From the Bookshelf of Reading Until Infinity …

Things You Save in a Fire

Katherine Center

Start date: October 1, 2020

Finish date: October 31, 2020

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Sep 05, 2019 Megan rated it it was amazing

This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers. To view it, click here. I absolutely loved this book. The fact that the protagonist, Cassie, is a female fire fighter, and not only that, she's tops on her team, was an immediate selling point. I'd been curious about this book, but my bookish friend on Instagram, @now_booking, wrote such an enthusiastic review, I had to snatch this book up from the new book display at my library and read it immediately, putting all other scheduled reads on the back burner.

This review will be slightly spoilery. In the first chapter, Ca I absolutely loved this book. The fact that the protagonist, Cassie, is a female fire fighter, and not only that, she's tops on her team, was an immediate selling point. I'd been curious about this book, but my bookish friend on Instagram, @now_booking, wrote such an enthusiastic review, I had to snatch this book up from the new book display at my library and read it immediately, putting all other scheduled reads on the back burner.

This review will be slightly spoilery. In the first chapter, Cassie is at an awards banquet in Austin, TX, set to get the valor award. Her guys (team mates) prank her to keep her from getting nervous. Cassie laughs them off and goes up to get her award. She's horrified to find that instead of the mayor, some sleazy councilman she's had a #metoo past experience with is the presenter. She keeps it together until he grabs her ass, at which point, she nails him with the award plaque. He doesn't press charges, undoubtedly because he's afraid of what would come to light, but Cassie doesn't get the promotion she was hoping for. In consequence of her public smack down, she's not added to the PR dream team. To get some space, she requests to be transferred to the Boston area. Her estranged mother is having health issues and has asked for Cassie's help.

She's reassigned to a hundred year old firehouse in full boys club mode. Most of the firefighters are not pleased their new member is a girl. The only one consistently supportive of her is the rookie, Owen. As the new members of the crew, Cassie and Owen end up together a lot, which is a problem for Cassie, because for the first time since she was 16, she has a crush. And Owen seems to have answering feelings, tho they both strive to be professional.

Owen is absolute catnip as far as literary love interests go. He's an excellent cook, a great listener, very easy going and respectful, and loves how badass Cassie is. Her competency doesn't threaten him at all, in fact, he celebrates it. And, of course, he's sexy and appreciates any boundaries Cassie sets on their relationship as it grows.

The writing and character development are superb. There's so much good stuff in this book. The difficulties and challenges of being a woman in a male dominated field, the realities and challenges of being a firefighter ( the author is married to a firefighter and has obviously done her research well), the wonderfully human interactions of all the characters, and Cassie's journeys of forgiveness and connection.

When Cassie turned 16, two bad things happened that shaped her life choices. Her mother left her father and moved to Boston for another man, and Cassie was lured to a party by the future asshole councilman. Cassie herself doesn't like to use the word rape until quite late in the book. She says he was a bad, bad person, or that he poisoned love and intimacy for her, but it's obvious from her reactions and the fact that she's never dated, that he raped her. Exactly what happened isn't discussed until later, and then it's stark and horrifying, but not excessively drawn out, It's matter of fact, and easy to skim, if a reader is afraid of being triggered.

Mostly, the book focuses on the emotional fallout from those two bad things and how Cassie has armored herself against connection as a result. It's wonderful to watch her open up gradually to her mother, her friends, and Owen, and to watch her earn the firefighters respect be being a complete superhero (she teaches herself parkour so she can use their obstacle course without help, since she's somewhat petite, and it's built for tall people.)

It's a very life affirming book about someone becoming her best self, and about how trauma doesn't have to define us, and how love, even after betrayal, can help us be more fully who we really are. ...more

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