What You Wish For is the eighth novel by author Katherine Center. Set in Galveston and revolving around the Kempner School, the main character of this story is Samantha (Sam) Casey, the school’s librarian. Sam has been at the Kempner School for four years and has become an integral part of the ‘family’. She is as close to Max and Babette Kempner as though they were her parents. When Max suddenly dies, the entire Kempner community is devastated. Their leader is gone. When Sam learns that Duncan Carpenter, someone she taught with in California, will be their new leader she is both elated and miserable at the thought of seeing him again.

She remembers Duncan as a happy go lucky educator that thrilled and elated his students, luring them into learning. What arrived on their first day back was a drab, buttoned up authoritarian. Whatever had happened to the man she had known, and loved?

This is a beautifully told story with many twists. It will tug at your heart but also leave you winded at times as the tale unfolds. I did ver much enjoy this book and I do recommend it!!

I’ve loved Katherine Center’s previous books, and wasn’t disappointed with this one. A wonderful story about fun, creative people, enriching children’s s lives, while providing wonderful learning experiences.
Sam loves her job as a librarian at a unique school in Texas. She loves the owners of the private school, Max and Babette and the other wonderful teachers there. And then a co worker from the past shows up, to take over as Principal and everything changes.
This is a story of relationships that can survive the most difficult situation, friendships that endure tragedy and change and affects lives in different ways.
Katherine Centers is a wonderful story tellers with warm colorful characters that just make you wish you knew them too. This was a feel good tale, with its share of pain and sadness, but an ending that made me smile.
My thanks to #StMartin’sPress and #NetGalley for the ARC All opinions are my own! I loved this book!

Having enjoyed the previous two novels I've read by this author, I didn't hesitate to request an ARC of this story. Katherine Center packs an emotional punch with her writing and the topics she chooses. Unfortunately, <i>What You Wish For</i> just fell flat for me. I figured out pretty early on what triggered Duncan's personality change and I absolutely never connected with Samantha. I don't feel like the two actually even liked each other but bam, here's your relationship. I also felt like a lot of Duncan's emotional labor was put on Sam and I just didn't really ever find my groove with this one. I will continue to read Center's work but this one wasn't my favorite.

This is my fourth Katherine Center book - I guess you could say I'm a fan. I've come to know what to expect from Center. There will be a love story, there will be great relationships between friends and family, there will be some heavy subject matter that never seems to weigh the book down, and there will be a happily-ever-after. Given the times we're living in right now, knowing that everything would be fine in the end is one of the reasons I jumped at the chance to review this book.

As with all of her books, Center has filled What You Wish For with humor - Sam's best friend is a math teacher who wears t-shirts every day with math jokes on them, Sam dresses like Ms. Frizzell from The Magic School Bus, and the dialogue often felt like it was straight out of a rom-com movie. It's not all fun - Center tackles divorce, the struggles of having epilepsy, death, and school shootings. But Center never touches on the tough subjects without also offering hope. The message here is that we should all "pay attention to the things that connect you to joy."
"'What does joy have to do with anything?' 'Joy is important.' Was it? I don't know...[j]oy seems pretty expendable. But Max just smiled. 'It's one of the secrets to life that no one ever tells you. Joy cures everything.'...'Joy is an antidote to fear. To anger. To boredom. To sorrow.' 'But you can't just decide to feel joyful.' 'True. But you can decide to do something joyful.'"
Isn't that what we've all been trying to do lately? Having to decide to do something joyful? Center suggests that it can be as simple as wearing fun cloths:
"I wasn't hiding anymore. I was a lady with a flower hat now. Faced with darkness, I had chosen flowers. And polka dots. And light."
I loved that message; I needed that message right now. It was enough to keep me reading even though I didn't entirely buy on to the reason Sam left the school she used to work work and even when, at times, it felt like Duncan's and Sam's relationship went forward and backward a little too much. I cared about these characters and I wanted them to heal and find the happiness. And light.

When I found out that Katherine Center had a new book coming out, I hit up my contact at St Martin's Press right away. I didn't even read the description, I went on blind faith because I read Things You Save in a Fire and How to Walk Away last year and couldn't believe how good they were. I have no idea how Katherine Center keeps topping herself, but her books keep getting better and better with each release. What You Wish For is a poignant, beautiful story of loss, grief, and learning to let others in that everyone should have on their TBR this summer.

What is the book about?

