Cute. Liked it, but didn't love it. It was a bit predictable, but I enjoyed the characters, They were all people that you'd root for, and would want to see happy in the end. The pacing of the story was a bit off for me. It goes from zero to 60 in terms of the two main characters "relationship". I always like to see a more plausible build up. These main characters go from the male "Duncan" not even knowing the lead woman (blanking on her name right now) who has been in love with him since she met him to him declaring love for her in a very short time period. It just wasn't realistic. I really loved all of the supporting characters, and loved the family they formed though. But all in all this was a sweet story that I enjoyed.

Once again, Katherine Center comes up with an interesting way to combine both romance with more serious issues. This normally works for me as I love a more serious romance novel and although I really enjoyed the author’s last two books, something about the way PTSD and trauma were dealt with in this book rubbed me the wrong way. Both main characters severely needed therapy so watching them circle around each other when they were in such unhealthy places was uncomfortable. I know many will enjoy this though so give it a shot if the synopsis appeals to you.

This book was exactly what I needed right now. It's like her books are good for the soul. You'll cry, laugh, smile and be thankful you got to experience this writing. This is a love story, but not in the way that you might think or expect. It's not a steamy read at all if that's what you're looking for, but it is a feel good read that you'll be glad that you experienced.

This is a positive, cute story that I think so many people will enjoy and need right now.

I am a teacher who lives in Texas and visits Galveston often. This book was right up my alley! I loved being able to picture all the places that the characters visited. I could identify with the main character of Sam in more ways than one. I appreciated the way the author dealt with the topic of epilepsy. It is always hard (I imagine) for an author to write a romance novel that deals with such heavy topics. I feel like she treated it with respect for the most part. There were a few parts (jumping off the pier) that left me shaking my head. But overall, I enjoyed What You Wish For and will continue to read everything this author writes!

WHAT YOU WISH FOR by Katherine Center is a heartfelt and emotional story of love, community and family. For Samantha Casey, life is good in almost every way. She loves her job as an elementary school librarian on historic Galveston Island. Since moving to Galveston, Sam has made good friends with the other teachers and the school’s beloved principal, Max, and his wife, Babette, are like parents to her. Everything changes when Max dies suddenly and a new principal is brought in to replace him. Sam is stunned to learn that the new principal is none other than a teacher she had a crush on at her last school. But Duncan Carpenter is no longer the sweet and caring teacher she remembers. His harsh new demeanor begins to threaten everything the tight-knit community has built over the years. If Sam is going to stay on, she will have to learn why Duncan has changed and help him get back to finding joy in life. I was totally engaged with the characters and the struggles they faced. I loved seeing how they came to choose joy and happiness over pain and fear. This story confronts serious and timely topics, but it also has a touching romance and enduring friendships that warmed my heart. The personal growth of the main characters was uplifting and hopeful. I truly enjoyed this compelling story and highly recommend it. Thank you to the author, publisher and NetGalley for the chance to read an early copy.

This was my first Katherine Center book and it certainly won't be my last. It's clear message of choosing to live life with joy presented a pleasant and much welcome escape from our reality right now. This was a slow burn story, centered more of community than a love story - although it did have that too. The community at this school and all the secondary characters were what made the story special in my opinion. I was endeared to the quirky characters, especially little Clay.

While the storyline does deal with some emotional and heavy themes such as death and school safety, it does so in a way that brings hope front and center.

I had an opportunity to chat with Katherine Center about the book, her writing and an array of other topics. She is a lovely person and it is evident that she pours her heart into her characters and books. I will certainly be reading her other books which seem to have many rave reviews.

Katherine Center was first put on my radar by one of my first bookish friends after joining bookstagram. I loved THINGS YOU SAVE IN A FIRE so I was thrilled to receive the ARC for WHAT YOU WISH FOR!

In WHAT YOU WISH FOR Samantha is a school librarian who absolutely loves her school and the people she works with, kids and staff alike. The book opens with a heavy blow with the loss of the school’s principal. In the midst of their grief, they learn that a new principal has been hired and the name is very familiar to Sam. Sam remembers Duncan as a loveable goofball and a fantastic educator. He’s also the man she once left a job for to escape her serious and unrequited crush.

