WHAT YOU WISH FOR - Katherine Center

WONDERFULLY UPLIFTING - 5 stars

Plot - 4 stars - Sam is a school librarian who has been very close to the former principal and his wife. After his death, she is shocked to discover that a former coworker has been chosen as principal, and he's changed drastically since she saw him last, not for the better.

Writing - 5 stars - As always, I am drawn into the story immediately. Center writes in a way that makes sense to me, and I feel comfortable as soon as I begin one of her books. The characters are very approachable. But the best part, in my opinion, is that the story might be sad or even tragic, but there's an underlying sense of hope. The positive message of joy, particularly in this book, feels so good and compels me to continue with the story.

Characters - 5 stars - The characters are particularly wonderful in this book. Sam has suffered through a tough childhood, dealing with epilepsy and spending her life alone. She has learned to be invisible. But when she moved, she was influenced by the principal who encouraged her to embrace joy. She started wearing bright colors and created a warm and magical library space for the children to enjoy. Duncan, on the other hand, was formerly a wild and crazy teacher. He was goofy and always the center of attention, wearing crazy ties and pants and entertaining everyone. As new principal of this school, he has basically switched places with Sam and is now dark and gray and humorless. Both characters have lived through trauma, dealing with it in different ways. But underneath, they are still the same positive leaders, having lost their way. They are totally appealing and easy to relate to. Don't we all have secrets and problems to overcome?

Title - 4 stars - I'm not totally sure, but I'd guess that this title suggests that Sam wished to be with Duncan, but as with the phrase, "be careful what you wish for," she discovers him again but in a very different way than she expected.

Cover - 5 stars - As with all of her covers, Center has chosen a colorful and bright one. In this case it's particularly apt since it represents the colorful life that Sam has created for herself, contrasting greatly with the greyness of Duncan's life.

Overall - 5 stars - Wonderful! Despite the sometimes tragic circumstances and sadness (let's face it--there were several events that were definitely tear-jerkers), the underlying message of the book was positive. And that's what everyone's life is about. In spite of difficult circumstances, if you keep a positive outlook, you'll be able to make changes for the better. I loved the slow and steady relationship that built between Sam and Duncan, without knowing how it would end. And it was wonderful to see such a dedicated group of teachers who cared about the children and wanted to create a safe and happy environment for them. Really a warm and fuzzy book that brought me to tears more than once, in a good way.

Katherine Center simply knows how to tell a story!! This was a fantastic remedy to the craziness in the world today. I wish I had an infinite number of books like this one. Thank you Net Galley for the copy of the book in exchange for a review. If you are KC fan, this one will not disappoint!

Thank you NetGalley and the publisher for the ARC.

Whenever I am asked to give a book recommendation, there is a 90% chance I recommend a Katherine Center book. Her writing style always has the perfect mix of heart, humor and depth. I could not wait to read her latest release, What You Wish For.

We meet our heroine, Samantha (Sam), an elementary school librarian who absolutely loves her job and the people in her life. When the school principal unexpectedly passes away, his replacement is Duncan, Sam's old crush from her past. Duncan used to be a carefree jokester in the classroom, but years later he is a serious, ruthless authoritarian. Sam struggles with her memories of the man of the past, and the new Duncan who is planning to make irreparable changes to her beloved school.

There is great character development in the book, not just from Sam and Duncan, but from many side characters as well. The book does not shy away from hard topics that may be very difficult for some to read, but it addresses those serious issues in a caring, compassionate way.

One of my favorite parts was getting to see a glimpse of character's from one of Center's previous books, Happiness for Beginners. The connection between both books was fantastic.

If you're looking for a little joy right now, I would give this a read!

This was my favorite Katherine Center book to date. She has a deft hand at handling very serious topics with a sympathetic manner..

This was an uplifting romance that tackles some weighty issues but mostly managed to do so deftly, if a little reductively. The protagonists make you root for them, though!

She does it again! Please do yourself a favor and pick up any book by Katherine Center and you won't regret it. Loved the book and characters. Great storytelling.

