I loved "The Undertaking of Hart & Mercy" so I was pretty jazzed to be approved for this ARC, thank you so much to Orbit Books & Megan Bannen! This book had the same whimsical, cozy-fantasy feeling as the first and I loved being transported to the world Bannen has created. It was very refreshing to read a romance book featuring, ahem, a woman of a certain age (being of a certain age myself) and I found myself constantly relating to everything Twyla was going through. Really enjoyed this one. Thank you again for the opportunity to read it! PS. Mary Georgina is the GOAT.

Warning this review has some mild spoilers


I love the freaking dragons!!! This story is hilarious and gives you all the warm fuzzy feeling while being serious and talking about some serious problems that women face in relationships. Definitely a must read

Oh Megan Bannen, do you know how to write a delightfully cozy, and fulfilling story.

In this follow up to The Undertaking of Hart and Mercy, we return to the Island of Bushong and the mystical space of Tanria. This time we get to follow the story of Twyla and Frank, Hart’s former coworkers and current Tanrian marshals. Twyla and Frank make a huge new discover in Tanria, and we follow them on their journey, both of scientific importance, and personal importance.

Just as delightful and heartfelt as the first book, Twyla and Frank will give you all the big feels and the desire to return of Bushong and Tanria again and again!

Just when I thought there was no way I could love this more than Hart and Mercy, I think I might be wrong. Everything about this book was quirky, romantic, funny, and cozy. Having Duckers be a main character again was a welcomed surprise and I hope he continues to be part of this series.

I loved the best friends to lovers chemistry between Frank and Twyla. Reading about finding love all over again in your fifties was so sweet. Don't even get me started on how cute the baby dragon was.

I love Bannen's world building and her characters even more. They're relatable and I hope we get to keep reading about them in future books.

Twyla and Frank are the unlikeliest crime-fighting duo since Batman and Robin. From wrangling baby dragons to unraveling mysterious plots, these two keep the town of Eternity on its toes. With humor, heart, and a dash of danger, this book proves that sometimes the most unexpected partnerships lead to the greatest adventures.

This was so utterly unique, charming, and witty. The definition of a good time. At this point I’m convinced Megan Bannen could do no wrong. I love the originality, the older characters, and the absolutely bonkers world. I hope there will be endless books in this series.

A cute but predictable friends to lovers read that didn’t take up much time but lacked the immediate hook of the first book. Twyla and frank just aren’t quite as endearing as hart and mercy, unfortunately! While i absolutely loved the dragon portion of this story (not a spoiler, we’re talking 10% in) and i could certainly identify with twyla at times, this just didn’t do it for me like the first book. Still, it gets 3 stars for charm and for somehow meshing stars hollow with Westeros.

Twyla and Frank are each other's best thing and both of them are 1) are repressing that fact and 2) would rather have each other in a friendship capacity than risk going for more and losing it all.

Twyla is an older Female Main Character that is trying to figure out her 2nd act and learn who is she without the title of Wife (widow), Mom and Grandma. So much of her journey is deprogramming herself from the conditioning that being a woman of a certain age is to be selfless (insert migraine inducing eyeroll here). She takes the long way around but she finally gets that pursuing what your heart REALLY wants doesn't make you selfish.

FRANK is simple in his declarations but the lack of flowery sentiments is no less romantic. He's was giving us hard-won emotional maturity, simple silver fox vibes and who in their right mind could resist? Not Twyla or Mary Georgina (long story, you've gotta read it to get it).

Megan Bannen does such amazing world AND relationship building that I simply do not want to leave Tanria!

Always the most perfect, slightly spooky but not too spooky reads. Very cozy and fun. I recommend this series every chance i get.

So cute!! I absolutely loved the first book (the undertaking of Hart & Mercy), one of my favorites of last year. This one was also a great read, but I don’t think it was quite as good as the first book. I did love seeing two main characters who were a bit older (grown kids, later in careers) for a change. The characters are written so well and I really fell in love with them both! Sweet story.

The Undermining of Twyla & Frank - Megan Bannen ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️🌶🌶
"A heartwarming fantasy with a best-friends-to-lovers rom com twist set in the delightful demigod and donut-filled world of Tanria." I enjoyed Hart & Mercy's Story but I loved (LOVED) Frank & Twyla - the best chemistry, a fun mystery, hilarious side characters and a deeply emotional central character ARC that was just 🤌 Pub date 02/07 massive thanks to @orbitbooks for this gem.

Thank you to NetGalley and Orbit Books for this opportunity to read rate and review this arc which is available July 2,2024!!

Let me preface this by saying this is a good book but I do not believe I am the audience for said book. I was bored. I didn’t like the premise and found it weird. Not that weird premises are bad as I love a weird premise but this premise was not my kinda weird. I didn’t connect with the characters or the story really. I do know that there is definitely an audience for this book but it wasn’t me

Oh this was a joy to read! I loved the first book and I loved this book too. It’s so refreshing to see middle-age romance and the fact that this author chose to write about two middle-age characters finding love together in an untraditional relationship/living situation just makes me happy. Brava! 4.75/5

This is my first 5-star read in a long time; I LOVED this book. Technically, you could read this book without reading the first in the series. The author does a good job of continuing to world build and recapping the events of the previous book without being info-dumpy. Also, Twyla and Frank were supporting characters in the first book, so they didn't have a lot of plot or backstory in the first book.

