I was so excited for this sequel. While I enjoyed it immensely it did not live up to its predecessor. I still liked it and will be sure to read the third if there is one

This book is a captivating and immersive read that hooks you from the first page. The writing is beautifully crafted, with vivid descriptions and strong character development that makes the story come alive. The plot is well-paced, balancing moments of tension with quieter, reflective scenes that allow the characters to grow. The themes explored are deep and thought-provoking, resonating long after the final page. Whether it's the emotional depth, the twists and turns of the plot, or the unforgettable characters, this book is a must-read for anyone who enjoys rich, engaging stories. Highly recommended for fans of fantasy.

I was a huge fan of The Undertaking of Hart and Mercy and was thrilled to dive back into the world that Megan Bannen has created.

When the Marshall's on patrol come upon a baby dragon, they are thrown into more shenanigans than necessary. Marshall Ellis and Banneker come across a poaching party, they were not expecting to adopt a dragon that spits glitter. Nor were they expecting there long term friendship to have a rocky patch when a Draconologist in short-short arrives to the scene with an eye on Twyla.

I love that the characters in this story are older (50's) with grown children and big events. Particularly as a mother myself, I related to Twyla's feelings of being taken for granted. The friendships and the banter between the two MC's was so fun and light and showed how talking it out can lead the great results.

DUCKERS still is a favorite character and I can't wait to see more of him in the future.

I have fallen totally in love with this fantastical and warm world of whimsy and mystery in Tanria and Eternity. Hart and Mercy made me cry and the gratitude and hope at the end of the book was so palpable. Frank and Twyla felt like a warm and cozy homecoming, maybe because they are mature and in the middle of life versus younger and unsure. I think maybe it was that their friendship was so steadfast, and that allowed the love story to feel so natural and true. I am not a fan of love triangles and could have done without that bit in the book. I also thought the hedgehog's reason for committing any and all of her crimes was wholly ridiculous and felt more like a caricature of what could have been a truly suspenseful plot point. That said, I can appreciate the lightness that the author seemed to want to inject into this book as the bridge between 2 potentially more serious ones. I loved the Scooby Doo nod in Ch. 22 (IYKYK). I'm ready right now to power through to book 3 "The Undercutting of Rosie and Adam", but alas, will likely have to wait until next summer. I love this whole series.

Thank you to Netgalley, the publisher, and author for this ARC in exchange for an honest review.

I love Tanria! This sequel set in the same fantasy universe as The Undertaking of Hart and Mercy features another pair - Frank And Twyla. They’re Tanrian marshalls who are the best of friends. But are they only friends? (You can guess). Like the first book in the series this had surprising depth, and featured a not often focused age group - post menopausal women. Thank you Megan Bannen! How refreshing - and how insightful. I adored Twyla. The adorable characters, paired with an interconnected dragons and underground smuggling operation investigation made this unputtdownable, cozy and exciting all at the same time.

The Undermining of Twyla and Frank
Megan Brennan
4⭐️

Pub Date: 7/2/2024

OH. MY. GOSH. This is just so adorable!
First of all, I think that this is already such a unique romance (romantasy since it's also fantasy?) because Twyla and Frank are middle aged people in their 50s. It's just too cute and not your traditional romance where it's all younger people. This has a friends to lovers trope in the best way possible. This book mixes the adventure and action that came with being Tanrian Marshalls but also the complexity aging and navigating dating at this time of their lives. Lots of self love and acceptance going on here too, especially with Twy's other "love interest". And since they're all mature here, there were no misunderstandings and the characters were clean and decent to each other. I love how Duckers is with them as he definitely adds a "flavor" to the books (he's also a vital side role in book 1). I love the banter from all the characters here.

In addition to the cute couple, there are also pink and glittery dragons. Definitely a different picture/depiction of dragons that we are used to with all other fantasy novels. It's a unique take but very much adorable and I accept and just love it!

