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beyondthecovershtx 's review for:
The Undermining of Twyla and Frank
by Megan Bannen
adventurous
funny
lighthearted
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Complicated
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
I enjoyed this even more than the first book in the series. Perfect for fans of a lighthearted, slow burn, friends-to-lovers, workplace romcom with cute animals and witty banter, bonus points if you nearing or entering peri/menopause and would like to see yourself (and your 3 AM “why am I wide awake”s) represented in a romance novel.
Several times I laughed out loud - mostly because the Duckers character from the first book also is in this book a lot and he is great comic relief. And maybe it’s just because I also am a middle-aged woman, but I really found Twyla and her inner monologue to be more relatable than Mercy from book 1. It is always good to see a mature female lead portrayed as such a well-rounded, active, and desirable character.
I also really loved all the discussions around how marriage and relationships for some women can become a “trap” of becoming an assistant or unpaid maid and nanny, and I found a minor moment later in the book where Twyla’s daughter stops her mother from “fixing” something for her son that he can just figure out by himself to honestly be such a growth moment and poignant example of breaking cycles of codependency without the book ever actually going that deep. Maybe I should unpack that with my therapist. Anyway, I would recommend this book to women of a certain age, it’s a sweet love story that I will immediately put down and move on from, and would be a great palate cleanser between heavier reads.
Several times I laughed out loud - mostly because the Duckers character from the first book also is in this book a lot and he is great comic relief. And maybe it’s just because I also am a middle-aged woman, but I really found Twyla and her inner monologue to be more relatable than Mercy from book 1. It is always good to see a mature female lead portrayed as such a well-rounded, active, and desirable character.
I also really loved all the discussions around how marriage and relationships for some women can become a “trap” of becoming an assistant or unpaid maid and nanny, and I found a minor moment later in the book where Twyla’s daughter stops her mother from “fixing” something for her son that he can just figure out by himself to honestly be such a growth moment and poignant example of breaking cycles of codependency without the book ever actually going that deep. Maybe I should unpack that with my therapist. Anyway, I would recommend this book to women of a certain age, it’s a sweet love story that I will immediately put down and move on from, and would be a great palate cleanser between heavier reads.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Misogyny
Moderate: Vomit
Minor: Excrement, Kidnapping, Injury/Injury detail