Things You Save in a Fire

Things You Save in a Fire by Katherine Center

This should be Texas firefighter, Cassie Hanwell's,
shining moment as she wobbles across the stage
in uncomfortable high heels, to accept a prestigious
award of valor.

Instead, the momentous occasion marks the end of
a promising career when she pummels the councilman
handing her the honor, with a sharp hook that leaves
him in a bloodied heap on the floor.

Sometimes, painful, high school memories from ten
years ago, are hard to forget.

Now Cassie finds herself living with her estranged
mother, miles away near Boston, assigned to a different
firehouse badly in need of repair, and constantly proving
to her male counterparts that a female is worthy of
working along side them in every conceivable way.

When she meets the new rookie, the "girly"
part of her awakens. Not only is he kind, considerate,
and easy on the eyes, he's also a man who just might
break the impenetrable  barrier she's drawn around herself
after unspeakable heartache.

But becoming personally involved with someone in the trade,
is a really bad thing to do, as Cassie well knows. So she puts a
damper on her feelings and deals with the matters
at hand, like a cruel, relentless stalker who clearly
hates her, the budget cuts that put her in competition
with the rookie, and the near-death experience that tests
every survival skill she's ever learned.

This positively, entertaining novel, filled with
surprises at every turn, reiterates the power of
forgiveness, and how it can give hope to the
abandoned and betrayed, and those who have
simply lost their way.

It's a story filled with tears and laughter, romance and
inspiration, as it accurately portrays some of the
finest men and women in society, known as firefighters,
paramedics, and first responders. The details about what
they do each and every day is quite amazing, and worthy
of our admiration.