Things You Save in a Fire is the story of Cassie Hanwell, a firefighter striving to make her mark in a male-dominated profession. Unexpected circumstances lead her to leave her much loved and comfortable life behind in Texas and to move to Massachusetts and start all over again. In Massachusetts, Cassie has to start afresh at a new fire station and being the only female firefighter there, she has to go over and beyond to prove to others that she truly deserves to be a part of their team. In addition to this, Cassie is back living with her mother and is forced to deal with unsettled issues between them.

Cassie Hanwell is a flawed, funny and tough person; a fiercely independent woman who is constantly having to prove her worth to her colleagues and doing it in her stride. She has serious abandonment issues which lead her to be suspicious of everything good and kind that comes her way. Her insecurities have made her lose faith in love and relationships and even though she could see the good in people, she just did not believe that goodness could be for her or could have a lasting effect in her life.

I really liked how Katherine Center, very cleverly, connected this story with How to Walk Away with Cassie being the firefighter who saves Margaret in the plane crash.

Things You Save in a Fire not only deals with Cassie’s relationship with her mother and Rookie, a coworker at the station, but also talks about relationships in general. The general theme of forgiveness wonderfully threads throughout the story. All of us have something inside us that we need forgiveness for or someone we need to forgive desperately but do not know how; this book is for each and every one of us — it is therapeutic, heartfelt and soothing.

Katherine Center’s writing is simple and emotionally engaging. Some may argue that the ending was too good to be true and that not everyone gets their happy ending. However, to me, what truly matters is that, through this book, Katherine Center gives the reader the hope and courage to soldier on. Despite the challenges and the obstacles, she makes one believe in oneself and in karma. If a story gives a person the strength and fortitude to believe that good things are awaiting them, then in my eyes, the author has done her job and more.

I would like to thank NetGalley, Katherine Center and St. Martin's Press for sharing an e-copy of this book with me in exchange for an honest review.

Oh this book! This is quite possibly one of the better books I've read in awhile. Katherine Center manages to perfectly balance humor, romance, failure, success, sabotage and a good hard look at how someone wants to live their life in this wonderful story. Cassie's mother walks out on her and her dad on her sixteenth birthday - the same day that she also faces an assault by a classmate. As a result, she hardens her heart to love and affection and grows up a tomboy turned firefighter. When an award ceremony goes awry in Austin and she gets a call from a now sick mother who abandoned her, Cassie heads to Massachusetts to take on a job at a new fire station where she has to prove herself. And of course she falls for the other fellow new firefighter in the process. Then she realizes that her mom is sicker than she thought, and someone in the firehouse is trying to scare off with threats. Along the way she learns to love and forgive in a novel that made me both want to laugh (umm, Chihuahua CPR anyone?) and cry (happy and sad tears). I loved it!

This is the most entertaining, touching, amusing, and overall best book I’ve read so far this year.
It is a rare thing for a book to hook me in the first few pages. With this one I found myself grinning and slowing down, because I could telll this is one I wouldn’t want to end.
With any book in any genre my baseline requirement is for the author to tell me a good story. And this one was just awesome, Not only was it a great, original plot, but the characters who populated it were so well drawn and compelling. I felt I knew the mind and motivations of even minor characters. But the primary characters were realistic, complex, and likable. Without expending unnecessary verbiage in descriptive passages, the author planted me squarely in a charming seaside New England village, in firehouses in Texas and Massachusetts, at the scene of a dangerous fire, and in a closet with the main characters,
The book addresses a number of themes: recovery from traumatic events, women trying to attain acceptance in a male dominated work environment, dealing with love that has struck at an inopportune time. But the overarching message seems to be the power of forgiveness to transform our lives, and the necessity of love, parental and romantic, in helping us live complete and full lives.
One thing I especially appreciated was the author’s obvious familiarity with the substance of the plot - the life of a female firefighter/paramedic. Weaving in this information added a strong dose of reality to the plot.
This book was alternately funny and gritty, angsty and romantic,, disparing and hopeful - all mixed up in characters I’d like to have dinner or a beer with. It was as close to perfect as any book I’ve read in a long time.

3.5 Stars

Thanks to #NetGalley #StMartinsPress for my free copy of #ThingsYouSaveInAFire in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.

Hallmark Channel meets Chicago Fire.

A feisty, smart, capable, spunky, and feminist firefighter, Cassie Hanwell, fighting to be taken seriously in a male dominated career and culture is the premise of Things You Save in a Fire. In a quest to prove herself, she moves to a different and less progressive firehouse, faces personal challenges as her mother suffers an illness, and becomes involved in an ill advised romantic relationship.

Even though Things You Save in a Fire does not fall into one of my usual reading genres, I enjoyed the fast paced read and thought the author succeeded in what she set out to accomplish. There were many aspects of the reading experience that I appreciated: snappy writing, engaging and fast moving plot, a strong, capable, determined, and fierce female character, and important themes of forgiveness, loyalty, love, teamwork, friendship, courage, determination, challenges women face in male dominated careers, and mother/daughter relationships.

