I absolutely love Kathrine Center, but I didn't love this one. I found myself skimming parts and waiting for the story to pickup. It also seemed to have several plot lines that were never developed fully. It was frustrating because I adore this author.

While personally I found this book to be slightly cheesy and cliche, I do think many readers will enjoy this! I specifically enjoyed the school setting, but found the plot to be very predictable unlike Center's other novels.

Finushed What You Wish For last night and it was everything I expected in a Katherine Center book. It made me sigh and tear up and smile so hard that my cheeks were hurting. And of course, it made me fall in love again. A gorgeous book about second chances not only in love but in life as well.

Katherine's books just always have a nice little emotional core that makes life look a little brighter. Nice romance in the middle though nothing too adrenaline pumping. School setting is fantastic with a great library which I'm sure every book lover will adore.

5 Stars!!
Happiness for Beginners was one of my favorite reads from 2019. In my review, I mentioned how much I loved the heroine's evolving relationship with her brother by the end of the book. Imagine my surprise and excitement over learning that Helen's brother Duncan would be a main character in this upcoming release. I was crazy with excitement.

As told in the heroine Sam's single POV, this story was about her fight for life's joys through unexpected upheaval, Duncan's re-arrival in her life, and a school (town) grieving over the loss of their beloved founder. I really liked Samantha and her shared self-transformation after arriving in Gavelston four years prior, but similar to this author's previous novels, it's the secondary characters that really helped shape Samantha's characterization and made me love her.

I know I was biased going in, but no one could outshine my love for all things Duncan. Well, maybe Alice, but that's for another book (fingers crossed!) This author was astute in her depiction of Duncan's evolution from the goofy and affable slacker brother in HFB to the intrinsically altered version he became in this book. It was believable and also heartbreaking. This was where the author showed her writing mettle and alternately drove the story with wit and sound character development to deep and heartrending poignancy.

As for the romance, it was swoon-worthy perfection. Even without the romantic tension and happily ever after, this story had one of KC’s most inspirational endings. I adored it and the picture this author depicted of Gavelston Island, Texas and the waters surrounding it. Without a doubt, What You Wish For will be another Katherine Center story added to my keeper shelf.

Thank you to St. Martin’s Press for the early reading opportunity. More importantly, thank you to KC for writing the books that I love to read.

Great book. I was very excited to receive my advanced copy. I have r ad all of Katherine Center’s books. This one did not disappoint. Great story about a realistic group of people, living a happy life until their not. Great ending. I will look looking forward to more books by this great author thank you so much for my advance copy .

The school librarian and the principal? Shocking! Samantha Casey, aforementioned librarian, gets a new school principal that turns out to be the charming teacher she once had a crush on. But now he’s a dour, humorless, by the book boss. His new safety initiatives threaten to ruin the school Sam loves so much, can she help him find his way back to the man he used to be? As an elementary school librarian myself, I admit I had to get over the idea of the librarian getting cozy with the principal😳. But the story is sweet and enjoyable

When I heard that the author wrote another book I was so excited. I dropped everything and started the book. I read things to save in a fire and it was amazing. I was expecting the same amazement with this one. Unfortunately there was a very long beginning, short middle and quick ending. Not as emotionally packed as her previous book.

It was still worth reading but not my favourate.

Thanks netgalley and St. Martin's press for this ARC.

What You Wish for is everything you would expect in a story from Katherine Center. Center has unique a way of telling a story that is authentic through examining all facets of human emotion including grief and tragedy as well with the beauty found in the human experience. Life is complicated and in What You Wish For captures the complexities in a reverent manner.
Sam is the beloved librarian at an exclusive private school on Galveston Island, Texas. Her school is a whimsical nurturing environment full of dedicated and creative educators. When a new principal is appointed, he seems to wish to change everything that makes Kempner Elementary exceptional and this change is abhorrent to Sam and the faculty. Adding insult to injury, Sam knew the principal from a previous school and knows Principal Carpenter used to have a fun side. As the two take opposing sides, a camaraderie grows between them and they share secrets from their respective pasts and each is forced to confront their fear. This story takes the reader through a full gamut of emotions and reminds us that everything in life is a choice, and when given the chance, one should always choose joy.

