An epic and unforgettable love story begins in Binding 13, the first in the international bestselling and TikTok-phenomenon The Boys of Tommen series, from Chloe Walsh.
He wants to save her. She wants to hide.
She’s damaged. He’s determined.
Fate brought them together. Love binds them.
Johnny Kavanagh is the definition of popular. He is an all-star rugby player with loads of friends, which means he should be enjoying the many perks of his life. But what people don’t know is that he has been dealing with a painful injury that could halt the magnificent trajectory of his career. This means he has no time for distractions or mistakes. Especially not a girlfriend.
Shannon Lynch has been bullied all her life. She is shy and would rather hide herself away to make it through school. But when she arrives at Tommen College for a fresh start, she meets the notorious Johnny Kavanagh on her first day in a not-so-romantic way. What follows is a complicated friendship that turns into undeniable chemistry. It seems that Shannon won’t be able to hold onto the anonymous status she once hoped for. But maybe that’s alright?
Johnny won’t give up on Shannon. No matter what it might cost them both.
Filled with angst and an attraction like no other, Binding 13 will suck you into the bingeworthy Boys of Tommen universe. This book is perfect for readers looking for:
- New adult/YA crossover Irish romance
- Dual POVs
- Friends-to-lovers
- TikTok books
- Sports romance
Readers are gushing:
“You need this book in your life.”
“I’m beyond obsessed. no review could do this book justice but wow. I’m SPRINTING to Keeping 13!!!!!”
“I NEED A JOHNNY KAVANAGH ❤”
“Instantly became one of my top 5 books of all time.”
“This was so, so good. Excellent character building. Excellent relationship building. Just excellent all around.”
Randy Ransom –
I could not put this book down. Pretty lengthy compare to many novels but totally worth the read. TBH I only gave it 4 stars because of the excessive amount of GD’s and JC’s that ran ramped throughout the text. They were just so unnecessary and became so excessive it was just…uncomfortable. Other than that, this was a masterpiece. I laughed, I cried, I laughed some more. The friend dynamic was freaking epic!! Gerald was hilarious!! The storyline was superb but the banter is what kept me glued to this book start to finish. I’m off to read book 2!
Jesica –
I’m rounding up.
I thoroughly enjoyed this book and devoured it quickly.
Pros:
The author painted a good picture of the characters. When done right, I can begin to predict a well-written character’s behavior and understand exactly why a character might respond a certain way. Thus, most of the characters, to me, were very well developed.
She has a nice way of creating angst and tension that drew me in quickly and didn’t release me until the book was done.
Her dialogue is very realistic and fun to read.
I love Johnny Kavanagh.
I also love Joey Lynch.
I loved the friendship between Johnny and Gibsie. Absolutely loved.
The book was funny. There were a few times I actually laughed out loud funny.
For this being a high school romance, I appreciated there not being any intimate scenes depicted. Though they did speak on it quite frequently, the love story was wholesome enough.
I like slow burn romances, and this is a true slow burn.
Cons:
The book could get a little wordy with the world building. While I appreciated it because it did help me understand the characters better, it also slowed the actual story down. So while the author’s writing style made it enjoyable, it also made it unnecessarily long.
The narration could get repetitive, restating facts or phrases already discussed pages earlier.
Shannon’s mother seemed inconsistent, and I’m not sure if it was intentional or not. It made it difficult to predict her behavior, which might just mean her character wasn’t developed properly….idk, but that bugged me a little.
Overall:
I loved reading this book to the point where I looked forward to every chapter. Like, an itch I needed to scratch. I would want to read one more chapter and every time one more chapter turned into at least five. I 100% recommend this book.
Note: It ends on a cliffhanger. Once I read book two, I’ll leave another review for that.
Sarah Barnes –
ESSE LIVRO É PERFEITO
aliás, a série inteira é perfeita e virou minha série de livros favorita!!!!
jhonny e shannon sempre terão um espaço no meu coração
um dos melhores livros que eu já li!!
Jesica –
I have seen this book all over tiktok. Over and over and over. It was more of a YA book so I wasn’t very interested. After downloading a sample, I decided to give it a try.
I would say that it’s YA but also New Adult. Definitely has New Adult themes. The author tell the love story of a 15 year old girl and 17 year old boy. She’s did not overly sexualize their love story. It was refreshing to watch two people fall hopelessly in love with one another.
Shannon had endured a lot of trauma. At the hands of her parents. At the hands of her classmates. She has ensured things no one should ever. When she meets Johnny, it’s on the rugby pitch. What an introduction it was.
Johnny’s sole focus is rugby. He wants to play professional rugby. Shannon is too young for him. She’s too pure for him. She’s too fragile for him. But he just can’t help. But fall in love with her.
There is quite a bit of dialogue in this story. A lot of conversations back and forth between different characters. It has the feel of a movie. There is still a lot of intern monologues but there is quite a bit of dialogue as well.
