Just as tender and fun as the first! Bannen has created a world that I want to live in, dragons and drudges be damned!

"The Undertaking of Hart and Mercy" was one of my favorite reads of 2022, so I was SO excited to return to the world of Tanria for "The Undermining of Twyla and Frank." This book, while different from the first, did not disappoint.

In my opinion, this book is the epitome of cozy fantasy. The characters are all endearing, the world enchanting, and while there are moments of action, I never felt too stressed. The circumstances of the plot are fun and lighthearted without feeling too overly comedic or slapstick (not that I'm opposed to that from time to time).

I loved that this book featured a romance between protagonists that are older than those typically seen in other romance novels. While I couldn't relate personally to some of their life experiences (divorce, losing a spouse, etc.), I loved the perspective that Twyla and Frank's experiences brought to how they approached life and romance. I also loved that the book didn't shy away from the realities of being menopausal, especially relating to how sex looks different as people age (and can still be just as fun and sexy).

"Twyla and Frank" didn't have quite the emotional gut punch that "Hart and Mercy" did. That's not a criticism, I just think that these are different books. "Twyla and Frank" still has highly emotional and action packed moments and kept me hooked through the last page, even if the stakes weren't quite as high as the first time around.

I love this fantasy universe, and I hope we see more books written in this world. (Zeddie and Duckers book next, maybe?)

4 stars

Thank you NetGalley and Orbit for the eARC. All opinions are my own.

Format - E ARC

Rating- ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️

Spice- 🌶

Series- The Undertaking of Hart and Mercy #2

Troupes- Best friends to lovers, late in life romance, work place romance, there are f*ing Dragons!

Representation- Finding love late in life.

CW- Gory Deaths

I only have one thing to say about this absolute awesome book.

Did you read “the Undertaking of Hart and Mercy”?

Yes? Then go read this book right now.

No? WTF are you doing with your life? Go read it! Then read this one.

This book needs to be read by one and all.

That is all.

Thank you Megan Bannen and Orbits books for the advanced copy, I loved the crap out of it and all opinions are my own.

Another fun mystery and romance from Megan Bannen! We are brought right back into Eternity and Tanria to see the aftermath of the end of book one and what it means for Marshals Twyla and Frank. (Be sure to read book one - The Undertaking of Hart and Mercy – before you read this one!) These two have been friends for years - starting as neighbors, eventually friends, and then co-workers. They've been there for each other through raising their children (who are now all adults), Frank's marriage dissolving, and the death of Twyla's husband. Twyla's personal growth through this story was inspiring to read. She discovered how to be more than what was expected of her as a wife and mother. She learned to put more trust in herself and found her voice to stand up and advocate for herself and those around her. Frank was just an absolute delight. He was so kind, caring, and patient. He had been through so much personally, and to see him finally happy made me so happy! The mystery woven through the book is also intriguing. This book gets extra points from me because I could not figure out the ending. Kudos to Bannen for that reveal…I didn't see it coming. Check out this book if you'd like a cozy fantasy romance with some pretty hilarious side characters.

Thank you to author Megan Bannen, Orbit Books, and NetGalley for providing me with an eARC of The Undermining of Twyla and Frank in exchange for my review.

4 stars

This was such a fun friends to lovers cozy fantasy. I loved being back in the world- this time with pink, glitter, and dragons. I also loved that we focused on an older couple; I really liked where the book started. I thought it had a few pacing issues, and the end felt a bit forced. I do hope we get more in the world, maybe a Ducky focused one? If you like quirky cozy fantasy I would give this one a try.

Thanks to the author, publisher, and NetGalley for an advanced copy to form my opinion from.

My most anticipated release of the year is here!!! The Undertaking of Hart and Mercy is my favorite book of all time and the sequel does not disappoint. I was so excited about this book, I cried when I got the notification that I got an ARC.

This series is the epitome of cozy, romantasy with the perfect ratio of plot to romance. Featuring sparkles, secret plots and my favorite villain reveal EVER, this is one of my new favorite reads and I can’t wait for the next one!

Thanks to NetGalley and @orbitbooks_us for the eARC!

Returning to the world of Tanria, after the adventures of Hart and Mercy, this time without the undead. New marshals Twyla and Frank middle aged and long time friends now must contend with dragons.
Such a fun world with interesting and fantastical side characters makes for a good story. Author Megan Bannen writes this cozy fantasy series with warmth, humor and a dash of romance.
Thanks to netgalley and Orbit books

I loved this one so much! The first book in this series was also so good but I think this one is my favorite!

