I loved this book! Katherine Center never disappoints. All of her books are so well written! The characters have story always have depth and complexity. Another 5 star book!

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for a copy of this ARC in exchange for an honest review.

There is nothing, and I mean nothing, that Katherine Center could write about that I would not automatically buy and absolutely adore. The woman is a romcom genius and this was no exception. I really enjoyed reading about Sadie because it hit home for me in sense, plus she was just such a charming FMC. And who doesn't love a dog named Peanut?!

Hello Stranger by Katherine Center follows Sadie Montgomery, a portrait artist whose world is turned upside down when she’s diagnosed with a rare neurological condition that affects her ability to recognize faces. As she navigates this unexpected challenge, Sadie has to rebuild her life, her career, and her sense of self, while also finding love in an unexpected way. The story blends romance, humor, and heart with a unique twist that makes it stand out from a typical love story.

I gave this book four stars because it was sweet, uplifting, and had a clever premise. Sadie is a likable, relatable main character, and her journey of adapting to her new reality was both emotional and inspiring. Some parts were a little predictable, but the charm and warmth more than made up for it. It’s a feel-good story with just enough depth to keep you thinking after the last page.

The first half of the book was very cute and I was interested to read more. I liked the premise of the book and how unexpected it was. The ending where Joe and Dr Addison are the same person lost me, it kind of dragged after page 250.

Adorably unrealistic and I loved every minute of it!

Portrait artist Sadie unexpectedly winds up with a likely temporary case of face blindness...what could go wrong? :)

As she navigates her new world one jumbled face at a time, she begins to appreciate other ways of getting to know people, as frustrating as it may be. She needs to work her way through how to continue in her profession, while also fumbling her way through two new potential romances.

To be clear, the condition is not unrealistic, just the combination of condition, profession, love interest, etc. but it was fun regardless. Katherine Center is my palate cleansing, feel good grab of a book; I always know what I'm going to get and I love that I can count on a happy ending. Great summer read.

This book was ghastly. Her friends was a terrible friend. Her friend knew that she was suffering from face blindness and not able to paint, and then THROWS HER A PARTY to CELEBRATE being in a portrait competition. What? Who does that? In addition, our main female character notes that the vet had a very distinctive walk. But wasn't able to tell that the male in her building has the same walk? People don't change how they walk like that. It made no sense. While I liked the main male character, there were too many plot issues to engage in willing suspension of disbelief.

I love how Katherine Center writes her romances with such depth, heart, and humor. This was no exception. Sadie's job as a portrait artist is jeopardized when an accident occurs that leaves her with face blindness, or prosopagnosia. I loved reading about Sadie and how she tackled her new situation in life. I didn't love her dysfunctional family and even her best friend drove me bonkers a few times. Even Sadie was frustrating throughout the story, but I did like how it all comes to a conclusion. Center does a great job writing fun, yet realistic banter. This wasn't my favorite of her books, but I flew through it because I needed to know how it would all play out. Overall this one gets 4 stars from me.

3.75 stars

I audio-ed this and it was a fun one to audio because the narrator was perfect for Sadie’s voice.

Sadie had to unexpectedly get surgery when she had a seizure due to a malformed blood vessel in the brain. As a result of the post-operation swelling, she developed temporary face blindness. The problem: she is a portrait artist who just made the top 10 finalists for the North American Portrait Competition and she desperately needs to be able to see faces to paint!

This is one of those fun and heartwarming chick lit books worth reading!

I do admire Sadie’s positivity and tenacity in getting things done. Her biggest problem is asking for help due to a childhood neglect she suffers from. As a result, she refuses to tell anyone about her condition which leads to the funniest and messiest of mix-ups as she would suspect person 1 and person 2 to be different people but are in fact the same people. *snickers*. She is also semi-estranged with her family due to her evil stepsister’s antics and bullying which she finally stood up to!

I did foresee how the plot would end with the expected twist but it was so fun to read about it. I cringe and sympathize with her as she goes through those revelations.

Definitely a fun, sweet and enjoyable read.

Big thanks to St. Martin’s Press via Netgalley for the eARC.

**⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ – A Heartfelt, Hopeful Rom-Com That Sees Straight to the Soul**

*Hello Stranger* by Katherine Center is an absolute gem—an emotionally rich, wonderfully quirky, and deeply romantic story that proves love is not just what you see, but what you *feel*.

Sadie Montgomery is an underdog you root for from page one. A struggling portrait artist finally getting her big break, only to be blindsided by a rare neurological condition that renders her unable to recognize faces? It’s the kind of twist that could derail any life—but instead of sinking, Sadie fights. Her determination to keep painting, to keep moving forward, and to keep loving—despite everything—makes her one of the most compelling heroines Center has ever written.

The romance is beautifully layered, with a twisty love triangle that’s equal parts charming and emotionally resonant. The dog-loving vet and the offbeat neighbor both bring warmth, humor, and mystery to the story, but it’s how Sadie connects with them *beyond* what her eyes can interpret that makes this book shine. There’s clever misdirection, genuine tension, and a truly satisfying emotional payoff.

Katherine Center’s trademark blend of laugh-out-loud moments, hard-earned wisdom, and tear-jerking beauty is at full power here. The condition Sadie faces is unusual, but it’s handled with sensitivity and a touch of magic that feels authentic without ever being gimmicky. You’ll finish the final pages feeling hopeful, inspired, and maybe even a little changed yourself.

**Why it's a full 5 stars:**

* 🎨 A unique and meaningful premise with a neuro-diverse twist
* 🧡 A lovable, determined heroine facing impossible odds
* 🐶 A perfect supporting cast (including an adorable dog!)
* 🌀 Twists in the romance that are both unexpected and rewarding
* ✨ Katherine Center’s signature heart, humor, and healing

*Hello Stranger* reminds us that love doesn’t always look the way we expect—but when it finds us, we know it by heart. An unforgettable read that will stay with you long after the last page.

I Love all of Katherine Center's books. I loved this one as well. I found the information about face blindness a very interesting. Another heartwarming feel good book. I would highly recommend.

I gave it 5 stars on Good Reads as well.

this book took me forever to finish and maybe be a use the main character was kinda insufferable .. but the plot twist at the end had my jaw on floor
i love katherine center so me not liking one of her books is weird

I loved this book and learned all about something I had never heard of before! How is it even possible that the author was able to keep me enthralled with a swoony romantic read but also educate me about facial blindness?! I couldn’t put this down. While foreshadowing the ending was easy, it didn’t take away from the plot or my desire to eat this book up.

I will read all of her books. As an artist with face blindness, Sadie is falling in love with 2 different people, or is she?

This book was the perfect summer read and Katherine Center at her finest! The characters were relatable and fun to cheer on.

A hopeful love story that mastered the anticipation of the conclusion. I enjoy Katherine's style of writing, even if sometimes the characters make obvious assumptions/conclusions! It's happy and layered and a perfectly cozy read.

this was so stupid but I liked it? This authors books seem to be popular so maybe I'm wrong.
But the story was ridiculous and hinged on the main character being ridiculous and a crap communicator. Also her best friend in the book was complete trash and a horrible friend and the author did not seem to know that.

This was such a fun read that had everything, family, friendship, love, loss and found family. Sadie's situation was so difficult and she had to show great strength to navigate everything she was going through, on top of navigating a love triangle that she wasn't expecting. Joe had the patience of a saint and Mr. & Mrs. Kim were undeniably angels on earth for Sadie. This story had all of the fun and charm that I've come to expect from Center's writing. She always leaves me feeling lighter and more appreciative of her work when I finish!

i reaaaaaally did not enjoy this. not sure how it's possible to make a heroine with a TERRIBLE family unsympathetic but it was certainly accomplished here. she feeds her dog anything BUT nutritionally appropriate dog food.

Such a cute romance. I loved the characters loved their story. The chemistry was cute hot and on pointe. Cannot recommend this book enough.

This is my first Katherine Center book and it was AMAZING! I was hooked from page one. This book really made my heart happy. And got me out of a reading slump.