What You Wish For takes place in a small community that is anchored around the local elementary school. Helmed by a beloved principal, the school is known for its passion for creativity and the arts - but when the heart and soul of the school dies, the fate of the school is put in jeopardy. Enter Duncan - a previously goofy, currently authoritarian man hired to be the new principal. His priority for the school is improving the security, even at the cost of the school's signature creativity. Samantha must take the time to figure out what the hell happened to Duncan, and quickly figure out how she can save her school.

Lets talk about Samantha

Samantha was a great lead for this book - she wielded her bright and colorful clothing as armor, loved her job, and was fiendishly dedicated to her little corner of the school. She was the exact opposite of Duncan: optimistic in the face of her medical struggles and experiences. It was this optimism that I loved - it wasn't born out of naiveté, she made the conscious decision every day to not let her medical issues hold her back. Though, through flashbacks, we do get to see who she was before she decided to take control of her life and not let her medical issues control her. She was a genuinely caring character, who loved her friends, and treated them all like family.

The Max of it all

Even though Max, the principal of the school, passed away in the first pages of the book, he is still a massive presence throughout the rest of the story. Almost every character in the book had a Max-ism (or a lesson Max taught them) that influenced the very core of their character. For example, he was the one who helped Sam through the aftermath of her last major medical episode. He helped her learn to take control of her life, and taught her ways to seek out joy (and to stop using a neutral wardrobe as an invisibility cloak). Max left a true void in this book, but he also continued to teach and improve the lives of the people at his school. For not actually having a physical presence for 99% of the book, Max was a hell of a character.

Lets talk about Duncan

Duncan was also an artfully crafted character - in the beginning, he was a ruthless authoritarian, implementing sweeping (and creativity oppressing) changes in Samantha's beloved school. He wasn't always this way: he and Sam had previously worked at the same school, where he was a colorful, fun loving teacher. He was the goofy teacher: the one who spearheaded pancake days and wore crazy outfits, and set a standard for the rest of the teachers at his school. The best part of this book was the exploration of how such a beloved, colorful teacher became a dictator principle obsessed with security. The arc he experiences as he slowly sheds this strict persona is one of the best examples of character growth I've read in a long time.

How cute were they together?

These two had the cutest relationship - and it even began as an unrequited crush. When Sam and Duncan previously worked together, Sam developed a deep crush for Duncan - an unrequited one. Duncan was in a relationship at the time, and when rumors started circulating that he would be proposing to his girlfriend soon, Sam decided to give herself a fresh start and move to Max's school. When the two are reunited, they have no chemistry - Sam was even plotting to get Duncan fired. However, cracks started to show in Duncan's carefully crafted facade, and their (slow burn) chemistry kicked off. I really loved that their chemistry grew organically as they got to know each other - it felt realistic and raw. They slowly discovered truths about each other and fell for each other in a really natural way - they were definitely one of my favorite rom-com couples.

Verdict

What You Wish For is a topical, meaningful contemporary book with a sweet underlying romance. I can't wait to read whatever she writes next - and I would highly recommend everyone who is a fan of contemporary books pick up her previous books (see my reviews for Things You Save in a Fire and How to Walk Away). Do yourself a favor and add this book to your summer reading list, I promise you won't regret it. 5/5

The entire Kempner School community is reeling from the sudden death of principal and school founder, Max. Librarian Sam (Samantha) Casey is equal parts elated and traumatized when she learns Duncan Carpenter will be leading the school. She worked with the charismatic Duncan years earlier, and like most of the school's population, she was in love with him.

But the Duncan Carpenter who arrives in Galveston at the beginning of the school year is not the Duncan she knew years ago. Instead of fun-loving and engaging, he is stern, obsessed with school safety, and determined to suck all that is good out of Kempner School.

She isn't surprised that he doesn't seem to know her. Not only was she beneath his notice when they previously worked together, she was determined not to stand out; now, Sam wears bright, colorful clothing and is unafraid to speak her mind. As much as she hates what he's become, she still finds herself drawn to him, and is unofficially appointed the liaison to determine what's going on.

As Max's widow and other members of the school community cooperate to rehabilitate Duncan, Sam finds herself changing as well, but what is unchanged is her love for Duncan. But will one final betrayal destroy their budding relationship?

A timely and engaging novel, with a strong romantic element that is saved from being too trite by the very real issues Sam and Duncan must address. #WhatYouWishFor #NetGalley

I enjoyed this one,
Katherine Center writes in a very beautiful way.
I particularly didn't connect with the main character, but I still was able to connect with the book,

The book is about living without fear, I loved that...

