Thank you to NetGalley, Megan Bannen & Orbit Books/Redhook for an e-ARC in exchange for an honest review. This review is wholly my own & may not be reproduced.

The second installment by Megan Bannen follows middle-aged Twyla & Frank as part of the Tanrian Marshals. They are neighbors & best friends, but there’s a romance brewing as well. The dilemma in this story is the re-emergence of dragons, one of which Frank ends up fostering. Oh, and there’s a seemingly cute little hedgehog mail carrier, too.

This series is teetering off for me. I enjoyed The Untertaking of Hart & Mercy (Mercy & Hart?), but it wasn’t like my favorite book ever. This one wasn’t bad, but it was a little boring for me & it was hard for me to stay focused. I’m committed to the series & will definitely read the next one, but I’m not overly enthusiastic about it.

I know I’m in a minority as many love these books. This one was definitely a slower pace than the first & was never really “exciting.” Would love to see a faster pace & more action in the next one!

I'm still not sure if I have sufficient words to describe how much I love and appreciate this book.
The Undermining of Twlya and Frank has everything one could want- camaraderie and banter, 'silly' animals delivering mail, dragons, plotting, a slow burn.... and most importantly (to me), the verbalization of how it can feel to be a wife and a mother. There were tears many times because of the OH IT'S NOT JUST ME factor.
Also, Twla and Frank are AMAZING and I thought their version of a happy ending was absolutely brilliant.

Genre: Romantasy
Narration: Third person past tense, single POV

The Undermining of Twyla is the second book in this world. This is a romantasy book that's heavier on the romance than the fantasy, though it does involve some adorable dragons. Twyla and Frank are the main characters. They've both been in marriages before, they have kids, and are pretty settled in life as marshals. When a coworker is found dead, and dragons are possibly involved, they get pulled into figure out the mystery of both these creatures and the death.

I enjoyed the first book in this series, The Undertaking of Hart and Mercy, more than this one.

Note: While this is marketed as When Harry Met Sally I don’t see any parallels between these two other than that they’re both friends to lovers. This isn’t good or bad, it’s just is. But don’t go into it expecting WHMS vibes.

Read this if you: really liked the first book and want to see the continuation of that story in the same world, love friends to lovers with a slow burn, wanna enjoy a romance with older characters than usual.

👍
+ It was really nice to read a romance book where the MC and LI are 50+. It’s so rare. Plus it creates a completely different dynamic when the characters have already had a marriage and kids.
+ Dragons! Cute sparkly baby dragons! 🐲
+ We get to see a bit of the continuation of the story of Hart and Mercy from the first book, and it’s really cute! 😊
+ I feel like this almost would be better as women’s fiction rather than romance. I really enjoyed reading about Twyla as a mom, her home life with her kids, her kids’ drama etc more than the romance. Not to say the romance wasn’t cute as well, but it was such a slow burn that the romantic bits were few and far between.

👎
- I feel like the main character’s whole personality was being a mom. I understand that it could have been part of the message, but it was too much imo. I wish she had a personality outside of being a mom.
- The love interest didn’t seem to have a very strong character either.
- I felt like the story really dragged in the second third of the book. Not much happens in either the romance or the mystery aspect.
- The mystery/action isn’t very strong. It’s more quirky than anything. Which isn’t necessarily a negative, but it was also definitely better in the first one.

Thank you to Orbit Books and Netgalley for the eARC!

Overall rating: 3.5⭐

So, I really liked this story. It was cute and there are not a lot of stories that are about people who are older and have children and highlight their lives. I love the way the main characters relationship feels so sweet and honest. The dialogue really makes you feel like this is what banter between two people who have been working together for years.

That being said I almost didn’t need the fantasy part of the story. I felt the same way about “The Undertaking of Hart and Mercy”. I genuinely love the characters and their interpersonal relationships to the point the fantasy element almost feels like an extra aside.

The world building and fantasy elements are still interesting and unique but I know this story could be just as heartwarming without it.

I do realize that there is a lot of exciting-death defying moments in the story but it’s really about the love story and friendships.

Overall I really liked this book and would recommend it as a quirky fantasy cozy read.

A cozy fantasy romance between two 50-somethings, with dragons! This is a slow-moving story, heavy on the cozy vibes. If you are looking for a book to grab your attention from page 1, this likely isn't it. I found this to be a bit of a slog to get through, felt it was longer than it needed to be, but that it fully delivered on the cozy comfy vibes (how many times am I going to say cozy in this review...).

Note that if you haven't read book 1, you'd likely be able to jump straight into this one if you wanted to. Though reading in order would be recommended, you could be a rebel and start here. The previous characters are present quite a bit, though they are explained well and you probably wouldn't feel entirely lost to who everyone is.

One of my favorite aspects of this story is how the technology was explained. A pet peeve of mine is when objects exist in a fantasy world that cannot be explained by their lack of technological advancement. Example - ballpoint pens in a medieval setting. So when it was explained how a vibrator worked, I was thrilled that the author considered this.

