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 Gideon the Ninth and The Six Deaths of the Saint.
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First line:
It was raining again in the Mecketer as Grey stalked across the encampment toward the command tent.
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Source:
Source:
eARC from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review
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Publisher:
Publisher:
Forever
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Publication Date:
September 23, 2025
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Rating:
4.5 Wells out of 5
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What starts out as a book about a lady knight and the mage she protects as they go on a quest turns into a analysis of life, death, and sacrifice, and I was sat for the whole journey. Bovalino has shown that not all adult romantasy novels need to be sexually explicit to portray a romance full of love, loyalty, and yearning. The island is very queer normative, and despite this being an m/f romance, both the fmc and mmc are queer themselves.
Grey is loyal to a fault, fierce, and a force to be reckoned with on the battlefield. She and her childhood best friend Kier as a well and mage pairing in the army. But they're not without their secrets. I really appreciated how Bovalino didn't draw out the big reveal (and in fact it is included in the blurb) but instead let the story stand on it's own without the tension from the exposure of Grey's secret.
Bovalino has written a completely unique magic system. I love the give and take of the well/mage relationship and all the different nuances that can entail!
I am interested to see what the sequel is about, because Grey and Keir's story feels wrapped up. I'm hoping we get to go to the continent and learn about the other magic systems!
It's the fall of lady knights, and this one should definitely be top of your list to dive into a story full of yearning, quests, and sacrifice.
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