The story was predictable in places, some events seemed contrived to fit a theme or move the action forward, problems were quickly resolved, there's a romance along with instalove and beautiful people.....however, these elements are expected in the genre.

Things You Save in a Fire is recommended for fans of chicklit and romance, for readers looking for an easy and quick weekend or vacation read, for readers looking for an exceptionally strong main female character, and for those who are interested in firefighting as a career for women.

Things you save in a fire by Katherine Center

Cassie is a fire fighter in TX when she has to move to MA to help her sick mother, who abandoned her at age 16. She takes a job at a small town fire house where she receives a less than warm welcome.

Cassie learns a lot about love, forgiveness and family - both by blood and by choice.

This book is well written and hard to put down. Katherine Center is a new author to me but since finishing this one, I have started How to walk away. At 59 pages in, I am loving it as well so Center will be a must read author for me.

Thanks to @netgalley, St. Martins Press and Katherine Center for this advanced copy. When it is published on August 19, 2019, run, don’t walk, to your local bookstore and get your hands on this new favorite.

Absolutely adored this book! It was a sweet, lovely read. I immediately fell in love with Cassie, and enjoyed her personality and tough exterior. I also appreciated the overall theme of forgiveness. Overall, I truly loved the story and couldn’t put the book down - finished it in a day!

I simply adored this book! Filled with memorable characters, secrets, love, stalking, forgiveness -- all great elements for a fantastic story. This one made me cry but is hopeful and compelling overall.

We have Cassie – an amazing firefighter/paramedic who has had to work hard to get ahead in a typically male profession – helping an ailing mother at a new firehouse just outside of Boston. Cassie hasn’t spoken much to her mother since she walked out on her and her father when Cassie was 16, but it’s time for that previously mentioned forgiveness to play a role.

It’s harder for Cassie to fit in at the new fire station where they’ve never had a female firefighter. It was interesting to get some insight into what it takes to be in that profession. You must be tough but with a heart to help people. Cassie and a “rookie” start on the same day and the two must get through hazing and practical jokes to earn spots with the crew.

I loved the way that this one wrapped up, it was so relatable and enjoyable to escape into this world. It gives me new respect for firemen but doesn’t make me want to join up. There is a fantastic romance in this book and I so cheered for it! I highly recommend this one!

This is my second Katherine Center book and I will read everything she writes. I particularly loved the piece where she mentions a scene from “How to Walk Away” and the plane crash where Cassie was on the scene. I felt like a total insider!

*I will update my Goodreads review closer to publication date

I loved everything about this book! We have a strong, female protagonist who truly didn’t need, or wanted to, depend on anyone until her world got turned around. What you get is a story of change, growth, acceptance through hard work. Definitely recommending this one to everyone that I can!

**I received a digital copy from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.**

Warning! This book will leave you with a massive book hangover.

I never wanted to stop reading this. The characters are amazing. It's told form the 1st person, so it only has the one lady's perspective. But it's her story, so it works really well.

There is some romance, and some overcoming adversity, but really it's a story about forgiveness. The main character is a firefighter, she is wicked smart and talented and loves her job more than anything. I just can't say it enough, I really, really loved this book. Even more than the last one by Katherine Center that I read. I'm 100% a fan now!

What a good book... she is such strong person and grew so much in a year. I could only wish to be able to grow as much as she has. I got have a book hangover from this one. I read the book in about 5-6 hrs. Ver you well written, flows amazingly and did not want to put it down. I loved the character development, the author did not go overboard with details but enough to get to know them a bit and just the right amount to fall in love with the protagonist.

4.5 stars !!!

Thanks Netgalley for the ARC!!!

My first Katherine Center book. Once again thank you St. Martin's press for the ARC approval. This is story about a tough as nails female firefighter, Cassie, who forcefully maneuvers her way through a male dominated career - yet, it seems her personal life requires even more force and skillful navigating.

If I had to use one word to describe Cassie's story it would be satisfying. The characters and their interactions fed a need I have been missing in books lately. There are real people and real relationships written in such a natural appealing way I caught on quick that this author just gets it. She gets what responses and dialogue will pull at the readers heart, she got us to feel real empathy. Yes to actually feel! It was all so.....human.

I have already grabbed more of her books! This is exactly what I needed. It makes it all so more rewarding because it was unexpected.

Katherine Center’s storytelling gets better and better with each book she publishes. Things You Save in a Fire is Ms. Center’s latest and the best yet. Cassie is a firefighter/paramedic in the Austin FD who, because of a response to a reintroduction to someone from her past, makes a decision that derails her career and puts her back on the path to another person from her past, her mother, Diana. Because Cassie needs to relocate quickly, and because her mother needs her help, Cassie finds herself the newbie at the Lillian, MA FD, a small department with an anti-female firefighter Captain. Cassie must prove herself to the colorful cast of firefighters she’s now working with: Case, Six-pack, Destasio, Sullivan and Captain Murphy. Then there’s rookie firefighter Owen Callaghan, who with the first look makes Cassie forget all the rules about dating, both the firefighters “rules” and her own. As the story unfolds, this turns out to be a story of forgiveness, community, connection and love. The story starts as a slow burn, and as it unfolds, builds to a full fledged blaze, skillfully controlled by Ms. Center’s expert storytelling. I loved the pace of this book. I loved how much Ms. Center slowly entrusts the details of Cassie and Owens pasts to the reader providing more and deeper information as the story unfolds. I loved how emotionally invested I was in all the characters lives. I have read all of Ms. Center’s books and I am so looking forward to reading more for many more years.

