Series: Hart and Mercy #3
Publication Date: 08th July 2025
Genre: Fantasy Romance
3.5 Stars
One Liner: Had some fun moments!
Rosie Fox, the immortal demigod, had been patrolling Tanria for decades, but there are only so many times she can die and be born again before the newness wears off! When it happens yet again in a portal, the portal’s inventor, a grumpy Dr Adam Lee, arrives to repair the damage.
However, the portal breakdown and the duo ends up stuck in the Mist by a thorny plant. With nothing much to do, Rosie realizes that their personal histories are tangled. Maybe they can find a way to fix the issues while also ensuring they don’t end up stuck in the Mist forever.
The story comes in Rosie’s third-person POV (mostly).
My Thoughts:
I was rather excited to read this one since Rosie is a demigod and all that. Of course, I hoped for the Ducker & Zeddie subplot too, since I was rooting for them from the first.
There’s a time leap between the previous books and this one. It makes sense once you delve a little into the story.
The FMC is a tall, curvy, and loud character, an immortal demigod who is more than a century and a half old but with the personality of someone in their twenties. I like her quirkiness, though it sometimes feels forced. The repetition about 'soft intimates' did get boring.
The MMC is a short, composed, and efficient inventor with an interesting backstory. This reveal was my favorite part of the book. And it was well-written.
The last quarter is the strongest, where quite a few adventures take place. The setting and the old gods come alive in this section. Compared to this, the rest of it feels a little bland despite the sprinkling of OOT humor and a heavy dose of profanity.
For those eager to know about Duckers and Z, yes, they have a subplot. It could have been better, though! Two very important developments happen off-page since the book is from the FMC’s POV, and she is not present during those events. This diluted the impact. I was looking forward to their scenes.
We meet the dragons again! The scenes with the pink dragons that chirp like birds and sneeze sparkling goo are always a treat. Can I ride a dragon, too, please?
Meeting the side characters again is one reason I like the standalone series. They have tiny roles, enough to make series readers happy, but not enough to confuse someone picking the book at random.
The romance is where things get a bit off. It is both insta-love and slow-burn. I appreciate the theme chosen – height differences in couples, where the woman is much taller than her guy (the FMC is 6’5”). You can see this on the cover too!
The pacing is slow, as it is in this series. However, combined with the repetition, it doesn’t have the same impact as the first book. The setting also doesn’t stand out any longer until the last quarter, when it comes alive.
There’s an epilogue of sorts, which is good. The book has many moments. I would be lying if I said I didn’t laugh. I did! I laughed, chuckled, and snorted many times, even when I rolled my eyes.
To summarize, The Undercutting of Rosie and Adam is a slow-paced but entertaining read. While the book has some flaws, it should still leave you with a smile. Rounded up the rating as I enjoyed it.
Thank you, NetGalley and Little, Brown Book Group UK (Orbit), for the eARC.
#NetGalley #TheUndercuttingOfRosieAndAdam
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