After falling in love with the way Katherine Center writes in How To Walk Away, I could not contain my excitement to read Things You Save in a Fire - and it truly did not disappoint. The reader will still get Katherine Center's ability to make you feel at home when you are reading, while also getting to explore a whole new world of a firefighter's experience being a woman. I appreciated the development in all of Cassie's relationships, especially her relationship with her mom and with the other firefighters on her shift. Katherine Center perfectly weaved a story of how love changes us with a story of a woman's experience in a male-dominated field - which is something so many of us can relate to. I truly loved this book and cannot wait for the world to fall in love with it as well.

Things You Save in a Fire by Katherine Center is the story of Cassie Hanwell, a rising star in the Austin Fire Department until she is urged by her estranged mother to live with her at her home in Rockport, Massachusetts for a year. At first, she refused, what did she owed to the woman who left her behind so many years ago? But a situation rose up and she finds herself moving to Rockport and getting a position in a tiny firehouse in the small town of Lillian. In a house, where a woman isn’t exactly a welcome sight, Cassie must prove herself to be as good, if not better, then the men. She needs to remain focused and get through the next year. But a rookie, Owen Callaghan, joins the house on the same day and there is an instant attraction. An attraction she finds herself desperately trying to ignore and stay focused. Will Cassie be able to return to her job in Austin or will fate decide she needs to stay?
I LOVED Things You Save in a Fire. I enjoy books about firefighters and the work they do. Ms. Center’s descriptions are very vivid that you can almost feel the heat from the fires. I also enjoyed the interpersonal conflict between Cassie and her mom as well as Cassie and the men at the station. It felt real and with resolutions that didn’t seem farfetched or unbelievable. My heart stopped at some moments, I cried at others and I laughed with the pranks the firefighters played on each other. I wish I could say more about the book, but I can’t without giving away certain plot plots. I felt as if I was watching real people in real life. I highly recommend Things You Save in a Fire!

Things You Save in a Fire
will be available on August 13, 2019
in hardcover, eBook, and audiobook

I am a huge fan on Katherine Center. I discovered her many years ago when she only had Bright Side of Disaster and I continue to love her writing style today. Her characters are always so realistic and relatable. They are uniquely flawed and perfect in their own ways, which makes the storylines not as predictable. (Though to some extent they are, but life's that way too at times, right?) I always feel like I leave her books wanting to know more and to stay connected with the characters. I love this this novel weaved in a reference to her last novel. Even though the reference was brief, it was nice to see the interconnectedness of people.

I recommend this book, and any others by Katherine Center. Thank you to netgalley for the free galley of this novel!

I received this book as an ARC book from Netgalley. I read Katherine Center's How To Walk Away and enjoyed it so I was excited to get this book. I felt this book was really slow in the first half. I about gave up on the Rookie because he was a wimp in the first half. This was not a religious book but it I kept expecting "then I prayed" or "God guided me" at the end of many of the sentences. Karma was the closest it came to mentioning religion which personally, I was grateful for. I felt the story developed in the second half of the book and was more exciting. I read the second half in one evening. I was expecting a tear jerker, but fortunately that did not happen. I am a sap and will cry over any loss of a loved one.

I did enjoy that Cassie was a strong female character. The forgiveness part of the book did send a good message and made this a feel good book. There was romance in the book but did not overpower the message and the description was subtle. This would be a good beach book or when you are in the mood for some chick lit that is all tied up in a bow by the end.

I absolutely loved this book! Even more than the first book I've read from this author, How to Walk Away.

In Things You Save in a Fire, we follow Cassie Hanwell, a hot shot firefighter, as she relocates to Boston to help out with her mother while she's sick. Through bits and pieces, we learn a little about Cassie's past that prevents her from forming close relationships with people. Ultimately, this story is about forgiveness, and there are so many things that everyone can learn from this book. This book is hilarious, but at the same time, so damn truthful at its core. I almost cried 10 times. And at the end, I finally did, while my husband just stared at me thinking "what is going on?"

I loved, loved, loved all the secondary characters as well. The rookie, one of my favorites, is a newbie that started at the Boston firestation at the same time Cassie did. And all of crew members are pretty funny actually. I enjoyed the camaraderie displayed through all the jokes and pranks they played on Cassie and the rookie.

All in all, I highly recommend this book! I surprisingly liked it a lot more than I thought I would. A huge thanks to Jordan Haley at St. Martin's Press for an ARC!

This is a well written story about a young firefighter who must start over in a small town station when her mother becomes ill. Her adjustment, a romance and lots of adventure make up this story. The characters are believable and likeable. This was a good read. I will be checking out more by this author..

