What You Wish For is the first book I’ve read by Katherine Center, and it pretty much knocked my socks off. By turns funny, sad, introspective, and joyful, it was like opening a box of chocolates and realizing I actually liked all the different flavors. (Which never happens, there’s always something weird, right?) And like a good box of chocolates, I devoured this book in just one day.

Sam Casey’s idyllic life in Galveston, Texas, gets upended when her principal/friend/surrogate father passes away abruptly. Max Kempner founded and ran the private elementary school where Sam works as a librarian, and he was the heart and soul of both the school and their community. When Max dies, he leaves a large hole both at home and in the school, and while everyone else is still reeling from shock, his hotshot son-in-law Kent (who is Chairman of the school board) seizes the opportunity to make some changes at Kempner Elementary.

To institute these changes, Kent brings in Duncan Carpenter, a ‘rising star’ from Baltimore whom no one else knows. Except Sam starts to wonder… she knew a Duncan Carpenter when she was teaching in California a few years before. But she’s sure it can’t be the same guy - not only would this be too coincidental, but the Duncan she remembers (and who Sam had a major crush on) was a goofy, fun-loving teacher who started traditions like Hat Day and Friday dance parties. Duncan’s character was far closer to Max’s than Kent’s so she can’t imagine that her Duncan Carpenter and the new principal will be one and the same.

As it turns out, he is and he isn’t. While Duncan did work with Sam in California, he’s no longer the man she knew then. Instead of wearing crazy ties and colorful pants, this man shows up in a gray three-piece suit. Instead of shaking hands and introducing himself to his new staff, this man makes a speech about ‘revolutionizing’ their school and then walks away. Instead of praising the beautiful murals around their building, this man announces he will be painting all their walls gray in order to improve visibility. This new Duncan has abandoned his penchant for mischief and play in favor of an obsession with school safety and security. And sadly, with all the school violence in the news in recent years, it’s not hard for the reader to guess why.

While Sam doesn’t catch on to Duncan’s traumatic past as quickly as I did, she does feel certain that something of the old Duncan must be in there. Although the faculty is doing everything they can to resist Duncan’s strictures, Sam slowly starts to befriend the lonely man. She starts visiting his office to complain about his rules, at which point their conversations turn toward other topics like Sam’s clown socks. They start to build a rhythm, and their chemistry together is obvious. It only gets stronger when Sam learns that Duncan was involved in a school shooting, which is at the root of his new security vigilance. Armed with this understanding, Sam and two close friends develop ‘Operation Duncan’, a plan to help Duncan remember who he used to be and find joy in life again.

In a year as difficult as 2020, I especially appreciated the way the author is able to address the dark realities of the world while also emphasizing the joys of life. Sam struggled with epilepsy as a child, and its recent resurgence in adulthood. When she has her first adult seizure, it has a profound impact on her - at first making her fearful and insecure, but with wisdom and assistance from Max, she is able to use that seizure to propel her into a new way of interacting with the world. The Sam we meet dresses colorfully, acts silly, and makes a conscious choice to embrace positivity in the face of doubts and fears. While her struggles are different, certain things she says clearly strike a chord in Duncan. He will never fully return to who he was before the trauma, but with the help of good friends and a therapist, Duncan is more capable of balancing the need for security, and free expression.

If I have a complaint about the book, it would be that Duncan’s old self is a little over-hyped. Sam remembers a lot about him since she had a crush on him back in the day, but each time she calls up a new list of his exploits they get more outlandish, to the point that I wondered how anyone could possibly have time to do everything that the old Duncan did. However, it’s a minor flaw that made me smile even in its absurdity, and in no way detracts from the story.

Ultimately, What You Wish For is a charming, uplifting book not only about love, but also about choosing joy in the wake of tragedy and hardship. It’s a good read any day, but especially right now.

Buy it at: Amazon, Audible, or your local independent bookstore
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This was my first Katherine Center book and I am now fan. I definitely need to check out her other novels ASAP!

The writing was beautiful and the storylines were page turning. Some of it was a little predictable, like the storybook ending. Sometimes these endings make my eyes roll, but I liked it here.

I loved Sam, a quirky librarian who loves her job? Yes please! Was not a fan of Duncan at first, be he inevitably grew on me.

Thank you to the author, publishers and netgallery for the gifted arc of What You Wish For, in exchange for an honest review.

