Wow, what a book. I was completely hooked on the first few pages and devoured this completely.

Trigger warnings: school shootings, death of a loved one, car accident

This is such a beautiful, difficult story of recovering from trauma. I just can’t say enough good things. I loved how the author portrayed recovering from trauma through community and therapy, and this small town setting was so perfect.

The beloved town principal has passed away shaking the community and those closest to him to the core. How small town is it? Well his wife is the art teacher, and the girl who lives in his guest house is the librarian at the school. Oh and his son in law is the head of the school board and he just hired a new principal from California. The new principal has some secrets and trauma of his own and as he begins to heal, so does this community. The strength, love, and community is beautiful.

My six word review:
Small towns, education, and mental health

Ever since I read How To Walk Away, Katherine Center has been one of my auto buys. And my thoughts on this one? I 👏🏻 LOVED 👏🏻 IT 👏🏻 The writing was amazing as always. No doubt, one of my favorite books of this year!⁣
⁣
• Enemies-to-Lovers. It has the perfect amount of hate to love ratio and that's not easy, am I right?⁣
• Principle/teacher relationship. Is this considered as forbidden love? Anyway, I loved it. Give me more.⁣
• Duncan. Our damaged hero was...AH-DOR-ABLE 💗💗 He has a rough exterior and gives everyone the stink eye. But inside he's a lovable creature. Lets all give him a hug.⁣
• Samantha. Funny, witty, and dorky. Her inner dialogue was spot on. To keep it brief, I loved her. ⁣
• Galveston Island. I did not know this was a real place! I ALSO did not know Texas had islands (sorry). That being said, I loved this small community. Definitely gave off the "small town romance" vibe.⁣
• There's definitely deeper issues that are tackled (school shooting) and I liked how it was handled. Even though the book focused more on romance this time around, I liked the overall message the author was giving at the end.⁣
⁣

Katherine Center is back with another new rom-com. Alright so her books are more women's fiction but I like to think of them as contemporary romances. I discovered Katherine Center about a year and a half ago when I picked up How to Walk Away from Book of the Month. When she was prompting her newest book last January, she had a signing at my local bookshop and I knew I had to go. Let me just tell you she is a joy to be around! She's funny, honest, and all over the place, which I love.

Her writing, and this book is no different, is fun, relatable, and have great character evolution arcs. They're always filled with romance but also with great life lessons about over coming obstacles and being your own biggest fan. I also love that her books generally take place in Texas, which is where I live, but I also love that they don't feature the typical big cities such as New York.

What You Wish For has all the things I have come to love about Katherine Center books but this one was just a four star for me. I liked it for sure, but I just did not love it as much as I loved her last book, Things You Save in a Fire.
I loved the characters from Things You Save in a Fire but I could not bring myself to really love Sam. She's extremely dramatic and emotional. Since I'm not really either of those things (maybe a little dramatic) it was hard for me to connect with her. I also found that the situation between her and Duncan was a little weird. Their story didn't seem quite as natural as other love stories I've read of Center's.
I did really enjoy the setting being in Galveston Island and the fact that Sam is a major book worm.
Overall this is a great book and I highly recommend it. I especially suggest you read it at the beach since it takes place on Galveston Island. It should most definitely be on everyone's summer reading list!


I hope you enjoyed my thoughts on What You Wish For. If you liked this review please let me know either by commenting below or by visiting my instagram @speakingof_books. Huge thank you to St. Martin's Press and Netgallery for my ARC.

This is a story about Samantha who decides to run away from a man she loves and take charge of her life by moving to Texas and renting a place from sweet old Babette and Max. Not only have they given her a place to stay but she's also the librarian at their elementary school.

Sam used to live in the shadows always wearing grey and just existing but when she moved to Texas, she brightened up. Literally. She wears all the colors possible and loves to make the kids smile (think red skirt, yellow shirt, purple headband, polka dot scarf - yes please!) She believes happiness is something one chooses and she needs happiness in her life. She finds it ironic as she escaped to Texas because she loved a man who didn't know she existed, Duncan. And he used to wear bright colorful pants, host dance parties for the kids, have 'hat Friday's' and just be an all around fun person for kids. Basically the opposite of who Sam was.

One day Max dies and Sam hears that her old friend/crush, Duncan, is coming to take Max's place as the Principal, she can't be more thrilled! Duncan is the class clown and would be the perfect candidate to carry on Max's legacy. Doubtful he'd recognize her as this colorful woman now but when Duncan shows up for his first day, Sam can't believe it's the same guy. In walks in a dull and stoic man who can barely smile to the staff. No colorful pants or socks in sight, only grays and he doesn't care about anything being fun, his only goal is to ensure this school is safe. Sam's job now is to figure out what happened to Duncan's shining personality and find a way for the old Duncan to come back so he doesn't ruin Max's legacy.

