Another beautiful, touching story from Katherine Center! We all have our flaws and live with them. Some of us hide behind them and it doesn’t allow us to live a full, happy life. Why do we push people away and run away from things that are good for us? Sam, a school librarian, the main character underestimated herself in every way. She felt small and unworthy since childhood. She ran away from her fear (a coworker she cared about but never thought she had a chance with-Duncan) , to work at a small school in a different city and seems to be doing better, until the past (Duncan) comes back to haunt her. How we deal with what life throws us can make or break us. This small community, along with Sam and Duncan help each other heal and to love life and each other.

Thank you NetGalley for providing me with the eARC of this book. 

I am sad to say that I did NOT like this book. I was so excited to read it because I loved Things You Save in a Fire and How to Walk Away and because I am a teacher myself. However, this book just fell flat. I didn't feel like I really got to know Sam as a character, beyond that she wore a lot of polka dots. While finding out Duncan's backstory helped make his personality make more sense, I didn't get why Sam was still attracted to him before she knew the backstory, while he was still being such a huge jerk at school. I felt like Center was trying too hard to make "quotable" passages about finding joy; it all just felt a bit forced and fake. The one good thing I can say about the book is that it did keep me flipping pages, but overall I feel it was poorly executed. I think part of the problem too was that the story felt really rushed- a lot of time passed in the book very quickly.

Once again Katherine Center did not disappoint!  A beautiful story teaching us to find joy and persevere through some of life’s greatest struggles and tragedies. While the characters at
times frustrated me, I was always rooting for them and happy they got their happy endings. The only negative for me is a bit too much detail, using multiple sentences and at times paragraphs to describe something that could be summarized a bit more briefly (mostly describing Duncan’s past actions and demeanor, the image was clearly portrayed and didn’t need so much detail in my opinion). Overall an uplifting story and a great that kept me entertained during this Covid19 quarantine!

This was another great read from Katherine Center. Her stories are always very inspirational and light. This book is a novel about hope and full of love. Her writing style is really easy to get into and digest as well as her characters. I really enjoyed this novel. Pre-order this one!

"Listen close: pay attention to the things that connect you with joy.” -What You Wish For by Katherine Center is a story about overcoming trauma and fear. I started it two or three days ago and breezed through it. It was a fast read and it was actually quite light hearted, regardless of involving various heavy topics. I felt it was therapeutic to read during this time of chaos and uncertainty. Katherine Center is an author that I just have to read every book she writes. They are relatable stories with realistic situations.

2.5 stars*

Unfortunately, this was not my favorite Katherine Center book and I loved “How to Walk Away” and “Things you Save in a Fire.” From the premise, I thought it would be a book I could connect to since I’m a teacher and it seemed like it would be a good plot. But I couldn’t connect to the main character and she was really annoying. Her character development confused me. The character completely quits her job and moves across the country because she’s obsessed with a coworker that she never even dated because he went on a date with another coworker. How is that realistic at all! For being an adult, Samantha was whiny and acted more like a teenager when it came to Duncan. The plot just seemed underdeveloped and I kept asking myself why do I care? as I continued reading. 

I still love Katherine Center’s books but this one fell really flat for me.

This book was a 5 star read for me!  I adored Katherine Center's How To Walk Away, and, honestly, I loved this book even more.  The characters were very well written, and pulled me in from the beginning.  The theme of fear and how we have to create joy to overcome it was beautiful, and poignant!  This book is going to be such at success, and it comes at a time when the message of choosing joy has never been more needed!

Katherine Center is one of my favorite authors and this book was wonderful for the times we're living in. The message of choosing to celebrate and finding joy is very uplifting. The book is about two wounded souls and those who surround them on Galveston Island, a lovely location with the beach and marine life. The school setting was also appreciated, as were those who love and work with children. Thank you to Net Galley for this advanced copy!

Katherine Center is one of my favorite authors and this book was wonderful for the times we're living in. The message of choosing to celebrate and finding joy is very uplifting. The book is about two wounded souls and those who surround them on Galveston Island, a lovely location with the beach and marine life. The school setting was also appreciated, as were those who love and work with children. Thank you to Net Galley for this advanced copy!

I feel in love with Katherine Center’s books over her past two books. I was thrilled when I was offered an ARC of her latest book. It is a great book to escape into. I loved the setting in a small island town in Texas. I had one big frustration with the book in that the main character, Sam, could have had a much better understanding of Duncan if she had looked into his career history. Despite that I loved the way Sam and Duncan developed and felt the book ended perfectly!

