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Katherine Center

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Things You Save in a Fire: A Novel

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Things You Save in a Fire: A Novel Kindle Edition

by Katherine Center (Author) Format: Kindle Edition

4.4 11,013 ratings

Editors' pick Best Literature & Fiction

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**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 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.

From the Publisher

Editorial Reviews

Amazon.com Review

An Amazon Best Book of August 2019: Texan firefighter Cassie Hanwell loves her job and the men and women she works with at her Austin-based station. When Cassie’s estranged mother calls up out of the blue to ask Cassie to move to Boston to help her after an operation, Cassie reluctantly agrees, but her pending transfer to the nearby all-male fire station doesn’t worry her overly until her female captain in Austin starts offering advice: “If you make eye contact, make it straight on, like a predator.” “No sex with firefighters. Or friends of firefighters. Or relatives of firefighters.” “If your captain says to run a mile, run two.” As for pull-ups? “Do thirty, at least…. And make sure you can do at least a few one-handed.” Cassie hopes this advice will turn out to be anachronistic, but a fire station that’s never had a “lady” firefighter in 120 years adapts slowly. And reluctantly. Making the whole situation even worse is the rookie, the bighearted new guy whom all the other firefighters like far more than they do Cassie, though she’s clearly more skilled. And Cassie, to her horror, really likes the rookie as well. Funny, smart, and smartly paced, Things You Save in a Fire ignites around the topics of equality, love, redemption, and forgiveness even as it delivers an unforgettable protagonist who shows off not just “a few” but nine breathtaking, cheer-worthy one-handed pull-ups on her first day at work. —Adrian Liang, Amazon Book Review

Review

Praise for Things You Save in a Fire:

One of:
The Washington Post's "The 10 Books to Read in 2019 Based on What You Loved in 2018"
The Hollywood Reporter's "2019 Books to Keep on Your Radar"
She Reads' "Most Anticipated Books of 2019"
Good Housekeeping's "25 Best New Books of Summer 2019"
USA Today's "Must Read Women's Fiction of 2019"
Bookbub's "31 of the Biggest Books Coming Out This Summer"
The Nerd Daily's "Most Anticipated Reads of 2019"
An August 2019 LibraryReads Pick!

"Oh, how I love Katherine Center’s writing…and her newest novel is a gem...a story that reminds us that the word emergency has, at its heart, a new beginning. Just read it, and thank me later.” ―Jodi Picoult, New York Times bestselling author of A Spark of Light and Small Great Things

“Center gives readers a sharp and witty exploration of love and forgiveness that is at once insightful, entertaining, and thoroughly addictive.” ―Kirkus, starred review

"A compelling love story, a tearjerking twist, and a thoroughly absorbing story. Another winner from Center." ―Booklist, starred review

"An emotionally resonant and deeply satisfying love story...a moving testament to the power of forgiveness." ―BookPage

“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

“Center crafts a heartfelt story of growth and the redemptive power of love perfect for fans of women’s fiction, especially works by Jodi Picoult and Elin Hilderbrand.” ― Library Journal

"The novel is at its best in the fire station...its window into firefighter culture is fascinating. But Things You Save In a Fire has a greater ambition, too: shedding a light on trauma victims and the devastating effects of ignoring emotional fallout from a harrowing experience." - Newsday

“Katherine Center's funny, unabashedly sentimental romance unfolds between Cassie, the only woman firefighter in her town, and a new rookie on the squad.” ― Refinery29

“A novel as vibrant as its cover.” – Bustle

“[Things You Save in a Fire] is not only delightfully romantic, but also courageous and inspiring.” – The Christian Science Monitor

“An emotional story of self-discovery and forgiveness.” ― Fresh Fiction

“Things You Save in a Fire is a profound tale of how a woman makes it in a man's world.” ― The New York Journal of Books

“A wonderful exploration of personal vulnerability and strength that takes the reader along on Cassie's journey … Things You Save in a Fire is sure to be a hit.” ― Shelf Awareness

