Thank you to Netgalley/St. Martin's Press for sending me a copy of Things You Save in a Fire in exchange for an honest review.

2/5 🌟

I pushed myself about a third of the way through this book before ultimately deciding to DNF it. It simply did not spark or hold my interest, and I really did not like the main character from the start. I continued pushing hoping to see some character growth/development, and to be fair there may be by the end since this seems to be a main plot point, but I couldn't push myself to get there.

I do think the writing and plotting itself were well done, I would be interested in trying something else by this author. This specific book just was not for me.

I absolutely loved this book and the 2 main characters. Cassie is a strong, female lead and Owen is sweet and charismatic. Once again, Katherine Center writes a story that you can't put down. While the love story between Cassie and Owen is front and center there is so much more to this story then that. The relationship between Cassie and her mom and what it allows Cassie to discover about herself is the focal point of this story. It doesn't hurt that it's set in the quaint, idyllic setting of Rockport, MA. Five stars, no question!

Let me begin by saying I love this author and recommend her first book, “How to Walk Away” quite often.

I didn’t like this new one nearly as much. The story was sweet, but predictable in spots and overdone in others. It took until I was 80% through until I really got into it.

I’ve talked to others, who loved it from the start. So, maybe to each their own. I’m not giving up on the author and will check out her next one for sure.

I loved this book! It kept me reading late into the night as I got so invested in the characters. I laughed, I cried and was delighted with this book. A more thorough review will be published closer to the book's publication date.

4.5 rounded to 5 stars

Are you in need of a fabulous reading boost? Perhaps you are looking to recover from a heavy-duty tome or trying your darnedest to break out of a reading slump. Or maybe you just in the mood for a nice feel good novel. If any of these scenarios apply to you, then this is the book you want to grab.

Things You Save in a Fire is about Cassie Hanwell, a young woman firefighter trying to break through some pretty steep emotional barriers she has tried to bury ever since a very traumatic 16th birthday ten years previous. Her issues are complex and seem almost impossible to overcome. On top of that, for circumstances basically out of her control, she is forced to leave her firefighter job in Austin, TX, the only thing she loves and can identify with, and move out East.

This book pulled me in from the start when I developed an instant connection with Cassie. Though the prose is simple, the story is highly engaging, making it difficult to put the book down for any length of time.
Cassie finds herself in an array of challenging situations, which slowly but surely add up and point her towards redemption, forgiveness, and a better way of living.

This novel is a notch above many of the women fiction stories that I have read. Cassie’s journey to find herself is enriched by an interesting cast of characters, a sweet romance, and several life lessons--the most important probably being that there is no totally happily ever after for anyone in life, making it imperative to appreciate and savor all the good things that do happen. The power of forgiveness is also a strong theme. Simple principles all, but told in beautifully emotive fashion.
I now see the reasons for all the 5-star ratings my friends have been awarding this book.

I highly recommend Things You Save in a Fire to all readers looking for a fast, but meaningful read.

This is the first book I have read by Katherine Center and it certainly won't be the last!
I had heard a lot of excitement about this beforehand and so decided to give it a go and I was not disappointed.
This was thought provoking story dealing with love, loss and forgiveness and I was hooked from start to finish,

Cassie Hanwell was born to be a fire fighter. She thrives in the face of emergencies. As one of the only female firefighters in her Texas firehouse, she's seen her fair share of them, and although she's excellent at dealing with other people's tragedies she just realized how bad she is dealing with her own. Her estranged mother needs her to come home and take care of her, but that means returning and starting completely over at an all-man firehouse. Leaving Texas means admitting defeat and Cassie thinks swallowing her pride is her biggest problem, but soon, she finds out that is the least of her worries. As a female fire fighters, she's expected to be stoic. And when she meets fellow fighter who just might change her entire world, she cannot stay stoic for long. Cassie had been warned by her previous chief- never date a firefighter. She doesn't want to jeopardize her career but that means putting her first chance at real love on the line too.

It's a sweet story but also has a lot of tough layers to get through, especially when it comes to women equality. I didn't love the stubborn side of Cassie who constantly acts like she is on the defensive, but Katherine wrote this book beautifully.

I thoroughly enjoyed this read. It was a sappy love story with a strong female character. What more could you want? I love Katherine Center’s writings - I adored her previous book, How To Walk Away, and I was very excited to get the opportunity to read this one early. It didn’t disappoint and I’m already looking forward to future books!

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!