The Rescue by Nicholas Sparks

This is a typical Nicholas Sparks book. I don't mean that in a derogatory way (I rarely come across one of his stories that I don't like). If you have liked some of his other books and haven't picked this one up yet, give it a try.

It's about a fire fighter (Taylor) who got into his line of work because of the guilt he feels for his father dying in a house fire. It's a guilt that he just can't let go of, so he punishes himself by taking unnecessary risks, volunteering for the most dangerous assignments, and never letting anyone get too close to him -- he doesn't feel he deserves close relationships.

His life begins to change when he happens upon a car accident involving a lady and her son who are new in town. Her son has some disabilities and has wandered off during the accident and Taylor rescues the little boy and eventually strikes up a relationship with his mother. Of course, his personal problems put a kink into the relationship, and that's what makes the story.

I did find that I was angry with Taylor a good bit of the time--even after I finished the book, I was angry. But it was still worth reading.