ParkerI can’t escape the past no matter how fast or how far I run. I’m broken and damaged, and nothing will change that.Not after my husband died overseas and I was left alone.All I can do is keep moving forward. But what I don’t expect is one cop in particular to get under my skin.Making me want something more.He hates me. Everywhere I turn, he’s there, watching me.Waiting for me to screw up. … there, watching me.
Waiting for me to screw up.
Again.
I’m not going to give up, though.
Not when I finally found something that makes me happy.
I know how short life can be and I’m not backing down.
Remy Townsend doesn’t stand a chance once I make up my mind.
After all, we grew up together.
And I know every button to press to get what I want.
Remy
One drunken promise is going to ruin my life.
I told him I’d watch out for his wife if he died.
The task was easy enough when I was overseas.
All I had to do was send a letter, or make a phone call.
But coming home and seeing her will be my undoing.
She’s everywhere I go.
Everywhere I turn.
Now, I can’t take my eyes off her even when I want to.
Keeping her safe means I have to stay away.
Because the thoughts going through my head …
Well they’re enough to send me straight to hell.
Parker Hayes is quickly invading every aspect of my life.
One drunken promise… That’s what it always circles back to.
I’ve been trained to go balls to the wall with every mission.
Never back down. Never surrender. Never walk away.
Even if what we have becomes collateral damage.
more
Balls to the Wall is the first book in the Birch Police Department series, but make sure you bring some tissues. Parker and Remy have a convoluted past with a lot of love and hatred and secrets on both sides. But when Parker is threatened, will they fight together for so much more than just safety, or will Parker‘s worst nightmares come true?
Listen. I didn’t expect to read this book in one sitting. I didn’t expect to feel my heart shatter and then fuse back together while reading this book. And I didn’t expect to bawl my eyes out, experiencing every emotion my heart could possibly handle by reading Parker and Remy, but dang it, all three things happened and I know I’ll be having a major book hangover after reading this book! Wow! Parker and Remy are absolutely amazing. There’s so much angst, hate, passion, and love between them, so many secrets and half truths and downright lies that they need to wade through and you can’t help but cheer for them to succeed right from the very beginning. Parker is such a strong woman, experiencing so much pain in a short amount of time with not a lot of support behind her, but her character truly shined. I loved her protective nature of those she loved and she was so loyal, too! Remy is definitely a tortured soul, and while I don’t always understand his reasoning, I know he constantly tried to do the best thing for Parker the best way he knew how. I loved his devotion and the way he brought Parker and Nox into his circle, too! So good! I loved this book! I think I cried from the very first chapter and I’m not sure I stopped until the end, but there’s sad, angry, swoony, and love filled tears for this book and I loved every second I spent reading it. I know I’ll read this book again and I’m already looking forward to the next book in the series!
Parker Hayes is raising her son on her own since she lost her husband in the war. Life hasn’t been easy since they married, and she lost him. Growing up in the small Maine town has been a curse on her since everyone knows everyone’s business and everyone in the small town believes that she broke Remy’s heart by cheating on him. Too bad the only people who know what really happened that night six years ago aren’t talking. Parker doesn’t want to tarnish Danny’s reputation. His family knows most of the truth and they have always stood beside her and helped her, but the rest of the town has shunned her and treated her as though she broke Remy’s heart.
Jeremy “Remy” Townsend made a promise to his dyeing best friend when they were overseas and he’s having a hard time making good on his promise. He would do anything for Parker Hayes, but he truly believes that she hates him and he’s having a hard time being around her. That is until he is pushed back into her life when her dog dies and then some weird happenings start at her home. They have to talk and they both need to come clean and be honest with each other.
