Sometimes your life can change in an instant, that happened to Duncan. Fortunately he has been able to tuck that event away and move forward making sure nothing like this ever happens again.

Samantha knew Duncan, well, she taught in the same school and adored him from afar. When she realizes she is never going to have a future with him she does what she considers the wise option and moves away.

Imagine her surprise when the new principal of her current school is introduced, and he has definitely not changed for the better.

The interplay between Sam and Duncan is dynamic and poignant at the same time. Both feel they have unacceptable flaws.

Read this charming book about real life and how we need each other to survive and prosper.

Thank you NetGalley for an advanced copy of What You Wish For. This is the second book I read from this author and I find her writing style to be very enjoyable. She gives just enough details and tells the story thoughtfully. All but one of the main characters are likable. It is a light read, which at first I was disappointed with, but then I focused on the author's message that is very relevant at this snapshot in time. Life is not easy. There are many events that bring us down, but the main characters focus on being positive. Finding happiness is important and doing what makes you feel good is important. Dance, sing, dress in colorful clothing, paint, read.....just have a positive attitude. It is a story filled with hope, a little romance along with some serious issues. I recommend this book and author.

Thoroughly enjoyed this story. I picked up on some plot points early on, but still appreciated how the author got there. Happy to have found a new author and will have to dig into her back catalogue.

ARC provided from publisher via Netgalley but opinions are solely my own.

The first Katherine Center book that I ever read was Happiness For Beginners and with that one book, I was hooked! Center’s writing is light, but well-crafted, and pulls her readers into stories that are alway much deeper, on many more levels, than you expect them to be.

What You Wish For is no exception to this! I didn’t know much about her newest novel, but it was available as a Read Now on NetGalley and since her books are always a must read for me, I grabbed it when I saw that I could. This story takes us to Galveston, Texas (a town that has fascinated me ever since I read Erik Larson's book Isaac's Storm) and to the community of a small private day school after its long time principal passes away. It focuses on the school’s librarian, Samantha, and as an old colleague/crush from her last school shows up to make some changes to the school, Sam must grapple with who she was, and who she has become, to save the life (and the school!) that she loves.

There was so much in this book about joy - finding joy and more importantly, CHOOSING joy, in spite of any given circumstances. This was exactly the book that I needed to read right now and I love the whole belief that we can find joy on purpose. As we experience this unprecedented crisis in history, I think it’s important to focus on finding the joy wherever we can. Center helps reinforce this idea through this beautifully told story and I cannot wait for it to be released in July so that you can all read it!

Thanks to NetGalley and St. Martin's Press for the free electronic ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.

This book really touched my heart and I felt for Sam as she was reeling from the death of their school principal/father figure in her life.
I found that some parts were predictable, but I found that I was surprised throughout also.
Sam and Duncan deal with a lot of things separately and together. I think they had a good dynamic together and I felt that their relationship as colleagues and romantically had lots of depth.
A very lovely book and I loved the representation of reading and libraries and it was set in Texas!

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for this ARC!

This is a charming modern day romance novel. The two main characters, Duncan and Samantha are written with both flaws and redeeming qualities that are woven through out the story line. I appreciated how Katherine Center incorporated very real life school safety situations in the novel's plot while also showing the push and pull of keeping an elementary school's creative school culture present.

Overall, I would recommend this novel as an enjoyable summer or vacation read.

This was a sweet story and kept me engaged for the most part. It does tackle a difficult subject but for me I don't think the author dug deep enough for me to really take that too seriously. The actions by some of the characters just made it seem like it wasn't a big deal. Some of the characters were great, others got on my nerves a little. All in all an enjoyable book but I don't know that I will be thinking about this one much as I move forward.

What a joy to read What you Wish for. Katherine Center never disappoints! I feel into the skin of Sam, the main character in the book. She's got a dream job as a school librarian (as I would have LOVED to have been one!) and she loves working with kids. Her life is turned upside down, along with all her friends, school's employees and the school's children. After this tragedy, things seem to be getting even worse at the school. Love and patience prevail and lives that were once so far apart learn to accept the possibility of happily ever after. I really do enjoy Katherine's writing. Anyone who can have me melt into a book so easily is a winning author in my books. Looking forward to her next book!

This is so not the kind of book I normally read, but it was perfect for the current situation. Light, mindless, fluffy, predictable...it was a breeze. Near the end, I was ready for it to be done. And it was, in a satisfying way. Why can't life always have a happy ending?

