The Thief and the Traitor Bride

The Hand and the Heart #2

by V.L. Bovalino, Tori Bovalino

A ruthless spy. A deadly mission. A thief who could ruin it all.

The Thief and the Traitor Bride is a standalone romantic fantasy set in the world of the Sunday Times and USA Today bestselling novel The Second Death of Locke.

Nore Gordon is a woman of many talents: she can speak a variety of languages, disguise herself in plain sight, and has made a name for herself as a successful wine merchant. But unbeknownst to those closest to her, it is all a front for Nore's true role as the favoured spy of the Lindle crown.

Tasked with infiltrating enemy lands in search of a powerful relic, Nore is forced to engage the services of a great thief. Unfortunately, the only person for the job is her estranged husband Caspian. Both Nore and Caspian bear the scars of the disastrous end of their marriage, but if they are to survive their deadly new assignment, they must pose as a happily married couple to avoid detection.

As danger closes in, Nore finds herself tangled in a web of lies and deceit-and though Caspian is at the centre of it all, she may not hate him as much as she once did. But Caspian has betrayed her before, and trust can be far more deadly than deception.

Genres: Fantasy, Romantasy, Romance, Adult, Fantasy Romance, Gothic, Historical

Hardcover

Expected publication September 29, 2026

About the author

V.L. Bovalino is originally from Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania and now lives in the UK. She loves obscure academic facts, folklore, and oversized sweaters. Find her on online as @toribovalino.

She also writes books for young adults as Tori Bovalino.

Reviews

[ellen · Rating 4 out of 5]

thank you SO MUCH to netgalley for providing this arc!! i just about squealed when it landed in my inbox

i absolutely adored being back in this world - the second death of locke was one of my absolute favourite books of last year, and two of the main reasons i adored it so much were the unique magic system, and v. l. bovalino’s writing. i can safely say that both of those carried through to this book - the atmosphere was wonderfully crafted, the storyline was interesting, the writing was gorgeous, and the magic continued to be incredibly interesting. the romance was also incredibly sweet and felt very real to me, similar to the romance in the first book. i will say i got lost a few times in this one - you need a pretty extensive understanding of all of the territories and alliances for this plot to make sense, so it’s not a quick read by any means, but still incredibly enjoyable. if you loved the first book, you are almost guaranteed to adore this one too!!

[Robin · Rating 5 out of 5]

what if we mr. and mrs. smith’d while on a spy mission to a mysterious island of great power….and got further enlisted into greykier found family antics

greymaryse the woman that you are (grey kier crumbs fueled me here)

from “kill him to spare me the torment” to “i love your tricks. i love your lies”

thank you to edelweiss and the publisher for providing me with an advance review copy. full review to come.

Bookstagram | Blog

[Liana Gold]

I AM BEYOND GRATEFUL FOR THIS ARC.




Many thanks to NetGalley, Forever Grand Central Publishing and the author for sending me an early ARC!

Publication date: September 29, 2026

[Mbhabibti · Rating 3 out of 5]

We're 2/2 on the book covers 😍

The Thief and the Traitor Bride is being marketed as a standalone, but it's worth clarifying that while we follow a new couple, it remains firmly connected to the same world. Original characters from the first book are reintroduced later in the story, and the way the author brought the two casts together was the most interesting part.

At first, this second installment read more like a historical fiction. The FMC is 30+ which is always a bonus in romantasy, but I don't necessarily think she carried herself like a woman of that age.

Because the source of the couple's conflict is withheld for hundreds of pages, their "enemies-to-lovers" dynamic lacks emotional weight. We don't understand why they hate each other, so it's difficult to invest in their relationship.

If you gave The Death of Locke a glowing 5-star review, you'll probably enjoy this one as well. But if you found the first book underwhelming, the sequel will feel even more lackluster.

Thank you to Netgalley, Forever (Grand Central Publishing), and the author for this eARC.

[Hannah Hamlin · Rating 5 out of 5]

The way this will skip to the front of my TBR as soon as I get my hands on it

[janira]

I went to a book event and she confirmed it’s coming in September 2026 and the fmc is a spy 👀 also can I just say what a lovely person she is???

About to scream. It’s confirmed that it’s in the same world but features new main characters, I need it 😭 the mc are nore and caspian

[Mackenzi · Rating 4 out of 5]

I've been looking forward to this book for quite a while so when it appeared in my inbox I was so thrilled.
I do have to give V.L. Bovalino props for keeping the magic system and the atmosphere from book one, still key and present in this book. Although it wasn't the most interesting plot at first, I'll be honest I found myself struggling to attach myself to Nore & Caspian since I loved Grey and Keir so much, but once I really got into the story I found myself attached especially to Nore.
Nore & Caspian have such an interesting relationship. They matched each other in the most wonderful way, and although there was secrets & issues they were working through I found myself loving their dynamic.
I can't wait to see what happens in the next book!
Thank you to Netgalley and Forever (Grand Central Publishing) | Forever for an e-arc in exchange for an honest review.

