Things You Save in a Fire: A Novel
Things You Save in a Fire: A Novel book cover

Things You Save in a Fire: A Novel

Hardcover – August 13, 2019

by
Price
$18.25
Format
Hardcover
Pages
320
Publisher
St. Martin's Press
Publication Date
ISBN-13
978-1250047328
Dimensions
6.39 x 1.11 x 9.59 inches
Weight
1.13 pounds

Description

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 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 Katherine Center is the New York Times bestselling author of How to Walk Away and the upcoming Things You Save in a Fire (August 2019), as well as five other bittersweet comic novels. She writes about how we fall down--and how we get back up. Six Foot Pictures is currently adapting her fourth novel, The Lost Husband , into a feature film starring Josh Duhamel and Leslie Bibb. Katherine has been compared to both Nora Ephron and Jane Austen, and the Dallas Morning News calls her stories, "satisfying in the most soul-nourishing way." Katherine recently gave a TEDx talk on how stories teach us empathy, and her work has appeared in USA Today , InStyle , Redbook , People , Vanity Fair , The Atlantic , Real Simple , Southern Living , and InTouch , among others. Katherine lives in her hometown of Houston, Texas, with her fun husband, two sweet kids, and fluffy-but-fierce dog. Read more

Features & Highlights

  • **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.

Customer Reviews

Rating Breakdown

★★★★★
30%
(2.6K)
★★★★
25%
(2.2K)
★★★
15%
(1.3K)
★★
7%
(607)
★
23%
(2K)

Most Helpful Reviews

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A Book Worth Saving from a Fire

Katherine Center writes stories that are full-person immersion: heart, brain, body and soul are totally involved in a satisfying, inspiring way -- and her latest novel THINGS YOU SAVE IN A FIRE fulfills that promise in profound and emphatic mastery. In short, blunt summary: when a firefighter reluctantly moves to Massachusetts jolted by twin prods of escaping her personal work crisis in Austin and assisting her ailing estranged mother, she discovers possibilities that she never imagined possible for herself. Read this book. I emerged feeling sated by a marvelous story and appreciation for fire fighters and community connection, for reconnecting long-broken relationships, and for finding a new way to succeed in the world.
36 people found this helpful
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A Beautifully Crafted Story of Love, Loss, Betrayal and Forgiveness

I loved Katherine Center's book "How To Walk Away," so I was eager to delve into her latest novel. I was not disappointed. This author delivers consistently good stories with engaging and believable characters.

Cassie Hanwell, the protagonist, is an extraordinary firefighter - to the exclusion of everything else in her life. Following two major traumas at the age of 16, she has buried her feelings, avoided intimate relationships and devoted herself to helping others as a paramedic/firefighter. After receiving a medal of valor and on the verge of being promoted to lieutenant at the age of 28 her life is upended and nothing is the same. She leaves her hard-earned position in the progressive department in Austin, Texas and moves to a small town in Massachusetts to start over again in the face of extreme prejudice against women as firefighters.

This is a beautifully crafted story of love, loss, betrayal and forgiveness. Not only did I find myself deeply engaged with the emotional lives of the characters, I learned a great deal about the culture of the firefighting community as family and as professionals. While the ending is fairly predictable, it is satisfying and the total storyline and character development make it a worthwhile read.

I highly recommend this book.
22 people found this helpful
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Casual read

3 out of 5 stars. In the beginning, it was an ok, casual, book, but then it tackled some serious subjects 2/3 of the way through, and then it devolved into clichés and melodrama at the end. Movie of the week type stuff, not serious writing.
16 people found this helpful
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A treasure of a story

There are so few best-selling novels about firefighting that when I saw this pop up on list after list of favorites, I had to read it. I'm a retired fire captain and avid reader. This story did not disappoint. I'll be reading more of Ms. Center's work. She's a master storyteller and gifted writer. I loved how she took the reader behind the doors of a firehouse and illustrated the challenges female firefighters face in being accepted in this male-dominated field. Along with these challenges were the protagonist's struggles with her estranged mother and her struggle with the forbidden attraction to another firefighter. The narrative is crisp and the dialogue and interactions of the crew felt authentic. I'm now a huge fan of Katherine Center.
13 people found this helpful
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An extremely enjoyable novel

“Things You Save in a Fire” by Katherine Center is a fast-moving and impactful novel. The literary style is first-person narrative with a lot of dialogue, which of course makes it a quick read. Although there is a great deal of depth and psychological impact, the story is definitely not over-burdened with philosophizing.

