Hello, everyone! Today I’m reviewing The Undermining of Twyla and Frank by Megan Bannen. I enjoyed Bannen’s first book in this series, The Undertaking of Hart and Mercy. So, I have been looking forward to reading this new installment for quite some time. The Undermining of Twyla and Frank is available now wherever you get your books!

From the author of The Undertaking of Hart and Mercy comes a heartwarming fantasy with a best friends-to-lovers rom com twist–When Harry Met Sally, but with dragons!—set in the delightful demigod and donut-filled world of Tanria.

The entire town of Eternity was shocked when widowed, middle-aged Twyla Banneker partnered up with her neighbor and best friend, Frank Ellis, to join the Tanrian Marshals. Eight years later, Twyla and Frank are still patrolling the dangerous land of Tanria, the former prison of the Old Gods.

Twyla might look like a small town mom who brings cheesy potatoes to funerals and whips up a batch of cookies for the school bake sale, but her rewarding career in law enforcement has been a welcome change from the domestic grind of mom life, despite the misgivings of her grown children.

Fortunately (or unfortunately) a recent decrease in on-the-job peril has made Twyla and Frank’s job a lot safer … and a lot less exciting. So when they discover the body of one of their fellow marshals covered in liquid glitter–and Frank finds himself the inadvertent foster dad to a baby dragon–they are more than happy to be back on the beat.

Soon, the friends wind up ensnared in a nefarious plot that goes far deeper than any lucrative Tanrian mineshaft. But as the danger closes in and Twyla and Frank’s investigation becomes more complicated, so does their easy friendship. And Twyla starts to realize that her true soul mate might just be the person who has lived next door all along…

***Thank you to Orbit Books for providing a copy of The Undermining of Twyla and Frank via NetGalley. My review contains my honest thoughts about my reading experience.***

I’m not sure that I can put into words how much I loved reading The Undermining of Twyla and Frank. I enjoyed its predecessor, too, but this book was even better. The world-building and the way its elements were utilized felt more refined, and the plot was tighter. I’m also just a bigger fan of dragons than zombies. So, the magical creatures in this one appealed to me more.

Speaking of the dragons, I have never wanted to snuggle a dragon more than while I was reading The Undermining of Twyla and Frank. They were so stinking cute. I really enjoyed getting to experience such a fun and unique take on this creature. The new nimkilim mail carriers were adorable this time around, too. Although, nothing could beat the grumpy owl and foul-mouthed, drunk rabbit from the first book.

Unsurprisingly, the characters in The Undermining of Twyla and Frank were absolutely delightful. Twyla was such a MOM, but she was also so much more. I appreciated getting her perspective on what it was like to be a middle-aged mom who wanted more out of life than to be the person everyone relied on. Her frustration and her desire for independence were compelling. She had a great character arc of figuring out how to pursue a love connection without having it consume her life and individuality.

I was happy to see that Duckers was once again a big part of the story in The Undermining of Twyla and Frank. He was one of my favorite things about the first book. I really hope he continues to be a re-occurring side character in future books. He has such a fun personality and always adds a ton of hilarious banter to whatever scene he is in.

I’m always a sucker for a best friends to lovers romance, and The Undermining of Twyla and Frank did a great job with the trope. Twyla and Frank had such a beautiful friendship. The development of their relationship into a romantic one was paced really well. Both of them worried that a romantic entanglement would ruin what they already had together. I enjoyed reading about how they moved past their fears and built a relationship that worked for both of them.

Overall, The Undermining of Twyla and Frank was one of my favorite reads of 2024 so far. The characters were delightful and had compelling arcs. The dragons were unique and so adorable, and the plot and relationships kept me engaged. I do recommend reading the other book in the series to get the full impact of some very heart-warming moments. However, this story can work as a standalone. All things considered, I rate The Undermining of Twyla and Frank 5 out of 5 stars.

There you have it! My review of a new 5-star favorite. I cannot recommend this one enough! Have you read either of the Hart & Mercy books? What did you think of them? Let me know down in the comments!