Thank you for the ARC. Love Katherine Center's books. I have read just about all of them. This one for me started off a little rocky. I thought for sure I wouldn't like let alone finish this book. But I did and I loved it. There were times I just wanted to reach through the pages and shake Sam and say "Wake up". Loved all the characters in the story. Even the ones you don't like. As I said before all books have to have at least one character you don't like. Well that was Tina's husband (his name escapes me at this time). I'm done gushing since there are so many reviews.

Thank you @netgalley and publishers for allowing me to read this #ARC of What You Wish For by Katherine Center.

I love, love, LOVE this author. I have read multiple works by her and each one makes me even more happy than the last. Katherine Center’s books have the recipe for a well rounded story. Romance, trauma, highs, lows, a little comedy, and usually an ending that has you in both happy and sad tears.
This novel takes place in a gulf town, where everyone knows one another. Sam moves her four years ago after she lost her mom. She took the librarian job at the local elementary school and was “adopted into the family that owns the school. After tragedy strikes almost immediately...Sam finds herself confronted with memories past, situations that are present, and an unknown future that she must carefully unfold. There are so many engaging plot lines throughout this story, and the author does a phenomenal job at evoking every emotion possible from the reader. I give this a solid 🍷🍷🍷🍷🍷/5. Highly recommended for a nice easy read!

Another heartwarming story from the wonderful Katherine Center. This one started off a little bit slow for me, and the descriptions of all the funny things Duncan did at his old school drove me a bit crazy, but a third of the way in I was hooked. I didn’t think the twist was all that shocking and most readers will know what’s coming, but it’s still a powerful story. As a teacher I also really loved the school setting of the book and could relate to the theme of school safety and how far is too far in keeping kids safe.

“Pay attention to the things that connect you with joy.”

Katherine Center has done it again! She writes romance like no one else I've read - they are essentially stories about people finding (or more accurately, choosing) happiness & joy, both with their own self and with other people. But specifically, these are people who choose joy in the midst of real suffering and horrible circumstances in their life. In this instance, Sam is battling an illness that she prefers to keep hidden from others, and Duncan has some serious trauma he's locked away that's made him bitter and cold. Watching Sam & Duncan unlock joy in each other is an absolute delight, and I will most certainly be re-reading this book when I want something both heartfelt and comforting. (OH, this also sparked a re-read of Happiness for Beginners...such a joy!)

Katherine Center knocks it out of the park again.

Center is one of those rare authors who can juggle a ton of elements in just the right proportions to make her novels bubble over with feeling. She creates characters who seem like real, highly relatable people who are dealing with truly traumatic situations. (And boy is she good at writing utterly swoon-worthy romantic leads. Duncan is probably her most appealing romantic lead yet.)

In this novel, Samantha is living her dream as a librarian at a creative, private elementary school on an island off the coast of Texas. When the school’s beloved principal dies, an old crush, Duncan Carpenter, arrives to take over. But his personality has become barely recognizable from his days as a free-spirited teacher. He has become cold and robotic, and he is single-mindedly set on transforming their beloved school into a much different place. As Samantha tries to work with Duncan, she finds that there are good reasons for his dramatic personality change. Samantha, along with her friends and colleagues, wants to save the school, but to do so, she has to work with Duncan. From there, both of them have to stretch to move forward.


For me, this novel started off slowly. But once I was into it, I could NOT put it down. The problems the main characters face are very real, and the way they must open up to each other to grow is super touching.

The only thing I really disliked about this novel is that it ended. I am crushed that I have to wait until the next Katherine Center book comes out.

(On the other hand, I guess we’ll get to see the The Lost Husband as soon as the theaters reopen. I can’t wait!)

I received this book "What You Wish For" from NetGalley and all opinions expressed are my own. I think this will be a great summer book. "Never Miss the Chance to Celebrate" is one of the themes here. I liked the characters and looked forward to reading the story each day to find out what was going to happen to them. You definitely felt like you were there but without an overwhelming detail of the surroundings.

