What You Wish For by Katherine Center

A special thank you to NetGalley and St. Martin's Press for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Samantha Casey adores the Kempner School and its namesake owners, Max and Babette. She loves being the librarian at their elementary school—it is a beautiful Victorian building that is brimming with creativity and warmth.

The school suddenly loses its beloved leader and a new principal is named to take his place. He turns out to be Duncan Carpenter, a former colleague of Samantha's that she had such an unrequited crush on, she had to move away and start over. 

Duncan is nothing like he was. Gone is the funny and charming man, in his place is a militant leader obsessed with safety—he is destroying Max's legacy by turning the school into a prison. Sam is determined to save Kempner, the place that has become her home, before it becomes a thing of the past. 

Things You Save in a Fire was my first Katherine Center book and I was blown away.The pace and flow of the narrative was spot on and the writing was effortless and completely captivating. What You Wish For did not quite have the same effect. The story starts off as being very repetitive, going in circles, so it takes more time than necessary for story to flesh out. There is also a campiness about it which I especially noticed with Alice—she didn't add any real value to the narrative and I wanted more out of her relationship with Sam. These reasons are the difference between three and four stars.

But you really can't fault Center's writing. It is beautiful and careful when dealing with some of the more serious scenes, yet lighthearted and delightful. And I adored Samantha Casey immensely. Not just because she's a librarian with what sounds like a wicked sense of retro style, but because she is quirky and just plain good. 

This book is exactly what we need more of: finding joy. Thank you, Katherine, for this enchanting read that's full of heart, hope, and whimsy. I can't wait to read what you publish next!

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KATHERINE CENTER is the bestselling author of How to Walk Away and Things You Save in a Fire, as well as Happiness for Beginners and The Lost Husband (a movie starring Leslie Bibb and Josh Duhamel).

Center lives in Texas with her husband and two children. 

Things You Save in a Fire by Katherine Center

A special thank you to Edelweiss, NetGalley, Macmillan, and St. Martin's Press for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Cassie Hanwell thrives on emergency situations and as one of only a few female firefighters, she has dealt with all kinds.  She is excellent at her job and steadfast in a crisis.  But even with all of her training and natural ability, Cassie is not prepared for the type of emergency her estranged and ailing mother springs upon her—she wants Cassie to move from Texas to Boston to assist her with day-to-day living.

Taking a transfer, Cassie now works at an old-school firehouse.  Even though Cassie is more than competent, they are less than thrilled to have a woman on their crew.  The only one that is not bothered by Cassie's arrival is the handsome rookie who started on the same day.  But Cassie needs to stay focused and stick to the advice that her old captain gave her which is to never date a firefighter.  She has worked incredibly hard to be taken seriously and can't risk jeopardizing her career over falling in love.

Things You Save in a Fire is a story of relationships, love, the power of forgiveness, and how to be brave against all odds.

This is my first foray into Center's writing and it won't be my last.  She has an effortless style that completely captures the reader.  The pace and flow of the narrative was spot on, and it was an absolute pleasure to read this story.

I don't want to mislead anyone by pigeonholing this book as "chick lit" because apparently this is a genre that turns off/alienates readers and I'm not sure why.  Is it because it is deemed as fluff or badly written?  Or perhaps trashy?  Anyway, this book is so much more than how it is perceived. Obviously there is a romantic element going on, but there are different relationships being explored that offer value to the narrative.  There is also a strong female lead in a male-dominated industry that deserves recognition—Cassie is a complex and interesting character that holds her own without compromising her integrity and sense of self doing so.

After reading the book, I feel like I came away with learning a thing or two.  I also, if possible, have more of an appreciation for those that put their lives on the line every day for their communities.  Many women, not just those that work in professions that have traditionally been male (fire, police, sports journalists, mechanic, etc.), face incredible obstacles and sexism in their workplaces and this story shined a small light on what these women endure on a daily basis and for that, I applaud the author.

KATHERINE CENTER graduated from Vassar College—where she won the Vassar College Fiction Prize—and received an MA in fiction from the University of Houston.

A former freelancer and teacher, she lives in Houston with her husband and two young children.