I normally don't read rom-com/chick-lit type of books but this one was cute. I enjoyed the plot and characters and would definitely read more books by Katherine Center. Thanks to the publisher and Net Galley for a copy of this book in exchange for my opinions.

Katherine Center is always about finding hope. I enjoyed this book and really liked the characters. I felt sometimes it was a little over the top, but in today’s world- don’t we all need a little escaping?

Katherine Center has a knack for writing about characters you can root for. She does an excellent job doing just this in What You Wish For. This book follows Samantha Casey, a schooI librarian who loves her job. There is a tragedy at the beginning of the story, and a new principal is brought in. His name is Duncan Carter, and Samantha immediately recognizes him as a former co-worker who she happened to love--an unrequited love. The school devolves into chaos as Duncan makes it his duty to make the school as safe as possible, while totally alienating the staff. I thought this book was a fast, compelling read. If you have enjoyed Katherine Center's past books, this one is sure to please.

If reviews were like wishes I'd have cause to believe my reviews of How to Walk Away and Things To Save in the Fire were a jinx.

So let this be a rant.

First, I wrote about the pleasure of reading a serious-grievous-situation-that-did-not-involve-rape in How to Walk Away.

Then, the serious-grievous-sitatuation in Thing You Save in the Fire did involve rape.

Fine. Rape is a prevalent problem with women (nearly 1 in 5 women have been raped) and Center wrote the recovery & forgiveness with both weight and wit.

But then, What You Wish For had no weight and only half the wit.

And that's not fine. Sure, What You Wish For was as enjoyable as any shallow romantic comedy. But Center. 👏 Is capable. 👏 Of evoking. 👏 Humor. 👏 And. 👏 Heart. 👏 So to have her treat a national problem with such flippancy and over-the-top shenanigans (as OTT as Sam's Susie Bubble-eqsue outfits) is, frankly, an insult to the characters, the readers, and to those who have personally been touched by the tragedy of school shootings. Joy & hope may have been the message, but it was lost in trite. "Laughing it off" only works with skinned knees.

CW: for mentions and depictions of school shooting, PTSD, depression, loss of a spouse, loss of a father figure, parental neglect

diversity representation (disability) in What You Wish For is thematic

I love Katherine Center's writing and I was looking forward to this book being published. I enjoyed it overall and enjoyed getting to know the characters and all their flaws. I wish there had been a trigger warning for school shootings. I know it is impossible to put trigger warnings on every book, but as a school shooting survivor, parts of this were hard to get through.

After Max Kempner, principal and founder of The Kempner School passes away the board of directors decides to bring in a new principal, Duncan Carpenter.

This is bad news for Sam the librarian, first and foremost she is still grieving Max's death since he was the closest thing to a father figure for her. Second, because she knew Ducan from her high school days and had a major crush on him.

This premise is fine enough and there are some bubbles of joy in What You Wish For. However, there's just something really off with the writing, pacing, and overall characters. I can't quite put my finger on it, but it was just a weird reading experience. I kept going along with it to see if it improved, but even the ending was just a big letdown.

It's as if the book is just trying too hard. Most situations felt unnatural and unrealistic. Some characters like Tina and Kent Buckley were bad caricatures.

Honestly, what was supposed to be a fun reading experience just put me in a bad mood.

This book was not for me and I should have DNFd it. The first chapter was excellent in setting up the story, but that was it. Nothing (literally nothing!) happened in the first half of the book and I didn’t like the dialogue, storyline, or main characters. If I had to read the name “Kent Buckley” one more time, I may have thrown the book at a wall. Mid-way through, the main male character changed in attitude and demeanor far too easily. The female lead assumes she won’t be loved by a man because she has seizures? What?!? She impulsively jumps off a dock into the sea to avoid a conversation about her feelings? There’s a whale rescue? This book is so over-the-top and cheesy. Moving on!

Started but have not finished at this time, do not plan to resume reading at this time but hopefully will finish in the future - had a hard time getting hooked into the story. Hoping to try again from the beginning soon. I have loved Katherine Centers other works!

Not my favorite Katherine Center book but it wasn’t bad either. This one had its ups and downs, caught me in the feels a few times too. Oddly enough my favorite part of the book was probably the beginning, brilliant start. It did lag a bit in the middle but came around for a strong ending. A true testimony to the power of overcoming emotions and being the person you want to be.

Was this book a little cheesy? YES. Was it a tad predictable? YES Did I devour it in one sitting? Also YES. Sam Casey has got to be one of my favorite characters EVER. She was just so sweet and likable.. I was 100% rooting for her &Duncan. What I think I love most about Katherine Center's books is that they all manage to tackle a big/hard topics in a tasteful way. They always leave me smiling by the end.

Oh my! What a pleasant surprise this book ending up being for me. It took me a bit to get into it but once I did I was hooked. I absolutely loved the feel good vibe and cried happy and sad tears from reading this.

This was a good one! Katherine Center is a must buy author for me. This one got me hooked on the first page.

What You Wish For by Katherine Center

Ever since I read How to Walk Away, Katherine Center has been an auto buy author for me! What You Wish For was my 4th read by Center and I really enjoyed it. This was such an uplifting and good feeling story and it helped me escape from the news around the world during this pandemic. I will say it wasn’t my favourite of hers, but that is probably because I loved Things You Save in a Fire so much!
This book dealt with some heavy issues such as school safety and death, but it was very well done and it shows how a close knit community can come together to bring happiness and hope to others.

