I was so excited to return to the unique and fascinating world we were first introduced to in The Undertaking of Hart and Mercy. I adored Hart and Mercy and their swoon-worthy romance, and it made my heart so happy to see them as well as some other faves from the first book.

One character that completely stole the show for me was Duckers. He's hysterical, and there are so many laugh-out-loud moments with him. We also get to see a more sensitive side to Duckers, especially when he's with Twyla. I think it's her "mom-ness," as Duckers calls it. She is so easy to talk to, and she's super supportive. Speaking of Twyla, I loved her, too, and Frank. They were such fantastic protagonists - layered and interesting, and they have such a wonderful relationship!

Frank and Twyla are an older couple in their fifties with grown children, and they've supported each other through divorce, deaths, new careers, and more. I don't come across a ton of fantasy-romances with middle-aged protagonists, and I found a lot of what Twyla went through relatable as she deals with motherhood, family expectations and strife, body issues, and more. Work partners and long-time BFFs, Frank and Twyla know each other inside and out, and they have amazing chemistry. It's plain to see how deeply they love each other, and I was 100 percent rooting for them to turn their friendship into something more! There is a bit of a love triangle, but it's done well, and I actually liked it.

The world-building is fascinating too, but the best thing about it - THE DRAGONS, especially one super cute pink baby dragon that has a special connection with Frank! I need one in my life, please! The dragons are so different from how they're often depicted in other books, and it was awesome! And THE WEDDING! It was everything I hoped for and more, and it was one of the most romantic and lovely scenes in the book. I may have hugged the book when I read that part because it had my entire heart.

I have a feeling this will go down as one of my all-time favorite cozy fantasy series. It's the perfect combination of fantasy, romance, intrigue, and humor, and I adore the characters and the love stories. Twyla and Frank felt different in tone from Hart and Mercy, which was a bit darker and more pulse-pounding, and it's an interesting shift. I'm curious to see if there will be another book in the series and how the dynamics will again change! Special thanks to NetGalley and Orbit Books for providing me with a copy of the book. All thoughts are my own.

This sequel to Hart and Mercy was a cozy, slow burn, later in life friends to lovers romance story that was full of charm. I was so excited to return to the unique magical world of Eternity and Tanria! This book centers on long-time neighbors and partners Twyla and Frank who are nearing retirement as marshals of Tanria. These two are both widows who have formed a close-knit friendship; everyone assumes they are 'more than friends' but Twyla's insecurities and fear of ruining their friendship has prevented her from crossing that friend zone line. Yet when Twyla and Frank stumble on a baby dragon is found in Tanria, and it seems some criminals do not want this secret revealed, it puts a target on both of their lives potentially getting them to reevaluate their relationship.

Bannen's world building is still so fun, and Frank is the king of patient men. Twyla's waffling and insecurities grated my nerves a little bit, but I was happy when she finally saw the light at nearly 85% through the story. LOL. I enjoyed this one, but it lacked the sparkling five star magic of book 1, but I will absolutely be continuing the series with the next story.

I absolutely loved the first book in this series, so I was so excited to receive an ARC for the second book. Just like the first book this one did not disappoint! I love when a book can be set in a completely different world, but still feel completely relatable. One thing Twyla deals with is feeling like she has to sacrifice her wants for her family and is expected to do certain tasks just because of her gender. She may be patrolling a world with magic but I think most women will still relate to her.

I also really loved Frank's character. He cares about Twyla so much and is such a great friend to her! He's also an excellent dragon daddy and overall a good person. We get some glimpses of Hart and Mercy in this one as well as some of our other favorite characters from the first one.

One thing I will note though is some younger readers (late teens or early twenties) may not relate to this one as much as the first one. However, I think it's a great story and there are so many romantasy books with younger characters if that is your preference. I highly recommend this one to romance and fantasy readers! If you are like me and like a fantasy world but also need your HEA this one is for you!

