**INDIE NEXT PICK FOR AUGUST****AN AUGUST 2019 LIBRARYREADS SELECTION****BOOK OF THE MONTH PICK FOR JULY****AN AMAZON EDITOR’S PICK FOR AUGUST**“Center gives readers a sharp and witty exploration of love and forgiveness that is at once insightful, entertaining, and thoroughly addictive.”— KIRKUS, STARRED REVIEW“An appealing heroine, a compelling love story, a tearjerking twist, and a thoroughly … appealing heroine, a compelling love story, a tearjerking twist, and a thoroughly absorbing story. Another winner from Center.”
— BOOKLIST, STARRED REVIEW
“A spirited, independent heroine meets a smoking-hot fireman in Center’s smart romance… If you enjoyed ‘The Kiss Quotient,’ by Helen Hoang, read Things You Save in a Fire”’
– THE WASHINGTON POST
From the New York Times bestselling author of How to Walk Away comes a stunning new novel about courage, hope, and learning to love against all odds.
Cassie Hanwell was born for emergencies. As one of the only female firefighters in her Texas firehouse, she’s seen her fair share of them, and she’s a total pro at other people’s tragedies. But when her estranged and ailing mother asks her to give up her whole life and move to Boston, Cassie suddenly has an emergency of her own.
The tough, old-school Boston firehouse is as different from Cassie’s old job as it could possibly be. Hazing, a lack of funding, and poor facilities mean that the firemen aren’t exactly thrilled to have a “lady” on the crew—even one as competent and smart as Cassie. Except for the infatuation-inspiring rookie, who doesn’t seem to mind having Cassie around. But she can’t think about that. Because love is girly, and it’s not her thing. And don’t forget the advice her old captain gave her: Never date firefighters. Cassie can feel her resolve slipping…and it means risking it all—the only job she’s ever loved, and the hero she’s worked like hell to become.
Katherine Center’s Things You Save in a Fire is a heartfelt and healing tour-de-force about the strength of vulnerability, the nourishing magic of forgiveness, and the life-changing power of defining courage, at last, for yourself.
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A thoroughly satisfying read about learning to love and forgiveness, not only towards others but also ourselves. Center is now added to my list of authors that I’d buy without reading the book jacket. Her stunning covers are an added bonus.
Cassie is top notch firefighter, and has worked hard to be one of the guys. While receiving a special award, old memories come back to haunt her and derails the life she is living. At the same time, an unwanted call comes her way and she has no choice but accept it. Now she needs to start over proving herself all over again to a much tougher crowd! Throw in a hot rookie, an intimidating stalker and a massive fire and you have a book that you will read from cover to cover in one sitting!
Center undertakes many different relationships in this book; family, love, work, friends. She captured the workings of a firehouse (the work, competitiveness, friendship, chain of command and pranks) but also the mindset of what it takes to be a firefighter.
Thanks to NetGalley and St Martin’s Press for this ARC. Opinion is mine alone.
I received this as an Advanced Readers’ Edition. l liked that you got a feel for what goes on at a fire station without so much detail that interest was lost. There was one point with which I did not agree, but it didn’t lessen my enjoying the book. If you like Katherine Center, I suggest you read this when it’s released in August.
#thingsyousavebook; @tysiaf
Loved the characters and loved the story!! I liked that even more was told in the epilogue! I enjoyed this book so much! It was a hard to put down book!
Thanks to St Martin’s Press for the early copy!!
I previewed this book as it was sent to me free of charge due to a reader campaign. It will go on sale Aug 13. I don’t have a twitter account, but I do have BookBub and Goodreads.
Cassie’s story is unique. I was caught up as I read and constantly wondering what would happen next. It was not a cookie cutter novel.
I know there are female firefighters and police. I found the little facts within the story interesting. How heavy is a hose full of water, the type of training and challenges involving women vs men…
This is my first book by this author. How to Walk Away was her first book. This I will now need to go on my “to read” list. Read Cassie’s story for an in depth look at a young woman who overcomes traumatic experiences in her past and learns to deal with them in her unforeseen future.
I enjoyed this book a lot! It covered a lot of emotions…anger, fear, sadness, love, etc. Cassie is one tough cookie. Her life as a female fire fighter has you cheering her on…even when you’re not sure she’s making the best decisions.
Cassie’s mother is manipulative in getting Cassie to come stay with her. But once you find out the real reason why, you will understand her efforts.
