What I wish for is that each Katherine Center novel would never end!

Samantha Casey loves everything about her job as an elementary school librarian. But when the school suddenly loses its beloved principal, it turns out his replacement will be none other than Duncan Carpenter—a former crush of Sam’s. When Duncan shows up, he’s nothing like the sweet teacher she once swooned over.
Center’s characters and their situations are so real, that she never fails to draw me into their stories. I related to Sam because of her medical condition as my son has the same condition. Duncan’s past (while I could see that explanation coming) was heartbreaking but relatable because we’ve seen that scenario played out so much lately. I loved the slow and steady pace of the romance, as I hate the wham-bam-thank-you-ma’am romances. The history between Sam and Duncan is believable and made their reconnection believable as well. As an animal lover, I related to one scene near the end. I won’t say more, but I had a hard time reading through tears.

The following quotes are a small sample of the powerful words Center used to tell this story. Each grabbed my attention because during such uncertain times, I needed the reminder.

“It’s a choice … A choice to value the good things that matter. A choice to rise above everything that could pull you down. A choice to look misery right in the eyes … and then give it the finger.”

“But that’s the thing about joy. You don’t have to wait for it to happen. You can make it happen.”

“Life is full of danger. Terrible things happen all the time. That doesn’t mean you live your life in fear.”

Tears and laughter throughout this story allowed this reader to close this book a happy reader. So, Ms. Center, when does your next book come out? I’m ready and waiting!

I received an UNCORRECTED proof of What You Wish For from St. Martin’s Press in exchange for my honest review. Thanks for another great one SMP!

This is now my favorite Katherine Center novel, and I did not want it to end. It is the perfect book for the times that we are living in right now as it consistently reminds the reader to live life and to choose joy. The characters are relatable, and the story is set around a close knit community full of hope and love. Thank you NetGalley for the ARC, and thank you, Katherine Center, for introducing me to Sam and Duncan.

Center is one of those authors for me where I *know* I'm in for a truly heartbreaking but absolutely wonderful read each time I get my hands on one of her stories. If there is one word to describe What You Wish for its 'heart'. You'll laugh, you'll cry, and you'll feel as though you've become a bit more human for reading it. Every character has their own broken pieces, they don't always do the right thing, but they persevere to a wonderful conclusion.

All of the characters have great depth, the pacing is absolutely perfect, and each emotion (both the humor and the sadness) hit the reader right in the heart. If there is a book for a time when people are seeking connection, it's this one and I've been recommending it to everyone I can think of since finishing it. Sometimes you need a feeling story, a story that clutches you and leaves you a little different afterwards. This is it and I couldn't recommend it more highly.

Note: I received a free electronic edition of this book via NetGalley in exchange for the honest review above. I would like to thank them, the publisher, and the author for the opportunity to do so.

There wasn't anything about this novel that was new or unexpected. BUT the author still managed to suck me into the story. I passed a great lazy day sipping coffee and enjoying this story.

Samantha works as a librarian at an elementary school in Galveston, TX. She enjoys her life on the island and loves her school. After the school's much loved principal dies unexpectedly, the board announces that they've hired his replacement and the name is one that Samantha recognizes from her past: Duncan Carpenter. Samantha knew him from a past job at another school. He was an exuberant teacher who always wore funny ties, and loved dancing and juggling for the kids. Samantha had a big crush on him.

But the Duncan who shows up at the school seems entirely different. He wears boring gray suit, never cracks a smile and has big plans to vamp up the security at the school, while also reducing the fun by cancelling all field trips, painting all the walls gray and more. Samantha tries to figure out what made Duncan change so drastically.

This was a sweet story that makes for a perfect light-hearted summer read. It was a great way to take my mind off of things. Samantha was a likable narrator and you couldn't help but root for her. This was the second book that I've read by this author (I read [book:Things You Save in a Fire|41150382] earlier this year) and I've enjoyed both so I will definitely be checking out more of her books.

