Cassie Hanwell is a strong woman.  There is nothing "soft" or "girly" about her.  She even does what is traditionally a "man's job," firefighting, and she excels at it.  Cassie is happy and comfortable with her life in Austin as a busy, independent, and single woman.  But of course all of that changes when a series of events lead her to uproot her life and move to a small town in Massachusetts.
 
In Massachusetts, Cassie  must start over at a new firehouse, as well as care for her estranged mother, whom she has not forgiven for wronging her in the past.   Along the way, Cassie just may learn that being vulnerable doesn't necessarily mean being weak, and forgiveness is healing for the soul.

This is the kind of book where you know going into it that it is going to have a happy ending.  You know it is going to be mushy and probably a bit cheesy.  And it definitely was.  While this book is not mind-blowing literature, it does make you feel good while reading it, and that warm feeling remains long after the final page is read.

Tough as nails Cassie Hanwell is a female firefighter who excels at her job and strives for greatness. However, events that unfolded on her 16th birthday come back to haunt her as she’s forced to make decisions she never intended to make. The life and name she has created for herself are all at stake, and as she uproots her life against her better judgement, her life continues to flip upside down and the strong-willed, emotionless Cassie is tested with every decision she makes. How does she handle love? How does she handle her family relationships? How does she handle one of the biggest firefighting challenges that she’s faced with and at what cost does she want to save the lives of others while keeping hers in tact?

For Cassie Hanwell, staying cool under pressure, saving people’s lives and being there for some of their most devastating moments isn’t just her job; it’s her passion and what she lives for.

A no-nonsense, unapologetic, tough-as-nails firefighter, Cassie can hold her own in the largely male-dominated Austin firehouse. Having been abandoned by her mother – as well as violated by her high school crush – on her sixteenth birthday, the 26-year-old has survived and thrived by keeping everyone at arm’s length, closing herself off to love and refusing to be vulnerable. When she comes face-to-face with the man who assaulted her so many years ago on the night she is to receive a valor award for saving children from a life-threatening school bus accident, however, her emotional armor cracks and takes her across the country to the mother who abandoned her and a tiny, old-school firehouse outside of Boston that has never employed a female firefighter.

As she works to help her visually-impaired mother and prove that she can be one of the guys, Cassie becomes even more guarded and closed-off, refusing to give her colleagues any reason to view her as vulnerable, weak or girly. That is, until she meets firefighter Owen “The Rookie” Callaghan, who just might be worth letting her guard down for.

This novel was a great mix of heavy topics mixed with plenty of humor, love, and most of all, forgiveness. From forgiving her mother to forgiving herself, Cassie experiences tremendous growth and discovers that love and forgiveness don’t make people weak; they make them strong, and while bad things happen in life, they make the good times even more important.

I really enjoyed this book and found myself reading well into the night to find out what happened. My only complaint is that the epilogue tied things up just a little too perfectly; I think it could have concluded with the final chapter, or maybe another couple chapters about what life was like for the main characters immediately following the crux of the book. Overall, this was a sweet, well-written and enjoyable book, and I’m excited to read Center’s debut novel, How to Walk Away, soon!

Things You Save in a Fire is available to pre-order now and hits shelves Aug. 13! This is a great book to get you out of a reading slump or to read on vacation, over a weekend, or at the beach, so make sure to add it to your summer reading list! Thank you so much to Netgalley, St. Martin’s Press and Katherine Center for early access to this book in exchange for an honest review.

