Is it weird I didn't read a thriller?? It's weird to me, but I'm obsessed with Katherine Center, so I had no choice. There's something special about her writing that really draws you into every book. What You Wish For deals with some very heavy topics, but it does it in such a hopeful way. It really reminded me of how shitty this world can be, and that all we can do is try to find some joy to get us through the day. This was a little predictable at times, but I really didn't mind it. Sometimes predictability makes me happy, because it goes in the way that I wanted it too.
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Was this my favorite Katherine Center book? No, but I wasn't expecting it to be. There's seriously something special about How To Walk Away, that that will forever be my favorite. So yes, it was predictable at times, but it also just made me really happy. It was a book I couldn't put down, and I'm so glad I switched up genres and read it. This is the perfect beach read

This was a lovely summer read. I was initially hesitant, as sometimes romcoms don’t capture my interest, but the characters were so compelling, and the situational humor was well crafted and clever.

Thanks Netgalley & St. Martin's Press for the e-ARC! I enjoyed it very much, and look forward to future works by the author.

This was not your average romance novel, BUT it was a really good contemporary/women's fiction novel in my opinion. I was okay with it not having enough romance in it because it had everything in the book that it needed. The struggles, hardships, and you got to see what the two main characters dealt with every day in the aftermath of their tragedies/illnesses. This was a beautiful story that flowed easily and I actually live two hours from the setting of this novel so I know specifically all the places the author describes in this book. I really loved how this book was all about books, teachers, librarians, schools, etc. I will read anything Katherine Center writes!

What You Wish For is a fun, romantic, story. I love this author, Katherine Center is a new favorite author. This book is well written with great well developed characters. This was a satisfying, book to read in the shade of a beautiful tree, while sipping ice cold lemonade.

This was cute! A pleasant, easy read, that was enjoyable. I was a little put off by the idea that one can be happier just by doing happy things and making an effort to be happy, because I think many of us know that doesn’t always help, but I did like reading about the joyful things that they chose, and dealing with their heavy feelings.

I absolutely adored Alice (I’m a math-fan too) and little Clay (as a life-long lover of reading), and I thought the end tied everything else in nicely.

Katherine Center has become a must read author for me and I am someone who does NOT typically like romance books! How to walk away was my first and I was hooked ever since. And What You Wish For did not disappoint. I loved reading about Samantha and Duncan and I love that this book (much like the others) has a lesson that can be learned in each of them so that they aren't just your typical "romance" novel.

Highly recommend this book! Thanks to NetGalley for the ARC.

This is a reminder to choose joy, even in hard times. Sam is an elementary school librarian for a private school. She loves everything about it until tragedy brings a new principle to their school who wants to change everything. But Sam knows the new principle from her previous school.

The first half of this book I found incredibly angst-filled and almost stopped reading. The last half is so much better, so stick it out! I liked Center’s previous book, Things You Save in a Fire, much better, though.

Katherine Center is one of my favorite authors! She’s my go-to for a fun, romantic, summer read. I loved her last two books! Loved them!
Having said that I felt like this one fell short me. The book in my opinion had trouble starting, and I didn’t care for this heroine. I find insecure people exhausting. There just wasn’t enough for me to invest in this story.
I feel it necessary to be honest about the books I read, so I’m sharing my thoughts. I hope this was helpful.

This was a NETGALLEY gift from the publisher and I’ve given an honest review.

Book Info
Hardcover, 320 pages
Expected publication: July 14th 2020 by St. Martin's Press
Original Title What You Wish For
ISBN 1250219361 (ISBN13: 9781250219367)
Edition Language English
URLhttps://us.macmillan.com/books/978125...
Other Editions (4)
Source:Netgalley EARC
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BOOK BLURB

From Katherine Center, the New York Times bestselling author of How to Walk Away comes a stunning new novel full of heart and hope.

Samantha Casey loves everything about her job as an elementary school librarian on the sunny, historic island of Galveston, Texas—the goofy kids, the stately Victorian building, the butterfly garden. But when the school suddenly loses its beloved principal, it turns out his replacement will be none other than Duncan Carpenter—a former, unrequited crush of Sam’s from many years before.

