When life as you know it changes and you have no control over the future. This gives you the opportunity even if it doesn't feel like an opportunity to find the life you always wanted. Sadie had life-altering medical event. As she relearning how to identify people she learns about herself and how she sees others.

This story is about Sadie, a portrait artist who after a minor brain surgery is suddenly unable to recognize people’s faces. This is a real medical condition called Prosopagnosia. To say I was intrigued would be an understatement. Apparently, 160 million people live their lives with this condition. They can see faces, but they look more like a disjointed Picasso painting.

Sadie’s life is in shambles, and it’s not just because of the prosopagnosia. She has long standing family issues, a recent breakup, and with this new diagnosis, she can no longer paint portraits to make a living. The one thing she has going for her is her dog Peanut and her love at first “unrecognizable” sight, with Peanut’s Vet Dr. Oliver. She is literally head over heels in love with a man that she cannot recognize.

If there’s one thing Katherine Center is going to do, it’s give us a cinnamon roll, golden retriever of a man. In this story, she gives us 2. While falling in love with her vet, she is also growing closer and closer to her very helpful neighbor Joe, another man she can’t recognize.

This book was lovely, as all Katherine Center books are but it also contained a level of juvenile interactions that are unfortunately too common in her adult romances. Sadie has an evil stepsister, who is literally evil, but somehow also believed. She is a cartoon level, mustang twirling, evil bully that does things so blatantly cruel it’s hard to believe anyone would put up with her. We’re expected to accept quite a lot at face value (no pun intended) and while I enjoyed the book overall, it asked me to suspend disbelief a few too many times. Similarly, while Sadie was very understandably going through a very hard time, I found her constant inner monologue tiresome.

I still enjoyed my time with this book and recommend it highly to those her love a good comeback story, as well as a sweet as pie love interest(s). If you’re a fan of Karen Center’s other books you will devour this, and if you’re new to her stories there’s a lot to love. Just know it leans heavy on the fiction.

At first, I was unsure this was going to be another great book by Katherine Center. It was still one I couldn’t put down of course the further I got in to the book the more I couldn’t put it down and it become the Katherine Center type book that I love.

Katherine center knows how to get emotion out of a reader. This one especially. It had twists that were hilarious! And that Parker Character really got on my nerves. But the joe character! That was one well built guy and story line. I was also frustrated that DR Addison wasn’t able to give his side of the story. Luckily, all the answers I was looking for came out later in the book. I should have trusted the process.

This book also really looks at what assuming looks like. That seems to be Sadie’s favorite thing. But that’s the part that makes this whole thing hilarious at the end.

This one had a factual base, which is cool. She talks about face blindness and even provides resources to dive deeper in to the topic. With that topic, she really built Sadie’s world and I felt like I was in her shoes the whole time.

And as always, she knows how to wrap up a book. It’s cool when some authors want you to make an assumption on what happens. The thing that Katherine Center does best is wrapping up the story. And thank goodness! I think it helps avoid that hives book hangover from her books if she didn’t do that.

Overall, this was another great, couldn’t put down, hilarious, and sweet, Katherine Center book. How long until the next one comes out?!

It took me a bit to get hooked on this story, but I'm really glad that I stuck it out. The main character is a difficult one to root for--initially--because she is so stuck in the past and so negative about everything (understandably, since she's been dealt a really tough hand). But, once Joe enters the picture, along with the hint of two other possible love interests, things really start to pick up. It's also nice to see more positive attributes to her character, since for the first 40% of the book or so she's quite dull and closed off.

The ending is worth the wait and very sweet, though. I also learned a lot about face blindness, which I had never heard of before and now have a newfound respect and empathy for those suffering from it.

4.5 Stars - Such a delightful reading experience! and an easily recommendable romcom.

Center does an excellent job of capturing the emotional journey of Sadie as she copes with her condition and strives to pursue her artistic dreams while keeping the tone hopeful and lighthearted. I also appreciated the inclusion of family and friends who play significant roles in Sadie's life which rounded out the story beyond just the romance.

While the plot may be somewhat predictable, the engaging writing and well-balanced pacing made Hello Stranger a quick and fun read. If you enjoyed Center's previous book, The Bodyguard, you'll love Hello Stranger!

Thanks to Netgalley and St Martin's Press for the ARC.

This story was the sweetest. I absolutely loved it.

💕 Sadie, the main character, is just really loveable. She’s sweet and a bit goofy, and I love her heart.
💕 The growth. I loved seeing Sadie look at life so differently because of her face blindness.
💕 the swoony love stories, the flibberty jibbet way Sadie just dives into them… it was fun to watch.
💕 Just the whole storyline dynamic. It really gives that “unreliable narrator” vibe because she can’t trust her own brain and mind. So interesting to watch it play out.

I love the romance, the plot twist, the sweet nature of Sadie’s love story. Definitely on my top 10 for the year.

Thank you to NetGalley & St. Martin’s Press for the ARC!

