I read this book prior to publication and there were a few places where edits were still needed. The majority of the plot development took place within the mind of Samantha Casey, the main character. I thought it was a bit too much within her head. The premise of the book is that an old crush of Samantha moves to the island where she lives and becomes the Principal where she works. He has drastically changed though, and many of the new policies that he begins to institute will destroy the things that make this school so special. Within that framework there are subthemes of the value of people, nature and beauty. A main theme is how to find joy, hold on to joy, in the midst of circumstances that can destroy hope and joy. A decent read on a rainy day.
#netgalley #amazon

What a delightful and realistic look into the world of education! I loved how realistic the characters seemed and how their issues are ones that people deal with daily. I found myself instantly transported to Kepner school and the descriptions of the school made it seem like a place everyone would want to go to school!

I will share one mild spoiler... there is discussion of a school shooting. Now as an educator, I hate when I read a book and get surprised but a school shooting in a book. However you could see this one coming and it really well covered from all angles.

Overall a fantastic read and great escape back into school in a time when many educators are forgetting what its like to be in a school building.

Katherine Center. You the real MVP.

Seriously. We live in such a chaotic time right now and Center's new novel, What You Wish For just hits the mark of a great novel. Read it. Just read it. Read all of her novels. There. Just do it.

What You Wish For follows quirky school librarian, Samantha Casey. Sam works at a lovely and vibrant school in Galveston, Texas under the supervision of her second parents, Max and Babette. When Max suddenly passes away, a new principal must be chosen by the school board. In enters, Duncan Carpenter, one of Sam's former colleagues...and crush. Sam expects to reunite with the bubbly and wacky Duncan, but she is faced with a new man...a man that is determined to make the free-thinking and wonderful school a prison of safety precautions. As the community begins to find chaos, Sam and Duncan must decide which path they will take to find joy amid the fear.

Y'all. I just feel THINGS. All the things for this novel. Sam stole my heart and ripped it out with her touching backstory. I will not give anything away. Duncan won me over...eventually as he was meant to do. All of the characters in Center's newest novel are just the right mixture of out of this world and down to earth. It is one of the treasures of reading her novels. The plot is timely and heartbreaking, yet once you finish the book, you want to hug it. Yes, hug it because it leaves you with such a sense of hope and wonder for the world. The main reason I loved this book is because it reminds readers to find joy in all the simple moments of life. As one of the character's motto implies: find a reason to celebrate. And I am here for it. There was romance, drama, and just normal life. The beautiful thing about Center's writing is just that: she writes about normal life, but you are left feeling like you read about something completely incredible.

It is easy to say this is a 5 star read for me. I highly recommend it.

Thank you Netgalley and St. Martin's Press for a copy of this novel in exchange for my honest review. What You Wish For comes out on July 14, 2020.

So, so good. I have loved all of Katherine’s previous books and this one did not disappoint! I moved it right to the top of my TBR stack as soon as I was able to get my hands on a copy and I’m so glad I did. I laughed, I cried, I read it in two days. Definitely am recommending to friends!

Thank you to St Martin's Press and Netgalley for sharing an advanced reader copy in exchange for a fair review.

Sam's a school librarian and loves her school and the staff. Everyone is devastated when they lose their principal. In comes Duncan Carpenter to replace him. Turns out Sam used to work with Duncan at her previous school and had a longstanding crush on him. She thought he was a wonderful teacher and person. But the Duncan that turns up at her school is nothing like the one she remembers.

As expected there are secrets behind the changes in Duncan and there are secrets for Sam too. At least from most of the people around her. I think the story is about trauma and ways of coping with it. Most of us will be affected by trauma at some point. Some handle it and move on while others are controlled by it.

I liked the story and the characters here. It was realistic enough to be believable and found myself cheering for the characters to grow from where they started. To a degree some of it was predictable in the sense it wasn't surprising to find out what happened to Duncan. Or even some of what happened with Sam. But it was presented in a way that wasn't annoying and it was a good read overall.

Overall I give it 3.5 stars.

This will be published on Goodreads when it is released along with Amazon.