When Duncan shows up as her new boss, though, he’s nothing like the sweet teacher she once swooned over. He’s become stiff, and humorless, and obsessed with school safety. Now, with Duncan determined to destroy everything Sam loves about her school in the name of security—and turn it into nothing short of a prison—Sam has to stand up for everyone she cares about before the school that’s become her home is gone for good.
My Thoughts


Sam, Duncan, Babette, Max, Alice, Tina, Clay and Kent are main characters brought to life in this story.

The supporting cast of characters are also represented well with a few of them standing out from the rest but all of them important.

A story set on Galveston Island in Texas that revolves around a school the likes of which I would have given anything to attend growing up as it is eclectic to say the least.

Samantha/Sam Casey has found a home as an Elementary School Librarian in the vibrant, colorful and thoroughly inviting environment that gives her a wonderful reason to get up every day.

For Sam not only do the youngsters give her a sense of worth but they and the entire staff also allow her to feel like for the first time in her life she really belongs.

When the new principal shows up, and is the last person Sam ever expected to see again, the life she has built for herself on Galveston Island is threatened.

In fact the very things that make her job environment inviting and interesting for the students are as well.

Duncan Carpenter turns out to be nothing like the man Sam remembers, her fears of once again falling under his spell seem rootless as he begins his campaign for change.

The old saying ”Be careful what you wish for” proves to be one Sam should have taken to heart.

However this saying, as so many others before it, also proves not to be infallible when Duncan is faced with her unexpected opposition.

This story is a sleeper as it builds on itself in layers that are so worth unpeeling!

[EArc from Netgalley]


On every book read as soon as it is done and written up for review it is posted on Goodreads and Netgalley, once released then posted on Amazon, Barnes and Nobles as well.

Katharine Center is an amazing writer. I really enjoyed that this book is set in Galveston, a location only minutes from me! It was really fun to read about the island. But, I felt like the story moved along slowly and I wasn't as engaged as I hoped to be. I think many readers will be blown away by this book, it just didn't appeal to me as much as I thought it would. I think the cover is absolutely stunning!

Thank you so much to NetGalley and the publisher for the ARC in exchange for my honest review.

I’d rate this more like 3.5 stars—I liked the writing but a plot twist gets blown rather easily and early, re: how Duncan Carpenter, Amazing Teacher as Sam knew him, became Duncan Carpenter, Dull & Militant School Principal. Therefore it flattens out his character quite a bit, even though there are some well-written moments as Sam and the rest of the faculty try and get him out of his shell. Sam helping Duncan home after an outpatient procedure high on painkillers was cute and funny. It’s a relatively chaste book in that intimate scenes are very few and hinted at. Other reviewers have mentioned some of the characters here are from earlier books, and that those books turned out better than this one. I’ll have to read the cover blurbs and see if they’ll peak my interest enough to dive in.

4 Stars
* * * *
This is another "Touched my Soul" Read from Katherine Center. She takes the idea of having to move forward and grip life with two hands and find your joy with the need to show another how to move past his pain.
The pacing, heart, and just feels took me away and I loved it all.

Sam is the librarian at a small Galveston elementary school. After the founder and school principal passes away, a new principal is hired, someone from Sam’s last who will make the lovely little life she built WAY more difficult.

I chose this book, as a teacher, for the fun that comes from setting a book in a school. Perfect for a teacher on summer vacation! The central idea in this book is all about finding joy in life. It was a great summer beach read in these trying times. The characters were a bit cheesy but this book will be perfect for an afternoon at the beach,

Thanks to NetGalley for the ARC in exchange for my unbiased review.

WHAT YOU WISH FOR is another excellent romantic comedy from Katherine Center. In her typical style, she gives a book filled with tragedy, hope, and love. Here, we follow Sam (short for Samantha). She works as a librarian at a private school on Galveston. She has really reinvented her life from the way it was in California, with the help of her surrogate family at the private school.

After the death of the principal, the Board brings in a new guy, Duncan, who is someone Sam knew in California- and used to have a huge crush on. However, he has changed a lot from what she remembered, and she finds that now, he seems more like an enemy. Sam still feels the same pull towards him, and when she gets some insight into what has happened, she comes up with a new plan for how to help him heal- and save her school at the same time.