Give me more books with mature characters, please! Twyla and Frank are in their 50s, they have grown children, and are talking about retirement. I loved their story; it felt so much more grounded in reality, but, you know, with dragons. Now, of course, they're sore after camping in Tanria on the ground, but they still have so much more life. And the sex scenes are so well done and normalize the use of toys in the bedroom. Spoiler alert, folks: your partner should always be concerned about you also getting off, and using a toy isn't a bad thing.

This book is mostly told from Twyla's point of view, and it's just so sweet. She got married at 18, and her husband died after 20 years of marriage. Frank was her next-door neighbor whose wife has left him, and at first, they just have such a beautiful friendship. They really protect each other and sing country songs back and forth to each other. So when a baby dragon hatches and latches onto Frank as its mother, both Twyla and Frank's worlds rapidly change. There's a sweet storyline with a draconologist in the middle of there too.

I just love that Bannen as an author never does the super easy plot. She really puts love into these characters and their stories. I'm excited to see the next book; maybe one of the queer characters will see the spotlight?

Thanks to NetGalley and Orbit for the ARC; all opinions are my own.

Meg Bannen’s books have so much heart and this is no exception. Having older protagonists was a lovely change of pace, and it still felt rooted to the world of the first book even while starring different people. I would read anything by her.

I loved The Undertaking of Hart and Mercy when I read it and I had heard slightly mixed things about this one but I really enjoyed it. Twyla Banneker and Frank Ellis are Tanrian Marshals, best friends, and long-time neighbors whose jobs have suddenly become a lot less dangerous (and less exciting) with the changes that occurred at the end of the first book. Less dangerous/exciting, that is, until one of their marshal colleagues is found dead, covered in viscous glitter, and very close to a giant footprint that looks a whole lot like it might belong to one of the dragons who really aren't supposed to exist anymore in Tanria. When an academic dragon specialist joins them and takes a romantic interest in Twyla, her dynamic with Frank shifts in unexpected ways that make her wonder if they could be something more. Even with the introduction of dragons in this one, and a dangerous plot meant to keep Twyla and Frank from figuring out exactly what's going on in Tanria, this one still felt significantly less gross/violent to me than the first one did, which gave it a slightly lighter tone that I appreciated. I also love a good friends to lovers romance, and these two are not just friends but best friends, partners at work, and next door neighbors. I think my favorite thing about this, though, was that the two main characters are in their fifties. I don't read a lot of romance novels with characters in middle age, and I liked seeing these two, who have been through tough times in past relationships and who have adult children of their own, get a new chance at love.

Let me start by saying, if you’re picking up "The Undermining of Twyla and Frank" expecting a repeat of "The Undertaking of Hart and Mercy," you might be in for a surprise. But trust me, it’s a delightful one.

Gone are the heavy plotlines, replaced instead by the cozy and uplifting tale of Twyla and Frank, with a sprinkle of dragon antics to keep things interesting. It's a testament to the author's versatility that they can shift gears so effortlessly, crafting a story that exudes happiness from every page. Twyla and Frank’s story is a refreshing change of pace and embraces a whole different vibe.

Some younger readers might find it a bit harder to connect with characters in their 50s. Trust me, I get it—I tend to imagine characters closer to my own age too (and imagining my mom in their shoes? No thanks!). But age aside, Twyla and Frank's friendship feels genuine and relatable, making their journey from companions to something more all the more endearing.

Does it live up to "Hart and Mercy"? Maybe not. But honestly, it doesn’t have to. This book has its own magic—a blend of adventure, silliness, and romance that’s impossible to resist.

I wholeheartedly recommend both "The Undertaking of Hart and Mercy" and "The Undermining of Twyla and Frank" to anyone in search of a captivating journey through the realms of friendship and romance. With their unique blend of charm and heart, these novels are sure to leave a lasting impression on readers of all ages.

A wonderful story with characters experiencing adventure later in life.

A truly fun and charming book with humor, lots of heart, and love. We’re graced with a new adventure in Eternity with two BFF marshals who are thrown into an adventure woven with mystery, a wonderful cast of characters, moments of introspection, and two idiots in unspoken love.

I’m so happy to have returned to this world and enjoyed every moment of this story. It was wonderful to have such a diverse cast of characters and frankly an older story of a woman living life that isn’t mournful or dull. We have whimsy and wit, as well as fantasy and adventure. I truly loved it!

Was a most entertaining read! I love Megan Bannen’s sense of humor in her books. I still like The Undertaking of Hart and Mercy better, but Twyla and Frank’s relationship is endearing. Although there were times I wanted to shake Twyla to sense. In the other hand Frank was consistent and lovable. This book was unexpected. This book is definitely worth it if you missed Tanria.

I enjoyed the Undertaking of Hart and Mercy, but Twyla and Frank fell short for me. First, glitter spewing dragons. Glitter. spewing. dragons. No thank you. There were things about the dragons and the interactions with them, that I did like. But having them spew glitter just cheapened the entire book and made it kitschy to me. I did not feel the chemistry between Twyla and Frank. It wasn't there. I need to reread the first book, but was Duckers that annoying in the first book? Its like Peppa Pig and Zootopia meets fantasy. Complete with sparkly pink dragons and talking hedgehogs.