[hailee]

i’m seated. the bookstore employees are scared and asking me to leave because it’s “not september yet” but i’m simply too seated.

[Kaitlyn]

WE HAVE A TITLE!!!!! These covers really do it for me. absolutely in love.

I hope this fills the void that The Second Death of Locke has left me with :' )

[Cherie Koh · Rating 5 out of 5]

if you love “I hate him to death but I love her to death” then this is for you

phenomenal no words I LIVE FOR THE TENSION AND YEARNING

I cried I laughed I loved I need more

[Saskia [University era]]

THE COVER WOWOWOW
second chance romance between a spy and a thief
i cant wait to read this omg

[Lea]

Locke wasnt as good as I had hoped, but THIS sounds incredible !!

[Sylvie {Semi-Hiatus}]

The cover looks gorgeous and I can’t wait to read it, though I really need to finish Book 1 first.

[A N N A · Rating 5 out of 5]

Review to come but oh my god 😍😍😍😍

[Maddie · Rating 4 out of 5]

The way I screamed when this showed up in my inbox is a testament to how excited I was this book!! The Second Death of Locke was one of my favorite books from 2025, so I had exceedingly high expectations for this one. I definitely recommend it if you enjoyed Bovalino’s writing but just be aware that this storyline is quite different from Kier and Grey’s story! It delivered in a lot of ways, but I felt it lacked some of the magic I felt in The Second Death of Locke. Perhaps I’m just forever chasing that high? It’s a hard one to beat.

It has a ton of things that work and especially appeal to me on paper: a delicious second chance romance, spy and espionage networks, enemies to lovers, cameos from beloved characters, and an fmc in her thirties. All things I love! And these things were fun and worked well, but I did find myself struggling with the pacing and just overall wanting more action. I also found it hard to initially connect to Nore and Caspian, as they had an established relationship. It took a fair chunk of the book for it to really develop, and while I had fun with it, I was hoping for some of the yearning we got from Grey and Kier. I know, I’m forever comparing the two, but can you blame me??

While this is a standalone in an interconnected series, I wholeheartedly believe that The Second Death of Locke should be read before this!! There was a ton of info dumping on various lands in this world, and I struggled with some of that even though I read book one. Lots of amazing world building, but it felt a bit heavy at times.

Overall a very fun read. It had me giggling and kicking my feet at 1 am when I should have been asleep, so a win’s a win. 💪

3.75/5 (so close to being four but damn that pacing ugh)

[UndertheTBRMountain · Rating 5 out of 5]

Thank you so much Netgalley and Forever!

I can safely say that this series is in my top favorites. It has everything I could ask for—yearning, angst, an incredible magic system that just keeps getting more interesting, and unforgettable characters. Did I mention yearning?! Listen, the yearning in both the first and now this one is done so incredibly well. V.L. Bovalino spoils us and has set my new standard for yearning!

The story begins after Nore and Cas’ marriage ends in betrayal and years of separation have passed. They are forced back together again and made to act the part of married couple to complete a mission. The story unfolds through several POV from the past and from the present. This is done very well. I honestly never had a dull moment in this book. Between the backstory, and the rekindling of their relationship, it was hard to put this book down!

I absolutely loved and wanted to shake Nore and Cas so much. The amount of yearning and anger between them was so perfectly balanced and realistic! And Cas was beyond amazing. That man has so many facets to him. Did I mention he is a dancer?!

This story is several years after the first book, and we do get to experience Locke and her band of loyal friends again, which made me so happy. Seeing these previously loved characters through new eyes, brought further depth. Especially seeing them from such devious eyes as those of a thief and a spy.
The magic system is also further explored and honestly might be one of my favorite magic systems. Each country has their own kind of magic and how their citizens are able to access it. It was beyond interesting!

I really hope there is more exploration of the magic systems and I really cannot wait to see where this world takes us next!

[Izzi]

ok so tell me why this book literally goes over everything i love in a fantasy... with a guy named caspian. CHRONICLES OF NARNIA WE'RE SO BACK BABY

[vanshikha sakala]

i'm so excited for THE HAND AND THE HEART book two!!! ⚔️

𝘁𝗵𝗶𝗻𝗴𝘀 𝘄𝗲 𝗸𝗻𝗼𝘄 𝗮𝗯𝗼𝘂𝘁 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗯𝗼𝗼𝗸 𝗳𝗿𝗼𝗺 𝗩. 𝗟. 𝗕𝗼𝘃𝗮𝗹𝗶𝗻𝗼'𝘀 𝗽𝗼𝘀𝘁𝘀 & 𝘀𝗼𝗰𝗶𝗮𝗹𝘀 -
→ the MMC is named Caspian and the FMC is named Nore
→ ❝“no one knows we’re married and we’re not even really together anymore but now we have to interact” might be my favorite second chance romance microtrope❞ second chance romance and secret relationship might be a trope
→ ❝If ebeneezer scrooge was a hot, bitter spy with a hot, evil ex❞ so maybe spy romance?

