4.5 stars.
Inspiring and emotional, “What You Wish For”, by Katherine Center (St. Martin’s Press), is a compelling novel with a wounded hero who has a forgotten, sunny side perhaps crushed forever beneath his deep, hidden scars.
Duncan is a great tortured hero. Katherine Center does a great job of writing the process of Duncan emerging from the dark hole he’s been living, a process even more devastating than the physical effects of his wounds. He sees himself as damaged, ruined, and that’s just heartbreaking. Paradoxically, Duncan is an adorable hero, too, but not in a cheesy way, the charisma prevents that. The “before” and “after” in Duncan are amazingly displayed, and we really miss the old Duncan.
The trope of unrequited love is very well written, with some heartwarming twists, and the heroine’s character, Sam, is so relatable. She made me smile, with her “epic crush”, shyness and generosity.
I also loved the portrayal of teachers, teaching, kids, school librarians and schools, not forgetting the terrible impact of violence.
Some scenes and dialogue parts, such as Duncan post-surgery confessions, are just hilarious.
Great setting (Galveston, Texas) and secondary characters, in an absorbing, very entertaining read.

San is a quirky librarian at one of the most unique elementary schools in the country. Then Duncan, a goofy man that Sam used to have a crush on at her old school, takes over as principal... and isn’t so goofy anymore. He starts making changes to make the school more “safe” and less fun.

This was a cute and funny read, but it did have some serious issues in there was well (trigger warning for school shootings). I enjoyed Sam and Duncan as characters and could really relate with both of them. And CLAY 😍, what a cute little kid after my own heart!!!

My only critique is that I didn’t like one part of the book that involves Duncan while under the influence. I’m not going to post spoilers, but I did have issues there (you can DM me if you want to chat about it!).

This is my first book by Katherine Center, and it certainly won’t be my last! Katherine is so kind on Instagram, and was able to help me through an issue with my NetGalley copy, and I’ll be forever grateful!

Thanks to NetGalley and St. Martin’s Press for a copy of this book for review! It won’t be out for a while (July 14, 2020), so make sure to put it on your list for summer!

I love Katherine Center's books! This one was just as wonderful as the other ones I have read. I loved that the protagonist was a librarian and the back story with the hero. I have enjoyed every book that I have read by this author. There is always a romantic brewing but always very realistic and not cookie cutter. I really cared about all the characters and hated for the book to end. Looking forward to her next book. Greatly appreciate the Netgalley ARC copy.

I absolutely adored this book, it was fantastic and so well written. It has a great balance of heart, humor, and tragedy. At its core, I think this book is about choosing joy despite your circumstances (which is so incredibly fitting for this moment in time) and not letting fear or trauma overtake you. I loved watching Sam and Duncan's relationship evolve as each one let the other in a little bit at a time. The secondary characters were so perfect, there are a lot, but it wasn't overwhelming, they all fit so perfectly and flowed. Despite some of the serious topics, overall this is a feel-good book (there were a few tears too, but mostly it's happy). Highly recommend

I enjoyed this book. The main character was kinda quirky, but completely lovable. The school setting was wonderful , and makes you wish you could either attend or work at a school like that.

Special thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for a free, electronic ARC of this novel received in exchange for an honest review.
Expected pub date: July 14, 2020
“We made a choice to do joy on purpose. Not in spite of life’s sorrows, but because of them”.
Katherine Center returns with yet another profound and inspiring love story about two long lost loves reunited, and finding joy in the little things. It is a novel that is so desperately needed, in this time and every other.
Sam Casey is an elementary school librarian, and she loves to make reading fun, and watching her students light up with the joy of finding new books. When the beloved principal of the school, and Sam’s long time mentor Max, dies, the entire school community is in mourning. But what’s worse is his replacement- uptight, authoritarian Duncan Carpenter. Although Sam worked with Duncan years ago, and had a huge crush on him, she is baffled at this new version of Duncan who shows up on the first day, armed with a huge chip on his shoulder and plans to change the entire environment of the school. Sam questions what happened in the years they’d been apart to turn fun-loving, goofy Duncan into the hard-edged, straight-lined, follow-the-rules guy that has now become her boss. With the help of her dearest friends, Sam sets out to save her lovely school, and help Duncan remember the man he once was.
I had the pleasure of reading Katherine Center’s books, “Things you Save in a Fire” and “How to Walk Away”, and both of these novels made one hell of a first impression. Center actually had me reading, and enjoying, cheesy romance novels. Her previous novels had, of course, the burning romance, but also, they made a deep connection to me as a reader, and “What you Wish For”, is exactly the novel I needed right now.
The novel focuses, not only on the relationship between Duncan and Sam, but on finding the joy in the little things. Sam tries to overcome her troubled past by finding joy in her students, and by bringing light and colour into her life through her wardrobe choices. Although dealing with the grief of losing her beloved husband, school founder Babette finds joy through painting, and through bringing love and care to her students. This novel found me at the right time as this week I had fallen into a deep well of depression and was trying to find the brightness in the world around me. “What You Wish For” was a great starting point. If you are looking for ways to enjoy the little things, this novel will remind you of the beauty in the world.
As usual, thanks to Katherine Center for bringing a little bit of happiness into my life, even if it was through a sappy romance story.

