Reviews tagging 'Toxic relationship'

Binding 13 by Chloe Walsh

69 reviews

emotional inspiring sad fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven: A mix
Strong character development: Yes
Loveable characters: Yes

Expand filter menu Content Warnings
emotional reflective sad tense slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven: Character
Strong character development: Yes
Loveable characters: Complicated
Diverse cast of characters: Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus: Yes

Expand filter menu Content Warnings
emotional hopeful sad tense fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven: Character
Strong character development: Yes
Loveable characters: Complicated
Diverse cast of characters: Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus: Complicated

Expand filter menu Content Warnings
dark emotional funny hopeful informative inspiring sad tense medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven: A mix
Strong character development: Yes
Loveable characters: Yes
Diverse cast of characters: Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus: N/A

My heart has been taken out, thrown around and thrown back in. I’m left with no words 

Expand filter menu Content Warnings
dark sad medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven: Character
Strong character development: Complicated

The cliffhanger made me pick up the next book immediately. It's so intense, I just hope it gets better for them.

Expand filter menu Content Warnings
emotional hopeful sad tense fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven: A mix
Strong character development: Yes
Loveable characters: Yes
Diverse cast of characters: No
Flaws of characters a main focus: Yes

TW domestic and child abuse

After experiencing horrific bulling, Shannon transfers to a private school where she meets Johnny, the rugby captain. 

This book was not at all what I was expecting. I went in blind thinking it was a cute sports romance, it was not. It was such a rollercoaster, I experienced a whole gamut of emotions reading this book. It completely tore my heart out and I am hoping that part 2 puts it back together. It sucked me in, I devoured it this book in 2 days. I will be starting book 2 immediately! 

Shannon has been tormented by her peers since kindergarten and it has only gotten worse as she grew up.
She has no safe space in her life because when she goes home she receives the exact same treatment from her physically abusive alcoholic father who always targets her.
Her transfer to Tommen has changed her life for the better. Finally, school is her safe space, a place where she feels like she finally belongs. She owes much of this to Johnny.

Johnny is the rugby Captain who has put so much pressure on his own shoulders. His goal in life is to play professional rugby and he will stop nothing to get there, he is a machine. He suffered an injury that is he never let heal so he's constantly in pain and it puts his career in jeopardy. After meeting Shannon, he feels instantly drawn to her, these feelings confuse him and he doesn't know what to do about it. He wants Shannon, but keeps her at arms length. 

I love these two together. They both have experienced their own forms of trauma and quickly bond to one another. In a way they're each other's safe havens, Johnny will stop at nothing to protect Shannon and Shannon wants to take care of Johnny. I love that their friendship is built up through this book, it is made for an incredibly strong emotional connection between the two of them. 

I really enjoyed the whole cast of characters in this book and I'm looking forward to reading their stories as well. 

I did find that the book was a little too long and a bit repetitive, I think it could have been edited back a bit. 

Tropes: opposites attract, athlete/shy girl, high School , friends to lovers, slow burn, sports romance (rugby)

Expand filter menu Content Warnings
challenging emotional funny hopeful inspiring sad tense medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven: Character
Strong character development: Complicated
Loveable characters: Yes
Diverse cast of characters: Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus: Yes

Expand filter menu Content Warnings
emotional funny mysterious sad tense slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven: A mix
Strong character development: Yes
Loveable characters: Yes
Diverse cast of characters: Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus: N/A

This book broke me. Fixed me. Then broke me in the end. I need book two rn

The Beginning of the story where Johnny and Shan met was interesting and it developed into something I never knew I needed in my life.

Shannon, my beautiful brave baby, she is too observant with everyone and everything. Her story changed me in ways that I never thought I knew. She was bullied her whole life and it always got worse, til shit finally hit the fan and she change schools and met Jonathan Kavanagh, my precious stubborn boy, you're an idiot mate but he found her.

Don't get me started on the cliffhanger, I despise her mom more than her dad. I hope she goes to court with these fuckers with the help of Kavanagh's dad

Expand filter menu Content Warnings
adventurous dark emotional funny hopeful reflective sad tense medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven: Character
Strong character development: Yes
Loveable characters: Complicated
Diverse cast of characters: Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus: Yes

omg idk if I’m meant to give it 5 stars or 4.75 b it this book has definitely changed everything for me. Shannon and Johnny are my favourites 

Expand filter menu Content Warnings
challenging emotional informative inspiring reflective sad tense slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven: Plot
Strong character development: Yes
Loveable characters: Yes
Diverse cast of characters: Complicated
Flaws of characters a main focus: Yes

“Binding 13” 🏉 This is not a happy, smutty romance but it’s extremely touching and well written. Prepare to listen with tissues because Chloe Walsh will take you on a roller coaster with this series. It’s a very slow burn, very detailed to make it great into a TV series. The humorous banter was definitely needed with the heaviness of Shannon’s life. Johnny falling in love with the girl who needed him desperately was so great. My only thing was that Johnny was so focused on becoming a rugby star for Ireland that he would known it would have been silly to play for his school when he needed to be in top shape for his future and club team. I love the accents in the audio narration. Definitely read the trigger warnings. Also, the worst way to end - sorry Chloe but the cliff hanger choked me, (I’m happy Keeping 13 was already out when I listened to this series).
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️.25
🌶️ (only because sex it talked about a lot but no smut)
🎧🎧🎧🎧

Expand filter menu Content Warnings