Binding 13: A Rugby Sports Romance (Boys of Tommen #1) Paperback – February 5, 2020

CHLOE. WALSH is a love story goddess! HOLY MOLY. I have no idea why I waited so long to start this series! I was under the impression ( clearly not enough looking in my part) that this was a YA story. Absolutely not! Subject matter is 10000% adult! This was BEAUTIFUL! There are so many things to say, but I’m going to keep this spoiler free and as quick as possible. Number one, the character are absolutely the best of anything I have read. Their history, their relationships, their growth, the dynamics( family, friendship, love, academic) , their growth and the subject matter was all the best of the best. Written so eloquently, so in depth and you are sucked in from the start. I also listen to the audiobook along with reading and it was TOP OF THE LINE narration. This was not a short book by any street, and it kept me so interested, I finished in one sitting!!! Beautiful cliff hanger, beautiful story and Chloe Walsh is insanely talented. Phenomenal!

I LOVED JOHNNY AND SHANNON! Johnny was chef's kiss and I loved all of his rugged and soft sides. He's the exact definition of kind, possessive, and witty, and I'm here for it! Shannon is very different from him, coming from a dysfunctional household and lacking self esteem, and I related SO much to her. However, Shannon isn't spineless, and I loved how she stood up to others to protect herself. As a couple, these two are so perfect together, and I loved reading their healing and romantic journey. I loved how every side character was purposeful and Claire and Gibsie's side story was also so intriguing. Other than the main couple, it had to be them two that stole my heart, LOL.This book was the perfect balance of angst, sadness, comedy, and romance, and I laughed just as hard as I cried. Gibsie and Johnny's friendship is so wholesome and chaotic at the same time, and I'm here for it!I normally don't buy books and prefer to borrow from the library, but DAMN, I loved this book so much I bought this one and Keeping 13. Chloe Walsh absolutely outdid herself in this beautifully written book!

Binding 13 was very hyped up on social media, and after hearing all the buzz, I finally got around to reading it. The book was definitely good – I liked it a lot – but I wouldn’t say it blew my world. At times, it felt a little dragged out, and I honestly just realized there’s a part 2, which caught me by surprise.While I fully understand the sensitivity of the bullying topic, I struggled to connect with Shannon. I sympathized with her, but my inner warrior had a hard time accepting that she didn’t stand up for herself. Even though I know it’s a very realistic scenario, it made my blood boil at times. To me, her story felt a little too much like a “victim/damsel in distress” trope, which I couldn’t fully get behind.That said, I really enjoyed the jokes and bickering between the characters – it was genuinely funny and added a nice dynamic. Overall, it was a great read, and I will definitely check out book 2, but it wasn’t the earth-shattering experience I had hoped for.

I absolutely loved this story! It was a phenomenal read and completely engaging from the very beginning. These characters are so well written and pull on your heartstrings with what they have going on and how they are trying to handle it all. Shannon has been bullied pretty much from the time she started school and things have only gotten worse for her. And her home life with her father is just as bad if not worse. Things finally get so bad at school that her mom pulls her right before Christmas break and enrolls her at Tommen College with her starting for second term right after the first of the year. Shannon has no idea what to expect but is hopeful that things will be better and she won't be such a target and alone. She has her two best friends she found in primary school but they both went to Tommen so she is excited to join them there. She is hoping to be able to hide and fly under the radar and not become a target again. She has no idea what is headed her direction. On her first day she ends up having a run in on the rugby pitch and catches a ball to the head and a tumble down a hill from that Johnny kicked and it changes everything for both of them. Johnny did not mean to do it and feels horrible and in the midst of helping her to the office and staying with her they have an instant connection, one that neither of them really knows what to do or how to handle. It brings out Johnny's protective instincts and side instantly and he makes sure that Shannon isn't going to be talked about. I loved seeing them both grapple with that instant connection and them both trying to keep things under the radar and not making any moves for more but they are so drawn to each other that a friendship starts as they just can't avoid it. Both know they feel something more but neither believe it can turn into anything for different reasons but that connection is there. Johnny pays attention to her and knows that something is going on and he wants to protect her and keep her safe. He is also dealing with an injury that he is trying to hide the extent of in order to chase his professional rugby dreams. While it takes time to get there the more time they spend together building their friendship and connection the more they flirt closer at the edge of being more. Shannon still has her walls up especially regarding who is hurting her but other walls are coming down with Johnny and she is sharing other pieces of herself that she doesn't share with anyone else. I loved watching their dynamic grow and change throughout this story. I loved Johnny and his protective instincts and how he interacted with Shannon without pushing her too far. This story is well done and absolutely gets your emotions engaged and tugs on your heartstrings without. I loved seeing the character development throughout this story. It isn't short and thank God for that as we really needed the length to get the depth out of the story and the characters. As things start coming to a head and secrets coming out the bond they share is undeniable and something they are both coming to rely on. This book had plenty that kept me engaged without and has me addicted to this world and these characters. It does end on a cliffhanger and I absolutely need the next one asap to get more of Johnny and Shannon and see how things all play out!