I don't know what I was expecting with this book, but it wasn't this. That said, I loved it! I wasn't expecting it to be a women's fiction/romance type novel. I was thinking it was going to be more literary than romance novel. What You Wish For was a quick, little read that was full of laughs, sadness, triumphs, love and all the things that make life beautiful.

Katherine Center has been a favorite author ever since I saw Brene Brown recommend her book Happiness For Beginners. (Which I also loved.) Since then I've eagerly awaited each new book and enjoyed each one of them. I was thrilled to find I could read and review an advanced copy of this.

August 2020-- the audio of the book is completely delightful too!

Sam is a librarian at a wonderful elementary school. She lives over the garage of the founders of the school and has a close relationship with them. She's devastated when the principal dies, and then she finds out that his replacement will be her crush from her previous job, the one who made her decide to leave California and move to Texas instead. She decides that even while she knows his quirky and warm personality will be good for the school in this time of grieving, she won't be able to handle it and will quit.

Much to her surprise, it is not the quirky and fun Duncan she remembers that shows up at the school, but a new militaristic Duncan who wants to change everything that is fun about the school and turn it into some kind of prison. She changes her mind about leaving, deciding instead that she must stay and defend her beloved school from him.

Center always does such a great job of writing wisdom into her stories. Here are some of my favorite quotes from the book:

"Max promised me that joy was the cure for everything. And the more I learned about how it worked, the more I felt like joy was cumulative. That it wasn’t about finding one big thing—but about collecting as many tiny pieces as you could.”

"I suspected that Babette knew better than to let a little pain hold her back. She knew that joy and sorrow walked side by side. She knew that being alive meant risking one for the other. And she also knew, as I was starting to understand in a whole new way, that it was always better to dance than to refuse."

"I will never forget the sight of it— of so many people trying so hard to help. To rise above themselves and do the right thing. See that? I told Duncan in my head. This is what it means to be fully alive. To feel it all— the joy and the sorrow— the hope and the fear. This is what life demands of us. You just have to stay, and try, and let life break your heart."

"“Life doesn’t ever give you what you want just the way you want it. Life doesn’t ever make things easy. How dare you demand that happiness should be yours without any sacrifice— without any courage? What an incredibly spoiled idea— that anything should come easy? Love makes you better because it’s hard. Taking risks makes you better because it’s terrifying. That’s how it works. You’ll never get anything that matters without earning it. And even what you get”— she lifted her chin in defiance—“ you won’t get to keep. Joy is fleeting. Nothing lasts. That’s exactly what courage is. Knowing all that going in— and going in anyway.”

Every school would love to have a librarian as creative and devoted as Samantha Casey. Sam was an asset to The Kempner School and had made her library a fun and positive sanctuary for all of her students. With her colorful clothing and zest for life she was a force to be reckoned with when it came to her love for the school and what it meant to her. I love Sam’s creative mind, her joyful nature and her ability to work through certain aspects of her life with grace and dignity. When she realized that an old friend would be the new principal, she was worried, but after much contemplation she put on one of her favorite outfits and set off to the school to welcome him. The Duncan Crawford she saw in a stuffy three-piece suit, with shiny shoes and perfect hair, was not the man she remembered. Where was his beautiful smile and fun personality?

I admired Sam for her desire to break down the walls that Duncan had erected to find the real man she once knew. I felt Duncan’s pain as he finally confided in Sam about what had happened in his past, which brought them closer together. This allowed Sam to open up to Duncan, as she also had secrets to share with him that she usually kept to herself. I read “What You Wish For” in one sitting because Sam, Duncan and all the characters quickly captured my attention with their compassion for each other and their desire to work together to achieve a safe, but also magical, environment at the school for the children to enjoy. This is a beautifully written book that I will not soon forget.

Disappointing. The details on Sam's clothes, Dustin's past antics, and the school's uniqueness were repetitive and never ending; the first half of the book drags on because of this. I started skipping the details and missed nothing. You don't really get invested in the love story because both characters already liked one another before the book starts. I was also really annoyed by Sam's analysis of her epilepsy - it came across childish. Not to mention her reaction to difficult situations is to literally run away.. she completely uproots her life and moves across the country to avoid a guy she has a crush on. Goodness, I'm getting more irritated as I think about this. Safe to say, I do not recommend this book and it doesn't hold a candle to How to Walk Away,

This was not my favourite book. The main character was not relatable or likeable at all and I just couldn't get a positive spin to this. My first book by this author and although I have seen rave reviews about this book and her others, I cannot say that I share the same opinion on this one.

