Keeping 13 by Chloe Walsh

With Keeping 13, Chloe Walsh doesn’t just continue the story of Johnny Kavanagh and Shannon Lynch—she elevates it. The second installment in the Boys of Tommen series is a raw, emotionally honest, and gut-wrenching exploration of trauma and young love. Where Binding 13 introduced readers to the sheltered and scarred Shannon and the golden-boy rugby star Johnny, Keeping 13 strips both characters of their protective layers, forcing them to confront painful truths and forge a path forward—separately and together.

Set in Cork, Ireland, the story leans into the realism of teenage suffering, psychological abuse, and family dysfunction, all wrapped within a love story that dares to be vulnerable. It’s not a simple romance—it’s a war of healing.

Boys of Tommen Series Line-Up

1. Binding 13 (2018)
2. Keeping 13 (2018)
3. Saving 6 (2023)
4. Redeeming 6 (2023)
5. Taming 7 (2024)
6. Releasing 10 (2025)

Each book serves as a piece in an emotional mosaic that captures the joys and brutality of adolescence with unflinching honesty.

Storyline: Not Every Battle Is Waged on the Field

The plot picks up in the aftermath of Binding 13, with Johnny suffering a devastating rugby injury and Shannon reeling from the trauma inflicted by her abusive father and an uncaring system. Now living under the care of Johnny’s family, Shannon struggles to feel safe. The novel explores her emotional paralysis, her hypervigilance, and the love she cannot fully believe she deserves.

Johnny, meanwhile, is forced to redefine his identity beyond the rugby pitch. His injury acts as a crucible that exposes his own emotional immaturity and deep-seated fears about being enough—not just as a player, but as a person.

Walsh doesn’t rely on melodrama to propel the plot; instead, she builds it slowly, through character choices, interpersonal conflict, and the long shadow of secrets left unspoken. The result is a richly layered narrative that feels both intimate and immense.

Writing Craft: A Deep Emotional Current

Chloe Walsh’s prose is rich in introspection and internal tension. She opts for extended chapters from both protagonists’ perspectives, allowing the reader full access to their emotional arcs. Her style in Keeping 13 is noticeably more refined than in its predecessor, with greater attention to pacing and tone control.

The dialogue retains its Irish authenticity—full of slang, warmth, and nuance—grounding the story in place and culture. The emotional beats hit hard, particularly in scenes where vulnerability is exposed not through declarations, but through silences, gestures, and shared space.

While the novel’s length could be daunting for some readers, Walsh uses the space to build emotional intimacy. Every chapter deepens our understanding of the characters and their trauma, making each moment of growth that much more powerful.

Character Insights: Layers of Strength and Struggle

Shannon Lynch: The Survivor’s Road

Shannon’s journey is painstakingly slow, as it should be. Walsh does not allow for instant recovery or romantic rescue. Instead, Shannon’s PTSD, fear responses, and mistrust are written with psychological accuracy. She is not merely a victim but a fierce protector of her brothers and, in time, of herself. Her growth lies in reclaiming her voice, her agency, and her right to be loved on her own terms.

Johnny Kavanagh: Identity Reimagined

Johnny’s injury strips away the only identity he’s ever known. What emerges is a boy who learns to listen, to nurture, and to let go of control. His protectiveness toward Shannon is beautiful, but Keeping 13 shows that real love isn’t about shielding someone—it’s about supporting them through their darkness without trying to fix them.

The Supporting Cast

• Joey Lynch is a storm waiting to break. His internal torment is palpable, laying the groundwork for Saving 6 and Redeeming 6.
• Gibsie and Claire add moments of much-needed levity, functioning as the emotional lifeboats that keep the story from sinking into despair.
• Darren Lynch and Mrs. Kavanagh challenge the reader’s understanding of right and wrong within complex moral situations.

Core Themes Explored

1. Post-Traumatic Growth: Keeping 13 doesn’t present healing as a straight line. Shannon’s setbacks are real, sometimes painful to read, but ultimately a testament to her resilience.
2. Masculinity Without Toxicity: Johnny’s journey dismantles the stereotype of the stoic, emotionally distant male lead. His strength lies in his ability to be open.
3. Love as Sanctuary, Not Salvation: The love story isn’t built on fixing one another but on creating a safe space to unravel and rebuild. Walsh portrays romance as a tool for self-discovery—not a cure-all.
4. Family—By Blood and By Choice: The Kavanaghs and the Lynches represent two ends of the spectrum. One nurtures, the other destroys. But even within dysfunction, there is complexity, especially in characters like Darren and Joey.

Highlights of the Novel

• Dual POV that enriches both character arcs
• Authentic Irish setting and dialogue
• Complex, realistic portrayal of trauma and its ripple effects
• Multidimensional supporting characters with future arcs
• Moments of humor and warmth that balance the darkness

Points of Critique

1. Length and Pacing: Some subplots could have been condensed or omitted to quicken the pace without sacrificing emotional intensity.
2. Overreliance on Miscommunication: While conflict is essential, a few moments of misunderstanding between Shannon and Johnny felt repetitive, creating artificial tension.
3. Abrupt Chapter Endings: The narrative occasionally shifts quickly between major scenes without enough closure, which might disorient readers during emotionally charged transitions.
4. Limited Development for Some Side Arcs: Claire’s storyline, for example, is hinted at but left mostly untouched—possibly due to series progression, but still noticeable.

Series Continuity: How Keeping 13 Bridges the Tommen Universe

This book serves as the anchor between the heartbreak of Binding 13 and the deeper character examinations that follow:

• Saving 6 and Redeeming 6 give Joey the voice he desperately needs.
• Taming 7 follows Gibsie, whose humor belies his emotional complexity.
• Releasing 10, the latest (2025), is expected to bring the series full circle.

Walsh’s ambition to give each character a full arc across multiple books makes Tommen feel less like a high school and more like a living, breathing world.

Comparable Reads

For readers who enjoy heavy themes balanced with intense romance:

• All Your Perfects by Colleen Hoover
• A Love Letter to Whiskey by Kandi Steiner
• Heart Bones by Colleen Hoover
• The Gravity of Us by Brittainy C. Cherry

Walsh’s voice fits snugly among these emotionally charged authors, but her Irish backdrop and school sports focus give her novels a distinct flavor.

About the Author: Chloe Walsh

Chloe Walsh is not new to emotionally complex romances. From The Carter Kids to The Broken Series, her books have always explored the gray areas of love, pain, and self-worth. With the Boys of Tommen, she finds her strongest voice yet—one that refuses to simplify difficult topics, even in a genre often prone to clichés.

Conclusion: Why Keeping 13 Matters

Keeping 13 is a novel of survival—not just from abuse, but from self-doubt, grief, and fear. It takes everything that Binding 13 set up and deepens it, making the reader work through the tough stuff for the reward of genuine emotional resolution.

Though not without flaws, its heart beats strong and sure. It is a book for readers who don’t just want a romance—they want to feel every ache and triumph of the characters they invest in. And in that, Chloe Walsh more than delivers.