[hiba ⋆˚꩜｡⋆⭒˚.⋆]

i am shit-pantsingly excited for this book to come out

[Lu · Rating 5 out of 5]

Thank you so much, The Thief and the Traitor Bride and NetGalley for the chance to read this book early in exchange of an honest review.

Nore Gordon is a brilliant woman. She can speak many languages, disguises herself in plain sight, she's a successful wine merchant and...she's a spy for the Lindle crown. Tasked with infiltrating enemy lands in search of a dangerous relic, Nore is forced to partner with a brilliant thief. Unfortunately, this this is her husband, Cas, who, years ago, betrayed her, stabbed her and left for dead. Now they have to fake an happy marriage as a cover story, while investigating this artifact. As danger closes in, Nore finds herself involved in a web of lies and deceit and, to complicate more, her feelings for Cas aren't of hatred anymore. Cas has betrayed once. Can she trust him again?

The thief and the traitor bride is the second standalone romantic fantasy set in the brilliant world created by V.L Bovalino and, after The second death of Locke, I couldn't wait to read more about this world.
The thief and the traitor bride is set, at first, in Nettlepool, in Lindan, where Nore Gordon, as main character, is a brilliant wine merchant, a successful spy and and heartbroken wife, even though she built her life trying to forget the past. Now, years after the accident that left her and Cas estranged and apart, they are forced to join forces and help the Lindle's crown by retreiving a powerful artifact. With this book V.L. Bovalino expands the world created in the first book and introducing and explaining better new kinds of magic systems, like the one on Lindan, focused on calculations, not wells and mages. It was intriguing reading more about different systems of magic, their limits and abilities, like amalgamates, who have the power to move between more systems and to use them.
Nore is a very intriguing character. She's fierce, stubborn and very smart and willing to do anything in her power to finish her mission. But once on Locke, once looking for the artifact and learning more about the mission, Nore is forced to confront herself with new truths and realities. Not only her feelings for Cas, but also, what it means to succeed in her own mission, what it means for her to go back to her previous life.
The yearning between Nore and Cas permeates the entire book. A strained relationship, filled with pain, betrayals, secrets and lies, made, also, by bickering and bantering, nostalgia and love.
Through flashbacks and letters, the reader is able to know more about their pasts together and what happened that push them far from each other, Nore's life and education, her love and losses, her determination and fierceness.
I loved their relationship and I love how, in a book of 600 pages, Nore and Cas starts as "enemies" and they slowly find their way back to each other, through honesty and no more lies and deceptions from both part.
This book has an high dose of romance, yearning, bickering and love, but it's also mixed with politics and spying. After missing Locke, I was over the moon when the book moves its attention from Nettlepool and brings it back on the Isle of Locke, Locke and her found family, now seen through the eyes of Nore and Cas. It was so weird and brilliant, getting to know them through their POVs. The tyrant queen and the Viper. (Poor my beloved children)
I loved reading about how much Nore and Cas grow and become more and more true to themselves, protecting, loving and saving each other. As in The second life of Locke, the plotting, the setting and the characterization are truly amazing and the reader is able to see Locke through different eyes. I loved seeing how the found family expanded with new members and I loved Locke so much, she's my favourite character and reading about her relationship with Kier made me swoon like always.
Also, Locke and Nore are brilliant together. I loved their brains and power and their bond.
Through politics, new magic system, a love born years ago and never waned, spies and intrigues, assassination attempts and suitor with no chance to marry Locke, since my baby is already committed and very much in love with Keir, thanks, this book is absolutely perfect and I couldn't stop reading it, when I got the earc. I had to devoured it. So good and so recommended.

[Michelle · Rating 4 out of 5]

Thank you SO SO MUCH to Forever for the gifted eARC of this book!!! I screamed when I got the email in my inbox with that lovely little widget.

I’m still mentally digesting this book since finishing it this past weekend, but lets at least start laying out some thoughts.

The Second Death of Locke was one of my top reads for 2025, and I *still* cannot stop talking about it. So you know that I absolutely LOVED falling back into this world that Tori has written, and getting to explore more of this world beyond the borders of Idistra. I was ecstatic at seeing some familiar faces return on page as well!

And while I adored TSDOL, I'm not certain that The Thief & the Traitor Bride worked quite as well for me - at least not in its current stage, and as a digital copy. At this point I 100% know I will need a re-read with a physical copy, as I can much more easily digest a story via physical format and am more likely to enjoy it, for whatever reason. So expect this review to be updated a few times in the coming year, especially once I get my hands on my preordered final copy and read it again.

