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!

I received this book from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review. The first book I read by Katherine Center was “How to Walk Away”. I was very impressed with her storyline and development of characters and looked forward to reading more from her. When I began reading “What you Wish for”, I was not disappointed. Center takes time to develop her characters and by the end of this novel I felt a part of the small community and wanted to teach at the same school as Sam Casey.
Sam Casey is a librarian who had moved from California for a new start. What she found was a community that quickly became her family. When tragedy strikes it creates the need for a new person to lead their quirky, eclectic school. Unfortunately, the new leader, Duncan Carpenter, isn’t interested in keeping the school’s quirky nature. He is focused on security and safety. Sam must decide whether to leave the place she has grown to feel at home or stay and try to convince the new principal that their unique school is worth preserving just the way it has always been.
Center does a wonderful job with this novel. I enjoyed reading it and really felt a connection to not just the main characters but the entire faculty and neighbors that Sam lives and works with daily. I also enjoyed the fact that there were a few surprising twists and turns throughout. If you like contemporary fiction, chick lit, or just want to engross yourself in a book that will make you long for small towns and a sense of community this book is for you. I rate this as a 4 star book.

I absolutely loved Katherine Center's last book Things You Save in a Fire, so I was thankful to have the opportunity to review an advanced copy of her next novel. What You Wish For kept me engaged in the story, but the story was only so so for me. I enjoyed reading about Sam and Duncan's relationship, but felt that many of the characters, and even Sam and Duncan, weren't fully developed.

Sam, a school librarian, is reunited with her former work crush, Duncan, when he becomes her school's next principal. . She remembers him as a fun, lively, entertaining person who the kids loved having as a teacher. At first glance, she was excited to have him join the team, as he seemed similar in personality to her former principal who died suddenly. However, the Duncan that shows up to school is different, moodier, withdrawn. This is in contrast to her own outer personality of someone who is colorful and full of life, and who loves her school very much. Sam soon learns that Duncan was hired to concentrate on security and essentially tries to turn her beautiful school into a prison. As their relationship develops, Sam begins to understand why Duncan has changed, and along with her colleagues, makes it her goal to bring him out of his shell and back to his former personality.

This is a story about discovering oneself and choosing happiness. It's about taking control of your life and believing in something. Overall, I enjoyed the unfolding of the love story, but felt parts of the book were lacking in depth and character development.

What You Wish For
by Katherine Center
St. Martin's Press
You Like Them
Women's Fiction


I loved this book! Katherine Center has done it again! I will highly recommend this to our patrons.
Thanks to Net Galley and St. Martin's Press for my ARC. Choose Joy!! Great storyline

A fabulous story of Sam and her old coworker Duncan. Sam moved long ago because of Duncan. But, behold he ends up in her new town. Sam is loyal to her friends, her new town and her school for she is a teacher. She’s unique and quirky . She try’s to NOT remember her last feeling for Duncan. But does it work ? A story you’ll have to read to find out. Thank you Netgalley and St. Martin Press to allowing you devour another great story from Katherine Center.

Wow! This is another 5 star read for me!! I know it will be in my top favorites of the year! Katherine Center can send me her grocery list and I will read it!!

I don’t want to reveal too much about the plot because you just need to read this book as soon as it comes out!! It’s about a lady named Sam, who is a librarian at the local elementary school and she absolutely loves her job! When the elementary school loses their amazing and legendary principal, his replacement turns out to be Duncan. THE Duncan. Sam’s old crush. She tells everyone that Duncan is so lovable, funny and just a good guy all around. However, the Duncan that shows up is a completely different person than what he used to be and he is determined to change the school. Will he? Will Sam be able to stop him? What changed him into the person he is now?

I think I have mentioned this in every review I’ve given a Katherine Center novel, but her writing is beautiful. The words flow effortlessly. Her characters are so relatable and I absolutely loved Sam and Duncan! Even the other characters, Max, Babette, Alice, Clay just to name a few, were relatable and written so well. I felt like I was Sam in this story. There were three scenes that will stick with me in this book for the rest of my life. The love, sincerity and care in these three scenes made me believe that everything was going to be ok. It was like an escape. I won’t say which scenes they were because I don’t want to spoil them, but you’ll know when you read it. It’s almost like you would have had to experience this in real life to get the scenes to become so real and genuine.

Katherine Center, you have such a raw talent. I know as soon as I pick up your novels, I’m going to get a story that is going to make my soul feel all the things. You are a rare find in an author and I hope you continue to write novels for many years to come. I will read every single one of them!

Thank you to Katherine Center, St. Martin’s Press and NetGalley for an early reader’s copy in exchange for an honest review.

When I saw this on NetGalley, I immediately downloaded it. I had to read the new Katherine Center after Things You Save in a Fire!! I read Katherine's books because of the plots and when I found out this one was going to be about a teacher in Texas, I needed it as soon as possible.

This book was fire, it gave me all the feels. It is definitely my favorite by her while all of her books deal with trauma in its own way, this was a different trauma. A trauma that had me shocked. It dealt with a very serious topic which I loved and felt like it was done well.

Samantha quits her job and uproots her life and moves to Galveston, Texas where she rents a home by an older couple named Max and Babette and becomes a librarian at their school. Samantha's life was not easy growing up as her mother passed and her dad was not in the picture. Max and Babette became her family. Unfortunately Max passes away.

