I picked up the first book in this series recently and me, someone who often reads the first book in a series and saves the rest for later like immediately (among other obligations) dove into the second book! The Hart & Mercy world is so fun, like an alternate universe Earth but there's a pantheon of gods, there's soda pop but no phones, there's a letter system delivered by talking, divine (?) animals, they have vehicles with radios and it's just fun.

In this second book, we're in one POV (which I think works better for these two) for a pair that are both in their 50s with kids (and grandkids, in Twyla's case), fully grown, post-menopausal adults with their own fully developed lives behind them. Not only that, but their jobs are adjusted now after the major events at the end of book 1, but no worries they have plenty to do! ...like discovering for the first time in human knowledge, actual dragons! (I realized last year I'm not into dragons, but these dragons are cute and can stay). So begins a fun romp into the mystery of a death and just what's up with the dragons, and an exploration into getting older, but also what it really means to be a mother and a wife amidst the expectations of society and also husbands of varying use.

I'm gonna go eat up book 3 ASAP, loved this.

Thank you to Orbit and NetGalley for the eARC!

I received this as an ARC from NetGalley for an honest review.
My feelings on this book are mixed. I really like this fantasy world established in the previous book-though this goes into an entirely different direction. I like the lovable cast of characters and super cute dragons.
What I struggled with was the romance. I rooted for our main characters, but it is an example of lazy writing to have the main conflict being easily resolved with a mature conversation at the end of the book. So I recommend this with reservations just barely. 3.25⭐️

Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for granting me free access to the advanced digital copy of this book.

A powerful, emotionally raw story about love, betrayal, and the struggle to reclaim your life. Megan Bannen delivers a gripping exploration of trauma, resilience, and what it means to find strength when everything feels broken.

What it’s about:
Twyla escapes a controlling relationship with Frank, determined to rebuild her shattered world. But when the past keeps pulling her back, she must confront painful truths and find her own voice to heal. This is a story of survival, courage, and the fight for freedom.

Tropes You’ll Love:
💔 Domestic abuse recovery
🌿 Emotional healing
🔥 Slow-burn empowerment
👩‍🦰 Strong heroine
✨ Raw and honest storytelling

If you’re looking for a deeply moving and hopeful read that tackles tough themes with grace, this book is for you.

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

#TheUnderminingOfTwylaAndFrank #MeganBannen #EmotionalReads #HealingJourney #DomesticAbuseSurvivor #Bookstagram #BookReview #RawAndReal #ContemporaryFiction

⭐⭐⭐⭐ | 🌶️ Sweet & Tender | Small-town marshals, big-heart adventures
I wasn't sure I'd connect with middle-aged protagonists, but Bannen completely won me over. There's something magical about watching Twyla navigate the tension between being everyone's caretaker and rediscovering herself as a capable marshal. Her friendship with Frank feels lived-in and authentic—all those small gestures and unspoken understanding that come from years of truly seeing each other.
The world-building continues to enchant me. Tanria feels wonderfully bizarre yet comforting, like stepping into a cozy mystery where dragons might babysit your emotional baggage. Frank fostering a baby dragon while grappling with feelings for his best friend? Chef's kiss.
What surprised me most was how deeply I connected with Twyla's struggle against becoming invisible—that fear of being reduced to the roles you serve rather than the person you are. Bannen captures the complexity of finding love again with such tender honesty.
Vibes We Are Tracking:
🏠 Neighbors-to-lovers perfection
🐉 Accidental dragon dad energy
👮‍♀️ Midlife career switch goals
💝 Found family feels
🔍 Cozy fantasy mystery vibes

3.5 stars

The first book in this series was really fun so I knew I had to continue soon. If you enjoyed the fantasy aspects of the first one, then definitely continue as well, as in my opinion this had a bigger focus on that than romance. Of course, there was still romance here eventually as well, but it was pretty slow and didn’t feature heavily until later on.

Personally, I did have some struggles with the characters as I was reading, though some of that can definitely be attributed to personal experiences to some extend. As a friend pointed out the title said, there is a lot of undermining going on, though much more of Twyla as a mother/caretaker than of Frank (who sometimes honestly felt more rude than the charming grumpy MCs we often love). I had such a hard time reading about Twyla being taken for granted, getting dismissed, not being listened to, and all those treatments mothers/wives/caretakers often have to endure. Since a lot of people really enjoyed this book, this might’ve just been me being sensitive about those things but I can’t help it. That still affected my enjoyment a lot, even if that was the whole point of the book.

The fantasy side of things was really fun though. In equal parts endearing, ridiculous, and exciting, I loved following along as these characters got to know the creatures they’d long thought extinct. While some of it was a bit predictable to me, that didn’t actually take anything away for me from this part of the book, because I thought it was good how it all played out.

Though I’ve heard that these books can be read in any order, I don’t think I agree with that. Are they stories that can technically stand on their own? Yes. But I think you’ll enjoy the fantasy aspect and the world building a lot more if you read them in the order they’re published! I really enjoyed how the world building built on what we already knew from the last book and that we didn’t need as much explaining any more.

Despite my personal struggles with this book of the series, I’m still really looking forward to the next one!

I recently read The Undermining of Twyla and Frank by Megan Bannen, and while it wasn’t a total standout for me, I still found a lot to enjoy. It’s got a cozy fantasy vibe with a slow-burn, friends-to-lovers romance at the heart of it, which was refreshing—especially with older protagonists like Twyla and Frank.

The magical setting, complete with a baby dragon and a murder mystery, was charming, and the world-building had some really fun, whimsical touches. I didn’t always feel super pulled into the plot, especially in the slower parts, but the character dynamics kept me going.

I appreciated the way the story leaned into a more mature romance—it felt grounded and sweet without being overly dramatic. If you’re into quieter fantasy stories with a good dose of warmth and a little bit of mystery, this one might be worth checking out.

