Slow-Burn and Second Chances: The Undercutting of Rosie and Adam by Megan Bannen (Review)
Jamie @ Books and Ladders
04 July
6 Comments
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THE UNDERCUTTING OF ROSIE AND ADAM
Author: Megan Bannen
Series: Hart and Mercy #3
Source: eARC via Publisher
Publisher: Orbit
Publication Date: July 8, 2025
Summary:
From the author ofThe Undertaking of Hart and Mercy comes a new heart warming fantasy rom-com with an opposites-attract twist set in the delightful world of Tanria.
Immortal demigod Rosie Fox has been patrolling Tanria for decades, but lately, the job has been losing its lustre. After one hundred and fifty-seven years of being alive, everything is beginning to lose its lustre. When Rosie dies (again) by electrocution (again) after poking around inside a portal choked with shadowy thorns only she can see, she feels stuck in the rut that is her unending life.
Thanks to Rosie's meddling, the portal inventor, Dr. Adam Lee, must come in person to repair the damage. When all the portals begin to break down, he declares an emergency evacuation of Tanria. In the mad rush to get out, Rosie and Adam end up trapped inside the Mist. Together.
And uptight Adam Lee in his bespoke menswear seems to know a lot more about what's happening than he lets on...
Rosie is determined to crack the shell of his cool exterior. But the more she learns about Adam, the more she realizes that they both have personal histories as tangled and thorny as the plant that has them trapped inside the Mist. Maybe two people who have found themselves stuck in this life can find a way to unstick each other … just when their time on this earth seems to be running out.
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Content Warning: gore, death, blood, vomit, excessive drinking, death of a parent, grief, anxiety
Disclaimer: I received a free copy of this book from Orbit and chose to review it. This in no way impacts my opinion. Thank you for the opportunity to review!
What do you mean this is the last book of this series?? What do you mean no more of this wonderful and creative world?? I didn't realize this was the ending of the series so when I read that in the author's note I started crying to the point my partner had to ask if I was okay. I finished this book weeks before I'm writing this review because every time I went to start writing, I cried.
This is such a great mix between fantasy and rom-com with heart, silliness, and generally being like a warm hug. There was a great mix of tension, intrigue, and romance throughout with a splash of mystery to go alongside it. I thought this really tied the world together from the previous two (2) books in the series.
Rosie and Adam were both delightful — yes, it felt a bit instalove-y at times (even though they had met previously), but their relationship was one that I was rooting for the entire time. I was so enthralled in how they would end up together and was cheering on their relationship throughout. They brought out the best in each other and really that's all you can ask for in a relationship.
I appreciated their bond, their growth, and the way they supported each other through what they were dealing with. This book served as a reminder that our families are complex, our feelings can be big, and that life is worth living.
I did want a little more from the dialogue and conversations — I felt like there was a lot of repetition and overexplanations at some points. But Rosie was witty and funny, leading to me just being excited to continue reading.
Overall, this was a great conclusion to a series that I have enjoyed from start to finish. I think it is well worth picking up and reading the rest if you haven't yet!
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