This book is easy to get sucked into. The plot is decent for following 2 characters in high school. There are definitely some triggers, so be sure to check the warnings. The author did a great job describing Shannon’s home life and all the hardships of living in that type of situation. I thought that Johnny’s perspective was written well in a sense that the reader could see why he might have had a hard time dealing with the repercussions of his injury.

Overall, the book kind of gave me After vibes in the best way. Both characters perspectives really embodied their personalities and I felt like I knew them. I really felt their pain as the story progressed because Chloe didn’t leave out any details in the character internal monologues. I can see why this book is getting more popular online! Would recommend.

Binding 13 by Chloe Walsh a new to me author I will for sure read more books by. Binding 13 was an enjoyable story first in the Boys of Tommen series. Looking forward to reading book two.

This was highly recommended and after reading I have to agree. I loved the characters and the writing style. The book is long but well written. 4.5 ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

I have been meaning to read this book for what feels like forever. I know fans more than just love this book but live and breathe it. I have always been intimidated by the length, I still am not fully sold that this book needed to be this long. What I am sold on is that I love Shannon and Johnny, and want the world for them both.

Check out my more detailed thoughts below…
Characters: I love Shannon Lynch and Johnny Kavanagh, and I totally get why you all do too. When we met Shannon, I was attached within the first few pages as I could not help but feel for this girl carrying the weight of the world on her shoulders. After facing severe bullying at her public school, Shannon the only daughter in a family of multiple sons is able to go to a private school instead. This poor girl spends so much of this story helpless, yet I began to see the light in her as not just Johnny but her siblings and friends fill in the bright spots of her days. How does one not fall for Johnny Kavanagh, the high school rugby star is so endearing, charming, and caring. The cast of side characters really shines too, I know that there are books out about some, and others have books coming and I am invested to see what happens to everyone.
Setting: The story is set in 2005 Ireland, in the small town of Ballylaggin. I did not know what to expect with the setting, and I loved it! I have learned some Irish slang, I am very thankful for the glossary that is included in this book. What the slang and the time period of almost twenty years ago do is it really transport you and further immerse you in the story.
Pacing: This book is heavy, you need to look up content warnings and be cautious about the real-world themes it tackles. I knew about the topics this book would delve into, but I did not know how graphic some of the scenes would be. This book is not just heavy emotionally, it is heavy physically as it is just over 600 pages. I understand fans eat up every scene and love all this time with Shannon and Johnny. I did love most of their interactions, but some of the other chapters fell a bit flat when the two of them were not interacting. I really do think this book could have been a bit shorter, it really deters someone from starting this series when you see these huge books ahead of you.
Romance: Johnny loves hard and falls fast and I adored reading every time he stepped up so quickly to defend her, while still being her greatest comforter. Shannon really struggles with her feelings, first, the idea that Johnny or anyone could love her this deeply is a foreign concept for her. Then once her own feelings develop she must navigate lying every day to the person she loves. What drove me through this book was getting to the revelations, I wanted Johnny and Shannon to communicate with each other in the most open way possible. While reading I had to remind myself of their age, which gives them a bit of a pass for struggling to communicate with one another for hundreds of pages. What is so special about this story though is the epicness of this love story. It has this deep overwhelming feeling that had me thinking about them constantly days after finishing this (along with propelling me to jump into Keeping 13 basically as I finished this one).

The novel helped show awareness of bullying.
I wanted to know what would happened with the romance between Shannon and Johnny but unfortunately I couldn’t get into the storyline and felt the novel was a bit long.

I really wanted to like this book. It had a really interesting concept regarding Shannon's home life. However, it just fell flat for me. The book was waaaayyyy too long, with a lot of the same thing happening over and over. The characters weren't great. Shannon honestly annoyed the living hell out of me. And we get it, she's so super small OMG so small she started her period at 16 and we get a whole chapter about that yay. And Johnny (and literally all the male characters) was literally just sports, violence, and protect little Shannon at all costs but for no reason.

As I said, it had potential and I really wanted to like it, it just wasn't for me.

Binding 13 is the first book of the Boys of Tommen series. I have seen this book on TT and IG and don’t know why I put it off for so long. I’m so glad I finally decided to dive into this series. This beast of a book was 600+ pages but it honestly didn’t feel like it. I never felt like it dragged or lost interest at all. It only took me one full day to read it and I couldn’t put it down. I love Shannon and Johnny and their slow burn romance is perfect! My heart broke so many times for Shannon and everything she had been through and was still going through. She is so strong for going through it all and still hanging in there. She is the sweetest and purest FMC I’ve ever read. I love characters like hers and love to see their character growth. And Johnny is the sweetest and is so protective of Shannon. He is infatuated with her from the beginning and I love him for being Shannon’s safety. Seriously one of my favorite MMCs. I mean, he made a playlist for her!!! (IYKYK)

The side characters are almost a good as the main characters. Everyone needs a Gibs and Claire in their lives! I also want an older brother like Joey! Loved him!