There’s a unique magic system and this book has dragons!! The cutest baby dragon you could ever imagine. I loved all the cameos from the characters from the first book.

Twyla and Frank are Tanrian Marshalls trying to solve a case with their new partner (no spoilers here). Everyone thinks Twyla and Frank are an item, but they’re just partners 😉 read to find out how they solve this case in the chaos that is Eternity

💜Friends to lovers
🖤Cozy fantasy
💜 Dragons
🖤 Darlin’
💜 Hilarious characters

Overall rating: 4.5 ⭐️

This feels like a tough review for me to write. This book is very different in significant ways than the normal genre’s I read. This really is a fantasy meets rom-com. It's the second book in this world that Megan Bannen has created.

For the fantasy side of it, the world building is very easy to grasp. There isn’t much to it that requires your understanding to understand where the characters and plot are moving. That being said, I enjoyed the first book more than the second in terms of the fantasy. In Twyla and Frank’s story, it almost felt a bit too fantastical towards the end. Honestly, it felt silly for just the sake of being silly, but I absolutely did not get this feeling in the first book nor through the first half of the second. The shift seemed strange to me.

That being said, I think readers will appreciate the non-fantasy side of things. Twyla is a 53 year old widow who is best friends with Frank, her divorced neighbor. Twyla navigating her next season of life, both romantically and in her relationship with her grown children, felt different, and considering their ages, like a story we aren’t told often. I truly teared up while she wrestled through her regrets in her own life and how that was impacting her opinions and advice to her daughter, Hope.

Overall, I think this is a fun, light series I would recommend but know what you’re getting into. Thank you @Netgalley for my copy!

Ridiculous and profound, the Undermining of Twyla and Frank is steampunk meets fantasy meets twangy Western romantic fever dream. And such a unique take on dragons! This story is silly and strange and beautiful, delivered to us in pure matter of fact prose. I’m in awe of Megan Bannen’s mind.

We’ve got trope-y romance catnip—friends to lovers, pining, caretaking and competence, he calls her “darlin’”, SHE rescues HIM—but this is more fantasy/women’s fiction with strong romantic elements. Unlike its predecessor, it’s single POV, which makes sense for many reasons #spoilers , and it’s really Twyla’s journey. (Isn’t Twyla an amazing name?) I loved that Bannen focused on MCs in their 50s with grown kids and grandkids— they deserve love too!

This is a story about the joys, anxieties and thankless demands of motherhood, and getting your kids to see you as a whole human being. It’s about the extra work of being a woman and having everyone around you both need something from you and tell you what to do/how to be. (Twyla gives Frank a monologue the likes of America Ferrera in Barbie and it is a tour de force!) What a gift it is to see Twyla, whose life has revolved around the needs of others, realize that she can be more than “useful”— that her competence is astounding and badass, that her maternal wisdom is deep and valuable, that her soft, strong body is beautiful and desirable— she can put herself first.

Twyla and Frank are BFF goals. Handkerchiefs and country songs! I love their friendship origin story, the way they have each other’s backs ALWAYS, the way they read each other without words. A wedding and some near death experiences catalyze a shift in Twyla that lets her see what’s been right in front of her, and frees her from fear of losing her hardwon freedom in committing herself to someone. Friendship is not a stepping stone or a shield they’ve hidden their feelings behind— it’s the truest, most grounding thing in their lives, and we as readers understand that they are already deeply committed to each other, a perspective I really appreciated.

I hope that Duckers’ book is next! His hilarious, earnest, irreverence is wonderful, I want more!

AUDIOBOOK REVIEW 🎧

The Undermining of Twyla and Frank by Megan Bannen
Pub Date: July 2nd
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️💫
Thanks to @librofm for the gifted ALC!

Synopsis: A fantasy rom-com complete with friends to lovers and glitter-spitting dragons. Second in series - follow up to The Undertaking of Hart and Mercy

Thoughts: I love the unique, quirky fantasy world Megan Bannen has created! Definitely read book one first to get all the world building info and meet the characters. I won’t say too much here to avoid spoiling anything in either book, but I will say I adored the characters and especially loved seeing the romantic leads as older adults. The dragons were fantastic additions to the world as well. I think I liked this one even better than Hart and Mercy! A note on the audio: Nicol Zanzarella did a great job bringing these characters to life, and I was fully immersed in the story listening to her narration!

Read this if you like:
🐉 friends to lovers a la When Harry Met Sally
🐉 older adult main characters
🐉 fantasy rom-coms
🐉 dragons!