RATING: 5/5 STARS

Katherine Center's books are auto-reads for me at this point. Her latest did not let me down! WHAT YOU WISH FOR was hopeful and uplifting, in a similar but also completely unique way from her previous books. Samantha and Duncan face a lot of hardships, but their story is full of hope and positivity. The characters are so vibrant and distinct - from Sam's cute and colorful outfits to Duncan's antics to Babette's wisdom to Clay's precocious wit to Alice's math puns... I could go on forever about all of the wonderful characters in this novel! Another aspect that I thoroughly enjoyed was the description of the school where Sam works as a librarian. It sounds like such a nurturing, lovely place for young kids to study and grow up in! As a reader I really empathized with Sam's fire to keep the school's magic alive. And of course, the romance in this one was incredibly thoughtful and sweet, but also very entertaining. This novel is all around awesomeness, and I highly recommend it for women's fiction and romance fans. Plus, the cover is so gorgeous! I love that it matches her other books.

Some heavy topics are present in WHAT YOU WISH FOR, but they are handled really well and with sensitivity! (TW): PTSD, epilepsy, gun violence, grief

A sincere thanks to NetGalley and St. Martin’s Press for providing an advanced reading copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

Social: @_shelf.awareness on Instagram

Katherine Center's book "Things You Save In a Fire" was one of my top reads of 2019 so I was eagerly anticipating "What You Wish For." (Thank you to the publisher for the early review copy!) Sam Casey is the librarian at a progressive and creative elementary school in Galveston, TX. When the principal, who was like a father to Sam (whose own father is long out of the picture), dies unexpectedly, he is replaced by a guy Sam used to work with when she lived in California. Duncan Carpenter was a zany and imaginative teacher, and Sam was madly in love with him--when he began dating someone else, she quit her job and moved on in an attempt to deal with her heartbreak. So she imagines it'll be difficult to have to see him again on a daily basis.

However, the fun and wacky Duncan is gone, replaced by a suit-and-tie-wearing stickler for the rules who wants to paint the colorful walls of the school gray. Sam can't understand what happened, and this is where I REALLY started getting annoyed with this book. Does anyone at the school have Google? Literally two minutes of searching, and they would have known EVERYTHING about why Duncan changed. My husband's company just got a new CEO and everyone immediately dropped what they were doing and Googled him. That's what people do in the 21st century! And this book is definitely set in the present!

Despite that rather large caveat, once Duncan's past comes to light, the book really grew on me and the ending is just amazingly good. I particularly loved this quote, from the widow of the school's former principal: "Life doesn't ever give you what you want just the way you want it. Life doesn't ever make things easy. How dare you demand that happiness should be yours without any sacrifice--without any courage? 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. And even what you get, you won't get to keep. Joy is fleeting. Nothing lasts. That's exactly what courage is. Knowing all that going in--and going in anyway."

Read this story! "Do something joyful."
You will adore this little school, the butterflies, the teachers, and the children.
This is the setting of this book from Galveston,Texas.
The only ones that you may not be sure about are Duncan and Kent Buckley.
Well... I still despise Kent Buckley but I fell in love with Duncan!
Duncan is the new principal and he needs this school, the love and friendship of his staff.
Will he remember the librarian who once worked with him at another school? Sam sure never forgot Duncan. She had a huge crush on him. His personality and his spontaneity.
But, something has changed for Duncan. He is NOT the same person! What has happened? What has changed?
Sam is determined to figure out this mystery!
This is a wonderful, uplifting novel, that I read in a day.
It is a happy story that we all need!
Catherine Center has done it again! Excellent!

I’m not sure I fully have the words to express how much I loved this book! What You Wish For just became my favorite Katherine Center book of all time. I love Sam and Duncan, and their story was exactly what I needed to read right now.

