Thank you SO much netgalley for this eARC in exchange for my honest review. I love Megan Bannen's writing. The Undertaking of Hart and Mercy is one of my all-time favorite books, and this one did not disappoint. I love the world that she writes in. I love reading about more mature characters instead of the typical young 20-year-olds. It's refreshing to read, This book has when Harry met sally vibes in a quirky setting that just makes it so fun and wonderful to read.

It’s rare (so rare that I can’t think of another example) that I read a sequel that I loved more than the first book in a series, but that’s the case with The Undermining of Twyla and Frank, Megan Brennan’s sequel to The Undertaking of Hart and Mercy. Bookish friends, I read this book in a single afternoon and am kind of thinking about diving back in for another turn.

Brennan returns to the strange world of Bushong and Tanria to tell us a story of two long-time friends who finally see what everyone else around them has already spotted. Frank and Twyla have worked as Tanrian marshals for more than a decade. The work used to be a lot more dangerous, what with the zombies and all. Now the work mostly consists of rescuing idiots from their own folly or arresting poachers, when it doesn’t require the pair to volunteer for community events. They are bored.

That boredom doesn’t last too long, thankfully. When a fellow marshal is found dead in the wilds of Tanria, Twyla and Frank set off to investigate. What follows is one of the goofiest, most delightful, extraordinary discoveries I’ve ever seen and, as if this wasn’t enough, Brennan also gives us the wonderful co-plot of Frank and Twyla learning just how deep their bond goes. I was so moved by Twyla’s transformation. For years, she thought she wasn’t beautiful or attractive enough for love until she learns otherwise. As for Frank, I am so glad that he finally learns to talk about his inner turmoil; his complexity saves his character from being a total marshmallow.

Readers, I loved every page of this book. Reading The Undermining of Twyla and Frank was the bookish equivalent of a hot, cozy beverage (with just a hint of spice) and a hug. Fans of fantasy and romance should pick up both books as soon as possible. These books are so extraordinary that I’m running out of superlatives!

Oh, I just realized that I forgot to say how funny this book is…okay, I’m just gushing now.

This book was difficult to get into, but picked up after the first third. Though this book is a second in a series, it isn't necessary to read the first book before this one. I like how the story involves middle aged characters with grown kids. The characters are facing different challenges in life and love than twenty year olds which makes the story stand out. Thank you Orbit and Netgalley for the ARC to review.

A surprise hit for me last year was “Hart & Mercy”, book 1 of what is now a duo series. A Romantasy that felt like a mix of Yellowstone and Beetlejuice, it was completely unique with its blend of genres.

With book 2, the focus is on Twyla & Frank, widowed middle age couple who are not only colleagues in this dragon filled world, but also best friends. I say dragons because baby dragons enter the world of Tanria (a land or prison for former Gods), but these fantastical creatures are only the bonus in a story like this.

It’s a middle aged love story which is so refreshing. A best friends to lovers match which is a trope I adore. And it’s Twyla finding out who she is without being the doormat to her kids…. Something many parents may feel at one point in their parenting journey….

For me, it was entertaining with messages I can totally relate to.
The reason I can’t do 5 star: it was so S-L-O-W to get moving. I love quiet books like Joella or Lit Fic but if I pick up a fantasy, I’m expecting a lot of action. So perhaps I went into it with expectations that weren’t met which took away from the experience. Love a mesh of genres for sure, I just needed my Moody McMood reader hat to adjust to what felt more like a quiet book than a fast paced fantasy one.

Still entertaining though. Liked not loved.
3.5 ⭐️ and will absolutely pick up another of the authors books

I absolutely loved this unique sequel!! I was floored at how much fun I had while reading this. Both characters were phenomenal, and there was so much going on I never got bored! I also loved the representation in this book for romances over fifty.

This book was more cozy and more slice of life than I expected, but nonetheless a very enjoyable friends to lovers tale with a little danger, adventure, a lot of family, and some second chances at love. Plus, DRAGONS! 3.5/5

This book was such a delight! I am not usually a huge fan of friends to lovers but I fell so easily into Twyla and Frank’s story. Twyla was so compelling. She was such a nuanced character I couldn’t help but want her to find what she was looking for. Then add a baby dragon, adorable mail carriers and a wonderful dose of cozy fantasy, this book really had it all.

