supposedly) more mature, Penrose Duckers is worthy of all the Best Supporting Character awards out there.

Thank you to Netgalley.com for providing me with an ARC of this title.

The Undercutting of Rosie and Adam is the third instalment in the Hart and Mercy series. I have not read the previous two books so I went into this blindly. I enjoyed this book! It was a little bit bonkers but so charming!

Rosie Fox is an immortal demi-God who has died nearly as many times as her age! She works as a Tanrian Marshal who fixes the portal. When a portal failure is beyond fixing, it threatens the safety of the townspeople so an evacuation takes place. Dr Adam Lee (the inventor of the portal) is called in to fix the issue. Rosie and her partner Duckers are expected to escort Dr Adam Lee while the portal gets fixed. Catastrophe strikes in the name of an unidentified plant-like shadow that is threatening to devour the whole of Tanria! What's even weirder is that only Rosie can see the plant! The gang end up stuck inside Tanria awaiting a fix and their freedom! We watch as the unflappable Rosie and the reserved Dr Adam Lee fall in love.

The story was absolutely bonkers but in the best way! The cast of characters were hilarious and eccentric. I could not stop laughing out loud! The banter was great and the world was fun! I enjoyed the mystery, the humour and the found family was so wholesome!

Rosie had the subtlety of a bulldozer! She was so funny and unashamedly herself!
Adam was so reserved & his humour was dryer than the Sahara desert!
The pair of them somehow worked. I loved the fact that they were not what we see conventionally in a romance! He was short and she was our tall FMC.

I loved Duckers and Zeddie. I enjoyed getting to watch those two rekindle an old romance. Duckera was a great side character.

The story had some great twists and I thoroughly enjoyed it!

4 stars for me!

I adore this world and the opportunity to read about the lives of its inhabitants. The writing is both light and witty. While it is disheartening that this marks the conclusion of the series, there is genuine eager anticipation for Megan's future endeavors.

Megan Bannen strikes gold again with The Undercutting of Rosie and Adam — a charming, sharp, and emotionally resonant rom-com that doesn’t follow the usual playbook. Rosie and Adam are anything but conventional leads, and that’s what makes this story shine. Their chemistry is messy, hilarious, and deeply human, packed with banter and slow-burn vulnerability that feels earned.

Bannen’s signature blend of humor and heart is on full display here. The dialogue is razor-smart, the pacing tight, and the emotional arc surprisingly poignant beneath the sarcasm and chaos. There’s also a strong undercurrent of healing — both personal and relational — that adds real depth.

Why 4 stars instead of 5? Some secondary characters and subplots could’ve used a bit more development, and a few tonal shifts felt abrupt. But those are minor quibbles in an otherwise standout romance.

If you’re looking for a book that balances laugh-out-loud wit with genuine emotional stakes — and gives you two lovable weirdos to root for — this one absolutely delivers.

The bad news? This third outing to Tanria is also apparently the last. The good news? The Undercutting of Rosie and Adam is as inventive, funny, thoughtful, romantic and absorbing as both the books that came before. This trilogy is one of the most original fantasy series I have read in a long time with immaculate worldbuilding and mythology and populated by fabulously believable characters. Even when one said character is a six foot seven, red eyed, immortal demi god.
Rosie hates her immortality almost as much as she hates her deity father who bequeathed it to her, but she loves her job as a marshall in the former old god prison land of Tanria, her work partner Duckers and her friends. She's used to being a little different, but that difference feels alarming when she realises she is the only one to see shadows clogging up the portals which allow access to Tanria. Portals which have been acting up lately. Cue the entrance of Adam Lee, inventor of said portals. He's over a foot shorter than Rosie and impossibly buttoned up which makes teasing him far too easy. But when Rosie, Adam, Duckers and Duckers' ex find themselves stranded in Tanria, it soon becomes clear that Adam Lee has hidden depths and plenty of secrets of his own.
Charming, escapist and poignant, I didn't want to put this down. Highly recommended.

Hace ya tiempo que leí The Undertaking of Hart and Mercy, una novela cozy de antes de que se pusiera tan de moda este adjetivo. Y tenía pendiente las continuaciones, así que cuando tuve la oportunidad de acceder de manera adelantada al audiolibro final de la saga, The Undercutting of Rosie and Adam me lancé en plancha.


El tema de fondo de la novela es la inmortalidad y sus consecuencias en el aspecto sentimental. Cuando todos a los que has querido alguna vez mueren a tu alrededor, resulta muy complicado continuar teniendo relaciones normales con las demás personas. Un poco a Los Inmortales, pero bajado de tono. Rosie es hija de un dios y una mortal, por lo que no puede morir… Mejor dicho, no se queda muerta, porque morir lo que se dice morir ha muerto muchísimas veces, como cuando era una artista ambulante en el circo y su número consistía en… morir. Ahora trabaja como ranger en Tanria, pero una de las veces que muere mientras toquetea uno de los portales de acceso a este mundo, el portal se estropea de tal manera que el doctor Adam Lee, creador de los portales, ha de venir a repararlo en persona. Lo que parecía una reparación simple deviene en un problema mucho más complicado, que obligará a la evacuación de Tanria y a buscar posibles soluciones de manera desesperada.

Como los demás libros de la saga Hart and Mercy, el tono es divertido y comedido, es una delicia leer un libro de fantasía con su poquito de misterio, su muchito de romance y en general con buen rollo y ánimo para todos. Además la labor como narradores de Jim Frangione y Kacie Rogers es sencillamente estupenda, adaptándose como guante hecho a medida a un texto que se presta también mucho al formato, con sus diálogos chispeantes y sus personajes secundarios que aportan mucho a la historia.

Por ponerle alguna pega al libro, la ausencia de conflicto quizá le resta un poco de emoción, porque la mayoría de la historia se ve venir desde bastante lejos. No es menos cierto que aunque sea previsible, no es por ello una lectura menos agradable. Con detalles como la inclusión de personajes de las entregas anteriores, The Undercutting of Rosie and Adam es un final de saga estupendo.