I didn’t think Megan could make me want to live in this fantasy world even more - but after reading this?? I NEED IT TO BE REAL!! Duckers has officially solidified himself as my favorite character in this interconnected series and the world as my favorite in a fantasy series. The sparkly, slime spewing dragons were incredible and the various creatures had me giggling at so many points. I cannot put into words how much I absolutely adored this book. I was worried I wouldn’t be able to connect as well with main characters in their fifties, but Twyla and Frank were fantastically written and I think their backgrounds made them realistic to me. The Undermining of Twyla and Frank feature a few unexpected heavy themes, such as the ease of falling into the misogynist pre-sets of heterosexual relationships and the systemic enabling of men’s learned incompetence. Even with these deeper moments, there’s plenty of hilarious one liners and twists that made me love this book even more. I cannot gush enough about The Undermining of Twyla and Frank. This was such a lovely read and I won’t stop recommending it any time soon!

Thank you to Orbit Books, NetGalley, and the author for sending me an early copy!!

Megan Bannen is hands down my new favorite author. Her first book set in Tanria and Bushong was one of my first forays into the Romantasy genre and I have recommended it to just about everyone I know. Her second book in the series is no exception and I absolutely adored the characters of Tywla and Frank.

Bannen's worldbuilding is wholly and utterly unique and she effortlessly blends delightful and adorable characters that you want to just give big giant hugs to along with an interesting fantasy world filled with demigods, talking animals, and now glitter spewing dragons. Whereas Hart and Mercy was a grumpy/sunshine trope, in The Undermining of Twyla and Frank, Bannen tackles the friends to lovers/second chance love trope and it is SO GOOD. Although there was some predictability, I found myself both laughing and crying and completely relating to the character of Twyla even though she is about ten years ahead of me in age and season of life. I read this one on vacation and it was the perfect read. As soon as I finished it, I learned that a third book in the series has been announced and next July cannot get her fast enough.

Full of heart, romance with just enough spice to keep it interesting, and quick, witty humor that had me literally reading passages out loud to my husband whilst giggling with delight, and did I mention GLITTER SPITTING DRAGONS - this book is definitely not one to miss for any lover of the Romantasy genre of any adult age. Even though it is the second book in the series, it stands alone and there is no need to read the first, although I would question one's sanity why they would not want to read both because they are both guaranteed to leave a smile (and probably happy tears) on your face.

Huge thank you to NetGalley, Megan Bannen, and Orbit for an advanced reader's copy in exchange for an honest review.

There is so much to love about this book! It’s hard to pin it down to any specific genre. Ultimately, this is the story of a middle-aged woman figuring out who she is and who she wants to be. There are also elements of fantasy, mystery, and romance. Oh, and there’s an adorable baby dragon!

The love scenes are mostly open door, but not overly descriptive. The nonromantic storylines are engaging and the worldbuilding is very thorough. If you don’t typically read romance, this may be a good starting point.

This book is set in the same world as The Undertaking of Hart and Mercy. You could probably read it as a standalone since the main characters are completely different. However, I’d personally recommend reading the books in order since there are some overlapping characters and there’s a pretty drastic change in that world from the beginning of the first book to the start of this one.

P.S. Duckers is great! It was so fun to see him again, especially his dynamic with Twyla and Frank, which is a little different than his friendship with Hart. I hope he eventually gets his own book.

A great feel-good, cozy fantasy romance. For those who loved the first book they will absolutely adore this one ❤️ a wonderful story and escape from daily life

Oh my gosh I adore Twyla and Frank!!

Friends to lovers is not typically my favorite but they did it so well! Also, the dragons. My heart belongs to Mary Georgina.

If you loved Hart and Mercy (who also show up in this one!), check out this sweet, later in life love story between two dear friends. I cannot recommend it enough.

Banner’s second novel in the Tanrian universe is a fine addition. I enjoyed the banter between Twyla, Frank and many others. Bannen’s wit is sprinkled throughout the story.

I’ll be reading the next book. Overall, I liked it but thought it wasn’t as gripping as the first. I felt like the first book had more at stakes and the fantasy element was more vital to the plot.

I’d still recommend this one.

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for an ARC.

“The Undermining of Twyla and Frank” is a captivating tale that beautifully blends friendship and fantasy. The relationship between Twyla and Frank is at the heart of this story, and their deep bond shines through every page. Their friendship, laced with unspoken love, kept me rooting for them the entire time. Even when Twyla's stubbornness and obliviousness to Frank's feelings created obstacles, the depth of their connection was undeniable.

