Reviews with content warning for Cursing - The Undertaking of Hart and Mercy

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The Undertaking of Hart and Mercy by Megan Bannen

28 reviews

organizedxchaos's review against another edition

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adventurous emotional funny lighthearted reflective fast-paced

Plot- or character-driven? A mix
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? Yes
Diverse cast of characters? Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

4.75

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renpuspita's review against another edition

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emotional lighthearted medium-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Character
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? Yes
Diverse cast of characters? Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.5

To quote Horatio, " I do love a happy ending!" and amended what Bassareus said while he wept in the end "F*cking beautiful."

The Undertaking of Hart and Mercy (quite a handful title, eh?) is my first book by Megan Bannen. The cover hooked me up. The premise of enemy to lover that become secret pen pal without realize each other identity at first sold me out. Nope, I don't watch You've Got Mail and while other readers said the vibe is like Ghibli, I admit I also never watch their anime movie. For me, I have a warm and fuzzy feeling reading about Hart and Mercy. Especially Hart. Bannen seems like want to incorporate grumpy x sunshine, although while like a yellow color, Mercy is not that sunshine, lel. Her struggle to maintain the family undertaking business seems plausible. Her first fight with Hart that lead to their animosity for 4 years maybe a little bit silly at first and you can said that Mercy was overreact facing Hart's barbed venom, not knowing that Hart was grieving after his dog died. Not an excuse for Hart, tho. I admit, he was a jerk too. But, what can you said about hate and love is the different side of same coins? Although 4 years is a LONG time to hold a grudge, lel.

I'm very sure that the MVPs of this book must be granted to both the nimkilim, Horatio the Owl and Bassareus the Rabbit (he's my personal favorite with his unapologetic cursing toward Hart, lel); and also to the unfortunate drugde (aka zombie like creature that roams Tanria) whom attack Mercy so Hart can be her knight (or Marshal) in shining armor, therefore giving chance to their blossoming romance. My favorites scene is of course the letter exchange between Mercy and Hart, cute but also endearing to read, although I read it with a sense of dread knowing that finally they will know their real identity. Sure their fighting in the "enemy phase" can be too tiring to read, but well, that 4 years of grudge did to you. While reading their budding romance make me grinning from ear to ear and said "awww" for many times. The angst also well written and boy.. the scene when Hart crying after he thought that his chance to have a romantic relationship with Mercy vanishing when Mercy finally knowing that Hart is her secret pen pal make my heart feel a little bit pained. I did like with the way Bannen write about Hart, his hard personality in the surface is seems pretty hard to crack, but deep inside he's a softie. His emotions were well written, show that even it's okay for a man to crying and show his emotions.

The family theme is a delight to read, especially from Birdsall family. I can't emphasize how much well written the struggle that Mercy had. She love the undertaking business but her family think she deserve other and well, what a surprise that it was Hart that understand her. Yep, I know, this is a romance written by woman author, lel. But, hey, I read romance for escapism! The secondary romance between Mercy's brother, Zeddie and Penrose Duckers whom happen to be Hart's apprentice is so CUTE, with capital C. And its funny to read how different Zeddie and Duckers compared to Hart and Mercy, but they also help our MCs in their own way.

If I have a complaint, then it's the fantasy setting. THERE'S NO MAP. That, I said it! No map whatsoever so I don't know where is Tanria, where is Bushong, or Eternity? Is it England? But, there's no queen??? I think maybe Bannen didn't want to info dumping in the first and my patience got rewarded after hundred pages of so when through Mercy I learned the mythology behind the world. A little explanation in the first will be nice. A MAP will be better. The fantasy time setting also seems like mismatched. I got a modern feeling, since there's a cab called autoduck but also have a medieval feeling too? Lol, I can't explain well so I assume the time setting happen in modern times but with fantastical elements. Though, Hart said there's no dragon in Tanria, I think otherwise!

