I have loved every Katherine Center book I have read, but Hello Stranger is my new favorite. I appreciated the female main character having facial blindness (Prosopagnosia). I'm in the medical field, so I enjoy books that include some medical elements. This was the best lighthearted, entertaining, and twisty romance for Sadie. I don't want to say more because that could affect the ending. I am also a huge fan of Patti Murin, so give me all the books she narrates.

Thank you, Macmillan Audio and St. Martin's Press, for my gifted copies.

I’ve already reread this book twice and it hasn’t even officially come out, but that’s how much i love it.

book: Hello Stranger
rating: 5/5
synopsis: just as sadie lands a big break in her career as an artist, she undergoes an urgent brain surgery that leaves her with (temporary, or so she hopes) face blindness. which is already bad enough, but gets even worse considering Sadie is a PORTRAIT artist. as if the universe hadn’t made her life messy enough, she finds herself falling for two very different men. Her dreamy veterinarian and her neighbor.

This was such a cute, funny, touching read. I just love anything Katherine Center writes

Quick thoughts:
- a perfect beach read! the story keeps you hooked and you could easily devour it in a few hours
- I demand that more romances incorporate pets into the plot! literally any scene with Sadies dog, Peanut, was the cutest! And I’m obsessed.
- The miscommunication trope is a big part in this book, but like I’m not made about it. I feel like it made sense for this particular storyline.
- Sadie has a complicated/complex relationship with her family, and the final resolution felt realistic.
- I loved the slight opposites attract vibes. Sadie hates asking for help and the guy she falls for is a perpetual helper.

TLDR: Katherine Center is one of my go-to authors and Hello, Stranger is so unbelievably good.

This book is about a woman who has a medical emergency which results in face blindness. I just recently read another book that talked about this issue, but I learned more about the condition while reading Hello Stranger. The book follows this woman through her struggles with this condition, her work in the art industry, her family, and her love life. I enjoy Katherine Center's writing. She tells a story well. She also briefly broke through the fourth wall and I found it to be perfect timing. I recommend this book if you want a heartwarming read or you want to better understand face blindness.

This was such a letdown after I adored the bodyguard. The romance was more like an afterthought n this book and it really shouldn’t be categorized in the genre. It was overly predictable and had way too many eye-roll moments that took me out of the story. Also, the main character was just so unlikeable.

When I received the email from NetGalley alerting me that Katherine Center’s” Hello, Stranger” was available to “read now” for a limited time, I immediately downloaded it to my Kindle device. I was looking forward to experiencing the same kind of magic that I felt while reading Center’s previous book” The Bodyguard”; I am very happy to say that I did.
In “Hello, Stranger” we are introduced to portrait artist Sadie Montgomery. After years of struggling in the art world her luck has finally turned for the better when she becomes a finalist in a prestigious competition for portrait artists. Sadie knows that placing in this contest is the big break that she has been waiting for. Even better winning means that she will finally acquire the validation that she has been craving for choosing a tenuous career path such as portraiture. Unfortunately, Sadie’s lucky streak runs out because after suffering from a non-convulsive seizure while crossing the street in front of her building, she becomes afflicted with Prosopagnosia. In laymen’s terms she now has face blindness and understandably, as someone who makes a living painting people’s faces, Sadie feels that her world has come to an end.
This sudden face blindness that Sadie experiences doesn’t just derail her plans of winning the North American Portrait Society’s contest it also messes up her plans of never asking for help. Ever. Here is a little backstory on our heroine Sadie. She lost her mother very suddenly when she was just 14 years old, and her father was too grief stricken to be there for her emotionally. Her dad makes the situation worse when he marries her “Evil Stepmother” six months later. Before the ink is dry on the marriage certificate Lucinda proceeds to erase all traces of Sadie’s mother. As a result, this teaches Sadie from a young age that she cannot depend on anyone for anything other than herself. However, due to her current condition and much to her dismay, people are coming out of the woodworks to assist her during her time of need. One of those people is her neighbor Joe, who happens to have the not ironic nickname “Mr. Helpful”.
Sadie and Joe make quite the pair. She’s allergic to anything that looks like help while giving assistance is simply an instinct that Joe cannot and will not ignore. After much protestation, Sadie eventually decides to accept his help as she adapts to her Prosopagnosia. Eventually they spark up a friendship, which turns into a sweet romance.
Surprisingly, Lucinda also steps in to help Sadie, which really irritates her at first. However, every time Sadie slams the door in her face, her stepmom just doubles down and keeps trying. It isn’t until Lucinda does the ultimate kind gesture that counteracts her past efforts to erase her mom, that Sadie finally decides to forgive her. Her stepmother is not the only one who makes amends. Sadie’s father, who is obviously affected by his daughter’s medical trauma, finally tries to open up emotionally to her. Even though they have a long road towards full recovery, Center leaves readers with a hopeful note.
It isn’t long before Sadie learns that her viewpoint on life is skewed. She now knows that it is okay to ask for help and there are kind people around her who are willing to give it to her. It doesn’t make her weak to lean on people but it does make her strong to have the courage to ask for help when she needs it. I think this is a great and important message. Incidentally, this is what I enjoy most about Katherine Center’s writing; I can never read one of her books without learning something significant and valuable. Even before reading “Hello, Stranger”, I knew that I would love it.What I didn’t know was that I would love it even more than “The Bodyguard” and that one is a hard act to follow. I wholeheartedly recommend this book. Anyone who reads this is in for a spectacular treat!

