Where to begin? This is the easiest 5 stars I’ve given all year.

The Second Death of Locke was probably my most anticipated read for the second half of the year and I went in with high expectations because on paper it was everything I would love. And right from the first page I knew it was IT. It was everything I hoped for and more and then MORE. It was perfect for me, in every way!

I was hooked right from the start with the characters and their relationships and dynamics and then also the lore in general. A real medieval feeling story with politics and knights, with a super cool magic system that tied so beautifully into the character’s bonds.

This book is a masterclass in devotion and love and hope. The YEARNING and longing kept striking me in the chest on nearly every other page, it was such a masterfully crafted story.

I will point out that I think reading this on kindle (like I did) without being able to see the percentage really helped to pack a punch because of the way the story is structured. Without going into spoilers, I just want to say it will keep you on your toes! Never knowing what to expect next!

So much happened in this book and I went through every emotion imaginable, but one thing I can say for certain is I would die for Grey, Kier, Eron, Brit and Ola. Their friendships meant the world.

I also want to note how wonderfully queernormative this world was. It was so refreshing and comforting, not an ounce of queerphobia for miles. Just so… beautiful.

I laughed, I cried, I screamed, I smiled… And I’m ready to do it all over again because you best believe the moment a physical copy is in my possession I will be rereading it. IMMEDIATELY.

How far would you go for those you love?

“ ‘Everyone else’s magic is watered down. Tavern beer when the bills are catching up But you're a shot of liquor. And here it's…’ He
took a deep breath, eyes sliding shut, drunk on magic. 'It's in the air. It's in the land, the
stones, the trees. And it's coming from you. It all feels like you. Gods, Grey, I've never
felt so safe in my life.' “

This book was simply amazing, i knew from the first page that It’d end up being one of my favourite reads of the year or possibly ever.
The writing style is absolutely superb, it manages to convey such deep emotions and most importantly the unending devotion the two main characters, Grey and Kier, feel for each other. Their love is the purest, full of yearning, of dispassionate displays of physical touch (mostly on Kier’s side because he’s the sweetest out there) and occasionally full of jealousy (mostly on Grey’s part because she’s INTENSE). I loved how their first thoughts were always for each other, they’re basically invisibly bound and i loved seeing them both coming to the conclusion that they’ve always been the ONE for each other.
This is literally the cutest rendition of childhood friends to lovers ever in a fantasy book and Tori Bovalino’s writing just made me feel every nuance of their complicated feelings.

As for the secondary cast of characters, i very much appreciated the found family aspect! It was very endearing seeing someone as closed up as Grey coming to care endlessly for other people— Ola, Eron, Sela and Britt. Seeing their friendship unfold has been truly priceless!
The found family is found again in the figures of Kier’s mothers that didn’t hesitate to care for Grey when she was a kid and for her adoptive mother, Imarta, (basically a child herself at the time of the adoption).

This is also a story which focuses heavily on the theme of sacrifice: the sacrifice that Grey’s loved ones made for her (i will not linger on this as to avoid any spoilers). As a result, we are often faced with Grey’s obvious and understandable guilt, she feels the weight of the world on her shoulders and you can definitely feel how tired she is of war and dea*h in every page. The worldbuilding and the pace at which everything was revealed (which some flashbacks of the past, and various letters of long dead people) was top tier, i loved seeing all the truths unfold!
The whole story was masterfully crafted and a joy to read.

I cried so much with this book as it made me feel every range of emotions, i would like to talk about some other reunions but i decided to keep this spoiler free, so i guess i’ll wait for release day!

Thank you so much to Orbit and Netgalley for a free earc of this fantastic book, all opinions are my own!

Oh my days, how do I write about this one without screaming? Thank you so much to Orbit UK and Netgalley for the e-arc!

The Second Death of Locke is centred round Kier and Locke, a mage and his knight protector (and also happen to be childhood friends) who save a child from an enemy kingdom and kickstart a series of events that could have huge ramifications.

I loved this so much and it was very much the book I needed at the time. I loved Locke and Kier as characters - I don't know what it says about me, but I love the kind of friendships that where characters will do anything for each other / with each other until the end of the line. I also really liked their relationship with the other characters that joined them on their quest - that felt like a much steadier, gradual relationship, but I enjoyed watching the friendship and respect for each other emerge throughout the story.

I enjoyed the worldbuilding in this too - you get to explore a good portion of the world as the characters travel through various kingdoms, but I also appreciated the little bits of lore that were scattered throughout the story. I'm also a big fan of in world texts, and I loved how each chapter started with a snippet from a text - they are a fun way of adding to the worldbuilding without info dumping.