Ultimately, this is a slower and chiller plot than book 1 but it's adorable and exciting in it's own way. It gave off a different feel and vibe. There's action for sure but don't expect anything that would put you at the edge of your seat. This has more of a comforting feel. If you're looking for a palate cleanser or just something cozy and good to read, that is still a romantic fantasy, I 100% recommend plopping down with this book. I binged this 💜

I absolutely adore this book and this series! It is the quirky romantic comedy of my dreams. Who knew that also included dragons?!?

I think I went into this book too blind. It isn't what I was expecting and not my vibe (nothing against the author or subject matter). It is more fantasy than I had thought and not quite a love story that I am interested in. It was a bit too slow for me and it wasn't grabbing my attention.

Thank you to the author, the publisher, and NetGalley for access to the ARC of this book. I greatly appreciate the opportunity.

I loved The Undertaking of Hart and Mercy and was so excited to get this arc. This book can be read as a standalone. It's so cozy and I really liked that the characters were middle aged. Highly recommend!

I enjoyed The Undermining of Twyla and Frank, though it wasn’t quite what I expected. It’s a cute and sweet story with cozy vibes, and I really liked the friends-to-lovers dynamic. While it felt a bit different from The Undertaking of Hart and Mercy, (which remains my favorite in the series), it still delivers a charming romantic tale with plenty of heart.

Thank you Orbit Books and NetGalley for providing this book for review consideration. All opinions are my own.

The Undertaking of Hart and Mercy is my favorite book ever so I was a little underwhelmed by this one, but I still love Twyla, Frank, and the dragons!

A second chance, best friends to lovers romance with PINK dragons? How could you not love it?

Megan Bannen delivers an amazing follow up to her first book "Undertaking of Hart and Mercy" with this new installment featuring best friends and Marshall partners, Twyla and Frank.

I loved that these characters were in the second act of their lives, both being 53 years old. Twyla and Frank were nothing more than neighbors until Twyla's husband died and Frank's wife left, nudging them into a quick and deep friendship.

When Twyla needed more money to put her youngest daughter through college, Frank recruited her to the Marshalls as his new partner. Eight years as partners and best friends has brought them closer than ever -- but never as more than friends. But when they discover dragons on their patrol forcing them into longer, top-secret shifts together and Twyla accepts a date from the scientist who has come to study them, it's time for them to both take a look in the mirror and decide once and for all if there is nothing more than friendship there -- before they miss their chance at a second shot at love.

Tender and sweet -- a bit of a slow start but once this got going I was hooked! Twyla is the epitome of "looks like a cinnamon roll, could kill you" -- and I loved watching her regain her confidence and begin to set personal boundaries.

This was a a delightful cozy fantasy. It left me with a warm a fuzzy feeling upon its conclusion as well as throughout, really.
It was full of friendship and love. It is quite rare to find a book with characters that are over the age of 40, let alone 50. One can only hope to have a friendship as dear as the one between Twyla and Frank and their dynamic is what really draws the reader to read this story. These two deserve all the love that they show each other. This story of second chance at love is a bright light for anyone wishing for the same - it really was the highlight of the tale. I rooted for the pair from the beginning until the very end. I never would have thought that so much character development and self-discovery could be brought to middle-aged characters, but Bannen shows us just how much people can change at any age.
The plot flowed nicely and there was even a fun little twist at the end. Bannen’s writing is engaging and witty. There are so many unique elements to her world building and storytelling. I enjoyed the dragon element being brought in after the fallout of book one. The baby dragon imprinting on Frank was the cutest! The side characters were just as enjoyable as the mains.
I recommend this book to anyone that enjoyed Hart and Mercy, as well as anyone longing for a second chance. Also, if you’re looking for that cozy fantasy with older characters, this one is for you.
Many thanks to NetGalley and Orbit Books for a digital arc of the book. The opinions expressed are honest and my own.

My thanks to the publisher, netgalley and Megan Bannen for the review copy.