(Or, maybe the fact that I ALREADY want to read it again, which is something that I NEVER typically want to do, just goes to show how much I actually enjoyed the book, and I just know my brain wasn't fully ready for it the first time around.)

I think part of what worked so well for me in TSDOL was the overall tone of the book, which mixed the seriousness and hardcore yearning with this epic quest and perfectly timed humor throughout. The group dynamic between Kier, Locke, and their traveling companions was just SO good, and the chemistry between Grey and Kier from nearly the beginning was pretty much addictive.

In TTATTB, the tone overall tends to be a bit more serious, with lower levels of yearning (because the lovers are currently in their enemies/estranged stage) and humor (at least to me), and also focuses primarily on Nore and Caspian for most of the book. You do have other characters that play important roles, but they don't feel quite as integrated? into the story as the likes of Eron, Ola, Brit, and Sela? That might not be the right word. Integral? Anyways, I also miss the humorous quips and snark that we get from TSDOL, which personally felt like it was lacking here in TTATTB.

I also found the first part of this book to be dense in world-building, which makes sense because we are initially set in Lindan, which was not really featured in TSDOL - however, where I was starting to get a bit lost and confused was with the Lindle magic system and how it was explained. It seems to be more akin to math equations than the Idistran system, but the initial explanations (because there were a few) felt a bit overly-complicated and too scientific in their wording. There was actually a really good description of it maybe ~66% of the way into the book, that might have been better served being included sooner in the book somehow, to allow the reader to focus on our two MCs and not as much on the magic system at play here.

All of this aside - once we get past the world-building, and across the sea back into Idistra - I fell HARD into this story and really started to thoroughly enjoy it. Honestly I think it was partially because we get Grey and Kier and others back on page. I found myself thinking that I had missed them so much, and they injected some of the humor that I felt was missing from the first half of the book into the story.

The plot itself is really intriguing, this initial quest that just turns into SO much more than what either MC was expecting. Tori once again really knocked it out of the park with how she wove all these threads of plot together to keep the reader guessing as to how all of this could possibly wrap up at the end of the book. There were so many lovely intricacies that were threaded through Nore and Caspian's histories, both shared and separate, and some of the plot twists and the schemes that get revealed are just SO damn good. And the end was just so perfectly fitting a conclusion not just to TTATTB, but also to TSDOL.

I know this is a three book series (so far?) and despite some of the struggles I had initially with this particular book, I'm still really excited to see where Tori takes us readers to next in this wonderful world.

[Meg · Rating 5 out of 5]

Nore Gordon is the natural daughter of a younger noble son, unrecognized formally but contracted to work for her aunt, Celestine de Roullier, Duchess of Arlowe. Code name Finch, she carries out clandestine missions and spies for the Duchess while maintaining a front of running a successful wine import and export business. For weeks, she's been close to catching a mysterious thief, a thief who turns out to be none other than her estranged, traitorous husband. Caspian Khari has unique traits that make him a perfect thief, and now the Duchess wants Caspian to steal an artifact from Locke, and wants Nore to gather intel and keep an eye on her untrustworthy husband.

The Second Death of Locke was one of my top 10 books of 2025, and The Thief and the Traitor Bride is at least as good! I love what VL Bovalino is able to do in balancing romance and fantasy, where the fantasy and plot elements reinforce the romantic elements. We are introduced to a new couple as our central romance, and on the surface Nore and Cas couldn't be further from Kier and Grey. They are married, but it was a marriage of the folly of youth, filled with passion and ripe for betrayal. Nore hates Cas with every fiber of her being, and yet we as readers suspect that Cas has never given up on his bride. It's a second chance romance where it's easy to see how their relationship faltered, and where we are desperate to see them sort their differences.

The expansion of the magic system is a lot of fun, because the boundaries of lands change the ways in which magic can be used. In Idistra, where we spent The Second Death of Locke, magic is drawn from wells, people who hold reservoirs of power, and used by mages for everything from simple magic of magelights to more powerful magic, but relying on two people to make the magic work. In Lindle, where Nore is from, magic is more like an equation, independent but complicated. Nore is only capable of functioning in the Lindle system, but Caspian is able to use magic in multiple systems, a skill he improved through his thieving. We learn more about the magic on Locke as well, and this time we are seeing it from an outsiders perspective, built on the rumors that reach Lindan and the Duchess's spy network.

Bovalino plays a bit with perspective and perception in this one. We remain in Nore's POV through the book, but as is typical in a second chance we see the present timeline and an earlier timeline. Somehow though, as readers, we know exactly what Caspian is feeling - he wears his heart for Nore on his sleeve, even if Nore doesn't believe it's true. Even more though, because we've expanded beyond the shores of Idistra, we are seeing information about Locke from a fully outside perspective. As readers who spent a full book with Grey, we suspect that some what we are hearing isn't the fully story, but we also are led to wonder how much has changed in the two years since the ending of the last book. We meet a large cast of characters from different nations, all of whom have different opinions on how to fix the goings-on in Locke, and we stay in Nore's head as she processes all of this through the book.

