It’s no shocker that this book was so wonderful. I really enjoyed this from start to finish. I adored all of the characters and character development. I love how this book touches on some really important issues in a gentle, non-polarizing way. I also found the topic of epilepsy presented in a respectful, realistic way. Seriously, this was so sweet with lots of substance.
I loved this quote, “We made a choice to do joy on purpose. Not in spite of life’s sorrows. But because of them.” And I think you can say this sums up the sweetness of this book.

Thank you to NetGalley, Katherine Center and St. Martin’s Press for the free e-book in exchange for an honest review.

I am never disappointed with anything that Center writes and this one was no different. I really enjoyed all the characters in this one, especially Barbette! I really enjoyed that Sam was a librarian and seeing what it is exactly that they get to do; and this library sounded amazing. I also really liked that this novel covered something so important, school shootings. It’s such a huge problem and one that we don’t seem any closer to solving. Both main characters had their own struggles and they were so real life that I couldn’t help but fall in love with them! Another amazing novel from Center!

Out July 14th!

The first half of this book was a solid 3 stars for me. It was a slog... but then right at 50% of the way through, I loved it. I would give the second half 5 stars - so we will go with the average. If you have read all of Katherine Center's books, I think it is important to go in with the expectation that this is not her typical hearwarming, feelgood story. While there is an aspect of romance, this is not a romance novel. This book is heavy. It confronts PTSD, depression, epilepsy, and death. Katherine clearly has tried to lighten up these heavy topics but it is not like this book gets to the 50% mark and is happy. The characters are dealing with these heavy issues up until the end and through the epilogue. The story follows Samantha, a eccentricly dressed third grade teacher that puts off a vibe that she has no cares in the world, and Duncan, a elementary school principal. Years ago, when Samantha met Duncan, Duncan was fun and goofy but when Duncan shows up in Samantha's life years later, he is completely different. Samantha left her school in California where she first met Duncan for the sole reason that Duncan was dating someone else. Samantha had never even had a meaningful conversation with Duncan, but yet, she felt the need to flee the state. That seems unbelievable and unnecessary for the story. Regardless, the story does develop and end well. The book is primarily about the choices we contront every day and, when life gets hard, sometimes we have to choose joy in the face dispair and heartache.

As usual Katherine Center grabbed me from page 1. I absolutely loved the menagerie of characters. I’m an Elementary School PE teacher, so I loved that it had a librarian, Principal, school board, and everyone else in this. It touched on how schools need to be safe, but also need to be someplace that kids want to be. It brought epilepsy into light, as well as school shootings. Really well done. Another 5 star book. Thank you Netgalley for the enjoyable ARC.

What You Wish For was a disappointment for me. Having loved the author’s last book, this one was a let down. I can appreciate that the main characters dealt with some hard hitting personal problems and the overall lesson of the book being something along the lines of “hold on to joy”. However, I didn’t care for either of the main characters at all. The relationship that eventually happens made me roll my eyes constantly. And the story itself was just slow and dull for me. I’m sure there will be plenty of people who love this story, but unfortunately I am not one of them. It won’t stop me from trying future reads by this author. The cover of the book is gorgeous though. Thank you to the publisher for an ARC, all opinions are my own

I fell in love with Katherine's writing last year when I read her book, Things you save in a fire. This book is written in a similar style. You know it's Katherine's from the start. No body else writes like her and the storyline is great! She does slightly remind me of Emily Giffin, but is unique in her own right. This is a great read with an uplifting message. It does not disappoint!

Thanks to NetGalley and St. Martin's Press for an egalley in exchange for an honest review

3.5 stars

Ever since How to Walk Away Katherine Center is on my shortlist for "the author has a new book coming out, I have to read it." When a school librarian in Texas learns that her former school colleague crush is the new principal, she's cautious but optimistic. But the moment that Duncan Carpenter arrives, Samantha Casey is left baffled by his iron fist attitude. What happened to the fun-loving prankster and why is he bent on destroying everything joyful in the school? Whatever the reason, Samantha is not going to let it happen and puts a plan in motion to save the day.

