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Member Reviews

I loved this book. It’s a book about being an excellent female firefighter/paramedic disrupting starus quo of the male brotherhood. Cassie is the best of the best firefighter but had to prove herself to her new station’s fellow firefighters. And through it all Cassie learns about love, loss, forgiveness, and being human. Cassie had the courage to forgive and love herself as she was able to forgive and love other.
I could not put this book down

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This book was lovely! I enjoyed how family and romantic storylines were woven together, and it was laugh-out-loud funny. Within the first few pages of the book, I was already cracking up, and the humor remained throughout the book. There was also a mystery involved, which I did not expect, but I liked how it added to the story. I sped through the book, unable to put it down. It was that good.

Thank you to NetGalley, St. Martin's Press, and Katherine Center for the ARC.

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Loved this book, If life hadn't gotten on the way definitely would have finsihed earlier and in one sitting... A book about forgiveness and love. Strength and determination and learning who you are

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Cassie, a female firefighter, had to work harder than most and accept the crap that life threw ar her to get where she was. One phone call from her estranged mother who was ill, she changed her life and headed from Texas to Boston to help her mother out. A great story of how women will fight for all that they have and drop it to start somewhere new to help someone out. Emotional roller coaster with the perfect ending!

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I finished it in just over 24 hours. This book is just my style of sappy, heartwarming, and fun: firefighter Cassie is tough as leather after experiencing a lifetime of disappointments and abandonment, but is suddenly forced to move across the country to care for her sick, estranged mother. She is only able to find a job in a station where she is the first female firefighter among a group of mostly misogynistic males, and must constantly prove herself. Center’s books tend to have a life-lesson (you know I love life-lessons!), this one’s being: “you can’t always get what you want, but if you try sometimes you might find, you get what you need.” (Fiction)

From my blog post here: https://fancylibrarian.com/2019/02/01/what-i-read-january-2019/

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This was just not the book for me. I felt almost as if I was swept up into an emotional wormhole and sometimes I just like a lull in the emotions. Cassie is one of the only female fire fighters in her fire house in Texas. You can tell she was born for this kind of work. But due to an emergency, she has to move up to Boston to be with her mother. She is stunned when she learns that there is a "lady crew", the poor funding, and even worse facilities. Her mentor had always told her to not date other fire fighters but a cute new fire fighter might just change that.

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Katherine Center is quickly becoming one of my favorite authors. She writes romance novels, but there is always so much depth to them. I loved the main character in this novel, an incredible firefighter who no longer believed in love. I try not to read late into the night anymore, but I couldn't help it with this book. The firefighter culture was interesting, and there were several great twists. It was heartbreaking but also beautiful, and I loved the message of forgiveness.

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Cassie is a 20-something firefighter in Austin, Texas. She has climbed the ranks with her fearless, yet level-headed approach to being a firefighter. Originally destined for medical school, she first became and EMT and then moved on to being a paramedic when she realized how much this suited her personality. She’s tiny but powerful. And her mannerisms make her a perfect fit for the firehouse.

When presented with an award from the city for a heroic effort, she is face to face with someone from her past. Her reaction changes the course of her life. Cassie is confronted with things that she can’t treat the same way she could in the past. What was once easy is now hard. Cassie is forced to learn many lessons about herself and forgiveness along the way.

I didn’t quite know how to categorize this book as I read it. At times it felt like a romance novel, but then it would detour off into contemporary fiction or suspense. It is a book that can’t be simply classified into one genre or another. It is about family and love and life and the wrenches that are often thrown our way just when we think we have it all figured out. It was a great read. I didn’t expect to love it the way I did, or to quite fall in love with Cassie the way I did. Katherine Center made Cassie real not so much with her bravery, but with her more fallible characteristics. In fact, there is a lot of human frailty in this book. I really enjoyed it and would definitely recommend.

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How to Walk Away was one of my favorite books from last year and I was so excited to get an advanced copy of Things You Save in a Fire. Cassie's story was heartbreakingly beautiful. I loved how the author brought her to life, I have never read a character like her. The Rookie was written equally as wonderful. I couldn't help but fall a little in love with him myself. This book was one that I was not able to put down.

I can't wait to read more from Katherine Center. 5 stars!

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A sweet story with a great ending. Lots of emotional exploration. Some interesting twists on the way to a happy ending.

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I was provided with an ARC of this book by NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

I enjoyed reading about a woman in what’s typically a man’s profession and how she worked hard to be better.

