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The Second Death of Locke

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The Second Death of Locke

By: V.L. Bovalino
Narrated by: Samara MacLaren
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About this listen

 'This is how you do chemistry! The Second Death of Locke is a masterful epic that combines classic fantasy worldbuilding with an addictive love story. Alternately charming and hauntingly dark, this one will stay with you long after the last page' Heather Fawcett, author of Emily Wilde's Encyclopaedia of Faeries

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.

'With unique magic, a rich and war-torn world, and a retinue of characters I would pledge my life to defend, The Second Death of Locke is an epic quest for belonging and a romance for the ages. The yearning is off the charts and I'm here for it' Samantha Shannon, author of The Priory of the Orange Tree

'Gritty, romantic, and breathlessly fierce, The Second Death of Locke will grip your heart and never let go' Tasha Suri

'A rich exploration of the way the ties of love and friendship can be complicated, the way the sacrifices we make can be easier to accept than the sacrifices others make for us. Impressive and transporting' Megan Whalen Turner, author of The Thief

'This book has it all: Arthurian themes of devotion and betrayal, the carnage of courtly politics and combat, every manner of unadulterated yearning. Glorious' Olivie Blake, author of The Atlas Six

'A gloriously haunting story, with a searing chivalric romance that burns bright and bittersweet, The Second Death of Locke will hold your heart in its fist until the very end' Georgia Summers, author of The City of Stardust

'Intricately imagined and deftly told, The Second Death of Locke is the perfect pairing of romance, pining, and sprawling epic fantasy' Hannah Whitten, author of The Foxglove King

'An epic tale that explores what it truly means to love' Brigitte Knightley, author of The Irresistible Urge to Fall For Your Enemy

'A gripping tale of friendship, sacrifice, and the power to be found in the bonds we make' M.H. Ayinde, author of A Song of Legends Lost

'An astonishing tale of loyalty, sacrifice and loss, and at its centre - a sweeping romance that will melt the iciest of hearts' Holly Race, author of Six Wild Crowns

'A heady, unputdownable epic fantasy with a heartfelt romance at its core' Hadeer Elsbai, author of The Daughters of Izdihar

'Sweeping, epic and deliciously romantic, The Second Death of Locke is the perfect marriage of magic and swordplay' Kate Dylan, author of Until We Shatter

'A masterfully crafted world of warring knights, fierce friendships and breathtaking romance. This story broke my heart and made it anew' A. S. Webb, author of Daughter of Chaos ©2025 Tori Bovalino (P)2025 Hachette Book Group Audio Fantasy Military Magic Heartfelt Magic Users Wizardry Romance
All stars
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beautiful love story. interesting world building. a little slow in places. bit an enjoyable listen.

enjoyable but slow at times

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From the melodic and lyrical voice of Samara to the stunningly written story by V.L. Bovalino, this book captures your imagination and your heart. Be prepared to laugh, cry and scream in frustration. It’s a slow burn but it’s so worth it in the end. I loved it!

Beautifully written book

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A story about a knight and her mage who are connected together by magic and connected more than they should be.

Both are there for one another, both secretly longing for each other and one of them holding a massive secret.

My thoughts:
I really enjoyed the pacing of this book and the narrator is great for this reading and sets the tone perfectly.
At first I didn’t really know what I was feeling, but as it went on I felt every part of the fights, the hurt, the pain, felt the longing between Grey and Kier throughout the book and I was here for it. The side characters, were pretty good too. There were times when I would chuckle a bit and some I would cry (yes I’m a big baby)

All in all I really did enjoy the writing style, the narrator choice and the whole story. Looking forward to reading more from this author.





Action packed

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As soon as I read about The Second Death of Locke I knew I wanted to read or listen to it asap. I'm glad I opted for the audiobook as it brought the book to life so well - a little too well! Locke is both an epic romance and a gritty fantasy in the tradition of both A Song of Ice and Fire and Melina Marchetta's Finnikin of the Rock (the book I kept coming back to when comparing it to other fantasy novels). For me it encapsulates something I haven't seen in romantic fantasy until now - a book that I'd categorise as a true grimdark romantasy. If you love grimdark, I think you'll be satisfied - this book can be relentlessly brutal and unflinching in places, and puts its characters through a wringer of heartbreak and bittersweetness. And yet the love story is central and just as romantic and satisfying as any you'll have read in a more staple romantasy. The blending of the two genres gives this book a melancholy vibe that's far away from any cosy fantasy, and yet the themes of love and camaraderie between a thrown-together crew of adventurers bring a lot of heart and hope to the story. It's a strange, potent blend!

The audiobook was astounding. While I love duet and multi-narration, Samara MacLaren did such a fantastic job of giving not only Grey and Kier unique voices, but the rest of the very extensive cast too. Not only that, but she accomplished a wide range of accents to give each region of Adistra its own flavour. She also brought a huge range of expression and emotion to the performance, and it'll take me a while to get over this book as a result!

I loved that Locke felt like grimdark fantasy while steering very clear of exploitative tropes to make its point. I also loved and appreciated the queernorm setting and how ingrained and deeply realised that was. I found it hard to picture the world as a whole and didn't understand some of the reasoning behind the magic systems, and at times I'd have loved to get into Kier's head, so the book loses a star for that - but otherwise this was a very worthwhile listen and I'll definitely be looking out for the next installment in The Hand and the Heart trilogy.

Sweeping romance balanced with gritty setting and loveable side characters

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This was a new author/story for me which was picked within a bookbox sub. Read/listened and loved it! Plenty of action and banter as well as strong characters. Beautifully written and I’m so glad it was chosen as it’s not one I’d heard of before!
The narrator was fab - again not someone I’d heard before but their voice was perfect for it!

Brilliant story and narrator

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