I’m embarrassed it took me so late no to read this fantastic book. But once I began reading the book I couldn’t stop. I loved every page & moment of this fantastic book.

This is a summer beach read with a lot of depth. Cassie Hanwell is a young female firefighter living in Austin, TX living a life focused around her work. She's got such thick walls around her, no one is penetrating them anytime soon it seems. Of course life throws her a curve ball, and that's when the book really gets going. The descriptions were well written, the romance was nicely built up, and the relationship with her mother was a great touch. It was hard to put this one down once I started, and I finished it in 3 days.

I have been seeing Things You Save in a Fire all over bookstagram lately, and the fomo was real! This was my first book that I have read by Katherine Center (even though as you can see I clearly have a copy of How to Walk Away 🤦‍♀️), but it won't be my last!
Center's writing is simple, easy, and entertaining. I quickly became emotionally invested with all of the characters, especially Cassie and "the rookie". From the first chapter, I knew I was going to like Cassie, and if you've read this book, you know what I'm talking about. The inside look at a fire station was fascinating, especially told through the perspective of a woman. All of the characters, from Cassie's mom to the firemen, were endearing and (mostly) likeable, with an authenticity that is a testament to Center's ability to create characters that you feel like you know. This was a refreshing read, and it was, simply, a good story. Sometimes it feels like authors try too hard to create an elaborate story, but that was not the case with this book. I could definitely see this being made into a Hallmark channel movie, and I am looking forward to reading more of Center's work. Thank you to @stmartinspress and @netgalley for my digital copy of this book, and my library is the real MVP for having this book out on the shelf the day it came out so I could snag a copy!⭐⭐⭐⭐/5.

A wonderful story of life and all of the things we hold on to as true about ourselves. Cassie is a character of great strength and more of a mushy center than she wants to realize. This will be in the top books of the year.

{TW: sexual assault} Things You Save in a Fire by @katherinecenter follows Cassie - a tough as nails firefighter in Texas. (If you’ve read How to Walk Away you’ll remember her as the female firefighter who pulls Maggie from the crash - there’s also a lovely short story The Girl in the Plane that bridges both books together!)

“I’m at my very best when things are at their very worst.”

Cassie is at the height of her career and about to receive a prestigious award. Too bad the presenter is an abusive man from her past. Cassie sees red when he engages with her and ends up knocking him out. With her job now in jeopardy, it seems fitting that Cassie also gets a call from her estranged mother begging her to move to Massachusetts and take care of her. Her health is failing and she promises Cassie that after a year she can go back to her old life.

Cassie begrudgingly moves and starts at a fire house near Rockport, MA. She soon finds that her new station isn’t quite as progressive as she's used to and she has to work three times as hard to prove herself to the guys. The only one who seems to understand her is the new rookie. But she doesn’t do love. And she’ll be dammed if some guy derails her plans for her future..

UGH I LOVED this one. I mean being a MA native probably didn’t hurt. I’ve never identified with a quote as much as the one above. I’m not a first responder but as a nurse I feel the same way during a code. The adrenaline kind of centers you in a way to focus on what you need to do. It’s the weirdest but most thrilling feeling. (I realize of course that I am not walking into fire.) Katherine Center has a way of writing that just guts your soul in the best possible way. I loved watching Cassie’s evolution throughout the book as she deals with her past pain and her relationship with her mother evolves. Ugh it’s just SO GOOD. There’s ALL of the feels that will stay with you long after you’ve finished. It came out last week so you can all grab your copies today! // 🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥

Things You Save In A Fire is my second book by Katherine Center and it did not disappoint. A tough tomboy firefighter learns to face her past and her emotions in this novel that is essentially about forgiveness. I found the plot quick and enjoyable with well developed characters and those familiar with Center’s writing will appreciate the tugs at the heartstrings. Cassie Hanwell’s life changed forever the night of her 16th birthday, the day her mother left her father for another man. All these years later Cassie finds herself as a true feminist without attachments to people or emotions. But that is about to change when her mother calls and asks for her help! Will Cassie forgive her mother? Can she also forgive herself? I loved this book by Katherine Center and highly recommend it. I received an ARC of this book, all opinions are my own.