“Seeing the world differently helps you see things not just that other people can’t— but that you yourself never could if you weren’t so lucky. It lets you make your own rules. Color outside your own lines. Allow yourself another way of seeing.”

Sadie, a portrait artist, gets into an accident which causes her to have a temporary condition known as facial blindness. The book follows Sadie as she struggles to live and work with her acquired face blindness while being torn between two men. There’s a lot of family drama and career troubles that add to Sadie’s medical stress that had me feeling like the universe was out to get her. Luckily she has her dog, Peanut, who’s the closest thing she has to family.

What I liked about the book was Sadie’s relationship with her mom. It was really beautiful and sad. Sadie honors and remembers her mom from the tiniest things like singing to her mom’s favorite songs, to the bigger things like placing in the same competition her mom was in before her death. Every time Sadie has a monologue about her mom you could really feel how much she loved her, and how much she was loved back.

Unfortunately, this book wasn’t for me but I understand why people loved this. I found Sadie annoying most of the time. The romance was pretty okay but it didn't have me giggling and smiling like an idiot.

Thank you Netgalley and St. Martin’s Press for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Thank you NetGalley for the opportunity to read this book before publication. I devoured this book in one day because of the unique main conflict and how much I liked Sadie Montgomery. Katherine Center developed the characters beautifully and included a mind-blowing twist that I never saw coming! I won’t easily forget this book!

WOW! I am not even sure I can put into words what I am feeling after I finished this book. I read it in a matter of hours, I literally could not put it down.,
The book grabs you from page one. It is there where you start to go down an emotional, challenging, and special road with Sadie. Sadie is such a strong, stubborn, independent, loving woman. She faces many heart breaking moments where you cry right along with her. But you also face those special and exciting moments with her as well.
Katherine Center draws you in with this book. You picture the story unfolding like you are right there watching it. You truly helps you capture what Sadie is experiencing throughout this book. She paints a perfect picture of Sadie, Peanut, Sue, Joe, Dr. Oliver, her father, Lucinda, and Parker.
This is a must read! You will not regret it.

This was so good. The development that Sadie goes through after her accident. I loved the mystery of the vet and Joe. This was definitely a feel good romance. I’m not huge into art so I couldn’t really get into that portion of the book but I was all for her romance.

Thank you Netgalley, st Martin press, and karltherine center for allowing me to read this book early. Absolutely loved this one. Quick and easy read. The struggles that Sadie endured throughout the book makes the book so relatable. This book contains the perfect amount of romance, comedy, but also times of heart wrenching situations. Would recommend to read this - definitely a favorite of mine from Katherine Cented!

Katherine Center's books always feel so comforting. This one was so good. I loved Sadie's development throughout the story and I thought it was really cute. I kind of predicted the twist but I loved that I was right! The art perspective was really interesting with the face blindness and I liked how Sadie ended up pivoting. Joe was so fantastic and I absolutely adored him. This book felt informative without being heavy and it also dealt with grief quite well. I loved this book so so much! Thank you to St. Martin's Press for the arc to read and review.

4.25 stars

I quite enjoyed this book. As the writer states in her note at the end of the novel, she likes writing about love stories because of the anticipation of what’s to come followed by the satisfaction when it actually happens. There was more going on in this book than I initially expected there would be. I also found myself baffled by how the protagonist couldn’t put certain clues together, but in the end, I suppose it was more realistic that she didn’t. I also had a range of feelings about the protagonist’s relationships with her family members, and even if I didn’t love all of the choices, I do think they were largely believable. All in all, this book was different yet still similar to my last one by the writer, and I’m glad I was able to read it.

This is my second Katherine Center book, and while it was enjoyable, I did find it a little TOO predictable. Sadie’s face blindness was an interesting plot point, but it was too easy to see the things that she couldn’t and where the story would end up. Love Center’s writing style, though, and I’ll continue to read anything she writes!

Such a sweet story! This is my first book I have read by Katherine Center and after reading this book, I can’t wait to read her other books. Hello Stranger is such a unique and heartwarming story. I foresaw the big twist but it was still entertaining to read the surprising end. It was a fast and enjoyable read that had me feeling various emotions throughout the book.

Thank you to NetGalley and St. Martin’s Press for providing a digital copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

Okay I have been sitting on this for a few days and I think I am finally ready to rate this. First of all thank you Netgalley for sending me this ARC to review!

I went into this book blind, I have The Bodyguard sitting on my shelf and have heard great things about Katherine Center so I was excited to read this one.

