The Undermining of Twyla and Frank by Megan Bannen - Book Review

Series: The Undertaking of Hart and Mercy #2

Publication Date: 04th July 2024

Genre: Fantasy Romance 

3 Stars 

One Liner: Sadly, underwhelming

No one expected a middle-aged and widowed Twyla Banneker to become a marshal. But Frank Ellis, her friend and workplace partner, helped her find the footing she needed to survive. Eight years later, they have settled into a rhythm at the job. The land of Tarnia is less dangerous and safer, which doesn’t bode well for their job but gives them some relief. 

However, things start to spiral out of control when they find a dead body. Soon, Frank becomes a foster parent for a baby dragon! There’s something sinister going on, and the Marshalls have to solve the case. Life gets harder when Twyla realizes Frank could be much more than a best friend. 

The story comes in Twyla’s third-person POV. 

My Thoughts: 

So, I admit I pretty much forgot the previous book and remember only vague stuff about some letters. Thankfully, I could recollect a few more details as I read this one (not a lot but enough to follow the story and visualize the setting). 

I like that the lead characters share a great friendship. This is hard to write without making the whole thing sound off in a friends-to-lovers romance. However, the transition isn’t smooth. It comes a bit too late and is a bumpy ride (much like the battered ducks used in the book). 

I also like that the couple are older and in their 50s. This should make them more mature, right? Not always! Still, it’s good to read books with different age groups. 

Why do we get only a single POV in this one? The book (desperately) needs Frank’s POV. Instead, we have Twyla going on and on for 400+ pages, which gets repetitive (annoying and boring). I understand Twyla’s situation. I truly do. But she needs to be more than someone who goes on a rant whenever possible. Moreover, the lack of Frank’s POV means we are stuck with being in the FMC’s head throughout. 

The book has dragons but the cutesy type. They release glitter (and not fire). This is actually cool. However, the dragons are underutilized in the plot. There’s so much to do with them (observing how they eat, swim, and poop is not enough!) but except for a little in the climax, the rest doesn’t explore their potential. The baby dragon is adorable, though! 

The book is a drama. There is supposed to be a mystery but forget about it if you want to enjoy this one. Mystery is used as a plot device for more drama (angst once, humor next). The reveal made me laugh at the absurdity of the whole thing. I think that’s what the author was aiming for. If not, well… *shrug* 

At least there’s an epilogue, so bonus points for that. No denying that the book tackles some important themes about marriage and motherhood. But, TBH, don’t hit the readers on the head with it. We understand soon. 

There are quite a few F-bombs scattered in the book. Some might find it excessive. I ignored them mostly. Duckers is fun when he is not being too goofy. His love track has some developments, so we are likely to get more details in book three. 

The pacing is a bit uneven due to the repetition. Trimming down the content to 330 pages and then adding Frank’s POVs for some 20 pages would make this a great read and feel more like romance. 

To summarize, The Undermining of Twyla and Frank is a decent read but ends up underwhelming when it could have been a lot better. Read this as women’s fiction with a wee bit of mystery and a touch of romance. 

My thanks to NetGalley and Little, Brown Book Group UK (Orbit), for the eARC. 

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