What You Wish For is a feel good, make you happy book written Katherine Center, author of Things You Save in a Fire. Unfortunately, it didn't make me feel good or happy but, rather, bored and underwhelmed. Please note that I am very aware that I am the fish swimming against the current and that every female reader who I know has "loved" this book. You can read their reviews if you'd like.

Sam is a pleaser, you know the kind, the gal who wants everyone to happy all of the time and goes out of her way to make sure that you always have a smile on your face. The beginning of the story tells of her love of her job as a librarian in Galveston, TX (have you been to Galveston lately?) the perfect couple she is living with, her nerdy friend with math joke t-shirts, and her beautiful school where everything is perfect - the kids, the library where she works, just simply everything until the principal of the school and one half of the perfect couple mentioned above dies at the anniversary party Sam has planned. Whew. But, hey, no problem because Sam never allows anything to get her down and she will cheerfully take care of everyone, including the new principal who is who her old, once fun boyfriend who is now a curmedgeon set on "destroying" her beloved school. I will just stop here and say.... enough.

Here's the thing. I have read hundreds of books since COVID19 began infecting the world. I understand that many readers want happy, go-lucky, cheerful books to keep their mind off of reality. This book, with one glaring exception, will hit the mark for you. It is, literally, made for television happy. But that is not what I needed or still need. I'm sick of overly happy, cheesy women (and men) who walk around with smiles on their faces when there is nothing to be happy about right now. I'm not a stick in the mud or bitter but I cannot do fake and insipid either. The fact is that library funding - school and local - is shrinking. Schools, especially in Texas, are not coping with the demands of the 21st century learning curves. They have taken science out of their science classes and facts out of their history classes so I'm a little cynical when I read about this perfect school set in a city where I know it's a fallacy and all we need to do is make the principal remember how much fun he used to be. Right. But it's fiction, you say. Sure, or maybe it should listed in the fantasy section. Regardless, I'm not going to write a review that says RAH RAH when I tried twice to read this book and couldn't finish it either time. I read silly books. I read fun books. I didn't find this to be either. Whether you read or enjoy it is totally up to you.

3.5 Stars bumped to 4 because of the topic

In NY Times bestselling author Katherine Center's latest outing, we meet Samantha Casey, aka Sam, an elementary school librarian who has made a great life for herself in Galveston, Texas at the Kempner School. Before that she'd been at Andrews Prep in California. She left after coming to terms with an unrequited crush on a fellow faculty member, Duncan Carpenter. Duncan was a very colorful and fun character but Samantha thought he barely noticed her. After pet sitting for him and reading a notebook of his that was left lying out in the kitchen from cover to cover, Samantha decided that she needed to leave, in part because of feelings of embarrassment over what she'd done. It's now four years later and she lives in the carriage house of her school principal and his wife, Max and Babette Kempner, and she's become firmly ensconced in their lives. They love her and she loves them and it totally infuriates their daughter Tina, who is often too busy to spend time with them. After a fateful birthday celebration as the novel opens, Kempner School is looking for a new principal. And of course, that new principal will be none other than Duncan Carpenter. Only, Sam finds he's almost unrecognizable! Gone are the Hawaiian shirts and wild humor. When he shows up in a three-piece suit and starts talking about big changes, she can't figure out what's going on. Then Babette's colorful cafeteria mural is painted gray because it's "easier to see what's going on clearly" and Sam declares war. But the problem is that she still cares for Duncan. What happened to change such a joyful man into a security-mad obsessive? In this day and age, in America, it doesn't take much to figure out why. But watching Sam and Duncan unravel the reasons was a diverting read.

I enjoyed this book more than Center's last outing. Her style of writing characters remains engaging and this is a fast, enjoyable read, considering the seriousness of the topic that forms the underpinning of the story, which is (view spoiler)

I received a digital review copy and a paper review copy of this novel in exchange for an honest review.

WHAT YOU WISH FOR - Heartwarming, Heartbreaking, Inspiring, And So Very Relatable. Recommend!

’As the school community spirals into chaos, and danger from all corners looms large, Sam and Duncan must find their way to who they really are, what it means to be brave, and how to take a chance on love―which is the riskiest move of all.’

It isn't often that a book comes around, at precisely the right moment in my life, and for me, that book is WHAT YOU WISH FOR.

