I read How to Walk Away last year and fell in love with Katherine Center's writing. She writes beautiful, thought-provoking, life-affirming stories and Things You Save in a Fire is no exception. This is a novel about letting go of past hurts, forgiveness, new beginnings, and finding love when you least expect it. The book was so good, I finished it one evening. The one thing I wasn't crazy about is the insta-love between Cassie and the rookie but overall it did not detract from my enjoyment of the book. I'll be recommending Things You Save in a Fire to all my friends.

I enjoyed this book, but not as much as Center’s previous novel, “How To Walk Away” which was a surprising favorite of mine in 2018. I like that Center’s novels are not just boring, straightforward romance-based books and often involve unique scenarios, but I thought there were just a few too many unnecessary storylines in this one. Past trauma, family sickness, outrageous sexism, “deadly” secrets, and hidden romance all in one book? It was just a bit too much. Nonetheless, I flew through this book and there were a few passages that really caused me to pause and reflect on this journey called life. 4 ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ stars for me. Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for allowing me access to this advanced copy for review.

This is my first book by Katherine Center and I was completely in love with this story! I was lucky to receive an advanced copy of this book months ago but put it off closer to the release date. Again…why do I wait to read these amazing books? Don’t be like me and hold off..grab a copy and fall in love with the characters like I did.

Cassie is a female firefighter in Texas and can definitely hold her own. Recognized for her heroic actions, she receives an award, but then pummels the councilman who gives it to her. She has quite a past with the councilman, but nonetheless, she finds herself moving back home to live with her mother. With a job in a new firehouse, Cassie has to prove to all that females really do belong and can be on top.

What she doesn’t expect, however, is her feelings towards the rookie fireman, Owen, who starts the same day she does. Tensions rise in the firehouse as the budget falls.

This is a sweet love story that will have you turning the pages quickly. I wouldn’t classify this one as a romance, but there is enough in the book to keep you wanting more.

Extremely well written, this story contains lots of hope, joy, heartache and love. I can’t wait to read Center’s other books! Thanks to St. Martin’s Press and NetGalley for an advanced copy. Reviews are my own.

I loved HOW TO WALK AWAY when I read it earlier this year, so I was beyond excited to get my hands on this one. Katherine Center has written another wonderful story about strength, grief, and (of course) love.

Cassie is a great character: a badass female firefighter who unfortunately has to spend way too much energy proving herself to her male coworkers. I loved the way she talked about falling into being an EMT/firefighter by accident and then realizing that she was actually born to do it. There’s a confidence in her that comes from that unshakeable sense of purpose that I really appreciated.

Cassie’s relationship with her mother was definitely the high point of the novel for me—I was rooting for them even more than I was rooting for her and the rookie! The fact that he’s called “the rookie” throughout (not just in dialogue, but in the narration as well) just made him feel a little less real to me. Still, I’m nitpicking, because this book was fantastic and I highly recommend it!

4.25ish stars, rounded. This was a lovely and bittersweet story, showcasing all of Cassie's strengths as she not only has to fight for her place and for respect at a new fire station, but also learns to allow others in after years of avoiding love and trust. I cheered Cassie on as she proved how tough she was, over and over, and was incensed at the sexism she faced. The story had some unexpected moments, and not all of the conflicts were the ones I anticipated. Katherine Center created a very interesting character with Cassie, and this story was different enough to stand out.

Cassie, a female firefighter, has barely talked to her mother, Diana, since her mother abandoned their family ten years ago on Cassie's 16th birthday. Now that the tables are turned and her mom needs help during a health crisis, will Cassie be willing to uproot her entire life and move across the country for her?

"This was exactly what I'd feared. She wanted to bond. But I didn't bond. With anyone."

I read and enjoyed the author's previous book, How to Walk Away (4 stars), but this story of love, courage, and forgiveness kept me engrossed from beginning to end, moving me in unexpected ways. I found it equal parts endearing and amusing, and it often made me giggle in delight. Sure, Cassie is one tough cookie, but will her barriers crumble while under the heated gaze of Owen, a sizzling hot firefighter who enjoys baking chocolate chip cookies in his spare time? Don't miss this scorching hot, yet heartwarming, love story to find out!

"Choosing to love—despite all the ways that people let you down, and disappear, and break your heart. Knowing everything we know about how hard life is and choosing to love anyway... That's not weakness. That's courage."

Location: Texas (Austin) and Massachusetts (Lillian and Rockport)

I received an advance copy of this book. All opinions are my own.