5 stars! I love Katherine Center’s style of story telling and character development. Her books are some of my favorite and What You Wish For is no exception! Thank you so much, NetGalley, for a chance to read one of my favorite authors early. It was a welcome feel good during this crazy time of the COVID19 pandemic!

I didn't enjoy this one quite as much as her other novels, though I still found it a pleasant read. The plot was super predictable early on, which took some of the fun out of it for me. I love that the female lead is a librarian! The characters are quirky and passionate about their jobs in this school, which was nice to read about. It takes place near the sea, so there are a lot of vivid scenes that created a lovely atmosphere. There's a lot of heartache in this story, and also a lot of hope. My major complaint is that the plot revolves around a serious issue that I won't reveal here because it's a bit of a spoiler, and it doesn't feel like it's taken seriously enough. The story felt rushed in this regard, the topic not taken nearly seriously enough. I still recommend this for fans of Center's other novels and readers of women's fiction.

This was a very much needed joy-filled read about finding light in the darkness. Samantha Casey is a librarian at a unique and highly renowned school on Galveston Island. After the beloved founder and principal dies unexpectedly, he is replaced by Duncan Carpenter, a man from Sam’s past who stirs up conflicting feelings within her. It quickly becomes apparent to Sam that Duncan is not who he used to be. He has a vision for the school that would undermine everything it was founded upon and she decides to lead her coworkers in doing anything to stop the proposed changes even if it means getting Duncan fired. However, when she sees glimpses of the “old” Duncan, she realizes there are other ways of accomplishing her goal and she begins to slowly uncover the mystery behind Duncan’s extreme personality change.

What I loved most about this story was the setting. It personally appealed to me because my family regularly vacations in Galveston. It’s a unique little island with a lot of history and I loved how the author captured it. I also enjoyed the building tension between the two main characters, Sam and Duncan. Their connection felt tangible and really drew me into the story even though their lack of communication was extremely frustrating at times. Although there are some dark themes in the story, it is a very heartwarming and light read that is sure to bring joy to anyone who reads it.

Katherine Center is a master of creating lovable, relatable characters. She is quickly becoming one of my favorite authors! Her books not only tell the stories of characters you come to love, but they also remind you of important life lessons. Sam, a school librarian that has gone through her share of struggles and reinvention, faces many feelings as her school's beloved principal is replaced by a teacher she used to work with (and have a crush on). Duncan was a goofy, costume-wearing, fun-loving teacher at their previous school. Now as the new principal at Sam's Texas elementary school, he threatens to change many of the traditions and policies of the school, and turn the school into somewhat of a "prison" in the name of safety. Sam struggles to see the dancing, fun-loving teacher she used to know. Along the way learns about Duncan's journey from who he was before, to the person she is now seeing as their school's leader. Center addresses the important issue of school safety and many of the questions and fears that are faced by schools and their communities. She does this in a readable way-- this issue can be tough for me to read about, but she is able to keep the discussion meaningful and raw without it becoming too overwhelming. I came to root for these characters, as I got to know each of their personal struggles with accepting flaws, grief, finding the strength to move on, and being loved. As a high school math teacher, I loved Sam's best friend, Alice and all her math joke t-shirts too :) The theme of CHOOSING JOY and dancing despite the storms we weather in life was such a great message.

Quotes I loved from this book...

"Never miss the chance to celebrate."

"But that's the thing about joy. You don't have to wait for it to happen. You can make it happen."

"I am not happy because it comes easily to me. I bite and scratch and claw my way toward happiness every day....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 huge thank you to Katherine Center, St. Martin's Press, and Netgalley for allowing me to read this during the COVID-19 #stayhome movement. This was just what I needed to be uplifted in these tough times of uncertainty!

There are a few authors who are my "go-to" authors when I need a great book. I was thrilled to receive an advanced copy of What You Wish For by Katherine Center because she is one such author. I first was introduced to her years ago when I read Happiness for Beginners and have been a huge fan ever since.