5 STARS! I love Katherine Center and she is an author that I will read whenever she has a new book. I was so excited for this one and it didn't disappoint. The characters were complex, all struggling with their own issues but the main them of choosing and finding the joy in life really permeated through the book. Between Samantha, the quirky librarian and 'Duncan, the strict principal, or the many other complex characters, this was a great book that I didn't want to put down.

Katherine Center has written two of my all time favorite books (_The Lost Husband_ and _Happiness for Beginners_), so it was with great joy and expectation that I began reading her latest. In her usual style, the story begins with characters' struggles and weaknesses, and brings out their strengths and triumphs. However, this story covered so many heavy subjects: death, grief, school shootings, bullying, seizures, rejection, control freaks...it was almost too much to handle. How to heal, choose joy, be creative, be brave, and stand up for what you believe is covered, too. This resulted in a complicated, unrealistic plot by the time the story wrapped up satisfactorily. However, I loved parts of it, so I made an effort to suspend belief and enjoy the fiction. Readers who enjoyed her other offerings will likely want to read this. It's just not her best, in my opinion.

I am a new fan of Katherine Center and devoured her latest What You Wish For. While some parts of the story are predictable, I loved it from start to finish. I fell in love with the characters, their stories, the heartbreak and messaging of striving for, creating and embracing joy! I wish I hadn’t read it so I could start it all over again.

What a lovely cheerful book to dig into while holed up at home!

This book centers around Sam who left a life behind and started all over again in Galveston. She has found 'her' place and 'her' people and has made a home there. Everything is great until the new principal comes into town and it's her old crush Duncan... except is it? It sure seems like the same person on the outside but everything inside has changed.

Will Sam take a chance on Duncan and see if she can find the man he was or will she follow her brain and stay away?

Thank you to NetGalley and St. Martin's Press for an eARC copy of this novel in exchange for my honest review.

Samantha Casey has found her dream job as the librarian of an Independent elementary school in Galveston, Texas. Everything is perfect until the school’s beloved principal unexpectedly passes away and her former crush Duncan Campbell shows up and Sam’s life she ran away from comes to Galveston. When Duncan arrives he is no longer the man Sam knew and loved from afar, gone is the goofy teacher who knows how to make every day fine, replaced by an authoritarian who placed safety above everything else. Will Sam’s need to put distance between herself and Duncan be enough to make her put her life in Texas, and the students and teachers she loves, behind her?

Katherine Center’s What You Wish For is a charming story about what happens when you have a chance to get what you always thought you wanted. Center’s characters are well developed and her Galveston world is full of interesting people and places. I recommend this for anyone looking for a quick, easy read.

Samantha found a new family when she moved to Galveston Texas where she taught in a small school that treated everyone like family.
When the principal of the school suddenly dies, Samantha discovers the new principal will be none other than Dylan Carpenter who she worked with at another school and was her secret crush
But Dylan arrives and not only does he not remember Samantha but he is boorish and not the fun-loving guy everyone loved. When he starts to ruin the school she loves and calls home, Samantha is determined to fight and not let the school she loves change.
It is a heartwarming story that will make you feel good.

This book was a timely reminder that we cannot live in fear. It was a delightful story with profound lessons on joy. I cannot wait to own it and read it again.

What really drew me to this book was the cover. It’s bright colors made me stop and want to find out what this book is about. This is a different type of read than I’m used to but the blurb got my attention, so in I went.

From the storyline and the characters, this book was delightful and entertaining! I love Samantha! Her humor and wit made her such a great character and easy to love. For me anyway. The other characters were great in their own way and added that extra oomph to the story. I did like the chemistry between her and Duncan. The playful banter and their quirkiness was way cute and had me smiling like a goof. I loved the message of hope and overcoming your fears. This book will have you smiling, laughing, and even shedding some tears.

This was a fantastic read! One that pleasantly surprised me. I will look into other works by this author since I highly enjoyed this one. I give this 5 stars.