THIS is how contemporary romance books should be! Hooray! I loved it so much! I loved everything about it, from the characters, to the plot, to the complicated love story. I laughed out loud many times. Duncan was swoon-worthy even when he was being evil-Duncan, and although I figured out the reason for his transformation prior to its reveal, it still left me reeling. And teary-eyed. I'm NOT a fast reader, by any means, but I finished this book in just a few days. I could not put it down.

One more thing...I'm NOT a fan of explicit content in my romance books. The "steam" that is common in so many books completely destroys the romance for me. The fact that the characters in this book don't immediately fall into bed with each other was SUCH a breath of fresh air. After I finished reading, I went straight to my library account and added the rest of this author's books to my list. I will be reading them all! Thank you so much to NetGalley and the publisher for a copy in exchange for an honest review.

This book certainly brings you on a roller coaster of emotions. It starts off with the loss of the beloved principle of their school. Sam is devastated but even more so when she hears the replacement is her unrequited love that she escaped from just a few years ago.

However, he isn't the man she remembers. Gone is the fun loving happy man, replaced with a stickler for safety. Taking it so overboard as to almost ruin her school. From the butterfly garden, field trips to the ocean for cleanups and the fun murals and bright colors.

Many themes run through the book, including finding joy, happiness and finding balance.

I love Katherine Center. That's all there is to say. But really, I sink into her stories so easily and feel such an immediate love for her characters. I already loved Duncan, but this gives him so much more than what he was in Happiness for Beginners. I really enjoyed both his and Sam's growth and connection through this book. I always learn and grow a little with each book Center writes and end up pressing them into everyone's hands. Thank you for another great read. I loved it.

I waited so patiently for the next novel from Katherine Center and it was totally worth the wait. I devoured this one in a day and loved everything about it. The characters were fantastic and the setting made me want to move to that quaint little town immediately. If you’ve read anything by Center, you know her writing sucks you in and the dialogue between characters always sweeps you up. I loved this one so much and would highly recommend picking it up. Thank you to Netgalley for sending a copy in exchange for an honest review.

This is the second book I have read by Katherine Center and I have absolutely loved both of them. She may be my new favorite author. The characters in this book were so well developed and so lovable. Sam is a librarian who adores her school and her students and her books (naturally). But she has an illness she tried to hide from and a childhood that makes it hard to trust others to not leave and she has decided to fight for joy every single day. I loved the whimsy of her library and her bright pink bangs and all the bright colored socks that she wore to school. I admired her and her determination to be joyful on every single page. Now I honestly wasn't sure how I felt about Duncan because he was so straight laced and the complete opposite of Sam in EVERY way. Not only that, but he seemed pretty obsessed with school safety (maybe a little too much, but also understandable in today's climate) and the changes that he wanted to make were just so outrageous. I became just as frustrated and upset as Sam, but when his history was explained, I felt so much empathy for him and I just wanted to hug him and give him back his joy. This book was both funny and sad at times and the romance and chemistry between Sam and Duncan were an incredible slow burn, which I LOVE. Even though Sam had a huge crush on Duncan in the past, I really liked that the author didn't try to make this an insta love kind of thing. I loved that these two characters actually got to know each other and that they learned to trust each other. This was such an emotional and delightful read.

I stumbled across Katherine Center’s work 2 years ago when I read and really enjoyed “How To Walk Away.” I thought her next novel,“Things You Save in a Fire”, was also a good, charming novel, so I was excited to get my hands on this advanced copy. Unfortunately, I did not enjoy her latest book, “What You Wish For” as much as I had hoped. The characters were likeable, but I did not feel the same connection that I had for the protagonists in her two earlier works. While this story touches on real life trauma and grief, it just felt too...manufactured for my liking. There were too many subplots going on that just didn’t leave me feeling as invested in this one. It’s entertaining and a story that has some good takeaway themes, but I did not love this one as much as her two previous novels. 3/5 stars ⭐️⭐️ ⭐️.

I loved Katherine Center's previous books and was very excited to read What You Wish For. And although I enjoyed it, it didn't captivate me as much as her other books. The writing style was quite different from Center's other books. It was more humorous, and the book read more like a rom-com than women's fiction, which didn't bother me at all. The main heroine, Sam, was funny, and her inner monologue was quite comical. She made me smile.