Two days ago, I had the opportunity to read this book and I put everything aside. Katherine Center is one of my favorite authors. Samantha is a librarian at a small school on Galveston Island, her beloved principal dies unexpectedly and his replacement is an old colleague that Samantha had a crush on many years ago.  Duncan wants to change things as the new principal and the staff including Samantha is not having it. The chemistry between these two along with the bantering. What happened to the crazy mismatched socks and shirts Duncan? 

I love Katherine Centers books, this one with the theme "Finding Joy" was spot on! I loved the t-shirt sayings, I loved the whimsical way of creating joy. Wonderful book!

For the fans of Eleanor Oliphant and Evvie Drake Starts Over. This book is a rainbow in letters, it gives you hope that you can make your life beautiful and joyful:..if you set your mind to it and learn to create joy and grasp it.  
The characters are lovable and one can relate to most of them. I find myself very drawn to some of them. 
Immerse yourself in the magic world create by Mrs. Center, and let it show you that happiness is attainable.

What you wish for is a light story of school Librarian  Samantha Casey who adores her job in a wonderful private school on Galveston Island in Texas. The school is run by max and Babette,
Very progressive educators who make their school bright and fun.
The problems begin when they get a new principal who Samantha happens to have worked with in a previous school.
It took awhile to get into the story, but once I did, I couldn’t wait to see whAt happened next!

I loved the relationship between Sam and Duncan - it was not perfect because they both had physical/emotional issues, but was so glad they were able to break through and be there for each other.  Hoping for part 2 (or at least a short story) to find our where there relationship goes from there).  The details of the school and the people who worked there were beautiful - the school staff care so much for each other and the children who attend.  Another great read by Katherine Center!

Katherine Center did it again! I loved all the details and getting to know these characters. The story, the heartbreak, everything about it.

Once again, Katherine Center delivers an incredible story with an amazing lead. She has such a way of creating characters you love and ones you absolutely can’t stand. There were moments I was on the edge of my seat and other times laughing out loud, This is exactly what we need in 2020!!

I disliked <b>How to Walk Away</b> but loved <b>Things You Save in a Fire</b> so who knew where this was going to land? Honestly, throughout the first half of this book, it was probably a middling book for me. I would have given it three stars. But, what can I say, as I started the second half of the read my cold, Grinch heart grew three sizes that day and I ended up getting very attached to it. 

Is it a little saccharine? Yes. Is the main character a bit over-the-top and was her inner-dialogue a bit repetitive? Yes. Is is absolutely predictable? Yes. 

That said... Did I end up enjoying getting lost in this story and its characters? Yes. Did it end up being a heartwarming read for me? Yes. 

If you have not enjoyed Katherine Center's books before then this read will probably not change your mind, but if you loved her books in the past I do not think this one will disappoint. I was smiling as I turned the last couple of pages so... there's that.

Katherine Center creates beautiful books that are about finding levity and joy and love in a world of trauma and pain, and she's done it yet again with What You Wish For.

There's a breeziness to Center's novels, even when they deal with such heavy topics, that's so hard to find in this genre, and she does it so well. Her message: Everybody has baggage. Life's about learning to live with it instead of in spite of it and knowing that good moments can coexist alongside bad ones.

The first third was a little slow and I wish some parts of this book had gone further, but that didn't change how much I like Katherine Center's work. My stanning continues now and forever. 3.5 stars.

(And again, Goodreads, get us some damn half stars.)

Blergh. I read this in like, maybe five hours. It had great moments. But all in all it needed to be about 200 pages longer with FAR MORE plot and character development. It left me really sadly wanting. I really loved “How to Walk Away” and I really liked “Things You Save in a Fire.” This needed more punch. It felt floppy and weak. And I LOVED the premise. But it was rushed and skated over the issues it attempted to face which were HUGE (death, loss, gun violence, abusive parents, etc.). Instead of really exploring those topics, it just kind of shushed them under the rug. Also, I didn’t buy the love story because they never really got time to develop as a couple. I loved that it was about a school, I loved the general setting, I loved that it was sweet and silly. But I REALLY wanted more.

Best Katherine Center book I've read yet!

I fell in love with the characters right off the bat. Sam, the female lead, hooked me when she shared her story of a crush who didn't even know she existed - likely a common experience, but one Center was able to describe with fidelity.  Duncan, the male lead, had me falling in love and wanting to help him all at once. In How to Walk Away and Things You Save in a Fire, I loved the female leads and only somewhat found interest in the male leads; however, in What You Wish For, I found myself wanting my own Duncan. 

With this novel, the pacing of the romance was just right. In terms of supporting characters, Alice the math teacher BFF was the perfect comic relief, and Clay, Sam's quasi nephew, was so well developed with his marine interests. 

As an educator, I question whether the profession was illustrated in all its complexity, but as a reader, I was able to look past all of that for the sake of the story -- and I stayed up until 1:00am to finish it!