Max was the principal of the school him and Babette owned, so a replacement was necessary.
Samantha finds out the new placement is going to be her old colleague that made her uproot from her old school whom she was in love with. She thinks about quitting again but thinks better about it when she notices how Duncan has changed. He is now strict and all about business. Duncan didn’t even recognize her when they first encountered! Duncan tries to turn their bright, colorful, peaceful school to a prison with extreme safety precautions

What made this book so much better is the problems/insecurities the characters had about themselves and how they were dealt. This book felt so real. I did not predict any of it and when I found out certain things I was genuinely shocked. The characters were so genuine and stood up for one another, supported each other and was a support system to each other.

The side characters in this were wonderful. I don’t know if I've ever liked side characters so much. I loved the ending, wrapped up so nicely and I will definitely be buying a copy of this book. I highly recommend, fast read!!

Thanks to NetGalley and St. Martins press for this wonderful book!

Posted on Goodreads March 24,2020
https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/2973916627

Katherine Center does it again. She writes a love story that so beautifully describes the pain and hangups that often keep us from showing up fully as ourselves in relationships.

In this newest novel, we meet Sam (Samantha), a librarian at a private, eccentric school in Texas. She appears to have no family and a history of a difficult childhood. She has found parental figures in Max and Babette, the founders of the school where she works. But when Max unexpectedly passes away, a new school principal is found. And it turns out, Sam remembers him from a previous school where she worked - and had a huge crush on him. She is anxious and excited about Duncan Carpenter's arrival. When he arrives though, he is completely different from the Duncan she knew four years ago and she cannot understand what happened to him. Instead of having a crush on him, Sam finds herself at odds with this new version of Duncan who is stripping away everything she and the other teachers love about the school that Max founded.

Will Sam be able to save her school? Will she find out what happened to Duncan? Will she open herself up to being vulnerable with those around her? Or will she let her childhood wounds keep her shut off and alone?

I loved this sweet story with heart. This story includes side stories about love - both positive and negative in the other characters. In true Katherine Center ways, she pulls you into the story right away and has you cheering for the characters to grow individually and towards each other.

Loved it. 4.5 stars for this one that had me devour it in one sitting.

From the first pages I was hooked, I’ve read Katherine’s pervious books and was in love with them. Not only the story line and lesson, but the way her writing brings you in. What you wish for was no different. A story about love, loss and finding joy on purpose. Finding ways to celebrate the moments that matter while navigating real like and the fear and uncertainty that goes with it. Throw in some romance, the classic bad guy and a positive ending and you get the perfect book to settle down with in this uncertain world.

This book started out upbeat and I was thinking this is going to be a really good book to read now with all that is going on today. As I read the tone changed, the beloved principal died, and we meet Duncan. Sam had fallen in love with Duncan when they worked at a different school and when she see him again, he wasn't the Duncan she knew and fell in love with.
We learn how things change so drastically after the principal dies for this school. The author writes so it makes you feel you are part of the story. What I like most about this book is even when the author was showing us the disappointments and things I didn't like going on, I could feel that hang in there and see what is going to happen. This school banded together and started making the changes needed to take back their school. There is always hope. This was a story that covers many issues but it is written to make the reader understand.
I received an ARC from NetGalley for an honest review. This book had so much more than I expected and when I had finished reading the book, it felt like we had all come full circle and was back where we were supposed to be.

Samantha Casey has the job she loves as an elementary school librarian. That is until Duncan Carpenter takes the job as principal. He is focused on school security and begins to clamp down on all the freedoms the school enjoyed. Samantha is determined to change Duncan's perspective. A funny romantic yet serious and informative novel that will keep you reading until the end.

I’m so happy I discovered Katherine Center’s writing in her previous novels because her books make me feel so good. I loved What You Wish For and read it in one sitting. She knows how to write romance without being cheesy – the story tugs at your heart strings and makes you care about the characters as if they’re people in your own life. This story was like a love letter to educators because the characters were so passionate about their school and providing the best educational environment for their students. I did think the beginning was a little slow as Sam continuously harped on how different “the old Duncan” was but I grew to love both characters and their chemistry. Thanks for the ARC NetGalley!

Samantha, an eccentric librarian, has her dream job working with what seems like family rather than mere colleagues. Her life couldn't be any better until the school principal dies suddenly and a blast from her past takes over the position. Duncan, a former colleague from Samantha's old school, is the perfect fit as principal for their school for everyone but Samantha. However, that was the old Duncan. In the four years since Samantha has last seen Duncan, he has completely changed. What has happened to him? Can Samantha make him whole again?

This book is exactly what I needed to read during such uncertain times. Samantha is a quirky, zany character. The majority of the characters are likable, and the school Samantha works at, although maybe too idealistic, is refreshing.

If you are looking for a light, quick read right now, this is the one for you. Thank you NetGalley for an arc of this refreshing read.

I love Katherine Center and her new book did not disappoint! The overall message was choosing joy in spite of circumstances and in our current world situation, it could not have come at a better time. I loved the main characters in this novel and everyone was extremely relatable. Great read for when you want to just relax and escape!

There's a lot packed into this book, but it's well paced and enjoyable. Though I've loved Katherine Center's previous books, I did think that the main character of this book was a little more immature than her other characters, and I found her a little unlikeable. I'd have liked to see a little bit more growth and a little bit more character development, especially with Clay's mother, and her relationship with Sam.