Reviews

What You Wish for by Katherine Center

dalidja's review against another edition

adventurous challenging dark emotional funny hopeful informative inspiring lighthearted reflective sad tense fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.75

books_inthewild's review against another edition

5.0

Well, I adored this book!
I’ve loved everything by this author- and this may be a favourite!
I related to it mostly because, like the main character, I’m a librarian at an elementary school! I laughed out loud at so many of the school antics, I loved all the quirky teacher characters, and my heart warmed to all the moments with students.
I loved the love story- and I truly loved the character of Samantha. She was perfection!

I listened on audiobook through the Libby app, and enjoyed the reader.

TW- reference to a school shooting. This was very hard to read- and does come up throughout the book.

tyana_m_'s review against another edition

emotional funny medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.0

Not my favorite from this author (not terrible but not as charming as the rest of her novels). We do get to revisit Helen and Jack from Happiness for Beginners and that made my heart happy.

megan92985's review against another edition

4.0

4.5 ⭐

This was another cute, feel good book that I listened to on audiobook. However, I did it immediately after The Bodyguard and that one just melted me so it was tough competition.

bscarlin's review against another edition

emotional hopeful reflective medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes

3.0

nursetess's review against another edition

emotional hopeful reflective medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.0

alizbloom's review against another edition

medium-paced

3.5

staceofbase13's review against another edition

emotional funny lighthearted relaxing medium-paced

5.0

library_kb's review against another edition

emotional hopeful sad fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

4.25

I have read at least one other Katherine Center book which I thought was...fine. This book was really good. I definitely have a lot in common with the main character and could empathize with the worries that come with a school setting, so even though this deals with some hard themes like PTSD and school safety, I felt like it was really well done. The story was balanced between realistic honesty of the challenges the characters faced and the development of the characters' relationship and support for each other. I definitely want to read more of Center's books in this world. Also, the romance didn't feel central to the story somehow even though it is a big part of the story--instead the focus is on the individual characters' development.

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Mass/school shootings

reddreadds's review against another edition

emotional lighthearted medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.25

This cute story about a librarian and her principal gave me all the feels. As a school librarian, Katherine Center got so much of it right too. The one thing that made me question whether I was enjoying the book or not was how drawn out the disputes were between the love interests. It seemed like they would fight in circles again and again and again. Other than that, I enjoyed it and would read another of her stories again.