’”I’m not happy because it comes easily to me. I bite and scratch and claw my way toward happiness every day.” ”It’s a choice,” […] A choice to value the good things that matter. A choice to rise above everything that could pull you down. A choice to look misery right in the eyes . . . and then give it the finger.”’

Thank you, NetGalley and St. Martin’s Press, for providing me with an advance eBook of WHAT YOU WISH FOR in exchange for an honest review.

Released Today!

This was such a great romantic comedy. I loved it. Katherine Center has a way of writing that brings her characters to life and you feel like they are your best friends. She adds in some drama, sexual tension and some true to life incidents and you get a book that you can not put down until you finished. I was giggling and laughing out loud at parts but then other parts brought tears to my eyes. Sam and Duncan are my new favorite couple. With 2020 being a wash of a year, this book brought back some hope and happiness. Thank you #KatherineCenter for such a positive delightful story.
Also thanks to #StMartinsPress and #NetGalley for this ARC.

Sweet, thoughtful, and romantic, this book is like a delightful balm, soothing in the best of ways.

In this pleasant, heart-warming read we follow the story of Sam and Duncan. Two educators that have survived their own different sorts of trauma. It is a tale of self-discovery, personal growth, friendship, and the importance of going through life truly living, not just surviving.

All the characters, Sam and Duncan especially, were easy to resonate with. The things they did and their response to the horrors they've faced are relatable, believable. I finished it all in one go, and I enjoyed every minute of it.

“Listen close: pay attention to the things that connect you with joy.”

It’s easy to say I’ve now joined the Katherine Center fan club. This is the first book I’ve read of hers and I enjoyed every minute of it. It was full of these incredibly, joyful scenes, with a splash of sweet romance, but also included some pretty heavy/traumatic topics. I was intrigued from start to finish.

Being a native Texan, I loved the Galveston setting. I’ve visited the island many times and recognized so many of the descriptions. I’ve even attended a wedding at the Garten Verein. Having an elementary aged kid myself, the images of this creative, charming school was everything a parent would want for their child. I loved how it was decorated, how they engaged the students and how amazing the faculty was.

I loved Sam .... and Duncan .... and Clay ... and even Chuck Norris, the cutest non-security dog. The chemistry between Sam and Duncan was magnetizing, especially as your start to learn more about their entwined past and what both have been through.

I wasn’t expecting the depth of emotions. This story spoke about death, school gun violence, epilepsy, and neglect. They each were utterly heartbreaking, but cast such a bright light on the underlining theme of mindfully searching for joy even through the darkness.

This book was just good for my soul.

Being a teacher, I have never related more to a book than I did this one: it takes place in Texas at Kempner School and the people and school made me think of my school so much it gave me all the feels. Samantha Casey is the school librarian and her library sounds like something straight out of heaven, complete with a “reading nook” and a legit nest. After leaving her first school to get some distance from Duncan Carpenter, a coworker she had an overwhelming crush for, she finally thinks her life is on track and she can move forward. That is, until her beloved boss Max suddenly passes away and in his place they hire Duncan, a man so changed from the kind and silly man she knew and who starts making extreme changes to the school that ruffles everyone’s feathers. ⠀
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I loved how human Sam was and her witty sense of humor, she seemed so fun and I enjoyed her banter with people. Having an overwhelming crush where you don’t know how they feel or what to do with those feelings is literally the worst, and I would change schools too if the feelings were that strong. This novel has some heavy aspects to it, such as parent relationships and the importance of safety at schools, but the biggest part about it is family and what it means to different people in the book. I’ll be honest I teared up at the end, but I won’t give too much away! ⠀
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🍷to sum it up: witty writing, all about schools and teachers (🙋🏻‍♀️), romantic comedy, parental relationships, medical conditions mentioned, school safety, would highly recommend, sure I’d read again

What a treat to have a new Katherine Center book to read during the pandemic! Her books always leave me feeling encouraged, happy and unstressed. This book continues those happy feelings.

What You Wish For is set in the world of elementary education in Galveston, TX. Sam (Samantha Casey) is the librarian for a glorious, award winning elementary school. After the school suffers a tremendous and unexpected loss, Sam is hopeful when it is announced that she will be working with a colleague that she deeply respected and secretly crushed on at her previous school. However, the community is rocked when Duncan arrives and is completely the opposite of his prior self. Is he friend or foe?