Another fantastic book from Katherine Center. I loved Samantha and Duncans story! The trauma of their past shaped them into who they are today. They once worked together at a school where Duncan was the epitome of fun. Samantha moved to Galveston and started working as a librarian for a wonderful eclectic school. When the principal passed away Duncan came in to take his place. Except this wasn't the Duncan she remembered, and he didn't remember her. Once super fun, he now was now borking and treating to change the beautiful bright and cheery school that Samantha grew to love. She made it her mission to bring him back,, to remind him who he used to be. Highly recommend this book!

Thank you NetGalley for this ARC.

Thank you to @netgalley for the ebook ARC of Katherine Center’s upcoming book at a time when I desperately 😩 needed it!
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What You Wish For had so much that I loved. The charming Galveston setting (yay, Texas!). A school librarian. 😍🤓 A revisit to Duncan from Happiness for Beginners (although this can 100% be enjoyed standalone!)
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Katherine Center, per her usual delightful self, has brought us a vulnerable, likeable heroine with a lot going on under the surface. It’s not dark or heavy, but Sam has some childhood pain that needs healing. It bubbles to the surface through the arrival of her old colleague Duncan (dealing with his own pain). These two had me shouting at them at times, “share your truth already, you guys!” But you know; I do that a lot. 🤷🏼‍♀️ I think I eventually got through to them.
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I love how Center explored the concept of choosing joy amidst our circumstances. A timely message for right now, friends!
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Compulsively readable, light but with depth. Always redemption and hope. Everything I’ve come to expect from this author. Pub date 7/14/20.

What You Wish For was like a warm hug and a Hallmark movie all in one, and one that was desperately needed in this current time. Choosing joy was a central theme throughout this book, and a great reminder that we don't just let joy find us. We have to choose joy; we have to work for joy.

Set in an elementary school, this book features a school librarian, Samantha Casey, who has overcome personal struggles and actively chooses to be joyful every single day. After fleeing her previous school in California because of her unrequited love for her coworker, Duncan, she ends up at Kempner Elementary in Galveston, Texas. An amazing school with amazing coworkers, Sam even considers some of them family. When Kempner's principal, Max, suddenly dies, the whole school is turned on its head. Max's replacement, surprise surprise, is none other than Duncan, who Sam was running away from in the first place.

It was wonderful to watch the personal growth of not only Duncan and Sam, but the way they were able to grow together, despite their differences. What You Wish For made me want to be a school librarian, but more importantly, it was a great reminder to actively choose joy, every day.

What You Wish For by Katherine Center is only the second book that I have read from this popular author, and I must admit that I can easily understand her vast appeal. This is a heartwarming, life affirming story that is certainly a breath of fresh air in these uncertain times.

Sam is an elementary school librarian who loves her job. When a tragedy befalls a pivotal member of the school community, Sam is not only devastated, but also finds herself reunited with the enigmatic Duncan, a colleague from her past. But Duncan is not the same man that she so fondly remembers, and Sam soon finds herself in a battle to not only save her beloved school, but to remind Duncan of the man he once was.

This is a novel about overcoming adversity, the meaning of family, and the power of community. Each theme is fully fleshed out, relevant, and relatable. Recommended.

Many thanks to NetGalley and St Martin's Press for this ARC.

This sweet story about friendship was a perfect read at this time, while we are all social distancing. Although the author touches on some serious medical issues and loss, it is predominantly a feel good story about community.
I’ve read Katherine Center’s “How to Walk Away” and really enjoyed it, as well as this new release. Thank you Netgalley for the opportunity to read this in advance of it’s pub date. I will recommend it to all of my friends!

The book was a little hokey from the beginning--why was this grown woman so ashamed of her epilepsy which only flared up once a year?-- but it was cute enough I kept going. The big reveal about the principal was fine and I liked the fringe characters even if they weren't very developed. The ending involving a missing child and a whale was so over the top unbelievable and forced it really dragged the whole book down for me.

This is my second book by Katherine Center and I loved this one as much as the first.
Center’s writing style is so easy to get hooked into and as she takes you on the journey of Sam you can’t help but root for her! My favorite thing when reading a book is when the writing is so great that it makes you emotional and I definitely got a bit teary eyed at one point!
I highly recommend you put this book on your wish list!