I was really excited to read this one, especially since I loved the first book. I liked that the main characters were older (in their 50s!) and I’m always a fan of a friends-to-lovers storyline.

That said, the love triangle didn’t do it for me, and the pacing made it a bit hard to stay engaged. It had cozy vibes and dragons, which is usually right up my alley, but this one just felt like a bit of a chore to get through. Still, not a bad read—just not my favorite.

This book had a slow start, but ultimately by the second half I was flying through it.

I did enjoy getting to know Frank through mostly Twyla’s eyes - how his behavior didn’t change much but her perspective and what she notices really does.

This book knows it’s a little cheesy and quirky, and embraces those facets of itself.

This was a really cute, fun read. I don’t think it had the same wow impact as the first though. I really enjoyed the plot line around the dragons but I think the miscommunication / mistake plot line in friends to lovers is a bit over done in general. That said, I still had a lot of fun reading this and really liked going back into this world!

This book is full of magical fun!! The overall flow of the book is amazing , the writing is easily understood. The book to myself , is very relatable and just so much fun. I was in love with every character I met along the way !!

This was pretty cute! I didn't find it as great as the first but it was still pretty enjoyable. The make out scene in the house was pretty great.

CUTE! I liked the first book in this series, so knew I wanted to pick up the second and give it a go.

This was very sweet, and a great slowburn romance between two older adults. My biggest gripe is that a lot of the writing is sort of millennial cringey and I found myself struggling to get through it at times because of that. Twyla and Frank are both fantastic characters that I really enjoyed, and I think the plot itself was fine, it was just how we got from point A to point B that had me cringing most of the time.

I think if you liked Bannen's first book, then you'll like this one as well! We get some more Hart and Mercy content, and it has the cozy fantasy feel that was so loved from the first book.

The Undermining of Twyla and Frank by Megan Bannen is a delightful and engaging read that seamlessly blends humor, heart, and adventure. The dynamic between Twyla and Frank is wonderfully crafted, offering a mix of warmth and wit that keeps the story lively and compelling. Megan Bannen's writing shines with its clever dialogue and richly imagined world, making it easy to get lost in the narrative.
I thoroughly enjoyed this book and gave it 4 stars for its charming characters and captivating storytelling. It's a must-read for fans of fantasy with a touch of humor and heartfelt moments.

Really enjoyed The Undermining of Twila and Frank! I loved the first book in the series, so I was excited for this one—and it didn’t disappoint. Twila and Frank have such a unique, offbeat chemistry, and the way their relationship unfolds is both entertaining and surprisingly emotional. The writing is clever without trying too hard, and there are some genuinely funny moments. It did lose a bit of steam in the middle, but overall it was a great follow-up. Super entertaining and definitely worth the read if you liked the first one.

This is quirky and funny and I really enjoyed Twyla’s story. It is refreshing to read a middle-aged main character in a romance. What exists of the romance is good, but this should not have been pitched as a romance. It’s more women’s fiction x fantasy, which is fine, just not what I expected and is totally different from the first book in the series.

Thank you Orbit and NetGalley for an advanced reader copy.

4.25/5 stars! This is the second book in the Hart and Mercy series by Megan Bannen. I thoroughly enjoyed the first book and was very excited to read this one. This one lacked a teeny bit of the charm, but it was silly and an adventure and I read it in one sitting. This is a friends-to-lovers story with older leads and it pulled at the heart strings.

I loved coming back to this world and its characters and humor so much! It was very cute, low stakes, just overall another fun one in this series!

I can’t wait to see what Megan Bannen comes up with next!

The only thing I felt that was missing was Frank’s POV. I would have liked to get inside his head for some of it, like we did for Hart in the first book in the series.

I absolutely adored this sequel. I wasnt super sold on Hart and mercy but Twyla and Frank? Yes. Just yes. Their friendship and wit. It was like a hallmark movie but better. I can't wait to read the next one!

Another adorable story. To be specific 4.25 stars. This was an insta-request/buy as I loved the first story so much (The Undertaking of Hart and Mercy) and was pleasantly surprised to find dragons. And pink glitter spitting dragons at that. SWOON. Heading back into Tanria was such a different adventure this time but no less enjoyable and exciting.

Seeing older main characters was so refreshing and gives them so much history *coughbaggagecough* to explore. I did find Twyla a bit annoying at times, like the one friend who just won’t listen to anyone’s advice or opinion because surely she knows better. I think the screen time so to speak was overly dominated by Twyla and I would have appreciated more Frank. I was always happy to see Duckers however and think that he, as a 21 year old, is a nice juxtaposition to our seasoned marshals. Especially the subplot of his relationship with Zeddie and seeing young people navigating relationships while older people are as well is something realistic that we don’t often get in fantasy novels.

I understand the necessity of Quill’s character as the catalyst for Twyla’s sexual reawakening but his clingy nature at the beginning was UGH. I mean come on dude you met this woman a week ago and went on 1.5 dates - why are you all up in her business constantly trying to touch and kiss her. Especially during/at work. I was really glad when she set up that boundary and that he for the most part respected it.

Getting into Twyla’s thoughts about her life, her marriage, her children and grandchildren was interesting in seeing how sexism permeates even fictional worlds (because books are political of course). As I get older and well into a marriage these thoughts and conversations hit hard. I completely understood where she was coming from and feel very empathetic to her past as well as her confusing feelings for the fate of her daughter’s potential future. Let’s all hope we can be as strong and assured as Hope promising not to become anyone’s servant. Or chair.

Very excited for the next installment in Tanria and glad that Rosie and Duckers have partnered because I adore him. The small intro we had to Rosie just ups the ante for Undercutting!