First let me get one thing out of the way....I love Katherine Center!

I was introduced to her books last year and have devoured everything she has written, so you can only imagine how over the moon I was to get an ARC of What You Wish For.

There is nothing worse than anticipating a book and being disappointed..nothing!
My expectations for What You Wish For were SO. BEYOND. EXCEEDED!

Once again, in that voice that feels like you are sitting down with Katherine Center and a glass of wine while she tells you a story. The story line was brilliant, the way she used Galveston was smashing, the one liners that make you snort-laugh...all there! She once again weaves the people and city into it's own story.

I highly recommend this book..HIGHLY! ...and if you haven't read Happiness for Beginners, stop what you are doing right now and read it, trust me!

What a timely, personal, and honest story. As an educator myself, I feel that the themes and conflicts within this story are so true to what our lives are actually like. We are a family. We are a family that depends on each other emotionally, physically, and mentally. In her latest novel, Katherine Center tells the story of a school teacher who gets up and goes to work, loves on the children, encourages her colleagues, supports her community. Yet deep down she is doing it all the deflect facing the issues in her own past. In trying to help someone else deal with their issues, the main character is hit square between the eyes with the fact that to truly live one has to face their fears, even if they seem warranted, head-on. Thank you @stmartinpress for the ARC of this amazing book!

Loved the setting and the characters. The Galveston beaches actually play a role in the story and add to the beauty of the setting.

Love, love, love this book! Another wonderful book by Katherine Center, full of vibrant characters and witty banter. A basic story of girl meets boy, lusts after boy for three years or so, moves away to a new job and then boy comes to work at the same place as girl... but as her boss. And finding that boy is now completely different than he was before. It was light, funny.. and at times serious. A tad predictable - but again, what story isn't? - but that didn't stop me from loving Samantha and Duncan (and Chuck Norris).

Choose joy - choose to read this book.

I just read my first Katherine Center book last year and I’m so happy I did! Her books are so good and What You Wish For is no exception! I love how she tackles different subjects and provides a new perspective. I definitely recommend this book!

I am a huge fan of Katherine Center and her previous novels, so I was absolutely thrilled to have the opportunity via Net Galley and St. Martin's Press to read her newest release, “What You Wish For” a bit early (pub date- July 14, 2020) and I’m happy to report that I loved this one just as much as I’ve loved her other books that I’ve read!

Although this book dealt with a couple of subjects that can tend to be anxiety triggers for me, I still finished this book and found it to be a really delightful story...which is really a testament to Katherine Center’s ability to write complex characters that the reader comes to love and care about! I always end her books wishing that I had more time with the characters, and this book was no different—I loved Sam and Duncan, and wished the book was longer just so that I could have had a bit more time with them there at the end.

I think it’s also worth noting that this was a closed door romance (the steam happens off page), which I know many of you prefer and have been waiting for! Overall, I really loved this book, and think it will be a perfect beach read when it releases this summer! ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️✨ (4.5 out of 5 stars)

Katherine  Center has done it again!  Not that I had any doubts whatsoever!  I love her writing because there is always a deeper story than your typical romantic connection.  Lets begin.

I loved Sam's character.  She is everything you would want and more in a elementary school librarian. Books are her jam, and that's probably why I love her.  I love a character I can connect with.  Now Center's books always come with some sort of loss, and in this story it's the beloved principal.  A guy everyone adored.  However, the school is in for a real treat per Sam!  They hired Duncan, Sam's old co-worker to be the new principal.  He was Mr. Fun Guy!  The guy who made everyday fun at their old school.  The guy Sam left her old school to get away from because she couldn't bring herself to tell him how she felt before someone else snatched him up!

However, what Sam doesn't know, but is quick to learn, the Duncan she once knew is gone.  The Duncan she used to have a crush is now someone who repels her.  His make life fun attitude has been replaced with more of a prison ward attitude.  Paint the walls gray, hire security, cancel all field trips, new rules, etc....  What has changed him into this person that Sam doesn't even recognize?

I will tell you the reasoning behind Duncan's drastic change is tear jerking.  It's this reason Sam fights to bring out the old Duncan even more.  She's falling in love again, but is it too late to save Duncan?  You'll have to grab your copy on July 14, 2020 to find out.  If you love Katherine's writing as much as I do, you don't want to miss this.