This book gripped me right from the start! I thoroughly enjoy a strong female lead, and this story delivered! I have seen plenty of books filled with male firefighters, but this is the first time I've seen a female firefighter and I'm so glad!

Thank you to Netgalley and St. Martin's Press for my advance reader copy of Things You Save In A Fire.  I am now a HUGE Katherine Center fan!  This book was absolutely amazing!





I laughed, I cried, and at times I held my breath through this tale.  It's a true feel good story where a woman conquers and achieves something in a male dominated field.  I was so proud of Cassie as a female firefighter she held her own and did what she had to do to prove herself...and she's a damn good firefighter.

Enough about that.  Her mother (with whom she has a strained relationship) has asked her to live with her for a year as she's having some medical issues.  Her father guilts in to going and so she ends up moving from Texas to Massachuettes to help her mother. 

What ends up happening is Cassie herself grows a lot as a person.  She ends up repairing her relationship with her mother and ends up finding love as well.  She has never been in a committed relationship (and she's 30), but she finds herself fighting love and her mother helps her to see what life is really all about. 

This reminded me of a Hallmark movie.  I know this book won't be for everyone, but if you enjoy feel good stories with some romance and a happy ending...pick this book up now.  I loved it, but I love these kinds of stories.  The growth that Cassie has in this novel is unreal.  Towards the end the book got a little cheesy and far fetched, but again in all things Hallmark, it's totally acceptable and appreciated.  If you're looking for a more realistic tale, this may not be for you.

5 star read.  I could not put this book down.  It stirred up every emotion in me.  There's a FANTASTIC epilogue at the end so we can see a few years into the future.  Everything about this book just makes me so freakin' happy.  I want to hug this book and relive it over and over again.  Maybe because I love a kick ass female lead, or maybe it's because of the amazing writing, either way if you love this kind of book, pick it up TODAY because guess what...IT'S RELEASE DAY!!!!

5 An Easy Given 5 Stars
* * * * * Spoiler Free
There are things we experience, good, bad and horrific. Hopefully, our parents have nothing to do with them...but many times this is not the case. Katherine Center's Things You Save in a Fire looks at all of those types of experiences and the aftermaths. Her talent creates a story of one incredibly strong woman who has to confront long-held feelings and figure out how to forgive not just the woman who left her on her 16th birthday but also forgive herself and feel the freedom of it all.

This story looks at the challenges a woman has to handle in a male-dominated career. We are already aware of how capable our lead is...it is a known fact. What she has to deal with is a centuries-old standard of the Old School theory of a woman has no place in the firehouse. Over the course of the story, these old guys while kicking and screaming must change their tune. Not only does she rise but she also sees maybe everything doesn't have to be all work...she deserves a personal life too.

A story of forgiveness, a story of love.

A gifted copy was provided by author/publisher via NetGalley for an honest review.

I’ve read several of Katherine Center’s novels, and this is by far my favorite.

Cassie Hanwell is a decorated firefighter from Austin, Texas, who winds up in trouble after she attacks the city councilman handing her an award. (Don’t worry, he deserves it.) She needs to leave town for a while, and her mostly estranged mother needs help because of some health issues, so Cassie winds up moving to Massachusetts. There she joins a new firehouse that is very traditional, a far cry from her job in progressive Austin. Cassie does everything she can to fit in with her new crew, which essentially means becoming one of the boys. Firmly on the list of things to avoid are guys, especially other firefighters. That should be easy; Cassie’s a tomboy, and she doesn’t do relationships. It’s just part of Cassie’s run of bad luck that the rookie firefighter who’s also joining the crew is so darn adorable, she finds herself struggling to follow her no-dating rule.

The main theme of this book is the value of openness and forgiveness. Cassie has largely closed herself off from other people, in part because of her mother’s abandonment but also because she was a victim of sexual assault. (This book should probably come with a trigger warning for rape.) Cassie describes herself as being like a robot, and that’s not far off from how she acts, really. Being thrown out of her comfort zone forces her to confront both her complicated feelings for her mother and her unwillingness to be vulnerable to others. Cassie spends the book learning that forgiveness is freeing and that love is not a weakness.

Cassie’s emotional journey grabbed my interest, and her romance with the rookie is very, very sweet, but what made the book for me was the description of what it’s like to be a female firefighter. The author’s husband is a volunteer firefighter, and it shows, because the discussions of the job feel absolutely real. And if you've ever wondered what it's like for women in what is still a mostly male profession, well, this novel will give you a pretty good idea.