I love all of the layers in Thief, but ultimately, I'm in it for the romance. I love a second chance like this, especially when we have a POV character who is too stubborn to admit to having feelings. Nore's feeling of betrayal is valid, but as we learn from Caspian through the book, his reasons are just as valid. The push and pull of emotions between Nore and Cas is so different from Grey and Kier, yet the palpable yearning is still present. In a second chance, I need to be convinced that the reason for the breakup was legitimate (it very much was), and that the chance at redemption is plausible (beyond all doubt)!

This was absolutely worth dropping everything and reading it as soon as the widget hit my inbox. Like Nore and Cas, I had the push and pull of wanting to devour the book and wanting to delay gratification as long as possible. While our primary characters are new and the romance stands alone, the book as a whole is served better by reading The Second Death of Locke first. You'll get much more of an impact if you do.

Thank you Forever for an eARC. The Thief and the Traitor Bride is out 9/29/2026.

[Kay · Rating 5 out of 5]

“Would I lie to you?”
“A thousand times, yes.”

Nore Gordan is a talented woman - well educated, a successful wine merchant, and most importantly: a spy for the Lindle crown. Forced to travel with her estranged husband, Caspian, to retrieve a dangerous relic, all while posing as a happy couple to avoid detection, Nore is forced to reckon with the disastrous end of their marriage, and what it may cost her to trust Cas again.

I absolutely loved The Second Death of Locke, but I loved The Thief and the Traitor Bride more. Bovalino has such a way with characters and their interactions; every emotion is felt so deeply and genuinely. Like TSDoL, there is endless yearning, but the flavor of it is different here. In a previous review, I described Gray and Kier as “romantic, rather than a romance” because it felt like from the first chapter to the last word, they were in a committed love with each other. Sure, there were struggles, but I never doubted that they loved each other. Nore and Caspian, however, are not that. In their past as a married couple, they were so happy, so in love, and their deceptions concerning their professions as a spy and thief respectively, tainted that. Though they yearn for the connection and ease they once had, they struggle against the feelings of betrayal, fear that the other would do it again, or agonize that they will never earn forgiveness. Despite the pain, it’s like they can’t help but fall into the other. They bicker, they flirt, and above all, yearn. The narrative is entirely permeated with their yearning, but the characters make a strong effort to bury it. It’s painful, it’s delicious, it’s perfect. I couldn’t get enough.

These emotional struggles were perfectly paired with the plot. Though a bit slow (in a good way), Bovalino paired Nore and Caspian scheming in the present day with flashbacks to their past. As we unravel the past, we also build up a web of plans in the present. The complement of Nore and Caspian’s professions being out in the open as they fall back in love allows them to see a new side of the other that was never a part of their original relationship. It also serves to strongly differentiate their romance from Gray/Kier’s, who had very different struggles in their relationship. We also see a big difference in the lack of an ensemble. This book spends much more time focusing on the main two characters, Nore and Cas, who don’t have a found family with them, as we did in TSDoL. I wasn’t bothered by the change as it made sense, narratively, for two distrusting spies to not have that initially, but it might be more jarring if both books were read in sequence.

Behind Nore and Caspian coming back to each other, we get an amazing fantasy story that really expands on the world we were introduced to in The Second Death of Locke. In Lindle, a mathematics-based magic system is used and everyone is capable of learning it. We also learn about amalgamates, people who are able to use magic systems from multiple countries. Politically, through Nore’s work as a spy, we see how the events of TSDoL impacted international relations and how the fallout impacts the island of Locke. Looking at the events through the eyes of others, particularly foreigners, gives the world so much more depth and really expands on how the final book in the trilogy could grow the world further. We also see more of the characters from TSDoL than I was expecting. As much as I absolutely loved connecting with those characters and that world again, it functions a lot more like a direct sequel to TSDoL with a new POV, rather than being an “interconnected standalone”. I will say, I absolutely loved how Bovalino connected the two storylines and I am incredibly excited to potentially see everyone again in book 3.

Overall, I loved how many new layers to the world we got, that the push and pull between Nore and Cas felt more fraught - justifying what kept them apart, and how brilliantly satisfying it was when they decided that their love was worth it. Chef’s kiss, no notes - and absolutely worth reading the moment the eARC dropped into my inbox.

✨ 5 stars! ✨

Thank you to Netgalley and Forever (Grand Central Publishing) | Forever for providing an ARC. All opinions and thoughts are my own.

