Beautifully written story of Samantha and Duncan. Loved these characters! The story is the story of their journey to happiness with a life lesson of choose joy! Thinking about this long after I put down the book. Thanks to Net Galley and the publisher for the opportunity.

I enjoyed this fast paced read by Katherine Center. I enjoyed many of the characters and the storyline. I think the ending was the typical tie it in a bow happy ending, but the story to get there was a nice adventure. My biggest pet peeve of this novel and others is when characters refuse to communicate and things linger on. I know it is what keeps the story going but it can be frustrating to read. Overall, a great escape read which great storylines.

What worked for me: As with her previous two novels, Katherine Center's knack for humor even in the most serious situations is evident in What You Wish For. I liked the evolution of Sam's character from the silly teenage girl acting in the beginning to leading the group of teachers in fighting for the school.

What didn't work for me: The overuse of the phrase "fair enough".

Overall, a quick read that pulls you in and compels you to root for the characters until the very end. I highly recommend two of the author's previous novels, How To Walk Away (5 stars) and Things You Save in a Fire (5 stars).

Super sweet story, with just a little meat. Starts off super strong, but fizzles a bit mid-way, then ends up being pretty darn predictable by the end. Summary of the story in one meme, and why it lost a star for me (please let my imbedding work!)-

<img src="https://www.romancerehab.com/uploads/7/2/0/3/72036153/the-grumpy-one_orig.jpg" alt="sunshineone style="width:40px;height:100px;">

The thing that bothered me most about the story really boils down to my personal issues. The main character, Sam, has epilepsy. This isn't really a spoiler, as it's talked about openly and revealed pretty early on in the book. I have a very close loved one with epilepsy, so it brought up all kinds of feelings. In particular, Sam doesn't treat her epilepsy with any medication. Meaning, of course she is going to continue to have seizures. Not to mention she works at a school, so she should have more concern over no treatment, when children may see a seizure (which can be very scary, even watching as an adult). So while I understand medication has side-effects, the non-treatment really left me upset.

It's a quick, but predictable romance. Both characters have issues they are keeping from each other, both end up helping each other move past them. This is my first book by Katherine Center, and I did enjoy it enough to add her first to books to my TBR list!

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for my advanced copy in exchange for a review.

A lovely emotional read that combines pain with joy. Luckily joy wins in the end. This is definitely going on my re-read/comfort read shelf.

Although this book is a romance, there is no sex just heavy kissing. A fine change of pace from books that describe making love in minutiae.

I will be reading more from this author.



*ARC supplied by the publisher and author.

What You Wish For is another hit from Katherine Center. The backdrop of Galveston, TX serves as a "main" character in Center's latest release. School librarian Samantha loves the island that has become her family and her job at a progressive local school. When the school's headmaster dies unexpectedly the town is in mourning and the school facing an unthinkable loss. The new principal arrives in town and has a tie to Sam's past-a former crush that she had had strong feelings for and always felt invisible around.

While Sam has changed so has Duncan. Gone is the carefree, light-hearted man-and in his place is a warden obsessed with school safety. His vision and plans for the school are so far removed from the place everyone loves that Sam is concerned he's destroying everything she and the community have worked for. With moving dialogue, great descriptions and the backdrop of Galveston Center weaves another winning novel. Pick this one up!

Thank you to the writer, publisher and NetGalley for this ARC in exchange for my honest feedback.

Wow. I have loved each and every one one of Katherine Center's books. Add this one to the list. I love that she writes characters who are real people, flawed, introspective, and ultimately trying to do the best they can. What You Wish For has these characters, but it also has an important underlying message: you can always choose to be happier - fall in love with joy. I fell in love with Sam, from her quirky outfits to her deeply rooted belief that her flaws make her unloveable. I fell in love with Duncan, the person from her past who mysteriously turns up and turns out to be a completely different person than he was before. And as an educator, I fell in love with the important perspectives on education this book offers. My only critique is that the last 20 percent of the book felt a rushed in my opinion - I wanted to savor the development a bit more. Despite that, I'm adding this one to my list of favorites,

If I could only use one word to describe this book, it would be delightful. I love the way Katherine Center writes about hard things. She doesn’t make light of them, but writes in a lighthearted way. There are moments that are heartbreaking, but also many moments that make you smile and laugh. The main character, Sam, is quirky and wonderful. I loved everything about this book!

Max and Babette Kempner are pillars of the community on Galveston Island and founders of the Kempner school, a community school with strong values, with positive, appreciated and progressive teachers. They are also the landlords and pseudo-parental figures for school librarian Samantha Casey, who moved to the school following a failed romance ... well actually more like unrequited love with a previous colleague.

When Max passes away unexpectedly passes away, the school board, headed by Max's objectionable, pompous son-in-law hires Duncan Carpenter. Samantha, quite believe her misfortune, because Duncan was the object of her affection and he's to be the new Principal. As expected, things don't go smoothly. Whereas Samantha had previously seen a free-spirited, vibrant, outside-the-box thinking teacher, Duncan the Principal is the antithesis of this in every observable way.

