4/5 stars ★★★★☆
“Joy is fleeting. Nothing lasts. That’s exactly what courage is. Knowing all that going in – and going in anyway.”
This line really stuck with me as I read the book What You Wish For by Katherine Center. I have a tendency to want to play life safely because I know that joy won’t always last. That scares me.
This book started as a slow burn, true to most romance novels. Soon enough, I was happy that it also started to deal with real-life issues.
I loved the character of Sam, the librarian at an elementary school. Center made her character realistic with a tough childhood, a long-lost romance, along with having epilepsy. I also liked Duncan. I easily pictured him as both a teacher and later an administrator. Both were very likable characters.
I found myself highlighting so many of Center’s phrases more towards the end of the book. Another one of my favorite lines is “…joy was cumulative. That it wasn’t about finding one big thing – but about collecting as many tiny pieces as you could.” It made me think. My sisters and I always say that joy is about the small things in life. Sam learned that she needed to focus on the small things that bring her joy. These included drinking tea, taking walks on the beach and wearing bright colors.
What You Wish For is a romance novel. However, there are some triggers that I wasn’t expecting. These include school shootings and grief of a loved one. Center did a great job of dealing with both of these issues in her book.
I gave this book four out of five stars. I’m becoming a fan of Center’s books, and I look forward to reading more.
Thank you to NetGalley, St. Martin’s Press, and Katherine Center for my free copy of this book. This is my honest review.
If you would like to read more of my reviews, you can find them at: https://judiholst.com/book-reviews/
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