Perfect chick lit! I loved the premise and the characters were well developed! I recommend this for anyone looking for a light and fun read!

To start my review, I would like to pose possible trigger warnings: sexual harassment and rape are themes that play out in this story.

Here, we meet Cassie Hanwell. Cassie is a young firefighter, who is good. How good? Well just ask her. She will tell you just how good. She is contacted one day by the mother who abandoned her on her 16th birthday, asking for her to come help her out with her medical condition. Cassie, we learn early on, had "something bad" happen to her from a man in her hometown back when she was 16. An incident at an awards ceremony has her at a crossroads with her career. So, in order to save face, she takes her mom up on her offer to move and start over. She lands in a firehouse that time and any women's movement have forgotten (near Boston). Cue the sexual harassment comments. Cue the rookie firefighter that grabs Cassie's hardened heart (She was abandoned! And bad things happened to her! Love doesn't exist!).

Now, I am all for a female empowerment book. And I am all for a good love story. But with this story, I just could not connect with Cassie AT ALL. She was such a black and white character, that any emotion she felt did not feel real, unless it was to push people away. And how was it that EVERY person around her was able to be an armchair psychologist and automatically diagnose her - oh you push me away, you must have had a traumatic event. Tell me all about it.

There is one reason, and one reason alone, that I was able to stick with this story. There is a sub-plotline of someone that is sending Cassie threatening notes, telling her to leave the station. This mystery kept me turning the pages, wanting to know who it was. I'm glad it did, as the dramatic climax towards the end of the book was written AMAZINGLY well. I was riveted! There is a huge fire, and Cassie's firehouse is first on scene. I don't want to give anything away, but that scene alone bumped my review up by a whole star. </p>

All in all, I am seeing many reviews of those who loved the romance aspect, those who could connect with Cassie, and those who love the author. I wish I had a trigger warning right off the bat, as I felt uncomfortable throughout most of the novel. Anyone who was able to say #metoo might feel the same. Maybe not. But for me? I will give this one *3 stars.*

Okay, for the second time, Katherine Center owes me a box of tissues! Wow, she just ripped out my heart, stomped all over it, and I didn’t even see it coming! Keep the tissues close by as you are reading THINGS YOU SAVE IN A FIRE by Katherine Center. She will have your emotions all over the place. I have only read two other books by Katherine Center before but I know THINGS YOU SAVE IN A FIRE won’t be the last! I’m so excited to read more by this author that as soon as I was finished, I placed all of her other books on hold at my library! Wow! What an awesome story. Once I started reading, it was very hard to stop! I have made it a quest to catch up on the rest of her books because her writing is just that good. She makes her readers feel every emotion her characters are feeling to the point where you feel as if you are right there, struggling along with them.

Cassie Hanwell is a fire fighter with the Austin Fire Department. She is about to receive a Valor Award and as the first female to ever receive this award, she is beyond excited but also a nervous wreck! When she hears her name being called and sees who is presenting the award she loses her mind. What happens next is totally unlike her and shocking! Her life is never going to be the same and not only does she lose her job, but she finds herself moving to Boston. Her estranged mother has asked for her help.

She also gets a new job working at the Lillian Fire Department and starts on the same day as The Rookie. Oh my goodness, The Rookie!💗 He totally gave me all the feels and I was rooting for him through out the whole book. He isn’t the best fire fighter but Cassie tries to teach him how to be one while keeping her distance. Why? He awakens things inside her she didn’t know she could possibly ever feel again after a horrible event in her past.

