Keeping 13 by Chloe Walsh

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⭐ 3.5/5 Review: Keeping 13 by Chloe Walsh – The Romance Marathon That Never Ends

👉 Grab Keeping 13 on Amazon (affiliate link)

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⚠️ Trigger Warnings

This book contains:

• Child abuse (physical & emotional)

• Domestic violence

• Drug abuse & addiction

• Neglect

• Death by suicide/fire

• Bullying and assault

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My Take

Okay, I’ll be honest: reading Keeping 13 felt like running a marathon. 🏃‍♀️ It’s good, don’t get me wrong — Chloe Walsh knows how to pull you into Johnny + Shannon’s world — but wow, it’s LONG. Like, “my Kindle battery died mid-chapter” long.

The romance is definitely heating up (no surprise there 🔥), there are some genuinely funny lines that break up the heaviness, and the found-family vibes with Johnny’s crew are always a highlight. But… by the end, I started skimming. My attention span just couldn’t keep up with the word count.

So yeah, 3.5 stars ⭐⭐✨⭐ from me. Solid story, lovable characters, but it could’ve been tighter.

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📚 Overview

Keeping 13 (2018) is the second book in the Boys of Tommen series by Chloe Walsh. Originally self-published, this series blew up thanks to TikTok and was later re-published by Bloom Books in 2023. The series blends new adult romance with heavy themes of trauma, healing, and family dynamics.

Chloe Walsh also wrote the Broken and Ocean Bay series, and her books often highlight mental health, showing how love and community can help heal deep wounds. ❤️

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🚨 Spoiler-Filled Plot Summary

(Seriously, spoilers ahead — don’t say I didn’t warn you 👀)

We pick up right after Binding 13. Shannon Lynch is in pieces after yet another violent attack from her father, Teddy. Her brother Joey tries to protect her, but chaos erupts: little Tadhg pulls a knife on their dad, Joey gets pinned down, and Shannon collapses.

Meanwhile, rugby golden boy Johnny Kavanagh is recovering from surgery, but he can’t stop worrying about Shannon. He knows something’s wrong and basically forces emergency services into action. Sure enough, Shannon ends up in the hospital, where her estranged brother Darren also reappears. Family drama level = 🔥🔥🔥.

Marie, Shannon’s mom, is a hot mess — refusing to protect her kids, lashing out at Johnny, and even accusing him of statutory rape (😑 really, Marie?). Despite this, Johnny and Shannon grow closer, sneaking around, building trust, and finally beginning a relationship.

Joey spirals into drug use, Darren tries (and often fails) to keep the family together, and Teddy lurks as a terrifying threat. Johnny is torn between his rugby dreams and his need to protect Shannon. Along the way, there’s bullying from mean girl Bella (ugh), school fights, and plenty of late-night talks between Johnny and Shannon that slowly deepen into love.

💔 Then the tragedy hits. Teddy burns down the Lynch house with Marie inside. Both die. It’s gut-wrenching, and Shannon blames herself while Johnny blames himself too. But in reality, they saved the younger siblings from the fire.

In the aftermath, Johnny’s parents adopt Shannon and her brothers, giving them the stability they’ve never had. Johnny earns a spot on both the U20 and national Irish rugby teams, but in the end, he decides not to jump headfirst into a pro contract. He chooses to return to Tommen for his last year — and stay close to Shannon.

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🎭 Themes

• The power of love to heal trauma (Shannon’s growth with Johnny)

• Community and chosen family (the Kavanaghs stepping up)

• Cycles of abuse (Joey + Teddy + Marie’s failures)

• Finding your own path (Johnny questioning rugby fame vs. relationships)

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🤔 Final Thoughts

So yeah. Keeping 13 has heart, humor, and heat — but also length, length, and more length. If you loved Binding 13, you’ll want to see Johnny & Shannon’s story continue. Just… pack snacks, stretch first, and maybe read in sprints. 🏃‍♀️😂

My rating: 3.5/5 ⭐

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📖 If You Liked Keeping 13, Try:

• Binding 13 (duh — start from the beginning!)

• Off-Campus series by Elle Kennedy (fun, sporty romance)

• The Deal by Elle Kennedy (shorter, snappier but still hot 🏒🔥)

• Things We Never Got Over by Lucy Score (long but equally emotional)

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👉 Get your copy of Keeping 13 here (Amazon affiliate link).