*** 3-3.5 Stars ***
Expected Publication July 14th 2020

Samantha Casey is a librarian at an elementary school in Texas. The school loses the principal very suddenly and the replacement principal turns out to be someone from Sam's past.. someone she had a crush on. Of course people change and Duncan isn't what Sam remembers. His playfulness she remembers is gone and he is more of a dictator in his way of running the school. Will Duncan ruin the school Sam works at and will they get along?

Meh.. let me start by saying I'm a big Katherine Center fan, "Things you save in a fire" shook me and gave me all the feels. I remember bawling reading that and couldn't stop turning the pages fast enough. So this next novel "What you Wish for" had big shoes to fill and it just didn't live up to it.

Was it bad? Absolutely not. It was just "Meh" for me.

Part of the reason I think I didn't love this, is I didn't really care for Sam. She was too quirky for me. A lot of detail describing how she dresses in polka dots, flowers, pink bangs, riding a bicycle with a basket. I just cringed picturing her. She was genuine and I appreciated that side of her but she just didn't really grow on me as her character developed. I still think there will be a lot of people who really enjoy this so I'm not knocking it. I definitely will still immediately pick up the next release from Katherine Center because she does tell wonderful stories and I enjoy her writing style.

Special Thanks to NetGalley and St. Martin's Press for allowing me an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Books about books are the stuff of dreams for this bibliophile. I was thrilled when I found out Katherine Center’s new book, What You Wish For, features a quirky young librarian. I loved Sam Casey from the first chapter. The principal and his wife at her school, personal friends of Sam’s, have recently died. The grief is compounded when his replacement is an old friend, Duncan Carpenter, who seems intent on changing much that made the school special. While somewhat predictable I’m comfortable with it here. Sometimes you just need happily ever after, neatly tied up without a lot of plot twists. I highly recommend What You Wish For for lovers of summer beach reads, women’s fiction, and romance readers.
I received an advanced reader copy (eGalley) from St. Martins’s Press through NetGalley. This review reflects my honest and unbiased opinions.

I love this author! This is my second book from her and I loved it just as much as the other. The characters are so lovable and it tackles tough subjects, but also includes romance. I can't wait to read more by this author!

I have read several of Katherine Center’s books over the years. I was excited with the premise of this one as I am a longtime school teacher and know how devastating it is to a school when they are saddled with a leader that does not share their philosophies. I did enjoy the book, but it felt like it took a long time to reveal about Duncan’s school shooting trauma--wouldn’t Sam and the rest of the school staff have Googled Duncan prior to his coming to the school and known? We are living in 2020 where the internet provides us with these kinds of facts and the staff at my school always checks out people that are joining our team. Also, it was so obvious that Duncan had been called away because of Clay’s disappearance and not Sam’s seizure. There was much more opportunity for the staff’s struggle with the changes at the school that would have made the story more believable. The happy ending was too perfect and it almost made me feel like I was reading a Hallmark movie instead of realistic/women’s fiction. What You Wish For was enjoyable to read, but it lacked the substance I was expecting and that was in Things You Save in a Fire and How to Walk Away.

Love Katherine Center. The others I"ve ready by this author are Happiness for Beginners and How to Walk Away and I always leave with a feel-good feeling. She has a theme of always finding joy no matter the circumstances. This one was some conflict, friendships, and romance and difficulty but always finding ways to find joy throughout in the little things. Definitely something needed these days.

Katherine Center has become a must-read author for me. I don’t even have to read the synopsis for her upcoming release to know that I want to read it. She’s a sure thing, a go-to, and a creative soul who never fails to inspire me with the beauty and depth of her characters and their stories.

What You Wish For was just what I needed. Don’t get me wrong, I’m a reader, I always need a good book, but this one just came at the perfect time, its message hit home, and the story transported me within its pages and provided the ideal reprieve from the real world.

When I first began What You Wish For, I was almost certain that it was going to be a quirky, fun, light reading experience. I should have known better. While it did have whimsical characters, lighthearted and witty banter, it also had a great deal of depth. Don’t be fooled by all of the fabulous, bold, colorful attires, settings, and larger-than-life personalities that are described in all of their glory, these characters are multi-layered to perfection. They are real, flawed, and ultimately so human and easy to connect with. They jump off the pages and right into the reader’s heart.

If you are looking for a well-rounded novel, look no further. If romance is your passion, get ready for a slow-burning romance that will keep you flipping the pages in anticipation. This book is timely, relevant, and simply overflowing with so much emotion. This book made me think, feel, hope, cry, and overall made me want to fill my life with joy and gratitude.

