Sometimes you get what you wish for. I sure did when I got an ARC of What You Wish For from St. Martin's Press. Katherine Center has become one of my favorite authors and one that I enjoy reading because her books are so real and personable. In her new book, What You Wish For, Sam and Duncan both have issues they need to overcome. Sam has a head start, and she must help Duncan. Sam is such an infectious character - she wears bright colors and kooky patterns and accessories. I just love her and her joyous spirit, and can her joy wake Duncan up? A wonderfully delicious novel, one not to be missed!

Thank you St. Martin's Press for an advanced copy of this book. This is my honest review.

So, I loved Katherine Center's previous title "Things You Save in the Fire". However, I found myself annoyed by the main character in this book. I found her to be whiny and always throwing herself a pity party because of her seizure disorder. Maybe I need to be more empathetic, but I don't see how its that big of a deal to share that with other people. I am also a "deal with your shit" type of person, so when people are stunted by trauma, I wish they would seek mental counseling instead of doing a complete 180 and act like a moron in every aspect of their life. I found myself skimming the story. Also, as an elementary school teacher, I found the school at the heart of the book to be very unrealistic. Students have time to just lay in the library and read...what school is that possible because I'd like to go there. Not her best; not my favorite.

As per usual, Katherine Center has done it again - given us a story that is funny, thoughtful, and endearing.

My only criticism is that, unlike in her previous 2 releases, I was left wanting a little bit more from the two main characters. Specifically, a little more of their backstory. I also struggled a tiny bit understanding the motives for some of Sam’s decisions, which hasn’t happened with one of her main characters before either. I’m not sure what went wrong this time, but I didn’t feel like I was in her head as much or as fluently as I have with Katherine’s other main characters.

So while I loved it, and definitely highly recommend it, I have to give this one 4/5.

***Thank you so much, St. Martin’s Press, for the pre-release digital copy!***

Four and a half stars for What You Wish For by Katherine Center.

There’s nothing like a Katherine Center book to pull you out of a reading rut! I loved How to Walk Away and enjoyed Things You Save in a Fire, so I was very excited to receive a copy of Katherine Center’s newest novel. It certainly didn’t disappoint - I absolutely adored this contemporary romance-with-a-soul.

Sam is a quirky school librarian who wears bright colors to help encourage the world around her to remain cheerful and positive. Duncan is her former-crush-turned-boss who seems to have lost everything that gave him life. It’s romantic with a side of heartbreaking, which is just how I like it!

The only thing missing for me was a beach chair and a cocktail to drink while I read this book. I can’t wait for its release so I can recommend it to friends.

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for an advanced copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

I read her last two books, which were stunning and so is this one. Her books make you not just happy, but joyful and give hope. Sam is the librarian in an elementary school. The school itself is quirky, fun and a little magical. But the owner dies and the Board hires Duncan to be the new principal. Sam knows him from her previous school when he was fun-loving and quirky, and she was just a little in love with him. But this Duncan she does not know, he is serious and tries to turn the school into a prison. This is such a fun read and I so enjoyed watching the romance blossom.
I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

I love Katherine Center and considered How to Walk Away and Things You Save in a Fire to both be 5 star reads. That was not the case with What You Wish For. Overall it was just very unrealistic. Duncan's behavior when he first arrived at Sam's school was very far fetched - and the reasons behind his actions were very predictable and still didn't quite reconcile the complete personality change. I struggled with Sam... To change jobs and move to a new state just because a guy you have a crush on has a girlfriend seems incredibly immature and silly. I trudged through the first half and skimmed a great deal of the second. I will pick up the next book by this author but this one just wasn't for me.

When I got the email that I was selected to read and review this book, I did a little happy dance, which was a very appropriate theme for this story! This story, as with all of Katherine Center's books reminds you that there is bad in the world, but it can be overcome by choosing to remain positive and look for the light. To celebrate successes and wins and take control over your happiness. I loved Sam and Duncan and I loved learning Duncan's story. Its a reminder that people arent always what they seem, unless they are Kent Buckley. I love Tina empowering herself for her little nugget Clay. This book was such a feel good read! I can't wait for everyone to experience it in July!