I don’t want to say too much for fear of giving away all of THINGS YOU SAVE IN A FIRE but once I started reading this beautiful and heart breaking story, I could not stop! Everyone should have this unforgettable book on their summer/fall reading list. The dialogue between Cassie and the rookie, Owen is just hysterical. I was instantly emotionally invested in all of the characters from page one and I can not wait to read more by this wonderful and heart tugging author.

I received a complimentary copy of this book from St. Martin’s Press through Netgalley. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

I found this to be an enjoyable read with good writing. The characters were realistic and the story was well crafted. I received a complimentary copy from NetGalley and the publisher and this is my honest opinion.

What a great quick, fun read. A quality beach read at its finest. The story of Cassie the firefighter that is tough and smart and great at her job. She is called to go care for her mother who is sick, but that means changing to a new fire station, one that is filled with men who don't necessarily think women have what it takes to be a firefighter. I loved that it was funny and cute but also serious and about trauma and forgiveness and standing your ground. Catherine Center is fast becoming a must read author for me.

Things You Save in a Fire evokes the bittersweet feelings often associated with family. I really enjoyed the journey that Cassie takes, both within herself and with her mother. An excellent depiction of life as a female firefighter; a career chosen by the love of the job and nothing less. An excellent, moving novel. Katherine Center writes with a skilled hand, creating characters and story lines with depth.

There is a moment in Cassie's life that simply defines her existence so far. Something from the past that deeply marked her and made her the warrior she is today. She is very well suited to her work as a firefighter, and is seen by everyone as an extremely competent and ethical professional. But the past comes back to haunt her and force to redefine her goals. When her mother calls for her help and a situation gets her down, she drops everything she has built and go to face a new team of firefighters who do not quite accept a female figure among them.



Willing to prove her competence, she goes out of her way to assert herself in this masculine environment until she meets sweet Owen and is illuminated by this aura of joy that captivates everyone around him.



As they are both new to the station, she is assigned to train the guy and this proximity will generate many conflicts in her mind.



I loved the plot and the way Cassie's story was conducted, even though I thought the writer put a lot of strong drama into the lives of the main characters. A book about forgiveness, second chances, learning from the past and fighting for the future. A book about the power of love.

Things You Save in a Fire was my first book by the lovely Katherine Center(I have How to Walk Away but haven't read it yet). Things You Save was released on August 13th by St. Martin's Press. I received a copy courtesy of NetGalley in exchange for my review.

When Cassie Hanwell's estranged mother asks her to leave her job at the fire department she has sacrificed so much to be a part of to take care of her because she's sick-she's less than thrilled. Transferring to a Boston fire department proves to be a step back for females....by about 30 years. In the midst of trying to follow the rules given to her by her female captain in Texas, Cassie stumbles and learns to forge her own way.

First off-I couldn't put this book down and I immediately regretted not reading How to Walk Away the moment that I got it. I'm typically not one for "girl books," but I absolutely loved this one. It was a little slow to start for me, but I think it's mainly because I understand the disappointment a family can bring. I also could really relate to just how hard she worked to be where she was in Texas, all for that to come crashing down. Overall this was a great book for me. I will gladly read anything Katherine Center wants to write!

This book was so cute and endearing. This would be an obvious recommendation for most of my friends and a lot of my Instagram followers.

🌟🌟🌟🌟/5 Stars

Katherine Center hits another one out of the park! Cassie is a beautifully written, complex character to transforms into an well rounded person once she opens her heart to forgiveness and love. My favorite part was how she mentioned a previous character from How To Walk Away...... wouldn't it be great if they both met in a sequel?

This was fantastic! This book made me feel things. Lots of things. I was holding my breath because I was so worried about the characters. I was afraid to turn the page but couldn't put the book down. It was the kind of reading experience that turned me into such a big reader. If only every book was able to grab me as this one did. I guess you could say that I enjoyed this book.

Cassie is a firefighter. At the start of the book, she works at a station in Texas but things soon get a little crazy and Cassie finds herself needing a new station. Cassie has also been asked by her mother to move in with her for the next year to help out since she is losing her sight. So Cassie finds herself moving to Boston to help a mother that she hasn't been close to since she was a teen and starting a job with a new crew at a firehouse that is very different than anything she is used to.

