Things You Save in a Fire Paperback – July 14, 2020

But it starts out with our Hereoinne Firefighter achieving unheard of success as a great firefighter and true hero in the modern progressive and integrated cities of the American West But our hero is also a woman deeply hurt at 16 by a dangerous rapist and her mother's desertion on the same day. She lives for the job with no interest in friendships and definitely NO romance at all. But circumstances force her to go live in a small town in Massachusetts, one where she's been accepted for a job as a firefighter. However, her gender is a big deal for the traditional firemen in the small, poorly funded town. Yup, the camaraderie of firemen and how they take care of one another like family is seen as being challenged by hqving a "lady" interrupting their all male man cave/firehouse and to the way they have managed to survive for the last 300 years. So they see her very presence as an attempt to challenge the only way they know to stay sane and create an atmosphere of fun and comradery. The presence of a lady Is an assault up the all male bonding that has always been an essential part of performing a truly dangerous job, where they must depend on the next guy to equally trained and strong to do what is needed in dangerous situations. The catch is that there are always some women with the same drive and strength to do the job equally. But the point is that life speeds to be lived a little deeper if peo,e are going to survive all the petty differences that we are allowing to split our world. The story is more about surviving the world of hatred and pettiness that makes people so confused,frustrated, and angry that in the 2020s. Instead, the writer takes it to a deeper level. She tries to help the reader understand what is true about how humans work together for the greater good of the whole. She focuses on the need for all people to figure out the one emotion, which also requires action that is essential to rise above the hate and anger thst seems to be destroying our faniliesm,friends and country, She focuses on love. Without love, people are miserable.Love, we are reminded is the only motivator that makes it possible to tryuly help others. When we love and feel loved, then we can work where we are best suited without the emphasis on all the petty things that make any relationship or situation hard and painful. Somehow, she makes all this work. Even if I'm failing to express how, it's a surprisingly refreshing story with a lot of joy without seemingly overly sappy.

I just could not put it down. I just how to know how the story ended for Cassie…happily ever after!!!

I've read and enjoyed other books by this author and have enjoyed them, but I think this one rates highest on my list. It didn't start out that way. At first I found the heroine, Cassie, a bad-a$$ firefighter, so disagreeable that I wondered if I would be able to get through the whole book. She was incredibly rigid, uptight, cold, and unfeeling. She cared about nothing except her job. Her mother left her and her dad when Cassie was 16 (and on her birthday!) which, granted, is a horrible thing to do to a kid, but to hold a grudge FOR TEN YEARS, without asking any follow-up questions, just seems childish and developmentally stunted. Even Cassie's dad advocated for some forgiveness, but Cassie was determined to hang on to her bitterness and unyielding anger. It was clear something terrible happened to her beyond her mother's departure, but that something didn't really have to do with her mother, yet she seemed to conflate the two. Most of all, Cassie refuses to love anyone or anything and is determined never to forgive. Her positions are shaken on the first day of her first shift at her new fire station across the country when she agrees to spend time caring for her ailing mother (after doing all she could not to have to care for her mom). She falls head over heels in love at first sight. This is the one thing that rang a little false to me -- that she fell so totally and completely, deeply in love with her first viewing of "the rookie" at her fire station. And yet. I have to admit, it can happen.Anyway, any doubts I had about this book began to dissipate about 40 percent in, and soon I couldn't put it down. I finished it in one evening. There is a lot of stream-of-consciousness narration that sometimes goes on and on, but the things Cassie is thinking about are actually pretty realistic and profound. The writing is also just like you'd find in a conversation or letter from a friend, making it easy and engaging. The characters were very well-defined and I could clearly visualize each one. While some of the issues explored were painful and deep, there was also a light-hearted quality to the telling of the story, with some self-deprecating humor and a lot of sweetness. I was sorry when the story ended (and once again, so glad there was an epilogue to really give me a satisfying finish).

Cute but kind of strange? More of a tell than a show kind of book but I did seem to enjoy the story

4.5 stars. I've read and like Katherine Centers books before but this was the first one I loved. Can't wait to pick up Love Haters Next

Cassie is a badass firefighter in Texas—brave, skilled, and totally dedicated to saving lives. But when her estranged mom falls ill in Boston, Cassie makes the tough choice to leave everything behind and move north to care for her. New city, new fire station, and a crew that’s less than thrilled to have a woman join their ranks. But Cassie is fierce, proving herself every single day.Starting alongside rookie firefighter Owen—a kind, legacy firefighter—they quickly become allies amid the tough, male-dominated environment. Both try to ignore the sparks flying between them, wary of the crew’s judgment, but after a reunion party for Owen’s parents, they can’t deny their feelings any longer.Things You Save in a Fire is a powerful story of courage, family, and unexpected love. It’ll take you through a rollercoaster of emotions and leave you wanting more. I absolutely loved this one!