Things You Save in a Fire by Katherine Center

BOOK REVIEW: Things You Save in a Fire by Katherine Center

Release Date: August 13th, 2019

Genre: Romance, Fiction

Published by St. Martin's Press

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ My Goodreads Rating

BOOK BLURB:

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?

MY THOUGHTS:

This was my first read from Katherine Center and OMG am I glad that I listened to some of my Instagram buddies that recommended it! 

I now want to read all her books 💙

I feel that it's unfair to define Things You Save in a Fire as a romance book.  

Why?

Because it's SO much more!!! Yes, there's a romance going on, but there's also the fact that we get to read about real life's heroes in this book! The people that put their lives on the line everyday.  And Cassie Hanwell is a BADASS firefighter, one that can inspire anyone to actually rise above a problem and dare to be ignored. 
I think that I always just assumed that women can choose to be whatever profession they choose to, but this book reminds us that it's not quite like that yet, is it?  The old school misconception still exists and women need to work twice as hard to claim their space in certain jobs. 

The writing was superb and the character development in this story was flawless!  The narrative was so engaging that I could not put it down, and as I got close to the last pages, tears were streaming down my face and I needed to take a breath in order to continue.

The lesson on forgiveness is such a wise one that I want to read it over and over.

A truly beautiful book! 

“Choosing to love—despite all the ways that people let you down, and disappear, and break your heart. Knowing everything we know about how hard life is and choosing to love, anyway.. That’s not weakness, that’s courage.” 

READER BEWARE:  SIDE EFFECTS may include a sudden desire to hug and forgive (yourself and others)...