**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.
more
First I have to say that I loved this book! It’s one of those books you won’t want to put down. Cassie Hanwell is a female firefighter in Austin who has worked hard to gain the respect of her fellow firefighters. When her estranged mother calls and asks her to move to Massachusetts for a year to help her due to a medical condition that is taking her sight, Cassie first says no. After an incident at an awards ceremony lands Cassie in hot water she changes her mind. She is able to get a firefighter job in a small town near to her mother’s house. It’s like starting over for her as she now has to gain the respect of her fellow firemen. When a romance starts between her and another fireman she is reluctant due to a past incident. This book is about finding yourself, learning to trust and love again, and family. Definitely a book that needs to be on your list. I definitely recommend this book!
Things You Save in a Fire by author Katherine Center is a heart-touching book which had me feeling a wide range of emotions. Once I started reading the book, I could not put it down or stop until I had finished the book. Cassie Hanwell is a firefighter in Austin, Texas who is receiving an award for valor. She did not plan the beat the crap out of City Councilman Heath Thompson, but when he grabbed her bottom as he presented her plaque she just could not help herself! This episode is so funny but it leads the way to understand a very serious event which happened to Cassie on the night of her sixteenth birthday. Her mother left Cassie and her father for another man on the afternoon of Cassie’s birthday and later that night a horrible thing happened to change her life forever. Cassie is tough, self-reliant, an excellent paramedic and fearless firefighter. Emotionally she has barriers and walls she will not allow anyone to cross in order to protect herself. Her future takes an unplanned spin when she receives a call from her estranged mother. Her mother’s request is timed just as Cassie has to choose a new direction for her future.
I enjoyed reading of the camaraderie of the firefighters, the codes of conduct, and about how Cassie learns about forgiveness. As she learns to forgive herself and to forgive her mother, Cassie is unknowingly preparing to learn to forgive a stalker on a larger level.
This was such a wonderful book and I appreciate the Advanced Reading copy I received from St. Martin’s Press and MacMillian Publishers.
I received an ARC from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. I also received a paperback copy from St. Martin’s Press (definitely enjoy an actual book in my hand). I would give this book 100 stars if I could. It is one of the absolute best books I’ve read this year! The plot, the characters, the events – nothing could have been written any better. Katherine Center has done a FABULOUS job writing this book! #thingsyousavebook #tysiaf Enjoy!
This was such a beautiful story of forgiveness and healing. Katherine Center truly has a gift for transporting the reader into the story and getting you invested in the characters. I felt so many emotions while reading this book. Some moments were exhilarating, while others were sweet and tender. There were also painful and gut wrenching scenes that left me holding my heart.
Cassie was a fantastic heroine. I loved her drive, tenacity, and confidence. Her struggles to overcome the stigma and prejudices of being a female firefighter only made me root harder for her. Events in her past (that may be a trigger for some) hardened her heart, but I loved how she slowly opened up and began to live again. Her journey to let go of all the anger and forgiving others (and herself) was so powerful. I appreciated that the romantic relationship in the story was just as important as the friendships and familial relationships. Every part was vital in Cassie’s journey.
The rookie pretty much left me with a goofy grin on my face every time he was on the page. (The Poo-huahua!!!) I loved his friendship with Cassie and how they each trusted and healed each other. Their chemistry and connection jumped off the page and built up so beautifully and naturally. The supporting cast of characters were also a treat and all of the fire station pranks added some wonderful lighthearted moments. My favorite was probably the ladder and rooftop 😉 I also loved getting a glimpse into the inner workings and dynamics of being a firefighter.
I thought the more serious moments were balanced so well with the sweet and silly ones. It made this book unputdownable to me. The epilogue had me smiling ear to ear (even the bittersweet parts) and I cannot wait to read more from Katherine Center!
*Note: There is a bridge novella called The Girl in the Plane that ties this book to How to Walk Away. It is Cassie’s POV of the events that open How to Walk Away. Both books can be read as standalones.
*I voluntarily read an advance review copy of this book*
“Things You Save in a Fire” was a pretty quick read for me. This book was funny, romantic, hopeful and actually, a great read. This usually isn’t my style of reading but I gotta say, I did thoroughly enjoy it. It held my attention and I looked forward to see what was happening next with the characters I grew to like. I give this book 4/5 stars.
Thank you to St. Martins for the advanced readers copy in request of my honest review.
Things You save in a Fire by Katherine Center, releases on August 13th, 2019.
Cassie Hanwell is a shining star in the Austin Fire Department, until a spontaneous reaction to a nemesis from her past and her captain’s reprimand result in Cassie agreeing to move to New England to help her estranged, unwell mother.