The Duncan who shows up is not the man she remembered. He has an obsession with school safety that seems very over the top to the teachers. The changes he’s implementing take away everything that made their school such a special place. Sam and her friends are ready to stand up to Duncan and the school board to make sure their students get the best school possible.

This book takes on some heavy topics including school violence, trauma, disabilities and grief, but the author’s writing really makes it feel like a comfort read. There is an ongoing message of intentionally adding joy to your life, even in different circumstances. I think I loved the supportive friendships in this book most of all.

The narrative is very conversational and I was easily able to connect with Sam and her inner monologues. Sam is fun and awkward, and her absolute passion for books and the kids she works with comes through loud and clear. I will admit that I struggled a bit to see the good in Duncan’s character. He’s a very extreme example of someone who is rigid and controlling. As the novel goes on and Sam is able to see some the old Duncan breaking through I did warm to him more. The reasons behind his extreme personality makeover also come clear further along in the story.

I found this a fun and engaging read and I flew through it in less than a day. Keep an eye out for this one when it’s released on 7/14/2020!

Katherine Center delivered a great piece of work as always!
This was the perfect summer beach read. Quick and fast paced I really enjoyed getting to know these dynamic characters. The loss, love and heartbreaking backgrounds were easy to follow and made you want to invest your time getting to know each and everyone of them. The author knows how to grab the reader and pull you into the story. They all had issues they were dealing with and they felt real from page one. I enjoyed their interactions with each other and when it was over I was sad to see it end.
I highly recommend this one. Jump on that roller coaster and enjoy the ride!

My thanks to NetGalley, the author and publisher for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.

I really needed this little gem of love, joy, and life.................................................................................................................................................................

This is my least favorite Center book. I don't think she did a good job setting up our main character, Samantha Casey. Also, I didn't really like her (sorry, not sorry). I thought she was way too entwined with the founders of her school and her justification for trying to elbow their daughter out of things was a bit...yeah. And I thought her "romance" with the new principal was nothing but fizzle. It didn't work and the whole be joyful thing started to make me roll my eyes. I don't know what happened while reading this, I just started to get more and more annoyed and the centering around school shootings felt glib? I don't know, it just didn't work.

"What You Wish For" follows librarian Samantha Casey. Samantha is happy at her job working as an elementary school librarian in Galveston, Texas. When the school's founder dies, the board elects a new principal, Duncan Carpenter who Samantha used to know from another school and who she had a crush on. Duncan though is not like the man she used to know. He's unsmiling and focused on upgrading the school in event of active shooters. Samantha and others though are planning on making Duncan remember how to be joyful again.

That sounds like something from the Hallmark movie channel. And I say this as someone that loves the Hallmark movie channel. It was just too much. Samantha and her whole be happy and bright thing was aggravating. We get some insight into her past, but eh. I don't know, I just didn't like her. She was too focused on everyone else and on the former principal's widow and how she was grieving.

Not too much to say about Duncan. He is bland as bland can be. I don't think he and Samantha made any sense as a couple. Center doesn't set them up to even get along for the majority of the book and I don't get why either one of them were attracted to each other.

The other characters are not developed at all. I can't even remember Samantha's best friend's name and the only thing I recall is that she is into math and wore math pun shirts.

The founder's daughter, Tina, doesn't like Samantha and honestly I got why. She was trying to push her out of her own life. I wish that someone had pointed that out to her. It was a bit creepy and I recall one of my friends telling a story of how a friend of her sister's was always going on about how their mom was her second mom. She just felt offended by the whole thing.

The writing didn't work for me and the flow of the book was pretty bad. It just stops and starts. Probably because we follow Samantha's POV throughout the book and Center jumps back and forth a lot.

The ending was just...nope. I got nothing. It didn't work for me even a little. I think another reviewer said this was a book about nothing and honestly it read that way to me a little. Maybe if Center had actually focused on grieving and realizing that Tina is grieving her father's death. Samantha being judgey towards her through the whole book was not even a little bit cute. Or if Center had actually shown that school shootings in the US are serious and have a lot of repercussions to how we teach kids nowadays. Center seemed to stay away from that whole thing. Not that a school should be a prison and not a place for learning, but what are educators supposed to do when it comes to safety? Just saying be joyful and in the moment is up there with thoughts and prayers with me.

