The Undertaking of Hart & Mercy by Megan Bannen
Publisher: Orbit Books
Pub Date: 8/23/2022

Thank you to Orbit Books for the free advanced listening copy on Libro.fm in exchange for my honest review.

Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

GoodReads Synopsis: 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?

Review: The Undertaking of Hart & Mercy is a fantasy romance book that explores loneliness, family pressure, unexpected friendship, and contains an enemies-turned-lovers trope. I was initially intrigued by this book because of Helen Hoang’s review. I went in knowing very little about the book and was pleasantly surprised by how much I enjoyed it. Though the fantasy romance is a bit morbid, it such a sweet and beautifully written story. I loved seeing Mercy and Hart’s relationship grow throughout the story. I also adored the side characters in this book that made it funny and heartfelt. Highly recommend picking up the audio as both narrators did a phenomenal job making the story engaging!