This is a story about second chances, coming clean, and fighting the fear of losing someone you love so that you can move on in life and both be happy. Its full of suspense, secrets, deception and danger. I love the characters and am looking forward to more in the series. There’s a lot of men in this series that need to overcome their fears and pull up their big boy panties and step up to show the women they want that they are worth the fear they have deep down. I give this story a 4.5-star review and look forward to reading more of the Birch Police Department stories to come. The men may be ex-military and police officers, but deep down they hide a fear of the unknown when it comes to the women, they want in their lives but are too afraid to let them know it. The back and forth between the characters is steamy and fun to read. I look forward to more.
Balls to the Wall is the first book in the Birch Police Department. This is a new author to me, and I can say it won’t be my last. I was drawn into the story from the very beginning. It was fast paced, suspenseful, so emotional, and so much more. Remy and Parker has such a deep connection towards one another, and you can’t help but hope they can make it work. I liked Nox too. This was a heartfelt, complicated love story. I’m looking forward to reading the next story in this series.
First off make sure you block plenty of time off ro read as you will not want to put this book down or do anything else until you finish it. Second have tissues handy from the start. This was an amazing book that really gets your emotions rolling from the start. I loved this book and the chemistry between all involved was fantastic. Well written and keeps your attention to the end. I cannot wait for the next in the series.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
Coming home, finding home
Balls To The Walls (Birch Police Department Book 1) by April Canavan is a well written romance with a former military current police office hero hottie with serious flaws! Our heroine has been through the small town wringer and Remy has been oblivious to it all. These characters never really had a first chance, but this book has a second chance feel to it. Parker is understandable wary, resistant and angry with high thick walls around her heart.
The plot of this book revolves around healing past hurts, breaking down Parker’s walls and a little bit of suspense when danger threatens Parker as well as the ones she loves.
Overall, a very enjoyable read with fantastic characters. Equally heartwarming, exciting and steamy all leading to the long over due HEA for Parker and Remy.
I read an ARC of this book from Hidden Gems and voluntarily share my review.
I felt for Parker and what she had to go through because Remy pushed her away. Second chances sometimes take time. I had a hard time with this at some points because I felt as though the drama and secrets were unnecessary but I could see how it could happen. I did cry and rage at times but also smiled.
4* ARC Review – Second Chance at First Love
I was introduced to this author by another ARC program and have been interested in her writing since. This ARC was provided by BookSprout in exchange for this review. Although it is the start of a new series, it takes place in the same location as her previous one, Birch, Maine and feels like some carryover from the other series. The author does a good job of giving you enough background about the characters, but I found myself wondering if there were more details in the other Birch series.
This is the story of Parker, single mom, and widow, who lives in her hometown surrounded by friends and family of both her and her deceased husband. Her husband served in the military with his brother and other friends that are now part of the local police force. One of those friends, Remy, recently returned to town as the K-9 officer and to look out for Parker. They have a history from childhood that ran until he left for the military. Their backstory is complicated and plays out throughout the book. Also, as they become reacquainted, there are issues happening around Parker and her son, Nox. As they start to risk their lives, Parker and Nox move in with Remy, and the truth comes out about their past relationship.
Make sure you have a box of tissues with you when you start. This books grabs at all your feels starting right away with sadness and heartache.
With how this was written you really feel the emotions. I couldn’t put this book down and instead ended up reading it in the middle of another book I was currently reading. If you like books with emotions, military men, love/hate relationships, small towns or really anything then you will like this.
Remy and Parker have great chemistry together; they fight so beautifully. They grew up together so they have had years of practice. It was amazing to watch their story unfold.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
Parker has had some bad luck, including losing her husband, but she loves her little boy Nox and so do her husband’s family. Remy (Jeremy) use to be close to Parker, now he just watches her, and tries to make sure she is ok, but Parker feels that he hates her rather than feeling anything else. Can these two get past what happened years ago? Or will Parker escape from the town she feels is crushing her? I loved this intriguing, page turning romance, the banter between Remy and Parker, and it’s twists. Parker is a great mother, trying to do her best, and I loved her (and her . Remy is a strong protective man, but he certainly isn’t perfect, although he is still easy to love too.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
Fast paced and heartbreaking. Saying goodbye is never easy and it will never be easy. I liked this story not my usual but it is well written with characters that you will enjoy and cringe with. It is well developed and has substance that will have you cheering yet will also bring you to your knees! April has the ability to bring her characters to life and she does not disappoint. This may be the first book in this series and it is one series I know you are going to love it!