That was adorable. And while it’s a frothy bit of fluff I’ll likely never reread I’m giving it five stars because it’s a good two and a half hours past my usual bedtime. I regret nothing! Though when I wake up at 6am tomorrow anyway I’ll pay for my choices… :-)
If you like a light fantasy romance and don’t mind a surreal over the top energy and setting this series is a great choice!

I was so happy to return to the world of the Tanrian Marshals in The Undermining of Twyla and Frank. Book 1 was one of my favorite reads of last year and this book is definitely one of my top reads this year. For anyone who likes a cozy fantasy with a touch of romance, this is the book series for you!

I love that Twyla and Frank are in their 50’s. It gives a different flavor to the adventures. They’re not young and spry, they have aches and pains, and when they fall it takes them a second to get up. Them being in their 50s made the relationship between Twyla and Frank so much sweeter too. I loved how the friends to lovers trope developed throughout the book.

I’m so glad that familiar characters popped up too! Duckers was one of my favorites in book 1 and him being such a big part of this book made me happy. I’m hoping he continues to play a large role in future books. Hopefully we won’t have to wait too long!

Thank you to NetGalley and Orbit books for a digital ARC in exchange for an honest review.

The Undermining of Twyla and Frank was not nearly as engaging as The Undertaking of Hart and Mercy. 

I think many readers will love this book as it delivers in something missing in the fantasy space: older main characters and the storylines that can only be brought about by (relatable) life experiences. 

The Undermining of Twyla and Frank is 100% characters over plot - which makes it a slower read. 

Bannen’s writing is, at times, witty and descriptive — but here I often felt I was reading “filler” (which is a sure way to lose my trust as a reader) and wondered how several lengthy/involved descriptions or scenes advanced the plot. As a result, the narrative arc and conflict/resolution was built on an incredibly flimsy premise.

Lastly (and I had this concern with Book 1 as well) I couldn’t tell if this was a work of cozy-fantasy/low-stakes/magical realism/“rom-com with a dash of fantasy” or a high stakes/higher drama story that the narrative setup just couldn’t hold. 

There are definitely readers I would recommend this series to, but I do think it’s a niche audience, and I’m unfortunately not that audience.

The Undermining of Twyla and Frank is a witty, whimsical, hysterical, and heartwarming fantasy. It’s a worthy successor to The Undertaking of Hart and Mercy.

In the aftermath of The Undertaking of Hart and Mercy, life in Tanria has become…dull. That peace and quiet doesn’t last long. Tanrian marshals and longtime friends Frank Ellis and Twyla Banneker stumble upon a glitter-infused mystery complete with murder, dragons, and intrigue. When Twyla and Frank find themselves facing dragons, weddings, romance, family dynamics, and danger, they realize their feelings for each other might be stronger than they realized.

Bannen found a way to build upon the setting and the characters she introduced in The Undertaking of Hart and Mercy. While some sequels can feel too familiar, like they borrow too much from the original source material, The Undermining of Twyla and Frank stands uniquely on its own. The book works both as a sequel and as a standalone. Twyla and Frank were different protagonists than Mercy and Hart, and their dynamic was interesting to follow.

Bannen has a knack for world-building. Tanria is a unique setting and Bannen explains it in a way that allows the reader to feel immersed in it. Bannen’s writing activates all of the senses, so the reader feels a part of the story instead of an observer.

While some books stick to one tone, Bannen manages to imbue a lot of heart into her writing. The Undermining of Twyla and Frank has comedy, drama, romance, family dynamics, fantasy, action, and adventure. Its tender moments never become too much and the drama never feels overdone. There’s a realistic element to the characters’ relationships and interactions, even though the fantasy setting is pervasive throughout.

Bannen also writes dialogue and humor well. Each character had their own sense of humor and relatability. Frank’s impatience with the messenger nimkilim, Ducker’s lack of social filter, and Twyla’s wry observations kept the comedic energy flowing throughout the book.

The secondary characters in the story were fleshed out so well that they translate as main characters on the page. Duckers was a particular standout. Here’s hoping he’ll be the main character in the third installment.

Thank you to NetGalley and Orbit Books for giving me a digital review copy of this book in exchange for my honest opinion.

4.5⭐️ 🌶️ this book was such a breath of fresh air! It was just as lovable, quirky & charming as Hart & Mercy!
Megan Bannen is quickly becoming an auto buy author for me!

This book gave me something I didn’t even know I needed & definitely want more of in fantasy books. Middle aged characters & even moms (Twyla is even a grandma too!) . There were so many relatable moments that had me giggling or tearing up.

