Mercy Birdsall is keeping her family business afloat through sheer force of will. She views it as her duty to honor and care for all the bodies that come to her family’s undertaker business. Hart knows undertakers to be opportunistic and cold. From the moment they meet, they get off on the wrong foot and continue that way. When Mercy receives a letter entitled to “A Friend,” she writes back. Unbeknownst to them, Hart and Mercy have more in common than they might think. Will they ever be able to overcome their first impressions? As more drudges flood the towns, will Hart and Mercy find who their pen pal is? 

The Undertaking of Hart and Mercy is a sweet and soulful love story. Mercy and Hart are both vivid characters that simply leap off the page. I loved the creativity of the world-building, it felt completely open to anything and very grounded at the same time. This is a world filled with demigods, drudges (basically zombies), and magical creatures delivering the mail. It is simultaneously filled with complex family relationships, an undertaking business, and excellent librarians. Mercy and Hart are surrounded by a fantastic cast of characters, including Mercy’s siblings, her father, and Hart’s brand-new apprentice. The Undertaking of Hart and Mercy is a story about long-held grief, the courage to be open to new relationships, and that family comes in many different forms. I absolutely loved it and it is one of my new favorite books! 

I would recommend The Undertaking of Hart and Mercy for fans of Neil Gaiman and Under the Whispering Door. I would really recommend The Undertaking of Hart and Mercy to anyone! Thank you to Megan Bannen, Orbit Books, and Netgalley for a free ARC in exchange for an honest review.