This is a wonderful story about reaching for joy and choosing happiness when dealing with challenging circumstances outside your control. Highly recommended! Enjoy this uplifting story that is published at a time we all need it.

WOW! What a story. This book is so good. It will have you laughing so hard and crying such big huge tears that you won’t know if you are truly happy or sad. I laughed so hard at Samantha’s(Sam) antics. She is truly a funny, delightful, serious, feeling, librarian, that you will fall in love with. She is probably my favorite character. I love this book. The tears will flow and heartache will be there, but this book is totally awesome. This story, told from Sam’s words, is exceptionally light and carefree. She’s such a likable person that we can all relate to in ways. She’s serious also when she needs to be.

When Sam finds out who is replacing Max as the principal of the school where she is a librarian she can’t believe it. Of all the places for her first crush to show up it is there. From the bottom of her heart she is not happy with this news. Will she survive and be able to continue to work here? Will her heart be able to stand seeing him again?

Duncan starts out as a very unlikable character in this book. As Sam thinks back on how he use to be though you will start to like him a bit better. After you get to know him and know exactly why he changed so much you will love him. You will shed some serious tears when he finally tells his story though so be warned. He’s a hard man who has had a very hard time of it. But with Sam, Alice and Babette there to help, he just might stand a chance again.

This book will touch you in many ways. It’s got all the feels. Happy tears, sad tears, laughter, seriousness, lost and found, beached whales even. It has a lot going on and to me it’s the best book I’ve read by Katherine Center and I have read some very good ones by her. This is my favorite though. It’s a quick read with very likable characters. Likable settings that you will feel like you are in the middle of. So many things that will give you the kind of feels you like in a book. It’s just an all around great one to lose yourself in.

Thank you to #NetGalley, #KatherineCenter, #StMartin’sPress for this ARC. This review is told from my heart in my own words.

A big 5/5 and a high recommendation to all.

What You Wish For is a "feel good" story centered around finding joy no matter the circumstances. The book centers around a creative, quirky librarian, Samantha, and the new principal, Duncan, of a small, private school. Both Samantha and Duncan have a history of physical (epilepsy) and emotional challenges that they confront throughout the book. I enjoyed this quirky story and Samantha and Duncan's brave journey to find joy among the sorrow.

One of my favorite quotes in the book showcases this journey: “Joy and sorrow walk side by side, and being alive means risking one for the other."

Thanks to NetGalley and St. Martin’s Press for sharing this ARC.

I loved this book! I'm a fan of this author and this book is wonderfully unique with amazing characters. It's a bit of a mystery and also has a splash of romance and HEA after a beautiful and refreshing story. 5 stars!

I love the covers of all of Katherine's book. They are so colorful, fun, and inviting. The stories inside these amazing covers are just the same. They are always feel good stories with memorable, caring people.

What You Wish For is centered around an elementary school and the main character is the school librarian. Right off the bat, I was in love with this story—school and libraries! Win, win!

When one of the founders of the school dies unexpectedly, a new principal is hired. Duncan has some definite ideas of how things are run and are completely different from the way Max ran things. The fact that Sam knew Max in the past, when his personality was completely different from today, pits the two of them together as they try to do what they feel is best for the school and the children. I loved watching the two of them go head-to- head as they tried to resolve their differences.

As it always is with Katherine's books, in What You Wish For, the writing is so easy to get lost in, the characters are wonderful, and the story is satisfying. This is the perfect summer read!

I just read What You Wish For by Katherine Center & really liked it.

Her books seem to be everywhere & this was my first time reading one of her novels. I’ll definitely be reading more of her books. Set in Galveston Island, TX, the island comes alive as the base for this story & makes for an unusual backdrop, which I enjoyed. The two main characters, Samantha (Sam) & Daniel, worked together at a different a few years before, but are now unexpectedly working together again. I appreciated the backstory & viewpoint of both Sam & Daniel, they each have a burden or a traumatic event they’re holding close. I cried at a couple of points in the book & kept turning the pages to see how it all tied up. It was an easy, fun read & Katherine Center has written a wonderful novel. Definitely a smart, fun book.

Thanks to NetGalley for the complimentary copy of the book in exchange for my honest review.