I was provided an advanced e-copy by St. Martin’s Press for an honest review. Thank you St. Martin’s Press!

https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/41150382

I loved this book! Thank you to NetGalley and St. Martin’s Press for providing me with an advanced copy of this novel prior to its release in August.

I was immediately drawn to the main character Cassie, her tough exterior, and more mysterious interior which you crave to learn more about. Cassie works as a female firefighter in a male dominated profession, and I loved watching her character prove people wrong time after time and rise above the “gender norms”. The story not only follows her professional life, but also her life with family, love, and forgiveness.

I would definitely recommend this novel to anyone; it was a solid 5 star read. This was my first book by Katherine Center, and it will definitely not be my last!

The world can be such a sad and tragic place, even moreso theough the eyes of a first responder. It also has moments of such intense beauty and joy. This book explores this juxtaposition. It is a love story, a journey of healing, and a primer on forgiveness. It covers sexism, pain, rape, abandonment, fear, emotional damage as well as family, heroism, forgiveness, pranks, camaraderie, and love. If you are a reader who enjoys feeling your books, this the book for you! (Tears were shed multiple times.)

Almost worth 4 stars with a title that misled me as I was thinking picture albums, family heirlooms and pets. Meet Hanwell/Cassie and The Rookie/Owen as the author continually weaves the central, compelling theme of forgiveness throughout. At first, I could not relate to the female protagonist, Hamwell, but Cassie surfaced! The effect of being harmed, violated, mistreated or abandoned is clearly shown to the reader. This is the second book I have read by Katherine Center, and I am certain it is not the last. I thank NetGalley for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Oooo -- this was an entertaining read. It was perfect for vacation although I did skip out on an event because I couldn't tear myself away.

With "Things You Save in a Fire," I laughed, cried, and tore through the book. It's heartbreaking, and sometimes a little bit too real, but well worth the chance. Admittedly, I almost gave up on the book at first because of the author's tendency to over describe just about everything...but there's a scene about giving a small dog CPR, and it was just about the funniest thing I've ever read.

Things You Save in a Fire was an excellent story! The main character is Cassie. She is an accomplished firefighter in Texas. She has everything going well for her, until the night she is being recognized by the city. A traumatic event is resurfaced and causes her to behave in improper way in front of her co-workers, captain and city officials. At the same time her mother, who she has an estranged relationship with, asks her to move in with her for at least a year in Boston. Cassie had been reluctant to move, but due to what happened during the ceremony and her captain's recommendation, she decides to go.
It is while in Boston that Cassie is put to the test of how well she can adapt to change and to reconnect with her mother. Also an important change for Cassie is that she falls in love for the first time. In order for Cassie to accomplish all this she needs to learn how to forgive those who failed and hurt her. These are the scenes that made me cry. Especially those conversations she has with her mother, who abandoned her on her sixteen birthday to go to Boston and live with another man. In the process in learning how to forgive is when her life changes for the better. Life throws her a couple of curve balls towards the end of the story, but she is able to survive them because she has opened up herself more. She learns that it is okay to have someone by your side and that there's things that we don't need to do by ourselves.
She admits that loving Owen is okay, because love is not a bad thing. He was just the sweetest guy. I loved how he treated her and that he didn't feel intimidated by her (she has more experience as a firefighter).
Great story and highly recommended!!

It has been a long time since I have read a great story.
From the initial start of the book, to what it is like to be an only woman working as a firefighter among men, had the best dialogue and storyline ever. Very good humor truly engaging; not in the least bit of what I expected. I loved the easygoing descriptive writing style and I loved all the characters. It was truly an inspirational story about pain, grief and love. Not too chick flick but the relationship felt so real, reminding me of that feeling of first love again.

Cassie Hainwell, the only female firefighter among a team of guys has to prove herself every step of the way. Connecting with her determination and rooting for her all the way, she is a person not to be reckoned with.

I love the wisdom this story produces about forgiveness and compassion and learning to get beyond the anger to allow the inner self to emerge.

I would give this book 10
Stars if I could.

I grabbed this ARC of NetGalley since it was listed as a romance. For what I'm used to romance-wise, it took a little bit to get there, but once it did, I was not disappointed at all on that front. Meanwhile, I became completely captivated by the rest of the story, especially Cassie's on-the-job challenges--from the interactions with her fellow firefighters to the day-to-day work. Then I got invested in Cassie's relationship with her mom who had left her family years earlier. The theme of forgiveness went deep in this book. But I'm a simple romance girl, and I adored Owen and how sweet he was from the moment he graced the page. This was a very satisfying read that made me a little wistful in the end.