I quite enjoyed How to Walk Away last summer by Katherine Center, and was excited to read her latest this summer! Things You Save in a Fire did not disappoint, it lived up to it's predecessor and in some ways exceeded my expectations.
From the first pages I was drawn in by Cassie's inner monologue, and the witty dialogue she dishes out with her fellow firefighters. She is immediately likeable as the hero of this story: fierce, strong, hard working, yet so very vulnerable. The reason she has to leave Texas goes beyond her ailing mother, and makes for a dramatic opening scene in the book which hints at something that has shaped her entire adult life. That the process of confronting her trauma didn't hinge entirely on a romance was absolutely refreshing. Though, I absolutely adored the sweet and slightly cheesy romance with the rookie! If you are looking for a sweet romance, you will be completely satisfied! And if you also enjoy complex family relationships, there is definitely something there, too. The journey of forgiveness and understanding with her mother, as well as a mysterious harasser within the fire department, was so compelling and thought provoking.
"Maybe you need to find something new to add to your life, instead of just clutching so hard to the past that you strangle it."
Upon reading the acknowledgements, I realized that Katherine Center's husband is a firefighter and thought that was pretty cool. She must've had the absolute straight scoop and it was certainly interesting to learn a little bit about what it might be like inside a fire station. Also, if you read How to Walk Away, you might recognize Cassie from the early part of the book!
Thank you so much to St. Martin's Press and NetGalley for a complimentary copy in exchange for my honest review.

I LOVED it! It made me laugh and it made me cry. I was so consumed with the story I read it within a few hours.
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Cassie is a strong independent Firefighter who is afraid of love and struggles with forgiveness but loves her job. She has worked hard to get where she is and then she uproots her life to go live with her mom. It’s a love story but it’s also about forgiveness and letting yourself be loved by those around you including family. It also highlights the struggles women have to deal with when they have a job that are male dominated.
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The story talks about the importance of forgiveness and I loved that. As humans we struggle to forgive and let go. I saw myself in some ways in Cassie when it came to forgiveness and love. The author did an amazing job writing about these topics.

All the stars and all the feels for this story of forgiveness, courage and love!

I thought I couldn’t love a book more than Center’s How To Walk Away, but wow, this one blew me away. You’ll recognize the main character, Cassie, as the paramedic from Walk Away, who leaves the Austin area for the Boston suburbs to live with her mom for a year to help her acclimate to losing the vision in one eye, but Cassie soon learns there’s more to it than that. She’s also the only “lady” firefighter with the Lillian Fire Department which possesses challenges of its own especially after she meets the other new firefighter, rookie Owen Callaghan. 

I want everyone to read this book! We all need a book boyfriend once in a while and who doesn’t love a hot firefighter who likes to bake chocolate chip cookies?? 

Thank you to St. Martin’s Press for the advanced copy; all opinions are my own.

Cassie has worked hard to get where she is as a fire fighter.  She receives an award and is being looked at for promotion.  The presenter of the award cause Cassie to make a decision that changes the course of her life.  Estranged from her mother Cassie is asked to help her out for a year.  Cassie has no choice but to go to Boston and help her mother out and take a job at a small fire department. Cassie has not idea how her life will change in the coming months.  A great story of starting over, reconciliation and forgiveness.

I enjoyed Things You Save in a Fire, but not as much as How to Walk Away. The ending felt kind of rushed and later storylines felt thrown together, but overall my attachment to the main character Cassie is why I gave this novel a 4.

Things You Save in a Fire is a unique story that blends together controversial topics and creates a beautiful story of Cassie. Cassie is a female fire fighter who makes a few small choices that change her life. 
This story is written in almost a memoir style, and through her trials and tribulations it's hard to remember you're reading fiction! 
My only issue that made this a 4 star book for me is that I wanted a little more out of the ending. It wrapped up a little too quickly for my liking - I would love a follow up novel!

I devoured this book. It’s heartbreaking and funny and sweet all at the same time. It's the the best book I’ve read all year.  I stayed up half the night finishing it, sniffling to myself and hoping I didn't wake my husband up with my crying.  It gave me all the feels.  

Do yourself a favor and read it, because it’s amazing.  And if you haven’t read How to Walk Away, read that too! 

Katherine Center is quickly becoming one of my favorite writers.

I thoroughly enjoyed this story of a female firefighter who discovers that she needs to learn some things about forgiveness and relationships (of all kinds) as she faces challenges in life. The descriptions of life as a firefighter were fascinating - I learned so much about the job. 