Sadie is a portrait artist that just got accepted as a finalist in one of the most prestigious contests. Unfortunately she has a seizure and a good Samaritan saves her in the nick of time. While in the hospital she learns that she needs to have brain surgery and she is resisting it because of her contest. Her father forces her to get the surgery - which makes sense once he explains to her why- but unfortunately after she learns that she has what is called acquired apperceptive prosopagnosia - aka face blindness.

There are two romantic interests in the story - which is highly predictable as to what is going to happen but I think the reason I didn't love this story is Sadie. Instead of seeming fiercely independent she seems rude and selfish. She "never needs help" even though she is struggling to stay afloat, living in an an attic, and failing at basically everything she does. She is also incredibly judgmental, especially to Joe at first (one of our love interests) and her stepmother who actually seemed like she was trying to connect with her.

I did enjoy the wild family dynamic -enter evil step sister- but the ending with her family seemed too easy with the amount of drama and awful things her step sister did to her when younger and things that she found out her father said.

The ending with the love story wasn't bad but I do wish there was more focus with the romance. Again she was obsessed and in love with her vet, but also she liked spending time with Sam, and it was easy to see where it was going and how Sadie lacked any proper judgement because her ideas and vision (naturally) were skewed.

I may be in the minority on this one but I just didn't love it. I will definitely be reading her other book though to see how I feel!

I received a copy of this book as an ARC from NetGalley and St. Martin's Press. Katherine Center's books are a great choice when you want something that will pull you into the story from page one, keep you turning the pages, and leave you feeling hopeful and good about the world. This one is perfect for summer reading, or any other time when you just want to relax, or when you are tired and need a story that is easy to follow, yet not completely mindless. I read this one in 24 hours - not my norm these days - and it provided the escape that I needed. Highly recommend. Closed door for those that appreciate that in a romantic story (of which I am definitely one!).

The Queen has done it again!
Thank you Net Galley and St. Martins Press for this delightful ARC copy of Hello Stranger.

As per usual, Katherine Center has brought us a sweet as syrup rom com with a unique twist in the form of a MC, Sadie, who suffers suddenly from a condition coined as “Face Blindness”.

As Sadie navigates her already tumultuous life as a portrait artist, with a rocky family life, sick pup, and impending contest deadline, this new condition of hers only adds to the already frustrating situations she is trying to thrive through.

Of course she meets a few dapper gentleman along the way. Some before she goes face blind, some during, and sorting out who is who, and which man is her future husband, even though she can’t quite make out his face, makes for a fun, witty, interesting love story of sorts.

I love the banter between Sadie and Sue, her best friend. I adore the witty dialog between Sadie and her building man whore, Joe. It’s truly top tier rom-com conversation. I found myself giggling out loud on multiple occasions. The plot was fun, and quick. Nothing drug on and on as some do. The moral of the story was heart warming. Sadie’s positivity is infectious and inspiring.

I also especially loved the author’s note in the end, Center gives you a look into her love for romance novels, and she lays out perfectly the reason why I have to separate every other book I read with a romance in between. Because it fills me with hope and positive anticipation, which, let’s be honest, in today’s world, we could all use a healthy dose of!!

5 stars! Her buttery smooth reads, with funny characters and captivating humor, once again lands Katherine Center among my favorite of all authors.

I LOVED THIS BOOK 😍🩷 This is my first Katherine Center book and I will definitely be back for more.

This book is the true definition of "love is blind". It shows that without looks, it is easier to judge someone's character based on their actions. First impressions matter but they aren't always what they seem.

This story was just so lovely. I felt for Sadie and it was very much a story where the audience knew what was going on but the MC didn't. I just wanted to yell at her the entire time but having never dealt with face blindness, I'm as oblivious as her friend Sue.

Lastly, the author's note at the end of the book was beautiful. Something all rom-com lovers need to hear. "Believing in love is believing in hope."

Romantic comedies have been my thing lately. I think I’m looking for the warm, fuzzy escape they often bring. Hello Stranger takes warm and fuzzy to another level. It’s unique and like no romance I’ve ever read before.

Sadie is a struggling artist living with her elderly beloved dog and trying to figure it all out. After an accident and surprise medical diagnosis she has to figure out how to see the world in a different way, literally, all while navigating complicated family relationships and potential loves.

Sadie is a relatable and likeable character. Dr. Nicole is someone I want to call right now so she can give me all the answers. And Joe is a dream. Oh, and I almost forgot Mr. Kim! The characters in this book are just perfect. Well, except for the evil ones of course.

What a wonderful, hope-filled, romantic read. My favorite Katherine Center so far.

Thank you to NetGalley and St. Martin’s Press for the advanced copy.

I have come to truly love Katherine Center’s writing style. She is an auto but author for me. Hello Stranger was a very sweet touching read. You follow Sadie who is a struggling artist striving to live her life how her mother would have. Her father remarried and her step mother and step sister are the pure definition of evil. However during her first big chance at a break she falls ill and needs immediate brain surgery. Afterwards she can no long make out faces. Her dog peanut is the only thing she can see, and she is a portrait artist. You follow her journey into getting to know two men who she quickly falls for but cannot see. In a twist of events she might not have to choose between the two and will still not only love them but learn to love herself.