While you find yourself laughing, the next second your heart will ache for Cassie. And as you travel with her through her life … present day and her memories of her high school days. Growing up was a difficult time for Cassie and she appears to have done a good job of becoming a responsible adult with a fulfilling life. But you realize that this amazing young lady has a long way to go before she reaches her full potential.
The thing you save in a fire, at least for Cassie, is forgiveness. And that’s the one lesson that carries through many of the relationships that flow through the pages of this delightful book.
Thank you to St. Martin’s Press and Goodreads for an ARC in exchange of my honest review.
Another wonderful read from Katherine Center. A strong protagonist with just enough vulnerability to be likable, a mother trying to make amends, a long-buried secret that comes to light and a firehouse romance that will warm your heart. Definitely a five-star read for me.
I absolutely loved this book! A strong woman character, a glimpse of a firefighter’s life, a love story and family drama all within it’s pages. I was grinning when I read chapter six and caught the reference to How To Walk Away. Katherine Center is one of my favorite authors, and I look forward to reading more of her work. Thank you to St. Martin’s Press for my ARC.
Absolutely loved this book!!
Thanks to St. Martin’s Press for sending me the ARC. This book is a whimsical story about a girl learning to forgive! It’s about families and mother-daughter relationships. Romance and happiness! The female lead character is a badass firefighter who tough exterior has been tarnished in Texas and moves in with mom in Massachusetts. Love how the author made the little town so familiar that it make you want to live there. Pain and suffering happen, but with time healing happens. Loves the way the author closes the story too. Sadness and happiness all wrapped into this one.
This book starts out ON FIRE! I read the first sentence and I knew I was going on a flaming read with the character of Cassie Hanwell! Of course, knowing it was written by Katherine Center, I was certain this book would be excellent. I was not disappointed one bit!
Cassie is a tough and hard core firefighter and she knows her business. “She was about as close as a regular human could get to a superhero. And guess what? She really didn’t put up with nonsense.” The thing is, she’s also vulnerable from events that happened when she was younger. There is hurt, bitterness, rage, and unforgiveness in her that she puts up a wall in front of. Her whole focus and meaning in life is her career as a firefighter. It defines her. Or so she wants to portray.
Then things in her personal life happen and change her path. Things she never wanted to have to face or deal with. But the vulnerability and compassionate consciousness in her can’t leave her alone. This is where my heart was pulled into the pain and anguish of what Cassie is going to be challenged by. I felt her emotions because of the way Ms. Center portrays her characters. With heartfelt feelings….good or bad.
The characters in this book are realistic. There are wonderful characters that I cheered for and connected with. I love the “Rookie”. He plays such a crucial role in Cassie’s life and how things settle out. I loved how Ms. Center wove the mystery of his name in this story. (What exactly is his name?) The characters weave through this story so well and bring it together piece by piece. The events of the past intertwine with the events of the present. This is a story with forgiveness as a very relevant subject. How can we forgive when we’ve been hurt so badly? How was Cassie going to find that ability? “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.”
As I was reading this book, I found myself considering many of the same things Cassie was. What is the price we are willing to pay for happiness and looking to be released from the past? What does it take? This book is amazing in how Ms. Center takes the reader on that journey.
I also appreciate the details in the descriptive passages about fires and firefighting. I have gained a whole new admiration for what firefighters endure and experience in their profession. This book is written extremely well and I was turning the pages because I was so engrossed in the story. I love the dialogue between the characters. It was like I was right there in the pages, being a part of the conversations.
I am so grateful for the opportunity of reading this book. I thank Ms. Center, MacMilllan Publishing for the ARC copy, and Netgalley for the kindle copy of this book. I know that when I pick up a Katherine Center book, I am going to read a fantastic story. After reading How To Walk Away I was certain! I freely give my HUGE five star review of this book.
This book was a fast read. The writing is beautiful. You feel you are there witnessing the story. Loved loved loved it!!! #thingsyousaveinafirebook, #tysiaf
Wow, I thought the first book I read by this author was good. I enjoyed this book as much if not more. So many emotions abound in this book love, hate, lust, angst, anger, loss and forgiveness. The family drama is only the tip of the iceberg in this storyline, the story is full of heartbreak yet such an amazing story. I would definitely recommend this book to others.
