Katherine Center's new novel releasing July 14 is not one you want to miss!!
Sam moved to Galveston 4 years ago after a relationship (that wasn't really a relationship) went awry. She finds a new place to be at a local school as their librarian and after many heart to hearts with the beloved principal, Max, and his wife, Babette, finds new ways to be happy on a regular basis. Then Max dies.
Enter Duncan, the new principal and also the man Sam ran away from 4 years ago. Except, he's not the funny, crazy, costume wearing, orange juggling, living life to it's fullest kindergarten teacher she remembers. Instead, he's a suit wearing, frown bearing, sad person who starts attempting to turn the school into "dreary flobbertown" (Dr. Seuss/Jack Prelutsky reference).
Does Sam have the courage to stand up to Duncan? Does Duncan have to courage to let her?
With relatable, authentic, laugh out loud characters, anyone looking for a light, fun read about finding the joys in the mundane should definitely pick this up!
#netgalley #whatyouwishfor #katherinecenter

This was a lighthearted read that gave me all the good fuzzy feels. A good choice given all that’s going on in the world right now.

Thank you Netgalley and St. Martin’s Press for an ARC in exchange for my honest opinion.

Life can change in a moment. Sam is the librarian at a quaint elementary school in Galveston, TX when her principal and mentor suddenly dies. When she finds out her crush from a school before is the new principal she has mixed emotions. As the story unfolds you are drawn in by engaging characters, twists and turns that leave you wanting for more and feeling your heart stings tugged.

Thank you NetGalley, Katherine Center and St. Martin’s Press for this edition and hearing my honest review. Looking forward to reading more with you
#partner

I’m a huge Katherine Center fan, and her latest did not let me down! She’s the undisputed queen of inspirational heroines who find joy in challenging circumstances, and Sam fits right in with Margaret and Cassie. It’s also impossible to put her books down—I read this one all in a single day.

The cheese factor is definitely high in this one, and it plays on some fairly familiar romance tropes that make it a bit predictable. But I really didn’t care, because it made me happy—and sometimes that’s exactly what a book needs to do. Would recommend when you’re in the mood for a quick and uplifting love story.

This is the third of Katherine Center’s books I’ve read. My absolute favorite being, Things You Save In A Fire. While this one was slow going, I ended up really liking this one as well. This book was full of happiness and joy which is so needed right now. I also found myself highlighted several quotes about life, love, and grief. I loved seeing the changes in Sam and Duncan throughout the book. The ending was great and I loved seeing everything come full circle. A bit silly and cheesy at times, but I enjoyed it! Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the ARC.

This was exactly the book I needed right now. I have read a few books lately that let me feeling eh.... BUT NOT THIS ONE. It was so good I couldn't put it down.

To start with the setting and story: It takes place in a super cute charter school where all the adults really care about the students. I am a teacher and I just loved it. I loved the various supporting characters. I was not predictable at all, I had no idea how each chapter was going to end which is one of the reasons I think I loved it so much. I also didn't feel like it trivialized professional help with trauma.

For characters I loved them all. They had depth and past experiences that shaped how they made decisions. There was character developments and quirks. Great chemistry between the main characters.

This book made me laugh, cry and really think about how we approach each day. I have read Katherine Center's 2 books prior to this one and I just can't pick a favorite out of the three. If you loved "How to Walk Away" or "Things You u Save In A Fire" you will love this book.

3.5 stars!
Sam works as a librarian for a private school that is owned by her landlord who is also her principal, Max. When he passes away suddenly, leaving behind his wife, daughter and grandson, the future of the Kempner school is unknown. When a new principal is hired, the school is thrown into turmoil as he seems intent on ruining the welcoming and warm school culture and environment that the staff has worked so hard to create. When Sam finds out his name, she realizes it is someone from her past that she ran away from when her feelings were unrequited. How will Sam face Duncan head on, especially when he seems determined to ruin everything she has worked so hard for?

Anyone who has been following me for a while knows that romance stories aren’t typically my jam. I requested to get this ARC from @netgalley and @stmartinspress because Katherine Center is very popular on bookstagram. As my first by her, I enjoyed it. I really liked reading about Sam and Duncan’s relationship, although I did find Sam a bit much for me at times. I liked her philosophy of living life to the fullest while you can. This novel takes on Sam and Duncan’s personal struggles as we learn that Duncan has survived a traumatic event and Sam has epilepsy. They navigate these waters together and try to help each other cope. I found it a tad slow in parts but I did enjoy it as an easy read. As a teacher myself, I did have some difficulties with how the logistics of a school were portrayed. For example, Duncan has a dog on the school campus as a security dog that roams everywhere. This would just never be allowed in a Canadian school. There were a couple of other little things like that but I only know about that because I am an educator myself!

Despite the serious topics in this book I thought it was a lovely escape from the type of books I usually pick up. I found the characters to be endearing and connected with them as they navigated their grief.

I was so happy to be able to read this in advance. Katherine Center has a way of developing characters you just can't help but root for. This was no different! I was hooked from the beginning and the whole journey was lovely.

This book hit all of my sweet spots- quirky librarian romance with a school setting. I loved it! Perhaps not in the running for critically acclaimed awards, this book will win my prize for Miss Congeniality!

What You Wish For is the third book by Katherine Center that I've read and it's my least favorite of them. Having read and enjoyed How to Walk Away and Things You Save in a Fire, I had high expectations that sadly weren't met. I found the pace to be a bit slow and I didn't really connect with the characters.

Despite this book not working for me, I look forward to reading more from Katherine Center.