The magical world, while secondary to the friendship, added an engaging and intriguing layer to the narrative. The story of old gods and dragons provided a rich backdrop that complemented the evolving relationship between Twyla and Frank. As the plot unfolded, it was fascinating to see how these mythical elements guided Twyla towards the realization of her true feelings for Frank.

Overall, “The Undermining of Twyla and Frank” is a solid 4-star read that excels in portraying a heartfelt friendship set against a mesmerizing magical world. It's a story that lingers with you, celebrating the journey from friendship to love in a beautifully crafted fantasy setting.

Frank “Dragon Daddy” Ellis.

Enough said.

Who needs those other dragon books when we’ve got Frank and Twyla.

This book is an utter glittery (IYKYK) delight and I just love this world and these characters so much.

Can we please have a Duckers book??

Do I even need to say more than pink glittery dragons?

Twyla and Frank are long-time best friends who work together as Tanrian marshals. Things have been pretty safe on the job lately…until one day they find the body of a coworker covered in glitter. They soon discover that dragons do exist in Tanria, and Frank even becomes the foster dad to a cute little sparkly dragon. The pair then find themselve entangled in a dangerous plot that brings out their true feelings for one another.

The Undermining of Twyla and Frank is a charming romantasy with cozy vibes. It can definitely be read as a standalone, but does contain some continued character development from The Undertaking of Hart and Mercy. The friends to lovers vibes are great and the slow burn is quite possibly the slowest ever to exist. I loved that both main characters were in their 50s because it added a layer of depth to their characters. Frank was fantastic. I just adored him. I enjoyed Twyla’s character a little less, but I felt like she was more realistic. The dragons were absolutely the stars of this book. I mean, how can you go wrong with sparkly pink glitter dragons?! The baby dragon that imprinted on Frank was absolutely adorable. I also loved the mom dragon that became friends with Twyla. I didn’t love the love triangle, but it didn’t really detract from my enjoyment of the overall story.

Many thanks to Orbit Books and NetGalley for the ARC!

✔️ Friends to Lovers
✔️ Coworkers
✔️ Forced Proximity
✔️ He Fell First

I loved being back in the world that's part cowboy and part fantasy and part futurist (marshals that patrol a rustic area + gods and dragons + vehicles that run on land and water). Seriously, the world is incredible and easy to fall into - world-building is not overly dense in a way that is overwhelming (I am perfectly whelmed).

I loved the longtime friends to lovers story between Twyla and Frank. There are few romance books that cover falling in love in middle age and this one was beautifully done. There was no shying away from the imperfections that come with age and it was lovely to have both characters express physical attraction to each other.

I love a he fell first trope when the book is from her POV. Those moments when we as the reader fully clock Frank's feelings while Twyla is oblivious? Gold.

The relationship and character growth plots were the standout, followed by the supporting cast (Duckers is a gem of a character! Will he be book 3???). The mystery plot was less of a draw for me but was enjoyable.

For sure pick this one up. And if you haven't already, go back and also read book one (The Undertaking of Hart and Mercy).

Steam 🔥🔥
Banter 🗣️🗣️🗣️🗣️
Swoon 💕💕💕💕💕

Well, dear readers, I bit the bullet and read a “romantasy” because if you’re a lover of the romance genre, you want to see where it’s at. After the podcasts, fuss, and huge sales, what is this thing “romantasy”? If it’s anything like Bannen’s Twyla and Frank, it’s not for me, which is not to say it was a failed romance. It’s the ethos, the worldbuilding that made me feel like I was in Teletubby-Land, with the fey cuteness and colour saturation to match. This is not “dark” romance, thanks be to the worldbuilding gods, and the protagonists were in their fifties, which was good (yay for older protags) and Bannen is an adept writer (quite humorous in places) that I could read to the end. Was I relieved when I got there? Yup.

