Score: 4/5 Bookmarks

Steam Rating: 🍆 /5

Thank you to Macmillan Audio for gifting me a review copy of What You Wish For on audiobook. This was my second Katherine Center book and she's now an auto-buy author for me.

Our leading lady, Sam, becomes an elementary school librarian in Galveston, Texas after moving away from her old school and town. She's started a new life for herself, created a support network and is coming out of her shell to be the person she wants to be. Enter Duncan, from her old life. She had a crush on him back then, but the man who turns up to be their new principal is nothing like the Duncan she used to know. So Sam makes it her mission to bring him back.

Katherine Center has a way of broaching serious topics and situations in a way that will break your heart and make you sob but ultimately leave you feeling hopeful.

This book does talk about school shootings, violence, and post-trauma mental health so do be prepared for that.

I really loved Therese Plummer's narration of this story, and I felt she brought it to life in such a beautiful way. There's also bonus audio at the end with Katherine Center. She talks about how she came to writing and gives a moving account of why she believes stories are so powerful. About how even though we know they aren't true we believe them anyway, so they give us a unique opportunity to see a situation from someone else's perspective and to actually feel their emotions.

You can get your own copy of the audiobook by clicking the button below, or get a physical copy here.

Synopsis:

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.