The Second Death of Locke is a very strong contender for one of my favourite books of the year. I really, really enjoyed this and I can't wait to see what happens in the next instalment!

Thank you so much Little, Brown Book Group UK | Orbit for the arc!

„So often on the edge of death, so desperate for someone to fall into the chasm alongside them, as if the reaper's teeth would not gnash them to nothing as long as they remained together.“

🗡️ lost heir
🗡️ friends to lovers
🗡️ lady knight
🗡️ magical bond
🗡️ medieval setting

What I liked:
I’m not always a fan of a friends to lovers storyline, but this one was exceptionally well done. I loved their us against the world relationship and devotion to each other.
The magic system was also entertaining and played well together with the relationship. In order for the magic to work, a mage (who can perform the magic) and a well (who is the source of the magic) is needed. Besides bonding the main characters together it was the source of some struggles and dangerous situations.

What I didn’t like:
I’m not the biggest fan of characters who are desperate to sacrifice themselves … repeatedly. Just talk with each other and figure out a solution together.
I also felt especially the battle scenes were too rushed to be realistic and some parts lacked emotional depth because they were solved a bit too conveniently for me.

Finding themselves caught in tense political machinations, Grey and Kier and two sides of the same coin fighting a neverending war - one is a mage, and the other his well - bound by their dependence on each other means survival of themselves. When a chance to revive a long-dormant power source emerges, the pair assembles a motley crew that is tasked with transporting a valuable asset across border lines.

The slow but persistent buildup of the threat of war gives the story a dark undertones, the grim and brutal reality of war drags Grey and Kier to the edge of death, only to leave them breathing, just barely.

The story is a roadtrip filled with secrets, confessions and a fun bonding time in Bovalino's queer normative world and I'm here for it. I enjoyed Grey and Kier's tender hearted romance, there's enough moments of stillness that sharpen their feelings for each other in the face of threa. Their quiet and fiercing loving rebellion is but a sign that small comforts can still be found in desparing times.

There were several sections of the book that made me really emotional, and I loved the way Bovalino depicted Serverin and Maryse's family in their final moments - they were precious to witness, even more painful to read that the sacrifices they made only emboldened their love for Maryse. Their devotion in death becomes an inheritance of Maryse and it's clear she was raised to be cautious, but with an overflowing nurture. She is stubborn, but how could she not be, when the world gave her no room to be soft?

I also loved that the story didn't end in a cliffhanger, but opens up the possibility of what book two will bring!

The Second Death of Locke

Rating: 3.5

An enjoyable fantasy adventure with a fascinating magic system.

You follow Grey, magical well to her Mage Keir as they are sent on an impossible mission.

This story is filled to the brim with characters yearning, and a slow burn friends to lovers romance.

Thank you to Netgalley for this ARC!

A lady knight and a mage warrior with plenty of yearning and trust = perfection!

I adored this book! We follow Grey and Kier on their journey to restore the lost magical isle of Locke. Grey is a hand to Kier and she acts as a magical well that fills up Kier’s mage powers, as well as being a badass fighter and healer. They have been best friends since childhood and have built up an unshakeable trust, unwavering loyalty and an emotional bond that makes them a formidable force. Their connection is also one of yearning and unspoken love from both sides that is threaded throughout the story and fuels both Grey and Kier in their actions. It’s done so well and I could really feel their connection and love through the pages. (PS the cottage scene towards the end was so well done - freedom and space freely given!)

Although the plot is pretty obvious from the start, I don’t think it mattered as the characters were the driving force and there was enough action, world building and lore included, with atmospheric settings and immersive descriptions that made the story come alive. I was fascinated by the Isle of Locke and would love another book exploring it and its history more. It gave me Arthurian legend vibes in the best way.

4.5 stars!

While this book excels in the yearning friends-to-lovers romance, 'The Second Death of Locke' doesn’t offer anything else that could make up for its slow pace and little plot. The world building is rather clunky in the beginning and lacking in the later parts, and the relationships to the side characters are underdeveloped.
That might sound rather negative, but I still read all of it (with almost 500 pages), because it’s such an easy and entertaining read.
3,5 stars

"Blood of my blood, soul of my soul, thine hand is over my heart. When you ache, then shall I ache; when you perish, then I shall perish."

NOT ONLY one of my favourite books of the year but equally one of the best fantasies I have ever read!!!

When we said bring back yearning this is what we meant! The Second Death of Locke was so full of angst, such a warranted sense of desire, found family and a magic system that felt so fresh amongst the current wave of fantasy romance releases. I adored these characters so much and would find myself simultaneously blushing, giggling and yet, trying not to cry in SO many chapters.

