I've only listened to a few audiobooks so far and this one cemented me wanting to continue listening to audiobooks. I've read other books by this author and have enjoyed them all.

Initially, I thought this was a "lighter" story, but when I think about the underlying meaning, the story has many layers, and the core of the story - find joy where we can - is an especially timely read now during the Covid pandemic.

Sam(antha) the main character, is a teacher at a quaint school on Galveston Island. She finds out their new principal is none other than Duncan, the fellow teacher she fell in love with years ago at her previous school.

Duncan lives, breathes, eats, exudes joy. He turned Sam's view of the world from black/gray/beige to vibrant colors and her push to embrace joy each day.

But when Duncan shows up at her school, he's the opposite of his former self. As opposite as one can get. The upside is Sam's no longer attracted to him. Yet, she can't help but wonder what changed him, and can't help but try to lead him back to find joy again.

At first this seems like a love story. It is, in a way, but that's a minor plot. It's a story of community, supporting each other, looking on the bright side of life even after it has kicked you in the teeth, and about taking chances. I thoroughly enjoyed listening to the story (I looked forward to long walks just so I could listen to this) and I thank NetGalley and the publisher for providing me this entertaining book.

I’m reading/listening to this right now and I like it a lot. At first I was like girl grow up the h*ll up, cause she’s too freaking annoying. But as it went on I’m now falling in love with it. Although I’m just on Chapter 15 using my NetGalley app it is sooo freaking good. It’s a 10hrs read and I already know I don’t want to put it down. Reading this I know why Katherine Center is one of my favorite authors.

EDIT: Ch. 25🚨: man if this lady isn’t a hypocrite. One of the biggest hypocrites I’ve read about in a long while. Like seriously and why do they keep calling first and last name?.Anyways...how the heck can you push this man to do one thing and yet you can’t even get your self straightened out? Usually I’d be okay with this but she even cursed the man out, jumped in the ocean and all that only to push him away. What’s the point in chasing after him just to push him away? I just don’t get it. Let that man be. Every one has issues but this woman I don’t know if she wants people to throw her a pity party or what but there are people in worse off conditions and situations, yet not as self pitying as she is. Like I said before she needs to grow up. Maybe she needs to visit that therapist instead of Duncan. All she’s doing is whining every other line is a whine. Now I’m getting put off the book. I mean lady you can’t even stand up for yourself.

Edit Pt. II🚨: So I just finished the novel and while it was good in some parts the main character comes off as really whiny. It gets better towards the middle but at the end she goes back to her whiny self deprecating ways. It’s not good at all. It’s kind of like the attitude you’d expect from from someone 18-25 not someone that’s nearly 30 years old. It was Ch. 28 or 29 where she really acts like a spoiled brat. With everything going on around her she makes it seems like her situation is way worse. Like really Babbet just lost her husband and your friends fiancé is deployed, you had a seizure in front of Duncan. Not to mention Clay ran away and mother is about to be divorced but yeah your situation is so much worse. I tell you I have never disliked a MC so much before but she is the worst. And she has no character development throughout IMO. And why did he move from a perfectly good house to a freaking barn/carriage/shack? I don’t get it. Shouldn’t they be house hunting and leave that small place? I’m just left with a bitter taste and more questions after reading this.

Thank you to Netgalley, the author and the publisher for this ARC.

I was looking forward to listening to this audiobook, but Negalley was having issues with the new release of the app and audiobooks downloading to it. I reached out to Netgalley to ask for help with this issue and they told me that they would let me know when it was resolved. Unfortunately, I discovered that this audiobook was archived as not downloaded, even though I was waiting for Netgalley to address the issue of the audiobooks not being accessible on the iOS app. I reached out again to Netgalley, and they told me sorry, but the book was archived and I was unable to download it, even though the issue was fixed. Sadly, I was not able to experience this book.

Omg omg omg - this book is perfection.

Every book Katherine Center writes I have loved. Somehow she takes very sad/traumatizing situations and allows the characters to work their way through their pain in such amazing ways.

These are real traumas and it’s amazing to see how characters can work through their traumas and come out on the other side in love and in a better place.

Highly recommend all of Katherines books!

I am a huge fan of Katherine Center so I was excited when I got What You Wish For!

I enjoyed this book a lot and was able to devour it in a day (a day of reading by the pool and ignoring laundry and making dinner). This book was just a feel good book that allowed me to escape reality of 2020 and just be entertained.

I was really looking forward to listening to this book. I have not read anything else by this author, but had heard good things. Unfortunately, I could not get past chapter two of this audiobook -- partly because the author's repeated overuse of First & Last Name calling was too much; and also I didn't like the narrator's voice. DNF

Though this isn't my favorite by this author, I did enjoy the book. I love the characters and the message choose joy. I would recommend to anyone who enjoys women's fiction.