For two people who have seemed to switch personalities, they both find a way to help the other cope with their traumatic pasts. One helps the other to see the good in the world and the other helps by showing you can't be naive to the bad in the world. Either way, everyone's colors start to show and they're all pretty bright and colorful! You won't be sorry reading this as you truly get what you wish for.

This was my first Katherine Centre, so I was very excited to get started!

Overall a cute, sweet but predictable book set in a small town school in the US.

Sam is a librarian at a small town school.
A new principal comes in after their beloved principal passes away suddenly. Even though it’s a man Sam knew in the past, this version of him feels like a completely different man. What is he hiding?

There were a few plot points that I felt dragged things out unnecessarily. Hard to say without providing spoilers. It did feel long, and a little overly dramatic at times. I haven’t read any of her other books so I’m not sure if this is just the author’s style?

I am fast becoming a fan of Katherine Center. What You Wish For was a great story with memorable characters. Samantha is a school librarian ( My former job) at a small private school in Texas. She has epilepsy and hides this from just about everyone she knows. Her principal and mentor, has a heart attack at his birthday party and dies, leaving the school searching for new leadership. Enter new principal Duncan Carpenter, a former teacher and colleague of Samantha's whom she had a huge crush on. But this new Duncan is nothing like her old Duncan, who was fun personified. This one is boring and scared of everything. Sam makes it her business to find out why and when she does, she understands the new Duncan more. But she and the faculty are still not happy with all of the changes he is determined to make. It takes the disappearance of a child to bring Duncan, Sam and the school together. This is a wonderful, fun love story.

This book- just was the perfect blend of lighthearted read to suit the moment while reminding us all of the profound message that we can choose to embrace joy. Even in trying circumstances. We have the power to find the joy, and bring little elements of joy to the people around us. A truly wonderful message that feels so important during these days of self isolating at home. Being kind can always bring us comfort and it’s an easy gift to give the world. We can choose to believe in the best in people and believe that they mean things with the best intent...

Katherine Center has done it again. I absolutely adored this book! Not only is her writing beautiful and poignant, I felt like this book was so relatable. Although I don't have personal experience with either of Duncan and Sam's traumas, I understand their grief and fear. I was rooting for them, personally and together, throughout the entire book and was pleasantly surprised with how this book ended. The supporting characters were written with purpose, but didn't overshadow the MCs. Katherine Center always takes you on a personal journey in her books, and I learned to always choose joy after reading this one.
I would recommend this book to anyone who loves a happy ending and second chance reads.

Perhaps this novel should be subtitled How to Survive Trauma. Caring friends, an open mind, a willing spirit, courage. All of these come into play for several characters in What You Wish For. Galveston Island serves as the background for the story and its descriptions are spot on. The main characters, the school librarian and the new school principal, are engaging, funny, and heartbreaking. Katherine Center does a wonderful job introducing them and peeling away the layers as we get to know them.

This was a really sweet and gentle book that had greater depths than I had originally thought. The two main characters are really lovely but the way the story dealt with past trauma was beautifully done. I was really rooting for them to get together and really enjoyed every page. A lovely, feel-good book that comes highly recommended.

I started out this book questioning whether I would like it. She introduces a character early on that felt like a caricature rather than a person who could be real. As I read on, this character began to come alive and the relationship that unfold between him and the man character, Sam, quickly became a favorite. Sam is darling and you can’t help but root for her. There are some moments that were a bit over the top for me but overall I felt the author did a beautiful job dealing with some heavy issues while bringing the reader back to the importance of joy, courage and friendship. PS if we could make the school they work at a reality that would be great. Thank you #netgalley for the ARC of #whatyouwishfor

Oh Katherine! You hit it out of the park yet again! I haven’t read a book by you that hasn’t left me happy and this one did not disappoint!

I received What You Wish For by Katherine Center as an ARC from NetGalley. Things You Save In A Fire was the first novel I read by Center and I also received it from NetGalley. I loved that book and wanted to read more from her. What You Wish For is another great book! Katherine Center stories are very unique and have characters that you fall in love with. Samantha is a school librarian in Galveston, TX. She had some struggles in her life but she's found her happy place in Galveston. Then Duncan becomes her new school principal. She worked with him at another school but he has changed completely since that time. Her characters are so real and it makes me love her books so much!

This was a quick story for me, it drew me in right away.
The two main characters annoyed me at first but they both became more likeable as the story went on. This was a fun, breezy sort of book. I enjoyed it. Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for the early copy

Each Katherine Center book seems to be better than the last, this is very impressive for any author to do! I really enjoyed this story, (and like all her others), had never read anything quite like it. I love that Center creates characters with jobs and in scenarios that are really unique, yet also familiar. It makes you realize that everyone has a life with lots of ups and downs, and stories we will never know.

Sam is a lovably quirky librarian who is in for a surprise when a man from her past is hired as the school’s new principal. However, he is nothing like she remembers and threatens to ruin her beloved school.

