Things You Save in a Fire is the second book I’ve read by Katherine Center. The books have filled me with such joy, adding Center to my must-read author list.
As one of the only female firefighters in her Texas firehouse, Cassie Hanwell has seen her share of emergencies. 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.
I love a strong, kick-ass female lead. And that’s exactly what I got with Cassie. The book opens with an almost literal bang! I was smiling and wiping away tears at the same time. Smiling because Cassie took care of herself but wiping away tears because of what I could sense she had been through in order to spark this reaction. Readers will see Cassie grow by leaps and bounds by the end of this book.
For years, Cassie has been unwilling to forgive her mother. She’s let that unwillingness to forgive, build a wall around her. The story between Cassie and her mother is not easy but it eventually brings about the destruction of the walls Cassie built. Showing Cassie that forgiveness could free her to love and more.
Love! Cassie wasn’t looking for it. In fact, she’s been avoiding it since she was sixteen. But love is finding her around every corner. I loved the romance portion of the book. Owen, aka the rookie, had my heart going pitter-patter.
This was a great story that filled me with every emotion. I knew the ending was coming and was already wishing for a sequel. I wondered … “How was Center going to bring this story to a close?” There was so much more that I wanted and I didn’t think there were nearly enough pages to capture it all. But capture it all Center did! With the PERFECT epilogue! PERFECT, I tell you!
Things You Save in a Fire doesn’t release until August, but I sincerely hope you’ll add it to your list. It will be well-worth your time.
I won an advanced copy of this book via a Goodreads giveaway. Thanks St. Martin’s Press!
Rating: 4 stars
Reviewer: Jennifer
Title: Things You Save in a Fire
Author: Katherine Center
Release Date: August 13, 2019
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