"I don’t even know how to explain how much I adored this book...This is a story of love, of family, and of learning how to be vulnerable―and trust me, Cassie’s life journey is one you don’t want to miss.” ―Siobhan Jones, Book of the Month Club

Praise for How to Walk Away:

"A marvelous example of acceptance and healing and a celebration of family." ―USA Today

"Center explores the limits of hope and love...[she] transforms the story of a family tragedy into a heartfelt guide to living the fullest life possible." ―Publisher's Weekly

"With its appealing characters and wisdom about grappling with life’s challenges, Center’s sixth novel has all the makings of a breakout hit." ―Booklist (starred review)

"A story about survival that is heartbreakingly honest and wryly funny, perfect for fans of Jojo Moyes and Elizabeth Berg." ―Kirkus

Product details

ASIN ‏ : ‎ B07J4WHC78
Publisher ‏ : ‎ St. Martin's Press (August 13, 2019)
Publication date ‏ : ‎ August 13, 2019
Language ‏ : ‎ English
File size ‏ : ‎ 4459 KB
Text-to-Speech ‏ : ‎ Enabled
Screen Reader ‏ : ‎ Supported
Enhanced typesetting ‏ : ‎ Enabled
X-Ray ‏ : ‎ Enabled
Word Wise ‏ : ‎ Enabled
Sticky notes ‏ : ‎ On Kindle Scribe
Print length ‏ : ‎ 335 pages

Best Sellers Rank: #10,245 in Kindle Store (See Top 100 in Kindle Store)
- #120 in Women's Divorce Fiction
- #199 in Mothers & Children Fiction
- #366 in Contemporary Women's Fiction

Customer Reviews:
4.4 11,013 ratings

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Katherine Center

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BookPage calls Katherine Center “the reigning queen of comfort reads.” She’s the New York Times bestselling author of ten novels, including How to Walk Away, Things You Save in a Fire, The Bodyguard, and her newest, Hello Stranger. Katherine writes laugh-and-cry books about how life knocks us down—and how we get back up. She’s been compared to both Jane Austen and Nora Ephron, and the Dallas Morning News calls her stories, “satisfying in the most soul-nourishing way.” The movie adaptation of her novel The Lost Husband (starring Josh Duhamel) hit #1 on Netflix, and the movie of her novel Happiness for Beginners, starring Ellie Kemper and Luke Grimes, opens July 27 on Netflix. Katherine’s summer 2022 book, The Bodyguard, was an instant New York Times bestseller, a People Best New Books pick, and nominated for Book of the Year by Book of the Month Club. Bestselling author Emily Henry calls The Bodyguard “a shot of pure joy,” and bestselling author Helen Hoang calls it “a perfect feel-good rom-com.” Katherine lives in her hometown of Houston, Texas, with her husband, two kids, and their fluffy-but-fierce dog.

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4.4 out of 5

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Kindle Customer

Great book

Reviewed in the United States on April 13, 2024

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Characters have depth, and the author makes you feel like you know them...
Full of wisdom as Cassie heals from past wounds and learns to forgive others... and herself.
And while I don't condone violence, I enjoyed knowing she had a chance to show women can stand up for themselves -

Reviewed in the United States on May 5, 2022

Verified Purchase

How to Walk Away was one of my favorite books from 2018. When I heard Katherine Center was releasing another book, I knew I had to read it. Things You Save in a Fire was exactly what I was expecting. The writing was brilliant. the characters were fleshed out and lovable. The story and drama were entertaining and pulled me in. There wasn’t much about this book that I didn’t love.

Cassie was this tough as nail firefighter who didn’t want to stand out in the crowd of firefighters. She tried to blend in as much as could with her fellow male counterparts. While I was impressed with her ability to do so, I was sad that she had to do that in 2019. I know a lot of women do, though, in many jobs. It added a very interesting aspect to this love story. It made Cassie’s feelings for the rookie a tad bit stressful and emotional in a way I couldn’t have seen coming.