This book was such a fun read! I almost felt like I was in Galveston when I was reading it. Samantha is the quirky librarian at an adorable elementary school near the beach. When the school's beloved principal, and a friend and father-figure to Samantha, suddenly passes away, everything changes. The new principal is someone from Samantha's past but is no longer the fun-loving person she knew.. He soon tries to change the storybook school into a sterile fortress of safety. Ultimately, this is a story of friendship, love, and healing.

I love Katherine Center's books. Things You Save in a Fire and How to Walk Away were amazing. I did not like this book. It almost seemed like a dofferent writer from her previous books. It was a struggle to finish. Sam was annoying and I had a hard time caring about her relationship with Duncan. Most of the book she was a bit obsessive about him and it was a little much. She was not a very likeable character. I wished for more of Babette and Alice. But I did not get what I wished for.

I need to start this by saying Thank You NetGalley for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.

I read this in one sitting I thought I'd start with a chapter or two before bed(midnight) only to find myself finishing the book at 3 am. This was my first time reading a Katherine Center book and it won't be my last!
OMG was this just the most feel good book I've read in awhile.This book will have you closing the last page with a HUGE smile on your face! I bawled my eyes out and laughed so hard my husband told me to turn off the light and go to bed.

I fell in love with the characters Sam and Duncan are just too cute and so swoon worthy to not root for. You really want them to get together because you just know their better together then apart too. Alice the math friend is the best side character I've ever had the pleasure to meet and I just kept wanting to know more about her too. She needs her own book!

Now I don't want you to get the wrong impression this is not a chick lit romance this is a beautiful story of loss, love, friendship and second chances.

In the past year and a half, I've read three of Katherine Center's new books, and enjoyed them all, but THIS ONE....by far the best. A story of grit, resilience, and the ongoing choices we make for joy in our lives. I rarely give this type of lit five stars, but wow, this one gets them all!!

As a librarian, I loved reading this book about school librarian, Sam Casey. Sam is working at her dream school in Texas, but when the beloved principal passes away she never expected the new principal to be someone she knew. Sam had previously worked with Duncan Carpenter at her past school and had a huge crush on him. He was the kind of fun-loving teacher she wanted to be like. When he is hired as the her new principal she assumes he will bring that same energy, but instead finds a safety-obsessed, closed off man that is nothing like his former self. In the name of safety he tries to change everything that Sam loves about her school. Sam is determined not to let him ruin her school and community and tries to find out if part of the old Duncan she knew and loved still exists.

This is not your stereotypical school or librarian...but it makes for an enjoyable story and a fun read.

Thank you to St. Martin’s Press for providing an ARC of Katherine Center’s latest book. I’ve always enjoyed her characters and What You Wish For didn’t disappoint. Her latest is set at a school in Galveston TX where the librarian Sam finds out that the new principal is a former colleague Duncan, who she happened to have a huge crush on. This was exactly the type of read I needed right now. Thanks again for the sneak peek!

Just what I needed during this time. A heartwarming and hopeful story! What You Wish For, It’s about conquering our fears and being accepted for we are.

Samantha Casey is the librarian of an elementary school in Galveston, TX. A few years ago, she moved to Galveston to escape an unrequited love. The man she fell for was funny, engaging, lovable but he had chosen another woman. Not that he knew how Samantha felt, so it wasn't really his fault.

Samantha is renting a garage apartment owned by Max and Babette Kempner. Max is the principal of the school she works for. During an anniversary celebration, Max unfortunately dies. The whole school and the community are distraught with grief. Then, they learn a new replacement has been hired.



The new principal is none other than Duncan Carpenter. The man Samantha left California for. Samantha is thinking of leaving because there is no way she can see him and not show her feelings but when they finally meet, Duncan is nothing like the man she remembers. Long gone is the happy personality, the vibrant ties, the carefree attitude. He is darkness when he used to be light.

--

I liked Samantha. She was hiding a painful personal problem but she was trying to make her life as positive as she could. She went from wearing grey to wearing all colors but grey. It was a way to remind herself of joy. Feeling joy. Experiencing joy. Sharing joy.

Then there was Duncan, I wished I had met the Duncan of years ago. The current Duncan was solemn and unemotional. Of course, as the story progresses and I learned more about Duncan, the more I started loving him. My favorite Duncan scene was when he had to be medicated. He was awesome!

I enjoyed the secondary characters, From Max who gave her so much insight to Chuck Norris who gave the book so many funny scenes. Also, Babette, Clay and Alice were all great characters.

