Things You Save in a Fire by Katherine Center
This is a re-read for me because my local library book club is reading this in February. However, it’s a great book, so I don’t mind. In fact I have read a few books by Katherine Center (another will be posted soon) and I really enjoy them.
The Premise: Cassie is a great firefighter/medic. However, during an award ceremony where she is the guest of honor, she reacts badly to a situation and assaults a politician.
In order to keep working as a firefighter and to help her mother at the same time, Cassie decides to move to Boston. She begins work at a very manly firehouse, where she must fight to prove herself worthy.
Add in some family drama with her mom, a tragic story from her childhood and a cute rookie on her shift, and you get a well rounded story about a powerful woman learning that she can be strong and have feelings at the same time.
One fun thing to note – Cassie at one point reminisces about a woman she saved after a plane crash, which is a reference to Center’s previous book “How To Walk Away” (another good book).
I categorize this style of book as ‘Romance Plus’. Yes, there is a romance and you get a happy ending (both requirements of romance), but there is so much more to the story. It’s a happy story about realistic people with faults and demons. I find these books thoroughly fulfilling and rewarding, not just fluff.
Cocktails In The Library 