I absolutely LOVED this book. Such sweet emotion and humor; I could not put it down. The characters are unforgettable and the story is amazing. I read it through it one day. Life lessons with family and relationships throughout. Fantastic read! Thanks to the publisher for the ARC
This is my first book by Ms. Center and it was like a breath of fresh air for me. I had been reading an extremely heartbreaking and soul searching type of book when I knew I needed something to lift me up. This book was just the ticket!
Cassie Hanwell had been settling in and working fine with the Austin fire department. She loved her job, she was finally getting the respect she deserved and the firefighters were a great group of guys. “Anyone who’d seen our rainbow flag flying, or shopped at one of our vegan/kosher bake sales, or seen our fire marshal tooling around in a Prius knew we were a progressive department”.
Everything was going great until, she learned she was going to be presented with a valor award, she had pretty much single handedly saved children who had been trapped in a school bus after an accident. Her small stature made her the only one who was small enough to climb through the bus window and hand the kids out one at a time.
So what went wrong? Well it was the presenter of the award, the one man in her life who she had hoped never to cross paths with again, let alone receive an award from and having to shake his hand. She managed to make it up to the stage but when when Heath Thompson, city councilman, decided to make a pass, Cassie lost it, basically pummeled the man. She was given an option after that, be terminated or choose another department far away.
Cassie’s mother left her when she was 16 and she had been living with her father ever since. Now Diana has called for her help, she has lost vision in one eye and the other is failing. She would like Cassie to come to stay with her in Massachusetts, “not forever, a year at most.”. So she is transferred to a new fire department in Lillian.
This new department is a far cry from Austin, it is old, the trucks and equipment are the bare minimum and the firemen are a different breed also. They aren’t hostile but they definitely don’t feel comfortable having a woman firefighter around.
Through the life she begins to share with her mother and the new crew that she forges friendships with, we see how Cassie grows as an individual. She finally has a love interest after being lonely for most of her life. We learn the reasons why she has distanced herself from her mother and why she “lost it” at the award ceremony, what Heath Thompson did to her when she was 16.
The character development in this novel is top notch and I am still thinking about them now. The plot at times is a bit predictable but it doesn’t matter, the feel of the entire book is positive. It focuses on forgiveness of others and yourself, something that most of us struggle with from time to time. Many types of relationships are touched upon, mother daughter, father daughter, friends, co-workers. I loved this book!
I received an advance copy of this book from the publisher through NetGalley
Cassie works in the Austin Fire Department as a paramedic, and she’s good at her job, very good. But when an awards ceremony goes awry, she works out to not get fired, yet transferred. Which works for her because her mother needs some taking care of. It’s not an easy decision because she’s estranged from her mother. Let’s hope she manages the tough job of being a female in an all-male fire department at her new firehouse, where they’ve never had a female, and where she will have to prove herself all over again.
Cassie was raped on her 16th birthday, the same day her mother left her and her father, a man who didn’t know what to do with a girl but tried his best. So for 10 years, Cassie kept her head down, she worked hard to earn her spot in the fire department. She’s lead such a closed-off life, with no companionship because of what happened, she’s never even been kissed. Your heart breaks for the way she leads her life because of what she had been through.
Cassie is such an incredibly strong woman, and in the short span of the book, she learns and grows so much. Things You Save in a Fire is heartwarming and amusing at times with Cassie’s inner dialogue. It’s well-written with wonderful characters, a definite page-turner.
After a stretch of reading books that were good, fine, or o.k. I have been lucky enough to read two incredible novels this week, one of which was Things You Save in a Fire, the upcoming novel from author Katherine Center. Although not exactly what I expected, this one was amazing!
This is about firefighter Cassie Hanwell, who right after receiving a great honor, proceeds to completely screw things up for herself. Couple that with her estranged mother begging for Cassie to move to the Boston area to help her with some health issues, Cassie finds herself employed at an all-male and old-school fire station, starting the same day as a rookie named Owen. Although not an emotional or touchy-feely person, Cassie slowly feels the walls crumbling that she has carefully built around herself, not only with the rookie but also with her mother, Diana.
Let me get this out of the way. Things You Save in a Fire includes themes about assault, trauma, illness, parent issues, marriage issues, and so much more. With that being said, this is not a sad book, it won’t bring you down, and if anything – your spirit will soar after finishing it.
It’s evident early on that Cassie is an incredible firefighter, especially for being a female (this is a joke, as you will see when you read, about the especially for being a female part), but is also very guarded and closed off regarding relationships. Not just romantic relationships, but any sort of emotional investment with others. There are several reasons why, but I can’t say.
