Things You Save in a Fire

I'm not sure where I first read about Things You Save in a Fire by Katherine Center, but I must have requested it from the library, forgotten about it... and then it appeared last week. I rarely read chick lit, and decided that this would be an excellent book to read on an airplane trip.

The main character, Cassie Hanwell, is a high-achieving firefighter in Austin, Texas. She's not got the greatest relationship with her mother, who left Cassie and her dad when Cassie was 16. As coincidences happen, Cassie's mom asks Cassie to come help her "take care of things" at about the same time that Cassie lets loose on a councilman at an awards ceremony. Cassie needs to leave Austin... and her mom needs her.

She moves from progressive Austin to a small town in Massachusetts. The firehouse she joins is still in the dark ages. Old equipment and old mentalities. Much of the novel is about Cassie's efforts to improve her situation. She applies for grants to update the firehouse and she works hard at proving that a woman does belong in the firehouse.

Cassie starts to work at the firehouse on the same day as a rookie firefighter. Her new crew seems to lump Cassie, a highly accomplished firefighter, with the rookie. As a result, they spend a lot of time together.

There's much character development and positive growth across all the characters. And as far as chick lit books go, this one went a little deeper. This is a book that I would recommend.