Releasing 10 Audiobook – Boys of Tommen, Book 7

Some audiobooks find their way into your life when you need them most, even if you don’t realize it at first. I listened to Chloe Walsh’s *Releasing 10* one misty afternoon, curled up by my living room window as rain streaked down the glass—a perfect setting for sinking into a story brimming with longing, pain, and hope. Although this is the sixth book in the Boys of Tommen series, it stands beautifully on its own; never once did I feel lost or out of step with Lizzie and Hugh’s world.

What struck me most was how intimately Walsh explores mental health—specifically bipolar disorder—and trauma through Lizzie Young’s journey. As someone who has loved friends navigating invisible battles, I found myself deeply moved by Lizzie’s honesty and rawness. The author doesn’t shy away from tough topics: childhood abuse, sexual trauma, self-harm—they’re all here. Yet these aren’t just plot points; they’re integral parts of Lizzie’s character and her slow-burning romance with Hugh Biggs.

Hugh quickly became one of my favorite male leads in contemporary romance—steadfastly kind without being a “savior,” wise but still believably young. Their connection isn’t rushed; instead, it simmers with emotional tension that feels both authentic and earned. Listening to them fumble through fear and desire reminded me how love sometimes arrives not as fireworks but as quiet understanding—a lesson that resonated deeply during a season where I’ve been reevaluating what genuine partnership means for myself.

The narration (unfortunately uncredited) deserves mention for its sensitivity: each line delivered with empathy and gentle pacing that allowed every emotion—from despair to relief—to truly land. Still, there were moments when I longed for dual narration or audio cues marking perspective shifts; perhaps future editions might consider this for added clarity.

There are heavy moments—scenes so intense they made me pause the audiobook just to catch my breath—but *Releasing 10* never veers into sensationalism. Instead, it finds grace amid hardship without offering easy fixes or false promises of healing. At times, especially during explicit scenes or discussions about violence and suicide, I wished content warnings had been foregrounded more explicitly at the start rather than buried in publisher notes online.

Ultimately though? This book left me gutted in the best possible way—the kind of heartbreak that invites reflection rather than regret. If you’re looking for a romance that respects complexity over clichés and offers hard-won hope alongside searing vulnerability (and don’t mind shedding some tears), *Releasing 10* belongs on your shelf—or better yet—in your headphones on a rainy afternoon like mine.