Johnny has been focused, single minded really about rugby for years and years. He is the overachiever. He has a big goal: play for Ireland. He has made his body a well-oiled machine. Feeding several times a day with healthy meals. Training all the time. No going out. No living like a normal teenager.

Binding 13 | Chloe Walsh | 9780349439259 | NetGalley Binding 13 | Chloe Walsh | 9780349439259 | NetGalley

The power and pain of first love has never been more deeply felt than in Chloe Walsh's extraordinary stories about the irresistible Boys of Tommen, which will give you the ultimate book hangover. If you're looking for a beautifully written, heart wrenching, hilarious book . . . and want one hell of a book hangover, then do yourself a favour and read these pronto'OK here is the deal: I read these two books in a row while I had several ARCs to read and much awaited books coming in my mailbox. She'll have my babies- You'll have my babies won't you? Say it," Johnny groaned, clutching my hand. "Tell me you'll have my babies. Just tell me you will," he begged loudly. "Just say it, Shannon! Please! I can't take it."' Life has never been easy for Shannon Lynch. Bullied and tortured, she arrives at Tommen College mid-way through the school year praying for a fresh start and desperate to shake off the demons that plague her. Following a devastating injury that has left him sidelined and stripped of his beloved number 13 jersey, Johnny is struggling to hold onto his dreams. Lost, insecure, and desperately seeking comfort, he sets his sights on unraveling the mystery of the girl with the midnight-blue eyes. With his best friend, Gibsie, by his side, Johnny embarks on his quest of exposing the secrets surrounding the girl who haunts his every waking hour.

‎Binding 13 on Apple Books

How you condition someone to obey for years and years. Because there sill be consequences. And even adults can’t find their way out and begin to find excuses for their abuser. Chloe Walsh did an excellent job here depicting the brain washing. How manipulators can make you believe that it’s your fault what’s happening. It’s your fault if they are beating you. It’s your fault if they beat your beloved ones because YOU made THEM angry. You are worthless and guilty. That’s so unusual for contemporary NA romances! You find these big books in Fantasy like Sarah J Maas and Cassandra Clare but not contemporary. If you’re looking for a beautifully written, heart wrenching, hilarious book . . . and want one hell of a book hangover, then do yourself a favour and read these pronto’ Because the female character Shannon is the definition of damsel in distress. Or a small mouse perfect meal for all mean cats *and there are plenty in the story* around her.

Binding 13 is the explosive first installment of a brand-new series from Chloe Walsh. Based in Ireland, the Boys Of Tommen series is bound to captivate and lure you into the world of rugby, love, and teenage heartbreak. Johnny is tall, muscled, future rugby star. Handsome. Smart. Like really brilliant. Protective. Loyal to his friends and Shannon. Good. He is above all else a very good person. Thrown through a hoop over her feelings for him, and desperate to keep a low-profile, Shannon finds herself once again the target of bullies as she forms a fragile alliance with rugby's rising star. Falling into a complicated friendship and grappling with their undeniable chemistry, Johnny and Shannon must face obstacles that threaten their relationship. I know this is a used and abused trope. But you could compare with Cinderella. When the Prince falls in love with the poor girl. Blame it on Disney if I love this trope! Especially when it is perfectly executed like Chloe Walsh did here.