I really enjoyed this book, and if you like women's fiction, I'd recommend giving it a read.

A copy of this book was provided through NetGalley for review; all opinions expressed are my own.

This was a very powerful book. Not just a romance but a life lesson on forgiveness. Forgiving yourself along with others and how it impacts your life. Loved the characters. Cassie is a very strong female firefighter with a complicated life. All of the firefighters are very realistic and The Rookie is adorable. Cassie's mom and the next door neighbor are hilarious. Really wonderful read full of romance, humor, angst, sadness and a HEA ending. Will be looking for more of Ms. Center's work.
I received an ARC of this book from NetGalley and St. Martin’s Press in exchange for an honest review.

A pretty interesting idea, a female firefighter trying find her way at her new firehouse after a series of events, some family, some her own making cause her to transfer. She and a true rookie join the firehouse at the same time and grow to be friends while dealing with the shenanigans of earning their spots on the team. While well written, I was taken aback by the main plot point of the character revolving around a sexual assault she experienced in high school. I did not expect the plot twist towards the end although it felt like the story fell into the trope of needing someone else to make you whole which seemed to violate the characters self sufficiency that defined her for post of the book. While a sweet romance, I would be careful when reading to make sure you are in a place mentally to handle the assault plot point.

This is my favorite Katherine Center novel to date. Cassie was a strong female lead, and her interactions with "The Rookie" gave me all the feels.

Let me start this by saying that I'm not usually a rom-com fan. I don't like cheesy, I don't like stories that are totally predictable and follow the same pattern - people meet, something bad happens, then everyone ends up happily ever after. Cassie is a 26-year-old firefighter in Texas who doesn't date and loves her job. She has been estranged from her mother for 10 years but suddenly her mom needs her to move in with her - across the country. Cassie leaves the life she knew and starts over in a new city where the fire department still holds on to some old school views about women. She starts a new job along side a rookie who sparks some feelings in her that she's never had before, and she's vulnerable for the first time.

This story is pretty predictable, and cheesy, and for the first third of it I wasn't impressed. But the plot takes a turn that is interesting and unexpected. The story is full of hope. It is well-written, and charming. I finished the book smiling and I think everyone who like rom-coms will enjoy this one.

THINGS YOU SAVE IN A FIRE by Katherine Center is a book about forgiveness and how holding onto old hurts has the power to control your future. Perhaps I picked this book up at the right time in my life because I was very drawn into Cassie’s journey of forgiveness. At another time I might have been cynical to the super sweet, mushy parts that just came together too quickly. Thinking I needed a refresher course on forgiveness and this book presented itself at the right time.

Cassie is a young female firefighter; she has faced a lot of hardships in her short life and being a female in a male dominated world is the least of them. Mostly her relationship with her mother has caused her the inability to forgive, to forget, to move on with her life and trust another human.

Cassie’s story is a good one; I was interested in her and her journey from the first page to the very last. Though I did not think the inside world of firefighting would interest me, I must admit it did. I found much of the information very interesting. I have a new appreciation for the world of firefighting and the men and woman who choose to rush in when everyone is rushing out.

Very good story, likeable characters and the author showed great knowledge of her subject.

4.5 stars
Ooh, I loved this book. Center has done it again for me. Such a beautiful, heartfelt story.
And she uses a trope that I usually despise in a book (someone wrongly accused of something), but with her superb writing skills, she made me love the book anyway.
It's obvious she has done her research about firefighting (the dedication to her husband, a volunteer firefighter, shows her resources). I had never before considered exactly how much goes into that type of job. And Cassie is a full-fledged bad-ass at her job and her life, even though she has some old baggage to deal with.
The main theme of this book is forgiveness and learning how to forgive, even when things are so painful that you don't want to face them. Even if the other person absolutely positively doesn't deserve your forgiveness. The reader goes on a journey with Cassie and it's not always a pretty one, but it's both real and meaningful and everyone will be able to identify with parts of it.
So glad I spend my time with this wonderful novel.

This was my first book by Katherine Center and I could NOT put it down! I was immediately captivated by the characters, their stories and what you have to do to persevere during challenging times.
Cassie was such a relatable character and at the end of the day was so human in her actions. Your heart broke for her, it also glowed when she started understanding love. It was so nice to see her break down walls she had built up for so many years and ultimately learn how to forgive herself and others. I highly recommend this book and cant wait to read Centers other books!
Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley!