This was a super cute contemporary story with an upbeat, positive message for its readers. That in spite of the sadness a person has faced, they still need to look for the joy in life. Katherine Center writes loveable characters and her creations of Samantha, Duncan, Alice, and Clay will no doubt be fan favorites.

I think where I feel the most lukewarm is the "I can fix him and save my town" trope. When it becomes clear what Duncan is struggling with and how that has shaped his behavior, I felt a lot of compassion for him. But it also made me feel that Samantha's good intentions were inappropriate? immature? oversimplistic? At this moment, I cannot really pick the word that I want to use, but maybe it is a little bit of all of that. I think perhaps the revelation regarding Duncan is at a point where the storyline truly accelerates and I felt a little bit that we were rushing around to a resolution.

Overall, I felt it was a good read and I would certainly recommend it to other readers.


Goodreads review published 28/05/20
Expected Publication Date 14/07/20

Katherine Center always draws you in and this one was no different. 'What You Wish For' is about a librarian who up and moved her whole live to Galveston, Texas. Unbeknownst to her the man she once was infatuated with ends up the new principle. He is different than what she remembers and she slowly unravels what has happened to him in the time they have been apart. Perfect blend of romance and emotional pulls while covering a difficult topic.

Samantha Casey is an sweet, eccentric-dressing librarian at a private school that is run by a sweet couple with whom she lives in their garage apartment. Circumstances change, and a new principal must be brought in to head the school. Enter Duncan Carpenter. Duncan is the sole reason that Sam left her first beloved librarian position and moved away to start a new life. She adored Duncan, who was so funny, loving, sweet and crazy with his students. However, Duncan never seemed to notice Sam. He even asked her to "catsit" while he and his girlfriend went away for the weekend. So, when it is announced that Duncan Carpenter will be the new principal, her boss, Samantha is shocked. She left so that she wouldn't need to face Duncan every day knowing that he had no feelings for her. How can she possibly work for him every day? When Duncan arrives, things go from bad to worse, he seems heartless. He doesn't even recognize her from the past. He has none of the charisma he used to have with the students. He is boring, all business and obsessed with safety measures at the school. He begins to dismantle all that was fun and exciting at the school. Sam becomes in charge of helping all the teachers stand up for what is right for the kids at the school. She aims to get their school back, and along the way she hopes to find out what happened to the original Duncan.
Another fabulous book by Katherine Center. Her characters are so deep and mesmerizing. You feel as if you know them personally. The plot is well developed and pulls you right in. Loved it!!

I think the blurb sums up this one well enough that it doesn’t need a summary from the reviewer. The school had so many fun elements and I would have loved to attend such a school when I was younger.

“Joy and sorrow walk side by side.”

When Duncan first showed up to the school and started making major changes, Samantha’s repeated defense of him baffled me. When someone is changing So much that students and teachers alike are growing depressed, that doesn’t call for support. I was glad when she stood up to him. I can understand the trauma Samantha has endured to keep her illness a secret. But it also shows a lack of trust in the friends she has made since moving here. She’s changed how she tackles life and is much happier for it. She should put some faith in her friends.

I think the fact that both Duncan and Samantha are suffering from their secrets helps to bond them together, even though feelings are brewing between them. I liked them together, even when they weren’t getting along. Because their arguments were fiery, fueled by a passion for what they believed in. I also could completely relate to her when she said, “I had woken up that morning with a terrible oversharing hangover…”

There were a lot of fun characters in this one and such a powerful feeling of community. Add that to a storyline that swings between emotional and amusing, and this made for a super fun read. I read in another review that readers first meet Duncan in Happiness for Beginners, so I definitely want to go back and read that one. Thank you St. Martin’s for sending this along!

I really enjoyed this book. It was such a lighthearted story where I found myself rooting the whole time for Duncan and Sam to put aside their issues and to take a risk to be together. It also brought up how real school safety is in the present day and I also found myself thinking about how fear really can take over a person.

Overall, great book. I definitely recommend it!

I loved this. I love everything KC rights. This was amazing. I love that the love interest had issues that he needed to overcome and so did Sam. It was so good!!