“Things you save in a fire” by Katherine Center is one of the most compelling contemporary fiction novels I’ve read in a while and I absolutely had to read straight through in a single sitting. Loved it!
It has all the elements of a great romance: a heroin worth fighting for, delightful humor, characters with room for growth, deep and complex familial bonds, and the ultimate reward in that waiting for the right person and making space in your heart for those you love, even at great risk, is so worth it. Besides, who doesn’t love an an opportunity to read about an incredible team of firefighters!

Thank you to NetGalley for a copy of this book in exchange for my honest review.

I did not enjoy this at all. Unrealistic characters, poorly developed love story and uninspired writing make for a difficult read.

I kept hearing about this book and seeing it all over social media so I was intrigued by it. I am sorry to say it was not what I anticipated. Don't get me wrong, it's a goo read but not my taste.

Another wonderful book by Katherine Center! I read and enjoyed "How to Walk Away" last year, so I was excited to read her latest. Both books have a strong female character whose life changes unexpectedly. As a (self-labeled) strong, independent woman, I related to her struggle between maintaining her independence and taking a risk to connect with people on a deeper level. I specifically enjoyed how Center connects the main characters from this book and "How to Walk Away." Highly intuitive and clever!

This book is one I really wanted to enjoy, I liked the authors last book, but unfortunately I just couldn’t connect with the story or characters.

This was a good one! It had tough moments, moments that you can relate to within your own life. I loved the fact that it showed strength, inpiration and how a family unit can really be, real life. No sugar coating. You pull up the boot straps and get it done. If it means something to you, don’t give up. Fight and forgive.

You will find a bit of everything in this one. I enjoyed the chance to read it!

Love Katherine Center's brand of romance. This is a fresh feel good story that will appeal to romance readers and contemporary commercial women's fiction readers alike.

I received this copy of Things You Save In A Fire by Katherine Center from @netgalley and @stmartinspress in exchange for an honest review. Its publication date is August 13, 2019.
I absolutely loved this book. It was super engaging from start to finish.  Cassie, a female firefighter, goes through such relatable issues. She finds herself having to relocate from her Texan hometown to Massachusetts to help her estranged mother with some health issues.  It wasn't an esay decision to leave her beloved texan firehouse but she felt it her only choice. The firehouse in Massachusetts isn't as welcoming to women in this predominantly male job. As cassie trys to prove herself to the squad time and time again she finds herself being able to trust owen. Trust doesn't come easy for cassie for any kind of relationship because of events that unfolded on her 16th birthday. Suddenly things start to get complicated in Massachusetts, bad things always occur in 3's right. Health, her job, a big fire. Dramatic, heartbreaking, edge of your seat amasment.
This was the first book ive read by Center. It was beautifully written with an easy  flow, i devoured the book in a couple day's because i just couldn't get enough, definitely an unputdownable read. The way center develops the characters and their relationships was outstanding. I was able to feel what cassie was going through.  A very well written book full of romance, tough decisions, friendship, family, death, love and even a little suspense definitely a 5 star read



My review will also appear on my Instagram instagram.com/teatime_with_a_book on Tuesday February 25th, 2019
I will also post my review on goodreads goodreads.com/teatime_with_a_book

This book had such a strong female lead character which is part of the reason I enjoyed it so much. I had pretty much fallen in love with her by the end of the opening scene. And even though parts of the story are predictable, that's not a negative. Life is full of enough surprises and so it can actually be refreshing to pick up a book like this one and already have a general idea which direction the author is going to go in.

Cassie doesn't have the best relationship with her mother. She's never really been able to forgive her mom for deciding to up and leave the family and move to Boston when Cassie was in high school. But when she gets a phone call from her ailing mother begging her to come live with her for a year, Cassie agrees even though she has serious reservations.

Cassie is a highly qualified firefighter, but she will be put to the ultimate test when she starts working at the local firehouse. Her fellow co-workers aren't exactly thrilled that a female firefighter has joined the ranks. But Cassie was expecting their sexist attitudes and is confident she can show them why she is one of the best firefighters out there. She gets along pretty well with a rookie on the job but knows getting romantically involved with a firefighter is just not a good idea. Besides, Cassie has no interest in finding love. Or does she?

I really loved the personal growth Cassie experienced throughout the book. I thought the "be a hero" message was incredibly powerful. Sometimes you are forced to make difficult choices in life and it's always good to keep in mind what kind of person you want to be and let that help guide you in making decisions.

