DNF-25%.

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the e-arc.
I think this book has some fun elements and the first book was lovely. I was expecting a dual POV again and only having Twyla’s fell a little flat for me.

I love that there is a friends to lovers (although I didn’t even get to that part yet because it’s suuuuuch a slow burn. Like, there was no tension or hint that they would be end game in this book yet). I ADORE that both characters are in their 50s. I like that Duckers, from book one, was playing such a big role. I liked that there was a little intrigue and ofc dragons (or at least this world’s version of them lol)

The writing was fine but the pacing is SO slow. I found myself getting so bored and I just didn’t care enough t continue. Not the book for me but I think some could really love it!

This book was a DNF for me. I got to 30% and decided it was not for me. Hopefully it will be a good fit for someone else!

4.5 rounded up. What an awesome sequel. I loved seeing more of this world and Tanria. And DRAGONS of course. I love how they were portrayed. This one wasn't as emotional as Hart and Mercy for me but I did chuckle oit loud a few times. And honestly never saw the real culprit coming.

One thing that annoyed me so much though was Twyla constantly berating her adult children about cursing. Even if none of their own kids were around. Like, I get it, she's a mom, maybe it's a habit. They're adults though. It just got really irritating.

I cannot freaking wait for Rosie's book though. I already know I'm going to love it. Especially with Duckers being her partner. Called that happening when they met.

Thanks so so much to netgalley and the publisher for the advanced copy in exchange for an honest review.

Twyla is a 53 year-old mom of 3 adult children and has been widowed for about a decade. She works as a town marshal with her neighbor and best friend, Frank. While out on patrol, Frank ends up finding a baby dragon, who imprints on him. Frank starts to care for the dragon, but expert help is needed. Thus, a professor of dragons is brought in to help advise and also learn more about the dragons that happen to be living in the area. The professor takes an interest in Twyla as an older single lady, but Twyla hasn't dated in years. She never gave it much thought before. Is it really worth opening up and giving romance a second chance? And how does Frank fit into it?

I really enjoyed this book, though I can acknowledge it's not perfect. But the fact that it had a baby dragon that meeps already gave it a leg up as my parrot meeps and there is a baby dragon in my current DnD campaign. I also really like how Ms. Bannen writes her romances, and it ends up being a really cute story in the end.

It has a slightly slow start due to the fact that the author tried to better incorporate the worldbuilding of her strange and whimsical fantasy land. It honestly wasn't that interesting, and I know there will be readers who want a better explanation of what exactly this world is. But I think that leaning more on the vibes of the world rather than a full explanation is what helps this strange concept work well. It also makes it easier for the romance plot to take center stage. After that slow start though, we start to zero in on Twyla's love life, or lack thereof, and how she comes to open up to the world while remaining true to herself. I know I was somewhat hesitant as soon as I found out there was a third character, the professor, thrown into the mix. I personally don't like romance stories that involve a third wheel. Normally they seem to resolve with a poor outcome for the third wheel, like being used to make someone jealous or that they end up being cheated upon. That isn't the case here, though, as things are resolved in an amicable outcome. The point of it also helped Twyla realize something in regard to her own character, rather than anything else, so it felt very refreshing. I enjoyed the focus on Twyla's self-discovery. The romance also ends up having a really nice balance between romance and the actual act of what it means to be in a relationship, and how couples need to support each other evenly.

The romantic conflict near the end of the book was a little annoying, but it uses the miscommunication troupe that most romance novel conflicts end up using around the same part. It still resolves nicely and in a way that highlights Twyla as a strong heroine. A third book to this fantasy romance series has already been announced, and I look forward to reading more.

Oh my! This was a lovely read.

Twyla shocked her friends and family by becoming a marshal. Widowed with grown children, many underestimated her strength and life goals. Her partner, Frank, has been her best pal since his wife left him and he needed a friend. Throw in some dragons, a new professor, family drama, and some spicy feelings to complicate matters and you've got a story!

The fantasy elements were whimsical and fun! Enough action to keep me engaged, but Twyla and Frank's story was the star of the show! The he falls first and harder element had me swooning.

The best part may be the pink sparkly dragons that spit glitter! I did enjoy the story of Twyla and Frank, even though it took a bit to build up to the relationship. This book is single point of view, all from Twyla's perspective. I really wanted to like this book....ahem..Dragons!! but it just fell flat for me. I think I need more romance action in my stories than what I found here. If you are looking for more sci fi/fantasy then romance this book is definitely one you should check out.

Thank you NetGalley, Megan Bannen and OrbitBooks for giving me the opportunity to review this book.