[Kate Laycoax · Rating 5 out of 5]

✨ 5 stars | second chance romance | forced proximity | deadly quest | fantasy adventure perfection ✨

I genuinely did not think this series could get any better!

After completely falling in love with The Second Death of Locke, I was really looking forward to this book and had sky high expectations, and somehow, it exceeded every single one of them! Truly, this book took everything I loved about the first novel and amplified it. More adventure, more tension, more danger, more romance, and one of the most engaging fantasy quests I’ve read in a long time. I will shout from the rooftops just how talented V.L. Bovalino is!

Nore and Caspian’s journey was amazing and I was so enthralled with them from the very beginning to the very end. This book is constantly moving! There is always something happening, another obstacle to overcome, another mystery to unravel, another danger lurking around the corner. The quest itself was such a cool concept, and I loved how it gave the story this nonstop sense of momentum. Every time I thought the characters had finally caught a break, something else would happen. The entire book felt exciting and exhilarating and impossible to put down.

And the stakes! I loved that there were real consequences throughout the story. The danger was tangible, the mission felt important, and I was completely invested in seeing how everything would play out. It’s the kind of fantasy adventure that reminded me why quests are such a beloved staple of the genre in the first place, and I think a thing that often goes missing in romantasy because it regularly favors the romance over the adventure, which I sorely miss.

Of course, the heart of the story is Nore and Caspian and I adore them, just as much as Grey and Kier.

I also love those complicated relationships, and these two absolutely were just that. The history between them added so much depth and I loved the second chance aspect. The hurt, the resentment, the lingering feelings they both desperately wanted to ignore were all creating this delicious tension and I was so intrigued by them and where it would go. They were endlessly entertaining! And the chemistry was just so good, but I have learned that V.L. Bovalino is just really good at that.

I so appreciated getting to revisit this world and see familiar faces from The Second Death of Locke. Returning to a world I have already fallen in love with is such a special feeling, and every appearance from beloved characters made me ridiculously happy. It felt like coming home!

The cover is also absolutely stunning. It perfectly captures the vibe of the story and might be one of my favorite fantasy romance covers I have seen recently. It has that Game of Thrones, Sansa and Arya Stark vibe to it and I really love it. This book was just SO good in every way and I cannot wait for the third installment!

🗡️ Second chance romance
🗡️ Estranged spouses forced to work together
🗡️ High stakes fantasy quest
🗡️ Nonstop action and adventure
🗡️ Fantastic chemistry and tension
🗡️ Familiar faces from book one
🗡️ Gorgeous worldbuilding and storytelling
🗡️ A cover worthy of framing on my wall

I adored The Second Death of Locke, but somehow this book may have stolen my heart even more! I loved every minute of this addictive adventure and I am certain you will too!

Thank you to NetGalley, V.L. Bovalino, and Forever for the eARC of this book.

[Liz · Rating 5 out of 5]

🗡️✨ The Thief and the Traitor Bride by V. L. Bovalino ✨🗡️

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

📅 Publication Date: September 29, 2026
🏢 Publisher: Forever (Grand Central Publishing) | Forever

First of all—thank you SO much to NetGalley and Forever for this ARC. I genuinely about squealed when this landed in my inbox 😭🖤

I’ve been incredibly excited to return to this world ever since The Second Death of Locke, and while this story is quite different in tone and focus, it still carries so much of what I loved about Bovalino’s writing.

The atmosphere? Absolutely stunning.
The writing? Genuinely beautiful and immersive.
The magic system? Still one of the most unique and compelling parts of this series.

There’s something about the way V. L. Bovalino builds her worlds that just sticks with you—everything feels layered, intentional, and emotionally rich.

This installment follows Nore and Caspian, and while I’ll admit it took me a little time to warm up to them (partly because I was very attached to Grey and Kier), I eventually found myself really invested in their dynamic. Their relationship is complicated, shaped by history, secrets, and tension, but there’s also a tenderness there that slowly unfolds in a really satisfying way.

I especially loved seeing how their connection evolved over time rather than being instantly resolved—it felt grounded and believable, even when things got messy.

That said, this is not a fast or light read. The world is dense, the political and territorial information is extensive, and there were definitely moments where I had to slow down and reorient myself. It’s the kind of book that asks you to sit with it rather than race through it.

And I’ll be honest—I did find myself occasionally wishing for the same level of emotional intensity and yearning that I felt in the first book. I think I went in with very high expectations because The Second Death of Locke was such a standout for me.

Still, there is so much to love here: espionage, second-chance tension, intricate worldbuilding, returning characters, and a deeply atmospheric tone that fans of the first book will absolutely appreciate.

✨ What to Expect ✨

🗡️ Interconnected fantasy world
✨ Complex political alliances
🗡️ Second chance romance
✨ Spy/espionage elements
🗡️ Slow-burn emotional tension
✨ Intricate magic system
🗡️ Returning characters
✨ Atmospheric, lyrical writing

Overall, this was a rich, immersive return to a world I already love, with a slower-burn story that rewards patience and attention.

