So, you’ve probably seen the "Boys of Tommen" books all over your feed. It's everywhere. TikTok, Instagram, those aesthetic Pinterest boards with rugby balls and rainy Irish landscapes. But here’s the thing—calling it just the Binding 13 series is technically a bit off, even though everyone does it. It’s actually the Boys of Tommen series by Chloe Walsh, and if you're jumping in thinking it's a lighthearted sports romance, you are in for a massive, tear-soaked reality check.
Honestly? It's heavy. Like, really heavy.
Chloe Walsh didn't just write a story about a popular rugby guy and a shy girl. She wrote an 800-page emotional gauntlet that tackles some of the darkest stuff you can find in contemporary fiction. If you’re looking for a quick, fluffy read to kill an afternoon, this isn't it. But if you want a story that lives in your head for months? Keep reading.
Why Binding 13 Isn't Your Average Sports Romance
Most people see the cover of a guy in a rugby jersey and think, "Oh, okay, it's Friday Night Lights but in Ireland." Not even close. Binding 13 follows Shannon Lynch, a fifteen-year-old who has been bullied so relentlessly she’s basically a ghost in her own life. When she transfers to Tommen College, she’s just trying to survive. Then she gets hit in the head with a rugby ball.
Classic meet-cute, right? Wrong. It leads to a concussion and a run-in with Johnny Kavanagh, the school’s golden boy.
Johnny is the star. He's the guy everyone wants to be or be with. But Walsh flips the script. Instead of the typical "jock meets nerd" trope where the guy is a jerk, Johnny is... well, he’s actually decent. He’s protective. He’s obsessed with rugby because it’s his only ticket out of a predictable life, but when he sees Shannon—truly sees her—everything shifts.
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The nuance here is what people often miss. It’s not just about the romance. It’s about the crushing weight of expectation on a seventeen-year-old athlete and the literal life-or-death stakes of Shannon’s home life. The "Binding" in the title isn't just a cute word; it’s about the trauma and the secrets that tie these characters together.
The Reading Order (And Why It Matters)
If you’re confused about where to start, you’re not alone. The series is expanding, and with the new 2025 and 2026 deluxe editions hitting shelves, the "old" covers are becoming collector's items. Here is the actual flow of the story:
- Binding 13: The beginning of Johnny and Shannon's story.
- Keeping 13: The conclusion of their main arc (prepare to sob).
- Saving 6: This jumps to Joey Lynch (Shannon’s brother) and Aoife Molloy. It’s a prequel/parallel story.
- Redeeming 6: The second half of Joey and Aoife’s gut-wrenching journey.
- Taming 7: Focuses on Gerard "Gibsie" Gibson and Claire Biggs.
- Releasing 10: The story of Hughie Biggs and Lizzie Young (released in 2025).
There is also word in the fandom about Adoring 13, which is supposed to be the final word on Johnny and Shannon, and two more books confirmed for 2026—likely Healing 7 and Trusting 12.
Basically, the numbers in the titles correspond to the characters' jersey numbers. It’s a neat detail that makes the "Boys of Tommen" feel like a real team, even when they’re falling apart.
The Gibsie Factor
We need to talk about Gerard "Gibsie" Gibson. He’s the class clown. The comic relief. Except, as you get deeper into the series, specifically in Taming 7, you realize he’s arguably the most complex person in the whole group. Walsh uses him to show how humor is often just a mask for deep-seated trauma.
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Most readers start the series for Johnny, but they stay for Gibsie. The way he protects Shannon—not because he’s in love with her, but because he knows what it’s like to be broken—is some of the best platonic character work in modern romance.
Let’s Address the "Age" Controversy
Is this a Young Adult (YA) series? Technically, the characters are 15 to 18. But calling it YA feels misleading. The "Adult Deluxe" editions released by Bloom Books are a response to this. The series deals with:
- Severe domestic abuse and physical violence.
- Drug addiction and its impact on families.
- Graphic bullying and mental health struggles (including bipolar disorder).
- Mature language and sexual themes.
If you give this to a twelve-year-old because "it's about a school," you’re making a mistake. It’s New Adult. It’s gritty. It’s Irish. And by Irish, I mean the slang is thick and the culture is baked into every page. You’ll be googling "Junior Cert" and "leaving cert" within the first fifty pages.
Why the Fandom is Currently Melting Down
If you go on Reddit or TikTok right now, the Binding 13 community is a bit of a mess. Why? Because of the "Edition Wars."
Basically, the publisher changed the format mid-series. The original indie covers were replaced by the "Bloom" covers with the ombre spines, and now those are being phased out for "Adult Deluxe" editions with sprayed edges and different designs. For collectors who want a matching set on their shelf, it’s a nightmare.
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Beyond the aesthetics, there’s a lot of debate about the 2026 releases. Some fans feel the series is getting too long, while others are desperate for Lizzie and Hughie to get their happy ending after the cliffhanger in Releasing 10.
Actionable Insights for New Readers
If you're about to crack open Binding 13 for the first time, do yourself a favor:
- Check the Trigger Warnings: I'm serious. This isn't a "safe" read. It’s a "cry-into-your-pillow-at-3-AM" read.
- Commit to the Duet: You can't just read Binding 13 and stop. It ends on a cliffhanger that will ruin your week. Have Keeping 13 ready to go.
- Don't Google Joey: If you haven't read Saving 6 yet, stay away from fan art or spoilers about Joey Lynch. His character arc is the emotional backbone of the series, and knowing his fate too early takes away the impact.
- Listen to the Playlist: Chloe Walsh is big on music. Each book has a vibe, and listening to the tracks mentioned (lots of 90s and 2000s hits) really immerses you in that specific era of Ireland.
The Binding 13 series matters because it doesn't look away from the ugly parts of growing up. It’s about the family you’re born into versus the family you choose on a muddy rugby pitch in Cork.
If you want to dive in, start with the 2025 "Adult Deluxe" edition of Binding 13 to ensure you can get a matching set as the new books come out in 2026. Keep some tissues nearby—you’ll need them.