I spent so much of my time highlighting meaningful passages from this novel that I am going to stencil a couple of them on the walls of my home. What You Wish For is a touching, mesmerizing, lovely, humorous, joyful novel that will not soon be forgotten.

*5 Stars

Do you know that feeling when you read a story and it feels more like a gift than merely a reading experience? That’s how I felt about this beauty of a book. What I Wish For is for Katherine Center to never stop writing such impactful, powerful stories. I’m now adding another to my all-time favorites list.

What You Wish For is an incredibly raw, emotional story about overcoming our fears, choosing joy amidst the hardships of life, and persevering through tragedy and conquering what holds us back because life and love are worth it. It’s a story about friendship, community, and nourishing the love of learning through creativity and wonder.

I devoured this story. Consumed it whole. I really don’t know what it is about this author, but she writes stories absolutely unlike any other author that I’ve ever read before. Her writing is both witty and poignant. It’s conversational, but also quotable. She makes you think deeply about things that are so pertinent but you’ve never really considered thinking deeply about before. I don’t know how it’s possible to make a reader feel every conceivable emotion in one story, but she does it, time and time again. And she writes deeply emotional stories without being manipulative or heavy-handed.

What You Wish For is such an incredible story, so moving, inspiring and heartfelt with rich storytelling and is now one of my new favorites. I will buy absolutely anything Katherine Center writes.

Rated 4.25 joyful stars.

Sometimes you just need a nice, heartwarming, feel-good book. Perhaps now more than ever. What You Wish For is that book.

Samantha (Sam) Casey is a school librarian on Galveston Island. She’s had a difficult upbringing but she’s now happy. She left her last school job because she couldn’t deal with her unrequited love for one of the teachers, Duncan Carpenter. When her school’s founder and principal sadly dies, his replacement is her old crush Duncan. But this is not the happy-go-lucky man she fell for. Gone are his colorful clothes, his fun-loving ways. He has lost his joy for life and his vision for the school will deprive it from all the joy it has. And it breaks Sam’s heart to see this happening to the place she loves.

Sam and her wonderful female friends band together to see if they can help restore joy to Duncan. And through this process, Sam can’t deny that her old feelings for Duncan are still very much alive. But like Sam, Duncan has experienced his own trauma and may be beyond saving.

Katherine Center does a great job giving her characters lots of heart and personality. Each have suffered and are working to cope. Included is third-grader Clay who is a brilliant child and has to deal with the cruelty of his classmates who see him as a nerdy, brainy, non-athletic kid and a father who is too busy to give his what he truly needs. His time.

There are times when the story gets a bit silly and Sam’s action are often impulsive and immature but when an author’s goal is to provide the reader with joy, "joy cures everything,” look beyond and relish it. And if you are new to the author, go back and read all her books.

Many thanks to NetGalley, St. Martin’s Press and Ms. Center for the opportunity to read this lovely book in advance of its publication.

Will be posted at MicheleReader.com closer to pub date.

Pleasant romantic novel with a slow start but more rapid ending. It explores themes of gun violence, personal vulnerability, friendships, seizures and dealing with an imperfect world. Nice escapism. Received from Netgalley, rounded up from 3.5 for the genre

This is another one of those books that I hoped I would love. I’m a big fan of “Things You Save In A Fire”, but that was a much stronger book with more to keep me interested.

This novel starts very slowly as we get to know Sam, Samantha Casey, just at the time that the principal of her beloved elementary school passes away. He wasn’t just the principal, he and his wife were the life and breath of the school. All of their ideas from many years poured into the school.The school year is going to start soon but when Sam learns who the new principal is, she is frantic.

She has a long history with Duncan Carpenter as she worked with him for two years at a previous position. The Duncan that she remembers was light hearted, loved to play with the kids and made school fun, she had a major “crush” on him but never acted on it. The new Duncan is intent on changing a lot about the school. The staff quickly learns, at their first meeting, that Duncan is here to make major changes. No more field trips, no more bubbles in the yard. He is determined to remake the school into one that is as safe as possible for the students but forgetting that there are many other things that go into making a great school. The enthusiasm of the teachers is soon really quenced when he repaints the walls a sterile gray, along with changing the carpet to a boring neutral color also. Before the school was awash in children’s art, a painted rainbow, and the most unique of all, a wall of butterflies that Sam and Duncan’s wife Babette, had meticulously painted the summer before. Sam arrives one day to find the entire mural painted over.

The story reminded me a bit of the last one, a woman who has a history with someone who now shows up in her new life. Sam has changed but so has Duncan and she is determined to find out why.