I’m not sure if it was the friends to lovers bit (which isn’t always my preference) or the age range for the MCs (thus additional issues the main characters had to go through being slightly unrelatable), but this one hit a different note for me than the first story. I was missing that dual POV dynamic that the first book sucked me in with. I can get switching it up so it seems like Frank isn’t completely head over heels for Twyla from the get-go, but I definitely knew who had fallen first from the very first chapter. Having Frank’s POV with all of the issues they were working through would have been such a delight.

Now that makes it sound like I didn’t enjoy this read, which would be a total lie. I enjoyed nearly every moment of this cozy fantasy from the unique dragons to the Scooby-Doo-esque mystery complete with its own villain capture stating “I would’ve gotten away with it too, it if weren’t for them meddling…” This book was all kinds of fun, even if it didn’t hit out of this world notes for me.

There were unique creatures introduced and the world itself was expanded upon a bit more in this sequel. Readers got to see what happened after the big ending from Hart & Mercy’s own trials PLUS we get to see some old favorite return to the limelight like Duckers. Even if I cannot yet relate to all that the MCs had to deal with for their age and respective family situations, I can most definitely appreciate the creation of a romance for an older age group. There are so many romances out there for teens and 20s and just barely creeping into the 30s/early 40s range (from what I’ve seen). Having more representation is always something I can get behind for books. And the best friends to lovers dynamic did work really well for Twyla and Frank…especially when Twyla started to realize that herself.

This world is incredibly unique and I’d definitely return to it if more characters were given their own stories down the line.

The Undermining of Twyla and Frank is an adorable, best friends to lovers, second chance at love romance with a side of dragons and a smaller side of mystery. Twyla and Frank, Tanrian marshals who have been partners since Twyla’s joining the marshals, are best friends and next door neighbors who have been with each other through thick and thin - Frank’s divorce, the death of Twyla’s husband, their kids growing up. After the death of another marshal, they are assigned to a case, which puts the two of them in position to be in close proximity for a lengthy period of time, and feelings come to a head as the case comes to a close.

There’s plenty of family drama, flirting, and intrigue to keep you interested. While I didn’t find Twyla and Frank’s story to be quite as compelling as Hart and Mercy’s in the first book of this series, it was certainly enjoyable!

Thank you to NetGalley and Orbit Books for the ARC of this book!

It’s such a refreshing breath of fresh air to have a protagonist who’s an adult! A full adult with kids and a life, surprised she can still feel lust!!! I loved this so much. I loved the discussions on how motherhood affects personhood and the desires to be seen as desirable, but not so much that it diminishes the pride she feels as a mother. I can’t put into words how much I loved this- even more than the first, which is saying a lot!

This is somewhere between a 4 and a 5 and because it’s an ARC I’m rounding up.

I LOVED THIS STORY. I loved Twyla and Frank. I loved learning more about this world in a not so serious (except a few moments) way. I loved the concept of finding love at any way, of not being held down by love, not wanting to be a chair, and so much more about this love story. This love story was so unique and so beautiful and so wholesome. I think I will be thinking of it for years to come.

The world building got so much better. New characters and old alike. I loved seeing how the world changed post the first book. And Finally, baby dragons 🥹🥹🥹

Bravo 👏🏻 👏🏻

The sweetest second-chance romance! I loved coming back into the world of Tanria and following along the lives of Mr. Grumpy and Ms. Sunshine. This was such a cutie story that will make your heart flutter! Highly recommend. Megan Bannen did it again!

Anyone who knows me, knows that The Undertaking of Hart and Mercy was one of the best books of 2023 for me. This sequel was an anticipated read for me, and I wanted it more than anything else. Thank you so much for the digital arc!

Twyla and Frank are best friends, and partners as Tanrian Marshals. It’s so clear from the start that there’s so much love between them, but Twyla is unaware of how deep that affection goes. There’s something so cozy about Bannen’s books. A mixture of found family, despite the fact that the characters are in their fifties, and have already had families.

I read this in about two days, and I was so happy with it. It’s the perfect cozy read, filled with humor, and realistic in terms of family dynamics.