I lost track of the creatures and society details, so I’m going to take advantage of the publisher’s blurb to give you the premise and basic plot and characterization:

The entire town of Eternity was shocked when widowed, middle-aged Twyla Banneker partnered up with her neighbor and best friend, Frank Ellis, to join the Tanrian Marshals. Eight years later, Twyla’s rewarding career patrolling the strange land of Tanria remains a welcome change from the domestic grind of mom life, despite the misgivings of her grown children.

Fortunately (or unfortunately) a recent decrease in on-the-job peril has made Twyla and Frank’s job a lot safer … and a lot less exciting. So when they discover the body of one of their fellow marshals near an enormous footprint—and Frank finds himself the inadvertent foster dad to a baby dragon—they are grateful to be back in action.

Soon, the friends wind up ensnared in a nefarious plot that goes far deeper than any lucrative Tanrian mineshaft. But as danger closes in and Twyla and Frank’s investigation becomes more complicated, so does their easy friendship. And Twyla starts to realize that her true soul mate might be the person who has lived next door all along…

Bannen’s built a benign world: nothing is ever that dangerous, the villains turn out to be nincompoops, and there’s a lot of cuteness. She’s also set out to redeem fantasy features that are usually dangerous and evil, like dragons, and make a point about the importance of protecting ecological diversity. She peoples her world with a variety of gender, race, and orientation diversity as well. Add her Twyla and Frank at 53 and she does much right. Underlying the fantastical creatures and landscape (not much by way of technology in Tanria) are familiar romance conventions: the friends-to-lovers trope, slow-burn arc, Other Man, and solely heroine’s POV.

My “romantasy” conclusion? Well, it depends on your taste. I learned to love romance on historicals and contemporaries, on categories like Super-romances, in earlier historical romance writers like Carla Kelly, Mary Balogh, Loretta Chase, the wonders that were Patricia Gaffney and Laura Kinsale. The contemporaries were aiming for verisimilitude and historicals based the same on research (not talking about wallpapers, or the creeping in of modern mores into them). Were they flawed in their representation: at times, absolutely. Were they well-written and thematically thoughtful and challenging? Yes. Was there much dross beyond some of the names I mentioned? Yup; as there is now. Did many leave the genre? Sadly, yes. Is romantasy dominating? At present.

While Bannen’s Teletubby-World left me with eye-rolling strain; her romance left me cold. She checked all the boxes: the heroine, as someone devoted to family and home for years and years, showed growth. The hero, growly and broad-shouldered, was sweet and so masculinely tame no HP would ever dream of, he echoed the Tanrian donut in his palatability. The love scene: quite lovely, all about the heroine, and keen on consent. Nothing offended me, but nothing engaged me either. (I will make one delightfully surprised note for the proposal scene, which did break convention in a fashion). The suspense plot was laughable and there was a betrayal moment that went by like a flash in the pan. Weaknesses IMHO, but not egregious ones. What was? I grew tired of Twyla bemoaning her aged body: what it couldn’t do especially, not too much about how it looked, though that came into play too. At 53, I didn’t think my body performed any different than ever and even now, I rarely feel aches and pains, though my flexibility and limberness aren’t what they used to be. I found this annoying and agist on Bannen’s part.

Lastly, Bannen was definitely creating a religion for this world that didn’t feel much different than good old liberal Protestantism. Until Twyla encounters a saint? goddess? earth mother? Not sure, but it’s definitely of the Lady of Lourdes variety, except with malted milk chocolates and knitting…so Protestantism with a dash of feminist theology Catholicism? This didn’t win me over either. Am I dismissing romantasy after reading one sample of it? Yes, I am. Because romance readers are nutbars in many ways, but all of them are able to, I hope, shrug and accept the phrase, “you do you, but this isn’t for me.” There are many rooms in romance’s mansion and everyone is welcome and can choose which ones they want to enter. In Miss Austen’s and my estimation, Bannen’s Twyla and Frank offers “tolerable comfort,” Mansfield Park.

Megan Bannen’s Undermining of Twyla and Frank is published by Orbit Books. It released on July 2nd. I received an e-galley from Orbit Books, via Netgalley. The above is an expression of my AI-free, honest opinion.