I loved everything about Cassie and Owen’s (non-)relationship. The way everything built between them was perfect. I felt their connection. I enjoyed how Cassie tried to avoid it. It was just really cute…and emotional. I won’t go into why it was so emotional because I don’t want to ruin anything, but Cassie had some healing to do where love was concerned. I enjoyed how she worked through her issues with love.

Part of those love issues for Cassie had to do with her mom. I adored her mother in this book. I get why Cassie had to work on forgiveness. Forgiveness was a huge part of this book, and I liked how it was done — with one exception.

One of the biggest villains was forgiven more quickly than I liked. The severity of the hurt they caused felt almost brushed over by the rate of forgiveness. I am glad this person was forgiven, but I wanted more legal retribution. This person didn’t have to deal with their actions in the way I thought they should have. I did like how they atoned and made a huge effort to apologize, though.

Other than that, this story was perfection in my eyes. It was a great inspirational story that has me eagerly anticipating Katherine Center’s next book.

6 people found this helpful

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Minxy Melissa Reviews

I loved reading Things You Save in a Fire!

Reviewed in the United States on August 13, 2019

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Things You Save in a Fire is one of those books that, if I could, I’d give it a ten-star rating! I would, honestly, there is no limit on the stars for this book! I loved getting to know Cassie Hanwell. From the start she was a take charge character but there was also an underlying sense of vulnerability in her that was only expressed in a passive way. It was her unwillingness to allow anyone into her life both literally and figuratively that was the real clue that underneath her calm and controlled exterior there were troubled waters. Troubles that came out in an explosive way that was slightly confusing in the moment but as the story progressed it was really a “you go, girl!” type of situation.

Cassie’s questionable choice came with consequences that threatened everything that she held dear. Backed into a corner, Cassie made a Hail Mary type of request in hopes of holding onto a shred of everything she had spent years building. Although she was unhappy with the situation, she was relieved that she might be able to salvage what she could of her career. Now, all she had to do was figure out how she was going to deal with living with the woman that she closed her heart off to years ago. When her mother called asking her to leave everything to help her for a year, Cassie did not realize that her choices would start her on a life path that she would never have conceived for herself.

When Cassie moved to Rockport, a town outside of Boston, Massachusetts, all she wanted to do was keep her head down and do her job as a firefighter. She knew to expect a challenge in her new work place but she never expected that her challenge would be both professional and personal. She had intended to keep her heart as hard as stone, keep everyone at arm’s distance and do her time but neither her time in the new fire department or with her mother were what she had expected. Day by day Cassie’s outlook shifted, bit by bit her hardened exterior cracked and she allowed her vulnerable self to step forward. As time passed Cassie came to understand that she needed this transformation, that nothing would ever be the same for her, and that, ultimately, it was a welcomed change.

I will just reiterate that I loved reading Things You Save in a Fire! This story was filled with meaning, solid characters, humor, struggle, suspense, and tragedy. There were many times where I just laughed out loud with the shenanigans that were pulled at the Boston fire department, what an interesting group of guys. There was plenty of tension in Cassie’s life but the reasons for the tension are not what you would expect. I did like how the experience at both work and home was not what Cassie had prepared herself for because what she was expecting was not something that I was sure I wanted to be a part of. One thing I wish would have been different was to have known Owen’s inner thoughts. At the start he seemed just kinda “there” but that quickly resolved itself and by the end I knew how he felt with a certainty, which I loved! Overall, Things You Save in a Fire was such a moving read that will remind you that forgiveness is not easily given but the rewards from such an act of bravery is priceless.

This review is based on a complimentary book I received from NetGalley. It is an honest and voluntary review. The complimentary receipt of it in no way affected my review or rating.