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
Y’all I was not ready for the emotions this book brought out of me. The first chapter was heartbreaking but it gets so much better. I really liked Remy amd Parker even before I realized how much chemistry they had. These two were like oil and water for a good bit of the book but when they finally figure it they just work. The epilogue was so light hearted it was the perfect ending. I can not wait for Linc and Kennedy’s book!!!
This book had me from the very first chapter, it broke me and shattered my heart to pieces. The tears fell so hard and so fast at times I wasn’t able to see the words on the page. My heart ached for what they had lost, for the lies they had told and the secrets they held. This was a story that took me on an emotional roller coaster ride that touched my heart and soul in a way that it will remain with me long after the book has been placed back on the shelf. Remy and Parker had a chemistry and a connection that you felt deep under your skin and one that radiated through the words of their story. Their story had passion, depth and an intensity that took you by surprise. For all the tears I cried, I also smiled equally as much. As the story drew to a close and we were treated to an epilogue that will make you laugh till you cry and then have you swooning for a love that was written in the stars.
Secrets and Lies, Honour and Passion – it’s all here!
This is my first taste of Author April Canavan’s writing, and although I knew from the blurb it was going to be an angsty kind of book, she had me crying into my drink from the first chapter. Her words were emotive, poignant, and nothing short of heart-breaking. How much loss could a mother and her 5-year-old son live through?
Balls to the Wall is the first book in Ms Canavan’s new small town police romance series, Birch Police Department, and while I get the impression that the characters have been around before, I didn’t feel I’d missed out on any story. If anything, it made me want to check out her backlist. And yes, she does have an earlier Birch County Blue series.
What made me want to try this new author and this new series was the intriguing blurb and the mention of an ex-military man, now in a police uniform! What is it about a man in uniform *sigh*?
For the most part, I did adore Remy Townsend. I did. And I do sound like I’m trying to convince myself of this fact, but I believe this is the way that Ms Canavan wrote him. Imperfect, yet honourable, it was his initial abysmal behaviour in denying his true feelings towards Parker that set this whole book plot in motion. He judged Parker, the whole small town judged her, but they didn’t know the whole story.
Parker, married and widowed, left with a son who never knew his father, was a character that I admired. Her young son is a testament to the amazing mother that she was, and I respected everything that she did with him to teach him about the father he never met. Secrets and Lies. She did better than I ever could have, but the amazing family of characters around her offered great support, and will feature in some amazing books in the future, I’m sure.
Yeah, there was a lot of secrets, lies and half-truths between the characters of this book, and Ms Canavan certainly didn’t spoon-feed her readers any plot leads, meaning that often I was as frustrated as the characters at the misunderstandings going on!! Is that a good or a bad thing? I’m not sure to be honest, it would depend on the mood of the reader at the time.
Overall, I loved this book, and I’m looking forward to the next one in the series. Recommended read for sure 4.5 Stars
Healing The Pain Of The Past –
This was such a riveting love story, that I just couldn’t get enough of. It was a touching story, that had me going weak at the knees, when Parker finally revealed the big secret to Remy and what happened to Nox. The storyline had everything you would want to see in a heartfelt romance, including the motley crew of friends and family that were always there when they were needed. I just wanted to say thank you to April Canavan for writing a wonderful book. I am really looking forward to reading the next book in the Birch Police Department Series.
I received an ARC of this book from Booksprout and I am voluntarily leaving a review.
Family.
Secrets.
Promises.
Lies.
Resentment.
