I really enjoyed Hart & Mercy so had a feeling I’d love this one too!

Such a cute sequel 🥰 Twyla was such an interesting character, I loved how her flaws and problems were relatable. I really liked seeing an older character!

I also really enjoyed the easy friendship and intimacy between frank and twyla

As someone who adored The Undertaking of Hart and Mercy (5★), The Undermining of Twyla and Frank had a lot to live up to—but it didn’t quite capture the same magic.

✨ Best friends-to-lovers with middle-aged protagonists 🐉 Dragons, mystery & a touch of whimsy 📚 A charming sequel that lacks emotional depth

While the world of Tanria remains delightful, the pacing feels uneven, and the romance doesn’t carry the same emotional weight as Hart and Mercy’s story. Twyla and Frank’s dynamic is sweet, but their relationship development feels frustratingly slow, making the payoff less satisfying - I did however LOVE that they were middle-aged!! The mystery adds intrigue, but the stakes never feel as gripping as in the first book.

If you loved Hart and Mercy, this is worth reading, but it doesn’t quite recapture the magic that made the first book so special.

Twyla and Frank have been best friends for years and have dreams to settle down together in their retirement. Things have been pretty quiet since our adventures of book one until on their latest adventure they discover that dragons are alive in Tanria and a baby dragon adopts Frank as its dad. The arrival of a dragon specialist causes Twyla to question whether she's ready to jump back in the dating game after 13 years as a widower, but it's making Frank behave weirdly and she doesn't understand why.

This was another really fun installment in this series. Megan's writing is fantastic. The book is witty with a lot of heart and a well built fantasy world that I was able to follow better in this one than the first book. Twyla and Frank are both so loveable, as is their fellow partner Duckers, and I enjoyed seeing the dynamic between the older friends and their youthful friend. Seeing Twyla find herself again after her difficult marriage and now her children are grown up was really interesting and insightful for me as someone 20 years younger.

I didn't love this quite as much as the first one because ultimately there is a lot of lack of communicating between these two, and whilst I get it it was a bit frustrating in the end when I wanted to scream just talk to each other!! It's satisfying when they finally do but my god. And it was a little repetitive on the Twyla inner monologues on finding herself - I think in book 1 we got both POVs? I think I'd have liked to be in Frank's head a bit.

Excited to see what happens with Rosie in book 3.

Thank you to NetGalley for an ARC of this book in exchange for my honest review.

Having really enjoyed Hart and Mercy, I had high hopes for the second book in this series - and they were fully met!

We're back in Tanria, and this time the storyline is focused on Twyla and Frank, and the disturbance introduced by the sudden appearance of a dragon baby, when dragons had been believed extinct.
I loved that the book had older central characters, and felt that the friends to lovers change in Frank and Twyla's dynamic was very well written. The book had lots of funny and heartwarming moments, and I'd definitely recommend this series to anyone who hasn't yet picked it up. I can't wait to find out what book 3 holds in store! 4.5 stars, rounded up to 5.

4.25/5 stars! This is the second book in the Hart and Mercy series by Megan Bannen. I thoroughly enjoyed the first book and was very excited to read this one. This one lacked a teeny bit of the charm, but it was silly and an adventure and I read it in one sitting. This is a friends-to-lovers story with older leads and it pulled at the heart strings.

It was my first time reading a middle-age romance and it was an interesting experience. I found myself laughing and enjoying the book till the end.

Frank and Twyla were good friend; partners working together. Over the years, they went through rough periods and shouldered it on their own, anchored by their friendship. They were only friends with no romantic feelings, or so we are told through Twyla.

But when a pink, glitter-spitting dragon baby comes into the picture, their whole world turns upside down. Twyla starts seeing Frank in a new light. Although, it took her a while to figure it out, it was all thanks to a dragon expert, who serves as a catalyst to change their feelings.

I adored Undertaking of Hart and Mercy, so I was excited to read this book as well. This book had so many lol moments and I was craving for more. This truly took my mind off work and gave me an escape into a world filled with chirping dragons and two friends reminding us that it’s never late to find love.

This is such an interesting series to me!! It's a quirky fantasy romance set in one of the most original worlds I have read. This is a standalone and honestly is one I would say you do not have to read the first book BUT I would recommend it. The characters in these books are so fun!!

Unfortunately I think maybe these books just aren't for me because while I liked them well enough they both felt a bit underdeveloped so I wasn't hooked on them much

Megan Bannen has done it again with yet another adorable, heartwarming and super fun romance, thats sure to put a smile on your face. (I mean this book has pink dragons that can breath glitter- how can you not smile)

The Undermining of Twyla and Frank follows the development of best friends to lovers set against the backdrop of Tanria, where the sudden appearance of dragons which were previously believed to be extinct adds a whole lot of excitement to their roles as Marshalls. With a plot to uncover and dragons on the loose, Twyla and Frank find their friendship developing into something more.

I adored Twyla and Frank their friendship and romance was so heartwarming and sweet with their easy laughter and care for each other. I adored how both our MC's are older and have previous baggage and relationships to work through. The focus on Tywla coming into her own and exploration of her emotions about her previous marriage and how the pull of family can often lead you down a road where your doing everything for everyone else and nothing for yourself was masterfully depicted.