Another thing that comes to light very early on is that Owen is outstanding. Handsome, sexy, polite to a fault, funny, a family person, generous, and so much more. I could probably spend most of the afternoon describing all of the ways that I love Owen. His only problem was a ton of guilt and sense of obligation stemming from events from his youth. But again, I can’t elaborate on it.
Then there is the quirky, whimsical, creative, loving and interesting Diana (Cassie’s mother). I struggled with her overall character initially, but only because some things hit too close to home for me. However, I quickly fell in love with her honesty, her wisdom, and especially her best friend next door! All of Cassie’s anger and resentment that she had held on to for so many years was primarily due to the actions of Diana. However, it is Diana’s straight-forward emotion and insight that is the catalyst to Cassie learning to forgive others, forgive herself, and open her heart again to those around her.
Things You Save in a Fire is beautifully developed, had incredible characters that will grab you by your heart, and had such moving themes and messages. The journey along with Cassie is filled with tons of humor, mistakes, triumphs, fear, acceptance, forgiveness, and love. This is a must read that I promise you will devour!
*Many thanks to NetGalley and St. Martin’s Press for providing this ARC in exchange for my honest review!
First, I want to thank Goodreads, St. Martin’s Press and MacMillan Publishers for the ARC of Things You Save In a Fire.
Second, I want to thank Ms. Center for sharing her powerful words with the world.
Okay, I am still processing all of my thoughts because I literally just finished. I first discovered Ms. Center’s writing when my book group read How To Walk Away (which was a five star for me); upon finishing HTWA, I read Happiness for Beginners and have The Lost Husband in queue.
Things You Save In a Fire is Cassie’s story (which I was surprised to have realized we had met her before…..). Things happened in Cassie’s life that shaped her into the woman she is. I can tell you that her story is one of determination, strength, perseverance and self-discovery. Along this journey, she uncovers sides of herself she thought had been buried never to see the light of day again. She also welcomes new people into her life that help her see herself as the beautiful woman she is……Owen!!!!
I could go on and on, but I won’t. I want you, the reader, to experience every emotion, every high and every low that Cassie goes through.
“Your struggles might even lead you to your strengths”
Ms. Center, again, brings us a strong heroine who has experienced so much disappointment, but always stands on her own two feet.
I can’t tell you how many times I had a lump in my throat, tears in my eyes (joyful and sad), a grin on my face. I was swept away by a tidal wave of emotions reading this beautiful book. So many times I cried and laughed—often on the same page. Cassie Hanwell is truly one of the most complete characters I’ve ever met in a book. Her journey was one of courage, pain, forgiveness, and love; a tough outer shell protecting her from the past, waiting for her heart to break through that barrier. Owen was the perfect foil to Cassie’s resistance; her mother, so persistent and wise; the guys in her firefighting crew were as loyal as they were obnoxious. This book is a tribute to firefighters everywhere, brave men and women who put their lives on the line everyday. Katherine Pannill Center has this wonderful ability to keep readers engaged from beginning to end, filling the pages with heart and humor, connecting readers to her characters and their stories so that we truly feel their pain and celebrate their joys. “Yes the world is full of unspeakable cruelty. But the answer wasn’t to never feel hope, or bliss, or love—but to savor every fleeting, precious second of those feelings when they come. The answer wasn’t to never love anyone. It was to love like crazy whenever you could.”
What a great read! Cassie is one badass fireman. Wow to be able to do one pull up let alone a one armed pull up. The book starts off in a fun easy read and then the heart of the book is revealed. The author has created characters with a story. It’s easy to judge without knowing the story but we as humans all make mistakes. I loved how the Rookie, Diana and Josie broke down the wall around Cassie and showed her love is possible. I loved this book and highly recommend it.
Katherine Center provides a romance novel that touches many emotional elements. A successful, young woman who thought she had put past trauma behind her, suddenly and swiftly, gets her life turned upside down. She is forced to deal with her past and future unexpectedly. The narrative does hold some predictive counterparts, however, Center gives many dimensions to the plot and provides a strong heroine to negate several of those familiarities. All of the characters that she has crafted are relatable on a basic human level. She integrates that “guy next-door” personality into many of them, allowing the reader to become easily absorbed in the story. Great summer read. 4 stars.
Thank you to #NetGalley for this ARC of #ThingsYouSaveInAFire