Now she’s the only female in a small department full of misogynistic firemen. She’s one of two newbies with a rookie straight out of the academy who comes from a long line of firefighters. Cassie just wants to keep her head down, follow orders and do her job, so she has no room for her niggling little attraction to rookie Owen Callaghan.
This is my first book by this author and I loved it. It’s one of those books that takes pieces of real life and plays them out in such a way that the reader is an integral part of the story, leaving her with a fondness for the new friends she’s made and a sense of satisfaction and contentment when all is resolved.
Cassie and Owen’s story is funny but heartfelt and sometimes frustrating but touching. It’s poignant and inspiring, and it’s impossible not to cheer Cassie on as she navigates all the changes in her life. At the heart of it, this is a story about opening your heart and learning to love, and about letting go of the past and learning to forgive. It’s one of the best books I’ve read this year and I highly recommend it.
*I read an early edition of this book freely and voluntarily, having made no commitment to provide feedback and receiving no compensation of any kind from any source.
Sometimes, when you least expect it, you find something you truly need in life; sometimes, you don’t even realize you need it.
Cassie Hanwell is a tough firefighter who does the job as well as anyone, but when she is thrown the curveball of her life, followed by another, she finds herself fighting for what she wants and fighting against what she needs.
I enjoyed reading a book with not only a strong, female lead, but one living in what some still consider a man’s world. I absolutely love Diana’s philosophy on and steps towards forgiveness as well. This is a book that I got a lot out of, separate from the actual events within the novel, and I feel it could benefit others. It really isn’t one of the genres I often lean towards, but I enjoyed it none the less.
I received an advanced readers copy of Things You Save in a Fire in exchange for an honest review.
I enjoyed Katherine Center’s book HOW TO WALK AWAY, but I love her newest one THINGS YOU SAVE IN A FIRE. This is a story of courage, family, second chances, forgiveness, and finding love.
Cassie Hanwell is an exceptional firefighter. But the night she is receiving an award for her bravery on the job, in a rare moment of uncontrolled emotions, she throws it all away. When her long estranged and dying mother suddenly asks Cassie to give up her job for a year to move from Texas to Boston to help her Cassie agrees.
The Boston firehouse is very different than the Texas one. Being an older firehouse, it lacks many of the facilities and equipment the Texas one had. But most important, unlike her Texas coworkers where she was totally accepted, she knows she is entering a firehouse where women are not welcome. But she immediately bonds with the “rookie” whose first day on the job is the same as hers. However, the rookie is immediately accepted as his father is a captain at a Boston firehouse. Cassie is focused and determined to show the men she can hold her own on the job.
We soon learn that Cassie and the rookie both have secrets they have told no one – secrets that have shaped who they are now. As the story evolves we see both Cassie and the rookie coming to terms with those secrets.
Center’s writing is delightful and makes this a totally enjoyable novel to read, touching on many emotions – anger, happiness, fear, love, and laughter over the firemen’ antics. I found myself frequently chuckling over the scenes with the firefighters and their rowdiness. It is obvious that Center did a lot of research (she gives kudos to her firefighter husband) to get the firefighter culture down accurately. A little bonus for those who have read HOW TO WALK AWAY – in Chapter 5 of THINGS YOU SAVE IN A FIRE there is a reference to the rescue scene in HOW TO WALK AWAY. Center has made Cassie on of the first responders who arrived at the plane crash scene.
Thank you to St. Martin’s Press for the advance e-galley of the book. All opinions on the book are my own.
Things You Save in a Fire is a book with a strong female lead which is why I chose to read it; but it is so much more than that, it completely stole my heart!
Cassie Hanwell is a strong, tough woman. She learned at 16 that the world is hard and unforgiving, so she made herself the same in turn. As the only female fire-fighter in Austin, Texas, she’s a standout, calmest in the midst of an emergency, the youngest and ONLY female firefighter to be presented with the prestigious Austin Fire Department Valor Award. But when she sees who is going to present her with the award, instead of the mayor as expected, her shock suddenly erupts into something no one present anticipated or will ever forget, least of all Cassie herself!!
Her mother asks her to come to Boston to stay with her for no more than a year. Estranged for many year, Cassie repeatedly says no, and yet she soon finds herself on the way to Boston. As her father says, she was raised to do the right thing, and she does it.
Settling into the Lillian firehouse isn’t easy. It’s an old house, filled with firefighters who don’t believe a woman can ever possibly be a good firefighter. They want no parts of her, and has been hired only because of their desperate need for a certified paramedic. Cassie has to prove herself daily to these men. Can she change their minds? Can she change her mind about the etched in stone opinion she has about her mother, and about life?
