The Undermining of Twyla and Frank by Megan BannenStar Rating:
Spice Level:
Series: Hart and Mercy #2
Also in this series: The Undertaking of Hart and Mercy
Published by Orbit on 07/02/2024
Genres: Fiction, Fantasy, Romance, Romantasy
Format: DRC (464 pages)
Source: NetGalley
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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...
Did I drop everything to read this book the second I was approved for the ARC? Yes, yes, I did. Did I lose countless hours of sleep finishing it faster than I should? Also, yes. Did I enjoy every single second of this story? 100% YES!
The Undertaking of Hart and Mercy was hands down my favorite read of 2023. Hart and Mercy destroyed my heart, put the shattered pieces back together better than before, and then lovingly wrapped me in the softest blanket while handing me a mug of hot cocoa. When I saw ‘The Undermining of Twyla and Frank’ was being released in July 2024, I immediately preordered it, and I literally squealed with delight when I got approved to read the ARC. Let me tell you, this book DID. NOT. DISAPPOINT.
‘The Undermining of Twyla and Frank’ picks up right after ‘The Undertaking of Hart and Mercy.’ Hart has purged Tanria of the drudges, and with no more zombies to fight, being a Tanrian Marshal has gotten a little boring. There is nothing to do but patrol and stop poachers from stealing graps. That is until Duckers’ new partner is found dead, drenched in glittery goo, with an extra-large, clawed footprint next to him. Duckers is convinced it’s the work of a dragon, but there are no dragons in Tanria. Or at least, no one has ever seen one—until now.
When Twyla, Frank, and Duckers answer a distress flare to find terrified poachers carrying two dragon eggs, being chased by a giant pink dragon—they can’t believe their eyes. The momma dragon is obviously very unhappy about someone taking her eggs. While the poachers escape Tanria through their illegal portal, the momma dragon breathes glittery goo all over Frank, making him drop and crack one of her eggs. After the mom dragon flies off with the undamaged egg, Frank discovers that the abandoned egg is hatching. It’s not long before an adorable pink baby dragon flies from the shell and attaches herself bear-hug-style to Frank’s torso. Whether Frank likes it or not, he just became a dragon daddy.
After accepting that dragons are real, the marshals bring in Dr. Quill Vanderlinden to study these strange, glitter-breathing, vegetarian dragons. It doesn’t take long before Frank becomes attached to his cuddly new companion and names her Mary Georgina. Everyone agrees that it’s best to keep the dragons’ existence a secret while they solve the murder and figure out what the heck is going on in Tanria. And they had better figure it out fast because things are heating up and getting dangerous.
Everything about this book is just aces. Twyla and Frank’s relationship is adorable and heartwarming. They’re best friends who are clearly deeply in love, yet they’re the only ones who can’t see it. If you’re a fan of cozy fantasies with a little bit of mystery, love stories that make your heart flutter, dragons of the pink, glittery variety, and anthropomorphized mail-carrying hedgehogs who love grape soda and wear squeaky rain boots, run, don’t walk, to preorder ‘The Undermining of Twyla and Frank.’ This book will make you giggle, belly laugh (thanks, Duckers), and maybe shed a tear. But most importantly, it will leave you with a warm, fuzzy feeling like you’ve just received a big bear hug.
Megan Bannen crafted a masterpiece when she wrote The Undertaking of Hart and Mercy, and she has done it again with The Undermining of Twyla and Frank. I was captivated by this story, and I will recommend the series to anyone who will listen. The only thing that could possibly make me happier is if book three of this series is about Duckers and Zeddie getting their happy-ever-after (Megan, if you are reading this—HINT HINT).
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