What You Wish For is just the type of book we need during these times. It's uplifting and hopeful and full of characters that you love to love as well as love to despise. I used to run a project called 365 Days to Rock Your Happy, and the theme in this book to get new Duncan back to old Duncan reminded me a lot of that. We can all do little things each day to bring a little more happiness and joy into our lives and they will all add up to make a big impact.

What You Wish For isn't available until July 14th, but this is one you will definitely want to bookmark so you can have a wonderful, feel good, hopeful read for when this mess is all over!

Thank you Net Galley and Katherine Center for the opportunity to read this book!

What You Wish For
Katherine Center
4 stars
I was so looking forward to Katherine Center’s newest novel, What You Wish For. I loved Things You Saved in a Fire, and having read every Katherine Center book, she has grown with each book published. What You Wish For is the story of Samantha Casey, the librarian at a private school in Galveston, TX, and Duncan Carpenter, the new principal. Samantha and Casey have a past-they worked together at a school in California where Samantha does something so outrageous that she quits and restarts her life in Galveston. In Galveston and at the Kempner school, Samantha finds the family that she desperately needs. But change is inevitable. Enter Duncan Carpenter again. At first Samantha is thrilled that her beloved school will be led by Duncan, who she remembers as a carefree, fun-loving, person. But the Duncan who takes over is a straight-laced, procedure loving, rule following tyrant who turns her beloved, colorful school into a gray, cold institution. The rest of the story is Samantha and her co-workers attempts to save their school and keep it from losing all it’s cheery uniqueness. And of course, Samantha begins, again, to fall for Duncan.
Overall, I enjoyed this story. It’s ultimately a story of love, and hope, and joy. It’s about finding your family and loving them unconditionally. The characters in this story are very diverse. There are some that I loved right away, there are some that I had to warm up to, and there are some that I just did not like from start to finish. This isn’t a deep story at all. What you see is what you get. But sometimes you just need a good, happy, joyful story. If you’re looking for that-Katherine Center is the best and she delivers with What You Wish For.

Thank you to #StMartinsPress and #Netgalley for the advanced e-copy for a review. And thank you to Katherine Center for spreading a little joy!

The characters are teachers and the setting is a school, but you don't need to be involved in either to enjoy What You Wish For. The situation is contemporary, the desire for joy is universal, and the solution is endearing, if not a little surprising. I highly recommend What You Wish For. Thank you #NetGalley #WhatYouWishFor and #St.MartinPress for the advanced copy of this book.

I loved this book, the writing, Sam, Duncan. The setting of the book is Galveston, Texas and after living in that area for several years I could picture the Sea wall and the gulf and pier.
The school, the children, and the butterflies on the wall.
Hope,fears, challenges,grief, tragedy all telling a story.
A sweet story that kept me wanting to turn the pages faster, fun, with lovable characters that really touched my heart.

Thank you NetGalley and St Martin's Press for the opportunity to read this book.

*I received a free advanced copy of this book from the publisher via NetGalley.

Set in Galveston, TX, What You Wish For is the story of school librarian Samatha Casey. As Sam copes with the loss of her mentor and beloved school principal, she is shocked to discover his replacement is a man from her past - one for which she had deep feelings. The Duncan Carpenter that Sam used to know was charming, funny, and full of life, but the version that shows up in Galveston is cold, distant, and obsessed with safety - to the point that he’s ruining everything on which the school was founded. What happened to Duncan, and will Sam be able to help him remember who he was to save her beloved school?

I’ve only read one other book by this author, but it is apparent that she likes to select a theme and use it throughout her books, which I think is great. In the case of this book, it’s to choose joy, even when it’s hard. Center’s writing showcased this theme in so much more than just a lesson her characters learn. I could also feel joy radiating off the page from the descriptions of the setting, Sam’s outfits, the school’s staff, and much more. This was such a bright spot for me in a time when there’s a lot going on in the world.

The book was less successful for me in that I would’ve liked to see more development with some of the plot points like Sam’s relationship with her dad, and the entire dynamic between Kent and Tina. Also, the story had a few too many Hallmark channel moments that were a bit too contrived and didn’t feel natural.