4/5 stars!

Thank you Netgalley, St. Martin’s Press and Katherine Center for this ARC in exchange for my honest review!

I enjoyed reading my first book by Katherine Center. The book has a wonderful message of choosing to live life with joy each day. Happy Reading!

I received an ARC from NetGalley in exchange for my honest review.

Samantha Casey is a school librarian who loves her jobs, the students, and her work family. When the beloved principal, Max, passes away, Duncan Carpenter takes the job. Years ago, he worked with Sam, but is not the same person he was back then after a tragic accident. Now, he wants to change everything that Max set up to make the school a comfortable and educational experience for the kids. Sam had feelings for Duncan when they worked together before, and she thought Duncan would be perfect for the job. Now she’s not so sure because she sees how much he has changed. He used to be carefree and fun, but now he’s a suit wearing, straight-laced guy. Will Sam and Duncan continue to butt heads? Or, will Sam get what she wished for all those years ago?

I have read two other books by Katherine Center and loved them. Unfortunately, I didn’t feel the same about this one. There wasn’t as much character development as we’ve seen in previous books. Sam is very immature for a 28-year-old and was extremely needy. I found her character hard to like. There wasn’t much plot, and it felt like the first 60% of the book focused mostly on Sam and her insecurities. Duncan definitely had a better backstory, but I felt Sam overshadowed it. It was also odd to me how one minute Duncan and Sam were fighting, and the next they were kissing. It didn’t seem realistic to me how quickly their opinions changed. I did really like some of the secondary characters and wish they were an integral part of the story.

I do plan to read more books by Center. Although this book wasn’t for me, I have seen some reviews where the readers loved it. Please don’t let my opinion stop you from reading it.

Thank you NetGalley and St. Martin’s Press for an advanced copy in exchange for my late, but honest opinion!

Having recently finished “What You Wish For” by Katherine Center, I am happy to have had the chance for the e-book copy; thank you NetGalley and St. Martin's Press!

Springtime is back again and I was initially drawn to this gorgeous cover full of flowers when deciding to read this book next!

The story had such a perky reader in the audio version that I chose to listen to while at work. When I switched to reading the e-copy at home, I still had the voice of the narrator in my head. For me this ended up being a story about how not to live your life in constant fear and just as importantly how not to be judgemental of someone who does. This was the third book I've read by Ms. Center and each has been entertaining while touching on very sensitive and emotional issues. The school library setting has been in my mind since I read the scene. What a dream space for future readers to discover the magic between the pages!

Samantha Casey is a school librarian who loves her life as it is: the job, her friends, and the family that has basically adopted her as their own. When a tragic loss brings an upheaval, will a person from Sam's past have the power to change her outlook?

Having read the author's previous works, I was expecting good characterization, witty dialogue, and an overall pleasing story. Honestly, I was a bit disappointed by the novel as a whole. The plot seemed to be driven by a certain story line and this felt forced, in my opinion. The characters, although likable, were neither fully developed nor interesting enough to be memorable.

What You Wish For left me wanting more than what the author ultimately offered. For this reason, I would be hesitant to recommend the novel to other readers.

Disclaimer: I was given an Advanced Reader's Copy by NetGalley and the publisher, St. Martin's Press. The decision to review this book was entirely my own.

I enjoyed this book -it was a fast and easy read.I did find it predictable at times and only gave it three stars because of that.I liked this author's other book How to Walk Away,so I was a little disappointed that this wasn't as good.

What You Wish For by Katherine Center

Yes it’s cheesy, and yes our heroine Sam is pretty much like Louisa in Me Before You who is all sunshiney and colorful except that she got a condition that gave her a low self-esteem.

But overall, the story is about optimism, of choosing joy over sorrow, and frankly in these unprecedented times of pandemic and countless social issues, we could all use a light-hearted story that’s chock full of life lessons. I appreciated the author in making Sam epileptic, it is certainly a good platform to raise awareness and erase stigma against people with this lifelong condition. I also liked the parts where it was stressed again and again that whether we are grieving or experiencing any sort of trauma, it is OK to ask for help. Therapy is definitely recommended, and emotional support is not to be deflected, and choosing to be OK is a must. Ultimately, it is our decision to WANT to get better that will start the healing process. I especially love that the story is set in a small community where everyone knows and cares for each other.

Favorites quote:
“We made a choice to do joy on purpose. Not in spite if life’s sorrows. But because of them.”

Who needs to read this: EVERYONE!

After having read and enjoyed some of Center’s other books, I really struggled with What You Wish For. Overall, I felt like the main character was immature and a bit annoying. I think the author might’ve tried too hard to make her unique and quirky and it just felt a bit over the top, as did the character’s reaction to learning that her former workplace crush (she hadn’t had a relationship with this person, she had barely even spoken to him) was now the principal of her school.

There were some serious themes introduced in the book, school shootings being the most serious. I won’t include any spoilers here, but the trauma of a past shooting felt like I was too easily resolved and it didn’t feel realistic to me.

I think Center’s main strength is writing romances with depth and while I think this had all of the ingredients, it just didn’t work for me.