I rarely read books in this genre but having just finished some heavier more depressing books I though I'd give this a try. Katherine Center's style makes this an easy read although nothing about it brings surprise or depth of character, or even a unique story, and in the end it was not very satisfying to me. Were it not for its preachiness I would have considered giving it another star. I'm sure there will be an eager readership who enjoy the genre and who will find this if not at the top of the form pretty close to it.

Many thanks to Net Galley, St. Martin's Press and the author for the chance to read and review this book.

I have been hearing so much about Katherine Center that I was beyond ecstatic to get an ARC of What You Wish For and thankfully I was not disappointed. Of course, the romance is sugary sweet but I LOVED, just loved the laughter she created in each line of the book. The dialogue delivery had me cracking up so much all the time. Duncan was a joie de vivre kind of guy, happy and goofy and a loving teacher who always made kids and adults around him laugh. But he takes up position as principal of Kempner school a changed man. Samantha, the librarian in the school who has in the past known him and loved him from afar is totally flummoxed seeing the serious and brooding macho man.

Thus, becomes the journey of fighting against rules, taking a stand and joining hands with Babette and Alice for Operation Duncan to connect him to minute moments of life. And at a time when the pandemic has taken so much away from all humankind leaving us in pain and frustration, this simple story makes us root for each small joy that we can fight for.

I loved how the author has used a message of gunfire in schools and the trauma affecting the people involved as a layer of story in this romantic tale. There’s quite a lot of inspiration to be had from this beautiful story about love and sacrifices and the need to never give up. Sam’s epileptic seizures and her struggle to overcome her fears were inspiring. The ultra-cute 10-yr old Clay deserves a special mention. The dramatic scene at the pier had me scratching my head and along with Duncan really wanted to know what the hell was that? 😒

OK, so probably if I was in a school that had so much fun, I would have never come home, you know what I mean? 😀. Galveston Island has never sounded more enchanting, and I am terribly sad that I missed visiting this beautiful place while in Texas.

I liked this story but I found one of the main characters a little too self centered about her health. Samantha is the librarian in a local private school and lives in the carriage house of the principal. When he dies at his 60th birthday bash the town and school are thrown into a frenzy. The school quickly hires Duncan to be the new leader. Samantha knew Duncan before she came to Galveston and has had a crush forever. They clash immediately about building security and funding. Mixed with drama from the old principal's family and Samantha and Duncan's health the story moves along at a good pace. I received a copy of this ARC in exchange for a fair and honest review.

This was my first Katherine Center novel. I enjoyed the story. It was easy to read and I quickly found myself lost in it. The characters were relatable and well-developed. Just the right amount of fun, heartbreak, laughter and romance. I look forward to reading other books by this author. Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the advanced reading copy in exchange for an honest review.

Kempner School is special. Special for the students as well as the teachers. A community like no other. Samantha Casey is the school Librarian. A job she loves. When they suffer a great loss, a new principal is hired. Someone that’s not new to Sam, someone she both hoped never to see again and someone she thought perfect to fill the position. Duncan Carpenter is not the same man she knew four years ago. Where did this militaristic dictator come from? What happened to the fun loving Duncan that everyone adored? As layers are stripped away, and Duncan’s reasons are revealed, three women come together to teach Duncan how to live again. Hearts are touched and lives are changed when Duncan and Samatha learn to step out and be brave and to “choose joy on purpose”.

I wanted to like What You Wish For by Katherine Center. I’m a teacher who has recently dealt with the entrance of a militaristic new principal; I even grew up on Galveston island. That said, I found the story lacking, the characters unbelievable at several points, and the setting inconsistent with a place I know well. That said, I adore Clay and his whale facts—Clay is the best. I’ll round this book up to 3 stars just for him.

What You Wish For has an interesting story-line and an interesting character development. The juxtaposition between the flip flop of personality and flair between Duncan and Sam's characters was intriguing; from bold to dull for Duncan and from dreary to bright for Sam. I enjoyed watching Sam get to know Duncan outside of school.

Important themes and elements of the story:
-Life-changing situations leave their mark and it's important to seek help and guidance to help heal and grow.
-Common theme: After tragedy or difficult situations, it's easy to allow yourself to believe that you're damaged or unfixable. It's important for people to be supportive in difficult times to let you know that you can overcome and grow.
-Concept: Joy is the cure for everything. Pay attention to the small things that bring you joy, and do more of that. Joy is cumulative; all the small things add up to your overall joy and happiness in life. It doesn't have to be big things to be joyful. I love this perspective. Find joy on purpose.


In a Nutshell: What a lovely story and a wonderful author. I'm only sorry it took me so long to discover her writing!

Thank you netgalley, St. Martin Press and Katherine Center for free e-Arc What You Wish For in return of my honest review.

What You Wish For is the first novel I read by Katherine Center. I have heard many great things about her and her work and was very excited to be approved for new book.

At first, I thought my expectations were too high and I was afraid I was missing something. However, within 50 pages Katherine Center turned everything around. What You Wish For seems to be a cute romantic story about two people with some heavy baggage. It is true, at the same time, it is so much bigger than that. The story has so many layers to it and Katherine Center does amazing job in unraveling all of them one by one.

Characters were fantastically developed. Both protagonists came to life with through background and some details that made them full and alive.

IF you enjoy strong female and male characters, What You Wish For is for you!

Thank you St. Martin’s Press and Netgalley for providing this ARC. I enjoyed this feel-good story which had an overall message of hope and positivity. Something definitely needed right now. I have only read one prior book from this author and I found this new book to have a similar Vibe. My biggest disappointment was that I had figured out the backstory of the main male character very very early in the story, so perhaps that was too telegraphed. Overall, I would recommend for anyone looking to life their spirits.