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I loved How to Walk Away, so I was thrilled to see a new book by Katherine Center, and even more excited when I received an ARC to review. I loved this book, I laughed, I may have cried a little, and then I added Katherine Center to my list of to-read authors.

Cassie is a female fire=fighter, Cassie is strong, brave and complex. Cassie has made a life for herself in Austin, but when her estranged mother calls and reveals she is ill. Cassie makes the difficult choice to head back to Massachusetts to care for her, which means being the new, and only female once again at the firehouse. While Cassie is working hard to prove herself to all those who doubt her at her new station, she meets Owen, a fellow firefighter. Cassie had been warned by her previous chief- never date a firefighter.

What results is a book of relationships, and forgiveness. I was completely hooked. Things You Save in A Fire will be released in August, and I can see it being one of the best books of the summer.

A huge thank you to NetGalley and St. Martin's Press for providing me an advanced copy of this book in exchange for a honest review!

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I was immediately drawn into this book by the unique character of a female firefighter but stayed for the complex relationships, mysteries and romantic promises. It was engaging and I couldnt put it down. My only wish was more firehouse drama and fire fighting but overall it was a great read.

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Cassie Hanwell is a firefighter and is damn good at her job. Unfortunately, Cassie has things from her past that are haunting her that she doesn't even realize. After she receives an Valor Award her past makes itself present and forces her out of her comfort zone.

I loved seeing how Cassie was able to heal and confront her inner demons. This book was heartwarming in that while Cassie had a tragic past she didn't become a victim she became stronger. However, the most beautiful part was how strong she became from giving forgiveness. Cassie is a character that you can root for.

This is the 3rd book by Katherine Center that I have read and I believe I will read anything she writes. She stories are beautiful and heartwarming even while dealing with sad subjects.

I received an ARC from NetGalley and St. Martin's Press in exchange for an honest review. Thank you to both for giving me the opportunity to read this wonderful book.

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I LOVED this book! I can’t wait to check out others by this author. While the plot was fairly predictable, I still found that I couldn’t put it down. I loved the characters and the themes of love and forgiveness. Made me laugh, made me cry, made me think - what more can you hope for in a book?

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A book with so many lessons and wonderful messages. In this book the main character Cassie learns many ways to forgive and to love. Cassie is a female firefighter and, at her job in Austin, is well liked and treated equally. Austin is very progressive and even has a female fire chief. Then all of a sudden Cassie's mother (who she barely speaks to) is ill and asks her to come stay and help take care of her. Cassie originally turns the offer down but soon after is told she will lose her current job (if she does not apologize for a recent sticky situation) or can transfer somewhere else. Cassie (for good reason) does not apologize and decides to transfer to a new station. This station has been male dominated since its existence and she is not welcomed with open arms. To make the situation worse Cassie begins to fall for the rookie and one of her number one rules is not to fall for any of the firehouse men. The story is fun and clever and takes you on many twists and turns. LOVED this book and will recommend highly to others.

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I really enjoyed this book. I enjoy romances sometimes and this was more than just that. I loved how the story and the main character grew and evolved throughout. This book is about relationships in various forms and is beautifully written. Lessons of love, forgiveness, healing and hope is how I would sum it up! A must read.

I would like to thank NetGalley, the publisher, and the author for giving me the opportunity to read this book in exchange for my honest review.

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I received an arc from netgalley for my honest review.
This was such a sweet story about a woman in a predominantly male profession. It’s was fun to watch Cassie navigate her daily work life, while also trying to forgive a lot of people for her past. It was a fun, quick read.

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We are in the era of female empowerment and Things You Save in a Fire is the perfect read for this era. If you like badass firewomen, forgiveness, humor, self reflection, love and lessons learned - you will love this book. If you don't, maybe you should read this book and it will make you like those things. Katherine Center is a fabulous author and I was very impressed with this book. MUST READ!!!

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Thanks to NetGalley for the ARC ecopy for my Kindle.
Cass is a female firefighter in Austin, TX. She's accepted by the all male firefighters and when she is scheduled to receive an award at a dinner, the presenter is someone from her past. What happens then changes her life, and she moves to MA to take a new job in a rural fire house and to also take care of her dying mother who left her 10 yrs. ago. Cass is not welcomed to this all male fire house and what happens to her only strengthens her and makes her a better person.
A book about forgiveness with a touch of romance makes this an interesting read.

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