So I've read and reviewed strictly the book/reading of What You Wish For. But when I was granted an audiobook copy, I went back and listened to the story from beginning to end. Typically that's not something I do. Normally, I'll either read or listen, possibly read WHILE listening but rarely do I ever go back to take a second pass at a story that I've so recently finished. I felt like the audiobook, and Therese Plummer's narration just added that little bit of extra to the story that I could immediately identify as missing when I just read the words myself. Therese Plummer really brought Sam to life. Duncan as well, although since the story is told from Sam's point of view I think clearly she's the highlighted character. I thought the secondary characters were fine, but since they're not so front and center they tended to mix together a bit. But I really loved the enthusiasm, the snark, the joy and vulnerabilities that come through in the narration. It adds another layer to the overall meaning of the story of finding and holding joy.
An added bonus at the end of the audiobook is a section where Katherine Center talks about the joy of reading. I found this addition very interesting and I always thinks it's cool to connect with an author and it's a little extra special because Katherine Center is speaking to you (me) the listener. Overall, I really enjoyed this audiobook. It enhanced the story I had previously read and I enjoyed revisiting.

I think I would have liked this book more if I had read it, instead of listened to it. Something about the reader was irritating. She seemed to overdo it a bit and she pronounced the word me “may” which was like nails on a chalkboard. That being said, I really liked the story line. I loved the characters, their back stories, and their very believable vulnerabilities. I also loved that I didn’t see the twists and turns of the last third of the book coming. Overall, I would definitely recommend this book.

Loved this book about finding joy after trauma. It was an unexpected gem that had a lot of heart. The story was wonderfully uplifting and poignant, with characters that were thoughtfully drawn and nuanced.

What You Wish For is categorized as romance, and I would agree, there is definitely a romance element, but it felt like SO much more than that. There is hope, grief, inspiration, and friendship all mixed into this beautiful story!

The descriptions that are used to help the reader visualize the world are amazing. I bounced back and forth between reading and listening, and in both cases, the level of detail was still exquisite. There are so many moments where I felt descriptions were extremely important to the story, and Katherine Center nailed it each time! There’s a hat at one moment in the story, and it’s just a hat. But it’s so much more than that when you read the book, and without the lovely descriptions, that moment would have fallen flat for me, but instead, it completely warmed my heart!

The characters are fabulous. Each one is built with thought and detail to give them a full life, not just a moment in time during this story. Sam is so full of love, for reading, for children, for her school, and I could FEEL just how much she loved each thing. Especially her unrequited love for Duncan. Sam was someone I connected to immediately, and I loved her story. Duncan tugged at my heartstrings again and again. I literally cried during moments of his story because they were so filled with emotion. Amazing!!

Overall, I clearly loved this book. It was written beautifully and brought amazing characters to life. I cannot wait to get my hands on another one of her books!!

To Read or Not To Read:
I would recommend What You Wish For to readers that enjoy falling into a character’s life and truly living their experiences and surroundings! I would absolutely recommend the audio version of this book. The narrator did a fabulous job of telling this story!

This audiobook was very similar to the previous two I had listen to by the same author. A Romance with hesitant starts and stops mixed in with a serious topic -in this case, school shootings. It was enjoyable while I was listening to it. The characters were quirky and memorable and I wanted a happy ending for them. Despite the serious topic it was a lighthearted listen and tugged at your heart strings without being melodramatic.

A great listen in these times..... Interesting and light, distracted me enough to forget the world for a little while.

I want to say how much I absolutely LOVED this book. From the moment I started listening to this book I was hooked. I was so engaged in the story. There was so much that I loved about the book. ❤️First of all the main character, Samantha Casey, who works as a school librarian. She is passionate about reading and kids. She loves the school she works at and she is involved in a lot of the projects at the school. ❤️Second, I liked that the main character was dealing with Epilepsy. An illness that is close to my heart. ❤️The school in the book sounded like an amazing school, it even had a butterfly garden. The teachers at the school were very dedicated. ❤️A whale was saved. ❤️There was a romance. ❤️The narration in the audiobook was outstanding.

As you can tell, for me, this is a ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ star book. I highly recommend this book. I will definitely look for some more books to read by Katherine Center.

What You Wish For by author Katherine Center is about friends, secrets, and looking to the future as a renewing experience. What You Wish For is a bit different than her previous book, Things You Save In A Fire.
Samantha Casey is happy in her life as a librarian at a private school. Sam feels devastated when Max, her best friend, and the principal of the school dies suddenly. Sam has loved Max and Babette as if they were her own family. Even more disturbing for Sam is when she discovers who is named the new principal, Duncan Carpenter! Yes, she knew Duncan at the previous school where she worked and had a secret love for him. They were younger, and even though Duncan may not have known of her big crush on him, she has never forgotten that time in her life. Now, what will she do?
Duncan has aged and changed. He has a son, Clay, a dog, and Duncan has changed from the guy she had known before. He seems harsh and wants to make big changes at the school. Personally I don't forgive him for having the butterfly wall painted over!
I won't post spoilers, but it is a book about human emotions. The story is about coming to an understanding of friendships in your community and acceptance.
Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the opportunity to read and review this book.

