What You Wish For: A Novel

Katherine Center

Jul 2020 · Macmillan Audio · Narrated by Katherine Center and Thérèse Plummer

About this audiobook

"Joyfully and warmly narrated by [Therese] Plummer, this is a beautiful story about grasping happiness and joy alongside immense sorrow and pain...This warm-hearted listen with an energetic narrator is sure to please." -- Booklist

This program includes an author's note, read by the author

From the New York Times bestselling author of How to Walk Away comes a stunning new novel full of heart and hope.

Samantha Casey is a school librarian who loves her job, the kids, and her school family with passion and joy for living.
But she wasn’t always that way.

Duncan Carpenter is the new school principal who lives by rules and regulations, guided by the knowledge that bad things can happen.
But he wasn’t always that way.

And Sam knows it. Because she knew him before—at another school, in a different life. Back then, she loved him—but she was invisible. To him. To everyone. Even to herself. She escaped to a new school, a new job, a new chance at living. But when Duncan, of all people, gets hired as the new principal there, it feels like the best thing that could possibly happen to the school—and the worst thing that could possibly happen to Sam. Until the opposite turns out to be true. The lovable Duncan she’d known is now a suit-and-tie wearing, rule-enforcing tough guy so hell-bent on protecting the school that he’s willing to destroy it.

As the school community spirals into chaos, and danger from all corners looms large, Sam and Duncan must find their way to who they really are, what it means to be brave, and how to take a chance on love—which is the riskiest move of all.

With Katherine Center’s sparkling dialogue, unforgettable characters, heart, hope, and humanity, What You Wish For is the author at her most compelling best.

A Macmillan Audio production from St. Martin's Press

"The story’s message, that people should choose joy even (and especially) in difficult and painful times, seems tailor-made for this moment. A timely, uplifting read about finding joy in the midst of tragedy, filled with quirky characters and comforting warmth."—Kirkus (starred review)

“This charming, often lighthearted novel touches on serious issues and celebrates the power of joy to trump fear and despair.” -- People Magazine, Book of the Week

Ratings and reviews

A wonderful book which follows a woman after a health crisis. She chooses to live her life to the fullest, in a world of color instead of neutrals, enjoying all it has to offer. When a man from her past comes to her school, she's shocked to find how he has changed. Little by little, it's revealed why he is different, and with her ebullient influence, he finds his way back to living life. Their journey shows you can get what you wish for. **Received an ARC from netgalley**

I kind of like this one

About the author

KATHERINE CENTER is the New York Times bestselling author of over half a dozen novels, including Things You Save in a Fire and How to Walk Away. Katherine has been compared to Nora Ephron and Jane Austen. The Dallas Morning News calls her stories, “satisfying in the most soul-nourishing way.” Katherine recently gave a TEDx talk on how stories teach empathy. Her work has appeared in USA Today, InStyle, Redbook, People, The Atlantic, Real Simple, and more. She lives in Houston with her husband and two kids.