I read the uncorrected proof in a day. I was itching to edit throughout, but overall I enjoyed it. A quick read with absolutely no surprises for me, but it was sweet. And as someone with anxiety, this passage hit me in the feels because I can relate on some level.

“...my seizures—they’re me. I’m not doing them on purpose, but I am doing them. My own malfunctioning neurology. I’m the problem. That’s different. Plus, they’re never over. They don’t fade away.”
“What do you think that means?”
What did it mean? It meant that I couldn’t promise him that it wouldn’t get worse—or start happening all the time. It meant my life wasn’t in my control.

After reading The Things You Save in a Fire and this, I’m not waiting on the edge of my seat for another book from Center but they’re easy beach reads.

“It’s one of the secrets to life that no one ever tells you. Joy cures everything…Joy is the antidote to fear. To anger. To boredom. To sorrow.”

Katherine Center writes beautiful books. What You Wish For is no different.

It’s a second-chance love story that shows even tragedies can be turned into something beautiful. Samanatha and Duncan have different battles--one has a chronic health condition, and is struggling to find her worth, and the other suffers from post traumatic stress. Samantha has long since learned to seek out joy--dressing in bright colors, dancing when no one’s looking, making her library (she’s a school librarian) a safe and welcoming space. Duncan, whose entire life was color and light, has shut down in order to protect himself and everyone else.

When Duncan seems unwilling to fight for himself, Samantha fights for both of them. Center is so tender in her storytelling, weaving in laughter and light in with the sobering and shadow moments. The balance she achieves is remarkable. The entire cast of characters will steal your heart.

This story resonated with something deep in my soul. I’ve always tried hard to lean into joy in times of struggle, even when (especially when it’s hard). I suffer from anxiety and depression, so I’m familiar with the fight. “Count it all joy…” “Rejoice always, giving thanks in all circumstances.” This book was a mirror. I saw my own struggles reflected back at me, with a wonderful happy ending. It was beautiful watching Samantha and Duncan fighting tooth and nail for joy. I finished the book with a smile on my face, and I just kept smiling.

A solid four stars. If you've loved her other books, this one will be a delight. I highly recommend picking it up.

Thank you to St Martin’s Press and NetGalley for my e-ARC in exchange for my honest review.

Katherine Center does not disappoint with her newest book What You Wish For! Sam is such a great lead character who has built a new life for herself in Galveston, Texas. Sam relocated to Galveston to start over after a devastating unrequited crush on her coworker Duncan Carpenter. At the Kempner school, Sam found a bright and thriving community of teachers, students and parents that seek joy in learning and life. But when their beloved principal dies and his replacement is none other than Duncan Carpenter, Sam is convinced her heart cannot handle it and she must leave to save herself. But Duncan isn’t the same man she remembers, now he’s straight-laced and hard instead of joyful and fun-loving. And he seems set on turning the beloved school into a prison-like space.

The recurring theme in WYWF is seeking out joy in your life despite the darkness and pain that you may experience. Both Sam and Duncan have emotional wounds that could be debilitating and throughout the book they struggle with healing. Their romance is heartwarming and definitely rated PG. And I absolutely adored little Clay Buckley’s character. The world would be a better place if we had more Clay Buckley’s in it.

WYWF doesn’t beat out Things You Save in a Fire (I have a major book crush on the Rookie) but I really enjoyed this one! I haven’t read Happiness for Beginners but apparently some of the characters from this book are in that one and so I’m looking forward to going back and reading it.

Also can we talk about how gorgeous this cover is?! I love that the cover art on Center’s last three books go so well together. I vote they rerelease her backlist with more matching cover art!

