I received an ARC of this book through NetGalley in exchange for my unbiased opinion.

Cassie Hanwell is a great firefighter and loves her crew at her Austin firehouse. However, when her estranged mom asks her to come to Massachusetts for a year to help her out due to medical issues, Cassie reluctantly goes. Her new firehouse is as different as it could be from her old one, and her new coworkers are not excited to have a woman firefighter in their midst. The only one who seems to like Cassie is the handsome rookie who started the same day as her. Cassie's old captain, also a woman, gave her a long list of advice before Cassie left for New England. At the top of that list? Don't show feelings, and don't fall in love, especially with anyone remotely connected to her new coworkers. That is going to be much harder than Cassie anticipated with the rookie around, but she is resolved to do what is necessary to be taken seriously at her job.

I think I have found a new favorite author! I love Center's way of tackling tough issues without making her books macabre. I loved everything about this book: the characters, the plot, the storytelling, the humor, the way it evokes so many emotions. I highly recommend this book!

I'm new to this author and was pretty glad that her writing didn't disappoint.

A great read about family, love and forgiveness. Some scenes were a bit slow while others were written in great pace.

As of the moment, I'm not that into women's fiction, but if you were a fan of that genre, this book is definitely for you.

ARC provided by Publisher in exchange for an honest review

I received an ARC of the this book from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

Cassie Hanwell was born to be a fire fighter. Living in Texas she is about to receive an award for her heroism. Up to the microphone steps an unpleasant memory from her past. This unscripted meeting does not go well and Cassie’s career is in jeopardy. Combine this with a plea from her estranged mother Cassie is forced to relocate. Finding out her mother’s health Is in jeopardy Cassie is forced to face the demons of her mother’s abandonment on her 16th birthday. Being the only female member of the Lillian fire department’s boy’s only club throws her in the mix with the handsome rookie. Will Cassie tear down the walls around her heart?
Can she forgive her Mother’s abandonment, and will she
Ever love?

I received this book as an ARC from NetGalley.

Things You Save in a Fire has an interesting premise. Unfortunately, the book falls short. It is somewhat trite and repetitive. While I finished the book, I only gave it 2 stars because it lacked the depth I expected.

Couldn’t get past the first chapter of this book. Felt like it was veering into a space that I don’t enjoy reading, where a female character’s past trauma can all magically be healed by one man falling for her.

Katherine Center, you have nailed another book! This was a cute romance story not gushy, but sweet. What really stood out for me though was the act of forgiveness and the healing that comes with it. I look forward to this author's books when I need something in between the heavier stuff and it didn't disappoint.

I wasn't sure on this one, as I did not like Center's other book, but I am so glad that I gave this a chance. While some of the storyline seemed basic, there were many twists and turns, and the story kept me interested. I have a friend who is a woman firefighter, and it is interesting to read about. My son wants to be a firefighter, and I came up with all kinds of lessons for him while reading this book.

Cassie is a firefighter in Austin. Her mother has contacted her to come live with her in a town outside of Boston. Absolutely what Cassie does NOT want to do. But Cassie finds herself in a pickle. She creates a scene at an awards ceremony with a city councilman. She has no choice but to move to her mothers and start a career in a different firehouse.

This move has torn Cassie in so many different directions. Cassie has some issues she needs to work through with her mother. Plus, something from her past keeps haunting her. The only thing keeping her sane is her job. But that becomes treacherous as well because of a stalker.

Katherine Center creates some of the best characters. They are tough and smart but your heart always goes out to them. She can also create some unique, heart wrenching situations which can take your breath away. This story is full of all of this and more!

I'm so happy was able to read this book early! I knew I would love it when I picked it up and it didn't disappoint. This book is full of emotional and romantic moments. If you are a fan of a feminist romance story this is the book for you!

I received this book in exchange for an honest review from NetGalley.

3.5 stars

The book was an easy, enjoyable read. Perfect as a palate cleanser in between heavier books. The plot was slightly predictable and the characters are pretty one note, but I enjoyed it despite its cheesiness.

This was a great read. At times very serious and at times very funny. Interesting from a woman's point of view. It shows h ow real the struggle is for women in the workplace. And also how you can find love in the workplace. That you have to face your fears and your bullies. I highly recommend. Thank you to NetGalley, St. Martin's Press and Katerine Center for the ARC to review.

This was my first book by Katherine Center, but before I reached the half-way point I found myself ordering one her previous books as I loved this just that much that I could already find myself auto ordering all Katherine Center in the future.

Cassie Hanwell is a well accomplished firefighter in Texas so much so that when we first meet her she is receiving an award for bravery in the field after rescuing a bunch of school age children from a sinking school bus. The only problem is the presenter of the award is someone from her past that she hoped to never see again and things take an unexpected twist in her life and now she is headed off to Maine to care for her ailing mother. She gets a position at firehouse near her mothers home but things won't be easy with being the first female in that department, and she feels she has a lot to prove to be accepted in a male dominated field with men that feel woman shouldn't be in the field. On the first day at the new station she meets the rookie and has an unexpected reaction to her new partner. As she struggles to prove herself and fight developing feelings for her partner she learns about forgiveness and how to love again.

I love the strong female lead and the message of forgiveness. This was a quick read that was very well written and I loved every page of it.

