Review: What You Wish For by Katherine Center

What You Wish For by Katherine Center

Published by St. Martin's Press on July 2020
Genres: Adult Fiction
Pages: 320
Format: eBook
Source: Publisher
Goodreads

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.

There’s something really special about Katherine Center’s books and this is no exception. We meet Samantha Casey, finally settled in her beloved school when her life is thrown upside down. The new principal is her old crush and he’s most definitely changed, and not for the better.
Duncan is there to remove everything Sam loves about there school, but she isn’t backing down without a fight.

Sam was a little hard for me. She was really… loud. Lots of colors and patterns, all to symbolize her blossoming into the person she was always meant to be. Of course there are some unspoken issues, but overall Sam’s fun and lively personality was really charming. That said, I feel like she was a little too much. There was so much attention drawn to her clothes and mismatched attire and pink bangs, I felt like saying – we get it! She marches to the beat of her own drum!
I also wasn’t sure about her past friendly acquaintance with Duncan. She met him while she was at another school in California and had these BIG feelings for him. She even moved to start over away from him. Seems a little much for someone you weren’t even dating. But maybe that was the point of Samantha? She was always just a little too much?

On the flip side, Duncan was obviously strict and rigid and oh, something is def. going on there. I really liked their chemistry and it was very very easy to see how they were attracted to each other. I liked Sam MORE with Duncan and liked Duncan more with Sam. Together, they just worked and so the romance and chemistry part of the book was perfect. My favorite was when Sam had to help Duncan after some surgery. Yup, my favorite part of the book.

Center has a great way of allowing her secondary characters to be fully formed and interesting and this book was no exception. I loved Clay and his mom and his not so great Dad. I liked the school and quirky teachers and all of the fun activities the school did. I love Babbette and even Sam’s carriage house had personality and flair.

Overall, this is a charming and sweet book that I read so quickly, I wish it was longer.