Overall, I loved the theme of this story and the fact that one can also feel that theme through the writing. I think that’s a difficult thing to achieve in a book format vs something more visual like movies/TV. However, I had some issues with overall story construction. 3.5 stars

“What an incredibly spoiled idea—that anything should come easy? Love makes you better because it’s hard. Taking risks makes you better because it’s terrifying. That’s how it works. You’ll never get anything that matters without earning it.”
.

Thank you to @netgalley and @stmartinspress for a copy of the new book by @katherinecenter in exchange for an honest review! After reading Happiness for Beginners earlier this year, I knew this was an author I wanted to read more of. This novel didn’t shy away from heavy themes, but it’s light tone and comedic breaks make this a perfect summer read (and a perfect read for the times we are living in). Center’s characters shine in this book, becoming fully formed in just a few pages. We meet and love Sam, our protagonist, right away, as well as her circle of friends and her lovely school which is the perfect setting for the conflicts that ensue. Due out July 14, 2020, this is a great new story you will not want to miss.

This book was absolutely fantastic! It has some rough and sometimes very sad content, however, the joy and happiness in the book overcome any hard parts of the story line.

I absolutely recommend pre-ordering this book! I was a little slow getting into the story but once I did I finished it in one day. Katherine Center is just a fantastic story teller!

Thank you NetGalley and St. Martins Publishing Group for the opportunity to read and review this ARC.

Samantha Casey is a school librarian who organizes the teachers against her former crush, new principal Duncan Carpenter in What You Wish For.

Sam Casey had a crush on fellow teacher Duncan Carpenter, but he started dating someone else. She eventually moved to Galveston Island, Texas, to a teacher’s paradise—the fictional Kemplar school where the cream of the crop teach. Now, four years on, the beloved founder and principal, Max Kemplar, has died and his replacement is the joyless, robot version of Sam’s zany colleague, Duncan.

He makes many changes, each one terrible, and sucks the soul out of the school in order to concentrate on solving what he perceives to be a major problem at the school—lax security.

The teachers unite against him. You can almost picture “We’re not going to take it” blasting out of a boom box at their group meetings. These teachers are PISSED. Soon enough, Sam considers Duncan her mortal enemy and a “mural murderer.” This is a romance novel so perhaps we’ve activated the enemies-to-lovers trope.

In the end, the book has a “love is bravery” message that is the weirdest one I’ve encountered in one of Katherine Center’s novels. Alas, it doesn’t take away from a story involving some of my favorite things: libraries, books, teachers, nerds and dogs.

This was an enjoyable first read for me of a Katherine Center book! I loved that the main character, Samantha, was a school librarian in a very unique and special elementary school. This was a clean romance that had great character interaction, current issues as well as real life drama. It pulled me in from the beginning and kept me coming back to see what would happen between Samantha and Duncan. I would definitely read another book written by Katherine Center. Put this one on your TBR for this July! Thanks to NetGalley and Macmillan for my review copy of What You Wish For - my opinion and review is strictly my own.

Katherine Center has a genius for creating compulsively readable, well-written books with characters who make their way into your heart and brain. What You Wish For, her latest, is no exception. As a teacher, I loved the school setting. It drew me in immediately. Before I knew it, I was THERE with Sam, Duncan, Babette, Alice, Clay, among many others, rooting for them all the way. The thoughtful exploration of grief and PTSD is handled so well. The romance is sweet without being cloying, and hard-won. I highly recommend What You Wish For for anyone looking for a book that will absorb you fully, even in the midst of a worldwide pandemic. While you're at it, explore the rest of Katherine Center's collection. I have read the past four books that she has published. She never disappoints. Thank you to NetGalley for the egalley, St. Martin's Press and Katherine Center, the author. Reading this book brought me great joy during such a challenging time. As a result, the theme of looking for joy in life certainly resonated with me. Look for it when it is published in July!