Binding 13

Binding 13 by Chloe Walsh, first published in 2018, is the first novel in The Boys of Tommen series. A new adult romance novel, it explores the relationship between Shannon Lynch and Johnny Kavanagh, two teenagers living in rural Ireland. Shannon deals with emotional and physical abuse from her father as well as bullying from her peers, while Johnny is the star of the school’s rugby team with dreams of playing for the Irish national team. Shannon and Johnny both deal with their internal problems while struggling with feelings for each other and the impact those feelings will have on their lives. Through their relationship, the text explores The Psychological Effects of Trauma, The Pressure of Athletic Excellence, and The Need for Family and Community Support.

The novel introduces readers to The Boys of Tommen, a series of books that explore the lives of the rugby players from Tommen and their relationships. There are currently two that follow Shannon and Johnny—Binding 13 and Keeping 13 (2018), as well as the forthcoming Adoring 13. The books became popular in 2023 largely due to BookTok, an online community of readers who post about and discuss literature, especially novels in the romance

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