I loved Joey and how protective he is od Shannon and their other siblings. The terror that they all must live in day in and out. I couldn’t imagine that.
Bella is one character I absolutely hate. I think that’s the intention. She’s the absolute worst. I have a feeling we haven’t seen the last of her yet.
Overall, 10/10. Perfect book. Wouldn’t change a thing. Absolutely loved it. Can’t wait to immediately read the second part.
Amalie –
5 MILLLIONNNNN STARS⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ i’m beyond obsessed.
This novel caused me to respond oddly. I felt a range of emotions from it. It caused me to laugh, cry, become really frustrated, and swoon. I was disorganized. It’s very sweet, charming, and timely.
I adored each and every one of these individuals. Each and every one. I find these characters to be really authentic. When I think about them, I feel so overwhelmed, like my heart is about to break. Anger, real-life problems, and macho Irish lads abound throughout the book. What more is required? There are so many wonderful, significant side characters in the novel. They are all so extremely precious. Johnny is a good person. He is devoted, loving, and kind. He’s incredibly talented. Shannon is extremely delicate and priceless. The primary character of this book is Gibsie. The spirit of the book is Mammy K. I love her so much. Joey is truly priceless. I could talk for hours about each of the supporting cast members. Just be aware that the supporting cast in this novel is fantastic. Despite the fact that this book could appear to be “too long” or “too slow,” it wasn’t at all like that! It was nonetheless engrossing and impossible to put down for some reason. I adore it. And now I have to tell everyone about it.
Sue’s Romance Reviews –
I was recommend Binding 13 by a fellow book lover and, holy smokes! , she was spot on with this recommendation! Have you read it yet? If not, what are you waiting for?
Shannon feels different from other girls and is relentlessly bullied. After yet another severe beating from the girls at school, her mother finally relents and sends her to a private school.
Starting her new school and not being noticed, she is finally able to exhale and relax a little.
That is until she is abruptly introduced to Johnny via an errant ball kick.
Johnny is obsessed with Rugby. He’s the next best thing. He drinks, eats and lives rugby. That is until his errant kick hits Shannon and knocks her out.
From here all bets are off as Johnny learns there is more to life than rugby and Shannon finally finds a safe place in Johnny. They forge a strong friendship and a chance at something deeper-something more. But, Johnny will most likely be leaving soon…… And Shannon harbors a terrible secret.
Wow! I am ENTHRALLED. Binding 13 is, in one word, AMAZING! I loved everything about it. From the characters, the plot, the caring, the dread and everything in between, there is no dull moment. It is sweet and full of heart but also full of angst and heart-pounding moments.
This is the first book in the Boys of Tommen series and ends on a cliff-hanger. Be forewarned that there may be triggers.
Johnny and Shannon’s banter is cute and I love the way the author takes the time to build their relationship. It makes it feel real and solid. Johnny and Shannon are also fun and real together. I found myself, on many occasions, smiling and cheering them on. They are sweet, sexy, kind and funny.
Johnny is a wonderful character. He is a protector, a great friend and a sexy as sin rugby player. Yes please!
I loved EVERY. SINGLE. CHARACTER in this book especially Gibson. He is a fun-loving and pushy character that grows on you like a weed and I LOVE HIM TO BITS!
I had been holding my breath throughout this whole book waiting for the other shoe to drop and, MY GOD!, did it ever! I exhaled a very tearful breath at the end of this first book. I NEED MORE of this story, MORE of these characters. I don’t say this often but this NEEDS to be a movie .
An amazing read that will stay with you long after the last page has been read! Binding 13 is compelling, addictive, kindle-crack, be forewarned! Oh, and in case I wasn’t clear, one-click this baby STAT!
Mim –
4.5 stars!
An avalanche of emotions – this book hit me with a truckload of them. I couldn’t put it down for the life of me.
Angels and devils, humans and monsters, love and hatred, fear and courage, friendship and jealousy, cruelty and hope – this book had everything. On one side, you cringe at the abuse Shannon suffered at the hands of her father and bullies at school; on the other, there are people like Johnny, Gibsie, Johnny’s parents, and Shannon’s best friends who restore your faith in humanity.
This book should have hit me hard, devastated me, and broken me, but it didn’t – thanks to the wonderfully amazing characters. It made me rage, it made me happy, it made me sad, it made me laugh, and it made me scared. Scared of human beings, who somehow always end up being worse than monsters. My heart simply and utterly broke for Shannon. But it also beat for Johnny – for the amazing person he was. Just the kind of person Shannon needed in her life, who truly cared for her, loved her, and treated her the way she deserved to be treated. Joey, Christy, Gibsie – all were absolutely amazing, the kind of people you want, you need in your life.♥
I could go on and on, but saying it simply – you just have to read it. ( Do check out trigger warnings)
Fernanda Carvalho –
Los personajes son increíbles no puedes dejar de leer la historia aunque un chick Flick es buena bien escrita leí en 4 días
MarianaFdz# –
best book ever.