Katherine Center presents us with a fabulous character-driven novel that examines the hard-knocks and choices that determine our paths, shows how good can come from everything we’re given to deal with, and that forgiveness, redemption, and joy are available if we are willing to reexamine ourselves and others, and open our hearts. Life can be ugly, life can be beautiful, life is messy. The author deals with all three very well.
A wonderful read I’d hate for you to miss!
Many thanks to NetGalley and St. Martin’s Press for allowing me to read a copy of this book in exchange for an unbiased review.
This is the first book I’ve read by Katherine Center. I was drawn in by the title, cover, and description of the story and I’m SO glad that I was able to read this book!! I’m honestly not even sure where to begin with this review. After I finished reading the book I wondered if I was the only person that was touched so profoundly by the writing. There were so many portions to the story that stood out to me I found myself highlighting parts on my Kindle and I went back to reread the sections I highlighted. From there, I decided to see if I truly was the only one that was touched so profoundly… and I discovered that I’m not. As I was reading others thoughts on the book someone named Erin (whom I don’t even know) mentioned that this author has a way of writing fiction that ‘settles deep in your soul’, and that is the truth!! This is what I’m trying to convey to people that are considering reading the book…. read it, you won’t regret it. The story is beautifully written and you will feel hope, inspired, freed, after reading. The story is about Cassie. She is a female firefighter that experienced trauma in her younger days… specifically on her 16th birthday. She has risen above the experiences the best should could until an event happens that catapults her life in to a different direction. This story is about Cassie’s journey in finding forgiveness and love. All of the characters in the story were wonderfully written. I found myself laughing, smiling, scared, learning, loving, crying, and feeling forgiveness. I would highly recommend reading this book. I hope that you enjoy the story as much as I did.
*I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.
-Description-
Cassie Hanwell is a firefighter who beats the crap out of Heath Thompson…a guy from her past. No spoilers here…happens right away. Then she gets a call from her estranged mother, who asks her to come live with her for a year and help her with some health issues. Cassie gets a new job at the “good old boys” fire station & goes to live with her mother.
-Thoughts-
1. So this book was ok. But to be honest, I didn’t understand the point. Was it a romance novel, a mystery, a family drama. I guess it was kind of all of them. It just didn’t hit enough of each one. Too scattered.
2. Cassie and the other characters were just one demential to me. Cassie was self-righteous (which I guess many 20 somethings can be), but this strive for perfection was just too unrealistic and it made me not like her at all. I preferred the “villain” in the story…but even that character made me roll my eyes.
3. The writing was fine, it just wasn’t real. I couldn’t connect. The conversations wouldn’t happen in real life. Cassie’s responses to things that were happening to her or things she aaa accused of, were mind boggling. The unrealistic reactions annoyed me.
-Rating-
This rating means I do not recommend this book.
-Similar Recommended Reads-
Ask Again, Yes
Small Great Things
All We Ever Wanted
This was a really good story. I learned a lot about brotherhood and sisterhood of first responders.. Of course there was male, female interaction which made the book even more enjoyable. The female in the book had to overcome terrible things from her childhood. As an adult fitting into a male dominated field brought many challenges.
This book hit every emotion, you could feel them through the authors words. I can’t tell you how much I enjoyed this book. I laughed, cried, was angry, and totally fell in love. I felt as though I was reading a true story. Katherine Center did an outstanding job. 5 stars is not enough for this book thank you for letting me read this as an ARC. Totally became a fan of Katherine Center.
Linda’s Book Obsession Reviews “Things You Save in a Fire” by Katherine Center. St. Martin’s Press, August 2019
Katherine Center, AUthor of “Things You Save in a Fire”, has written a captivating, witty, emotional, thought-provoking and entertaining novel. The Genres for this novel are Fiction, Women’s Fiction, Contemporary and Romantic novel with some Humor. The timeline for the story is in the present and goes to the past when it pertains to the characters or events in the story. The author describes her colorful and dramatic cast of characters as quirky, complex, complicated, and flawed.
Cassie Hanwell has always enjoyed helping people and especially likes using her skills as a medic in the fire department to care for people. Cassie is determined, courageous, brave, tough, yet broken on the inside. Cassie herself has had traumatic things happen to her.
Cassie’s estranged mother calls her to come home for a year to help her. Circumstances occur where Cassie will now be working with a different firefighter unit near where her mother lives. The Captain of the original unit gives Cassie a whole list of “survival rules” for her new placement. The men on the new unit, and especially the new Captain are less than thrilled that Cassie is not a man. How is Cassie going to survive these new changes?