A romance book/ story that really goes well beyond the romance genre. WHAT YOU WISH FOR tells us the stories of people who must choose their destinies and then set themselves on the right path to happiness. Each of the main characters has made definite changes in their lives to get what they have always thought they wanted. But when they see the other person's changes, the mirror on the wall shows them what might have been vs what will be.
The tone of this book is caring and emotional. The characters and their community are real, you will want them to see the good that will give them happily ever after. It's really hard to tell how easily you will be "in" this story with out giving away anything. Give yourself a treat and read this book.

This is my second Katherine Center book and it's safe to say I'm a fan. Her books are addictive page turners that tackle some deep and serious issues without feeling heavy or too pedantic.

It's no easy feat to combine the topics of school violence, death, sadness, and love and not overwhelm the reader, but Center manages it effectively. I love how she builds her characters and miss them when the book is done. I'm already looking forward to reading my next book of hers.

This is my third Katherine Center book, and I have never been disappointed. I fall in love with her quirky characters so easily, it’s ridiculous!

I loved the backstory on this one - it was so fresh and new, and (probably because I’m a teacher) it really struck a chord with me. I AM the fun teacher (in high school, though) so for me, the story was personal.

This story of a school librarian who gets what she wished for (and instantly regrets it) is one I will not forget for a very long time. This book runs the gamut of emotions! I was misty-eyed at least four times reading this!

You don’t want to miss this one!!! ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️💫

**Review will be posted on my blog and Goodreads/Instagram, July 8th! I'll update links at that time.**

HEART-WARMING.

Wow. This book was a lot different than I was expecting. I know Center tends to write some heavy subject matter into her contemporaries and this was the case here as well. I’ll mention it now (and again in my content warnings) that this book is heavily influence by school shootings.

While still discussing such heavy subject matter, Center was able to also infuse light, love and bravery too. The main character, Samantha, was such a joy and I loved her ridiculous antics and fashion choices. Sam’s deep love for her school and the kids she watches over (she’s a librarian!) was evident and was the much needed positive light. Her contrast to Duncan, the ever-brooding, tough-nut-to-crack, new principal was great.

I was impressed with their push and pull, but also thought the slow burn, took way too long to catch any fire. It was over halfway through the book before anything really started to maybe happen. I think if there was a bit more romance I would have adored it even more. I looove that they knew each other prior (at a previous school) and how that played into both of their emotions. It was cute and relatable. And I really appreciated reading the quiet, strong moments between them as discussions of their past came about.

This was an overall enjoyable and touching read. I felt connected to the story and the trauma’s that were discussed. These characters kept me wanting to read to see the full scope of what this novel had to tell. There’s a couple nods to Happiness for Beginners characters (that’s where we first meet Duncan!). I definitely recommend reading that book too, and potentially even first if you want because that book is also a gem.

Overall audience notes:

Contemporary romance
Language: little
Romance: kisses, heavy make-outs
Trigger/Content warnings: loss of a loved one (start of the book), epilepsy (that causes a car crash), PTSD from a school shooting, heavy grief

Katherine Center has done it again! You won't be able to put this book down. It hits all the feelings: frustration, loss, love, anger, confusion, change.
Samantha is a quirky librarian who moved to Galveston from California to escape her unrequited crush. and to start over. After the loss of her principal, she finds out that her crush, Duncan will become the new principal. When he comes to the school, all he wants to do is make changes. No one likes change, especially changes that are happening in the school now that Duncan is in charge. These changes make him unpopular and many of the staff conspire to get rid of him. But Sam soon learns that Duncan has been keeping his past from her and the school that has triggered his behavior. She alters the plan to get rid of him and decides she must help him. Is she too late? Does he want to change? Will they get rid of him?

I received this ebook from NetGalley. The book publishes in July 2020.

This book takes place in Galveston, Texas. It is about the story of Sam (Samantha) Casey, the librarian at Kempner School. The school is run (and was founded) by Max and Babette Kempner. When someone in the school community passes away, they find themselves with a new principal, Duncan Carpenter. Duncan and Sam worked with each other years before. She had feelings for him but it was not mutual. Sam was thrilled to learn that Duncan would be their new principal because he was fun, goofy and she thought he would be a good fit. He changed a lot from when they worked together - even going so far as not remembering her. He makes several changes at the school that do not go over well resulting in a bit of animosity between Sam and Duncan.

