Katherine Center has become one of my favorite authors where I must read any book that she releases. This is my third book from her and it was amazing!

I have to admit this book started a little slow for me. I got tired of the main character, Sam, repeating how Duncan used to be. It was constant. But that didnt deter to how amazing and profound the book is.

I feel like compared to her other two books that I've read, How To Walk Away and Things You Save In A Fire, this had more of a romance content. Not to say the others didn't, just I felt that romance was the main theme mostly because Sam had a crush on Duncan.

Her books always have this theme to learn from and her characters grow throughout the book and learn to change in a good way. This book was no different. Both Sam and Duncan grow and change as the story progressed. I loved all their interactions and I was crying in some scenes. 

The drugged up Duncan after surgery was my favorite moment. This book had some laugh at loud moments that I enjoyed.

Katherine Center is a wonderful author and this book is another must read! Her way with words make it such a quick read because I'm invested and get lost in the story that she writes.

What You Wish For
Katherine Center
July 14, 2020


Max and Babette Kempner founded the creative, innovative, school on Galveston Island in Texas.  It was formed for grades K-12 for students who were not only intelligent but whose parents wanted their children to be creative, artistic and knowledgeable about their world.  They hired teachers and staff who wanted to help students grow in mind and body.  They encouraged reading, learning, laughing and joy with their environment.  The librarian, Samantha Casey enjoyed her job working with the students and developing a love for reading and enjoying learning.  Sam, as she was known, lived above the Kempner’s carriage house in a cozy little apartment.  She rode her bike to school each day.  Her style was wearing colorful outfits to encourage her to be active and alive.  Her best friend, Alice taught mathematics at the school.  Her t-shirts had a different math joke or equation on them daily.  She wanted students to know that everything revolved around math in some way.  
The school’s world turned upside down that summer.  Max had a fatal aneurysm.  There was no saving Max that day.  He was lost with his friends and family around him.  The worst was yet to come.  Max was the principal of Kempner School.  The board would have to decide who would take over the position.  In the last days of summer, staff worried over Babette’s feelings of loss and what they would soon do with ‘a stranger’ to take over the reigns of their wonderful school.  
I had read only one other Katherine Center book, Things You Save in a Fire.  I was so entranced by it that when I had the opportunity to read the digital galley of What You Wish For, I immediately put in a request.  Her books seem to possess the reader.  I was enthralled by each.  I found myself thinking over Sam’s journey; the future of the Galveston school, other characters and their investments and their involvement in each other’s lives. 
 It was a twist of fate that I should pick up this book at this time of viral panic.  The fear that we would never be joyful again, however Ms. Center’s writing brings us back to the center of life.  I must thank St. Martin’s Press of New York for allowing me to read this uncorrected proof of Katherine Center’s book What You Wish For.  This book will be published on July 14, 2020.  Her novel is one not to be missed. It reminds me to think of personal relationships, the daily flow of life and how joyful friendship can be.

Thank you to NetGalley and St. Martin's Press for sending me an advanced copy What You Wish For in exchange for an honest review.

As a former teacher there were a few things that distracted me from really loving this book, but overall I enjoyed What You Wish For. I sometimes felt Sam, the main character who is a Librarian at a private school was a little juvenile and there were a few things that were a little far fetched about her former coworker/new Principal Duncan.

But the overall story of friendship, overcoming obstacles, relationships and more were lovely.

This book was delightful.   It was a quick and uplifting read with likable characters.     The descriptions of the school were so vivid and welcoming --- I just wish I could have gone to that school !!    This is my second book by this author and I'm going to have to read her backlist as I've enjoyed them both!!

Thanks to NetGalley and publisher for an advance copy of this book in exchange for my honest review.  All opinions are my own.

I loved this book so much! Katherine writes such amazing stories and this one doesn’t disappoint. I loved the storyline and how it’s such a fun whimsical tale. My students can’t read something g like this but I will be buying this in July when it’s released and recommending it to all my friends! Thank you for the chance to read this early!