*I received aN ARC in exchange for an honest review.**
I love this author's writing style. She has such a way with creating beautifully nuanced characters. Every one of these characters are rich and multidimensional. They are so real and even when they are doing,all these things right, there is something that they are fighting or hiding or trying really hard to ignore. Loss does not stop a story. It sidelines, derails, alters but it is not the end for all the players This book shows how bringing someone back from unexpected tragedy can show you things that you are avoiding. I was completely engrossed from the very start and I loved all of it. There is such richness in the connections of anonymity. Displeasure saved that can wash you into something new but you might feel like you're drowning first.

"What You Wish For" by Katherine Center is a feel-good read in a time when we all need to feel good.

Samantha (Sam) is a school librarian who moved away from "The One" (Duncan) when it looked like he was settling down permanently with someone else. However, when Duncan comes back into her life. he is no longer the man she once knew. Then again, Sam is no longer the same person Duncan once knew either. Both of them have lived through trauma, with the mental or physical scars to prove it. Will they be able to "choose joy" not only for themselves, but with each other?

I had some concerns during the first half of the book with the negative way epilepsy was being portrayed. However, as the story unfolds, this negativity made a lot more sense. I was in love with Sam and Duncan's love story right up until the end. I have to say I was a bit disappointed with the ending: after building so much anticipation, their final realization felt a bit flat. I also felt the Epilogue mentioned the other characters more than it mentioned Sam and Duncan. This would have been a 5 star rating for me except for the "fizzle not sizzle" at the end.

Thank you NetGalley and St. Martin's Press for allowing me to read this ARC in exchange for my honest review. #NetGalley #WhatYouWishFor

Loved this book! My favorite from this author. Great message about staying positive and looking for the good in people. Loved the school setting. Characters are very engaging.

I’ve loved every Katherine Center book I’ve ever read and this was no exception. Perfect amount of character building and a plot I didn’t see coming. Absolutely loved this book. I will definitely be recommending this to friends and family

Katherine Center writes beautiful stories that reach your heart. This one about a school librarian An unexpected death throws the school into turmoil. Old acquaintances come together to find a way back to normalcy....and perhaps love..?? This book is a heart lifting story written beautifully by Katherine Center who is becoming one of my very favorite authors. Give it a try...I’m sure you will be glad you did.

Thanks, NetGalley and St. Martin's Publishing Group for an advanced copy of Katherine Center's What You Wish For. I have thoroughly enjoyed prior works of this author. The cover is beautiful and indicative of Center's work.

Sam, an elementary school librarian, has learned much about joy and its role in life from the older couple she rents from. When Duncan Carpenter, who she knew in earlier years, shows up as the new school principal, he is not the same person Sam knew before. Sam works to reconcile what has happened to Duncan to make him this way with who he used to be. Oh, and she is head over heels for him. Will they find joy despite risks?

While I enjoyed much of What You Wish For, I do feel story lines by this author have become painfully predictable. Girl leaves old life, makes new one, guy shows up, problem to fix, I love you, the end. I'm totally ok with formulated novels but there was so much cheese in this one it was hard to stomach. I hate having to admit this. I really loved How to Walk Away and Things You Save in a Fire.

The first 40% of this book centered around what was going on in the main character's head, rational or not, and it became annoying. I kept waiting for momentum to pick up, which it did. The last 60% of the book I enjoyed much more than the beginning.

Overall, I give this one 3/5 stars.

This was a delightful book about love lost, finding joy in your life and doing what is right. The characters and town are described in such a way you feel you could easily live in the town. This book is somewhat a romance. Although the romance is not the main topic of the book, but it is a happily ever after book. When Max, the beloved principal of the private school he and his wife started, unexpectedly dies of heart failure, a new principal is brought in who is rigid and his intent is to make the school into what the teachers visualize as a prison. Samantha, the school librarian, sets out to change him back into the fun-loving person she knew four years ago. This is a light-hearted book and heart-warming with a bit of romance thrown in. There are no explicit sex scenes which is awesome all by itself. Don’t miss this book if you like a cheerful book with a little romance. I received a copy of this book from NetGalley and the publisher. All opinions expressed are my own.

Never miss a chance to celebrate!

Samantha Casey is a school librarian who loves her job, the kids, and her school family with passion and joy for living.
But she wasn’t always that way.
Duncan Carpenter is the new school principal who lives by rules and regulations, guided by the knowledge that bad things can happen.
But he wasn’t always that way.

Thank you Katherine Center and NetGalley for this eARC in exchange for honest feedback. This book was just what I needed during this time. I laughed and cried with the characters and fell head over heels for “What you Wish For.” It was an easy light hearted read with the most delightful characters with sweet and touching stories that were perfectly told.. I couldn’t put it down. Also, my new favorite quote. “We make a choice to do joy on purpose. Not in spite of lifes sorrows. But because of them.”

Like many of us, I fell in love with Katherine Center's writing last year. She has a fantastic way of making an evocative novel lots of fun to read. I admire her writing and her delightful characters. Naturally, What You Wish For was one of my most anticipated reads for 2020. 