More of a cozy type of romantasy, I did enjoy this more than its predecessor but I did find the pacing a bit too slow. Given the cozy nature maybe that’s by design, but I found myself hoping for more action and adventure. There is some good amount of whimsy and this is a great read for fall / spooky season.

I have yet to read the first book, but I'm looking forward to it. Starting the book, I had no idea that Twy and Frank were an older couple. As someone who's only read about younger couples, I enjoyed that. It shows you that no matter if you already started a family or are older, you are still capable of finding love.

I do wish we had learned more about the glitter bombing dragons and if Mary Georgina found her family or not.

I would like to thank Orbit and Netgally for the eARC in exchange for an honest review.

Don’t ask how I could be so bored reading a book with baby dragons and hedgehog mail carriers, just know that I was. To be fair, I would not have picked this book for myself. I ended up with this ARC before realizing it was second in a series. I liked The Undertaking of Hart and Mercy a bit better, but not by much.

I predict if you liked the first one, you’ll probably like this one - although I think a little less. It seemed to me like the main plot of this series was resolved in the first book?

It’s not you, it’s me! Though this book seemed right up my alley, I just couldn’t get into it. I loved the friends to lovers vibe, but the world was not for me. I also should have read the undertaking of hart and mercy first. Thanks to NetGalley and publishers for the ARC!

I just love this series. It’s delightful and weird and I just really enjoy it!

Huge thank you to #orbitbooks and @netgalley for an advanced copy in exchange for an honest review.

After loving the adventure that was The Undertaking of Hart and Mercy, I couldn’t wait to dive into the next book!

Perfect for people who love a light fantasy, the people and their stories feel realistic but then there are dragons and mystical creatures thrown in as a subtle reminder of just how fun their world is! 😍

I loved that this book focused on older main characters, finding love in their fifties after so many years of friendship!

I love love LOVE this series so much. It’s cute, it’s sexy, it has dragons, it has suspense, it has literally everything you could want in a book and I need more of this series.

Megan Bannen has kept up the magic! This is a fun romp with legit heartstring pulling moments. Middle-aged main characters actually pulled me in instead of the average trope-y 19 year old "old soul" you see so often in fantasy. This one wasn't as dark as the first, but still deep in a way that satisfies.

Sweet and funny and utterly delightful, this book had me giggling and kicking my feet. More love stories like this 💖💖

I liked this better than the first book (The Undertaking of Hart and Mercy). Although this is set shortly after the events of Book 1, it follows new main characters. But we do get glimpses of some of our favorites from Book 1. In fact, the scenes with Duckers were some of my favorites. This is a solid sequel and I am looking forward to what might come next (Rosie and Adam?!) One of the things that made me enjoy this one a bit more is the lack of corpses... book 1 was a bit too graphic for me (duh there are zombies and our FMC worked in a funeral home). This book has much less body horror, and that was a big plus for me. Plus, dragons! This is definitely more whimsical and light.

To me, this is cozy fantasy at it's finest. It is set in a unique fantasy world, there are magical creatures, and the stakes are not too high while there is still some action and adventure. Twyla and Frank are such great characters. And the side characters were great too. I found myself rooting for everyone, especially the cute new ninkilim..... I do wish that this was multi-POV. This is only told from Twyla's perspective and I think adding in Frank's perspective would have been nice.

One of the things that these books do incredibly well is show complicated family dynamics. Twyla loves her children so much, and yet they disappoint her too. She makes mistakes and owns up to them and she shows them forgiveness. I appreciate when a book can make a family feel real. The family are not villains, nor are they perfect.

Thank you to NetGalley and Orbit Books for providing an eARC of this book!

I thought this was very good and I will have to add this to the shop shelves. Thank you for the chance for us to review.

The Undertaking of Hart and Mercy was a favorite of mine (absolutely amazing audiobook), so I was excited to read this next book about Twyla and Frank.

As with the first book, you just have to go along with the fantasy world of people driving duck automobiles and riding non traditional horses. This was a fun story about older characters over the age of 50. It was refreshing to read about more mature characters, but we still got to see Duckers, a favorite from the first book, in all his youthful glory. There's a good mystery about what's going on in Tanria with smuggling and dragons. Wrapped in this is the story of best friends and partners Twyla and Frank and their adventures being marshalls. Best friends to eventual lovers with a second chnace romance for them was a delight to read. A cozy fantasy with romance and a mystery - a great combination and well executed!

I loved the first book so much and was so excited to get my hands on this I couldn’t put it down I was completely hooked from the first page

If I am ever in need of another husband, I hope I can find a Frank. This whole book was delightful, but it was Twyla and Frank that I really stuck around for. There aren't enough middle-age love stories, let alone with glitter snot substances.