Keeping 13

Keeping 13 (2018) is a new adult romance novel by Chloe Walsh. It is the second novel in the Boys of Tommen series that follows the lives of several high school students growing up in the Irish city of Cork. Originally self-published by Walsh, the novel, as well as its prequel, Binding 13 (2018), gained popularity largely through video recommendations on the social media site TikTok. As a result, the novels were republished by Bloom Books in 2023, with several more novels in the Boys of Tommen series planned for future publication.

Walsh is the author of multiple romance collections, including the Ocean Bay and Broken series. As a “passionate advocate for mental health awareness,” many of Walsh’s novels focus on the impact of trauma on young people and the importance of relationships in healing (“About,” Chloe Walsh). In Keeping 13, Walsh explores the relationship between Shannon, who has been emotionally and physically abused by her father for years, and Johnny, who struggles to understand what Shannon has been through given his own supportive family. The novel explores themes of The Power of Love to Heal and Transform, The Importance of Community, and The Lasting Impact of Trauma through their romantic relationship as well as their families and friends.

This guide uses the 2023 paperback edition of the novel published by Bloom Books.

Content Warning: The source text and this guide discuss emotional and physical abuse and alcohol and substance use disorders.

Plot Summary

Shannon Lynch watches as her brother, Joey, confronts their mother, insisting that she leave their father or he is going to take his siblings and leave. Having just been physically assaulted by her father, Shannon lies with her head on the table, unable to move. She watches as her father, Teddy, pins Joey to the ground. Her 11-year-old brother, Tadhg, intervenes by brandishing a knife and threatening to kill their father if he doesn’t leave. As Shannon loses consciousness, she hears her father leave and hears the voice of Joey’s girlfriend, Aoife.

At a hospital in Dublin, Johnny Kavanagh recovers from surgery after his injury on the rugby field. He remembers talking with Shannon the night before, but he can’t remember what she said about her father. Aware that something is wrong, he repeatedly calls Joey but gets no answer. Johnny tells his best friend Gibsie that he thinks Shannon’s father might be abusing her. Gibsie calls Shannon’s friend Claire and learns that Johnny is right. Johnny calls emergency services and tells them to go to Shannon’s address.

Shannon wakes up in the hospital and is shocked to see her older brother Darren, who left home five years ago. Darren argues with Joey about how to handle the situation: Darren wants to tell social services that their mother can raise the children with Darren’s help, while Joey feels that their mother is partially responsible for what happened to them. Joey angrily leaves, leaving Shannon alone with Darren. Although she is angry at her mother and doesn’t trust Darren, she wants to keep their family together.

When Johnny gets home, he demands that his parents take him to Shannon’s, but they refuse, still not convinced that Johnny is right about Teddy. However, when Joey calls and tells Johnny that Shannon is in the hospital, Johnny’s parents apologize, and his father drives him to the hospital.

As Johnny’s father goes to the nurse’s station, Johnny sees Shannon in her room and goes in to talk to her. The two talk about what happened in her home and what is going to happen next, but Shannon’s mother, Marie, comes in and angrily demands that Johnny leave. As Johnny’s father drags him out of the room, Marie tells Johnny that he needs to stay out of their private business.

A week later, Johnny convinces Gibsie to take him to Shannon’s house to see her. They pick up Claire along the way. Darren stops them at the door, but Shannon brushes past him and tells Darren she is going out with her friends. As they get into the car, Joey arrives at home, and Shannon realizes that Joey is high. Gibsie drags him into the car, then he and Johnny help him shower at Johnny’s house. That night, Shannon ends up staying over at Johnny’s, and the two spend the night talking on the couch.

The next morning, Johnny’s mother Edel comes home after Marie called her all night demanding to know where Shannon was. Edel is initially angry at Johnny, but she softens when she sees Shannon. She gives Shannon and Joey breakfast, then takes them home. Marie comes out of the house and immediately starts yelling at Shannon and Edel. Marie accuses Johnny of statutory rape, and Edel demands that she leave her son alone. Johnny drags his mother back into the car.

Over the next several weeks, Johnny and Shannon spend more and more time together. They see each other at school, and Shannon becomes increasingly willing to defy Darren and go to Johnny’s house. Johnny resists the urge to have sex with Shannon until he is sure she is ready.

Shannon learns that her father is going to rehab. After he completes his treatment, he will be free until the court hearing several months away. At home, Joey is increasingly absent, as Darren becomes frustrated with their mother and at trying to raise their younger brothers. Though he does not want Shannon to be with Johnny, he stops trying to control her.