I really enjoyed this author’s last two books, so I was excited to read this one. I really enjoyed the characters and the school setting. I could vividly picture this amazing school and it’s library. What You Wish For was a nice heartwarming escape, but the cheesiness factor was a little high at times. There were a couple of sections in the book that I thought dragged on and were a bit too over the top. There are some heavier themes in the book that provide some balance. This wasn’t my favorite work of Center’s, but overall I enjoyed it, and it was a nice escape from the real world.

Thank you to NetGalley and St. Martin’s Press for the ARC of this book in exchange for my honest opinion!

After reading Things You Save In A Fire, I had high expectations for this book by the same author, and she did not disappoint. Sam is a librarian in a coastal city in Texas. She moved there to start fresh and get over a guy she had a crush on at her former school. After a few years of living there and falling in love with the school and people she works with, she finds out that her old crush is coming to her new school and is about to shake things up as principal.

This book is a great, feel-good story. If you liked Katherine Center's other novels, you will not be disappointed by this one!

I really enjoyed this latest book by Katherine Center! She hasn’t disappointed me yet, though my favorite book by her is still How to Walk away. Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for a free copy in exchange for review.

4.5/5

Thank you to Netgalley, St. Martins press and the Author, Katherine Center for the ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.
Yet another fabulous book by Katherine, who has become one of my favorite authors.
I loved the settings and characters who were very charming, quirky and loveable especially the main protagonist "Sam".
This was a very enjoyable and heartwarming story.

4,5 it won’t be my last by this author’s stars!
“You’ll never fix all your problems.” “Well, that’s encouraging.” “The point is to be happy anyway. As often as you can.”



This was my first book by Katherine Center and I really want to thank St Martin’s Press for gifting me this copy. It had no influence on me reviewing that book but played a major role on me having one of the most wonderful times reading a book!

I wanted to try one of Katherine Center’s books since I read raving reviews months ago for Things You’d Save in a Fire.

Every reader was so enthusiastic that I was intrigued. The moment I read the blurb for What You Wish For, I knew that I wanted to try it.



First thing: Katherine’s penmanship is flawless. She made me fall into her story from the first sentences, walking in Sam’s shoes with ease and falling for that school filled with amazing and dedicated teachers. I really relished in witnessing this story unfold, also outraged at what Duncan’s did but later, going all emotional when some veil on his and Sam’s past trauma were lifted.

I am a character driven kind of reader and the author built amazing characters I would have loved to befriend.

You will have the characters you’ll despise like Kent Bukley.

He was the chairman of the school’s board and once the school’s founder and director, Max, died het jumped on the occasion to put his man at the head of the school. The one that would “set things right” as in: more discipline, more security, less poetry and much less freedom and joy!
“So while Max dying was a crushing loss for everybody else, for Kent Buckley it was—as he’d kind of confessed in the meeting today . . . an opportunity."

Of course, opposed to Kent Bukley, you have all the teachers and our heroine: Samantha.



Samantha was a breeze of fresh air. She had my dream work: she was a librarian! I loved how Katherine Center made her library a dream for kids and readers. With staircase painted like books, with nests to read, filled with joy!

Samantha had a “condition” that I won’t speak about here as I don’t wat to spoil your fun. But what I loved about her is that she chose to overcome her fear. She chose to be happy, joyful.

And she made a 180° transformation going for a pink bang, polka dots skirts, plateau shoes and bright colors! She is a truly courageous and warm person.

And when Duncan will arrive in her school, dead set on making it a high security school, choosing grey for the walls and covering gorgeous butterfly murals, Samantha will lead the teachers and go to war with Duncan!



That story was filled with humor and comic scenes. I laughed when Sam hid in the grocery store, crouching low behind her cart as she was so not prepared to meet Duncan!

I smiled at all of Alice’s T shirts. She is the math teacher and Samantha’s best friend, always having math quotes and jokes on her T shirts!

But the humor was used to alleviate some very moving scenes, some topics like PTSD and illness that can really poison your life and engulf you in dark clouds if you don’t react.

There is lots of wisdom here. Thoughts about how you don’t choose some things in your life but that you choose how you react to these.
“Faced with darkness, I had chosen flowers. And polka dots. And light.”



Duncan was the character that you’ll love at first when Samantha will talk about how he was in her old school then you’ll be horrified by what he’ll do. I too wanted to grab a pitch fork and join the teacher’s mob! But then, he’ll change and you’ll also learn what happened to change him so deeply. That’s when you’ll understand. That’s when you’ll want to help him.



Going from laughter to outrage all while breezing through angst and sadness, this book was a roller coaster of emotion. I am amazed at how Katherine Center transitioned my mood from one extreme to the other without overdoing anything! Granted, the one thing that prevented me from giving five stars was the ending a little bit too “overplayed” if I may say so. But that read remains one of the best woman fiction that I have read in recent years.

One final favorite quote here before I let you go:


“Dude—I’m not happy because it comes easily to me. I bite and scratch and claw my way toward happiness every day.”