This book is about joy and finding joy, feeling joy, experiencing joy. I did not like this book as much as Things You Save in a Fire. This book seemed a bit overdone and I found myself skipping over some of the dialogue.

What You Wish For (Katherine Center) review—May 27, 2020

4.25 stars rounded to 4 stars

I love this author. Her books make me happy. My all-time favorite continues to be Happiness For Beginners, but I really enjoyed this one too.

Sam Casey is hiding something. And she is also pining for someone. But the two are mutually exclusive. How in the world can she find joy with this spiritual albatross around her neck? What to do? Duncan Carpenter is guarding a secret too. He also has his eye on someone. Again, he can’t have his cake and eat it too. And Duncan knows there is nothing he can do about this dreadful situation. Nothing.

Allow me to digress for a minute. Just look at that gorgeous cover. I practically cherish it. But alas, my ARC does not bear that cover so I am going to do something rash and go buy the book just so I can gaze at that cover on my Kindle. I will sacrifice fresh blueberries on my cereal for a week to do that. The title? Meh, not so much. One of those forgettable titles that merge with a million other book names. “Happiness for Beginners,” “Things You Save in a Fire”—now these are unique, eye-catching, and unforgettable; I didn’t even to have to look them up. Ms. Center, please throw your prestige around and insist on a say on your titles. Don’t let your otherwise kind publisher deprive your books of the distinctive titles they deserve. Minus ¼ star for that.

Sam and Duncan. BTW, awesome move bringing Duncan back from Happiness for Beginners. I gave Happiness for Beginners 4.5 stars as I was trying to be tough. But in retrospect, that book is 5 stars all the way. I was mad though. I was mad that the epilogue occurred ten minutes after the last chapter ended and didn’t tell us more about the future of my beloved HFB characters. Well, Ms. Center must have heard me as we have encore performances of several HFB cast members in this book, which is set about 6 or so years later. So Happiness for Beginners is getting it’s full five stars as of today. I still think about that book. Sigh. Love it to death.

Back to Sam and Duncan. Geez, I felt so bad for Sam. What a dilemma she finds herself in. But Sam is able to dredge up strength she never knew she had. And much of it is because of a couple of oldsters, Max and Babette. Every lost soul should have a Max and Babette. I really enjoy these books with wise old people. Everyone should have an elderly mentor (think Mrs. G. in Have You Seen Luis Velez?) I’m not kidding. Big points for these characters. And math whiz Alice. Who knew math drives all of existence? Duncan though. It pains me to say it took quite a while for me to warm up to the guy. I think it is the fact that he is really struggling, but that is not obvious at first, and Ms. Center does not let us into his mind until late. But better late than never, right? I love the dude now. But that darned delay in us getting to know Duncan better cost this story 1/2 star. Sorry to be so rough on you, Ms. Center, but it’s totally tough love.

Kudos though for the epilogue. A nice one.

Ms. Center’s writing is truly boffo IMHO. She can really tell a tale. Her dialogue is spot on. And her humor is my humor. Big Props!!! Her books make me happy. I know I already said that, but I’m saying it again. This is the very first time I ever bothered to highlight quotes in a book. I want to be able to read them anytime I want—she is so smart in working powerful life lessons into her stories.

I only have four Katherine Center books left to read. Makes me panicky. Guess I will be forced to savor them by not reading them too quickly. I will try.

For all of you who have made it so far through this rambling review, I want you to know my bottom line. And that’s that Katherine Center books are recommended for everybody who wants to feel happy! And who wouldn’t that be, yeah?

I would like to thank Net Galley, St. Martin’s Press, and Ms. Katherine Center for an ARC of this title. Opinions are mine alone and are not biased in any way.

I really enjoy Katherine Center's books and read each new one as it comes out. Her books are light and fun, but also have an unexpected depth to them. This one was no exception! I will continue to read her books.