Unfortunately the novel is quite predictable and they are both hiding secrets. Turns out they both have a problem with telling the people they love how they really feel and opening up to them, including any physical or emotional trauma.

At times I thought this read more like a YA novel, I didn’t feel as though the characters were particularly likable or relatable.

If you want a light beach read this would be just the ticket, for me it was a disappointment. I still got some laughs out of it and perhaps the reminder to try to find joy in everything around us.
This was a buddy read with my No Rules-Just Thrills friend, Marilyn.

I received an ARC of this novel from the publisher through Edelweiss.
I will post the review to Amazon upon publication
This book is set to publish on July 14, 2020

I don't like sugary sweet books and I don't like romance, but Katherine Center has a gift for writing gentle sweet romantic tales that suck you right in before you even know it. I love her voice more than anything. Reading her words is akin to cuddling up in an cozy familiar sweater. This is perfect reading for those experiencing covid anxiety.

I love her characters who are all poignant, gifted, suffering, carefully drawn. I love the depth she gives them. But most of all, I love the message of this book, which is that we've all been broken and we must consciously choose to allow ourselves to experience joy.

What You Wish For is a heart-warming story that you will fall in love with. We all go through hardships in our lives and at times live with fear like Duncan and Samantha did. But like them, we too can choose joy in our lives and as Max had told them, "Never miss a chance to celebrate.' What a great reminder to have in the times we now live in!

Thank you Netgalley for the opportunity to read and review. This is a terrific book!

Samantha Casey came to Galveston, Texas to escape a one sided obsession. She's made a good life here- she has a great job as the school librarian and made some great friends. The school, the community.... these are her people and she loves them dearly. After the loss of the school principal, everything is thrown into chaos. The community- her friends- are suffering, and to add fuel to her own pain, she finds that the new principal is her past obsession.... but he's nothing like the person he was.
Duncan Carpenter was once Samantha's idea of perfection. Handsome, smart, charmingly goofy... kids loved him and adults wanted to be near him. The man that shows up in Texas? Not her Duncan- in any way. The face is the same, but there's no joy. He no longer jokes and dances, no longer juggles and wears three piece suits instead of funny pants. Everything about him has changed- and he wants to change her school. Viewing every bright beautiful inch of her second home as a "safety risk", he is tasked to bring everything under control- which to Samantha sounds far more like creating a prison than a learning environment. While the two butt heads several questions keeps coming to Sam- what happened to him? Is the man she loved- albeit one-sidedly- still there.... and, most importantly, if she can find him again would there be hope for her school- and her heart?

When I saw this on Netgalley I was so very excited. Katherine Center has a way of creating characters and communities that draw you in. They become your friends- their joy is yours, but their pain also wrecks you. Always have tissues handy. I have such a huge author-crush on Center! The first time I read her book How to Walk Away last year, I knew I would always be watching for her next work. I am a sucker for great character development, personal growth and good character interactions. Bonus points if there is chemistry- not just between the male and female lead, but with others- best friends and family. Sam's relationship with her bestie is kind of goals- there's a lot of love and support here. It's always a bit of a pet peeve with me when the supporting characters are treated like afterthoughts to be used as props instead of their own fleshed out characters- you won't find that here.
As far as the romance between Duncan and Sam... I am kind of on the fence. It often felt forced. I mean, the woman ran away from her home and job when she realized that the intensity of her crush on a coworker- who was seeing someone else- was unhealthy. When they see each other again, he acts like he doesn't know her at all- completely cold. Yet, the people close to him swear he is crazy about her- and was back then too. This only brings up questions- if he was so into her and she was pretty obvious in her attraction from what I gathered.... why was he even seeing someone else? As they spent more time together, I could see the sparks- the interactions between them were really sweet and I could feel the love; the beginning, though, was just so awkward. All said, this was a definite favorite for the spring and summer reading, but not my favorite Katherine Center book. I would give it four stars.
On the adult content scale, there's some language and very light sexual content. It's fairly mild, so I would give it a three.
I was lucky enough to receive an eARC of this book from Netgalley and St. Martin's Press in exchange for an honest review. My thanks!

Just the kind of book that we need right now with an overwhelming central message of 'Choose Joy on Purpose'.
Sam is the librarian for a whimsical school in Galveston, Texas. The founder of the school dies at the beginning of the story leaving the community reeling. Enter Duncan, a love interest from Sam's past because he was just so much fun and inspiring to be around. Unfortunately, this Duncan wears buttoned-up three piece suits and tries to paint over/fix what isn't broken about the school. Sam and the widow Babette decide to bring Duncan to life.
I loved Sam, Duncan and the whole community depicted here. There were some really silly, over-the-top situations and settings in this book but given the over-arching theme, I was down for it.
Thanks to NetGally and St. Martin's Press for the ARC in return for my honest review.