This book I will rate from a 3.5 stars to 4. At times I couldn't put it down because I was desperate to find out who was Cassie's stalker. Plus her co worker Owen sounded so cute. Yes I did find myself skimming and found this book needing something to steam it up. I really will consider it YA. I loved how Cassie showed the males in her firehouse she was a beast and being a female won't stop her.

Thanks to Netgalley for my advanced copy in exchange for an honest review.

A heartfelt story of Cassie Hanwell and her struggles in life and finding herself. Hanwel is a well respected firefighter and EMT in Austin, Texas, who risks her life countless times to save others. Hanwell is also stubborn and finds herself alone, and soon having to uproot her life and start over. Does this change force her to face her past and find salvation? Read Center's Things You Save in a Fire to find out.

Thank you to Net Galley and St. Martin's Press for a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. Loved this book, read it in one sitting. Cassie is such a likable character, even though she is too stubborn for her own good when it comes to most things in her life. She is a rising star in her Texas firehouse and while she's a great firefighter, she is not that great at life. When she is forced to move to Boston and take care of her sick mother, she has to face the painful part of her past that she has tucked away into her non-emotional way of dealing with her life. She also has to start all over at a new firehouse that is nothing like the one she came from. This is a heartfelt look at what happens when a vulnerable and closed off woman finally lets go and embraces all the joy, happiness and love that life has to offer.

Super sweet, feel-good story! I'm so sorry it took me forever to read it (it did, read it in one sitting), summer went by faster than a wildfire...

I have no idea why it took me so long to finally pick up my ARC of Things You Save in a Fire by Katherine Center. I knew that I wanted to finally read it when it was picked by Book of the Month. I proceeded to read 60% and fell into a reading slump and only just finished it a month later. XD

What I Liked:

Romance. I found the main romance cute and fun to read. I tend to be picky about my romance but I enjoyed this one a lot. I would have liked more slow-burn elements rather than the rush at the end but I still liked it.

Writing Style. I enjoyed Katherine Center's writing. I'm so glad that Book of the Month pushed me to read one of her novels! Her humor and tame romance remind me of Sophie Kinsella. I will be checking out more of her work!

Characters. I felt that the main characters were the ones who got the most character development while the side characters were just there to support them. Besides that, I enjoyed both of the main love interests and liked reading about their love story.

Plot. I found the plot of this extremely interesting because of the firefighter element. I would have liked even more time spent on exposing sexism and less on the romance.

What I Disliked:

Some Elements of the Romance. I found the romance cute and liked the chemistry between the two main characters. However, I did feel it was a bit rushed near the end of the novel. I'm a fan of slow burns and this one felt like a mix between a slow burn and a rushed relationship. I'm not sure how I feel about it.

Ending. The ending felt rushed and unrealistic to me. Everything felt a little too much like a cookie-cutter happy ending and I would have liked a more realistic end to Cassie's story.

Slump. I fell into a reading slump while I was in the middle of this book and I think that affected my overall enjoyment of it. I'm planning on reading more from this author which will hopefully be reading slump free.

Rating:

4 Stars Out of 5 Stars

Cassie Hanwell has had to work hard to prove herself as a firefighter in Austin, Texas. She has made a reputation of being a hard worker and working well under pressure. Both qualities are critical skills for a firefighter to have. In fact, she is receiving an award at a big city function for her efforts on the job. Except the person presenting her the award is the man who ruined her life all those years ago. When he makes an inappropriate move on her during the presentation Cassie loses it. And her entire jeopardy is at risk. When her estranged mother calls her from Massachusetts and gives her a way out. Cassie leaves progressive Austin with all of the newest gear for a small town that struggles with having a woman in the house. Not to mention there is a serious deficiency in equipment. Cassie is struggling. With her career, with her relationship with her mother, with everything. The only thing that makes it bearable is the Rookie. He is smart and fun and good-looking. But he is a colleague and Cassie knows it would be career suicide to act on her feelings. So what will she do? How will she get through?

Things You Save in a Fire was a great read. Katherine Center is really making a name for herself as a favored author. Cassie is the kind of character that women can get behind as a hero. And as a firefighter, she truly is a hero. But from the first pages when she smacked down the man whose actions shaped her life, well, it was a real "girl power" moment. Moving from a progressive department in Austin to a smaller department in a small community was going to prove challenging, but it reeked of a lot of small-town stereotypes. Not saying the author was entirely wrong, but every small-town stereotype was touched on in this book. Including her attraction to the Rookie. I am not saying that the book was not good or entertaining, you just need to look past a lot of these cliches in order to enjoy it. Overall, Things You Save in A Fire was a quick read, but with a predictable ending. And that isn't a bad thing, either.

Bottom Line - Things You Save in A Fire is a book about a strong woman working in a man's world. While there are elements of the book may be a bit predictable, Cassie is a character that should not be missed.
Details:
Things You Save in A Fire by Katherine Center
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Pages: 320
Publisher: St. Martin's Press
Publication Date: 8/13/2019
Buy it Here!

I absolutely loved this book! Such a great read. Perfectly developed characters that were easy to love and some easy to not care for. Story of love and the human condition. Highly recommend!
Thank you NetGalley for the opportunity to read and review this book.

This is a good story about forgiveness and acceptance, and I greatly appreciated the strong female lead. We don’t have enough strong female characters in literature.