Thank you NetGalley and Orbit for giving me an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

As always with the second book in a series, you worry that it won’t be as good, for this book that was not the case at all. I thoroughly enjoyed this book. Twyla and Frank work as marshals and stumble upon a body, leading them to a baby dragon. Whilst uncovering the species, they find a plot is afoot, putting them in danger. This is an excellently written friends to lovers, with a plot that is warming. I can’t wait to read the next book in this series.

5 stars

I loved the first book in this series and pre-ordered this as soon as I could - and I fell in love with this book in so many ways. It was maybe a little slow in the beginning but otherwise I don't have a single bad word to say. I really enjoyed this being more of a romance between an older couple rather than the characters being around 18 like in most romantasy books at the moment, and enjoyed how it was the same characters who featured in previous books. The romance was 10/10; the banter and the love, just perfect. With friends to lovers and a second chance at love, there is so much joy and love and care and this book that just made me feel so warm and cosy. Adventure, romance, and comedy are all woven throughout this book and I enjoyed every page.

Lastly, baby dragons!!!

Thank you to NetGalley and the author for providing this ARC in exchange for an honest review!

Thank you to NetGalley and Little Brown Book Group UK for the advance reader copy.

I hadn’t read the first book in the series and don’t think I’m going to go back and try either.

Unfortunately this was very high on my anticipated reads and felt like it fell short. Which is funny as the book itself is long.

The main reason for the stars is the cute baby dragon, Duckers and Zeddie.

Listen the AMOUNT of times I keep saying this as Frank and Twyla 😅. Even NOW I typed the title the other way around. I’ve only ever heard the name Twyla from Schitt’s Creek so I don’t know how common it is. I had hoped I would enjoy this as much as the first book so I’m glad to say that I totally did! It introduces new-to-us characters in a familiar world and brings new life to the world-building.

This, unlike its predecessor, isn’t so heavy on the world-building. Which is a feat considering there’s literally dragons 😂. I don’t know about you but when I see there’s dragons in a book I automatically think heavy world-building. Guessing Bannen thought we got enough of that in book 1 and dialed it back. It’s not even that this focuses more on the romance; it’s more character-driven than anything else. Twyla learns how to be more herself, put her first, what her dreams are in life. Plus she delves into new love – but clearly her journey and character growth is set ahead of romance.

I so loved Twyla and Frank as main characters! They show up for a scene in Hart and Mercy (which I didn’t even realise). Bannen does such a great job in letting you get to know them and their personalities before you’re even halfway through the book. Twyla shone in this book. Not to say that Frank didn’t have a great story, but the focus was more on her. Her journey, her story, dreams, wants, all that. I liked that what she wanted to be her own person, be more than a mom, grandmother, friend, Marshall. I loved watching her realise that she could do things for herself.

Frank is an absolute darling and he fit Twyla so well. Not only as a romantic interest (look it’s not a spoiler, it says so in the synopsis), but as a main character. Even though his journey isn’t as big or prominent as Twyla’s, he still develops quite a bit over the course of the book. Just like Twyla, he realises what he wants and tries to go for it. I’d definitely love to have Frank as a best friend/romantic partner.

Thanks to the publisher and NetGalley for providing this eARC of The Undermining of Twyla and Frank.
Oh, I really enjoyed reading this book. It's truly magical and a pure bliss. And ohh those dragons were just the cutest beings of the whole book.

I loved The Undertaking of Heart and Mercy, yet I really struggled to get into this book. I think the main issue for me was that the characters didn't grip me, we're in different life stages - and I haven't experienced that stage yet, so they didn't resonate with me. I also struggled to get into the book becasue of how the previous book ended - it resolved one of the main world building parts of the book, and the reason for the Marshals' existence.

I don't think there is anything wrong with the book, I would put it down to me not connecting with the characters/caring enough about them. I would still potentially read further books in the series, depending on which characters they focused on. I also do sometimes struggle with low stakes fantasy, espeically if I can't connect with the characters as that's usualy a driving factor for mainting my interest in the book.

Loved the first book and love the second book, though the first a tiny bit more since it had been a bit darker than this one but still so enjoyable.
This was so cozy and I adored the characters!
It has everthing a fantasy lover might adore: dragons. cozy vibes. older characters (in their 50).
Just a very sweet and entertaining book!

Really loved this. After reading the first, I was so excited to return to this world and was not disappointed! Highly recommended

I don't know how but this was even better than the first! I like the idea of a friends-to-lovers romance but often find it doesn't pan out as I hope, not the case with this book!

Frank is amazing, Twyla is amazing. The two together are even better. I also found a lot of Twyla's experiences in the book resonated with me and helped me see my ideas but into words, never have I highlighted a book so much! I can't wait for the next one in the series!!

Thank you for providing this ARC. I enjoyed the first book, however this one was not as high stakes, thus somewhat lacking and I did not enjoy it as much.

One again the world Back history in this universe confuses me like nothing else.

I just don't think things are explored well enough for thing to make sense to my brain.

However i still love it.

There is just something soothing and funny about this authors writing style that just grips you and keeps you wanting to read.

And this book has DRAGONS. These ones are the twilight kinda dragons though and honestly it just makes it all sound insane yet amazing.

My one MAJOR gripe with this one though was how many times Twylas age was mentioned. It was pretty much every chapter.
. I also missed the Dual POV aspect we had in book 1. I really think seeing Frank's POV would have been delightful


And we love to see more of Duckers