The Second Death of Locke
Hardback Published on: 23/09/2025
Price: £22.00
Bookseller Reviews
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A must read if you enjoyed The Knight and the Moth!
If the Knight and the Moth is one of your top reads of the year, The Second Death of Locke will absolutely be a contender for 1st place - it even pulled me... READ MORE
An Unexpected Delight
This is what the Romantasy genre should be about. At its heart this book is just an excellent fantasy story, with a beautiful romance that is integral to t... READ MORE
Devotion and dedication, loyalty and sacrifice. A bunch of fun, a heck of a lot of blood and good old dollop of yearning.
A violent and romantic fantastical adventure story that revolves around themes of love and loyalty. It's all chivalry and honour, armour and bloodshed, and... READ MORE
I hereby proclaim 2025 as the year of the LADY KNIGHT
Easiest 5 stars I’ve given this year! I’m such a sucker for the friends to lovers trope, and don’t even get me started on the sheer amount of YERNING in th... READ MORE
A perfect fantasy read.
Thank you to Net Galley and the publishers for sending me a copy in exchange for a review.
This book blew me away and is exactly the kind of thing that... READ MORE
Gritty, fierce, complex and, of course, romantic.
Whilst romance is at the heart of this book, it is not included without purpose.
Kier and Grey represent one soul split in two. In a world where someone ... READ MORE
Wonderful!
This story possesses the sweetest friends to lovers relationship I think i have ever encountered in a book. Its a beacon of tenderness amongst the fantasy ... READ MORE
Knights, a quest, and heartfelt romance ❤️
Thanks to Orbit for sending me an ARC- I absolutely loved The Second Death of Locke! It’s a fresh and fun fantasy with unique world-building, a meaningful... READ MORE
I was hooked from the first page!!
This book really does have it all. Intriguing magic, a close knit group of knights, a large scale battle, and one of the best written romances I’ve come ac... READ MORE
Synopsis
Love. Loyalty. Sacrifice.
Grey Flynn has dedicated her life to her mage, Kier.
She will be his blade on the battlefield, his healer and protector. The deep well of raw power inside her is Kier's to use. Grey would do anything for Kier - be anything for him - if he would only ask.
When a quest to protect the child of an enemy kingdom pulls them into the dangerous heart of their nation's war, Grey and Kier will need to decide what they are willing to sacrifice to protect their secret.
For Grey is no ordinary magical well, but heir to the lost island of Locke - the root of all power. If she dies, all magic dies with her.
The Second Death of Locke is a devastatingly romantic epic fantasy and about the undying bond between a knight and their mage, perfect for fans of The Knight and the Moth and The Six Deaths of the Saint.
Publisher information
- Publisher: Little, Brown Book Group
- ISBN: 9780356524887
- Number of pages: 480
- Dimensions: 236 x 164 x 40 mm
- Weight: 700g
- Languages: English
Customer Reviews
View allLady Knight adventure...
3.5 rounded up for me...
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 ... READ MORE
One of my favourite reads of the year!
This book was incredible! It already felt like a five star read from about 10% of the way through but it still exceeded my expectations! There wasn’t a sin... READ MORE
So much longing!!
4.5 ⭐
This was absolutely incredible, a fantastic story full of love and ceaseless longing, some loss too.
The first half was a journey/adventure, wh... READ MORE
a masterclass in yearning and devotion!
it sure is the year of the lady knight, and I’m so alive for it! Grey and Kier have taken up permanent residency in my mind, and they’re unlikely to leave ... READ MORE
This is how you do fantasy
Lady Knights are taking the booktok world by storm and this is a perfect example of why. The world building was seamless and the writing style was so poeti... READ MORE
A must read epic fantasy romance
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
F... READ MORE
"What is love, without Freedom?"
Grey Flynn is a well, a source of magic, and thus a Hand to her Mage Kiernan Severance; who uses her magic to fight in the war they both fight in, while sh... READ MORE
Book of the Year (maybe even century)
This was astonishing. It has been a very long time since I have felt this strongly for a book - like full on ugly crying levels of strong feelings. I am de... READ MORE
A great new lady knight standalone fantasy
I'd heard nothing but praise for The Second Death of Locke, so I went in with high expectations!
The magic system is one of the most original I've ever ... READ MORE
4.0 out of 5 stars Skilled female knight, magic galore and so much love and yearning. Beautiful!
Grey Flynn has spent her life as her mage Kier’s blade, healer, and protector, bound by an unspoken love and a secret that could unravel all magic. When a ... READ MORE
Wonderful!
This was a very enjoyable Romantasy to read!
I adored the characters, Grey and Kier were engaging and felt real. Grey is a wonderfully well written stro... READ MORE
Top tier friends to lovers
I’m UNWELL. This book is a friends to lovers masterpiece – and I don’t say that lightly. It has the kind of yearning, emotional slow burn, and intimate con... READ MORE
A heartfelt and well written romantasy
I’m definitely not the target audience for this genre, I much prefer my fantasy more epic than romantic but occasionally a title pops up that catches my in... READ MORE
"It’s not magic when I have it. It takes you to make it into something."