If you like your fantasy light with a pretty much low stake (heh, if drudge attacks can be categorized into low stake) and heavier on romance, The Undertaking of Hart and Mercy is a must read! Also, it make me grinning and sad, also have adorable nimkilim, although the fantasy settings is a little bit weak.

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lizzysk555's review against another edition

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adventurous funny medium-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Character
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? Yes
Diverse cast of characters? Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.5

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booksalacarte's review against another edition

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adventurous dark emotional funny hopeful lighthearted mysterious reflective sad tense medium-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Character
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? Yes
Diverse cast of characters? Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.5

The undertaking of Hart and Mercy- 3.5⭐️ 3🌶️

Fantasy Romance

Dual POV

Undertaker

Mythical Beasts

Letters

Rivals to lovers

Demi-gods

Sherif/cowboy vibes

Grumpy/sunshine

Curvy FMC

30’s MC’s

🏳️‍🌈 Side Characters

Tw: death, dead bodies, grief

The plot was a fantasy version of You’ve Got Mail… only with undead, undertakers, sheriffs and funeral homes? But the romance was good. The nicknames were top notch.

Thank goodness the pets didn’t die!

from the beginning, the story took place in a different world. Instead of introducing the world in little snippets, there was one giant info dump that took up more than half a chapter, around 32% that explained a lot of the history of the world. I really disliked that. But a lot of the world was unique, but because it went so long to give any world building hints, often I was overly confused by what was described with absolutely zero explanation.

The side characters were all delightful! The FMC was level headed, loyal and it was really nice to see her passion and love for the work she was doing. The MMC was pretty bland, but I like how his feelings developed.

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readwithria's review against another edition

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emotional funny lighthearted tense medium-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Character
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? Yes
Diverse cast of characters? Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.5

The Undertaking of Hart and Mercy was so much more than I expected it to be! This book made me squeal from pure joy, and it also broke my heart. I cannot recommend it enough!

Megan Bannen took You’ve Got Mail, fantasy, and westerns, and combined those elements into something truly magical. I don’t know if I have to words to describe exactly how this book made me feel.

Read The Undertaking of Hart and Mercy if you love
🩵 stories with epistolary elements
🩵 enemies to lovers
🩵 he falls first
🩵 grumpy/sunshine
🩵 romantic fantasy

I can’t wait to read more from Megan Bannen. 4.5 stars!

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katievallin's review

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adventurous emotional funny hopeful sad medium-paced

Plot- or character-driven? A mix
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? It's complicated
Diverse cast of characters? Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.5

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theespressoedition's review

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4.5

This isn't a true review. Just quotes I liked.

“I want to be with someone who asks me how my day was, someone who finds what I have to say interesting. I want to be with someone who thinks that—I don’t know—that I’m kind of special. That’s all.” Nathan puffed his lips as if Mercy had uttered the most unreasonable thing he’d ever heard. “Thanks a lot!” she said. “I’m not trying to be mean, but come on. Life isn’t like those fluffy books you read. People don’t sit around mooning over each other. This is reality, and in reality, you find someone you like and that you’re attracted to, and you get married and you have a family, and that’s all there is to it. It’s that simple.” Mercy sagged in her chair. Maybe Nathan had a point. Maybe she was reaching too high and wanting too much. Maybe it was time to lower the bar and readjust her expectations.

(Woof. I felt this in my soul).

It’d be like reading a book that doesn’t end. No matter how good the story is, you want it to be over at some point.

(Talking about life here. Interesting).

“I think I’m about to do something stupid.” “Okay.” Mercy stood on tiptoes and kissed the corner of his mouth on the exact spot where the frosting had been. She pulled away and watched him as he gawked at her and said nothing, and his silence screamed around her until she couldn’t take it anymore. “Well? Say something.” “I’m still waiting for you to do something stupid.”

(This has got to be one of the cutest scenes I’ve ever read. Ever).