33 people found this helpful

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SCH

An Easy, Sweet Read

Reviewed in the United States on January 16, 2024

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This tale featuring a brave female firefighter is an enjoyable peek into the world of first responders and, of course, a love story brimming with life lessons. The characters are well developed and interesting and the story capably and clearly set forth. A pleasant book.

One person found this helpful

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Kathy

Super Book!

Reviewed in the United States on December 3, 2023

Verified Purchase

Another winner by Katherine Center. This book was truly a joy to read.

Sometimes life isn't fair, especially when you're a woman trying to thrive in a male-dominated occupation. You go above and beyond. You prove yourself. You don't date coworkers. Your only hope is to find one person you can count on.

This is the world Cassie Hanwell landed in when started her new job in Boston as a firefighter. She really didn't have a choice. Her estranged mother suddenly asked her to move halfway across the country—from Texas to Massachusetts. And then an unfortunate run-in with a shady town councilman cost her not only a spot in the Austin Fire Department but a promotion to lieutenant as well.

The new firehouse crew wasn't thrilled to have a woman on the team, but Cassie was determined to earn their respect. She went above and beyond. She proved herself. She didn't date coworkers. And she found one person she could count on. The handsome rookie, Owen. Who was kind. Likeable. Supportive. Kissable. And off limits. Keeping their friendship strictly professional was a challenge she couldn't afford to lose. Her job was at stake. Her career. Everything she had worked for. She didn't need love, especially if it meant falling for the rookie.

Or did she?

3 people found this helpful

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Katie Campagnolo

Couldn’t put it down!

Reviewed in Canada on October 2, 2023

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It was a tiny bit slow to start but then I was hooked! I love a story that showcases the strength of women.

Veronica Guevara

A tiempo y en buen estado.

Reviewed in Mexico on March 13, 2023

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Decidí comprar el libro en físico porque tan solo costaba 30 pesos más que el libro en Kindle.

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Sunidhi singh

Very interesting book

Reviewed in India on October 5, 2023

Verified Purchase

Like I couldn't not resist myself from reading the book. The stories are so interesting as it describes the life of the author as a firefighter, it is very relatable.

Ana Aguerrea Alzualde

Muy buena novela

Reviewed in Spain on August 30, 2019

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La protagonista es una bombera que tendrá que superar el machismo que se respira en su nuevo destino. Es una mujer valiente, y luchadora. La escritora describe esta profesión muy bien.

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Alpha Reader

I look forward to delving into her backlist!

Reviewed in Australia on February 10, 2021

Verified Purchase

This was my first time reading Center, but it won't be my last!

This is the story of a female Texas firefighter who lands in hot-water when she gives a politician from her past their comeuppance ... but her career is somewhat saved when she's offered a move to Boston, to let the controversy blow over - that also coincides with her estranged mother begging her to come stay, and help her out post eye-surgery.

There's a lot of tension and fault-lines established early; our heroine Cassie hasn't been close to her mother, ever since she walked out on the family on Cassie's 16th birthday to be with the man she'd been having an affair with. Cassie is also moving to an old-school (and rundown) Boston firehouse full of old-guard firefighters who don't like the idea of a woman on their turf.

To add to the complications is Cassie starting her new job alongside an Irish-legacy firefighter rookie who is the first person to make Cassie's heart beat fast and even consider knocking down some of the walls she's put up over the years to protect herself.

I loved this book - I wasn't surprised at the acknowledgements to find that Center's partner was once a medic and is still a volunteer firefighter, because the insights she gives to the culture of camaraderie (tinged with misogyny) and the patterns of fires was really fascinating and clearly came from a place of deep respect to understanding. I also really loved the romance between Cassie and 'The Rookie' - Owen. It was a slow-burn (ha!) that really paid off.

I cried buckets reading this, and my only criticism was that the last two-thirds or so of the novel felt extremely rushed and like a fast-forwarded montage I would have appreciated living inside of a little more as reader.

But overall I'm glad I've finally given this author a try, and I look forward to delving into her backlist!

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