And yes… I was absolutely giggling and kicking my feet at 2:45AM reading it 😭🖤

Thank you again to NetGalley and Forever for the ARC!

[Michi Evans · Rating 5 out of 5]

I didn't know what to expect from this second book in the interconnected Hand & the Heart trilogy, but after LOVING and evangelizing the first book since it came out i was ravenous to read this and incredibly grateful to Forever for the early copy.
To be honest I assumed that we would get glimpses of Grey & Kier in this book but that it would largely stand separate from the first book. that is absolutely not the case. While the first book is a complete story Thief and the Traitor Bride takes a thread from Locke and intimately weaves it into an overarching story. This already has me excited to see what Bovalino has in store for the third book, and the ways in which she will enrich and broaden the world we're in.
While Grey and Kier are integral to the overarching plot of Thief and the Traitor Bride it is absolutely Nore and Caspian's story. Nore and Caspian marry in the throes of youthful optimism and folly, and for a number of years manage to live in passionate if duplicitous bliss. Years following Caspian's betrayal Nore is forced to work with him on a new mission and face the past and the truths she's long hidden from.
Like in Locke Bovalino manages to perfectly balance the romance and fantasy for me as a reader, the romance and the tension of it are perfect mirrors to the stakes of the mission they are on. I loved the antagonism between Nore and Caspian, and the affection it inadequately tries to mask. Bovalino also does an exceptional job of making Caspian's feelings clear to the reader though we are seeing them through Nore's biased eyes.
This was a slow start for me, as it felt much denser in terms of world building and politics than Locke was in the beginning. And Nore's spy work meant there were a lot of political threads and people to keep track of that I wanted to be sure i was following. Once the mission really gets underway though it was off to the races pacing wise for me and i was loathe to have to put the book down. There are a lot of twists and turns in this, many that I anticipated (in a satisfying way) with the betrayals and machinations taking the reader on a roller coaster ride.
I can't wait to read this again knowing how everything turns out so i can find the seeds along the way.
Thank you again to Forever for the early copy.

[rebeccareads · Rating 3 out of 5]

The Second Death of Locke is not a lighthearted book; it's full of suffering, pining, and self-sacrificing. I'd expected more of that in The Thief and the Traitor Bride, but this installment feels pretty different tonally. Yes, there are big stakes, though not as big as Locke, and the sense of gravity is repeatedly undermined by lots of banter and a plot that bears a bit too much resemblance to Mr. & Mrs. Smith. If I read this blind and was told after it was a second-chance workplace romance, I'd have almost believed it, were it not for sad-sack FMC Nore.

Nore is a bit of a downer - she reads very anxious, insecure, and unsure of her place in the world, which I found odd for a supposedly ultra-capable professional spy. We see her make many mistakes, which is fine in and of itself; even top spies can be human, but we also see her doubt herself constantly and behave in ways far younger than her 30ish years. Several plot points hinge on her not knowing things you'd absolutely think a professional spy would know - or would want to know; some of these instances are her refusing to see what's right in front of her - and the reasoning we're given is flimsy. The overall effect is to make Nore seem inconstant, immature, and not particularly adept, which is a real shame given how wonderfully strong and competent Grey from Locke is.

I appreciated how interconnected this book is to Locke - standalone doesn't feel quite accurate - and enjoyed seeing Grey and Kier again. Their relationship remains one of my favorites. I didn't enjoy Nore and her husband Caspian's relationship quite as much, but it's still solid and very sweet, with good spicy scenes. Second-chance isn't for everyone, but I like the lived-in nature of the romances in this series. So while Nore herself didn't really work for me, the relationship still held my interest, and I generally liked the book enough to plan to read the final installment in the series. Particularly so if it's about Captain Cross!

(Side note: these covers continue to be GORGEOUS.)

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the ARC!

[Beth · Rating 5 out of 5]

If 𝘛𝘩𝘦 𝘚𝘦𝘤𝘰𝘯𝘥 𝘋𝘦𝘢𝘵𝘩 𝘰𝘧 𝘓𝘰𝘤𝘬𝘦 captured your heart, prepare to fall in love with this world all over again. ✨

Huge thank you to V.L. Bovalino + @ReadForeverPub + @NetGalley for an early copy of this incredible romantasy!

✨ Rich world building
✨ Unique magic system
✨ Spy FMC x Thief MMC
✨ Estranged married couple
✨ Forced proximity
✨ Second chance romance
✨ FMC in her 30s

𝐖𝐡𝐚𝐭’𝐬 𝐭𝐡𝐢𝐬 𝐬𝐭𝐨𝐫𝐲 𝐚𝐛𝐨𝐮𝐭
Nore Gordon is the crown's most trusted spy. When she's sent into enemy territory to retrieve a powerful relic, she's forced to work with the one person she never wanted to see again: her estranged husband, Caspian.