I do wish the pacing had been a little more balanced. I felt like things moved very quickly at the beginning - for someone who had sworn off dating and relationships to move and immediately fall in love seemed like a stretch - but by the end it was all working out. There was also a bit of a rush to wrap things up, but I feel like the ending did justice to the story. All in all a good story of love, relationship and forgiveness.

Loved this book about a strong female and the meaning of love and forgiveness. Beautiful story and a wonderful way to spend an afternoon!!!

I had read Katherine Center’s How to Walk Away and liked it very much and was excited to read Things You Save in a Fire. 

I loved this book! My heart immediately went out to Cassie, a strong and talented “superhero” firefighter who is deeply broken. Unable to love. Unable to forgive. She learns her mother, who left the family on Cassie's 16th birthday, is ill and agrees to move in with her temporarily to help while still harboring unyielding anger and resentment. Cassie takes a leave from her job in Austin and secures a position at a firehouse near her mother's quaint home in a small coastal town north of Boston, where she has to find a way to gain acceptance as its first female firefighter. On her first day, she is also joined by Owen, a rookie from a family of firefighters who, at first glance, sends her heart aflutter revealing that she might actually have the capacity to love. Cassie has a choice, she can continue to keep up the wall she has built around her or she can learn to let people in. This excellent book will make you smile one minute and cry the next. You won’t want to put it down.

Thank you NetGalley, St. Martin’s Press and Ms. Center for this ARC.

There are no words that could possibly be grand enough to explain this impeccable book. It is an emotional roller coaster ride that will cause you to laugh, smile and ugly cry!

I immediately fell in love with Cassie and Owen. Their stories if overcoming the past, forgiveness and moving forward to be better will capture your heart and attention and not let go until you have finished. If I could give Things You Save In A Fire more than 5 stars I would!

There is one thing I know for sure when I read a book from Katherine Center, I am going to finish that book feeling happy and perfectly content. Her characters are always so relatable  and you feel a kinship to them.

Our main character Cassie Hanwell is a tough firefighter with some baggage. Her mother left the family on her 16th birthday and something awful happens to Cassie that night. She keeps her emotions in close to the vest. Her mother asks her to come and stay across the country because of some eye problems and something happens at a dinner that causes Cassie to move. She joins a new firehouse where women have never been part of the brotherhood. Trying to follow some rules her captain tells her, she tries to fit in like at  her old station but she does not count on falling for the rookie. Life and things happen and you will not want to put this one down!

As always, you will savor every path along the way. Watching Cassie change and open up is pure joy. The themes of forgiveness, hope, love, and family hit all the right notes. (Especially a bit of non-forgiveness for one character) I loved all the characters in the book, even the gruffest ones had their redeeming qualities. You will not be disappointed.

The review is my humble opinion and I thank St. Martin’s Press for once again, sending the perfect book.

Book Info 
Hardcover, 320 pages
Expected publication: August 13th 2019 by St. Martin's Press
ISBN 1250047323 (ISBN13: 9781250047328)
Other Editions (3)
Source:Netgalley EARC
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BOOK BLURB

From the New York Times bestselling author of How to Walk Away comes a stunning new novel about family, 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 excellent at dealing with other people's tragedies. But when her estranged and ailing mother asks her to uproot her life and move to Boston, it's an emergency of a kind Cassie never anticipated.

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 handsome rookie, who doesn't seem to mind having Cassie around. But she can't think about that. Because she doesn't fall in love. And because of the advice her old captain gave her: don't date firefighters. Cassie can feel her resolve slipping...but will she jeopardize her place in a career where she's worked so hard to be taken seriously?

Katherine Center's Things You Save in a Fire is a heartfelt, affecting novel about life, love, and the true meaning of courage.

My Thoughts


Cassie Hanwell fits in well with the coworkers on her crew in Austin Texas. 