I’d recommend this to anyone who loves:
- Friends to lovers
- The Booth/Bones partnership from Bones
- Dragons
- A woman who can totally do it ALL
- Jealous MMC (at times)

This was so… quirky cozy? Like a borderlands, Wild West, steampunk, silvered version of New Girl, set on the frontier of some unknown second world, with a dash of portal fantasy.

I LOVED this book. It had me giggling, kicking my feet, and hugging my kindle on multiple occasions. Twyla and Frank were so freaking ADORABLE. Their friendship and love was so sweet and beautiful. The story also tackled the real life disparities in gender roles, specifically the often unappreciated emotional labor that women provide on a daily basis for their families. Twyla and Frank don’t have a traditional relationship and it’s perfect.

Oh, and two words: Queer. Dragons.

“The Undermining of Twyla and Frank” is the most unique, fun story that I have read this year! This book does it all - A heart-palpitating adventurous plot, a dazzling fantasy setting, and a swoonworthy romance. This story has many funny moments, as well as relateable character growth and experiences. I loved this tale and I will be constantly thinking about it for awhile. I can’t wait to see what Megan Bannen does next!

For those who love:
💥Friends-to-Lovers
💥Slow Burn
💥Dragons
💥50+ Aged Main Characters
💥Urban Fantasy

I am really thankful for the opportunity to read this ARC. Thank you Orbit and NetGalley.

I tried reading this book multiple times and it just wasn't for me. While it is well written, I just couldn't get into the flow of the story or the main characters.

This was so much fun!! Older couple finding love the 2nd time around. This was a different trope than I’m used to seeing, it was refreshing. Adorable series!

Finished reading The Undermining of Twyla and Frank by Megan Bannen. I was lucky enough to get an ARC from netgalley and it's been my kindle book for a while, until last night when despite being exhausted I stayed up late to finish it. Twyla and Frank are so adorable ❤️ Definitely a friends to lovers, though that took most of the book so keep that in mind. It was mostly about Twyla finally working through her feelings about her late husband and how being a young mother made her feel. I preferred Hart and Mercy's book, but honestly Twyla and Frank, even not as a romantic couple, were super cute. I think best friends make the best romantic partners and I can understand not wanting to risk that by changing things. Curious to see if there's another book in the series because the world is interesting and there are people I'd still like to know what happens to. Also, I loved the dragons!

Where do I even start? I just love this book so much. Just like the first book I think it's a very unique story and I loved it from the start until the very end. This story features Twyla and Frank two middle-aged Tanrian Marshals. It's the first time I read a fantasy story with a middle aged main character and it was so refreshing. Throughout the book Twyla gets to rediscover her place in the world and her own worth. There are also dragons which should be enough to convince you to read this absolutely stunning story.

if you’ve been around, you know i loved the first story in the world of undertakers and tanrian marshals. (i own three copies of the first book in physical, audio, and ebook formats bc i love it so much.) however, i can’t extend the same sentiment for 'the undermining'. while there were glimmers of what made 'the undertaking' such a spectacular story that shone through in the second installment, ultimately, twyla and frank’s story had more missteps than magic.

so, what happened?

twyla, our leading lady, was so entrenched in her self-deprecating internal monologue that it constantly disrupted my immersion in the overall story. i was deeply disheartened to witness a character who held the potential to embody resilience and strength, a character that was capable of reclaiming the (tired) narrative that aging is but a slow death sentence, be confined to self-criticism and burdened by a lifetime of bitterness and regret. while i can appreciate that bannen wanted to depict the reality of a middle-aged woman, i found it poorly executed, exhausting, and lacking.

in contrast to the first book's dual perspectives, bannen opted for a single perspective, solely twyla’s - and i felt that much of the potential chemistry between the love interests was lost by neglecting to build this world from both twyla and frank’s points of view.

additionally, i truly felt that one of my favorite characters from the first book was absolutely torpedoed in the second installment. as i continued to read, it became increasingly more evident that bannen struggled to build out this character beyond the storyline of ‘undertaking’ in a meaningful way. (and don’t even get me started on her relationship with her kids! honestly, i’ve rarely found a supporting cast i’ve disliked more.)

while i will continue to cherish my beloved undertaker and tanrian marshal, the undermining of twyla and frank simply left me underwhelmed and, frankly, disappointed.

special thanks to netgalley and orbit books for the advanced reader copy.