4/5 stars 1/5 steam factor

cw: discussions of school shootings

Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/3147141090
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/p/CCB5_HLA6tc/

I just love Katherine Center's books! She writes the cutest, sweetest love stories. If you are ever wanting a love story, she is your girl!
In What You Wish For, you are taken back to elementary school, where everything is fun, colorful, and whimsical. And then it all comes crashing down for the small town community when their beloved principal collapses at his birthday party. The community and faculty are looking for their next Max, when in walks Duncan, the class clown from Sam the librarian's childhood, to save the day. Or so Sam thought. Everything definitely is not what it seems. This story just goes to show you everything it not always what it seems and you never know what people are hiding beneath their exteriors.
I high;y recommend What You Wish For. Center writes and enjoyable, easy reading book that is perfect with a cup of coffee. Why aren't her stories on the HallMark Channel already?! This story would be perfect for that audience!
Special Thanks to Katherine Center, NetGalley, and St. Martin's Press for the advance digital copy in exchange for my honest opinion!

#NetGalley

What You Wish For starts out a bit slowly and is often repetitive. It’s rather corny and predictable yet it's a fun summer read, a pleasant escape from reality. Overall, I enjoyed this mostly lighthearted book that deals with some serious subjects.

Samantha Casey is happy with the life she has made for herself, she loves her job as an elementary school librarian and the kids who are a part of it, the house she was lucky to come by and was able to make her own and all the friends she has been able to make since choosing to move to Galveston Texas. When the school loses its cherished and much loved principal her world is turned upside down especially when she learns that the board is bringing in someone from the outside to become its new leader and pricipal. Her life.goes.from bad to worse when she learns that it is none other than Duncan Carpenter a man she not only knows but is the reason she left her previous job. You see back then she had a huge crush on the man and he didn't even seem to realize she existed. Samantha couldn't handle the feelings especially when he started dating another person from the school so she felt it was time for her to move on, which she did. She was happy, her new life going well but with this new bump in the road she feels like it might be time for her to pick up and move again. Her friends want her to stay, telling her she needs to confront her feelings. She soon learns that the man that she knew isn't the man that stands before her today, he has changed and not for the better. It soon becomes evident that he wants to change the school that she loves into something that resembles a prison. Sam knows that she has to stay and stand up for not only her friends and the students but what she herself believes in. Will she be able to stand up and be honest about her feelings? Can Duncan let go and let the man he use.to be back in? Pull up a chair and you'll immediately be sucked into this wonderfully emotional read. I laughed and cried the whole way through and in the end smiled wishing good things for all the characters I got to know throughout the pages.

Five Stars!!! I absolutely lived this story! It was heartwarming, funny, heartbreaking and easy to love! This is a must read!!

This is the story of Samantha, a quirky, joyful school librarian with a troubled past, and Duncan, the new, incredibly strict school principal who we learn has some secrets of his own. The idyllic school is thrown into turmoil when Duncan arrives and begins focusing on school security to the detriment of nearly everything else. Samantha becomes one of the forces trying to pull Duncan back to earth—and save her school in the process. But, it’s no surprise, sparks start to fly between the two, and soon, it becomes much deeper than that. This is a book that deals with romance, yes, but it also covers heavier ground including living with a serious medical condition, PTSD, and more. But if you’re worried it’s a downer, think again. It’s also really funny at parts! Katherine Center has mastered the delicate balance of creating a believable romance that still has rich characters and smart dialogue. If you love romance that also incorporates some more serious elements, you’ll love this.

For me Katherine Center is an auto-buy author! I always enjoy her books! This one didn’t disappoint either! I will say it took me a little bit to get into this one, but I think that was mainly because of life getting in the way. I really enjoyed Sam’s character and connected with a lot of the themes throughout the book. Choosing joy even when it’s hard was one thing that stuck with me. Overall this one gets 4 stars!

While I really loved the other two books I've read by Katherine Center, this one fell short for me. I am usually pulled right in and fall in love with the characters within the first two chapters. Sam, the main character was not one I connected with at all. Her emotions were all over the place and seemed to chance quickly, she made rash decisions that seemed extreme and it was hard to reconcile her as an adult (her personality and behavior felt more in line with a late teen/young adult) especially an adult who was responsible for children. I wanted a stronger main character, one who knew who she was and didn't let her life get completely derailed by small things. I felt a little disheartened by how Sam treated her epilepsy; it presented a great chance for ownership, not being embarrassed by a medical condition and maybe sparking learning and understanding for someone that's different than you. It makes sense she would be embarrassed as a child but as an adult, I wanted her to be confident in who she was and not let this define her. When I hit the 70% mark, the plot and the relationship between Sam and Duncan felt more like the Katherine Center I was expecting. Fan's of Center should give this story a chance, there are a lot of people who have throughly enjoyed this story, this one fell short for me unfortunately.