Cassie Hanwell was a rising star in the Austin firehouse, a woman, but respected by all her colleagues. She felt she belonged to the Fire Department and had no space in her life for anything else.
All until one night her actions changed everything. She found herself forced to move to Rockport, outside Boston, to care for her ailing, estranged mother; forced to take a job as the first woman in the Lillian FD, where she is not wanted at all.
She tries to fly under the radar both at work - on instructions from her Captain in Austin and at home - unprepared to become close to her mom again because of what she did to Cassie, but life happens and Cassie finds she can't keep quiet and uninvolved and just accept the status quo as things shift slightly in her life and herself.
The research for this book was awesome. The firefighter terminology and lifestyle was portrayed brilliantly. I really liked having such a strong woman as a lead character.
The central theme of this book is forgiveness - to yourself for the past and to others with a healthy dollop of love thrown in too.
The conversation between Cassie and Diana in the epilogue gave me goosebumps as it mirrored my own personal story with my late father-in-law SO closely.
Thank you to NetGalley and the publishers for allowing me to read this book.

Thank you to Netgalley and St. Martin’s Press for providing me an e-copy in exchange for an honest review.

3.5/5⭐️I loved How to Walk Away, so when I saw that Katherine Center was coming out with another book, I could not wait. Unfortunately, this one disappointed me.

Things You Save in a Fire follows firefighter, Cassie, as she moves from Texas to Massachusetts to help out her estranged mom. Circumstances in Texas give her an opportunity to find a fire house near her mother. Unfortunately, this fire house has never recruited a woman firefighter, or even wanted one. She and another new guy, the rookie, start on the same day, and begin to find where they stand within the group of veteran firefighters. As they continue to train and answer emergencies, Cassie is finding herself more attracted to the Rookie, but she doesn’t fall in love, and she most certainly does not date other firefighters.

Let us start with what I did not like, so we can end on a more positive note. I thought there were aspects of these characters that were relatable, but there also seemed to be a less realistic side to them. Insta love was very big in this book, and there wasn’t more to the story to dilute it. I really am not a big fan of insta love. The characters fall in love quicker with each other than you have to fall in love with them individually and see the development and growth.

With that being said, I do think there was character development, but it seemed rushed. I’m not sure if it was because of the length of the story, or the fact that the characters needed to be developed to be together. The ending was very rushed in my opinion. The story started out slower and then all of these events happened, and then it was over.

I liked that Cassie was a strong female lead. She was physically fit and able to beat the guys at any challenge. She was a tomboy who loved her job. Although there was romance, she was an independent character, which I appreciated.

I also loved the writing style. It mimicked How to Walk Away, and helped to set the environment, plot, and characters. I really do think that Katherine Center is an amazing writer and creates beautiful stories. I just wish this one had a bit more, as it felt rushed to me by the end. I would say if you enjoy Katherine Center, I would give this book a chance. It does address learning to forgive and bettering yourself. It speaks to the importance of family and loved ones, as well as allowing yourself to grow without losing who you are. Really did have a beautiful message.

Well I officially have a book hangover! Got your attention? Good. Because this book deserves your attention!
.
This book. Ahh my God this book! I didn’t want it to end! 😩 I couldn’t stop reading it. This book is about relationships, forgiveness, and stereotypes placed on women. Center was spot on with the way she developed the relationships among the firefighters. The way the story was built was so incredibly enticing. There were so many elements that all tied together in a way that can only be done by such a gifted writer. This is a feel-good romantic comedy/women’s fiction novel. There is a natural chemistry between the characters and it simply just gives the reader all the feels. Joy, happiness, sorrow, anger, frustration... It has it all rolled into 320 pages. I’ve read many good books this past summer but this is my very first book hangover. It deserves more than five stars.
.
Female firefighter, Cassie, unexpectedly comes face to face with her horrifying past and puts her job at risk. At the same time, her estranged mother is sick and has asked Cassie to move halfway across the country to help care for her. In a wild predicament, Cassie uproots her life and moves to Boston. She transfers to a new fire station where she has to start from the bottom up and also prove that women are just as worthy and qualified of the firefighting profession as men. “What women think of as sharing, men see as complaining.” That’s what she is up against and more. The same day Cassie is set to start her new job, rookie Owen also starts. Rule #1 is to never get involved in a relationship with a fellow firefighter. But is that even possible for Cassie? Can she rectify things with her mother? Will she earn a place with her new squad? You’ll have to read and find out!
.
Thank you to Netgalley and St. Martin’s Press for an advanced readers copy of Things You Save In A Fire by Katherine Center in exchange for an independent and honest review! Be on the lookout for this book on shelves tomorrow!