Releasing 10 by Chloe Walsh Summary

Releasing 10 is the sixth and final book in the Boys of Tommen series, following Lizzie Young, a girl diagnosed with bipolar disorder at a young age, and Hugh Biggs, her steadfast best friend and eventual love interest. Set in Cork, Ireland during the 1990s-2000s, the novel chronicles their decade-long journey through childhood trauma, mental illness, and the transformative power of unconditional love and friendship.

Chloe Walsh is a New York Times and USA Today bestselling author from West Cork, Ireland, who has written over twenty novels. She is best known for the Boys of Tommen series, which exploded in popularity on TikTok, Goodreads, and Amazon. Walsh focuses heavily on mental health dynamics in her characters, writing emotionally intense narratives influenced by her own real-life experiences that address important, often unspoken everyday issues.

Releasing 10 is intended for mature readers aged 18 and above who appreciate emotionally intense, trauma-informed romance. This book is ideal for fans of the Boys of Tommen series, readers seeking authentic mental health representation in fiction, and those who enjoy deeply cathartic literary experiences exploring themes of resilience, generational trauma, and healing. Readers should be prepared for heavy, emotionally challenging content.

Releasing 10 is widely considered a masterpiece of emotional storytelling that honors the complexity of living with mental illness without glamorizing it. The novel offers no easy answers but provides a devastatingly beautiful exploration of resilience, redemption, and the power of love to make enduring possible rather than fixing everything. Critics praise its nuanced character development, authentic portrayal of bipolar disorder, and deeply satisfying full-circle conclusion to the beloved series.

Releasing 10 primarily focuses on bipolar disorder, exploring Lizzie Young's diagnosis from childhood through adolescence with visceral intensity. The novel also addresses selective mutism, severe anger episodes, PTSD, agoraphobia, medical misdiagnosis, self-harm, suicidal ideation, and the manifestations of early-onset mental illness. Chloe Walsh handles these topics with sensitivity and depth, making readers feel the chaos, confusion, and fragility of Lizzie's world without sensationalism.

Lizzie Young is the fierce, resilient protagonist burdened with bipolar disorder, an emotionally distant family, and childhood trauma, struggling to feel accepted and understood. Hugh Biggs is her childhood best friend who becomes her unwavering romantic partner—a boy wise beyond his years who is steadfast, sensitive, and fiercely loyal. Their relationship evolves from protective friendship into a gentle but deeply committed love that serves as an anchor during their darkest storms.

Releasing 10 explores three central themes: the love and support friendships offer, the complexities of trauma and healing, and the benefits and burdens of commitment. Additional themes include mental illness and medical misdiagnosis, generational trauma and family dysfunction, masculinity redefined through emotional vulnerability, belonging and isolation, and survival through human connection. The novel emphasizes that love doesn't magically fix mental illness but makes enduring possible through unconditional support and understanding.

While Releasing 10 can be read as a standalone, the full emotional impact is enhanced by reading the previous five books in the Boys of Tommen series: Binding 13, Keeping 13, Saving 6, Redeeming 6, and Taming 7. Lizzie Young appears as a minor character in earlier novels, and understanding the interconnected lives of the Tommen characters deepens appreciation for her journey. The series follows a chronological timeline from 1992 to 2007 in the fictional town of Ballylaggin, Ireland.

Releasing 10 contains explicit content and tackles several sensitive topics requiring content warnings:

• childhood abuse
• sexual violence and rape
• child sexual abuse
• mental illness including bipolar disorder
• self-harm
• suicidal ideation and suicide
• bullying
• pregnancy termination
• child death
• illness
• death
• cursing
• explicit sexual content

Chloe Walsh emphasizes that all her books are intended strictly for mature audiences aged 18 and above, as the topics are not suitable for younger readers.

Releasing 10 is arguably the most emotionally harrowing and narratively ambitious installment in the Boys of Tommen series. Unlike earlier books that blend sports romance with coming-of-age themes, Releasing 10 focuses intensely on mental health, medical trauma, and survival rather than athletic glory. The novel employs a multi-part narrative structure spanning over a decade with alternating perspectives, creating a semi-epistolary feel that enhances emotional intimacy during Lizzie's manic and depressive episodes.

Releasing 10 is set in Cork, Ireland, specifically in the fictional town of Ballylaggin, during the timeframe of 1992 to 2007. The story is anchored in 1990s-2000s rural Ireland, emphasizing life before smartphones and modern technology. This nostalgic setting provides a realistic insight into teenage life in the early 2000s while exploring how limited mental health resources and societal misunderstanding affected young people with complex diagnoses during that era.

The romance between Lizzie Young and Hugh Biggs in Releasing 10 is rooted in childhood friendship that spans over a decade, making it deeply earned and believable. Hugh's character challenges toxic masculinity through his tenderness, emotional literacy, and refusal to walk away despite Lizzie's struggles with bipolar disorder. Their dynamic is not idealized—Hugh falters, sets boundaries, and experiences his own quiet battles—creating an authentic portrayal where love provides support rather than a magical cure for mental illness.