I loved the school setting, and I loved all other characters, except for the main hero, Duncan. He was very unlikable in the first part of the book. It was pretty clear from the beginning what made him so obsessed with school's safety and security, but it was difficult to watch him turn an elementary school into a prison and take away all the joy from kids and teachers. He was very rigid and uncompromising. He changed for the better in the second half of the book, which allowed me to enjoy the book more. Overall, I have mixed feelings about What You Wish For.

Delightful. I want to linger in Babette’s company and play in Samantha’s closet. A quick read with more mischief than romance, this sweet story will inspire readers to choose joy, dance even when everyone’s watching, and live fully in every messy moment.

Thank you to NetGalley for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.

3.5 stars

I'm starting to like Katherine Center's writing quite a lot. This is my second book of hers and I'm impressed with the characters she creates and the stories she creates for them. I was excited to return to reading this book not because the story was fast moving but rather that the characters were appealing.

The only thing I would have appreciated is a little more time with Duncan and Sam as a couple. More banter would have been nice. Otherwise, I thought it was a good summer read.

Katherine Center sure has a way of taking me away from reality for a while and immersing myself in her incredible writing. Her newest release, What You Wish For, will tug at your heartstrings and have all of your emotions running wild.

Samantha Casey is a quirky school librarian who is reeling in the grief of her boss and father figure. As the community grieves, the school board announces they have hired Duncan Carpenter, a man from Samantha’s past, as the new principal. She comes to learn that Duncan isn’t the same man he used to be. And he doesn’t seem to remember her.

As Duncan makes drastic, unwanted changes to their school, Samantha takes on the daunting task to find out what happened to the Duncan she knew previously. What she discovers along the way is not at all what she expected to learn.

If you liked Center’s Things You Save In a Fire and How To Walk Away, you’ll definitely want to add this heartwarming read to your list! Releases July 14. Thank you to St. Martin’s Press and NetGalley for an early copy in exchange for my honest review.

I think what I love most about Katherine Center's books is that she always manages to write the book that I didn't even realize I wanted. In What You Wish For we get to navigate the world of the staff in a private school and I was here for it all! I liked seeing how Center explored trauma and how one can slowly work through that. Then, about three-quarters through the book everything took a sudden, weird turn on a dock and for me at least, it all fell apart. The last quarter of the book felt rushed and really all over the place and that kind of put a damper on my overall experience. This one had some real potential, but it never quite got there.

Thank you Netgalley for this ARC!

Katherine Center has quickly become one of my favorite authors. I read her books in one to two days and always learn something through the process. The mix of romance with a wonderful story makes the perfect escape for me which is what I love about this book.

This book can be triggering for those with trauma so I do think there should be a disclaimer .

I love Katherine Center's books. They are sweet, engaging, realistic stories about everyday people living their lives, alongside their insecurities and self-doubts. You want to be friends with them and hang out where they live, scoop them up when they get sad and try to change their minds when they let old traumas shape their decisions about their future.
The book was set on Galveston Island but Center didn't let the beauty of the setting take over. She is so talented at giving the reader enough sense of place to enhance the scene without losing the dialogue and emotion of the characters. I liked how Duncan and Sam both pivoted in how they dressed and projected themselves. When Duncan was bright and bold, Sam was trying to be invisible. Then Sam came out of her shell and Duncan seemed to have shrunk into his. The horror that Duncan was part of was told simply and I felt sensitively. It is these kinds of events that elevate Center away from a cozy, light, romance writer. She is not afraid to write about hard hitting subjects.
I definitely recommend this book be added to your TBR list!
Thanks Netgalley for the ARC, this is my honest opinion.

This was another home run for Katherine Center. I have just recently discovered her work, and have devoured everything I can since. Her latest attempt absolutely did not disappoint. Her characters are vivid, likable, and interesting, and you are invested in their stories from the first moment. I can’t recommend this one enough.

I loved this. I couldn’t wait till Duncan’s scenes which shows how invested I got into these characters. As soon as he cane around I couldn’t put this down. If you’ve read any of Katherine’s other books, then you’ll love this one.