One of the reasons I love Katherine Center’s books so very much is because each time you read one, you are not only getting a wonderfully captivating story, you are being reminded of what’s important in the world. Katherine has quickly become not only a favorite author, but a mentor of sorts, because each time I read one of her books, I am changed for the better. Each of her books fill this world with beauty and reminds us all to choose joy on purpose. And this latest book was absolutely no exception to this.

What You Wish For is storytelling at its finest: a perfect blend of hardships and joy, full of characters that you can not only root for, but deeply relate to. Katherine Center is the embodiment of choosing to pursue joy, even in the midst of the hard, and each of her books are a necessary reminder of this. Katherine is truly making the world a better place, one book at a time, and I am here for it!🙌🏻

Do you know how when you especially love a book you want to read really fast to find out what happens next, or even skip ahead a few pages, but at the same time you want to put the book down so you can savor and slowly reread the author’s words? This is such a book.
This story is unique, and so well written, full of wonderful three dimensional, fully realized characters I’d actually like to know, and after finishing the book I’m still invested in their lives and what comes next for them.
Sam is a librarian in Galveston at a special elementary school that promotes joy of learning that her mentors, Babette and Max created long ago. After the principal dies, Sam learns his replacement is non other than goofy, full of life, Duncan Carpenter, whom she secretly adored at her last teaching job in CA. Equally thrilled, and scared, Sam’s nervous how to handle their first interaction, and will he even remember her? But she receives a shock as this Duncan is humorless and stiff and nothing like the man she once knew.
Filled with life, this book gives sage advice on how to create joy in everything we do, and embrace it, because even joy can be fleeting. A beautiful and wise story, and a book I already know I will read again. Katherine Center has now become one of my favorite authors. Read them all!

Katherine Center is one of my go to authors and What You Wish For does not disappoint. I was so thrilled when I received the email from St. Martin’s Press that I received an ARC, I immediately stopped what I was reading and started this book. This story was so fun and unique with completely lovable characters. Samantha is a quirky librarian who moved to Galveston from California to escape her unrequited crush. She starts a new life at an amazing school living in the garage apartment behind the schools founders, Max and Babbette. When Max passes away unexpectedly, the school is thrown into disarray without their beloved founder. Sam is shocked to find that the new principal is Duncan, the man who caused her to leave California, only he seems to be a completely different person who doesn’t even recognize her and is intent on ruining her school.

What You Wish For is a book about leaving pain behind to prioritize joy and true happiness. Both Duncan and Samantha have major obstacles from their past that they are working to overcome. They are able to really grow together and help one another be the best version of themselves. This was definitely one of Katherine’s more romantic books but it also featured amazing friendships and adorable students. I would have loved to attend their school. This book had so much heart and left me wanting more! This is the perfect beach read or anytime read. I already can’t wait for Katherine’s next book.

“I bite and scratch and claw my way toward happiness every day.”

Well, of course I loved a book about an elementary school librarian written by Katherine Center, although I did wish for more details about the enchanting library and its day-to-day operation; but perhaps I should be glad the descriptions weren't ruined by inaccuracies. At any rate, this was a heartwarming romance with two characters I couldn't help but root for, as well as a great supporting cast. I just wanted it to be longer.

*Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for providing an e-galley in exchange for an honest review.

What You Wish For is quite possibly the best book I've read by Katherine Center and it will likely be the very best book I read this year. Don't get me wrong, I enjoyed every other book of Ms. Center's that I've read, but this, this was different. What You Wish For is all heart and soul with people's hopes, fears and challenges hanging out everywhere and it's a fantastic type of hanging out everywhere.

I was pulled in right away and not let go until the very end when I was thrown up on a beach, stunned, wrung out, with my emotions hanging out everywhere. It was perfect and something I never wanted to end. Sadly it did end, but the ending was the best ending for this sort of book.

The characters in What You Wish For were fantastic. The setting - the old school that lived another life before it was a school - was fabulous. I wanted to go to a school like that. We should ALL go to a school like that. I wanted to stare at the butterfly mural and visit the crazy, quirky library and climb that staircase with the hand-drawn pictures of books on the steps.

This book is simply stunning. Devour it, turn yourself over to it and strap in for the ride because it is a heartrending journey that will give you all the feels. Every single feel.