Balls to the Wall had all that and the kind of drama that can only be found in a small town.
That being said, I found it hard to get into this one. Don’t get me wrong, I liked Parker and Remy, they were both strong willed and loyal but I was missing something from their connection. While there was no denying the loneliness and longing on both sides, their reasons for being and staying apart seemed flimsy at best. It was when they finally gave into what they’d been denying themselves for years that things started to get even more complicated.
I can say with complete honesty that I didn’t see the dangerous turn coming. It was intense and had my heart pounding right along with the entire town as they raced against time. And when it was revealed who was behind all the madness, my jaw was on the floor. From start to finish, Parker and Remy’s friends-to-enemies-to-lovers journey was jam packed with longing, emotion and drama. And the threads of other story lines that April Canavan wove into this has me wanting to head back to Birch for Kennedy and Linc’s story.
This is a gut wrenching story that grabbed me from page one and didn’t let go till the last page. The author does a fantastic job bringing a strong cast of supporting characters , including her adorable five year old son, Nox , and pulling at your emotions with all the heartbreak and pain Parker and Remy go through. She does a great job developing their story and building the anxiety and tension with the secrets and misunderstandings they’ve been dealing with. She brings drama and fear ,suspense and danger as well as the never ending love. It’s well written with perfectly painted scenes and is one of the most emotional stories I’ve ever read. It’s a real tear jerker that had me absolutely glued to the pages reading. I’m looking forward to more from this author and can’t recommend this book highly enough. I wish I could give it ten stars!!!
I voluntarily reviewed an ARC of this book. All opinions in this review are my own and freely given.
It had a very good and intriguing story with some mystery as well as history with the characters. Both Remy and Parker were likeable characters that from this book alone I want more.
By Carli
April Canavan is a new to me author, but when I read the blurb for Balls to the Wall I knew I wanted to read it. It was full of angst and push and pull between the two main characters that drew me right in. Remy and Parker had a connection, but Remy pushed her away and hurt her. Now Parker is a widow and he promised to watch out for her, but how does he deny the pull he still feels for her?
There is so much history between Remy and Parker and not all of it good. There are secrets, regret and misunderstandings between them and they cannot find a way past it. But they still feel a connection that neither can deny. I enjoyed reading Balls to the Wall by April Canavan and look forward to reading more of this author. This story was angsty and full of so many feels.
Read and reviewed for Sultry Sirens Book Blog.
Happy reading!
This book made my cry at the very beginning. Some very amusing moments (Remy and Daisy, Lincoln complaining about having to do paperwork instead of break into his sister’s house, Rose talking to Parker about the blind date with the professor). Parker is an outsider of the town except her and Danny’s families because of the past with Remy, Danny, and her while Remy has no clue of the events he caused. Later we find out how awful he really was on that particularly eventful night that changed their lives. I really enjoyed how we get fed the story through the book, not getting it all until 2/3 through. Box is suck a great addition to the story. The epilogue is hysterical. There were two omissions that caused me to give this 4 stars instead of 5 stars—the reason behind the incidents ( I just didn’t feel it was explained well) and what happened to the woman Danny mentioned. I now need to go find the stories that deal with the other stories that happened prior to this book so I know what happened to Cassie, etc.
I received a free copy of this book.
Secrets, lies and miscommunication have a way of complicating lives. This is no more true than for single mom, Parker Hayes, and her former best friend, Remy Townsend. They grew up together and everyone believed that they would become more but that all changed when hurtful words were spoken and poor choices were made. Now, six years, later, Remy will have to prove to Parker that she is worth anyone’s time and love. Easier said than done…overcoming years of silent suffering may lead to the love of his life finally giving up and moving out of Birch. This is a new-to-me author and I was impressed with the writing in this book. The story elicited so much emotion, you wanted to get to the end, but then again, you wanted more! Great HEA for Parker and Remy! I am looking forward to the rest of this series.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.