Of the novels I’ve read from this author, this would be my least favorite. I liked it, but didn’t love it. The characters introduced didn’t seem to have enough personality to connect with them through reading and the storyline didn’t fully satisfy.

Sweet, cheesy and just great. I love books that leave me with a smile. I always look forward to a Katherine Center read!

Such a cute yet deep book. Katherine Center is always so wholesome, and I highly recommend this novel and look forward to her next

Samantha had it all figured out until life brought the absolute last person she would want into her life. This story was a lot of fun following Samantha and how she navigated bringing fun back into her life and living by choosing joy. There were many ups and downs literally and figuratively, as Samantha dealt with her once obsession, Duncan. 4 stars for this one. Thank you, NetGalley and St. Martin's Press for the eARC.

I’m a huge fan of Katherine Center and she didn’t disappoint! This book was maybe a tiny bit predictable, but I thoroughly enjoyed it and it left me feeling happy! What more could you wish for? :)

All about letting go of fear that prevents us from loving and experiencing joy.

Sam, a private school librarian, has epilepsy and, as a result, had a very tough childhood. As an adult, it’s mostly under control, but the damage to her self-esteem is evident. She, by her own admission, purposely fights to find joy, but can’t let go of the ghosts of the past.

Duncan, who Sam has loved for years, comes back into her life a changed man...and not for the better. The charming, magnetic free spirit (“human mood-enhancer” per Sam) is gone, replaced by a buttoned-up, rigid man who, as new principal, wants to turn their beloved school into a prison, all in the name of keeping the children safe. Sam is determined to find out what’s happened to him and, when she does, she’s forced to look at her own life and acknowledge the comparisons between their stories that have had such a profoundly sad impact on their lives.

Despite the heavy topics discussed, the love story between them is redemptive and very touching. Center, author of Things You Save in a Fire, has gifted us with another heartwarming story that leaves us feeling optimistic at a time when we could all use some joy in our lives. The only thing that would have made it better would be a dual POV so we’d be privy to Duncan’s thoughts. Highly recommended!


I received a complimentary ARC of this book from St. Martin's Press through NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. Opinions expressed are completely my own.

I have become a huge Center fan, so anytime she has a book out, I try to get my hands on it.

This one is about Sam, a librarian who moved to Galveston and tried to change her life to something joyful. After the death of her good friend and school principal, the newly hired principal comes in. Sam recognizes Duncan from where she worked previously, but he’s not the same guy at all. He used to be fun, dress outrageously, and laugh constantly. Now he’s serious at all times, obsessed with school safety, and wears his gray suit every day.

As the story develops, Sam determines to try to break Duncan out of his funk and help him find some purposeful joy, the same as she did.

The storyline of this book was really good. I like Duncan and his story, his shifted world perspective. I also really liked reading about Galveston, a small beach town in Texas.

My struggle with this book was actually the main character Sam. I never quite got to love her. She seemed kind of ditzy and obtuse, to the point where I found myself sometimes rolling my eyes at what she was doing or saying. I liked her okay, but she wasn’t a strong main character to me.

Did I still enjoy this book? Yes! Good stories are good stories. I do recommend it!

This was a fun fantastic read that I could not put down. It was heartwarming and left me feeling good.

I received a copy of this from Netgalley in exchange for fair and honest review.

This book was amazing. The main characters were developed really well and easy to root for. Suspenseful and romantic all at the same time. Highly recommend!

I loved this book, Katherine Center did not disappoint! I have read all of her books in obe sitting and What You Wish For was no different!!

The perfect beach read with a captivating plot! It was a page-turner as I was anxious to find out what happened next!

Beautiful.

I love that this book was about a teacher. It was the perfect read for this pandemic when I needed to read bout a "normal" school.

The characters are all lovely and I cared about the main character the most. I want her to be my coworker.

Katherine Center once again paints a heartwarming, beautiful world filled with empathetic, real, but flawed characters. When Duncan comes to her new school, Sam isn't sure how to respond. Will she suddenly fall back in love with him? Will she move on? Or will she need to flee like she did 4 years ago? I love Katherine Center's writing. She does an amazing job at creating such realistic settings and people, drawing you right into the story. The characters are lovable, but not perfect. Once I got into the main plot, the book flew by. I had a hard time putting this down, wanting to find out what happened next. The only criticism I have is regarding ethics and psychotherapy. There were some questionable things in the book that wouldn't fly in the real world.

I thoroughly enjoyed this book. It has heart and thought and isn't just a feel-good romance; it has depth to it, and I really liked the characters and the believability.

“But thats the thing about joy, you don’t have to wait for it to happen you can make it happen.”

This is one of those books that I think I enjoyed even more because I listened to it. Very well done! It had me laughing, smiling and also tearing up at some parts.
It has a great reminder to choose joy. Yes, this world is tough and sucks a hell of a lot of the time but...”we made a choice to do joy on purpose. Not in spite of life’s sorrows. But because of them.”

Always a fan of a taste of candy like Center’s novels. I can always count on these books picking me up and making my day better as I race through the story.

I really enjoyed this book-i was pleasantly surprised with this one. Great writing, cute story. I liked the characters a lot.

Wow! I loved this contemporary fiction/romance by Katherine Center! Thank you so much to Netgalley for my advanced readers copy.
I totally related to the school librarian in this novel and her loyalty to the tragic lost of her beloved principal. Then she is bombarded by the new recruit-her former crush-and he ends up being nothing like what she remembers..
This enemies to lovers story is simply wonderful and I adored every word.

Highly recommend.

What You Wish For by Katherine Center was everything I could have wished for (sorry 🤷🏼‍♀️)! The adorable, totally unserious little brother, Duncan, from Happiness for Beginners is completely changed from what we and protagonist, Sam, remembers. His life has taken some unexpected turns when he starts working with Sam at the beautiful, historic, artsy & beloved Kempner School. Sam is quirky and Duncan is dark and unreadable. The story is comforting and warm and bubbly and intoxicating. In a voice that is memorable and unique and to Center, she is able to take really serious and life altering topics and tell the stories gracefully and carefully, and make it look effortless. This is a story of redemption after tragedy and a beautiful romance that Center fans and romance fans at large will adore.
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You don't have to read Happiness for Beginners first, but I highly recommend that you do, because it is a great book.
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(CW: gun violence, PTSD, violence against children, grief)
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Huge thank you to st martins press for the beautiful ARC.

This story felt a little heavier than some of Katherine’s previous book but that wasn’t necessarily a bad thing, just unexpected. The main characters are both afraid to want to be happy, however they see the need for it in each other.