This is a wonderful book about forgiveness, second chances,self-growth, family, love, and hope. I would highly recommend this emotional and thought-provoking novel.
Cassie Hanwell is a woman who has braved a male dominated world, and found lots of success as a paramedic and firefighter, even earning herself recognition from her city. The men that she works with respect her, support her, and treat her like one of the guys, they are her family. It would appear everything in her world is darn near perfect…
Then she receives a call from her estranged mother, who is ill, and would like for Cassie to come and live with her for a year while she heals, but Cassie turns her down flat, citing that she can’t leave her job or her team.
Then in the blink of an eye her happy little world implodes, one unexpected out of control moment at an award ceremony costs her everything. In one fell swoop she loses her job, her friends, and now she is being sent to a firehouse that doesn’t take too kindly to women entering their domain. This transfer is the last thing she wants or needs right now, but she doesn’t have any other choice. Now she must eat her words, pack her things, and start a new life… with a mother she knows nothing about!
Things You Save in a Fire is delightful tale about a woman who bravely enters a male dominated world, and finds her true calling as a paramedic and firefighter… not without a few bumps along the way. This uplifting and endearing tale brought smiles, tears, laughs, and tugged on the heartstrings. This was a first time read for me, and I have to say it impressed on all fronts, the story line had a realistic feel, the characters were exceptionally crafted and easy to connect to, and the words were enthralling. I loved following Cassie on her journey, her bravery left me awe, her outlook on life was admirable, she was a true inspiration! Highly recommend this one, it’s emotionally rich story line is certain to leave a mark on your heart!
I requested an advanced copy of this title from the publisher, and I am leaving my honest opinion.
I loved this book so much that I started and finished it in one day! This was a definite 5 star book for me. I really enjoyed the main character, Cassie. She’s tough and gives her all in a male-dominated profession. She relocates from Texas to Massachusetts to help her ill mother (from whom she’s basically been estranged from). The story focuses on Cassie’s relationship with her new coworkers at the firehouse that has NEVER had a woman firefighter (until Cassie) as well as on her strained relationship with her mother. Cassie has a never-give-up attitude when it comes to her work, but that mentality does not carry over to her personal life (she actively avoids even having a personal life). I really enjoyed how the plot unfolds and thought the author did a fantastic job with this book!
Thank you to St.Martin’s Press and NetGalley for providing a copy for review.
Fantastic book. Very emotional. Strong character development. I really enjoyed this one.
4.5 Slow Burning Stars!
This was truly a Heartwarming story of growth and discovery. Cassie’s tenacity was exemplified, her character was truly resilient ~ I just loved her. I enjoyed watching Cassie’s and Owen’s relationship grow, the banter between them, the way they handles being newbies together.
I read this one not know what to expect and I can’t recommend it enough. Well done…
Things You Save in a Fire is my first Katherine Center book and will not be my last.
The beginning was a little slow (50 pages) but once it picks up, it takes off with the speed of a sports car. You will not want to put down. As a matter of fact, for two days my husband had to eat sandwiches for dinner. I was not stopping to bother with cooking.
This book has all the feels: anger, shock, sadness, laughter, and love. It is true to life where one moment we are happy and then something happens to make us realize how short life really can be.
Things You Save in a Fire has some foul language (F word every so often), a few sex scenes (not too in depth) and adult situations.
Put this on your TBR list and a reminder on your calendar to pick up your copy on 8.13.19 from your favorite book retailer. I just know you will like this book.
I received a complimentary copy from St. Martin’s Press. Any and all opinions expressed the above review are entirely my own.
#thingsyousavebook
This is one of my favorite books this year. It has a few layers to it. The story of a mother seeking to make amends with a daughter she left behind when she left her marriage. The story of a female firefighter trying to make her way in a job she loves but one that is primarily male dominated. And then the story of two young firefighters finding romance. I love Cassie. She is so strong, brave and flawed. I don’t want to go into details because the story is so good, I want you to read the book. If I start talking about the things that touched me, what made me angry, what made me laugh and what made me sigh, happily, I know I will tell too much. If you have a book club, you definitely want this book on the list. There is so much to discuss! If you aren’t in a book club, read it and send me a message. I’ll discuss it with you. Or find a buddy reader. Just read this book. It is one of the most interesting books I have read this year.
I read an advanced reader’s copy that I won. My understanding is that a discussion guide will be available online. I will be looking for that. I keep a notebook just to write down my answers and thoughts. I find that entertaining. I probably should find a local book club but, as an introvert, this fits me. Put this book on your TBR and look for it’s release in August.