The underlying theme hinges on misunderstanding, blame, and the need to forgive – our selves and others. The narrator-protagonist, Cassie Hanwell, having suffered the double whammy of being abandoned by her mother and sexually abused by an older student on her sixteenth birthday, has compensated by becoming a firefighter and developing a tough and seemingly impassive persona. As the story begins, however, Cassie is being honored by the entire Austin, TX firefighter community for rescuing a bunch of children when their school bus slid off the road into a water-filled ditch. During the ceremony her youthful PTSD comes back to bite her. The abuser from her past, whom she has been able to assiduously avoid for a decade, is now a city councilman, and as the one who is designated to present her award, tries to cop a feel. Cassie reacts volcanically, bashing him over the head with her award plaque; and thus the drama begins.

The characterizations are vivid. As always when I read a story in which much of the plot hinges on the lack of openness and communication between major actors, I tend to be annoyed at “the Human Condition” that seems to make it so difficult for us to be open with one another and honest with ourselves, but in this case the author weaves the revelations and explanations into the story line with plausibility and authenticity. She also handles extremely well the issue of misogyny in the “manly” community of the fire department “brotherhood” This is an extremely enjoyable novel.
12 people found this helpful
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Ho hum.

So like a teenage romantic novel. Trite and predictable. I was looking for some light reading for a change of pace, but this was not the one.
11 people found this helpful
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Extremely Engrossing

I really enjoyed this novel. It's a modern story and I tend to read historical usually but I was drawn to the woman firefighter storyline. I was not disappointed. The heroine is approximately...26 years of age, I believe, and she has a very engaging voice. I must say she seemed far too mature for her age. I kept thinking she was near 40. I don't know many people who would give the speeches she gives, at any age, much less the age of 26. But I did like her and what she had to say. I enjoyed watching her change throughout the story and learn to forgive and move on. The story starts with her getting an award and one could say, throwing her TX career down the toilet.. It was def a great hook though. She then goes to live with her mother and be a firefighter in much different town with different people and while it's not as bad as she feared, there's of course a bad apple she must deal with. Not everyone is going to be cool with a woman on the crew. She begins to have feelings for people she doesn't want to have and there's life lessons in here.

The mystery of who was doing things to her...trying to sabotage her...could have used some work. The sudden reveal of the culprit and the ensuing solution was all just too pit pat too. That's the only reason I'm docking one star, that and the ending was a tad cheesy. It's like everything just suddenly got neat and the author tied a beautiful bow around it. However, I know most people want/expect that.

I did like it. It's a book that I will recommend to others for sure. Very engaging voice. I found myself laughing and getting mad and crying along with the heroine. It really sucked me in the story. Also, the life is accurate. I've been a woman in a man's world before and recognized many of the situations.
11 people found this helpful
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Great title, harder to like main character.

I found it very hard to like or connect with main character and professional firefighting protagonist Cassie Hanwell in this book; she internalizes all of her emotions, especially her anger, and that leads to her making horrible decisions that affect her career and personal life in a desultory way.
Cassie has issues with men touching her, clearly from a past trauma that affected her in her formative years, mommy issues stemming from her mother ‘abandoning’ her when she was a hormonal teenager for another man, daddy issues caused by a mute father who fed her more mommy issues by bashing all of womankind, and a huge passive-aggressive complex which she uses in every aspect in her life.
Cassie does not talk out her issues with anyone! Her whole life is dictated by her inability to let go of her anger and we as the readers suffer for it alongside her.
I did not like this book. There was not enough dialogue between the characters, especially the supposed love interest, also known as The Rookie. Because of this lack of dialogue, we spend an inordinate amount of time in Cassie’s head, and her thought process is not a fun time had by all. Most of her solutions to get along with all of her new male firefighting colleagues is to challenge them to feats of a physical nature and best them into stunned silences. After this happens more than once, I was cringe-rolling-my-eyes in disturbed disbelief. It felt incredibly middle schoolish and over-the-top, and only added to everything I did not like about Cassie Hanwell.
I’m disappointed, because I’m always looking for a kickass female protagonist to stand behind and read about, especially since I read the synopsis of Things You Save in a Fire being about a female firefighter in a career almost 95% overtaken by males. I was so ready to rally behind a minority character saving the day with gusto and passion! Unfortunately, in this tale of forgiveness, I don’t know if I can forgive the selfish, whiny overtones that pervaded the pages.

I received an ARC from NetGalley and the publisher in exchange for an honest review.
9 people found this helpful
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DNF’d at page 14 😕

This was a no for me. The writing is amateurish, and the repetition is excruciating.
8 people found this helpful
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This one is a goodie

Do NOT pass this one by!
This is a book that will find you laughing and crying almost at the same time.
This is the story of Cassie, an Austin firefighter in Austin Texas that relocates with her ailing mother to Boston.
The transition to a new firehouse where women are not really welcome, is a transition she has to make.
She also meets a rookie firefighter that becomes a love interest in the book.
Trust me, this is one you really don't want to miss.
8 people found this helpful

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