Reviews"Ever since first finishing The House In The Cerulean Sea by TJ Klune, I've searched for a love story that made me feel both hopeful and cozy with characters so well-established that they felt like old friends. In 2022, the book closest to that was The Undertaking of Hart and Mercy by Megan Bannen"-- In Between Drafts: Best of the Year
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SynopsisHart 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 pen pals. But can their blossoming romance survive the fated discovery that their pen pals are their worst nightmares - each other?, "A uniquely charming mixture of whimsy and the macabre that completely won me over. If you ever wished for an adult romance that felt like Howl's Moving Castle , THIS IS THAT BOOK." --Helen Hoang, author of The Kiss Quotient 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? Set in a world full of magic and demigods, donuts and small-town drama, this enchantingly quirky, utterly unique fantasy is perfect for readers of The House in the Cerulean Sea and The Invisible Library. "Truly outstanding romantic fantasy." --India Holton "An unabashedly offbeat adventure." --Freya Marske "I cried twice and smiled plenty." --Olivia Atwater "A little sweet, a little spicy, a little sharp and entirely moreish!" --Davinia Evans "I showed up for the fantastic, fun fantasy setting but it was Hart and Mercy that kept me reading." --Ruby Dixon
LC Classification NumberPS3602.A6664U53 2022