Samantha Casey is a school librarian at a quirky little school in Texas and adores her little community. When the beloved school founder and principal dies suddenly, everyone in the town is left picking up the pieces. A new principal comes to town and everything changes for the school and community.

As a fellow educator, this book really hit home for me. I loved getting to check back in with beloved characters from Happiness for Beginner's (my favorite Katherine Center Novel) and I devoured this book in a little over one day. Center is always excellent at developing multi-faceted female characters and stories that feel fresh and original. Although Sam isn't my favorite character that Center has created, I really enjoyed this book's heartfelt story and discussion on timely topics, such as gun violence in our schools. I think that if you love her work, this will be no exception.

I am a big fan of Katherine Center's work and was really looking forward to this latest one. I have to admit I was somewhat disappointed. I struggled to get through the first part of the book... it felt like I was trying to swim through mud. It was slow and I just could not relate to the characters.

I stuck it out and I am glad I did. The plot began to make more sense as I got further into the book and it felt more familiar as Katherine's writing. The characters began to become more real and more believable. On the whole, it is a good book. I had expectations that were maybe a bit unfair to the author.

The overall theme of the book is healing... emotional and physical. Both the main characters have suffered trauma in some fashion and their journey to healing is at the core of the book. It is not an easy summer read but it has its good points and overall rates 4 stars in my opinion.

I was anxious to read this book since I loved Things You Save In A Fire by Katherine Center. But I have to say this one didn’t really meet my expectations. I felt like I was on a rollercoaster. One minute I’d think the story was going great, then just as fast I’d shake my head and decide things weren’t going well at all.

Though there is a nice message and sometimes it sneaked out and was conveyed nicely, too much of the story was exaggerated. And by demonstrating over-the-top actions, the characters’ believability took a nosedive for me.

I might have expected some of the actions by Duncan, who was stepping in as a new principal. But when he was cool toward Sam, insensitive toward teachers and what they’d become accustomed to, plus obsessed with school safely, I had to roll my eyes. I even wondered if it was going to be a comedy. Nope.

That being said, as I continued to read the writing did improve. But not enough. About the time I would think the story was shaping up, another exaggerated reaction by one of the characters would pop up. I never bonded with any of the characters of felt they were developed.

What Concerned Me
Much of the story was predictable and the actions by the characters felt unbelievable. Plus Sam and Duncan acted more like teenagers or early twenties most of the time. The maturity level just wasn’t evident.

What I Like Best
The message was good and as the story progressed it did get better. But it still had the rollercoaster or yo-yo effect for me. It bounced back and forth between good and then silly. And while rom coms can be both humorous and silly, it didn’t work for me.

Again, I did like the message and it is a good one to take to heart. People should choose joy, especially in difficult and painful times.

More reviews at https://pickagoodbook.com

I love how Katherine Center's books combine compelling women and those they love facing challenges with hope and growth. What You Wish For is a hope-filled book that arrives at a time when many of us are struggling to find hope and choose joy. Samantha is a school librarian in Galveston, TX whose small and unique private school experiences the sudden death of its founder and principal and a new principal who has a much different approach. While I could foresee what the characters' background situations affecting their decision-making and traumatic reactions, it didn't diminish my love for the characters and their stories. I was personally encouraged by the messages of seeking moments of joy and choosing joy when possible and how to do this in ordinary and extraordinary life and world challenges. I also loved the setting of Galveston, TX and the school, especially the perspective of the librarian. Overall I really loved this book and am thankful for books like this, at all times, but especially now. Thanks to NetGalley and St. Martin's Press for the E-ARC, which did not affect my review because despite having an E-ARC, I still purchased my own physical copy because I loved it so much.

Katherine Center is one of the few authors that I count on. I can always pick up one of her books and know I will absolutely love it. And once again that was the case! Every book of hers has a message and this one was choose joy which in a time of a pandemic is especially true. Thank you Net Galley and St. Martin's Press for letting me read this book!

I really enjoyed What You Wish For by Katherine Center. The story is well written and interesting. The characters are well developed with great personalities and relationships.

Ughh. I so wanted to like this book. I LOVED the authors last two books but this one fell far, far short of expectations. Between the stereotypical librarian lead (I'm a librarian, I hate this trope) and the saccharine, predictable storyline, I had to force myself to finish this.