Thank you to NetGalley for proving an ARC of this story in exchange for my honest review. Hart and Mercy were a tough act to follow but Megan Bannen did a fantastic job with Twyla and Frank! Midlife, friends-to-lovers romance, which are two of my favorite tropes. Slow burn and love triangle tropes too, if you're keeping score. But also: dragons!

Twyla and Frank started out a bit slower than the first one: less initial focus on fantasy and more on establishing of new characters and their place in the world of the previous book. Once the story got going though, it really moved. Aw, and Duckers is back, yay! This one is more comedic than the first. And more of a book about Twyla coming into her own rather than about both her and Frank equally (compared to Hart and Mercy's story). Twyla has some snark, which I love. And while reading this second book, it strikes me that the author is someone who deeply understands the push-pull of family expectations, the often difficult claims they place on you, and what it means to give up a little of yourself to love. She also clearly understands (and is able to eloquently depict) the warm and comforting embrace of family, be it biological or found family. The writing of the female voices and the family dynamics reminds me pleasantly of Jennifer Crusie's writing style.

This shouldn't be read as a standalone, as it heavily references events and people from the first book, who also make appearances in this book. There is a lot of assumed knowledge of prior world-building. Do yourself a favor and read Hart and Mercy's story first, if you haven't already. Not just because you'll need it to more fully enjoy Twyla and Frank's story, but also because it's just a fantastic book! ( )