Things You Save In A Fire By Katherine Center Review

Preface let me say this. If you will only read one book, this summer read this one! I will be as spoiler free as possible. I cannot review the book without giving away some plot elements. Things You Save In A Fire is a must read if you loved How To Walk Away. The book follows Cassie the firefighter who saved Margret after her plane crash in How To Walk Away. I read this book in about 5 hours it was that good!

Things You Save In A Fire is a first-person point of view novel. The protagonist is Cassie Hanwell. She is a twenty-six-year-old firefighter who made a bad decision for a good reason. Cassie goes from having what should be one of the best days of her life to one of the worst days.

As they say timing is everything. Cassie’s impulsive actions and the consequences happen at the exact right moment. Forcing Cassie to give up a job and life she loves. Timing is everything in this book. Cassie realizes she has no choice but to move across the country and move in with her mother. She learns her new life will be a hard one. Cassie also realizes if she had let go of the past she would not be in her current predicament.

Cassie has a strained relationship with her mother Diane. The two barely speak and Cassie must face the past. Specifically, the event that caused the estrangement. Many of us who have an estranged relationship with a parent can relate to Cassie. Cassie and her mother’s attempt at reconciliation weaves this story together. The relationship and the reunion are the catalyst for many changes in Cassie’s life. Cassie’s mother Diane introduces her to the concept of forgiveness. Which is an important theme. So is risk taking but not in the way we normally perceive risk. Saying yes instead of no. How those minor risks can transform the way you think. Even your life.

After I had read the first hundred pages the idea struck me this book was much like a movie. Like the ones they made in the 1980s and 1990s. Those movies where everything goes wrong, and it turns the leads life upside down.

There is some thinking followed by some personal growth. Then in montage fashion the lead works hard to better themselves and their situation. Things To Save In a Fire is like that up to the third quarter of the book. You feel elements of those wonderful movies and think the happy ending is near.

Then Katherine Center does the unthinkable. Yup, she threatens that happy ending in true chick flick fashion. Which without this threat Cassie would not get her happy ending. Sorry not sorry for that minor spoiler. You need to know this book has a happy ending. Yes I had to peek. I could not handle it if Katherine Center Game of Thronesed me.

I could immerse myself in this book because Cassie is so damn relatable. If you are not a Cassie, you know a Cassie. This novel is the right balance of drama and characters you can relate to. I wanted to keep this review spoiler free. I do not mention many characters. Because some characters are spoiled if you attempt to describe them. Also, some characters will surprise you when you finish the book.

The central relationship in this book is Cassie and Diane. Without them coming together many events in the book could have never happened. The theme of forgiveness and reconciliation are everything. Everything else is just gravy. Very delicious gravy. That is why I recommend you pick this book up the day it comes out and stay off social media until you finish reading it. Things You Save In A Fire will be the hottest bestseller of the summer. Just read it.

I rated this book five stars on Goodreads because I could not put it down. NetGalley provided me with a digital advanced reader copy. You can read my review of How To Walk Away here.  Click here to read more book reviews.