The Undertaking of Hart and Mercy by Megan Bannen [Review]

The Undertaking of Hart and Mercy (Hart and Mercy #1) by Megan Bannen
Format: ebook
Source: purchased
Disclaimer: As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases.
Date read: April 24, 2024

Hart and Mercy
1. The Undertaking of Hart and Mercy - Paperback | Kindle
2. The Undermining of Twyla and Frank

Megan Bannen
| Website | Amazon |

Synopsis (Goodreads):

Hart is a marshal, tasked with patrolling the strange and magical wilds of Tanria. It’s an unforgiving job, and Hart’s got nothing but time to ponder his loneliness.

Mercy never has a moment to herself. She’s been single-handedly keeping Birdsall & Son Undertakers afloat in defiance of sullen jerks like Hart, who seems to have a gift for showing up right when her patience is thinnest.

After yet another exasperating run-in with Mercy, Hart finds himself penning a letter addressed simply to “A Friend”. Much to his surprise, an anonymous letter comes back in return, and a tentative friendship is born.

If only Hart knew he’s been baring his soul to the person who infuriates him most—Mercy. As the dangers from Tanria grow closer, so do the unlikely correspondents. But can their blossoming romance survive the fated discovery that their pen pals are their worst nightmares—each other?

Thoughts on The Undertaking of Hart and Mercy: My girl Amanda recommended this book to me (with a there are "gods and zombie-like creatures and demigods and undertaking and funny family and a lovely romance. also letter writing.") and, GUYS, Amanda know what I like. Because this book? HIT THE SPOT.

When we first meet them, Hart and Mercy are...well, they snipe at one another. A lot. It started with their first meeting and it just kept going from there. They both think the other is infuriating and they might have the occasional fleeting thought about certain physical attributes they admire in the other, but they SHUT THOSE THOUGHTS DOWN QUICKLY. Because no.

Then Hart writes a letter for no other reason than to get his loneliness down on paper and it finds its way into Mercy's hands. And Mercy writes back. And Hart writes back. And soon they're sharing all sorts of things, never knowing the person on the other end is the person they like to needle when they meet face to face. And when the truth comes out (as truth eventually does), they both have to deal with fallout.

Plus, they have to deal with the fact that they've gone and frown FEELINGS for someone they never expected to have feelings for.

Throw in some danger, gods, family dynamics, zombie-esque creatures, a really awful way of gaming a system that shouldn't ever be gamed, more family dynamics, and even MORE danger and you have a really good book. But mostly you have Hart and Mercy figuring themselves out and growing into the people they want to be. Man, it was fun to watch.