I loved the slow burn relationship between Sam and Duncan in this story. They were full of angst from the get-go, thanks to the huge change Sam notices in Duncan, along with the added component of their past working relationship. The continued suspense of attempting to figure out what caused Duncan's personality to do a 180 kept me eagerly turning the pages. I was exceptionally excited to see how the characters would fall together, and the post-surgery scene was to die for. I greatly appreciated the modern issues Katherine addressed in this story without being heavy-handed in politics. Instead of feeling burdened by the heavy topics, I felt hopeful and eager to live a more joyful lifestyle after I finished reading. I think authors have the ability to change the world for the better in that way, and Katherine Center certainly uses her talents in doing so.

"Life doesn't ever give you what you want just the way you want it. Life doesn't even make things easy. How dare you demand that happiness should be yours without any sacrifice -- without any courage?"

As I was reading, I routinely forgot whose book I was reading, as strange as that may sound. I'm a big fan of another author, R.S. Grey, who frequently uses Texas locales as settings for her stories. The Galveston setting and angsty flirtation between the two main characters was reminiscent of her writing, which is certainly not a complaint by me. I loved getting lost on the island, easily picturing the beaches and town, having visited there last summer. 

My only real issue with the story pertains to a few unbelievable moments. I struggled to see how certain scenes could happen in real life, which made the story, at times, feel cheesy. 

Though What You Wish For didn't hit as high of a mark as Center's previous two books for me, it was still a worthwhile read. She has made a fan of me and I will eagerly read anything she releases in the future.

Katherine Center is easily one of my favorite current writers. There’s something about her writing that invites me in, keeps my attention, and lulls me.

She has this knack of creating characters that I care about. In What You Wish For there were so many I cared about beyond the main ones of Sam and Duncan. The secondary characters are nuanced and memorable.

Truly though, I loved Sam and Duncan. Sam comes across as a free-spirit, wearing bright colors, crazy socks, fun dyed hair, but she wasn’t always that way, certainly not when she first knew Duncan, the one she loved four years earlier. As Duncan returns to her life, it’s obvious that he’s changed as well. And for her, not in a good way. What happened to the fun Duncan? The one everyone loved? It’s very easy for her not to love the new Duncan.

Despite the fact that Max, who has been like a father to Sam since her move to Galveston Island, is only alive for one scene at the beginning of the book, he is a guiding force, his is the philosophy that people live by. Choosing joy. Although it’s never said, choosing joy is like faking it until you make it. You dress in brightly flowered hat, which not only makes you smile but makes the ones around you smile too. Joy building on joy.

Although I smiled a lot while reading What You Wish For, I also cried and just felt– a lot. Center’s superpower is making the reader feel but not in a heavy handed way. She’s super gifted at this.

While the theme is certainly “joy,” it’s also the power of love, getting up each day even when it’s hard, taking risks, humanity, environmental conservation, friendship, trust, and allowing yourself to be vulnerable and asking for help.

Like all good books, I wanted to speed read through this one and yet wanted to linger over it. My self-control was not abundant so I almost finished it in an evening. There are very few fictional worlds that I would ever want to be a part of, but this one? Oh, yeah. The smiles and the feels. They’re still with me.

If you are a reader of women’s fiction, I very highly recommend What You Wish For.

I received an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

I loved this book! I love everything KC writes so I knew this would be no different. I loved a book about Duncan and I especially loved his transformation! Sam was a realist but knowing her why made it all the sweeter to watch the character growth in the book. Its hard to give a review with no spoilers so take my recommendation and read this one! Thank you NetGalley for the e-arc.

Who doesn't love Katherine Center books? I have devoured every page of the book she has ever written. My favorites are How to walk away and things you save in a fire. Now adding what you wish for into that pile. This book is amazing and cannot be explained in words. I will post my review in my blog nearing to the publishing date of this book and will make sure to get a hardcopy of this one too. This has such a pretty book cover that I do not want to miss it.

Enjoyed this book a lot. It was a perfect book to read while quarantining, and was a happy distraction. I loved the theme of healing and confronting your fears (especially of loss). I enjoyed the Sam and Duncan plot, though there was a little less climax/conflict compared to her other books. Lovely story about a community coming together.

💫What You Wish For💫
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How can this be the very first Katherine Center book I’ve ever read? I can’t believe I’ve went this long not reading her books. This was an enjoyable and mostly light-hearted romcom. I typically stay away from romance because I can’t handle the Hallmark-channel-cheese-factor but this was a genuinely good story about two very flawed people who are determined to see the good in each other.
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Underneath the love story the concept of safety was explored. Are there extremes in safety-is there such thing as “being too safe”? How do we keep ourselves safe without allowing fear to prevent us from living a full life? This was particularly interesting to me because I have an especially hard time fighting fear and allowing myself to lose control(especially when it comes to my children). Protecting them and allowing them to make mistakes and get hurt is a fine line I struggle with often. I think the book landed in a good place regarding this issue and it played out well in the love story.
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4/5 ⭐️