As an educator this book was great! It accurately represents the struggle and joy of modern day school. This would be great beach read in august right before going back to school! It made me laugh out loud, smile, and my heart go pitter patter. Wasn't my first Katherine Center book and definitely won't be my last! Highly recommend for a quick beach summer read.

Samantha is such a breath of fresh air...I loved her!  As a librarian in a school with an unrequited love for a fellow teacher, she moved to start over.  Loving the new school and her fellow employees she is loving life until...  The characters were well developed (loved Alice) and the plot kept me enthusiastically reading, both laughing and crying.  Her writing made me feel as if I was right in the midst of what was going on, which made it a 5 star book for me.  Having formerly worked at a private school I appreciated the drama inherent in a different director with very different ideas.  I am now on a quest to read her other books as I enjoyed this one so much.  Many many thanks to Katherine Center, St. Martin’s Press, and NetGalley for affording me the delightful opportunity to read this book, to be published in July.  Don’t miss this one!

This book was just okay for me. I loved the premise, But unfortunately I just couldn’t get into it. 

I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own

First of all, thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for an ARC!

I loved this book. It's exactly what I needed, because the world is a scary place right now, but this novel made me feel comforted. Sam is a children's librarian with a difficult past, and a history of running away from her problems. Luckily, she ends up in a great town, has a job at a great elementary school, and has a wonderful found family. Tragedy strikes, and the new principal of the school turns out to be none other than her old crush, Duncan Carpenter. But Duncan isn't the same man Sam used to know. He dresses in drab colors, no longer juggles or plays with the students, and seems hellbent on stripping all joy from the colorful, quaint school - all in the name of safety.

And that's ultimately what this book is about: joy, the absence of joy, and mindfully accepting joy back into your life. I loved both Sam and Duncan equally, and their journey toward happiness (and yes, toward each other) was delightful. It reminded me to let more joy into my own life, and to embrace colors, silliness, and dancing. Despite everything, we can still embrace joy.

Samantha Casey, an elementary school librarian in Galveston, is mortified to find that her school's beloved principal is being replaced by her former crush, Duncan Carpenter, a once joyful, carefree teacher who is now obsessed with safety and seemingly against all joy.

I started this book on Sunday night and spent the entire morning finishing it on Monday. I found myself immediately engaged in the story and didn't want to put it down. Sam has gone through a lot of tragedy and sorrow and her life yet she isn't whiny and chooses to live her life with color and creativity. Despite the book focusing on the spark between Sam and Duncan, all of the characters were so lovable and integral to the story. 

This book is all about choosing joy despite our circumstances and I think we could all use that reminder right now! It was the perfect escape from reality for me this week.

I thought this book was a little generic and fell short of her last two novels. It was an interesting read, however, as someone who works in a school, it was a pretty extreme and unrealistic viewpoint of a principal making all of those drastic changes. It was a cute love story, but a little too unbelievable from a someone who works at a school.

This was a one day read for me. The characters were endearing and the story moved very fast. Would recommend .

The book is lighthearted at times, which is typical of Center's stories. The book involves overcoming traumas, dealing with illnesses and death but the author handled all of these wonderfully.

I loved this book!  I loved the characters and this story really had a lot of heart.  It was definitely a book i needed to read during this time!  Thanks for the opportunity to read this!  I look forward to reading more by this author!

I finished this book in one sitting. It was so good. I couldn’t put it down. You fall in love with every character. I can’t wait to read more by Katherine Center!

I love Katherine Center's writing! One of my favorite things about it is the realistic look at life. Situations don't always turn out perfectly, but the characters are able to find their happiness in the situations they're in. The same is true in What You Wish For. Samantha has her fair share of baggage to deal with, but her mentor taught her to do what it takes to find the joy in life no matter the circumstances. This theme is carried throughout the book.

I really enjoyed this book, and I definitely recommend it if you're a fan of Katherine Center. The main characters are relatable and it's a sweet reminder that we can be joyful no matter our circumstances. Katherine Center is definitely at the top of my favorite authors list!

I always enjoy Katherine Centers book. They are a delightful to read over a cup of coffee on a sunny day. Always enjoy.

EVERYTHING KATHERINE CENTER WRITES IS PERFECT.  This book is no different. I am in love with with characters in this book (which i absolutely could not put down).  This story was so romantic and beautiful and as I read I just was rooting so much for Samantha and Duncan, not just as a couple but as individuals.  I cannot wait for this book to come out- I have recommended it to everyone I know already.