I can’t wait to jump into the next book because this ending had me full on sobbing! I need for Shannon to have her safe place and her happily ever after! She deserves it! I haughty recommend this book! It is just beautiful all around!

I will start off by saying that I was fully invested in seeing where the relationship went and I loved both Shannon and Johnny. I loved their interactions and the scenes where they had those “deeper” conversations where you saw the real Johnny come out. I really wanted more of that. With that being said, there were some things I didn’t quite like but I don’t think those things made it a bad read it was just things I didn’t like. I was not a huge fan of the length of the book, I felt like there was a lot of the same back and forth for the majority of the book and I felt like that could have been shortened. Also, the ending wasn’t really an ending. I think this was done on purpose to get the reader to read the second book which I will be doing just that lol overall, I really enjoyed reading this book and being engrossed in Johnny and Shannon’s story!

4.5 stars

I really enjoyed this one. The physical hardships that Johnny and Shannon went through was so awful. I just wanted to protect both of them especially Shannon.

I loved how protective Johnny was of Shannon. I loved how he was very open and comfortable with her as well. I adored Shannon's strength and resilience. She dealt with every hand she was given. She could of given up but didn't and that takes a lot of courage.

This slow burn romance had me at the edge of my seat and that cliffhanger was the worst. I'm looking forward to reading the next book though!

Oh. My. God. This book was INCREDIBLE.

Let me start off by saying that not only was I hooked, I am now in a book hangover and need to read the rest of the series NOW. I found myself needing to know what was going to happen next, and the slow burn was so painful, but in a good way! The characters were so well written that I now need to know their stories, as well.

This was heartbreaking, hilarious, insightful, loving, and absolutely remarkable for a sports romance. I cannot imagine being in Shannon's shoes, so thank god for Johnny.

This book truly made me feel all of the feelings, and for that, it gets an automatic 5 stars.

Chloe Walsh, you are a truly stunning author and I can't wait to devour the rest of your books.

"Binding 13" by Chloe Walsh is a story that revolves around Johnny Kavanagh, a rugby player destined for success, and Shannon Lynch, a shy and damaged girl with a troubled past. Johnny, focused on his rugby career, is determined to reach the top, but his life takes an unexpected turn when he encounters Shannon, a new girl at Tommen College dealing with her own demons.

As Johnny and Shannon form a complicated friendship, their undeniable chemistry becomes a source of both comfort and challenge. Shannon's past, marked by bullying and torment, is a constant shadow, and the two characters must navigate hidden pain and complex secrets. The story explores themes of resilience, friendship, and the transformative power of love in the face of adversity.

With Johnny's determination and Shannon's strength, "Binding 13" promises a narrative that delves into the complexities of relationships and personal struggles. The blend of sports, romance, and the challenges of overcoming a difficult past adds layers to the characters' journey, making for a compelling and emotional read.

Some parts of this book were hard to read because bullying in any way, shape, or form is emotionally damaging. Not to mention the physical abuse that occurred.

Shannon Lynch has been the subject of many bullying situations. She hid a lot of it from her mother until she couldn't. She transferred to the private Tommen College where the administration was made aware of what she's suffered at school. So when on the first day she gets hit on the head by a rugby ball by none other than Johnny Kavanagh, Shannon's mother and the principal were livid. There began a secret friendship between Shannon and Johnny. He was very protective of her and warned off the rugby team from subjecting Shannon to anything. No side glances, no conversations, nothing. Someone doth protest too much. Johnny's feelings for Shannon throughout the book but his only focus was rugby. Except he was not healing properly from his surgery. Shannon and Johnny could be themselves around each other and confided their deepest secrets while keeping their friendship on the down low. For a book more than 600 pages that was not spicy at all, I sure was riveted to this story. It did end in cliffhanger so I must wait to find out what happens with Shannon's family, Johnny's rugby career, and the future of their relationship.

I received an advance copy of this book at my request and voluntarily left this review.

The chokehold this book had me in for the ENTIRE 600 pages....I can't even begin to describe it. The innocence of Shannon and her awkwardness/shyness immediately brought me back to high school days. The issues she deals with in her personal life had me SCREAMING at the book because all you want to do is jump into the book and help her. The genuine kindness Johnny displays easily has you falling for him from the beginning of the book and to watch their friendship start and progress had me turning page after page. The cliffhanger the book ends on had me immediately running to Book #2. Highly recommend!

Stop whatever you are doing and read this book. Everything I thought I wouldn’t enjoyed about this book, I ATE up. If you don’t typically like high school romance. Same. But that’s okay, because this takes place in Ireland and it just hits differently. Don’t like 18 year romance? Also same but Johnny and Shannon read like they are older in the best ways. Not a big fan of sports in stories? Same, but Johnny’s rugby doesn’t overpower the story. The side characters are perfection. You go through all of the emotions. It’s a long story but I didn’t want it to end.

