Chloe Walsh's Boys of Tommen is the Irish-set, rugby-school romance saga that became a TikTok phenomenon — six books following a tight-knit friend group through first love, addiction, grief and trauma at Tommen College in County Cork. If you searched "Boys of Tommen in order," the short answer is: start with Binding 13 and read in publication order. But that's not the only defensible order, and the reason why is the most useful thing to know before you start. Here's the full breakdown — the reading orders, the duets, the timeline overlaps, and what the numbers in the titles actually mean.
The Boys of Tommen Series, In Order
Six books, published between 2018 and 2025. Each centres a different couple from the same friend group, and the books are built as duets — some couples get two volumes that function as one continuous story.
1. Binding 13 (July 2018) — Johnny Kavanagh, Tommen's rugby captain bound for the Irish national team, and Shannon Lynch, the shy new girl escaping a violent home. The story that started it all.
2. Keeping 13 (November 2018) — The conclusion of Johnny and Shannon's story. Binding 13 ends on a cliffhanger and Keeping 13 picks up directly — treat these two as one continuous book and have Keeping 13 ready before you finish the first.
3. Saving 6 (June 2020) — Joey Lynch, Shannon's older brother, and Aoife Molloy (pronounced Ee-fa). Joey's addiction arc is the emotional core of the series for a lot of readers. The start of a second duet.
4. Redeeming 6 (April 2023) — The conclusion of Joey and Aoife's story. Read it straight after Saving 6.
5. Taming 7 (April 2024) — Gerard "Gibsie" Gibson, the group's class clown, and Claire Biggs, the sunshine girl next door. Walsh ran a poll on her Facebook page after Redeeming 6 asking which couple readers wanted next; Gibsie and Claire won by a landslide. Readers expecting the fun book did not get the fun book.
6. Releasing 10 (June 2025) — Hugh "Hughie" Biggs and Elizabeth "Lizzie" Young, from childhood crushes to first love. Lizzie was diagnosed with bipolar disorder young and has spent her life feeling like too much. The most recent book in the series.
See all six with covers on the Boys of Tommen series page.
What the Numbers Mean
This trips up almost every new reader: the numbers aren't book numbers. Rugby is the spine of the series, and each title's number is that book's hero's jersey number.
- 13 — Johnny Kavanagh (Binding 13, Keeping 13)
- 6 — Joey Lynch (Saving 6, Redeeming 6)
- 7 — Gerard "Gibsie" Gibson (Taming 7)
- 10 — Hugh Biggs (Releasing 10)
- 12 — Patrick Feely
So Saving 6 is the third book, not the sixth. Once you know the numbers are jerseys, the titles read as what they are: a verb applied to a boy.
The Duet Structure — Why It Matters
The single most useful thing to know before starting: Binding 13 + Keeping 13 are one story split in two (Johnny & Shannon), and Saving 6 + Redeeming 6 are another (Joey & Aoife). The first book of each pair doesn't fully resolve — don't start one without the second on hand.
But the deeper structural fact is this: the two duets aren't sequential — they overlap. Saving 6 begins in 1999 and runs up to Shannon's first day at Tommen, which is where Binding 13 starts. Redeeming 6 then covers largely the same span as Binding 13 and Keeping 13, from Joey's side, before pushing slightly past where they end. Several chapters are the same events seen from a different vantage.
That's why reading order is genuinely contested for this series, and why "publication order" isn't the only reasonable answer.
The Three Reading Orders
There are three defensible ways to read Boys of Tommen. None is wrong; they optimise for different things.
1. Publication order — the default
Binding 13 → Keeping 13 → Saving 6 → Redeeming 6 → Taming 7 → Releasing 10
How the series was written and how most readers experience it. Shannon is the reader's entry point: she's new to Tommen, so she meets the friend group as you do. The trade-off is that after Keeping 13 you jump back to 1999 for Saving 6, then re-cover 2005 from Joey's perspective. Best for: first-time readers who want the intended experience and don't mind the time-jumps.
2. Chronological order — events as they happened
Releasing 10 → Saving 6 → Binding 13 → Keeping 13 → Redeeming 6 → Taming 7
Follows the timeline rather than the publication sequence. Releasing 10 starts in the early '90s with Lizzie as a toddler and runs to summer 2004 — six months before Shannon arrives. The catch: Releasing 10 is widely considered the series' most emotionally punishing book, and starting there means taking the hardest hit with no attachment to the characters yet. Best for: re-readers who already know everyone and want the timeline to run clean.