Definitely recommend this book if you like strong female characters. The fact Cassie was a firefighter really added to the story and sets it apart from other typical novels in the romance or women's fiction genres.

Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for the opportunity to read an advance digital copy in exchange for an honest review!

I love the way Katherine Center writes. A couple of pages into Things You Save in a Fire, I already knew that the main character, Cassie Hanwell was someone I liked, respected and wanted to know more about. Cassie is a firefighter and she is truly great at her job. When circumstances cause Cassie to move from Austin TX to Lillian MA to help her estranged mother, she is forced to face some of the biggest challenges in her life. The challenge that catches her most off guard is her unexpected attraction toward the rookie, the other new hire at the Lillian firehouse. Owen is a very lovable hero. He appreciates Cassie for her strengths and I found that refreshing. It was nice to read about a kindhearted hero who respected the heroine for being strong, instead of trying to “save” or change her. There were so many wonderful things about this story, Center’s attention to detail when describing the life of a firefighter, the way Cassie’s darkest secret was revealed to the reader, her relationship with her mother. I could not put this book down and I look forward to Center’s next novel.

"I'd... chosen, over and over, to be compassionate, and to be human, and to do the right thing - no matter if {they} deserved it or not."

Cassie is tough and vulnerable all at the same time, making her a lovable and relatable protagonist. I loved living inside of her head throughout this book, and felt connected to her, and her story, in many ways. This story speaks to what it means to be human in all of the best ways. I can't wait to recommend it to others for a long time to come.

Well, it's official! I've found a new favorite author! Was so excited to dive into Katherine Center's new novel after having adored How To Walk Away. Things You Save in a Fire did not disappoint! In fact, I'm waffling on whether or not I thought it was better than How To Walk Away.

The theme of this book is, for sure, forgiveness and I loved how Center captured that in many different relationships in the book. Cassie Hanwell is a kick ass firefighter who's as good as they get. After an uncharacteristic display of violence and a phone call from her visually challenged, somewhat estranged mother, Cassie finds herself headed from Texas to Boston to start over with a new fire company. Proving herself and being put into unfamiliar and uncomfortable situations creates quite the intriguing story. Throw in some romance with an adorable rookie, a mysterious stalker and an intense life changing fire and Center has created perfection!

I read this in a day and almost turned right back around and started reading it again. Yes, it's that good.

Thanks, St. Martin's Press and NetGalley for the opportunity to review!

3.75 stars

Super sweet love story that made this cynic both cringe and smile!

Things You Save in a Fire is about a woman who must learn to forgive in order to love.

Cassie, a 26-year-old firefighter in Austin Texas, has faced a lot of adversity in her life. On her 16th birthday, her mother left her father and Cassie for another man, which led to further tragedy. Furthermore, being a woman in a male-dominated profession, she has had to fight her way to acceptance. So when her estranged mother asks Cassie to come care for her outside of Boston while she adjusts to going blind, it should be an easy transition for Cassie. But when she arrives in Lillian at her new firehouse, she faces challenges she never thought she would experience--including learning to forgive and accept love.

Things You Save in a Fire was exactly what I needed! It’s light and happy but also has some depth. There’s a lot to love: I especially loved Cassie’s character. It was refreshing to have a strong, independent female protagonist not fall for losers. I admired how she didn’t back down from challenges and loved seeing her best the guys at the firehouse. I also loved her relationship with her mother. Cassie’s relationship with the rookie was sweet, I just wish it hadn’t been so rushed towards the end.

Onto my cynical side: There were times, especially when Cassie made grand declarations of love when I was groaning aloud and had to cover my eyes (which makes it hard to read!). The proposal scene was especially hard to take. I know, I know. I am just that person! Everything just came together too quickly and too neatly. At the same time, these were some very sweet and endearing moments that felt authentic. As for some of the others, my brain just has trouble processing them as reality.

Overall this is an easy and enjoyable read, even for those who are cynics at heart!

I received an ARC of this book from NetGalley and St. Martin’s Press in exchange for an honest review.

I received Things You Save in a Fire by Katherine Center as an ARC from NetGalley. I absolutely loved this book and I couldn't put it down. Cassie Hanwell is one of only a few female firefighters at her station in Austin, Texas. Her mom is in Boston & asks her to come stay with her for a year because she is sick so Cassie transfer to a station in old school Boston where she is the only female. The story follows Cassie struggles at the fire station, her struggles with her estranged mom and falling in love for the first time. I loved the writing, the storyline and the characters, This was the first book I've read by Katherine Center and I will definitely be reading her other books. Highly recommend this!