I have the popular book "The Bodyguard" by Katherine Center waiting on my kindle to be read, but I wanted to give this one a shot too because even though I havent read the other book yet, I've heard such great things about it. This book really gives a good perspective on overcoming something that you may see as a detriment. The good vibes were basically pouring out of the book as I read it, and I'm thankful that even though it did touch on a heavier topic that mant people have to deal with, it still brought lighthearted humor throughout it. I definitely predicted the "plot twist" early on and this would probably be one of those books where if the main characters just communicated, there would be no issues. Usually this drives me insane but in this book I actually didn't mind it, despite it being pretty obvious what was happening during the third act conflict before the plot twist was revealed.

Needless to say, I'm definitely looking forward to reading more from Katherine.

Also extra points for cute dog.

dnf 40%
I struggled with this one from day one. I wanted to give it a fair chance as I've heard great things about the author but I just hate Sadie so much. The most interesting thing about Sadie and the book as a whole is the face blindness she develops after brain surgery. This would be a big deal to anyone but is even more disastrous for Sadie as she is a portrait artist who is about to enter a prestigious competition. I was annoyed with Sadie before she lost her face recognition. She was sooooo whiney and self-centered. She was constantly complaining but when someone tries to help she rejects them so she can continue to be miserable. She also claimed she did not want her family to be a part of her life, but the moment she got into the portrait competition she immediately called here dad to brag. Which is it? do you want a relationship or not? Stick to your boundaries. I get it, her step sister is cartoonishly awful, but if you want boundaries, you have to set them and stick to them. I also found the inconsistencies with who she could and could not recognize to be really really annoying. Why could she instantly recognize the voice of her friend but had no clue who her step sister was? If she really did have trauma from her step-sister there is no way she wouldn't recognize her voice. Also if she can still distinguish bodies, why didn't she figure out the whole veterinarian situation? it just didn't make sense and I was tired of trying to wrap my brain around the whole thing, so I'm done.

I want you to imagine your best friend, your boyfriend, your girlfriend, your mom, your dad, hell your DOG. Now, imagine that you can vaguely think of them but you just cannot remember their face. You know that your best friend usually wears her hair in a high ponytail (but what about when she doesn't?) but nothing about the way she smiles. This is how we meet the main character, Sadie. She just had a random seizure and is now diagnosed with face blindness, which yes, is a real thing. As if that's not enough, she is supposed to be competing in a portrait competition that she's been dreaming about for so long.

I love Katherine Center's books. They're always interesting in the way that many of them bring in medical issues that are very much possible, yet pretty rare. It adds a little more to the romances that she writes. This story would have gone so much differently if Sadie were able to see the people that she was talking to.

I really enjoyed this story. It brought me back to her books like How to Walk Away, which is around where I started reading Katherine Center. I definitely would recommend this book and the audio was very well done also.

Sadie is ecstatic that she has been selected as one of 10 finalists in a prestigious Portrait competition. Unfortunately, the same day, she lands in the hospital needing brain surgery that leaves her with temporary face blindness. Probably temporary, maybe...? Sadie is devastated as the portrait competition requires her to see and paint faces and she's unable to see them. She tries multiple times and yet her best friend, Sue, truthfully lets her know that they are terrible. Winning the competition is necessary for Sadie as she wants to prove to her father that she made it as an artist and the prize money would also help since she's bumming a less than desirable place in Sue's parents' apartment building. Adding to the complications, she finds her self swooning over her dog's vet but also possibly interested with Joe who lives in her building. Life feels messy and especially hard since she can't see anyone's faces, but, as Sadie soon learns, there are ways of seeing and connecting with people other than their faces.

This was definitely a sweet read with humor and heart and a twist that I didn't see coming. Just like Center's other novels, this one has a strong female protagonist who overcomes obstacles and finds that maybe there are other ways to win at life than the path she had originally planned for. I really appreciated her Author's Note on why she loves romance novels. I'm not a romance reader but so much of what she said resonated with me that maybe I'm willing to dive back into romance with a new perspective.

This book was so much fun to read and the perfect summer book! She is a quirky artist and he is the supposed douchebag of the building. However, she lost her ability to see faces and she is losing fate in her senses. This is a story about love and finding one's self when everything seems to be failing.

The only reason for me that this is not a five-star read was because she was 30 years old. She was acting way too young for her age so if she was in her early 20s the story would make more sense in my opinion.

“Hello Stranger” by Katherine Center
The gift of SIGHT often undervalued
There was a time while reading this story that I wondered why I thought I wanted to read it. Thankfully I persevered because I am so glad I did read this story. There really is a condition called ‘Face Blindness’ check it out… I did. I think this would make a very good ‘book club’ read. This story has lots of discussion opportunities. And, yes, I really did enjoy my time within this story with an ending that surprised me. Happy Reading ! !
Note: This review expresses my honest opinion.
I received an ARC of this story via NetGalley.

I rarely gravitate toward Romance novels, but something about Katerine Center's writing really draws me in. Her stories are so well-researched about interesting topics. In the author's note, she says that "romance novels, rom-coms, happy love stories --- they all run on a blissful sense that we're moving towards something better." Center has a unique talent for bringing the reader into that happy feeling.

