What You Wish For is my first Katherine Center book, and I must say that I will be making my way down her back-list because I truly enjoyed this tale of overcoming tragedy, persevering, and learning to love and live again. Furthermore, I listened to an audiobook production of this charming novel, which thoroughly enhanced my enjoyment of the book, immersing me in the lives of the characters and the places in the story.
Samantha Casey is a librarian at one of the best elementary schools in the country - the Kempner School on Galveston Island. Samantha, who found herself in Texas in an attempt to leave her past behind her, has created a life in Galveston that she loves - her job, students, and friends make her world complete.
So imagine Samantha's surprise when her former coworker-crush is announced as the new principal at the Kempner School. Samantha taught with Duncan Carpenter in California. Known for his colorful and infectious personality, Duncan has learned the secret of "joie de vivre" ... joy of life. Samantha, who once found Duncan so irresistible, secretly crushed on him during their time teaching together - she can't wait for him to bring what he does best to the Kempner School ... and maybe she will finally be brave enough to ask him on a date?
But Duncan is not the man that Samantha remembers. The magnetic person he once was has been replaced by someone cold, rigid, and extremely strict. What happened to the Duncan Samantha once knew? And just what will this new rule-enforcing Duncan do to the wonderful, creative Kempner school community?
Katherine Center's What You Wish For is a dazzling entry to the women's fiction genre. The character at the center of her story, Samantha, sparkles and shines ... and is a force to be reckoned with. With a personality as big as Texas and a mouth to boot, Samantha is the perfect person to tell this story of overcoming obstacles and learning to live again. The story itself is great as well. Simple, focused, and compelling, this school-centered plot with a splash of romance is the perfect pick to end the summer. The characters and community here are vibrant and the romance is believable - in all, it's an awesome little read.
The audiobook production of this novel is the cherry on top of this delicious story! Therese Plummer injects life into Samantha, fleshing her out and turning her into a fully-realized person. Plummer is so believable as the funny and dramatic Samantha, that one would think that she is Samantha in real-life. Plummer's narration works perfectly with Center's story, immersing me in this novel and making for a thoroughly compelling listening experience.
Availability: eBook & eAudiobook in cloudLibrary Rating: ***** Stars (I loved it) Reviewer: Brooke, Public Relations Librarian
ARE YOU AND THIS BOOK A GOOD MATCH? DISCOVER MORE WITH NOVELIST APPEALS! What You Wish For
AWARDS: LibraryReads Favorites: 2020 GENRE: Relationship Fiction
TONE: Heartwarming; Whimsical
PACE: Fast-Paced
WRITING STYLE: Engaging
CHARACTER: Ability Diverse; Quirky
LOCATION: Texas
SUBJECT: Change; Elementary Schools; Happiness; Men/Women Relations; Rules; School Librarians; School Principals; Small Towns; Women with Epilepsy
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