There were many things I really enjoyed about this book. The charming Galveston Island setting. The amazing secondary characters (Clay! Alice!). And the overall message about choosing joy in a world where that seems in short supply.

There were other things that just didn't sit right with me. Sam, the main character, has her wonderful qualities but at many points she came off as disconcertingly immature. And there were very serious topics in the book that (to me) were dealt with in a sort of off-handed and breezy way. The mental health rep in the story was not handled in a way that felt nuanced and serious enough to me.

I know many people will love this book and I remain a huge fan of the author. But for me this had issues that I found it hard to get past.

This was my first Katherine Center book and I was not let down. I don't know what took me so long to read her. Sam has moved to a new school and has blossomed out of the mousy girl she used to be into a flowery, vibrant woman. When the principal of the school, her beloved friend, passes away, the board hires a man from her past. She had a huge crush on Duncan when she was at her old school and is afraid those feelings might resurface until she meets him again. Gone is the fun quirky guy she once knew, and in his place is a stiff, grumpy man who is only concerned about school safety.
Right away I liked Duncan, it is clear that something traumatic had to happen to him to cause this drastic of a change in demeanor. Sam was reeling with the changes in him after the first meeting and slowly she began to peel back his layers one by one. Sam was the quirky one now and she wanted her school, the place that made her feel like home, to not be a fortress. The other teachers tasked her with making him see the light in the school as it is and stop the changes.
Both Duncan and Sam have secrets and they both feel unworthy of a forever kind of love. It was great to see them both open up to each other and learn to trust again. I am all for a grumpy hero, and Duncan was that and more. I really enjoyed this book.

This is a book about finding joy in life, no matter what darkness is in your past. Samantha is a teacher at a private school with some health concerns. When the beloved leader of her school dies unexpectedly, Samantha loses not only a great boss but a father figure. When he is replaced by the man she left her last job for, she feels her world crumbling around her. But Duncan is not the same as he always was. After surviving his own trauma, he has become a completely different person. It is up to Sam and an interesting cast of characters to help him once again find the joy in life. This book was filled with fun, relatable characters and was an easy, meaningful read.

This is my third book by Katherine Center, and once again, I am in love! The author has a knack for writing stories that are simply irresistible. With her fun dialog, lovable characters, and an addictive plot, the author creates a world that pulls you in, and transports you seamlessly into the book’s pages.

What You Wish For is full of feelings, laughs, and important messages, and I highly recommend it to anyone that enjoys fun yet emotional stories that will leave the reader with a smile and a quiet satisfaction.

Thank you NetGalley, St. Martin’s Press, and the author for providing me with an ARC copy of this book in exchange for my honest opinion.

All the books I've read by Katherine Center have been fun and entertaining. They have relatable characters and great dialogue. This novel was no exception. I loved the character of Sam and her friends and colleagues. The romance was also sweet. This was an enjoyable read with a positive message! Great for fans of Jojo Moyes.

This book was brilliant in ways I just can’t describe. It’s poignant, heart-warming, funny and full of great joy. I absolutely adored all the characters, especially the main protagonists, Sam and Duncan. There’s even a whale rescue. If I say anything, it’s this - READ THIS BOOK.

I am a fan of Katherine Center and will read whatever she writes. First off, I love this cover, and it matches the inside (supporting the idea that sometimes, you can indeed judge a book by its cover). There is a theme of joy throughout this story and how to intentionally choose and cultivate it in your life regardless of whatever else might be going on in your life.