I usually live Katherine Center books. Her characters are usually engaging and the plot is thought provoking. This novel didn't live up to my expectations. I felt the story was improbable and disnt hold my interest.

I loved this book. It had a little bit of everything and told a great story. Duncan was a great teacher and years later is coming to Sam's school as principal. She remembers his colorful shirts, crazy socks, funny demeanor and the way he had all of the children and teachers awaiting his next move. However, when he shows up, gone is the color and the happy go lucky personality. He is going to destroy the fun and creative behavior all the teachers embrace and the children enjoy. Sam learns why Duncan is concentrating on keeping the children safe rather than having fun. Duncan learns about Sam's fears as well. The characters are great and Clay, the smart third grader who loves to read, manages to bring everyone together and show just how brave he can be.


https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/3215220160 Review on Goodgreads

Kathleen Center is quickly becoming one of my favorite authors. She handles a serious topic but weaves it into a beautiful story with a great ending . This book was graciously provided by the publisher via netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

Samantha Casey is a librarian at a small school on an island where she is known for her colorful outfits and her big heart towards her family. When she was a new member of the community, Samantha is '"adopted" by the school principal and his wife which further engrains her in the community. Samantha's life is rocked when her former crush Duncan becomes the new principal at her school. However, gone is her semi-crazy, humorous past love and in his place is a new principal who is obsessed with school safety. It is up to Samantha to try and bring Duncan back to his old self.

I was a huge fan of Katherine Center's novels and her newest work did not disappoint! Although I was nervous that I did not read Happiness for Beginners first, I was completely engrossed in this novel and I do not believe that it needs to be read in order to keep up with this plot.
Thank you to St, Martin's & Net Galley for the ARC of this novel!!

What You Wish For doesn’t hit shelves until July but when an invite to read it popped into my inbox last week, I dropped everything and dove in! I absolutely LOVED this book and sat with a cheesy grin on my face the entire time. I adore Katherine Center’s writing. It’s so down to earth, joyful, witty, and relatable! She has an uncanny ability to tap into human emotions and translate them into amazing stories. What You Wish For features lovely characters that will capture your heart. The witty banter will have you giggling and the conclusion will warm your heart. As someone who works in a school, this book resonated with me on a deep level. It invigorated my love for my students and inspired me to add more color to their world. I absolutely LOVED this book and think it may be her best yet. I give What You Wish For the full 5⭐️. My extreme gratitude to @stmartinspress for sending me this advance copy.

So excited to read an advance copy of Katherine Centers latest book.Ive been a fan since I discovered her. This was another lovely read warm characters I loved Sally the quirky librarian and all the characters who come alive.Another wonderful book by one of my favorite authors.

As soon as I saw that Katherine Center had another book available, I began reading right away. Just like always, Center has authored another fantastic book! The main characters, Duncan and Samantha, pull at your heartstrings and bring you into their journey as they learn to let go of their fear and reach for joy. I read this in one sitting and greatly enjoyed it!

Thanks to NetGalley for the ARC. All opinions are my own.

4.5 Stars

Sam is a librarian at a private elementary school in Galveston, and she has crafted a life for herself that is the very definition of stable: no drama, no heartbreak, and plenty of predictability. She's protecting her heart, yes, but also her health. She has epilepsy and stress of any kind is a major trigger for her seizures. She thinks she has things pretty well in hand, until life throws her a whole slew of curveballs in a row. A dear friend passes away, her new boss wants to change just about everything she loves about her school, and oh, by the way, she used to be in love with him and now he doesn't even seem to recognize her. Four years ago, Duncan was the FUN teacher, the one who wore silly ties and juggled in the hallway and made school a place kids actually want to be. But now he wears a severe 3-piece suit every day, never smiles, and seems to want to turn their warm, colorful school into a grey prison. What happened to the guy Sam used to know? And how on earth is she going to handle this new version of Duncan turning her life upside down?