Johnny and Shannon!

Shannon Lynch just wanted a fresh start at Tommen College after being bullied at the local school but getting knocked out the first day by an errant rugby ball kicked by Johnny Kavanagh wasn’t the start she wanted.

Johnny Kavanagh has bet his future rugby career on healing quickly after his surgery at Christmas but everything turned upside down when he accidently injured the new girl Shannon Lynch on her first day at Tommen.

I originally thought that is would be about a rugby star meeting the really shy girl but I don’t need a reminder every chapter on how short Shannon was compared to Johnny because it is a long book. But you will really get into the feelings between Johnny and Shannon to understand them.

I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book from the author and NetGalley. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

I absolutely loved Binding 13. As a big fan of One Tree Hill/90210, I would say I felt very similar vibes. I enjoyed the character building of this story and the friendships. I suggest checking content warnings as this book is full of heavy subject and may not be suitable content for those younger than 18.

When I first started the book I was a bit intimidated by the page count, but I very quickly found that it was easy to get into the story, and connect with the characters. I even felt like I was living in their world and often found myself reaching for this book at any chance I could get.

There were a few things that I struggled with, while this book is long it is also a very slow burn. Still didn’t have much resolution by the end, in which it is a must to read keeping 13! I felt like the main characters went back and forth in a very unhealthy manner for most of the book. I understood why, but also became frustrating as I just wanted the FMC to let the MMC in so that he could better understand her!

Thank you to NetGalley for the copy of Binding 13 in exchange for an honest review! I will absolutely be finishing the series!

Omg I am reeling after the ending of this book. I don’t even know how to describe what all of these emotions are. LIKE WHAT KIND OF CLIFFHANGER IS THAT?! My heart is 💔💔

I have heard amazing things about this series, but when I picked it up to start reading I didn’t realize it would be almost 900 pages and based in high school. Honestly, I wasn’t even sure what it was about, but it sucks you in from the first page and the author did not disappoint. Don’t let the thickness or the high school setting deter you because IT IS WORTH IT!!

It starts off with “tiny” Shannon explaining her background of being bullied and how traumatic her home life is. She’s getting transferred to a new school where she prays she can get an escape from all of that. And on her first day, none other than super star, Johnny Kavanaugh, kicks the rugby ball wrong and smacks her in the back of the head and gives her a concussion.

From there, the characters friendship develops no matter how much distance they try to keep. The angst between them is so good. But there’s also so much character development between them both - learning to trust each other, confiding in each other, etc.

They come from two separate worlds but they’re both looking for the same thing - love and acceptance.

Top tier book full of so many emotions. You’re literally pulling for the characters and hoping they come through on the other side unscathed. ❤️

This book is raw, and gritty and beautiful and real. Its no holds bar on the good the bad and the ugly. It's romance and life. It's happiness meets life as a teenager. For a YA book, it was not what I expected. This was better. If you looking for something that's ugly, and raw and real as well as beautiful in the building of something new, then this book is for you. Please be aware that there are some serious triggers in this book, so please take the warning from the author seriously.

Chloe Walsh's "Binding 13" is a breathtaking journey that transcends the boundaries of young adult romance. This emotionally charged novel explores the transformative power of love and resilience, taking readers on a rollercoaster ride of emotions that is both heart-wrenching and uplifting.

At the heart of the story are Johnny Kavanagh and Shannon Lynch, two characters whose lives intersect in unexpected ways. Johnny, a rugby powerhouse with dreams of greatness, is immediately drawn to Shannon, a girl burdened by a painful past. The novel beautifully unfolds the complexities of their relationship, blending elements of friendship, chemistry, and an unyielding determination to overcome the demons that haunt Shannon.

Walsh's storytelling is both raw and tender, capturing the essence of the characters' struggles and triumphs. The exploration of bullying, hidden pain, and the healing power of connection is handled with sensitivity and authenticity. The characters are impeccably crafted, and their growth throughout the narrative is both believable and inspiring.

The chemistry between Johnny and Shannon is palpable, creating a magnetic pull that keeps readers invested in their journey. Walsh masterfully navigates the highs and lows of their relationship, allowing it to unfold organically, complete with moments of vulnerability, passion, and unwavering support. The love that binds them is portrayed with a depth that goes beyond the typical YA romance, making it a profoundly moving experience for readers.

"Binding 13" is more than a love story; it's a testament to the strength of the human spirit and the capacity for love to heal even the deepest wounds. The novel beautifully explores themes of resilience, self-discovery, and the transformative power of genuine connections. The pacing is impeccable, drawing readers into the characters' lives and holding their hearts captive until the very end.

Heart wrenching and angsty rolled up in an unputdownable sports romance. I’m not usually one that reads books with younger protagonists nowadays, but the writing was so mature and beautiful that it never took me out of it. I need the sequel asap