A huge thank you to NetGalley, Katherine Center and St Martin's Press for providing me with a copy of this publication, which allows me to provide you with an unbiased review.

This book was delightful and thoughtful. I enjoy the author's writing style and character development.

This was just what I needed for a sweet read pick me up. I always enjoy Katherine’s books and this one hit just the right spot. I don’t know why it took me so long to pick it up. I actually got to hear Katherine speak in person, and she’s just as bubbly as she comes off in her books.

What You Wish For was emotional, funny, and eccentric. There is so much depth in this book between what so many of the characters are going through. Of course the biggest issues you see worked through are with Sam and Duncan. The overall message that is taught to these two by the people surrounding them, is beautiful. There is some pretty tough discussions that happen in the book. I think because we don't know what has changed Duncan it was hard to relate to him at first. Once you find out what he has gone through since Sam last saw him, makes your heart just break for him. To see the community that the faculty of the school is to the two of them is just beautiful.

This book is funny and emotional and so underrated. Why did I not know about this book? Why did I take so long to read it? I think the cover is what hinders this book so much, to me personally. It looks boring, like a book an old person would read, but then you start reading and realize with a cute rom-comy cover it would be a hit. This book had my eyes watering over a whale. A whale! I loved how intricate everyone’s lives were. How real they felt. If I had to choose five top books that make realistic characters, this would be on that list. More people need to read it and I won’t stop till they do.

I loved this book! But I love Katherine Center so I absolutely saw this coming! Is it my favorite of hers, nope but still 100% worth the read. Sam and Duncan were fun characters to get to know. I thought just enough of the backstory was given to us too. We just got back from a vacation to Galveston so it was fun that the story was set there too! Definitely pick this one up when you’re in the mood for a romance. Thanks to Netgalley for the ARC.

Katherine Center books are reliably comforting, they deal with tough issues but always have a semblance of a happy ending. This one was a little predictable, but that didn’t dampen my enjoyment.

Awww, man. I just couldn't review this one. It just wasn't my jam. A little too over-the-top and sweet, and characters who were a bit too much in their striving for joy. I'm sorry.

One of my favorite authors! I always get her books and this adds a great backstory with a strong feminine role forging a new life for herself.

4.5 stars. I’m not sure what took me so long to get to reading this book. It was a quick and enjoyable read. I think I liked it almost as much as How to Walk Away and liked it more than Things You Save in a Fire. Give me every Katherine Center book.

This book had a great small-town feel that left me all warm and fuzzy. I liked that there was a bit of mystery behind Duncan’s character too, which covered some serious topics. I couldn’t stop turning the pages.

Many thanks for a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. Looking forward to more from Center!

I normally love Katherine Center's books, but I just couldn't finish this one. It felt like a bit unfocused. Maybe I'll give it another try some day, but for now it's a pass.

Published during a tough time for the world, What You Wish For was a breath of fresh air. Katherine Center is just a joy to read.

Katherine Center is one of my favorites and this one did not disappoint. This is a wonderful feel good read that can easily be devoured in a single sitting

Romance books are always a hit or miss for me as it can be easy for a romance-centered book to go from full of substance to cheesy for easily. This book was done brilliantly. If you’re looking to venture out of your usual genre and try a good romance, then this is the perfect book to pick up. Some books get you all in your feels and this is one of those gems. The characters are written thoughtfully and quite engaging. I definitely look forward to reading more from this author in the future.

This book was fantastic! I read it in one sitting. The characters were wonderful and complex. It was like I knew them in real life. I loved the plot. The pacing just flowed. I couldn't put it down and that is rare for a rom com! I loved the authors writing too. Everything about this book was great. I love the cover art too.

I have really enjoyed the past couple of releases by Katherine Center but this one seemed to miss the mark for me. With the two main characters, Samantha and Duncan, I wish there was more of the backstory. Their feelings for each other felt rushed and just did not work for me. I tried to like it but I was a little disappointed.