books like Binding 13 (depending on what you loved about it)
okay, first things first.
i’m not a huge high school romance reader.
the older i get, the less interested i am in reading about teenagers falling in love.
but…
i will always appreciate a romance that makes me feel something. and binding 13 is in my library for a reason. johnny and shannon are soft, painfully slow, emotional, and the kind of couple you end up rooting for way more than you expected. (plus i’m a sucker for a protective guy… i’m just a girl)
and with boys of tommen officially coming to prime video, i have a feeling a lot more people are about to fall in love with them.
if you’ve already finished them and you’re looking for something to scratch that itch…
i’ve got you.
just know these aren’t carbon copies.
and honestly?
what fun would that be? these are books i’d recommend based on the parts of binding 13 you loved most.
before you go looking for another book…
binding 13 + keeping 13
read both.
seriously.
book previews
start here
if it was the sports romance…
say you swear
immediately.
you will love noah riley. trust.
it’s a sports romance with actual feelings. now, it is friends to lovers (which i’m usually a hater of) but this one is damn good. plus it’s college, he falls first, yearning, the whole nine yards.
Say You Swear
✓ on kindle unlimitedhe saw her for who she truly was while she chased the friend she’d loved for years, and when everything finally fell apart, he was waiting.
the right move
ryan shay.
if you don’t know him… girl you need to.
that’s my argument.
but this is also one of my favorite softer sports romances. sweet, emotional, and the kind of mmc that slowly raises your standards and then all of a sudden they’re so high no one can meet them.
The Right Move
✓ on kindle unlimitedafter a rough time in her life, she moves into her friend’s brother’s place, but the busy pro basketball player isn’t exactly thrilled about the unexpected roommate.
from lukov with love
if what you really loved was waiting…
and waiting…
and waiting…
this is your book.
a little enemies to lovers action. think figure skaters who despise each other, but then have to compete together…
hot.
but soft, not super spicy so, prepare your expectations.
From Lukov with Love
✓ on kindle unlimitedso much tension for two people who supposedly can’t stand each other.
if it was the school atmosphere…
close to you
soft.
that’s the word.
if you want another school setting with the emotional destruction hitting hard, this is such an easy read to fall into.
but
like no spice. literally like zero.
Close to You
✕ not on kindle unlimitedif it was the young love…
the bronze horseman
young love in absolutely impossible circumstances.
very different story.
very different setting.
but if what got you about johnny and shannon was watching two people fall completely in love while everything around them is working against them…
read this. (please. this series truly doesn’t get the love it deserves)
book previews
the lies of lena
first love. separation. finding each other again after everything has changed.
this one reminded me exactly what it feels like to be young and believe the person you love is going to be your entire world.
book previews
what to read after binding 13
my top suggestion from this list? read say you swear.
need more?
currently ruining my standards for fictional men
obviously johnny gets a spot.
okay softies…
this one’s been very wholesome.
i’m proud of us.
but if you’ve made it this far thinking…
okay, but where’s the spice?
girl.
i got you. (i like it spicy, we know that)
final thoughts
you don’t need another binding 13.
you already have one.
what you need is another book that gives you whatever part of it made you fall in love.
maybe that’s the sports romance. maybe it’s the slow burn. maybe it’s johnny. maybe you just want another love story that feels young and huge and completely impossible while you’re inside it.
i hope i helped you find your next read.
enjoy, softies.
frequently asked questions
what book comes after binding 13?
what should i read after binding 13 and keeping 13?
are there books like binding 13 with little spice?
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romance recommendations with actual opinions. what worked, who it’s for, and how spicy we’re talking.
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