Samantha is a private school librarian who, like the rest of the community, is shocked at the sudden death of the school's principal. He was larger than life, a man who loved his job and the kids... but his replacement couldn't be more different. 
The new principal is Duncan Carpenter, who decides to charm the 
He's also the man that caused Sam to move halfway across the country to get away from.
They are both very different than they were when they were coworkers in a previous school, Sam coming out of her shell and being vibrant in everything from the way she dresses to how she acts. Duncan used to be this way too, but now he's all about schedules, safety, and the color grey. 
This book is full of heart. Katherine Center is quickly becoming a go-to author for touching stories full of hope, love, and second chances. 
 You can’t help but feel good when you’re reading her books, even when there are things that break your heart a little. 
What You Wish for was no exception, and it was a joy seeing all the characters develop as the plot evolved. 

Many thanks to St. Martin's Press and NetGalley for the advance copy.

This book packed a lot of heart but was really a slow burn for me. I appreciated that the protagonist, Samantha, was quirky and unique and Duncan was beyond lovable even with his tough exterior. It seemed too obvious to me that Duncan had clearly had some hardships which changed his demeanor and was frustrated that Samatha didn’t even speculate that something traumatic must have happened to impact his change in personality. She took it as a personal slight which felt egotistical and narrow minded. Overall though with the different personalities packed into this book it did feel fresh and enjoyable.

Rating: 3 joy-ish stars

Format: Ebook*, 320 pgs, pub. 7/14/20

Synopsis: A librarian at a Galveston private elementary school is mortified when her former crush shows up as the new – and now joyless – principal.

POV: Whoever is designing Katherine Center’s recent book jackets really deserves a raise. They’re irresistible and scream PICK ME UP NOW to anyone looking something in the “women’s fiction” genre. If what you’re wishing for is a light, easy read with some cute scenes and a pretty formulaic plot, than look no further. Bonus points for having a heroine with epilepsy, a topic that’s not often covered in lit – chick or otherwise. While some characters did previously appear in Center’s “Happiness for Beginners,” this definitely can be read as a standalone.

Recommended Readers: Women’s fiction readers looking for a book with an upbeat “choose joy” message (or a character with epilepsy).

*I received an Advanced Readers Copy from #NetGalley & #StMartinsPress in exchange for an honest review.

Women's fiction
Young woman, Sam, lives in the "carriage house" of two senior people she loves above all. This story is full of family drama, past and present friendships. Death and how to live life again to the fullest.
I have only read one of books before now, The Lost Husband., Which I also recommend.

I rate this book 5 out of 5 stars. 

Sam is a colorful school librarian living on an island in Texas and teaching at basically the best school ever. She loves how colorful and fun and goofy the school is. But then the schools beloved principle dies very suddenly and unexpectedly and his replacement is none other than Duncan Carpenter. Duncan is the reason Sam left her old school is California and moved to Texas. She couldn’t stand pining after him while he was dating another woman. But now he’s back and crashing into the happy bubble of a new life that she’s built for herself, and he’s nothing like his old self. New Duncan is stiff and boring and he wears suits and paints the whole school grey. New Duncan only cares about security and not the happiness of the teachers and students. Sam hates New Duncan, and now it’s up to her to stand up against him and save everything she loves. 

Oh my goodness. Katherine Center does it again. Every story that she writes is so wholesome and so cute and I love them all. I could not put this book down. I stayed up way too late at night just dying to find out what happens to the characters. It was amazing and incredible and I 10/10 recommend to anyone who just wants to read a happy book. The entire theme of the book is choosing joy and you are choosing joy if you choose to read this book. 

Thank you to NetGalley, St. Martin’s Press, and Katherine Center for providing me with this ARC in exchange for my honest review. All opinions are my own.  

You can read my review on goodreads here.

Whenever I see the cover of a new Katherine Center book, I smile. They are bright and cheerful, yes, but I also know there will be complicated characters who look for deeper meaning, deeper gratitude and deeper joy than from any other author. What You Wish For doesn’t disappoint.

Set in the historical and beautiful city of Galveston, Texas, What You Wish For is the story of school librarian Samantha Casey. Sam has a history of running away from problems, not the least of which was a paralyzing crush on colleague Duncan Carpenter. She finds a home at the charming private school on the island, and fits in until the day she experiences a return of her childhood epilepsy. Instead of running away again, she takes the advice of her mentor and recreates herself with joy.

Then her mentor dies, and none other than Duncan Carpenter comes to take his place. Only Duncan has changed too, and not in ways that Samantha can understand.

This book examines serious issues: bullying in school, creativity versus protection, school safety and the way people are marginalized for characteristics that don’t define them. Katherine doesn’t disappoint her readers. She lets her characters charge ahead boldly and with flowers in their hair. You will want to applaud.

This book was provided to me by NetGalley. It will be released on July 14, 2020.

I loved this book! As a former schoolteacher, I really enjoyed that the majority of the story took place in the school or with the school close by.  It was a warm-hearted story with characters you could root for.  The only negative I would say is that it felt a bit predictable, but I still found myself racing to finish to find out what happened.