DNF at 40%. I've enjoyed all of the author's previous books and was willing to give this a fair shake even when something seemed very different early on. It seemed more New Adult than women's fiction - which is how it had been promoted. I never got on board even though I read to 40%. Given so many 4 and 5 star ratings on Goodreads I'm going to assume I'm just not the right reader for this novel.

Center's writing is solid! It's a strong novel as always is the case with Center's work but What You Wish For is not like her others. It's a heart-warming story about love, loss and friendship. It's an easy read but don't confuse that with fluff - the characters are complex and are dealing with traumatic life events.

I enjoyed this more than I thought. If you read happiness for beginners you’d already know Duncan. I love how she made this about his story. I also loved how they sprinkled on Helen and Jake and you find out what happened to them. I love how joy and the love in this.

This is a heartwarming story that at the end of the book you may feel that you are bidding farewell to dear friends. Throughout the story you may ask yourself a few questions, can you maintain joy and happiness in this difficult challenging environment where everything seems to be out of control? Optimism during uncertainty as you wait to get to the other side knowing the current situation will pass?

Although i enjoyed the book, I initially thought that Sam was judgmental and a coward. Her first instinct was to quit\run; she ran when she had a crush on a co-worker and then decided to quit immediately when she found out she would be working with him again. However, as her character develops and you gain more insight into her past, you appreciate that she is merely trying to protect herself from getting hurt.

You may go through mixed emotions while reading the book but at some level you will enjoy it. Thank you St. Martin’s Press and NetGalley for granting an ARC of this book.

I loved this book so much, I have fallen in love with her writing style. I don't want to say too much about my review because I don't want to give to much away. This book had me inhaling the pages I wanted more and more and I had to find out what was going to happen with Duncan and Sam.
Sam is an elementary school librarian who loves her small town. her job, and all the new friends that she has made. She ran away from her old town and school because she was in love with Duncan the next thing you know Duncan is coming to her new town and school to be her school's new principal.

Sam had never told Duncan how she felt about him, and now here he was like he was following her here. She has a secret that she doesn't want anyone to know about, as she is scared her new lover won't like what he sees. Duncan has come to the school due to the loss of the school's founder.

Little does she know that Duncan has an agenda and a secret of his own!! Will they come clean and let each other know how they felt about one another? Will they fall in love finally and confess the way that feeling?

What You Wish For by Katherine Center is a happy book, a book filled with a lot of things - romance, sorrow, tragedy and fear - but above all else joy. The author does a fabulous job of writing in such a casual, conversational voice that you begin to feel like you're just sitting with your new BFF Samantha Casey as she tells you about this incredible thing that happened to her one year.

I've never read a Katherine Center book, but before I was even finished with this one, I downloaded three others.

After reading a bunch of heavy reads on heavy topics with lots of footnotes and mental gymnastics, What you Wish For was exactly what I wanted, and what I needed.

Sam is a changed person since moving to Galveston and meeting Max and Babbett, the owners of the school where she is the librarian. Where once she was all about fading into the background, four years later, she's wearing clown socks, sporting pink bangs and looking for joy wherever she can find it. Altho Max turned her on to the whole joy thing, she finds herself channeling a former colleague, Duncan Carpenter, a teacher who loved to make people laugh and feel good about themselves and learning. Did I mention Sam was secretly crushing on Duncan?

So when Duncan shows up at Sam's school, the expectations are high.

This is a story about finding joy, about being joyful and about being willing to be fully alive despite circumstances. It's a terrific message presented in a wonderful story. The characters are fully formed and fun to hang out with, their conversations are real and meaningful, hard and funny, and the situations they find themselves in are - if not exactly unique - at least consistent and appropriate to move the plot along.

If you're looking for a fun read that makes you feel good and reminds you to seek joy wherever it might be hiding, this book is for you. It's uplifting without being preachy, romantic enough to make your heart twitter a bit, tragic enough to choke you up and humorous enough to make you laugh.

It's simply a joy to read!

This review is based on an advance copy read.

I read Katherine Center’s “Things You Save in a Fire,” and thoroughly enjoyed it. I was, therefore, excited to read her new book, “Things We Wish For.” For me, it was quite a disappointing read. I had trouble getting into it at the beginning, and, in fact, forced myself to read all of it in hopes that it would get better. It seemed as though the author picked a theme, “Choose joy on purpose,” and tried, unsuccessfully, to write the book to fit the theme, Also, the book seemed to have very little depth, and I kept wondering if it was written for a YA audience. The dialogue was shallow and sophomoric.

