Prime Video is officially doubling down on BookTok. The streamer has commissioned a brand-new romantic drama based on The Boys of Tommen, the #1 New York Times bestselling five-book series by Chloe Walsh — and if the early details are anything to go by, this is very much aiming for The Summer I Turned Pretty levels of obsession.
Boys of Tommen will adapt Walsh’s emotionally charged YA romance phenomenon, which exploded online thanks to BookTok before becoming an international bestseller. And Prime Video isn’t playing small here. The series is being produced by the teams behind The Summer I Turned Pretty, One Day, and Twilight — aka people who know exactly how to turn yearning into must-watch television.
Season 1 will adapt the first two novels, Binding 13 and Keeping 13, with Poppy Cogan (A Good Girl’s Guide to Murder) serving as lead writer and executive producer. At the heart of the story is a forbidden romance set in Ireland. Johnny Kavanagh is a rising rugby star on the brink of going pro, quietly hiding a potentially career-ending injury. Shannon Lynch is a gifted but painfully shy new student at elite Tommen College in Ballylaggin, trying to escape a violent and deeply troubled home life. Both are carrying heavy secrets. Both are barely holding it together. And when their connection ignites, it’s intense, messy, and deeply emotional.
What Are People Saying About ‘Boys of Tommen’?
Nicole Clemens, VP of International Originals at Prime Video and Amazon MGM Studios, made it clear the streamer knows exactly what it has in its hands:
“We’re thrilled to bring Chloe Walsh’s extraordinary Boys of Tommen to Prime Video. This BookTok phenomenon has captured the hearts of millions of readers worldwide with its deeply emotional storytelling and unforgettable characters. Poppy’s scripts capture the intensity of Johnny and Shannon’s powerful romance and dive into the rich constellation of characters to explore the themes of mental health, bullying, and resilience with the same authenticity that fans love in Chloe’s books. We can’t wait for our exceptional creative team at Drama Republic, Temple Hill, and wiip to bring this series to life for Prime customers.”
Walsh herself also shared her excitement about seeing the series make the leap to screen:
“The response from readers around the world has been overwhelming, and knowing that everyone behind this production and book shares my passion for telling this story authentically means the world to me.”
Not that everyone is thrilled by this news, of course. Fans have pointed out that the series doesn’t lend itself easily to adaptation, with some of the things depicted within the pages of the book quite distressing to watch, particularly if portrayed by young actors. And if the scenes are not depicted like they are in the novels, then there’s a fear that trauma will be watered down, leaving the stories feeling not quite as powerful as they first appeared.
via Collider