Center's quirky story (after Things You Save in a Fire) follows offbeat librarian Samantha Casey, who's found the tight-knit family she's always longed for and a place to call home in a small Texas beach town. The Kempner School, where she works, is a bright, cheery place, and principal Max Kempner sparks joy at every turn--until his sudden death from a pulmonary embolism. When Sam hears the news about Max's replacement, Duncan Carpenter, she remembers Duncan as a former fellow teacher, crush, and all-around "human mood-enhancer." Sam sings Duncan's praises as an ideal replacement until Duncan swoops in and declares the school a security "nightmare" that he is determined to make a model of safety and security through a series of extreme measures. Soon, Sam schemes with the school's cofounder Babette, Max's widow, to stage a "Joy-bomb" intervention, forcing Duncan to eat a sundae each day and perform juggling in front of the students at lunchtime in exchange for the privilege of keeping his job, in hopes of unearthing the fun Duncan and saving the school. In the process, Sam's old crush on Duncan reignites. The cast of eccentric supporting characters adds to a fast-paced tale steeped with whimsical, yet sometimes outlandish, plot points. This is one for the beach bag. (July)

A spirited librarian attempts to save her school from a dour new principal, opening herself up to love in the process. Samantha Casey adores being a librarian at the artsy, progressive Kempner School, which is run by her mentor and substitute father, Max Kempner. Together with his wife, Babette, he's created an educational environment full of love, creativity, and warmth. But when Max dies suddenly, a new principal is appointed, and to Samantha's horror, she realizes she knows him--he's Duncan Carpenter, who taught at her last school. He was a charming, fun-loving goofball, and she had such an unrequited crush on him that she had to move away to start a new life. She's no longer the mousy girl she was then--now she wears bright colors and flowered hats and has no problem standing out. But Duncan isn't what he used to be, either. Instead of wearing Hawaiian shirts, he wears gray suits. He redecorates his new office in gray. He wants to paint the school's walls (that's right) gray. But most important, he wants to completely revamp the school's quirky, loving atmosphere and turn it into a secure, high-tech fortress that's focused on keeping students safe. As Samantha and Duncan spend more time together, she starts to see bits of the Duncan she used to know. But why is he hiding, and what can she do to bring the old Duncan back…and save her beloved school? Making things even more complicated is Samantha's epilepsy, which gives her seizures and makes her feel like she's too much work for any potential relationship partner. Center uses familiar rom-com tropes but never in a way that feels forced or clichéd. Instead, she fills even the lightest moments with a real, human sadness. Even when dealing with traumatic events, Center manages to evoke a sense of comfort that is a pure pleasure. 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. Copyright (c) Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.

Center's latest, after Things You Save in a Fire (2019), follows vivacious librarian Samantha Casey, who fled heartbreak in California for a job at an elite grammar school in Galveston, Texas. Sam's world is turned upside down when the founder of the school, who is also Sam's dear friend, dies suddenly and the man brought in to be the new principal is none other than handsome Duncan Carpenter, the very man Sam pined in silence for in California. But Duncan is nothing like the free-spirited, playful guy Sam crushed on; he's now buttoned up and obsessed with school security. Readers will guess the reason behind Duncan's abrupt change of heart long before Sam does. Once she learns the truth, Sam sets out to bring back the man she fell in love with. Center always spins a great yarn, but Sam's frustrating immaturity, which persists almost to the final page, detracts from what is otherwise a compelling story. Center's fans will still enjoy this novel, but they might wish the central character was more like the winning heroines from her previous outings.

Elementary school librarian Samantha Casey is distraught when her school's new principal turns out to be secret crush Duncan Carpenter from way back--and even more distraught to find that Duncan is a cold fish obsessed with rules and school safety. Last year's Things You Save in a Fire was a LibraryReads Pick and was also chosen by over a half-dozen venues as an anticipated summer read.