I really enjoyed Center’s latest book. I read it very quickly in one day. I love how her books make you feel all emotions sometimes at once. I loved Duncan and Sam. They are perfectly imperfect for each other and I loved the journey to get them to see that.  I loved all the auxiliary characters, they added to the overall charm of the book.  She made Galveston come alive and I really want to visit one day. Center is always a must buy/read for me and this one in no exception. I’m so happy that Book of the Month helped me to discover her.

4.5 STARS!  I thoroughly enjoyed "What You Wish For"!  It was so good! I found myself rooting for both Samantha and Duncan.
Check out my review video here:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LRKfOkEAYJw&t=61s
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Thank you to Katherine Center and Netgalley for the chance to review and read this great book!

Captivating read! I picked up this book Thursday and finished late Friday night. There are many deep messages shared in this book. I could so relate to the struggle between having a fun, carefree educational environment and a very guarded, safe educational environment. I instantly fell in love with the characters and could relate to their struggles. In the end, we all learned to choose JOY!

Katherine Center's books are always inspiring and engaging. I was really excited when I got an email about reading an advance copy of this book. As all her books are, it is a page turner and I read it in one day. I can't say that I liked it as much as her last book, but I still enjoyed it and will always look forward to reading her work. Thanks so much for the chance to read and review this book!

I loved this book! Such a great storyline. I was captured by it right from the jump and laughed and cried a few times throughout. Maybe there will be a part 2? Great characters too.

Thank you to NetGalley and St. Martin's Press for sending me a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

Samantha is the librarian at an elementary school in Galveston. She moved in with the school's founders when she started working 4 years ago and has since felt like a member of their family. In a tragic turn of events, the school principal/her father figure dies suddenly. She has mixed feelings when she learns the goofy, hilarious, kid-loving teacher, Duncan, at her previous school will be the replacement principal... someone she had a huge crush. When he arrives, he is nothing like he was before. Obsessed with school safety, he is slowly turning the school into a prison. Sam must learn to stand up for what she believes in to save the school, kids, and maybe even Duncan.

This was a very quick read and overall enjoyable. I found it to be very predictable. For much of the book, we know nothing about Duncan's past except that he used to be the fun teacher and now he is the complete opposite. I guessed his backstory about 10% in. There was a bit of a plot twist at the end that I did not expect.

The story was a cute contemporary romance, but I felt like Duncan was the only character with any bit of development. Sam had her backstory, but it didn't play a huge role into the plot until the end. The dialogue could get really redundant. There was one phrase that was written almost every 2 pages. This could have been a really great story, but I found the lack of character development and redundancy to get in the way.

I 'm glad I ran across this title to read, the author came up with a wonderful storyline that is very real in the world today. The characters in this are about to become your new friends. It kept me guessing and I couldn't stop reading it. Well done!

A nice romance and easy read. I love Katherine Center’s books but I felt this plot fell a little short.  I wouldn’t hesitate to read another of her books. The epilepsy and school shooting could have made a much richer story. Sorry Katherine, I do love your writing but this one, not so much.

This was such a treat to read. Katherine Center always provides stories with characters that you would love to know in real life. This book is no exception. Sam and Duncan came alive for me and I was rooting for them throughout. Kempner was so vivid in my eyes - I wanted the chance to sit down in Sam’s library and read for hours. This is one of those stories that I didn’t want to end. When the world was in a bit of chaos and upheaval this book was the perfect antidote. I can’t wait to recommend it to my friends.

Katherine Center does it again! Her books are consistently well written and enjoyable reads. What You Wish For was no different - emotional, funny, poignant and raw. Sam and Duncan’s story was complex and I welcomed the escape to their world. Five stars.

After I set aside my aversion to charter schools (since this was the setting of the book), I thought this was a really entertaining, uplifting story with funny moments, likeable characters, and some good messages that synced well with these trying times (search for joy). Sam is pretty sunny for a school librarian (because I know that days can be bad, really bad), but there were so many nice little details that revealed her personality, like the description of all the fun pens she kept at her desk for her students, that I bought into it. The romance was well done, and it will appeal to readers who like things chaste. Highly recommended.