I would highly recommend if you love:
- a quest
- childhood friends to lovers
- a lady knight!!!! (I need more of this in my life)
- found family
- gorgeous writing
- the dreamiest medieval fantasy setting

I'll be thinking about this one forever!

The Second Death of Locke by V.L. Bovalino. The Hand and the Heart book 1, publishing 23rd September in the UK.

Firstly, this cover is to die for. Probably one of the best covers I've ever seen and Lady Knight is very in right now.

The story follows Grey Flynn, and her mage, Kier. In this world there are two aspects to channeling magic, you need a well to act as the power supply for the magic (Grey) and a mage to wield the magic (Kier). I found this premise and the world to be very original and intriguing especially with the niche's to how a well and mage work together.

Grey is completely devoted to Kier, acting as more than just a well but a healer, protector and devoted knight. When they are sent on a mission to protect and deliver a child it will test their relationship and reveal the depth of their connection for Grey is no standard well but the last heir to the isle of Locke. That is about as much as I can say without giving the entire plot away.

There are twists I didn't see coming, I feel like the romance could have been a bit further developed as I didn't feel a great deal of yearning it just happened... although I know a lot of people have felt the opposite. I found the middle / second half of the book was the best for me as everything comes to fruition and you get the drama, romance, revelations etc. as you would expect.

Themes:
-Fantasy
-Lady Knight
-Friends to Lovers
-Slow Burn
-Found Family
-Quest

Recommend for people that enjoyed The Knight and The Moth (Rachel Gillig) or Blood Over Bright Haven (M L Rio).

Thank you to Orbit, Little Brown Book Group and NetGalley for the e-ARC of this title.

I was really intrigued from the beginning of this book. The characters are likeable, and the magic system is really interesting. I was a bit disappointed to not see more magic. More action with magic would of been brilliant. The first half of the book I really enjoyed, but the second half just sort of felt a bit pointless. I sort of knew what was going to happen, but was hoping for some twists along the way. The romance was good, and I really felt the passion between the characters, but it just didn't excite me enough towards the end. I did like the snippets of letters at the start of each chapter.

This gave me everything I wanted from a childhood friends-to-lovers story set in a fantasy world. The romance was soft and sweet, full of mutual pining and quiet yearning that made my heart ache in the best way. I loved the balance between the strong, grounded FMC and the gentle, emotionally rich MMC. The dynamic between Grey and Kier, starting as childhood best friends and evolving into a deep, sometimes codependent bond, was beautifully done. Their devotion to each other, that intense “would kill for you, would die for you” kind of loyalty, added emotional weight that made their connection feel all the more compelling and layered.

The side characters were just as lovable, and the found family dynamic had my whole heart. It added a warmth to the story that made everything feel more personal. The magic system wasn’t overly complex but was interesting and added just enough of a fantasy layer to keep things fresh. I also really enjoyed the lore and backstory of the Isles, which gave the world a sense of depth and history that made the setting feel alive.

The plot was a little predictable and felt a bit cliché at times, but I didn’t mind. It still managed to pull me in from the very beginning. I honestly thought it was going to be the start of a series, especially with how the story kept building toward something bigger. However, the ending felt rushed and a little too simple. I think it would have been stronger as a duology, allowing the ending to be more developed and expanded for greater depth. One thing that did disappoint me was how the MMC felt by the end. It seemed like he lost some of his individuality and existed mostly to support the FMC, which felt off considering how compelling he was earlier in the story.

Still, this was a really enjoyable read overall. If you enjoy slow-burn romances that balance softness with deep emotional complexity, alongside found family and just a touch of magic, this one is worth picking up.

Thank you, NetGalley, and Orbit for the eARC in exchange for an honest review.