I recommend this if you are looking for a light summer read!

What I wish for is that each Katherine Center novel would never end!

Samantha Casey loves everything about her job as an elementary school librarian. But when the school suddenly loses its beloved principal, it turns out his replacement will be none other than Duncan Carpenter—a former crush of Sam’s. When Duncan shows up, he’s nothing like the sweet teacher she once swooned over.
Center’s characters and their situations are so real, that she never fails to draw me into their stories. I related to Sam because of her medical condition as my son has the same condition. Duncan’s past (while I could see that explanation coming) was heartbreaking but relatable because we’ve seen that scenario played out so much lately. I loved the slow and steady pace of the romance, as I hate the wham-bam-thank-you-ma’am romances. The history between Sam and Duncan is believable and made their reconnection believable as well. As an animal lover, I related to one scene near the end. I won’t say more, but I had a hard time reading through tears.

The following quotes are a small sample of the powerful words Center used to tell this story. Each grabbed my attention because during such uncertain times, I needed the reminder.

“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.”

“But that’s the thing about joy. You don’t have to wait for it to happen. You can make it happen.”

“Life is full of danger. Terrible things happen all the time. That doesn’t mean you live your life in fear.”

Tears and laughter throughout this story allowed this reader to close this book a happy reader. So, Ms. Center, when does your next book come out? I’m ready and waiting!

I received an UNCORRECTED proof of What You Wish For from St. Martin’s Press in exchange for my honest review. Thanks for another great one SMP!

This is now my favorite Katherine Center novel, and I did not want it to end. It is the perfect book for the times that we are living in right now as it consistently reminds the reader to live life and to choose joy. The characters are relatable, and the story is set around a close knit community full of hope and love. Thank you NetGalley for the ARC, and thank you, Katherine Center, for introducing me to Sam and Duncan.

Center is one of those authors for me where I *know* I'm in for a truly heartbreaking but absolutely wonderful read each time I get my hands on one of her stories. If there is one word to describe What You Wish for its 'heart'. You'll laugh, you'll cry, and you'll feel as though you've become a bit more human for reading it. Every character has their own broken pieces, they don't always do the right thing, but they persevere to a wonderful conclusion.

All of the characters have great depth, the pacing is absolutely perfect, and each emotion (both the humor and the sadness) hit the reader right in the heart. If there is a book for a time when people are seeking connection, it's this one and I've been recommending it to everyone I can think of since finishing it. Sometimes you need a feeling story, a story that clutches you and leaves you a little different afterwards. This is it and I couldn't recommend it more highly.

Note: I received a free electronic edition of this book via NetGalley in exchange for the honest review above. I would like to thank them, the publisher, and the author for the opportunity to do so.

There wasn't anything about this novel that was new or unexpected. BUT the author still managed to suck me into the story. I passed a great lazy day sipping coffee and enjoying this story.

Samantha works as a librarian at an elementary school in Galveston, TX. She enjoys her life on the island and loves her school. After the school's much loved principal dies unexpectedly, the board announces that they've hired his replacement and the name is one that Samantha recognizes from her past: Duncan Carpenter. Samantha knew him from a past job at another school. He was an exuberant teacher who always wore funny ties, and loved dancing and juggling for the kids. Samantha had a big crush on him.

But the Duncan who shows up at the school seems entirely different. He wears boring gray suit, never cracks a smile and has big plans to vamp up the security at the school, while also reducing the fun by cancelling all field trips, painting all the walls gray and more. Samantha tries to figure out what made Duncan change so drastically.

This was a sweet story that makes for a perfect light-hearted summer read. It was a great way to take my mind off of things. Samantha was a likable narrator and you couldn't help but root for her. This was the second book that I've read by this author (I read [book:Things You Save in a Fire|41150382] earlier this year) and I've enjoyed both so I will definitely be checking out more of her books.

THIS is how contemporary romance books should be! Hooray! I loved it so much! I loved everything about it, from the characters, to the plot, to the complicated love story. I laughed out loud many times. Duncan was swoon-worthy even when he was being evil-Duncan, and although I figured out the reason for his transformation prior to its reveal, it still left me reeling. And teary-eyed. I'm NOT a fast reader, by any means, but I finished this book in just a few days. I could not put it down.