Meanwhile, Johnny is cleared to go back to rugby practice. However, he is slowly realizing that there are more important things in life—like Shannon and his friends—and he is unsure whether he wants to pursue the national team.

One day, Johnny sees Shannon’s two-year-old brother Sean looking out the window of her house. He knocks on the door, and her brothers Ollie and Tadhg tell him that their mother has not gotten out of bed, and they haven’t eaten. He takes them to McDonald’s, then realizes he doesn’t know what to do with them. He ends up taking them back to his mother, who feeds them cake and struggles not to cry, seeing how neglected they are. Johnny’s father insists that they call Joey to take the boys home to avoid Johnny getting in trouble.

That night, Shannon and Johnny have sex for the first time, though they are interrupted by Johnny’s mom. She drives Shannon home, giving her a lecture about not letting Johnny control her. That night, Johnny comes over and sleeps in Shannon’s bed, having promised to spend the night with her after their first time together.

One night, after going to the movies with Gibsie, Johnny, and Claire, Shannon sees her father in the parking lot. She vomits out of fear, but Johnny walks up to her father and punches him. When he insults Shannon, Johnny punches him again, insisting that he stay away from Shannon.

A few days later, at school, Shannon is assaulted by Bella Wilcox, a girl Johnny used to have sex with. Shannon tries to stand up for herself, but Bella overpowers her, smearing her clothes with food, dumping water over her, and writing on her cheeks with lipstick. After Bella leaves, Shannon calls Joey to come get her.

When Joey arrives to get Shannon, he confronts Johnny in the parking lot, but Johnny insists he knows nothing about it. When Shannon comes outside, Johnny realizes that Bella is responsible. He sees Bella and her boyfriend, Cormac, crossing the parking lot. He goes to hit Cormac, but Joey steps in first, punching Cormac in the face. When Bella insults Joey, Aoife steps in, hitting Bella. Principal Twomey breaks up the fight and insists everyone come to his office.

Waiting outside Twomey’s office, Bella and Cormac continue to argue with Shannon and her friends but are interrupted by Joey being led out of the office in handcuffs. The parents follow, with Bella’s mother demanding that Bella apologize to Shannon. However, Johnny tells her to save her apology and keep her daughter away from Shannon.

As Darren comes out of the office, he apologizes to Johnny and admits he was wrong about him. Johnny’s father follows, still talking with the principal. He tells Twomey that he is going to defend Joey in court and will also represent Shannon if she decides to press charges against the school. When Twomey tells them that Bella has been suspended, Johnny’s dad insists that’s not good enough, and the two go back into the office to continue talking.

Joey is released from jail that night, but he comes home high. He and his mother fight, and Joey leaves. In the yard, Shannon watches as he tells Aoife to leave, then walks up the street. Darren gets in his car to find him, and then Shannon goes back to her room to wait for Joey, but instead, her father comes back. He tells her simply to go to her room, then joins Marie in the kitchen. Shannon hears Marie protesting as she goes to her room and calls Johnny to come help.

Johnny helps Shannon and her three brothers escape the house. Marie stays behind, telling Johnny to leave and tell her children she is sorry. Reluctantly, Johnny leaves, then goes back to his house with Shannon and the boys.

Later that night, Johnny learns that Teddy burned down the house with Marie and himself inside. Although he is devastated and says he should have done more, both his father and Gibsie assure him that he saved the boys’ lives and couldn’t have done any more for Marie.

Over the next several days, Shannon grieves, as Joey goes through withdrawal and prepares for rehab. Johnny does his best to give Shannon space while dealing with his regrets over Marie’s death. That Saturday, however, he has a session with The Academy to try out for the national rugby teams. The night before, Shannon comes to his room for the first time since her parents’ deaths. The two talk about that night, as Shannon reassures Johnny that she saved her brothers’ lives.

Johnny makes both the U20 and the National Irish Rugby teams. He leaves for a month, as Shannon finishes her year at Tommen. Johnny’s parents legally adopt Shannon and her siblings—with Darren’s support—and her siblings begin to flourish under their care. When Johnny returns, he is shocked by how healthy and happy Shannon looks. He confides that he was offered a two-year contract with the National Team in Dublin.

Over the next week, Johnny debates whether to take the contract, realizing that if he does, he will be giving up time with Shannon, his friends, and his family. Ultimately, he decides to return to Tommen for his final year and pursue professional rugby in the future.