Thank you to Netgalley and Orbit for this eARC.
I think I'm going to preface this review by saying that I did not get what I was expecting with this book! From the cover and blurb I was expecting a very gritty epic fantasy story with romance woven in, but the story was much more light hearted and adventurous than I expected and the romance took up so much page time that I would probably class this as romantasy rather than anything else. The book was also marketed as being about knights and, while Grey was certainly a soldier, I wouldn't class her as a knight so people going into it looking for that might come away disappointed.
The Second Death of Locke follows Grey, a solider fighting for the nation of Scaelas and fiercely protecting her mage Kiernan. But Grey is hiding a secret: she's the heir to the lost Isle of Locke, the source of the nation's magical power that fell into the sea 15 years ago. After being given a mission to protect the child of an enemy nation, Grey has to battle keeping her secret and her unrequited affection for her mage.
I thought this was fine overall. There's a lot to like, and I can see why a lot of people loved this (and will love it when it comes out in September), but I wouldn't say I loved it.
I did enjoy the first half quite a lot. The concept of the partnership of mages and the wells from whom they draw their power was really cool and made for some great action scenes, as well as a unique relationship dynamic between Grey and Kier and the other mages and hands. I enjoyed the writing style: it was sharp and had moments of poetry. I think the battle scenes and the medical/healing scenes were really immersively written, I felt right beside the characters in the action and the medical content actually felt quite realistic and well researched, which is a breath of fresh air! I did like all of the characters for the most part, the side characters were all really fun and I really liked all of the different relationship dynamics. Grey often made frustrating decisions but they all did make sense in the context of her character, and she was a strong and fun protagonist to follow.
That said, I think there was a lot lacking in terms of the setting and world. I think worldbuilding should be the foundation of any good fantasy novel because, without it, immersion is inevitably lost. The worldbuilding was just not there in this book. It started off promising, with the (aforementioned) really interesting magic, I especially liked the idea of different nations having different systems and types of magic but then it never really went anywhere and this surface level information without any depth behind it was a pretty common theme throughout. We're told about all of these warring nations (Eprain, Scaelas, Cleoc, etc) but nothing about the countries themselves or even much about why they're doing all of this fighting. The magic seems to have rules in the beginning but then new features keep being introduced like 'wards' that are never fully explained (I do wonder if perhaps some explanations did exist but were cut out of the final novel). There's no history, no cultural differences, nothing. I understand why not every book wants complex worlds and histories, but a little something I think would have really improved my reading experience.
I don't want to say too much because this is a spoiler free review, but there's an instance of a kind of miscommunication trope in this book that really annoyed me. It felt like such an unecessary way to create conflict and it didn't make any sense for the characters to be hiding things from each other. The miscommunication seemed to have been added to lengthen the second half, but the final battle was then so short that it was almost anticlimactic so I'm not sure what exactly the intention was behind the pacing. The second half felt quite disjointed because of this odd pacing, which was a shame because I did enjoy the fast paced first half a lot.
As a final point, though with the disclaimer that this is purely personal taste, I didn't end up caring much about the romance. I liked Grey and Kier's relationship: their playfulness and devotion to each other, but it lost me a bit towards the middle as it became more about flirting and 'you look pretty' rather than meaningful connection.

That may seem like a lot of negatives, but I did think this was a solid story overall despite perhaps not being the target audience. I don't think I'll be continuing with the series as I'm satisfied with where it left off (I thought it was standalone until I visited the Goodreads page), but I'd definitely reccommend it for any romantasy fans looking for something with lots of yearning, epic action, a fun cast of characters and some political intrigue as a bonus.

In the year of the lady knight, this book deserves to be read as one of them - but don't mistake this for 'just' a lady knight book, because it is so much more.

We are immediately thrown into the reality of a war-torn island, where everyone is tired but keeps sacrificing because what other choice is there? The backdrop of this seemingly endless war reminded me of world war 1. The author does an incredible job of familiarizing the reader with the world and the dynamics without it feeling like an infodump.

The romance is the heart of the story. The YEARNING in this book is off the charts - just the way I like it. From the start it is pretty clear both characters are mostly in their head about it - but against the backdrop of the war and other complications that never gets annoying and is, in fact, understandable. All characters are also raw and real and hold grudges and that was something I appreciated a lot.

I would've liked to read more about the way wells are treated in the beginning of the book and go deeper into the political consequences of the well and mage system, but I do recognize that for a standalone that might have been too much. This already manages to pack a lot into not a lot of pages. This also leaves a lot to explore in companion novels. The overarching political story is in no way finished.

READ THIS! You will not regret it.

Thanks to the publisher for the ARC! Opinions are my own.

4.75 stars

It has been a long time since I loved a fantasy so much.
The Second Death of Locke was a beautiful story that captivated me from the start. I loved everything about it: the worldbuilding was well developed, the magic system was unique, the characters were absolutely incredible, and I loved the childhood friends to lovers and the found family tropes. I became so fond of them that I didn't want the story to end.

“It is a mighty, powerful thing for someone to see your worst faults and want all of you anyway.”

I totally recommend this story and I can't wait to read the next novel!

Full of unexpected surprises and twists, an enchantingly constructed and diverse world, intense lore/backstory for the main character, who herself is wonderfully well-written and the reader enjoys her journey, warming to her and her companions, rooting for her on her quest, her partnership, and claiming her birthright.

Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for approving my eARC! My opinions are my own.

I really enjoyed this book, it had vibes of Brandon Sanderson books, a little Grishaverse, and some Maria V Snyder vibes too. Epic fantasy but with nice moments of friendship and romance which was really sweet.