Now the two must pretend to be happily married while navigating secrets, danger, political intrigue, and feelings neither of them ever truly left behind.

𝐑𝐨𝐦𝐚𝐧𝐜𝐞 𝐚𝐫𝐜
Nore and Caspian were EVERYTHING.

The emotional tension starts immediately because these two already have history, heartbreak, and trust issues. Every conversation feels layered with years of hurt and longing. Watching them slowly rebuild trust while being forced to work together made this romance incredibly satisfying.

And I loved the spy + thief dynamic!

𝐓𝐡𝐨𝐮𝐠𝐡𝐭𝐬
The Second Death of Locke was one of my favorite books of 2025, so my expectations were sky-high going into this one.

I'm happy to report that returning to this world felt like coming home.

I loved seeing familiar faces again (especially Grey and Kier!) while getting a completely new romance to root for. The world expands beyond what we saw in the first book, making the setting feel even bigger and more immersive.

The magic system remains one of the most unique aspects of the series: Wells hold the power, Mages wield it. It's fascinating, central to the plot, and unlike anything I've read before.

This book delivers the perfect blend of adventure, intrigue, romance, and magic, with characters you'll want to spend hundreds more pages with.

If you loved the first book, you're almost guaranteed to adore this one too. ✨
4.5 beautiful stars!

[Sabrina · Rating 5 out of 5]

I have been loudly sharing how let down I was by the first book in this trilogy, The Second Death of Locke since I read it, so I do feel like a bit of a clown saying The Thief and the Traitor Bride will be in my top books of the year and yeah you do need to read the first one to appreciate what’s happening here, but listen.

LISTEN.

The Thief and the Traitor Bride follows Nore, a spy who is forced to work with her estranged husband, Caspian, on a highly dangerous and secretive mission from the crown after they found themselves on the opposite sides of a job five years ago where she almost died and he ended up banished from the country.

It’s a bit messy.

What’s even messier is that for their ruse to work, Nore and Caspian must pretend to be happily married. There is only ever looks of devotion and adoration in public while in private old secrets and scars are finally brought to light, and feelings thought dead and buried slowly come back to life.
The was a perfect balance of the romance and the action of the spying/mission to keep me seated at all times. Intrigue! Lingering Glances! Spies! There’s Only One Bed! Brewing Assasination Attempts! Whispered Reminiscing At Night! For all the times I was invested in Caspian and Nore finding their way back to one another, I was just as deeply invested in what was going on on the isle of Locke and how these two were going to find a way out of it all alive.

I commented after reading Locke that the magic system and world building was simple, and so I appreciated the expanding Bovalino did here on both counts. I appreciated seeing Locke (both the isle and the woman) years after the first book ended, and while having read that book isn’t a requirement to enjoy this one, the last fourth would make a lot more sense if you have….I also felt like the first book was more YA leaning, both in writing and character depth, and I was glad to not have the same issues here.

This book also includes: Wifeguy MMC, a grumpy cat whose ownership is contested, love letters, and heaps and heaps of yearning.

Thank you to NetGalley and Forever for the ARC!

[Luna · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book was my most anticipated read of the year. I was so excited to return to Idistra. Unfortunately, I didn’t enjoy it as much as I thought I would.

I was hooked by the first half of the book. The beginning was slow, but it was perfect for introducing the characters and the plot. The second-chance romance trope hit me hard in the first two parts of the book because it was beautifully written. I could really feel Nore and Caspian’s emotions as they were reunited for this quest. The flashbacks were also necessary to better understand both the characters and their relationship.
Caspian is, once again, a green flag, just like the MMC in the first book, and I love seeing more green flags in fantasy romance! However, my favorite character was Nore. Some readers may find her irritating, but I understood her. She is the favored spy and doesn’t want to make mistakes. What I especially liked about her character was how the author portrayed the effects of manipulation and the pressure of constantly trying to meet expectations.

But then… the third part came. The author’s writing is beautiful, but there was very little action. This part mostly revolves around Nore and Caspian trying to figure out how to obtain the powerful relic they need. If you enjoy detailed descriptions, you’ll probably like this part. Personally, I felt it needed more action to keep the story moving.

Also, while the book is marketed as a standalone, I think it’s necessary to read the first book to fully understand the plot. The Thief and the Traitor Bride feels more like a continuation of the first book’s story, just with different main characters.

However, I have to say that the magic system was once again incredibly unique, and it remains the greatest strength of this series. The political plot is also very well developed. Overall, it’s a good fantasy romance. The author clearly knows how to balance political intrigue and romance. I’m sure this book will find its readers!

Thank you Forever and NetGalley for providing this eARC in exchange for my honest review.