Did I mention - dragons! They were the best part, easily.

Thank you to NetGalley and Orbit Books for a digital advanced reader copy. All opinions are my own and I am leaving this review voluntarily.

"The Undermining of Twyla and Frank" by Megan Bannen is a delightful romp through Tanria that will have you grinning from ear to ear. Twyla and Frank, best friends and Tanrian Marshals, find themselves navigating the joys of middle age, budget cuts, and a baby dragon that decides Frank is its new dad. The chemistry between these two 50-something characters is heartwarming and their banter is pure gold.

This book is packed with humor, action, and just the right amount of spice. Watching Twyla and Frank stumble towards each other while dealing with dragons and illegal miners is a blast. If you loved the first book, this one will not disappoint, and it hints at more adventures to come. Megan Bannen has done it again with a story that's both cozy and exciting, and I can't wait for the next installment!

This is the second book by this author set in the magical world of Tanria and it's not a sequel to The Undertaking of Hart and Mercy (2023) but I'd recommend possibly reading that one first for more depth on the world she has created in these pages.

I enjoyed revisiting Tanria and the unique career path of marshalls in this world with grandparent-aged main characters and coworkers Twyla and Frank. Somehow I wasn't quite sure what to expect in this story but it felt refreshing to follow a love story involving a retirement-aged divorcee and widow whose lives have intersected for years as next door neighbours and coworkers with plans for their future.

In general, like the first book, these fantasy books won't be for everyone because they don't take place in our contemporary realistic world but I, for one, will continue to follow along with future books by this author. I really enjoyed the way this story was told even though I did prefer Hart and Mercy just a tiny bit more from an emotionally charged perspective.

This was such a delightful book. I wasn't sure how I would react to a book with characters that are decidedly outside the age-group that you typically see in romance book characters, but Twyla and Frank were perfect MCs. Their story was a lot of fun and their relationship was heartfelt. The side characters were also on-point. This was a great follow-up to Hart and Mercy's story and getting to see the continuation of their relationship play out in this book was great.

Thank you Netgalley for the advanced reading copy! This is the second in this fantasy romance series by Megan Bannen, and I really enjoy her writing style and world building - there are no other romance books like this! I don’t usually love second chance romances, but this book to me was a great second chance romance in that Twyla and Frank were older than most romance leads. I thought this was the best part of the book - I loved Twyla’s voice and progression throughout this book, as well as the very sweet and realistic steam and love story. Also the dragons were adorable and it was a fun plot all around. My only issue with this book is that it’s too long, coming in at over 450 pages. I think it could have been tightened up. I recommend this book for fans of Bannen, fantasy romance, second chance romance, and older main characters.

I loved LOVED The Undertaking of Hart and Mercy and was so excited for Twyla & Frank, but I was unfortunately disappointed with this one and a whole lot of bored

This was okay. I don't know what else I wanted but I wanted... more? I might reread it after my reading slump to see if maybe it was that! It wasn't bad by any means.

A GIANT thank you to NetGalley and Orbit Books for granting me access to this ARC. I'm in love with Twyla and Frank.

This book explores friendship, the difficulties of motherhood, feeling inadequate and invisible, and of course true love. It's beautifully written. There is so much charm, humor and heart in it. I found myself laughing so much and also almost in tears at times with the relatability. It's witty and you are immersed in this fantasy world that I very much wish was real.

We got to have some snippets of Hart and Mercy who stole my heart in book one. And there are baby dragons in it, I mean enough said.

I hope this isn't the last in the series because I feel like Duckers deserves a happy ending. I will definitely read more from this author!!

This is my kind of cozy fantasy, rom-com hybrid.
Charming Setting ✔️
Delightful Characters✔️
Colorful Banter✔️
Middle Age Rep✔️
Romance- Friends to Lovers ✔️
Adventure✔️ THINGS HAPPEN! No slogging here
Being back in Eternity felt like a big ol hug. I LOVE this world. Just like with Hart & Mercy, Twyla & Frank are an extremely likable duo. AND we get to hangout with the ever lovable Duckers again, along with a few other crossover characters. Im only in my 30's yet Twyla is incredibly relatable. Exhausted, grumpy, hopeful. The romance is realistic, embarrassing, sweet and fun. Also, DRAGONS.
Once again Megan Bannen has my heart and my shelf space.
#autobuyauthor

Thanks to NetGalley and Orbit Books for the eARC!

Thank you to NetGalley, Orbit Books, and Megan Bannen for an advanced copy of this book.

This series is a great comfy fantasy series to read in the fall when the mood is just right for it. I did enjoy the first book and I enjoyed this one as well. It’s entertaining, it’s funny, the characters are written well and have great matching personalities, and the world in which its set is very unique and fun. However, I feel like this series is being marketed as more of a romance than a fantasy, but I would say this book is about 70% fantasy and 30% romance. I was craving more from Twyla and Frank. I wanted to see more build up between them, more angst, more pining because although this book was over 400 pages long (a bit too long for this type of book in my opinion), I felt like the romance between them was so rushed. Like all of a sudden we just get to the point where they are in love?? But what about before that?? I would have loved to gotten Frank’s POV as well, since the first book was dual POV from both the main characters. Overall, this was very fun and entertaining and I’m looking forward to the next one!