Thank you to NetGalley for giving me an ARC copy in exchange for an honest review.

Samantha Casey came to Galveston, Texas town, to get away from heart break at her previous locale. She loves the elementary school she has worked at for the last 4 years, as the librarian . The school principal, Max and his wife are like second parents to her, and living beside them on their property makes her life there even better. She hasn't much to complain about, until Max dies at his birthday party, and soon there is a new principal. The problem is, he is Duncan Carpenter, the very man she came to Galveston to escape from. She cannot work with him again, she simply cannot, and so she plans her exit strategy. But this Duncan is not the same man she left behind. This is some very strange shell of that person, with crazy plans that will ruin her beautiful school. She cannot leave everyone behind at his mercy. Thus begins a crazy adventure to save the school, and there is a lot of fun to be had when your are trying to make something bad into something good.

What You Wish For is likely my favorite book of the season. It was a light read and page turner from page one. You could not help but fall in love with Samantha and the other cast of characters Katherine Center created. I rooted for all of the things they tried to do, to make things better and keep the sinister characters from stealing the joy from these wonderful people. I rooted for possible relationships, and talked out loud to the book when someone did something to keep that relationship from blossoming. I was sad when the book ended, not because the ending was sad, but because I loved these characters and wanted their antics to continue. In the midst of a pandemic when everything is heavy and scary, What You Wish For is a perfect antidote.

I'm fairly new to Katherine Center, having only read her last two books ('How to Walk Away' and 'Things You Save in a Fire'), which I loved. However, What You Wish For, fell a little short for me. Based on the description of the book, you know the turning point of the book before your start reading, and it takes almost 30% in before you get to it. It was frustrating because I felt we could have had more to the story if wet got past that point sooner.

Otherwise, I did enjoy the book. I think it was a nice, light read, and good for a summer release. Most of the characters were enjoyable and the small town made for a nice scenic backdrop. I did want more from the ending. The epilogue was almost too short and left you wanting more. Maybe Katherine will branch off their stories into her next book?

I have read two Katherine Center novels so far and really enjoyed them. I was so excited when I heard about What You Wish For about a young, quirky school librarian that butts heads with the new school principal. I'm a book nerd that secretly (or not so secretly) harbors fantasies of being a librarian, school or otherwise, so I thought it would be really fun. Samantha (Sam) loves her job at a small private school on Galveston Island in the gulf coast of Texas. Her coworkers are her family and the school is practically her home. When a new principal comes in with plans to change everything Sam loves about it, she is furious and vows to find a way to fight back. When that principal also turns out to be someone on whom she once had a huge crush, it becomes even more complicated.

I was really sad that I didn't like this book as much as I liked the previous two Center novels I had read. There were glaring flaws in the plot that anyone who has dealt with an elementary or middle school would have seen, namely the lack of parental push back to all the changes the new principal wants to make. Given that this is a private school, and not one restrained by state laws or district oversight, it made even less sense that so many of the qualities that presumably attracted people to this school in the first place would be changed without it turning into a full scale war. (No, that's not hyperbole. When was the last PTO meeting you attended?)

Additionally, can I say that I am way over the trope of two extremely different people who don't get along at all suddenly falling in love? I think it goes back to Elizabeth Bennett and Mr. Darcy and I really wasn't all that big a fan of them as a couple either. GASP! Did I just commit the cardinal sin of not loving Pride and Prejudice? I'm really sorry and I hope it won't make you disown me, but that dynamic between Lizzy and Darcy is the same thing I don't like in other books meant to be romantic. It annoys me and I just don't get into it.

All that said, I did like this book, I just didn't love it. There were lots of lovely characters and I adored Sam's quirks. And I loved the lesson about finding joy in whatever circumstances you may find yourself. You may not be able to make yourself feel joy, but as one sweet character says: "You can decide to do something joyful."

"Joy cures everything....Joy is an antidote to fear. To anger. To boredom. To sorrow."

"I'm not happy because it comes easily to me. I bite and scratch and claw my way toward happiness every day....I know all about darkness. That's why I am so hellbent, every damn day, on looking for the light."

So, sure, there were problems with this book, but I still liked it. Maybe you will, too.