Reviews with content warning for Sexism - Things You Save in a Fire

Given the subject matter of the book, I was surprised how graphically horrible all of the practical jokes are in this book that we're supposed to think are endearing. Like a coworker asking the MC out of the blue to screw when he knows she's panicking and therefore might be trickable, with all of her other coworkers including her boss watching ready to laugh at her for taking too long to refuse. That's how the book opens, and then the next thing is sexual assault, and I really feel like the author doesn't understand that the first thing is actually workplace sexual harassment being enabled by the power structure over the MC, but she things beating someone unconscious is appropriate as soon as touching is involved. But then there's all these "pranks" when she's working that are also assault, just not sexual assault and those are also supposed to be fun and fine. Very uncomfortably mixed messages for me around consent, which undermined the core message of the book.

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kimib79's review

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emotional funny hopeful sad medium-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Character
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? Yes
Diverse cast of characters? No
Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

2.75

I listened to the audiobook and the narrator sounded like either Holly Hunter or Jodie Foster. I found it unpleasant, but that's a me issue. I didn't care for the excessive cussing either. All in all, Hello Stranger was MUCH better.

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allisonisbooked's review against another edition

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adventurous emotional funny lighthearted medium-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Character
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? Yes
Diverse cast of characters? No
Flaws of characters a main focus? No

4.0

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milesandmiles's review

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1.0

While I've enjoyed other books by Center, this book made me so angry. The main character is a survivor of multiple traumas and has her life near ruined by misogyny multiple times. Instead of getting any kind of support, she has parents who manipulate and bully her into living with her mother.

Her mother is written as if we're supposed to believe she's caring, which is awful because at no point does she provide genuine emotional support. She doesn't value her daughter's incredibly successful career nor does she recognize the harassment at any point. Instead the mom pushes the self-serving advice that the main character needs to work on forgiveness. I kept yelling at the book that the mc needed to stop listening to mom and find a competent trauma therapist.

I really wish she could have found one genuinely supportive friend connected to neither her mother nor work on all of those long runs around town to make this a slightly healthier story. The bf provides a couple moments of support, but also trauma dumps on her and pressures her into breaking her boundaries because apparently he's incapable of managing his relationship with his parents. No one really listens or holds space for her. She ends up telling her trauma only to build rapport with someone her harassed and nearly killed her.

This book says that giving empathy and forgiveness to others is more important than expecting respect and empathy for yourself and your experiences. Let people walk all over you or harm you! Forgiving them is good for you!

Also, 4 out of 4 Center books I've read have featured romances where at least one character is at work. Can we all agree that romance in a workplace is so much more likely to be problematic and really shouldn't be a consistent theme???

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marchessaultd's review

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emotional hopeful inspiring reflective medium-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Character
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? Yes
Diverse cast of characters? No
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.0

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striepke's review against another edition

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emotional hopeful inspiring medium-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Plot
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? Yes
Diverse cast of characters? No
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.25

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nikmahie's review against another edition

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adventurous emotional funny hopeful inspiring lighthearted reflective sad fast-paced

Plot- or character-driven? A mix
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? Yes
Diverse cast of characters? Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

5.0

This book has it all. Absolutely enjoyed reading it. Love, family, friendship, hope… but also grief, betrayal, trauma.

Very easy written. Couldn’t lay it down.

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