I knew I was going to love this one just as much as I loved the Undertaking of Hart and Mercy before I'd even started it. I loved the little snippets of Twyla and Frank, so I was really excited that they were getting their own book! I loved the friends to lovers aspect, and honestly, I feel like Tanria is just a second home to me at this point!

I loved Hart and Mercy's love story and was super excited to return to Eternity and read Twyla and Frank's love story. Bannen had me at baby dragons! Twyla and Frank's relationship shined in their quiet moments. I especially connected to Twyla's journey in self-discovery following motherhood and years of marriage. Frank was also a great MMC that was sweet and adorable. This book is a beautiful romantasy and perfect for a cozy read.

Unfortunately, I had to DNF this one. The ages of the main characters and the first chapter did not appeal to me. I think if you’re someone who thinks they can relate to the main characters, go ahead and try it!

I think these book are super cute and have a lot of potential, but they never hit right for me. They’re sweet enough with a fun world and story but just meh overall

The Undermining of Twyla and Frank is a heartwarming fantasy novel centered around best friends Twyla and Frank, two fifty-something Tanrian Marshals who find the surprise of a lifetime while out on patrol. This is the second book in the series and stands well on its own but I definitely recommend reading The Undertaking of Hart and Mercy to get a better understanding of the world it’s set in. Twyla and Frank were both charming, seasoned protagonists and I was so happy to see them get a second chance at love. This delightful novel contains action, mystery, friends-to-lovers romance, and the most adorable baby dragons. It was such a joy to read!

Rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐
Spice: 🌶️🌶️
Other: 🐉💕⛺✨✨
Genre: Fantasy Romance
POV: Single

Twyla & Frank are both in their fifties and counting down to retirement together as Tanrian Marshals in the sequel to the wonderful Undertaking of Hart and Mercy. They've been neighbors for decades but became best friends after they both lost their spouses and began taking care of each other. Frank helped Twyla become a marshal so she could make enough money to support her family eight years ago and they've been partners even since. When the body of a Tanrian Marshal turns up covered in glitter, and Twyla and Frank suddenly have to care for a baby dragon, their routines fall apart. And when they are both put into danger, their friendship is tested. Will they finally admit their true feelings or let each other get away?

I feel like I need to admit right away that friends to lovers is undoubtably one of my least favorite tropes. I'm not a fan of decades of pining and we often miss out on the beginning developments and build up of the relationship. With this being said, I LOVE Megan Bannen. I received an ARC of The Bird and the Blade in 2018 and I never looked back. Everything she writes is different and so incredibly amazing. So I was excited but also nervous when reading this. In the end I got a little bit of both. I am in love with this world and I am in love with every one of her characters. Every. Single. One. I also absolutely adored that these characters were older. Yay! People in their middle age can find romance too! I love dragons and the mystery and I soared through the book.... but I still don't like friends to lovers. The romance was my least favorite part. It mostly made me sad until they finally figured it out in the very end and even then, I was a little sad they couldn't have just talked to each other about their feelings like eight years ago.

The town of Eternity was shocked when widowed Twyla Banneker joined the Tanrian Marshals with her neighbor and best friend, Frank Ellis. Eight years later, Twyla enjoys her fulfilling career patrolling the strange land of Tanria, despite her grown children's concerns. A recent decline in job danger makes their work safer and less exciting, but when they discover a fellow marshal's body near a giant footprint, and Frank unexpectedly becomes a foster dad to a baby dragon, they’re thrilled to be back in action. Soon, they get caught up in a sinister plot that complicates their investigation and challenges their friendship, leading Twyla to realize her true soul mate might be right next door.
***
Real cute follow-up to The Undertaking of Hart & Mercy! I'm guessing this one could be read as a standalone, but I think it works better if you read the books in order because of the repeat characters and some events in this book that are a result of what happened in Book 1. I'd recommend to others who enjoy a 'cozy fantasy' vibe. Looking forward to the release of The Undercutting of Rosie & Adam!