One more thing...I'm NOT a fan of explicit content in my romance books. The "steam" that is common in so many books completely destroys the romance for me. The fact that the characters in this book don't immediately fall into bed with each other was SUCH a breath of fresh air. After I finished reading, I went straight to my library account and added the rest of this author's books to my list. I will be reading them all! Thank you so much to NetGalley and the publisher for a copy in exchange for an honest review.

This book certainly brings you on a roller coaster of emotions. It starts off with the loss of the beloved principle of their school. Sam is devastated but even more so when she hears the replacement is her unrequited love that she escaped from just a few years ago.

However, he isn't the man she remembers. Gone is the fun loving happy man, replaced with a stickler for safety. Taking it so overboard as to almost ruin her school. From the butterfly garden, field trips to the ocean for cleanups and the fun murals and bright colors.

Many themes run through the book, including finding joy, happiness and finding balance.

I love Katherine Center. That's all there is to say. But really, I sink into her stories so easily and feel such an immediate love for her characters. I already loved Duncan, but this gives him so much more than what he was in Happiness for Beginners. I really enjoyed both his and Sam's growth and connection through this book. I always learn and grow a little with each book Center writes and end up pressing them into everyone's hands. Thank you for another great read. I loved it.

I waited so patiently for the next novel from Katherine Center and it was totally worth the wait. I devoured this one in a day and loved everything about it. The characters were fantastic and the setting made me want to move to that quaint little town immediately. If you’ve read anything by Center, you know her writing sucks you in and the dialogue between characters always sweeps you up. I loved this one so much and would highly recommend picking it up. Thank you to Netgalley for sending a copy in exchange for an honest review.

This is the second book I have read by Katherine Center and I have absolutely loved both of them. She may be my new favorite author. The characters in this book were so well developed and so lovable. Sam is a librarian who adores her school and her students and her books (naturally). But she has an illness she tried to hide from and a childhood that makes it hard to trust others to not leave and she has decided to fight for joy every single day. I loved the whimsy of her library and her bright pink bangs and all the bright colored socks that she wore to school. I admired her and her determination to be joyful on every single page. Now I honestly wasn't sure how I felt about Duncan because he was so straight laced and the complete opposite of Sam in EVERY way. Not only that, but he seemed pretty obsessed with school safety (maybe a little too much, but also understandable in today's climate) and the changes that he wanted to make were just so outrageous. I became just as frustrated and upset as Sam, but when his history was explained, I felt so much empathy for him and I just wanted to hug him and give him back his joy. This book was both funny and sad at times and the romance and chemistry between Sam and Duncan were an incredible slow burn, which I LOVE. Even though Sam had a huge crush on Duncan in the past, I really liked that the author didn't try to make this an insta love kind of thing. I loved that these two characters actually got to know each other and that they learned to trust each other. This was such an emotional and delightful read.

I stumbled across Katherine Center’s work 2 years ago when I read and really enjoyed “How To Walk Away.” I thought her next novel,“Things You Save in a Fire”, was also a good, charming novel, so I was excited to get my hands on this advanced copy. Unfortunately, I did not enjoy her latest book, “What You Wish For” as much as I had hoped. The characters were likeable, but I did not feel the same connection that I had for the protagonists in her two earlier works. While this story touches on real life trauma and grief, it just felt too...manufactured for my liking. There were too many subplots going on that just didn’t leave me feeling as invested in this one. It’s entertaining and a story that has some good takeaway themes, but I did not love this one as much as her two previous novels. 3/5 stars ⭐️⭐️ ⭐️.

I loved Katherine Center's previous books and was very excited to read What You Wish For. And although I enjoyed it, it didn't captivate me as much as her other books. The writing style was quite different from Center's other books. It was more humorous, and the book read more like a rom-com than women's fiction, which didn't bother me at all. The main heroine, Sam, was funny, and her inner monologue was quite comical. She made me smile.

I loved the school setting, and I loved all other characters, except for the main hero, Duncan. He was very unlikable in the first part of the book. It was pretty clear from the beginning what made him so obsessed with school's safety and security, but it was difficult to watch him turn an elementary school into a prison and take away all the joy from kids and teachers. He was very rigid and uncompromising. He changed for the better in the second half of the book, which allowed me to enjoy the book more. Overall, I have mixed feelings about What You Wish For.

Delightful. I want to linger in Babette’s company and play in Samantha’s closet. A quick read with more mischief than romance, this sweet story will inspire readers to choose joy, dance even when everyone’s watching, and live fully in every messy moment.