Thank you is not a big enough phrase, but thank you to Netgalley, the author and publisher for providing me with an ARC at my request. All thoughts in this review are my own and gratefully given.

I love everything Katherine Center! As a Houston/Galveston girl her books make me love my city even more. What You Wish For was a delightful story where happy endings do come true. Samantha, the quirky librarian will win the heart of readers along with the other characters in Galveston. Katherine Center's storytelling makes me want to visit Galveston again soon just to walk where her characters walked.

I think I've been waiting not-very-patiently for this book for at least a year and a half when I saw on Katherine Center's instagram that she was in Galveston doing research for a book starring Duncan from Happiness for Beginners. I already knew right then and there that I would love this book no matter what, but in many ways, it surprised me and surpassed my expectations in ways I was not expecting. I originally expected lightheartedness and silly jokes throughout but there were some highly serious issues tackled in this book in a very realistic and universal way.

Needless to say, I really had no idea what this was about (aside from Duncan) until a few weeks ago when I read the synopsis here on Goodreads and I was quite surprised that Duncan might not be the incredibly easygoing and carefree character that I'd grown to adore in Happiness for Beginners. Why? How? Ahhh!! I knew there'd be a reason for it, and I knew I'd love it anyway, so when I got the ARC in an e-mail from St. Martin's Press I dropped everything and started it that same day.

This book has some amazing underlying themes of seeking joy instead of sorrow, embracing friendships and relationships and friends becoming your family. There are several health issues that are touched on. I knew (hoped!!!) there would be a tiny mention of Helen and Jake from Happiness for Beginners, and that surpassed all my wildest expectations. I adored the setting including the incredible-sounding school environment. I choked up during several lines of this book and also grinned wider than ever other times. The side characters including all of the other teachers at the school (especially Alice with her math t-shirts!!) and a delightfully inquisitive 3rd grader named Clay were fun and multi-faceted.

Fans of Katherine Center's books will adore this one, I'm sure. I really, really enjoyed the ending, and of course, the epilogue, but there are lines throughout this that I want to underline and remind myself of daily. Steam-wise and romance wise, this falls closer in line with Happiness for Beginners than Things you Save in a Fire in case anyone is curious about that. This book was inspiring, hopeful, funny, realistic, heart-wrenching, beautiful, and so special. I can't recommend it enough. :)

Thank you from the bottom of my heart to Netgalley and St. Martin's Press for the ARC in exchange for an honest review

This review is going to be long because OMG. I. LOVE. THIS. BOOK. This book has some 90s rom-com nostalgia, for real.. It's like hope floats and Never Been Kissed. I can't pinpoint why it makes me think if these but it does.

Casey is so loveable. She is hilarious and I just imagine her as a fast-talking, unable to shut up, awkward, Lorelai Gilmore. And I love my Gilmore Girls, hence my daughter being named Lorelai. Casey is energetic and her joy is contagious.

I loved the theme of this book. When life knocks you down, make your own joy!

And that's the thing. Life WILL knock you down. It can make the best day ever turn into the worst within seconds. It will throw you curve balls. It will leave you shattered into a million pieces lying on the floor begging to be saved. Life will throw you way more pain than joy. But the best part is leaving that pain behind and finding joy. Life doesn't usually leave joy on your front steps. You have to find it! But it can be found in most places, in the silliest of things. Like being with your family in the middle of the night at Waffle House, and singing Don't Stop Believing, loud and proud. It IS making up silly dances (my husband's favorite is my happy dance. Slightly bend. Put one arm in front and one in back, and start twisting them.) It can be found in children's laughter, or watching a snail crawl. I mean have you ever watched it? It's kind of mesmerizing! It's watching snow fall or hearing the rain. It's choosing to see the joy of things and finding your happiness.

Don't get me wrong this book deals with some heavy things. Some that I worry about everyday with little kids. I am not going to talk about them because I don't want to spoil the book for anyone, before it has even come out. I will probably do another review after it is released. Then I will go into more detail.

As you can tell, I love this book. It will be in my top reads for this year.