Binding 13 review

 

Book: Binding 13

Author: Chloe Walsh

Pages: 611

Date(s) Read: February 28^th, 2026 to April 27^th, 2026

Date Published: September 26^th, 2023

Rating: 5/5

Genre: Romance, Contemporary Romance

Characters: 5/5

Writing style: 5/5

Story: 5/5

Ending:  5/5

Cover: 3/5

Format: Kindle

Date Bought: November 28^th, 2025

Book Cost: $1.99 

Review:

I just finished reading Binding 13 at 3:30 am and am bawling my eyes out. What a whirlwind, moving novel. I have to admit, I did not expect to like a teen novel like this as much as I did.

In Binding 13 we follow 15-year-old Shannon as she transfers high schools after severe bullying. Shannon has a tumultuous family life, which makes matters worse. On her first day of school, she is hit with a rugby ball and meets the school star rugby player, Johnny, whose world is forever changed after accidentally injuring her. As they both slowly fall for one another, they both contend with the trials and tribulations of family and school expectations as well as their growing feelings for one another.

I was not prepared for how stirring this book would be. I haven't been 16 in 20 years, and yet all those elevated feelings and emotions of being that age rushed back to me. This novel really conveys the ups and downs of being a teenager, especially one who deals with an abusive father and severe bullying, both of which I went through. 

I found Shannons family dynamic interesting because this novel sheds light on something no one talks about that comes from abusive households, and that is the complicity of the enabling parent who tolerates and allows the abuse. My father was verbally and mentally abusive. As much as I loved my mother, when I look back on those years, I realize, like Shannons mother, my mom allowed it. To get to see it from an outside perspective is really earth-shattering because when you're in it you don't really see it as much as you should; you're so hyper-focused on the abusive parent. I thought her relationship with her brothers was also interesting as well and made me think a lot of how my brother and I have bonded and become close after the trauma we went through with both our father and the loss of our mother after her death.  

This is a book that is funny and engaging at times with really witty banter and a wonderful slow-burn romance, but there's also a lot of emotional devastation. Definitely bring a tissue box to your read-through of Binding 13. It's not my usual thing, as I'm not really a fan of contemporary romance, but I could not stop thinking about this novel throughout my time reading it. If you have even a passing interest in romance, this needs to be on your radar, especially if you're in high school.