Samantha and Duncan inevitably butt heads and Samantha sets about trying to bring some life back into the old Duncan she knew, for the good of the school of course. As she slowly chips away at Duncan's armour she is slowly losing her ability to stay neutral as far as her feelings for him are concerned and it's not smooth sailing for the pair personally, or for the school community.

This was my first foray into Katherine Center's books. I found this one enjoyable with a great cast of supporting characters, a canine that threatens to steal the limelight, and a pretty interesting story line balancing romance with the sensitive topic of school safety and intra-school violence. The book was a little slow at times and I felt there was a mismatch between the joy-choosing, vibrant Samantha and the introverted, introspective Samantha who seemed to want to withdraw or run away when things get too tough emotionally. The reader comes to understand Samantha's reasoning however if I'm honest I struggled a little with her and couldn't quite reconcile my feelings towards her. There was perhaps a lack of sexual intensity between the two as well in my opinion.

In saying that, I think readers can and will appreciate the gentle, tread lightly approach within this book, particularly in the midst of our recent turbulent times. The book is perhaps refreshing and hopeful.

I'm super keen to given Katherine Center's other backlist books a read as a result.

Thank you to Netgalley and St Martin's Press/Macmillan Australia for this copy of What You Wish For. I'm really chuffed to have read it.

What I have determined after reading this book is that I love Katherine Center and I am a huge fan. I love her writing style and everything about her books. So as you continue on, just know how much I adore her and her latest novel.

Reader's digest synopsis: Samantha has been loving her life as an elementary school librarian in Galveston, Texas. The school's adoring founder and principal dies suddenly and a new man, Duncan, whom she was head over heels in love with at her previous school, takes over. When Duncan isn't the man he used to be, she's determined to figure out what has happened.

I can't say more because it will ruin the story. It had everything I adore in a chick lit, romance novel. Drama. Love. Friendships. Real talk. It was realistic and felt like this could happen in real life.

I found myself smiling (maybe even had a tear or two in my eye) and yelling at the characters in this book. Samantha ended up reflecting on her life when she was trying to help others do the same. She ended up growing and opening her eyes when she probably never would have. It was great to see her go through that.

5 stars. I was worried when I saw I didn't have much left to read, but phew, the ending was absolutely more than I could have imagined and made me SO happy. If you are looking for a happy, uplifting read that you'll have devoured in a few hours, this is the one to pick up before anything else in your stack!

This book never really landed for me. The setting was great, and I enjoyed the side characters a lot. In fact, I preferred the side characters to the main characters, which may have been my main issue with the book. Our main heroine was shockingly immature about some things, and perhaps because of that, there were some serious topics that were handled much too breezily for my taste.

Another amazing book by Katherine Center! The characters are so heartwarming and fun and I loooved the setting.
Samantha Casey is a librarian at a beautiful and eclectic school in Galveston, TX. When their beloved principal passes away Duncan Carpenter is assigned in his place. Samantha has a history with Duncan and is nervous to see him again, but knows he will be a perfect fit for their school. Until he isn’t.... Duncan is totally different from what she remembers and is trying to change everything she loves about her school.
I loved this book so much and loved the character development that we saw in Sam and Duncan. Duncan is also the younger brother of Helen Carpenter from Happiness for Beginners and it was so fun getting to see what he’s been up to and get a cameo from Helen and Jake.
What an amazing book and a perfect book for summer.

"Joy is fleeting. Nothing lasts. That's exactly what courage is. Knowing all that going in -- and going in anyway."

This one sentence captures this book! I work in education and can't resist a love story that involves a school librarian and a principal. It's a real story.....it contains, loss, memories, disabilities, social issues. It is sweet, it is heart-warming. It is real life and satisfying.

I read the uncorrected proof in a day. I was itching to edit throughout, but overall I enjoyed it. A quick read with absolutely no surprises for me, but it was sweet. And as someone with anxiety, this passage hit me in the feels because I can relate on some level.

“...my seizures—they’re me. I’m not doing them on purpose, but I am doing them. My own malfunctioning neurology. I’m the problem. That’s different. Plus, they’re never over. They don’t fade away.”
“What do you think that means?”
What did it mean? It meant that I couldn’t promise him that it wouldn’t get worse—or start happening all the time. It meant my life wasn’t in my control.

After reading The Things You Save in a Fire and this, I’m not waiting on the edge of my seat for another book from Center but they’re easy beach reads.

“It’s one of the secrets to life that no one ever tells you. Joy cures everything…Joy is the antidote to fear. To anger. To boredom. To sorrow.”

Katherine Center writes beautiful books. What You Wish For is no different.

It’s a second-chance love story that shows even tragedies can be turned into something beautiful. Samanatha and Duncan have different battles--one has a chronic health condition, and is struggling to find her worth, and the other suffers from post traumatic stress. Samantha has long since learned to seek out joy--dressing in bright colors, dancing when no one’s looking, making her library (she’s a school librarian) a safe and welcoming space. Duncan, whose entire life was color and light, has shut down in order to protect himself and everyone else.