Book Rating: 4/5

Thank you St. Martin's Press and NetGalley for the advanced copy!

For the grand finale this would pair nicely with a very chilled St Supéry Sauvignon Blanc 2017.

I love when I get an email inviting me to read an arc of Katherine Center’s book since she has become one of my favorite authors! What You Wish For did not disappoint, it has everything I love of Center’s books, characters you root for mixed in with some drama and of course love. And like Center’s previous books, this quickly drew me in and it was hard to put down.

I really enjoyed the character of Samantha, she is flawed and doesn’t shy away from it. She is someone you would want to be friends with and have on your side. And Duncan, as much as you want to dislike him at first, you just can’t when you find out more about what he experienced in the years him and Sam we’re apart.

Highly recommend reading What You Wish For. Throughout the book, Sam talks about finding joy, which is what reading this book does. Thank you to Netgalley and St. Martin’s Press for a digital arc.

4.5 stars

I have loved every Katherine Center book I have had the pleasure of reading. The characters are so endearing and often wonderfully adorkable. They encounter relatable issues and obstacles that will have readers rooting for them from the start. What You Wish For is no exception. After reading Happiness for Beginners, I was so excited to learn that loveably goofy Duncan would be getting his own book. I dropped all my other reading commitments and dove right into What You Wish For. Though it's not necessary to read Happiness for Beginners prior to this book, I do recommend it because it's wonderful and I think it will really enrich the experience.

I loved the overall message of choosing joy, even in the face of fear and adversity. The book deals with some very serious, but timely topics (TW: school and gun violence), that may be extremely difficult for readers. It sometimes felt too in your face, but at the same time I can understand why the author chose to show these two extreme sides to the issue. I enjoyed the contrast between bright and sunny Sam and doom and gloom Duncan, especially after seeing him so dramatically different in Happiness for Beginners. Yes, they both make some poor over the top choices, but I could understand that for the most part, their hearts were in the right place. It was fairly clear from the start what Duncan's history would entail, but it didn't take away the impact of his past when all was revealed. Sam and Duncan have a lot of emotional scars to process and deal with, but I loved how they ended up helping each other (and the entire school community) heal. It's a slow burn, second chance-ish romance between them and I have to say that one of my favorite parts of the book is when Duncan is high on pain killers ("The opiates never lie." LOL).

I really enjoyed Sam's inner monologue/voice. The story is told completely in her POV, but her little jokes and quirks were so endearing. Her friendship with Alice was the best and I loved all the math jokes and connections. One of my favorite parts of the book however, was when a few familiar characters popped up during a beach scene. I couldn't wipe the HUGE smile off my face and I may have let out a contented sigh. It really was the tiny bit of epilogue my heart needed for those characters. Another highlight was Chuck Norris and the few easter eggs/nods to Happiness for Beginners. Overall, this was another fantastic read by Katherine Center and is sure to be one of my top reads of 2020!

*I voluntarily read an advance review copy of this book*

I received an ARC ebook of "What You Wish For" courtesy of Netgalley. This is the 3rd Katherine Center novel I've read and it is written in her signature snarky, witty style.

The story begins with the sudden death of the beloved founder and principal of the Kempner School, a private primary school known for its unconventional approach to teaching and spirit of positivity and fun.

When a new principal (Duncan) is chosen, he arrives intending to change the culture of the school which puts the faculty into a spin, especially the young librarian, Sam (Samantha). How Sam and Duncan learn where each other is coming from and fall in love while finding common ground makes for an easy, satisfying, romantic read that's perfect for an airplane ride or a day at the beach.

One note: In one part of the story, there is a reference to "Beefeaters" guarding Kensington Palace. In reality, there are no guards outside Kensington Palace. (In fact, if you've never seen it, it really isn't all that impressive...just like a plain, brick mansion at the edge of a huge, lovely park.) The "Beefeaters", more accurately referred to as 'yeoman warders', are actually stationed at the Tower of London. I hope the author is able to correct this before "What You Wish For" goes to print. Wouldn't want the Brits thinking we Americans don't know what's what! Cheers!