A female firefighter with the courage and resolve necessary to do what is needed in an emergency situation these same attributes become a liability causing her to be forced to relocate to an old-school firehouse in Boston.

As the only lady on the all male crew Cassie finds her status as a newbie to be one tougher than even she expected.

To top off her angst and stress she must care for her estranged mother, a woman who left when Cassie was 16 and has never been forgiven for her abandonment.

What starts out as a tale of woe ends as a testament to one person’s ability to stand up for what is right, no matter how hard it is to do so and in doing it finds more than she ever lost to begin with.

A very powerful story of forgiveness, love and new beginnings that involve family relationships as well as friendships both new and old.

A story of healing and loss as well
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[EArc from Netgalley]

On every book read as soon as it is done and written up for review it is posted on Goodreads and Netgalley, once released then posted on Amazon, Barnes and Nobles as well.

4.5⭐️

Another winner from Katherine Center! I enjoyed this story about a female firefighter and her struggles both as a female in a male-dominated profession and her struggle to learn how to forgive. 

Cassie’s mom left home when she was 16 (on her birthday, no less!) at a traumatic time when she needed her most. She has a second chance ten years later to spend time with her mom, but can she ever really forgive her? And will she ever be good enough to overcome the stigma of being a “girl” in the job that she loves? There’s also a sweet romance as she learns how to trust and move forward. 

Center has a wonderful sense of her characters, and she inhabits their minds so well that I felt like I knew them. 

Thanks to @StMartinsPress for including me in their early reader’s program and providing this ARC. The opinions are strictly my own. I would also like to thank them for the lovely candle that was included bearing the same artwork that’s on the book cover! So very nice!

I’ve read a few romances lately where the story is nice enough, but the writing just isn’t that great. I’ve been missing a good narrative voice that is unique. Katherine Center delivers here with a very unique first person narrative- as a female firefighter deals with not only family and job difficulty, but also has to learn how to forgive and love. I adored having a heroine who knows she’s a complete and total badass- there is no question she’s great at what she does. The joy of the book is watching her realize her faults and deal with them head on, just as she does everything else. I thought this was a delightful romance with well drawn main characters and a cast of supporting characters who were believable. Ish.

Five fun stars for making me cry more than any other book this year. Tears of joy, of course. Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for this ARC- I can see why so many reviewers are loving it!

Things You Save in a Fire follows Cassie Hanwell, a 26 year old firefighter doing what she loves in Austin, Texas. Not only does she adore her job, but she’s great at it as evidenced by the award she’s about to receive for her bravery and dedication. When unforeseen circumstances take place at the award ceremony, Cassie is forced to transfer to a new state and a new fire station. On top of this, she’ll also be living with her estranged mother who needs a caretaker for medical reasons. 

Starting over at a new fire station made up entirely of old-school-minded men, Cassie has her work cut out for her. All of the firemen, including her captain, underestimate her...all except for Owen, the handsome and sweet rookie. Cassie doesn’t do romance and firemen don’t date each other but somehow, Owen begins to break down Cassie’s tough emotional exterior.

I loved everything about this book! Themes of forgiveness, bravery, friendship, and a badass lead female character make for a great read. Cassie’s character development on her journey to self discovery was the main focus of the story and it was done so well. The engaging storyline, likable characters, and moments of humor made it even more enjoyable.  This was my first book by Katherine Center and I’m excited to read more of her work. Highly recommend! 

Thank you to Netgalley and St. Martin’s Press for the advanced copy in exchange for an honest review. 

Rating: 5/5

Pub date: August 13

Katherine Center is a master of strong character development.  Things You Save in a Fire is a story of strength, family, starting over, and realizing you can have it all.  I enjoyed growing with Cassie as she learned the importance of rules and the realization that sometimes breaking them is the only way to survive and thrive.  I found the family dynamics especially interesting .  The author showed the multi-faceted relationships that exist between a mother and daughter further complicated by growing up apart from each other.  This book is a must read.