Found this charming at first but just too predictable for me. The lead character was not very realistic and the story had too many things going on at once to be the relaxing read I needed. Bit over the top for me.
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A novel that really embraces Katherine Center as an author. The story line is indescribably absorbing. Center’s writing alone has a quality that quickly has you drawn in and half way through the book. The plot itself is about life. Center touches on all the small, brief, sometimes intense moments that change people and the paths they are on and lead them where they are supposed to be. In between all this, she throws a love story in. Very cute and heart felt.

Thank you to a#NetGalley for the ARC of #WhatYouWishFor which was read and reviewed voluntarily.

Wow. What a beautiful story. First let me say, I normally would not read what I consider a romantic novel. Katherine Center’s writing is so absorbing. This story has it all, life, death, heart ache, love, mental health, physical health and everything in between. Plus, the story is so relevant on some many different levels. Thank you NetGalley and Katherine Center for the ARC.

This book, like Centers other books, sucked me right in and had me not wanting to put it down. The characters were fun and quirky, and at times over the top, but with realistic issues. The story line kept me wanting to know more. This book is about finding joy and felt like the perfect theme for what we’re all going through right now.

I loved the story of Samantha and Duncan. Samantha knew Duncan from a previous job. When Duncan becomes the new Principal at her new school, Duncan he is no longer the carefree man she used to know. You can feel Samantha's disappointment and heartache. I really enjoyed the way Katherine Center wrote this book.
This book is a 5 out of 5 stars for me. It was a really enjoyable read with some interesting character you get to meet along the way. Thank you to NetGalley and the publishers of this book for an opportunity to read this book for my honest review. I always like finding a new author to read. I will be reading more books by Katherine Center.

“What you Wish for” is about a librarian who has found her dream town and dream school, will she give it all up for “that guy”? A heartfelt story of how time and events change us, this is a great read for a lazy weekend.

I always end up really enjoying all of the books by Katherine Center and this one did not disappoint. Started a little slower than some of her other books but then had me hooked. Thank you to Netgalley for my ARC of this book by one of my favorite authors.

I enjoyed this book so much. What a heart-warming story! I cared about the characters and wondered what on earth had happened to Duncan. (I guessed wrong.) It was one of those books where you read faster and faster the closer you get to the end. I'd like to see a sequel or a book about Samantha's best friend, Alice. And I'll definitely look for Katherine Center's other books.

If you've ever felt as if you are interfering with your own happiness, this is the book for you. If you've ever found out-- way too late-- that things weren't at all the way you thought they were, this is the book for you.

I'll miss reading this book.

This may be my favorite book of Katherine center's yet! I loved the storyline and the characters in the book. Parts may have been far fetched but who does not love that in a romance read.
Sam is a librarian in a small school in Texas and everything is going well for her until the principal of the school, who she is very close to, has a sudden accident and passes away. The person who takes the open principal job is someone who she moved to Texas to get away from, Duncan. He was a teacher at the school she used to work at and she had a major crush on him the entire time she was there. When he shows up in Texas he is a completely different person, he changes the school and is a grump most of the time. Sam sets out to figure out what changed him and how she can begin to get him back to the funny and loving person he used to be.

Trigger warnings: domestic emotional abuse and school shooting

I loved how realistic the characters are and that they face real life challenges like sickness, trauma, death and divorce and yet still live joyful and fulfilling lives. Thanks Katherine for another wonderful book

I have worked in education for many years so the blurb immediately caught my attention. Add to the fact that the setting is my adopted home state of Texas, and I knew I really wanted to check this book out. I will start with the things that I liked about this book. I really liked the bright, vivid descriptions, I liked the characters, for the most part, and I genuinely enjoyed the whole positive and upbeat vibe of the book. The premise of the book is great, but in my opinion, poorly executed. The entire first half of the book seemed to drag so slow for me. It was very very repetitive and spoke of the past so much. I would have loved to see more development in Sam's life and personal relationships than hearing one more time about Duncan's neckties and antics from four years ago. By about halfway through the book picked up and I was really enjoying it, but by the next chapter the same repetitive tone had returned. Overall this book was positive and joyful but I found several parts super cheesy and unbelievable. This was my first Katherine Center experience and although I did not love this book I would like to check some of her other works out. I am grateful to St. Martin's Press and Netgalley for allowing me the opportunity to read an advanced copy in exchange for my review.