I can always count on Katherine Center to write a book in which I can lose myself. This story has great characters, an amazing school, and a colorfully dressed librarian named Sam who purposefully chooses joy.

California Duncan is almost too much and comes off as a caricature (like, we get it, he was cool, goofy, and fun). When he comes to Sam's school as the new, security-conscious, and stern principal, she tries to remind him of his old self.

The library sounds like a slice of utopia!

Thanks to St. Martin's Press and NetGalley for the ARC!

It took me almost three fourths of the way through before I started to enjoy this book. I'm glad I didn't give up, but it was a disappointing effort by one of my favorite authors. She definitely came through at the end though, with wise and endearing life lessons about conquering fear and finding joy in one's life.

Thanks NetGalley for the opportunity to read and review.

Cute story with likable characters that you could cheer for. Easy, "feel good" story. I would read this author again.

I devoured this book in a few hours and it exceeded my very high expectations, based on her other books. This title does have a slow start, so you might feel like you are slogging through the first chapters. But, do NOT give up on this title. Please keep reading through it and you will be richly rewarded by a beautiful ending and all the feels. This might now be my favorite Center book, which is really saying something. It might even be one of my new all time favorite romance books. It is definitely in the top 5, without a doubt. Just read it and thank me later :)

I love Katherine Center books, so when I saw the email from her publisher that the ARC of her newest book was available I jumped at the chance to read it. This book didn't disappoint. I will say it started out a little slow for me, I did love the characters or where the story was headed for the first part of the book. It didn't stop me from wanting to know what happened, and soon enough I was unable to put this book down! I was up until midnight finishing it. It has a lot of background themes, but what I got out of this book, was that life is worth living. This is a story with a lot of hope, in a crazy world, you can still have hope and love. I would definitely recommend this book!
Trigger warning: sudden death, school shootings, childhood trauma.

I'm a big fan of Katherine Center's writing. Her books are enjoyable and there are usually parts in them that resonate with me.

This was true again with Center's latest book, What You Wish For. Choosing joy, refusing fear, being willing to let go are all themes in this book. There is a romance on slow burn as well.

Four stars and a hooray! Now hopefully Ms Center won't wait too long before publishing another book!

Wow! Katherine Center has done it again! I swear I do not like romance stories, but I love Center's books! She has a way of writing that sucks you in and makes you love the characters and the story so much that you don't want the book to end! I loved Samantha and Duncan's back stories--they were so real and had such depth to them. Center's books always have a lesson to them; this one taught the reader to find the joy in life and hold on to it. What a great reminder! Highly recommend this book! Thanks to NetGalley for the ARC.

I have been a fan of Katherine Center's work since I read my first book, How to Walk Away. What You Wish for does not disappoint. Sam is a loveable, quirky, relatable character and the rest of the town is populated by just as complex characters. Galveston is a town that I would love to experience.

The novel easily blends the heavy subjects, like the secrets that Duncan holds, with the quirkiness of small-town life. The novel's main theme of choosing joy absolutely encapsulates how I felt while reading.

Katherine Center has a way with words. More than the actual story, what I loved most about this book was the message: “Choose joy on purpose”. “Not in spite of life’s sorrows. But because of them”. This message resonated with me, long after finishing the book. The story follows an elementary school librarian named Samantha Casey. As she and her friends grapple with a huge loss to their community, more upheaval is on the way. The journey to happiness is not smooth, but it certainly is worth the ride.

A light, funny, perfect book for vacation!

I'm a big fan of Center's books. I've read every one! Her books are so engrossing and catch your attention from the very first page.

Samantha enjoys her job as an elementary school teacher. She loves teaching and everything that comes with it. Everything is business as usual. . . until it isn't. What do you do when your former crush waltzes back into your life. Not only comes back into your life.. but AS YOUR BOSS?! As if that wouldn't make things difficult enough. . . imagine that your crush is acting like they are a completely different person.

I flew through this one! It was entertaining and the perfect book to take with you on a vacation. I really enjoyed the main protagonist, Samantha. Sometimes you need a palate cleanser book like this one. I realized that I had been reading heavy books lately and this was just what I needed! Highly recommended!