Thank you NetGalley and St. Martin's Press for the ebook ARC of What You Wish For by Katherine Center. I have read two of Katherine Center's books before this, and she is now one of my favorite authors. I honestly didn't know what this book was about, but when I saw saw it was Read Now on NetGalley, I immediately requested it. I read this book in a day; I could not put it down.

Samantha Casey is a librarian in her dream school. She finally feels like she has a family and belongs.  When the principal, who everyone adores, suddenly dies, he has to be replaced.  The replacement happens to be Samantha's crush from her last school.  She doesn't think she can handle it, until she sees how different he is.

This book was so good. This was the perfect book to read during this crazy time of uncertainty and self-quarantine for me.

Katherine Center does it again. This book became my favorite of all of the author's. Well written, fast reading, beautiful content, beautiful story and beautiful characters. Lessons of love and empathy at all times. The plot is curious, funny and fun. I laughed, I was angry too, I cried, but the love I developed for history was greater. The people are simple, the story is extremely real, which makes you immediately feel part of the characters. A well-crafted romance story with great taste and elegance. Many quotes, much learning. A lovely ending. My favorite phrase ~ "I bite and scrtch and claw my way toward happiness everyday". Well done by the author, excellent title, excellent . Thank you Netgalley for the opportunity to read it. All opinions are strictly mine.

This was a quick read and I was really hoping to give it more stars, but there are parts of the story that are so far-fetched I nearly rolled my eyes.  Samantha's obsession with a former colleague named Duncan seemed juvenile to me.  When Duncan is named the new principal of the school where Samantha works, she is beside herself with worry.  She seemed to be quite an unstable character despite working in a school where she is in charge of children!
The school safety improvement plot line was silly -- if this was one of "the best schools in the country" it would have already had many safety issues addressed.  And NO educator suffering from PTSD would be able to have a position of authority without already going through some form of therapy and being cleared to work again.

I did enjoy seeing how Samantha and Duncan's relationship evolves and grows after becoming reacquainted...not always straight forward, they had to go through some messy and hard work in the relationship.  This was the only realistic point of the book!

Overall, this book was just OK for me, but others might love it!

This is a story about a teacher named Sam, who works at a very artistic and progressive thinking school on an island in Texas. Upon the unexpected death of the school's beloved principal, the board of directors brings in a new principal, Duncan, a fun, wild and engaging former colleague of Sam's, who she had a huge crush on. Upon Duncan's arrival, Sam believes there is no one better for the job, and is concerned about a re-ignition of her feelings. However, upon Duncan's arrival, Sam realizes that any trace of fun is gone from her former colleague. Duncan is strict, reserved and obsessed with safety. He plans to make multiple changes to the lively school, none of which the staff agree to. Sam decides that changes will not be made to the beloved school without a fight, despite her re-ignited feelings continuing to grow. 

I have mixed feelings about this story. At first I was drawn to it as a fellow teacher. I appreciate the very accurate details that the author gave regarding the multiple aspects of education that were mentioned throughout the story. I did enjoy the storyline. I had figured out why Duncan was obsessed with safety early on, but there were still twists and surprises. The love story between Sam and Duncan was sweet and endearing. However, I did find Sam slightly immature. She had a crush on Duncan for a long time and never said anything or did anything about it. However, him being with someone else upset her so much she left the school and moved to the Kempner school. Further, she undergoes a transformation. I thought the transformation within herself was great, but with the weird hair and clothes it was unnecessary. It is unlikely that a teacher will dress like that in my experience. I understood it a bit better when her history with epilepsy was revealed, however I still thought the immaturity around her crush was confusing. How can she have such strong and significant feelings while it was a crush from far away? Then, her crush re-ignites while she hates everything that Duncan is doing and standing for, all of the changes he is making at the school. I do understand that feelings can be confusing for a person, but Sam had so many mixed feelings for Duncan for so long, until it was revealed that he liked her back and they became closed. I thought the beginning of the book dragged a bit, but it did become more engaging the longer it went on. The whole aesthetic of the book, including the school and the characters, the setting was all great. It was interesting to read and imagine. I was happy with the ending, and with the trials and tribulations that occurred during the story. In reviewing, I would rate it a 3.5, but will give it 4 stars here.