I love the way the stories about their pasts build and all the romantic moments that gave my heart tingles. Both Duncan and Sam have fears that they are holding onto, and while they don't forget about them, they do find a way to forge ahead and come to terms with them. The book is also filled with some gems of life lessons like finding a way to bring joy into your life- even if it is wacky hats or brightly colored socks.

The children who show up in the book, like Clay, are lovely and there are plenty of side characters that I absolutely adored. Babette and Alice are also really special people, and I adored that Alice has math joke shirts for every day. This is a school I wish had gone to, and the whole journey was really special. I devoured this book in a few hours, and I really loved every second of it.

Heartfelt and genuine, WHAT YOU WISH FOR is an absolutely fantastic read that left me wanting to cheer aloud! Highly recommend for fans of romantic comedies.

I would add warnings for divorce, seizures/epilepsy, missing child (temporary), school shootings (past), death (at the beginning), PTSD, and child neglect.

Please note that I received an ARC. All opinions are my own.

Sam, a private school librarian, and Duncan, the new principal, know each other from a previous school. Sam had a 'crush' on Duncan. But he has changed from a fun loving person to a staid grey man. What kind of relationship will these two have? Read this interesting tale of relationships.

Quick and light read....a bit cheesy but enjoyable, with a good message about looking for joy.
Advanced reader copy courtesy of the publishers at NetGalley for review.

*𝐵𝑜𝑜𝓀 𝑅𝑒𝓋𝒾𝑒𝓌*
What You Wish For
By Katherine Center
3.5 / 5 🌟


I enjoyed Katherine Center’s Things You Save in a Fire so I was looking forward to reading her latest novel. Center has a way of writing what one might call “feel good” stories. Whether or not you end up being engrossed in this story, it’s hard not to take away a few positives when you close the book. What You Wish For expresses that you can choose to “do something joyful” even if you don’t feel joyful.

Samantha Casey is a pink-haired, polka-dot wearing librarian at an elementary school in Galveston, Texas. She loves the kids, and especially the beloved couple that founded the school, Max and Babette. They have become like parents to her. When Max dies suddenly, the school board announces they’ve hired a new principal.

Sam is shocked to learn the new hire is Duncan Carpenter. A man she worked with back in California. The man she ran off to Texas to avoid, having had a silly one-sided crush on him. Sam remembers Duncan as a free-spirit, fun-loving guy. But the Duncan that shows up is a rigid, security-obsessed stiff. He is bent on changing everything about the school that Max and Babette worked so hard to build. Sam is determined to save the school, but that might not be the only thing saved along the way.

This was an uplifting story, and it touches on relevant topics, such as school shootings. But I’m a very character-driven reader and I really couldn’t connect with either Sam or Duncan. Actually, the character I adored was Clay, Max’s little grandson. He’s a third grader reading Steinbeck novels and who loves ocean creatures but has a huge heart.

Thank you to @stmartinspress and @netgalley for this advance copy for review.

Get your copy on July 14, 2020.

This is my first book by this author. While I enjoyed it didn't wow me. It's hard for me when I actually love the supporting characters a lot more than the H/h. The story was good but I did have some issues with the way some things were addressed as well. I would probably give this author another try but this was just okay for me.

Five big, beautiful stars for this book. Katherine Center is an auto-buy author for me. Her books bring you in and get you so emotionally invested in her characters. This book was no different. I was hooked from the first chapter. Trigger warning about gun violence in schools. This is a heart warming story about fighting for what you believe is important and being brave. ⁣

Another sweet story from Katherine Center. Samantha Casey is the librarian at the local school. She lives in the carriage house of the principal and his wife, Max and Babette, just a few blocks from school. Life is great until something happens to Max and a new principal comes to town. The new principal is an old crush of Sam's from another school. However, when Duncan Carpenter arrives in town, he is not the same Duncan that Sam remembers. Sam remembers a fun, goofy teacher that everyone loved, not this stiff corporate-looking guy, who is obsessed with increasing security at the school. Although the book reads like a Hallmark movie, the writing just draws me in and there are nice life lessons along the way. A nice feel-good book, perfect during this pandemic. A special thanks to NetGalley and St. Martin’s Press for providing this wonderful ARC.