Both of the main characters, Samantha and Duncan, have had some personal experiences that caused them to be apprehensive about committing to joy and expecting long-term happiness for themselves. This is the second time they have worked together. Sam is amazed at the changes in Duncan since she last worked with him 4 years ago. He had been the poster child of joy and is now the poster child of safety in the school setting She is still drawn to him and wants to understand what caused him to so dramatically change. While she was trying to support him, she also received some support. It was a lovely journey.

This was more philosophical than some of the previous books I've read by Katherine Center. I know that it has been said that if Brene Brown wrote fiction, it would resemble a book by Katherine Center, and I really felt that here. There was some almost-therapeutic language in the book- it was relevant for the characters, but thought-provoking for me as a person as well. I liked this book as much as I have liked her other books, but this did feel a little different. I am looking forward to having this book on my shelf, and I do recommend it.

Thanks to NetGalley and St. Martin's Press for an advance digital copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. It was a pleasure to read this!

I really enjoyed reading this story. Samantha breaking down Duncun slowly is so much fun. the person who she thought he was and what he has become and what she will do to bring him back was so much fun! I really enjoyed this story. This author is becoming one of my favorites.

Rating: 4.5 Stars

Sam had been abandoned by her father and found herself parentless after her mother's death. She longed for the love and safety of a "real" family and thought she had found that with Max and Babette, the founders of the Kempner School where she worked. However following Max's untimely death, her whole world was shaken up. Max was gone, Babette was grieving, and Sam's former crush, Duncan, was the new principal. But this wasn't the Duncan once adored by all, and Sam wasn't fond of this new version. She was determined to help him restore his own joy before he ruined her school.

I discovered Katherine Center via Things You Save in a Fire, and I have gone on to read more of her books for one simple reason - they make me happy. I am guaranteed the warm and fuzzy feels from Center's books, and once again, she has filled my heart with warmth and joy.

Sam was a fantastic! Though her past was riddled with sadness, she kept pushing herself to seek happiness. She could have moped around and felt sorry for herself, but instead, she put on her clown socks and became an active part of her school's community. She made friends and some became her de facto family. She seemed to have a lust for life, however she deemed herself "broken" and denied herself love, all of which broke my heart.

She may have thought she was broken, but she kept choosing joy. This was a beautiful idea that came up, time and time again, in this story. The idea that we can choose joy, and that we have to fight for it sometimes. All of Center's books seem to have something that really speaks to my heart, and this time, it's this concept, which was so encouraging and uplifting.

Enter Duncan, a blast from her past, who also thought he was "broken". My heart was already brimming with emotion, but enter two "broken" people, and it was spilling over. I loved seeing them come together, as Sam searched for the Duncan she knew. Like Sam's "truth", his made my heart ache, but Center mended it by helping these two find some peace with their past, as they forged a friendship and more.

As always, Center left me with all the feels. I laughed, cried, ached, and was filed with delight. Yes, an absolute feelsplosion. I am so happy I had the opportunity to read this stunning story of love, loss, healing, and pain, which reminded me to actively choose joy.

So many readers adore the books by this author that I feel almost as if no review is necessary.  All loyal fans need to see is her name on the title of the book.


This is the third book that I have read by this author.  My favorite is still How to Walk Away, although What You Wish For is certainly an enjoyable read.


I liked the setting of this book, both the Texas location and the vibrant, joyous school where narrator Sam is the librarian. This novel is primarily about Sam and Duncan with attention paid also to those around them.  The two knew each other in the past when Sam had a crush on the flamboyant, exuberant Duncan.  Sam is now at a new school and guess who the new principal is?  (I'm sure that no guess is needed).  But why is Duncan so different?  Will he and Sam connect again?  Even if you feel you know the answers, this book is a good one to laze around with on a summer's day.  Its message of taking as much joy in life as possible, despite life's difficulties, is an affirming one.


On NetGalley, there are 1576 reviews and counting with readers all liking the book.  These are the biggest numbers that I have seen on the site.  I think that readers who buy this book will enjoy it too!


Many thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for this title in exchange for an honest review.