Ratings7
Average rating4.3
From the author of The Undertaking of Hart and Mercy comes a heartwarming fantasy with a best friends-to-lovers rom com twist 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’s rewarding career patrolling the strange land of Tanria remains 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 near an enormous footprint—and Frank finds himself the inadvertent foster dad to a baby dragon—they are grateful to be back in action.
Soon, the friends wind up ensnared in a nefarious plot that goes far deeper than any lucrative Tanrian mineshaft. But as 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 be the person who has lived next door all along…
Featured Series
2 primary booksThe Undertaking of Hart and Mercy is a 2-book series with 2 primary works first released in 2022 with contributions by Megan Bannen.
Reviews with the most likes.
It's rare that I get to read a romantasy about a middle-aged (50s) woman. I'm about to be 40, and soooo many of Twyla's thoughts and insecurities were shockingly relatable. I adored her journey with Frank, I was annoyed at her for not seeing him and his feelings, but also got it because I've been there, so deep in your own feelings and troubles that it's hard to look up. I couldn't read this fast enough.
Genre: Romantasy
Narration: Third person past tense, single POV
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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.
Older couple, friends to lovers, and glitter spitting dragons? Sign me in! The MMC has acne scars? I'm not sure my heart can take all this normalcy! Megan Bannen, are you telling me that real people can find love as well??
The undertaking of Hart and Mercy is one of my favorite fantasy romances and I was ecstatic to be back to Eternity and Tarnia. Hart and Mercy remain my favorite couple, and I wouldn't be honest if I didn't say that seeing them get married was my favorite part of this book. However, Twy and Frank are beautiful characters and I loved every single minute I spent getting to know them.
I loved to see Twy navigating through her life and job, overcoming her fears in love and relationships.
Frank is everything that is good in the world. He has such tenderness in him, I just wish he had more voice in the story and more time to show his steady and quiet love.
I'll be anxiously waiting for more books in this world.
I would like to thank Little, Brown Book Group UK | Orbit and NetGalley for the eARC in exchange for an honest review.
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Pre review:
I got it and I'm ecstatic!
Thank you, thank you, thank you Little, Brown Book Group UK | Orbit and Netaglley for the eARC!