I listened to the audiobook version of Katherine Center’s newest release, What You Wish For: A Novel. The novel deserves five stars for unlikely situations, quirky characters, and a deep dive into the question of how we react to tragedy. The language and love scenes are very PG, and the story moves along with just enough tension to keep the reader engaged.

The narration deserves a three-star review. I started listening to the book without reviewing the back-cover material, and the narrator had me convinced that the main character, Samantha Casey, was a special-needs teenager instead of an adult art teacher. The narrator hit her stride by mid-book.

What an exceptional sweet story! Sometimes you just need a break and this book provided me that much needed break!

What You Wish For was such an easy quick read that I thoroughly enjoyed! It was full of laughter, sadness, love and a whole host of many emotions. I enjoy a story that can dig deep down and make you feel every emotion and still leave you feeling happy at the end! It shows you that life's circumstances can shade you but also that you can't be afraid to live.

The characters were unique and quirky but so loveable! It felt like they were real people with real problems and they have to learn to still live life to the fullest amidst all the turmoil!

I don't think they could have picked a better narrator! I think Therese Plummer was born to narrate this book and seemed to suit the mail female character perfectly!

Overall I was super thrilled with this book and I am so happy I listened to it!

There was a foreword from the author after the book and I really appreciated it. She tells readers that you should enjoy what you're reading and somethings you just need a break and it really resonated with me!

I would like to thank Netgalley, St. Martin's Press, and Katherine Center for providing me a copy of What You Wish For in return for an honest and unbiased review!

What You Wish For follows a school librarian named Sam. Sam plans a 60th birthday party for her boss, the principal and owner of the school named Max. Max is well loved by everyone. However, once at the party, Max collapses and then starts coughing up blood. He ends up dying. Everyone in town and at school are heartbroken. A few weeks prior to the start of the school year, Duncan is hired as principal. Sam used to work with Duncan and he was very similar to Max with loving life and being so fun. Sam has high hopes for him and is scared her old crush for him will come back. Yet, when he comes to town and has their first staff meeting, he is more intense and strict. This puzzles Sam. She makes it her mission to help Duncan remember the old him while finding out his past. Will she be able to help him?
What You Wish For is such a good book. I love anything by Katherine Center. I was listening to this on audio and I could not stop listening. I had to devour it. It was cute and gripping. I highly recommend this book and any of her other books.

3.5 stars-This quick read is filled with quirky characters and inspires you to choose joy, making sure to find the joy even when faced with difficulties in life. This book was a great distraction and kept me entertained for a few hours because of the fast paced story, excellent narration, and the slow burn romance. I thought the audio was well done and matched perfectly to characters, especially the main character, Sam Casey the school librarian. Sam is the elementary librarian at a prestigious private school in Texas (I may or may not have been suckered into it with the main character being a librarian named Sam).

When the school principal passes away suddenly and unexpectedly right before the school year, Sam is devastated. This soon turns to both excitement and dread when she realizes that the new replacement will be Ducan Carpenter, a fun loving teacher from Sam’s previous school. But when he arrives and he’s nothing as Sam remembers, and instead starts enforcing strict new policies and procedures to keep everyone safe. Sam wonders what happened to the silly, lighthearted teacher she used to have a major crush on. Determined to save the school and fix Duncan, Sam takes on quite the challenge of accomplishing these tasks with the help of her colleagues.

Having been a teacher and now a librarian I find some aspects of the plot unbelievable, especially for a renowned private school. This book definitely had a Hallmark movie type of vibe, but ultimately I wanted more from it. It should be noted that there is a trigger warning for gun violence in schools. I really loved Katherine Center’s narration at the end where she emphasizes reading what you love for the sheer joy of reading, this was a nice surprise bonus to conclude with.

This was just beautiful. The writing, the romance, all of it. What You Wish For is a mix of a second chance romance (missed chance romance?) and hate to love. The romance was between two broken people that truly didn't want to be saved, but rather loved through their pain while making an effort to make the best of everyday. I knew within the first few chapters that this would be a 5 star read for me. I loved it!

Our man characters are Duncan and Sam. Duncan is a difficult character that makes you love and hate him. I went from genuinely disliking him to crying for him. He is a complex character that develops so much throughout this story. I adored his relationship with his sister and her family as well. Sam had so much growth. I loved her quirkiness and positive attitude even when times were rather bleak.

All of the characters are well-written. I adored Alice and Clay, they had a richness to the story that was so enjoyable. This book also contains some thought provoking/difficult topics that I was not expecting, but were handled so well. These characters all faced traumatic life events, but it was written in a way that still made it easy to process and enjoy. As I said, it was truly beautiful.

Thank you to Netgalley and MacMillan publishing for an audio version of What You Wish For by Katherine Center in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.

Another delightful read by Katherine Center!! With everything going on in the world today, this was a great distraction. A quick, easy read that reminds you to just choose joy. Whatever obstacles you need to overcome, the hurt and loss that you have endured...just choose joy.

Grab this sweet escape and let Samantha & Duncan remind you to smile!! I also loved the author's note at the end about just reading what you love. Well done Katherine Center.