Katherine Center, man. I love her books so much. Her characters are vibrant and real and, as cheesy as this sounds, she writes them in such a way that they seem to jump off the page and be ALIVE...people you want to get to know and grow to care about. I couldn't tell you exactly what it is, but her stories just draw you in and surround you. It's impossible not to be immersed and invested.

This one isn't quite as strong to me as "How to Walk Away" and "Things we Save in a Fire" because it felt a little bit like the characters and story were built to fit around the themes and the traumas rather than the other way around. It just didn't feel quite as natural somehow. "Things we Save in a Fire" came from a place of deep understanding because Center's husband in a firefighter so she had insight that made the story feel true. This one struck me as being a little more removed from her experience, maybe (and I hope so, considering some of the dark subject matter), so it didn't resonate quite as strongly. It felt more like fiction than something a friend experienced and is telling you about over dinner. Everything tied up a little bit too perfectly. And none of that is BAD. I loved this book. I just couldn't buy into it as entirely as I did her previous three.

Aside from that vague critique which might just be a "me" thing and not be relevant to anyone else, this is another wonderful book from this author. I want to hang out with the characters, I want to see them on-screen (HOW have her books not been optioned for movies yet?), and I already need the next Katherine Center book ASAP. Please???

**Thank you to NetGalley and St. Martin's Press for this lovely ARC in exchange for my honest review!**

I absolutely love Kathrine Center, but I didn't love this one. I found myself skimming parts and waiting for the story to pickup. It also seemed to have several plot lines that were never developed fully. It was frustrating because I adore this author.

While personally I found this book to be slightly cheesy and cliche, I do think many readers will enjoy this! I specifically enjoyed the school setting, but found the plot to be very predictable unlike Center's other novels.

Finushed What You Wish For last night and it was everything I expected in a Katherine Center book. It made me sigh and tear up and smile so hard that my cheeks were hurting. And of course, it made me fall in love again. A gorgeous book about second chances not only in love but in life as well.

Katherine's books just always have a nice little emotional core that makes life look a little brighter. Nice romance in the middle though nothing too adrenaline pumping. School setting is fantastic with a great library which I'm sure every book lover will adore.

5 Stars!!
Happiness for Beginners was one of my favorite reads from 2019. In my review, I mentioned how much I loved the heroine's evolving relationship with her brother by the end of the book. Imagine my surprise and excitement over learning that Helen's brother Duncan would be a main character in this upcoming release. I was crazy with excitement.

As told in the heroine Sam's single POV, this story was about her fight for life's joys through unexpected upheaval, Duncan's re-arrival in her life, and a school (town) grieving over the loss of their beloved founder. I really liked Samantha and her shared self-transformation after arriving in Gavelston four years prior, but similar to this author's previous novels, it's the secondary characters that really helped shape Samantha's characterization and made me love her.

I know I was biased going in, but no one could outshine my love for all things Duncan. Well, maybe Alice, but that's for another book (fingers crossed!) This author was astute in her depiction of Duncan's evolution from the goofy and affable slacker brother in HFB to the intrinsically altered version he became in this book. It was believable and also heartbreaking. This was where the author showed her writing mettle and alternately drove the story with wit and sound character development to deep and heartrending poignancy.

As for the romance, it was swoon-worthy perfection. Even without the romantic tension and happily ever after, this story had one of KC’s most inspirational endings. I adored it and the picture this author depicted of Gavelston Island, Texas and the waters surrounding it. Without a doubt, What You Wish For will be another Katherine Center story added to my keeper shelf.

Thank you to St. Martin’s Press for the early reading opportunity. More importantly, thank you to KC for writing the books that I love to read.