Samantha Casey loves everything about her job as an elementary school librarian on the sunny, historic island of Galveston, Texas—the goofy kids, the stately Victorian building, the butterfly garden. But when the school suddenly loses its beloved principal, it turns out his replacement will be none other than Duncan Carpenter—a former, unrequited crush of Sam’s from many years before.
When Duncan shows up as her new boss, though, he’s nothing like the sweet teacher she once swooned over. He’s become stiff, and humorless, and obsessed with school safety. Now, with Duncan determined to destroy everything Sam loves about her school in the name of security—and turn it into nothing short of a prison—Sam has to stand up for everyone she cares about before the school that’s become her home is gone for good.
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What I thought about What You Wish For
The synopsis covers the story quite well, so I'm not going to recap it in the review. This is a quiet story that is more women's fiction than contemporary romance, although it does have some romantic elements as Sam and Duncon navigate their lives and everythig that happens to them.
This is a story of Sam and Duncan's search for joy. If that sounds basic, well it is, but often those basic emotions aren't all that easy to come by. Both Sam and Duncan have had situations that have changed and defined them, and really left them adrift in a sea of lonliness. It's up to them to find their way back, with the help of some very good friends. That was one of the best parts of this book -- how friends helped each other at those critical moments.
There aren't a lot of surprises in this as it is really about these characters and their personal growth, but that was okay by me as Katherine Center does a good job of telling this story in a way that keeps you glued to the pages. I read this in about a day, and I couldn't put it down until I knew how it was all going to work out (or not- no spoilers !) for Sam and Duncan.
The secondary characters of Max and Babette and her family, Duncan's family, and Sam's friends were a treat in this book. I loved how they all came together, even when Duncan was at his worst. There was such a commitment to the students at the school and its values were an integral part to the story. It made me feel good to know they wanted to save something good. And Clay was totally adorable and a super likable part of this story.
And that's What You Wish For -- it's a feel good tale that has a message for everyone about what it takes to find your joy, even when it seems impossible. I absolutely loved this message and for that reason, the ease of getting caught up in the story and some extremely likable characters, I'm giving What You Wish For 5 stars. It's a quiet story, but impactful. This is my second book from this author and I will be looking for more.
An ARC was provided for review.
About the Author
Katherine Center is the New York Times and USA Today Bestselling Author of How to Walk Away, as well as the upcoming novel, Things You Save in a Fire (August 13, 2019). She’s also written five other bittersweet comic novels about love and family, including The Bright Side of Disaster, The Lost Husband,and Happiness for Beginners. The Lost Husband is currently in production as a feature film starring Josh Duhamel and Leslie Bibb. Katherine’s work has appeared in Redbook, InStyle, People, USA Today, Vanity Fair, The Atlantic, Real Simple, Southern Living, InTouch, the Dallas Morning News, and the Houston Chronicle, and many others.
1 comment:
I really enjoy this author and I enjoyed this story too.
Anne - Books of My Heart
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