After finishing reading What You Wish For, I want to try to find joy especially during our current situation.

Cliffhanger: No

4/5 Fangs

A complimentary copy was provided by St. Martin Press via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

I'll start by saying that I am a true Katherine Center fan. I am absolutely drawn into her stories by the way she creates characters that are so realistic you feel as though you know them personally. What you Wish For was no exception. The book description might make this story sound like somewhat of a romance, but it is so much more. It is a story about believing in yourself, trusting your instincts, and doing what is right, even when it's the most uncomfortable thing in the world. Samantha Casey is a woman like many of us, who at one time was living a life as drab as the clothing she wears, it took a tragedy to push her out of her shell and into the bright colors of who she could be. With a new attitude and a colorful wardrobe, she has found joy in her life, now the question is can she hang onto that joy even in the face of adversity? This book itself is a joyful 5 star read.

What You WIsh For is a book that is able to touch on tough life experiences like grief, insecurity, and deep-set fear in a way that uplifts and empowers a reader facing those same battles--and empowers them to choose joy. "It's a deliberate kind of joy. It's a conscious kind of joy. It's joy on purpose." The message is that life throws problems our way, huge ones, but we can still choose joy and live.

Sam moved to Texas to flee from her hopeless love for Duncan, finding a supportive group of fellow teacher friends and an all-consuming worry that her epilepsy has returned. An unexpected death and the subsequent grief rattles this educational community, bringing a new job opening...and Duncan back in the picture. Sam has to both deal with reconciling her unexposed love for Duncan and her shame at her uncontrollable medical condition with the truth that the Duncan she used to know has changed into someone unrecognizable from the hard battles of life he had to also face since she last saw him. Both need to navigate life with trust and, yes, a joy that doesn't make sense, but is beautiful in its weirdness, nonetheless. This book in both its plot and message works on so many levels and in so many ways. Read for yourself and be delighted.

I received an arc of What You Wish For from Netgalley and St Martin’s Press. It reminds you that we are all different, come from different pasts, and we only know what people tell us. I thought her other books were better though.

I think I would have enjoyed this much more if I weren't such a naturally cynical person. Unfortunately for Katherine Center, I can only take so much over-the-top corniness before I start to cringe more than I laugh, which is why I am rounding this book out at 2 stars.

I loved Things You Save In A Fire so I had pretty high expectations going into What You Wish For and for a good chunk of the book, I was really enjoying the story and the characters. I loved the eccentricity of the town and its residents, how much these teachers truly cared about their jobs and their students, and the carefree and relaxed vibe that Galveston provided as a backdrop. However, as the story developed and we got to know the characters, the harder it was for me to ignore certain things.

To start, many of the characters were one-dimensional and held no real substance. I won't get into much but the handling of Babette's character felt very poor to me. She is mentioned quite frequently throughout the book and said to be a major part of Samantha's life but they rarely ever speak to one another, most of their interactions happening off-page. This was weird to me and felt a bit lazy.

However, my biggest issue with this book was how sugary sweet it was. Galveston might as well have been a Disney movie backdrop and I expected a lot more maturity in the world-building from a seasoned author like Center. The 'good' people were perfect saints and the 'bad' people were dreadful beings with no redeeming qualities. We were supposed to sympathize with Samantha but I honestly found myself rolling my eyes more often than not, especially when [she jumped into the water off the pier. Talk about completely mentally unstable. I still don't understand the point of this or why it wouldn't cause Duncan to run for the hills. (hide spoiler)]

Overall, I just didn't enjoy this book like I wanted to. Center is a great writer and that is why I continued on and why I gave this 2 stars because she is talented and did keep me engaged. The story and characters were truly lacking, however, and that did a huge disservice to the very important issues Center was attempting to tackle. I will continue to read her work but unfortunately, this one missed the mark for me.

So so cute, so so positive, so so what we need right now. A quirky elementary school librarian in Texas meets her match in thr new school principal

A sweet, delightful book, with a likable (or at least appealing) cast of characters. I would not call this book particularly memorable, but it was a lovely story. This author writes internally conflicted characters well, which is one of the things that draws me to her stories. As a mental getaway, this was perfect for me.