Hello Strangers focuses on Sadie Montgomery, a portrait artist who has just been accepted as a finalist in a major juried art competition in her hometown of Houston, Texas. A hereditary condition causes her to have brain surgery, which results in acquired apperceptive prosopagnosia, also known as face blindness. How will she be able to paint a portrait when she can no longer see faces? As Sadie tries to recover, she must also deal with long-seeded emotional issues. And of course, there is romance in the form of a neighbor whose face she cannot see as well as a lost opportunity with a cute veterinarian. Yes, one of the results is foreseeable, but it is still a cute plot twist.

4-plus stars.

“The more good things you look for, the more you find.”

Katherine Center never disappoints! First of all I learned so much about prosopagnosia aka facial blindness. I found this fascinating and love when I can learn about a new topic in a fictional story. The book follows Sadie’s journey as she falls for 2 different men. There is a bit of an enemies to lovers trope, which I always enjoy. The family drama was a bit much and I wanted to murder Parker! Finally, I adored Peanut the dog and felt Sadie’s relationship with him was touching. Katherine Center’s books are usually pretty clean and this one had no smut for anyone looking for a sweet romance.

Thank you so much to NetGalley and St. Martin’s Press for the ARC. All of the above is my own thoughts and review.

I loved, loved, loved this book!

I have to admit that The Bodyguard was a little bit of a let down for me so I was a little worried I wouldn’t like this one. But I’m happy to say that it blew me away. I loved the chemistry between Sadie & Joe. And the description of Sadie’s face blindness was so good, I really could imagine what she was seeing. I did not like how the villains of the story got away without any real consequences.

Thank you to NetGalley & the publisher for an advanced copy of this book!

Obsessed is an understatement!!! This was my first book by Katharine Center & I immediately bought 3 more by her upon finishing this one!! Such a good story and i loved the connection between Sadie and Joe, such a funny & cute connection!
This book was amazing!

*4.5 stars*
“Hello Stranger” is a light-hearted romance about a young woman named Sadie; a portrait artist who experiences a life-altering diagnosis that leaves her with ‘face blindness’ and the inability to recognize anyone. As she navigates her life and her career, viewing the world in a new way, she feels stuck between a rock and a hard place. With her family falling apart, her art on the line, she’s at her wits end— until she begins to fall for two men, neither of whom she can truly see for who they are.

I really, really liked this book, and the last quarter of it totally brought things home for me. once every little detail within the plot came together, I loved the story even more. i just adore how Katherine is able to incorporate some pretty deep/difficult topics into enjoyable stories; interweaving pain and heartbreak with humor and love— it’s really beautiful to read! this book is set to be published next month, so definitely check it out if you’re a fan of humor, romance, adorable dogs, and feel good stories.
Thank you SO much to NetGalley, @katherinecenter, and the publishers for providing me with this ARC to read & review!

Sadie is a portrait artist who has a problem: she develops acquired face blindness after a health scare, and her entry into the final round of a portrait art competition is due in a matter of weeks. While recovering and learning how to live with her condition, she has run-ins with a maybe jerky but also kind of wonderful guy in her building, and a crush-worthy veterinarian taking care of her geriatric dog, Peanut. Family antics ensue as well with Sadie’s wicked stepsister, her sometimes buttinsky stepmother, and her awkward and detached dad.

Does what I just typed sound bananas? Absolutely! But somehow Katherine Center makes it work in the best way. This feels like a warm hug, while also being laugh-aloud funny, heartfelt, and totally, charmingly relatable. I rooted for Sadie and her relationships and for her to overcome her struggles. And that climax? It makes me want to go back and read it all over again. All the feel-good, laugh-aloud, swoony stars forever for Katherine Center.

My thanks to St Martin’s Press for an advanced reader copy in exchange for an honest review.

Sadie Montgomery is a portrait painter who is suddenly struck with face blindness. It happens at a critical time in her career and she is struggling with how to continue doing what she loves. She also needs to find a way to recognize the people around her. One person is Joe, a helpful man in her building who she is attracted to. But just when she thinks she is moving forward, someone who has plagued her for years, throws more complications in her path. My heart broke for Sadie as she struggled to find her way, but soared as she learned to let go of who she thought she should be, and become her authentic self. Joe was so sweet, caring, and patient with Sadie, from the very beginning, even when she tries to push him away. I really fell hard and cared for both of them, as I cheered for their HEA. I also loved all the secondary characters who were always there for Sadie, supporting and caring for her, showing up when she needed them most. There is just so much to love about this story, the clever writing, the wonderful characters I want to be friends with, and a hilarious, emotional, intriguing, and heartfelt storyline that made me feel, and left me extremely happy!

I have enjoyed every Katherine Center book I've read and this one was no exception! I won't go into details about the plot, because I don't want to spoil it for anyone. Suffice it to say that this is a sweet and humorous romance which delves into some serious medical issues that never takes away from the hopeful attitude of the characters. I was surprised by the twist at the end and loved it!

Thank you to NetGalley and the publishers for the opportunity to read and review this novel. It was terrific!