When Duncan seems unwilling to fight for himself, Samantha fights for both of them. Center is so tender in her storytelling, weaving in laughter and light in with the sobering and shadow moments. The balance she achieves is remarkable. The entire cast of characters will steal your heart.

This story resonated with something deep in my soul. I’ve always tried hard to lean into joy in times of struggle, even when (especially when it’s hard). I suffer from anxiety and depression, so I’m familiar with the fight. “Count it all joy…” “Rejoice always, giving thanks in all circumstances.” This book was a mirror. I saw my own struggles reflected back at me, with a wonderful happy ending. It was beautiful watching Samantha and Duncan fighting tooth and nail for joy. I finished the book with a smile on my face, and I just kept smiling.

A solid four stars. If you've loved her other books, this one will be a delight. I highly recommend picking it up.

Thank you to St Martin’s Press and NetGalley for my e-ARC in exchange for my honest review.

Katherine Center does not disappoint with her newest book What You Wish For! Sam is such a great lead character who has built a new life for herself in Galveston, Texas. Sam relocated to Galveston to start over after a devastating unrequited crush on her coworker Duncan Carpenter. At the Kempner school, Sam found a bright and thriving community of teachers, students and parents that seek joy in learning and life. But when their beloved principal dies and his replacement is none other than Duncan Carpenter, Sam is convinced her heart cannot handle it and she must leave to save herself. But Duncan isn’t the same man she remembers, now he’s straight-laced and hard instead of joyful and fun-loving. And he seems set on turning the beloved school into a prison-like space.

The recurring theme in WYWF is seeking out joy in your life despite the darkness and pain that you may experience. Both Sam and Duncan have emotional wounds that could be debilitating and throughout the book they struggle with healing. Their romance is heartwarming and definitely rated PG. And I absolutely adored little Clay Buckley’s character. The world would be a better place if we had more Clay Buckley’s in it.

WYWF doesn’t beat out Things You Save in a Fire (I have a major book crush on the Rookie) but I really enjoyed this one! I haven’t read Happiness for Beginners but apparently some of the characters from this book are in that one and so I’m looking forward to going back and reading it.

Also can we talk about how gorgeous this cover is?! I love that the cover art on Center’s last three books go so well together. I vote they rerelease her backlist with more matching cover art!

4/5 stars 1/5 steam factor

cw: discussions of school shootings

Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/3147141090
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/p/CCB5_HLA6tc/

I just love Katherine Center's books! She writes the cutest, sweetest love stories. If you are ever wanting a love story, she is your girl!
In What You Wish For, you are taken back to elementary school, where everything is fun, colorful, and whimsical. And then it all comes crashing down for the small town community when their beloved principal collapses at his birthday party. The community and faculty are looking for their next Max, when in walks Duncan, the class clown from Sam the librarian's childhood, to save the day. Or so Sam thought. Everything definitely is not what it seems. This story just goes to show you everything it not always what it seems and you never know what people are hiding beneath their exteriors.
I high;y recommend What You Wish For. Center writes and enjoyable, easy reading book that is perfect with a cup of coffee. Why aren't her stories on the HallMark Channel already?! This story would be perfect for that audience!
Special Thanks to Katherine Center, NetGalley, and St. Martin's Press for the advance digital copy in exchange for my honest opinion!

#NetGalley

What You Wish For starts out a bit slowly and is often repetitive. It’s rather corny and predictable yet it's a fun summer read, a pleasant escape from reality. Overall, I enjoyed this mostly lighthearted book that deals with some serious subjects.

Samantha Casey is happy with the life she has made for herself, she loves her job as an elementary school librarian and the kids who are a part of it, the house she was lucky to come by and was able to make her own and all the friends she has been able to make since choosing to move to Galveston Texas. When the school loses its cherished and much loved principal her world is turned upside down especially when she learns that the board is bringing in someone from the outside to become its new leader and pricipal. Her life.goes.from bad to worse when she learns that it is none other than Duncan Carpenter a man she not only knows but is the reason she left her previous job. You see back then she had a huge crush on the man and he didn't even seem to realize she existed. Samantha couldn't handle the feelings especially when he started dating another person from the school so she felt it was time for her to move on, which she did. She was happy, her new life going well but with this new bump in the road she feels like it might be time for her to pick up and move again. Her friends want her to stay, telling her she needs to confront her feelings. She soon learns that the man that she knew isn't the man that stands before her today, he has changed and not for the better. It soon becomes evident that he wants to change the school that she loves into something that resembles a prison. Sam knows that she has to stay and stand up for not only her friends and the students but what she herself believes in. Will she be able to stand up and be honest about her feelings? Can Duncan let go and let the man he use.to be back in? Pull up a chair and you'll immediately be sucked into this wonderfully emotional read. I laughed and cried the whole way through and in the end smiled wishing good things for all the characters I got to know throughout the pages.

Five Stars!!! I absolutely lived this story! It was heartwarming, funny, heartbreaking and easy to love! This is a must read!!