The reason I haven’t given it 5 stars is simply because it dragged a little at the end and I got a bit confused with the leaders of kingdoms having the same or similar name to their kingdom, but also keeping their own name too. Scaelas was introduced as an important character from Grey’s memories and also in the present time, but I didn’t see much that made me remember who he was and why he was important so he slipped from my memory a few times. Maybe a flashback showing him being a parental figure to Grey in the past would have helped?

The magic system was really unique and I liked how it had some pretty strict limitations on it so it didn’t feel like it was too overpowered, and provided a good contrast to the power of Locke later on. The pairing of Mages and Hands creates an interesting dependence and class system which I really liked reading.

There was a little too much of the “you have to choose, make a deal!” in the plot for my liking… it started to annoy me a little so I wanted Grey to just choose something and move on, the tension was more irritating than anything.

Having said that, I love the world and the magic systems and think that this book could be great expanded into different sequels set in the same universe but in different kingdoms maybe. Especially the one without mage/hand pairings, where magic is more a learn-by-rote kind of system, that would be really interesting to see more of, as it was only just mentioned in this one as a side-note.

I’m looking forward to what this author does in the future!

Many thanks to Little, Brown Book Group UK and Netgalley for this digital ARC in exchange for an honest review.

The tropes consist of:
Friends to lovers
Found family
Slow burn
Yearning
Secret identity

The worldbuilding in this standalone epic fantasy is grand and layered. The magic system is intricate and unique. The power in this world is held by wells but utilised by mages (almost like a magic battery and a remote control) and I appreciated the distinction between mages and wells in this world because each is essentially powerless without the other.

Our journey follows, Grey, a well, and her devotion to her mage, Kier. They are battle weary soldiers and the plot kicks off when they are sent on a secret mission and things don’t go according to plan.

The scale of the world and the gritty, war-torn backdrop really came across.

The romance is a key component of the story and there is such yearning that I was so invested in their relationship. The book is told from Grey’s POV but both Grey and Kier are likeable, flawed and nuanced characters with such loyalty to each other that goes beyond mere friendship or romance. This pair are the heart of the story and their evolving dynamic had me glued to the page, especially when the future of all magic is at stake.

The story was an emotional and gut wrenching experience and I felt a raw nerve almost the entire time. It is a heartbreakingly beautifully written book.

This is a standalone but I am intrigued to see what characters are explored in companion novels.

4.5 stars

3✰
↳ 𝙚𝘼𝙍𝘾

This book left me feeling quite mixed...

Let’s start with what, in my opinion, is the strongest aspect of this book: the romance. The relationship between the two main characters is full of tenderness, sweet gestures, little attentions, and a sincere, natural bond. It’s without a doubt one of the softest romances I’ve ever read to the point that it actually made me appreciate the friends-to-lovers trope again. I would also categorize this book as a romantasy, since the romance really is central to the story.

The magic system is original, as it requires two people to work together in order for the magic to function. I found this idea very interesting, especially because it strengthens the bond between them.

The world has a beautiful medieval and lady knight vibe, which I also really enjoyed! The setting includes some promising ideas like the disappearing island, the Locke dynasty and their powers but I wish there had been more development, so I could fully immerse myself in it.

Unfortunately, many flat or slow-paced passages spoiled the reading experience for me. Some scenes that were meant to be intense and epic fell a bit flat. The battles and wars happened too quickly and sometimes too easily, leaving me wanting more. I didn’t feel any real tension or sense of danger, even though the book is marketed as epic fantasy…


───── ୨♡୧ ─────
•Friends-to-lovers
•Lady Knight
•Magical bond / shared power
•Lost heir


જ⁀➴ Thank you to the author, NetGalley and Little Brown Book Group UK for this eARC <3

The Second Death of Locke is a beautiful mix mages, wells, wars and alliances.

I really enjoyed this book and its writing style which made it easy to get lost in the world built by V.L. Bovalino. The characters and their struggles felt real and I felt like I was living these with them.

The lady knight FMC and the characters being secretly in love with each other for years, made this book soooo good.

My one critique is that this story felt like two books in one. Don’t get me wrong I’m happy it did not end half way, but the first half felt like it was just world building and introducing the plot/characters for the second half. This made the story feel slightly disjointed, because the start was so different from the action and plot of the end.

Having said that I still loved this book and would recommend it to fantasy readers who like a bit of romance.

Summary: Devoted warrior Grey serves mage Kier, but a perilous mission reveals her true identity - an heir whose death would end all magic.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for an eARC of this book, all thoughts are my own.