3. The optimised order — what many long-time readers recommend
Saving 6 → Binding 13 → Keeping 13 → Redeeming 6 → Releasing 10 → Taming 7
A middle path that's gained traction among readers who've finished the series. The logic: start with Joey so you understand the Lynch family before you meet Shannon — it explains why she's so withdrawn in early Binding 13. Read both 13 books before Redeeming 6, because a major Lynch family event lands harder from Shannon and Johnny's perspective first. Then Releasing 10 before Taming 7, because Lizzie's book reveals the link to Gibsie's past that Taming 7 leaves unspoken. Finishing on Taming 7 also means ending furthest forward in the timeline, which is where the story picks up next. Best for: readers who want maximum payoff and minimum backtracking.
The Timeline, Book by Book
If you want to see why the orders differ, here's what each book actually covers:
- Releasing 10 — early 1990s to summer 2004 (earliest)
- Saving 6 — 1999 to 2005, ending as Shannon starts at Tommen
- Binding 13 — January 2005 to spring 2005
- Keeping 13 — spring 2005 to autumn 2005
- Redeeming 6 — overlaps Binding 13 and Keeping 13, then extends past them
- Taming 7 — present-day autumn 2005 to early winter 2006, with childhood flashbacks (ends furthest forward)
The whole saga spans roughly 1999 to 2007, set in the fictional town of Ballylaggin in County Cork, with Tommen College — a fictional private secondary school — at its centre. Walsh sets it deliberately pre-smartphone: the early-2000s texture is part of the appeal.
Before You Start: Two Practical Notes
The Irish is not a barrier. The books are written in Cork vernacular and use Irish names that don't read the way they look. The US editions include a glossary of Irish terms and a name pronunciation guide at the front — worth a look before chapter one. (Aoife is "Ee-fa." That one catches everyone.)
Taming 7 ends on a cliffhanger that no published book resolves. Whichever order you choose, be aware that the series is ongoing and Taming 7's ending is currently unanswered. Walsh rarely uses social media; she communicates with readers mainly through Spotify playlists she builds for the series.
Frequently Asked Questions
Do I have to read Boys of Tommen in order?
Yes. Each book centres a different couple, but the friend group is shared, the timelines overlap, and later books reference events from earlier ones. The duets in particular — Binding 13/Keeping 13 and Saving 6/Redeeming 6 — must be read as pairs, in sequence. Which overall order you choose is up to you; that there is an order is not optional.
Is Binding 13 a cliffhanger?
Yes. Binding 13 is the first half of a duet and does not resolve. Have Keeping 13 ready before you reach the end.
What do the numbers in the titles mean?
They're rugby jersey numbers, not book numbers. 13 is Johnny Kavanagh, 6 is Joey Lynch, 7 is Gibsie, 10 is Hughie, 12 is Patrick Feely.
Which Boys of Tommen book should I start with?
Binding 13 if you want the standard experience. Saving 6 if you'd rather meet the Lynch family before Shannon's story — a common recommendation from readers who've finished the series.
Are the Boys of Tommen books standalones?
No. Each book completes one couple's arc, but they share a timeline and cast, and two of them end mid-story by design.
Is Taming 7 a standalone?
No — and it's the book most affected by what you've read before it. Gibsie and Claire's story leans on context established elsewhere, particularly in Releasing 10, and it ends on an unresolved cliffhanger.
Is the Boys of Tommen series finished?
No. Releasing 10 (June 2025) is the most recent book, and Taming 7's cliffhanger remains open. Walsh has indicated more books are coming, but as of now no further title has a confirmed release date.
How many books are in Boys of Tommen?
Six, as of Releasing 10 in June 2025.
Where to Start
Start with Binding 13 — it's book one and the entry point everyone means when they talk about this BookTok phenomenon. Just go in knowing it's the first half of a duet, so line up Keeping 13 before you hit the end.
If you're drawn to the series for its friends-to-lovers and brother's-best-friend dynamics, Taming 7 is the fan favourite — but it lands hardest after you've read everything before it. And if you want the order that long-time readers swear by, start with Saving 6 instead and meet the Lynches first.
Chloe Walsh has written several other series too; you'll find them all on her author page.