What an incredibly cute story of two coworkers and best friends that finally find something worthwhile! I loved the world of Tanria since Undertaking, and adore all the creatures and unique characters like baby dragons & kinda sad, desperate scientists. I cannot wait for the next one!

Loved this book and all the characters. It felt look a cozy read and I read it pretty quick!! Thank you for this arc!

4.5 Stars!

Such a cute and cozy fantasy with just the right amount of romance, friendship and adventure. I adored Frank and Twyla's easy going relationship. This whole book read like a warm hug.

Twyla and Frank are Tanrian Marshal partners and best friends. In the aftermath of The Undertaking of Hart and Mercy (the first book in the Hart and Mercy series), life in Tanrian has become a lot safer. So it is shocking when a fellow Tanrian marshal winds up dead next to a large and suspiciously dragonlike print since dragons are believed to be extinct. Frank and Twyla are engaged on the mission to find out what happened to their fellow marshal and the investigation leads to some dangerous findings as well as some complicated romantic feelings for the two besties.

Friends to lovers
Dragons (the cutest baby dragon too!)
Cozy fantasy
Caretaking
Found family

“It turns out that what I’ve wanted all along is you.”

Twyla and Frank have been partners for eight years, ridding Tanria of drudges and leaning on their friendship through the ups and downs of family life. With the drudges gone, their jobs have gotten a little bit boring…until one of their fellow marshals is killed and Frank accidentally becomes a foster dad to an adorable baby dragon. So much for life settling down in middle age!

“My whole life was in service to that man and to our family. I cherished everyone, but who cherished me?”

First things first - baby dragons? Dragons that are a cross between vicious Canadian geese and adorable, domesticated dogs? Sign me up! I loved this take on our favourite fantasy creature. It reminded me a bit of the lap dragons in Scales & Sensibility, which was awesome. I loved seeing my favourite equine, Saltlicker, again! And he is just as much of a brat as he was in the first book. As he should.

However, I didn’t love this as much as I loved Hart & Mercy. The writing seemed disconnected, and I think it was mostly because we didn’t get Frank’s POV. We spent a lot of time with Twyla lamenting her life choices instead of seeing her live her life as it is now. Part of it was for character development, of course, but it slowed the pacing to have so much focus on her past. I wanted to be in Frank’s head for awhile and see how his love for her came around. Plus I wanted more of the baby dragon. Can you blame me?

Twyla has the ultimate mom vibes and I loved that! Especially with one of my favourite characters, Duckers! You do get to see some characters from the first book, and it’s pretty awesome. There was also a discussion about learned helplessness and the mental load of women in hetero relationships but I never felt like it was finished. Still, this is a solid and sweet, friends to lovers fantasy with adorable dragons.

ll start out by saying I went into this with pretty high expectations because anyone who knows me, knows that Undertaking of Hart and Mercy is literally my favorite book in existence so to say I was extremely excited to get the ARC of Twyla and Franks story is an understatement. Being in the world of Tanria again was the same thing as coming home (wink wink). I had SO MUCH fun with this book, it was such a wonderful reading experience. I don't think I've ever read a romance book where the characters are in their 50's so this was so new for me and let me tell you I LOVED it!!!

So I obsessively adored the first one, and while I didn't love this one as much it is such a good book. The humor, wit, depth, and heart that I loved in Hart and Mercy are all still there AND with the most adorable dragon?? How could I not love it.
I really loved that Twyla and Frank are mature age characters (seeing 18-23 year-olds gets old so quickly when you are no longer that age). And Bannen really leaning into their age, it doesn't just feel like they aren't the typical, but that they have the baggage and complexities you would have when you are in your 50s.
I did get frustrated with how much Twyla was down on herself (it's understandable because patriarchy, but I really just wanted to shake her sometimes). I adored Frank though. I really wish we would have gotten some chapters from his POV, especially when he was with the dragon.
But overall such a unique plot and despite being the second book in the series there is still so much added to the world-building and a completely different plot (both A and B) that once it picks up I was racing through to see what would happen next and what else was new in this fantastic world.

A unique, well-written, fun cozy fantasy with friends-to-lovers in their 50s that I highly recommend.

I impatiently wait for the next one. I am already obsessed with Rosie.