P.S.: you’re gonna tell us that dragons exist in this world and then NOT give us a scene about #1 dragon nonbeliever Hart Ralston finding out?? How rude.

Megan Bannen is quickly becoming one of my favorite authors. Returning to this world she creates was a slight. I love all her characters.

Thank you to Netgalley for providing me with this ARC

DNF at 20%
I truly could not get through this book in any way shape or form. I liked Hart and Mercy's story because their banter was fun and the plot was compelling. This story... doesn't have that for me, at least it didn't seem too from what I read. I barely made it to the part where Frank and Twyla and Duckers found a baby dragon before I decided that I couldn't keep going. There was nothing that really captivated me in these opening chapters to want to stick around to find out what happens. All the fun of this world with the portals and the demi-gods and the zombie-like creatures was taken care of in the first novel with Hart and Mercy. So it really felt like nothing significant would come out of this novel.

The Undermining of Twyla and Frank is a heartfelt, sweet, and fun follow-up to Bannen's previous novel, The Undertaking of Hart and Mercy.
Twyla and Frank have been best friends for years. They raised their families next door to one another, are partners in the Tanrian Marshals, and dream of opening a bed and breakfast when they retire. Twyla and Frank are enveloped in their routine as Marshal's: singing off-key karaoke and patrolling Tanria. That is, until they stumble across a fellow Marshal who has been killed, and a thought-to-be-extinct baby dragon. Suddenly, Twyla and Frank are launched into a startling investigation, while endeavoring to confront their growing feelings for each other.

I had so much fun with this book! Twyla and Frank were incredibly endearing, and I found myself deeply invested in their romantic relationship from the first few pages. They were both characterized so strongly, and felt like real people that I'd love to meet. The family dyanmics that Twyla struggled to navigate were so impactful, and I love that Bannen touched on that aspect of Twyla's experience. I also loved the expanded characterization of Duckers as a supporting character and all of the laughs that he brought to the page!

The plot was very engaging and I really enjoyed the introduction of dragons into this world. It was so fun and unexpected! Mary-Georgina was such a cute addition to the plot, and I was on the edge of my seat, waiting to find out what would happen to the dragons.

Overall, I loved this so much!

This book was a TOTALLY different vibe from book one, but just as weird and unhinged as the first. I enjoyed it, but was a bit of a letdown in that I wasn't feeling the chemistry between the characters and the slow burn was a bit TOOO slow to me (making it hard to buy into the romance when it finally moved from friends to more). I also REALLY wish this had been DPOV. Getting into Frank's head probably would have done a lot for my enjoyment of the story.

We’re back in Tanria and it’s just full of surprises.

I was worried I wouldn’t love this sequel because it would be hard to meet the whimsical cuteness that is Hart and Mercy. Yet, Megan Bannen did a fabulous job!

There aren’t many books that actually make me giggle and maybe I’m just reading the wrong books but I had to stifle many laughs (to avoid waking the hubs) while reading The Undermining of Twyla and Frank. The back and fourth banter and oh my goodness don’t get me start with Duckers! He is absolutely hilarious.

I loved that we see Twyla finding her footing at this point in her life - I mean we all go through this at different stages in our lives. While I’m not a woman in my mid 50s, I fully enjoyed the story and certain parts even resonated with me.

Plus, it has cute romance and DRAGONS! 🩷

I really liked this one and very excited to read it because I was a huge fan of Hart and Mercy when it came out, but it didn't hit the same way Hart and Mercy did. Sadly, the book felt a bit clunky. There was an interesting fantasy component. There was an interesting romance. But the two combined together felt like two separate stories.

The story follows Marshals Frank and Twyla. Long time friends and partners, they're on a mission to find out the mysterious death of one of their own only to find baby dragons, mobster-level illegal activity, and fun adventures in their time in Tanria. Being one of the only books with a much older couple, I was thrilled to read it. It was so much fun to see the baby dragons, to read about the mysterious things that kept happening to Twyla and Frank while out on their mission, and to see them fall in love.

I wouldn't say this is a true "When Harry Met Sally..." retelling. In fact, I would just call this a "friends-to-lovers" because that's what it is. Through some dating misadventures, it was fun to watch them fall in love. However, it felt a bit lukewarm to me. I've read some pretty tension-filled friends-to-lovers, but this one had the tension of an old rubber band. If I didn't know that they were going to get together, I'm pretty sure I wouldn't have seen it coming.

Like I said, the story suffered because they just didn't mesh together well. The fantasy parts were separate from the romance parts and if you read one part for a while, you forget the other part existed. I think halfway through I forgot that they were looking for someone who killed their marshal friend. Overall, it's fun and I had a good time reading it, but it's not the kind of story that I will be thinking about.