In “What You Wish For,” Katherine Center’s upcoming release, Sam Casey is a children’s librarian at an elementary school in Galveston, Texas, known for its creativity and tight-knit community. After the principal and co-founder passes away suddenly, the school culture Sam loves is threatened by new principal Duncan Carpenter. Sam worked with Duncan earlier in her career, and remembers him as a fun-loving and innovative educator, on whom she had a massive crush. But now Duncan is obsessed with improving school safety at the expense of the school’s unique charm. Sam aims to save the school, and maybe find love in the process, too. (*DM me for content warnings*)⁣
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This book was a bit of a mixed bag for me. It was a very sweet story, and I loved the focus on healing from past trauma and choosing happiness or “joy on purpose,” which is something most of us could stand to remember during difficult times. I also loved the descriptions of the school, and how it almost felt like a character in the story.⁣
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On the other hand, I felt like the first quarter or so of the book was quite slow and repetitive. This is difficult to discuss without sharing spoilers, but I was frustrated at times with Sam, the power that she let her crush hold over her life, and the message that this sends. Also, I never fully felt the chemistry between Sam and Duncan, perhaps because their initial meeting occurred prior to the book’s start.⁣
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This is the second of Center’s books that I’ve read, and compared to “Things You Save in a Fire,” this story lacked the same unputdownable quality and resonance. I’ve seen mostly positive reviews for this one, so I’m likely in the minority here. I’d still recommend picking this one up if you’re a fan of Center’s books, and I will definitely be reading more of her work in the future.⁣
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3/5⁣ stars
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Thank you to @stmartinspress and @netgalley for an advance e-copy of the book in exchange for an honest review. Available 7/14/20.⁣

[Review posted 6/25/20 to my Instagram account, @emily_lovesbooks.]

Sam is a librarian at a wonderful elementary school founded by Max and Babette, whom she also rents a carriage house on their property. When Max unexpectedly passes away at his 60th birthday party, the school is in upheaval as the new principal, Duncan, comes in with some radical new ideas that goes against what the former founder stood for. Sam, unfortunately, knows Duncan from her previous school. Sam loved him from afar and actually left her previous job to get away from him because she was so embarrassed by her unrequited love. Duncan takes the school from a careful, wonderful learning environment, to a school focused on security. His own tragic past shapes his decisions for the school, and Sam makes it her personal mission to save the school and Duncan. Great love story that shows how one moment can change a person completely and that all people are capable of redemption.

**Actual rating: 3.5 rounded up to 4**

The first book I read by Katherine Center was Things You Save in a Fire, and I adored it. I felt the author was a breath of fresh air in the contemporary fiction space, integrating unique points of view and creating characters that felt alive on the page.

I enjoyed What You Wish For, but it wasn't the same caliber as Things You Save in a Fire. Sam, a librarian at an elementary school, squares off with a former crush, Duncan, when he comes back into her life as the school's principal. The former goofball is now obsessed with school safety and tries to turn the school into a prison, taking away the colourful, playful environment the school had created.

The first third of the book was very repetitive. We get it, Duncan used to be super fun and loved to joke around. For me, the turning point of the book happens during the last third. Sam's personality really starts to shine (whereas before we only heard her fawning over past-Duncan), Duncan's walls come down, and the story has an exciting end.

Overall, this book is incredibly timely. The message of the book is to seek joy, even when facing fear. During this tough time, this is exactly the message we need right now. Be joyful, be colourful, and while you can't disregard fear, you also can't let it hold you back.

Sam is a librarian at a warm, beautiful school. When a new principal is brought in, he brings in a lot of changes which go against everything The Kempner School stands for. While Sam and her colleagues come up with a plan to stop these terrible ideas coming to fruition, she realises there's more to this story than she thinks.

If you are an educator, you will love this book. There's no doubt in my mind. Center has portrayed educators, children and schools so well that I'm convinced she was either an educator, knows educators or she has done her research so incredibly well. She portrays the school and it's founders as the heart and soul of this small community and the love they feel for each other comes across so well.

The main theme covered is the notion of joy not being something that we should wait around for, hoping it'll come to us but it is something we have the choice to choose. And we should choose it. Every damn day.

Thank you @netgalley for this arc.