I loved watching Cassie work to navigate the unfamiliar fire station. She is the first woman to work at the facility and not everyone is thrilled to have her on board. She feels that constantly forced to prove her worth to the others on the crew. She is also having a difficult time connecting with her mother. Cassie really doesn't want to deal with all of the feelings that come into play when she thinks about what her mother has done.

When I started reading this book, I didn't expect that romance would come into play. But it did and I must say that I am happy that it was a part of the story. I loved The Rookie. Every scene that he shared with Cassie put a smile on my face. He really was such a nice guy and I thought that he was really good for Cassie. I loved their chemistry and the way they seemed to understand and open up to each other. It is a good thing that The Rookie is a fictional character because if he was real, I think that Cassie would have more than a little competition.

I loved the way this story was laid out. The pacing of the story was perfect. We learn things just as we need to. Most readers would be able to figure out some of the key points before the character is ready to share. I thought that this was very effective. I thought I knew what happened to Cassie so it was really powerful when it was finally confirmed. There were some pretty intense scenes and some really heartfelt moments and they were all beautifully done.

I would highly recommend this book to others. This was a wonderful story of learning to forgive, standing up for yourself, and putting everything on the line for those you care about. My only complaint would be that the ending was a little too happily ever after but I will take it. I plan to read much more of Katherine Center's work soon!

I received a review copy of this book from St. Martin's Press.

I feel like I say this every time a read a new book by Katherine Center but I think this is her best one yet! I loved that the main character, Cassie, is a female firefighter! Center does a good job combining some humor with the struggle of being a female in a mostly male job, along with some mother- daughter drama and even some romantic tensions. Great job!

Thank you to NetGalley and Katherine Center for the ARC of Things You Save in a Fire. I have had this book for a little while and life got in the way before I could read it. I should have let life happen and sat down to read this book as soon as I received it. Cassie is a firefighter in the progressive city of Austin. When her estranged mother calls and asks her to come live with her for a year to help out there is nothing that Cassie wants to do less. But after an incident at a banquet to honor Cassie for her bravery causes her to be placed on leave she decides to go to a town north of Boston to help her mother. The only job available is in a small town - that has never had a female firefighter and has never wanted a female firefighter. I read this book in 2 days - I just couldn't put it down. Thanks Katherine Center for the insight into firefighters and their world. This is a book you don't want to miss.

This is my third Katherine Center book so far, and I think it's my favorite. In fact, I am really angry at myself for taking so long to read this ARC! Once I finally started, I could not put it down. It was charming and bittersweet and light and emotional and, overall, completely satisfying summer reading. I wish it had come out in June, because it would have been the perfect thing to recommend to patrons for relaxing beach reading. I loved the characters, I loved reading about the firefighter community, and I loved the relationship between Cassie and her mother. I really enjoyed Cassie's sassy narration of the story. I didn't quite buy the romance for a while--it's hard when you don't even know the name of the guy's character--but the relationship got stronger as the book progressed. I guess that fits with Cassie's emotional growth as well? Yes, some of the events are predictable, but I was enjoying myself so much that I really didn't care.

This book was, hands down, the BEST book I have read in a while. I enjoyed reading about Cassie and her transition from Austin to Lillian to take care of her estranged mother. Cassie fought the change but it ended up changing her life for the better in almost every way. The story is beautiful & teaches the power of forgiveness for both the one being forgiven & the forgiver. The firefighter aspect of the story was also interesting to read & it was obvious how well researched this book is. I loved the How To Walk Away tie in and my brain got excited to make that link.
The characters in this story are great and they add so much to the book. If you had told me that Katherine Center could top How to Walk Away I would have been sceptical but this book was so amazing I have no idea how I’m going to pick my next book. Best book of this year so far for me!