Lady Knight excellence
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 alongs... READ MORE
Knights and soft love
I gave this book five stars because it opened my eyes to something I could love in fantasy books, something I thought I never could.
I loved this book for... READ MORE
Yearning, epic action, and some political intrigue as a bonus!
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! ... READ MORE
Love & Sacrifice & Lady Knights
This was my most anticipated release of the year, and I must admit, it was mostly on the strength of that cover. It conveys such a feeling of tragedy and r... READ MORE
Knights, Magic and Yearning
Thank you to Netgalley and Little, Brown Book Group for sending me this ARC!
I really enjoyed this book. I found the start to be a bit slow, but once it... READ MORE
6 star read.
It’s taken days to talk about this book because it has consumed me and I’ve not been able to find the words.
One of my favourite books this year, one of m... READ MORE
Absolutely amazing world and characters
One of my favourite reads of the year! The world, magic, characters and story itself were wonderful, this is a truly unique tale and one I think will be ve... READ MORE
It’s lady knights autumn!
The second death of Locke is a medieval fantasy with an interesting magic system, politics and history. There is great representation with lovely friendshi... READ MORE
WOW!!
Oh my heart!!!
This was so poetic, lovely and nostalgic!!
Grey and Kier were everything together!!!
The childhood best friends to lovers trope was... READ MORE
How Friends to Lovers Should be Done
It may be strange to call beautiful to a book about war, betrayal and sacrifice. But, The Second Death of Locke, is in fact, irresistibly, intensely beauti... READ MORE
One of the best standalones ever!
Let it be known that my poor little heart was NOT ready for the events in this story!
Between the angst, the heartbreaks, the traumas and the battles a... READ MORE
A stunning fantasy romance
Wow wow wow … where to start with this one! A simply stunning Immersive fantasy romance that had me hooked from page one!
The world building was brillian... READ MORE
A Beautiful Friends to Lovers story
“She could read so much of him through the tether of her power —and it still left so much unsaid between them.”
Sometimes (rarely) there are these books y... READ MORE
Very unique magic system
3.5 stars rounded down for me
Not sure if it was the marketing or the high number of 5 star reviews I've seen, but I expected something else, something mo... READ MORE
So so good.
This book...this book?!!!!
I loved everything thing about it- it was actual perfection.
The longing and yearning set my heart alight and gave my soul b... READ MORE
A Must Read Epicy Romantasy Filled with Knights, Mages and a Unique Magical System that Will Blow You Away!
To say I am obsessed with what V.L. Bovalino has created within this book would be a terrible understatement, this book broke me and then proceeded to piec... READ MORE
Review
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 restor... READ MORE
Epic adventure
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 book... READ MORE
This is, without a doubt, a 5⭐ read
✨ The Second Death of Locke by V.L. Bovalino ✨
This book was nothing short of breathtaking. The yearning, the tension, the quiet moments of devotion bet... READ MORE
One of my top 5 stars reads of the year!!!
The book starts pretty slow and this was honestly a part I have been struggling with, even being close to giving up on the story completely. But ohhh how h... READ MORE
It’s haunting, beautiful, and brilliantly built
The Second Death of Locke by V. L. Bovalino was one of my most anticipated reads of the year. I love audiobooks, but this is one of those rare times where ... READ MORE
I love it
First of all, thank you Netgalley for the ARC to this book.
Now into the review:
OMFG this book was so wholesome, it has action, a secret yearning came ... READ MORE
One of the best books of the year
5 ⭐️ and joining my list of favourites reads of 2025.
First of all, listen to me when I say this: take your time with this wonderful book! You could eas... READ MORE
Good
Grey & Kier are adorable together.
There's long lost heir & he falls first with lots of pining.
I was fully engrossed until there was about a quarter... READ MORE
"It’s not magic when I have it. It takes you to make it into something."
A mysterious, emotional, and ultimately satisfying fantasy story that blends romance, war, and found family into something memorable.
The Second Death of Locke follows Grey Flynn, a young woman bound to her mage, Kier, in a world where magic is both weapon and lifeblood. Grey is no ordina... READ MORE
Pretty words, empty core
Beautifully written, yes. But emotionally? Flat. The world-building and politics were interesting, but the romance killed it for me. Kier is nice but painf... READ MORE
Not Good Enough
Big Thanks to Netgalley, the author, and the Publisher for the advanced copy! I received a complimentary copy of this book. Opinions expressed in this revi... READ MORE
Yearning and Lady Knights
⭐️ Rating: 4/5
Tropes: slowburn childhood best friends to lovers, found family, queernormative world, lady knights, political
"‘Not pretty enough for you,... READ MORE
An unbreakable bond between a mage and a well
"The Second Death of Locke" by V.L. Bovalino follows the story of Captain Kiernan Seward and his Hand Captain Grey Flynn. Both are bound to each other due ... READ MORE