Friends to lovers has some of the best tension & buildup & the chemistry between Twyla & Frank delivered!

Megan Bannen’s storytelling is both heartfelt and engaging, creating a world that is easy to get lost in. This book is a gem, and I can’t wait to see what she comes up with next!

Thank you to orbit books & the author for this advanced reader copy in exchange for a review.

A sweet story about two best friends who might finally take the greatest leap of all and confess their love for one another... that is if they can survive raising a baby dragon, bombs, and someone trying to kill them. Twyla Banneker and Frank Ellis are two middle-aged, single grandparents who became the town Marshals together. They've been partners for over 8 years, best friends, and neighbors. Yet things are beginning to change as they make a strange discovery and Frank inadvertently becomes the foster dad to a baby dragon and a new man comes in town ready to sweep Twyla off her feet. The only problem is that Twyla is beginning to realize that despite being widowed and now dating a new man... she doesn't feel the way about any of them the way she feels when she is with Frank... and Frank just so happens to have eyes only for her. Yet if they do enter into a relationship what would that mean for their friendship... and can Twyla finally take the leap and open her heart up to romance again? This was actually a really sweet and charming romance featuring two protagonists who were in their 50s. I loved how supportive and sweet the friendship between Frank and Twyla was, they truly had one another's backs and were so perfect together. It's a sweet cozy little read and I would definitely recommend it!

Release Date: July 2, 2024

Publication/Blog: Ash and Books (ash-and-books.tumblr.com)

*Thanks Netgalley and Orbit Books | Orbit for sending me an arc in exchange for an honest review*

I really enjoyed this book. I loved that the author included several characters from the other book including my favorite Duckers.

I didn’t connect with this one as much as the first one but still loved it. I mean who can not love a book with glitter breathing dragons. I want one! Haha

I think the book is a great addition to the series and hoping the author continues with more!! 4.5 stars!

Thank you to the author, publisher, and NetGalley for this arc for my honest review.

I absolutely LOVE when we get a romance with later-in-life characters. Twyla and Frank are both past the age of 50 and I'm so here for it!

I started this one right after Hart and Mercy and getting a little peak at the previous couple in this one was quite the treat! What a swoony scene and catalyst for Twyla and Frank's own romance.
This story was full of all the originality of the original and some lovely surprises on top of it.

Thank you Orbit Books @orbitbooks_us , Netgalley @netgalley , and Megan Bannen @meganbannen for this free ebook!
“The Undermining of Twyla and Frank” by Megan Bannen ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ Genre: Paranormal Romantasy. Location: The town of Eternity in the Federated Islands of Cadmus, and across the border in wild, magical Tanria.

THE SERIES: In a universe where the human soul is located in the appendix, anything can happen. Imagine Tom Hanks/Meg Ryan from “You’ve Got Mail-with dragons. Or Elizabeth/Mr. Darcy from “Pride & Prejudice & Zombies”-in the Wild West. Portals from the Federated Islands of Cadmus to magical Tanria (former prison of the old gods) were opened 27 years ago, and Marshals patrol its wild borders riding equimaris water horses with seaweed manes.

THIS BOOK: Eight years ago, widowed Twyla Banneker (53) partnered up with neighbor/best friend, Frank Ellis (53) to join the Tanrian Marshals patrolling wild Tanria. These days the zombies are gone, so the job’s a lot safer-and a lot less exciting. Until they discover a fellow marshal’s body near an enormous footprint. Then Frank finds himself an accidental foster dad to Mary Georgina, a cotton candy-colored baby dragon found near the Tanrian Dragon’s Teeth mountains. They discover a nefarious plot, danger closes in, Twyla and Frank's investigation gets complicated, and Twyla realizes her true soul mate might be the person next door.

Author Bannen has written a best friends-to-lovers rom com with a twist, set in the demigod, dragons, and donut-filled world of Tanria. Her easy narrative style reads quickly, similar to “House on the Cerulean Sea”. Favorites from book 1 reappear (such as Hart, Mercy, and Duckers) and she introduces us to new adorable friends (such as Hermia, the hedgehog nimkilim mail carrier, and Saltliker, the world’s surliest equimaris). Bannen’s whimsical, weirdly humorous book has a permanent place in my heart. It’s sweet, fun, a bit snarky, there’s drama, twists, action, and a middle-aged woman finding her own voice. It’s full of sparkly dragon spit, romantic misunderstandings, steam, and it’s 5 stars from me.🌵📚💁🏼‍♀️