Hello Stranger is yet another charming, feel good novel by Katherine Center. Her novels never fail to leave me smiling while I read. The premise of the novel reminds us that there’s always positives in a situation, even when all you can see at the time are negatives.

Sadie Montgomery is an artist who specializes in photorealistic portraits who finds herself with acquired prosopagnosia, or face blindness, after needing a brain surgery to repair a cavernoma. As she try’s to navigate her new life with the inability to recognize faces, she also is faced with family drama, a work crisis, a sick dog, and a not one but two potential romances!

Katherine Center’s writing is easy to read, and light hearted with the right amount of wit and humor. And Sadie is so easy to relate to, even with a complicated medical diagnosis. The ending was a little predictable, but that didn’t make it any less charming!

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

This is a fascinating story! Katherine Center is a master storyteller and always surprises me with a plot that I would never have thought of. Sadie is a strong woman with a bright future, after struggling to get her career on track. Unfortunately, the future very suddenly changes. She is diagnosed with face blindness and besides that being a hardship in normal life, her potential emergence as a prize-winning artist has come to definite halt since she cannot paint the portrait that would show her talent.

I was consumed by this book and read it in two days, which is very fast for me. I could not put it down and then of course was sorry that the story was over.

I truly enjoyed this book so much! The characters are perfect for the story. The plot is magnificent! I had so many emotions flowing through me. At times laughing, sometimes crying and a few times I wanted to smash the book into a character’s head. (Of course, I would not do something violent like that, just wanted to.)

I definitely recommend this book very highly!

I want to thank St. Martin's Press and NetGalley for giving me the pleasure of reading the advance reader copy, with no obligation to write a review. My review is written freely as a hobby, and is totally my own opinion, not influenced by receiving the ARC.

Another gem from Katherine Center! Katherine is a must buy author for me and I am guaranteed to buy and love any book she writes. This was no different. After receiving the advanced readers copy, this one will be getting a permanent spot on my book shelf.

If you need some sincerity and happiness in you life, look no further. This book is just a complete delight from start to finish. It has some sad undertones at some points, but it is definitely a feel good book. Unconditional love, encouragement, and friendship are all major themes to this book. It will undoubtedly brighten your day, week, or month.

4.5⭐
Awww, this was such a feel-good and happy read!! When I finished I had this big grin on my face and felt I want to give strangers a hug like a crazy woman that I am, hahaa! 🤗🥰

Kathrine Center has become my top go-to romance author. Hello Stranger is my third novel by the author and I find her greatest strength to be her characters. I fall in love with her characters every single time.

Her characters are likable and quirky. They often have some sort of challenges in their life and are surrounded by characters that are equally memorable.

Sadie Montgomery's a portrait artist down on her luck and kinda broke. A sudden seizure put Sadie in a hospital and surgery resulted in her temporary (?) face blindness. How will she paint? Her beloved fur baby Peanut is sick and needs to see a vet. Her BFF Sue elopes while she's going through all of this. She can't even see the face of her evil stepmother and sister. That weasel neighbor Joe is just too helpful.

Wow, that's a lot for poor Sadie to overcome. I love how the author adds humor to all that life throws at Sadie. The crush on Dr. Addison, Peanuts's vet who she fantasized about marrying (without knowing what he looks like), and her wonderful landlord Mr. Kim who is like family.

I love the message of joy and strength and how one overcomes her challenges. The author gives readers another heartwarming and clean romance. I completely enjoyed this romcom and yes, I did see the reveal coming a mile away but it was still a pretty amazing read. Don't miss the author's note! Loooved it!

Sadie is a portrait artist who just found out she is a finalist in a prestigious art competition. Life is great, until she has a seizure and has to undergo a medical procedure. When she wakes up she discovers she is experiencing face blindness. She can't tell the difference between her best friend, Sue, and her evil step-sister Parker. This makes finishing her art for the exhibit nearly impossible. Not only that, she is seeing things differently than before and seems to be falling for two guys, Joe, her neighbour, and Dr. Oliver Addison, her vet.

This was an interesting story. I liked Katherine Centre's writing of face blindness and also seeing Sadie learn about it interesting. I did find Sadie a little whiny at times, and for a person who said she wanted to do things on her own, she really relied and expected others to help her. I know she was experiencing a lot of trauma, and I cannot imagine what she was experiencing, but she seemed so helpless.

The relationships she developed throughout the book were interesting, but I found it weird that she wouldn't take the time to get to know the people she was around (particularly Joe and Dr. Oliver) and who were helping her with her life.

I did forsee the big twist in the book, but that didn't ruin my enjoyment of it.

Katherine Centre's writing was great. Though I didn't love the characters, the message Centre offers us is clear, that looking at the pieces of a picture doesn't always makes sense, but it allows us to learn different things about each other.

This was a great story, with some flaws, but I will still continue to pick up Centre's books. Thank you to NetGalley and St. Martin's Press for a copy of this book. All opinions are 100% mine.

This book hooked me from the start with the first meet cute and then her accident, but even more than that...face blindness?!?! How is this a real thing? I had to do a Google search to deep dive into learning more. Our brains are so interesting and I loved how Sadie had to navigate the world with it. I loved the tricks she used to figure out if she knew the person she was talking to, all her awkward escapades from said interactions, and that she was able to learn more about herself, how to accept help, and be more compassionate to people throughout the story. Joe was great and I loved how sweet he was, Parker was an amazing villain, and the Kim's definitely have a part of my now melted heart. I think this is my favorite Center book yet!

I loved this book! I found it compelling and thought provoking and did not want to put it down. Of the three books by Katherine Center that I have read, this one is my favorite!

The book centers on the troubled life of Sadie Montgomery. Nothing ever went well for Sadie. Her mother died very young; at the time Sadie was only fourteen. After her mother’s death, Sadie’s father turned his back on her, blaming her for her mother’s stroke and death. Within six months Sadie’s father had remarried and a new stepmother and stepsister moved in. To keep the “Cinderella” theme going, Sadie and her evil stepsister got along like oil and water. Parker hated Sadie and proceeded to make her life miserable, culminating with Sadie being kicked out of her school for a crime Parker had committed. Sadie was moved to a resident academy one step up from juvenile detention.

Now an adult, Sadie lived an insular life cut off from everyone but as couple of trusted friends. Her time was spent in her art studio painting portraits for customers. Then one day on her way back from the local bodega Sadie froze in the middle of a busy road and was almost killed. Saved at the last instant by an unknown Good Samaritan stranger, Sadie awoke in the hospital where she learned that she had the same condition that killed her mother, but unlike her mother Sadie was to undergo brain surgery.

What happened next both destroyed Sadie’s life as she knew it and sent her on a journey of self-discovery. With her new Face Blindness, Sadie’s painting career was doomed just when it was about to take off big time. Never before had Sadie allowed herself to accept help. Now alone since her best friend headed off to be married, Sadie needed help. Two men came to her rescue; Dr. Oliver Addison, the veterinarian who saved the life of Sadie’s beloved dog Peanut and a man Sadie only knew as Joe assisted her on her journey.

Sadie’s quest toward self-understanding as well as coming to grips with the death of her mother and the betrayal of her father—as well as the hateful behavior of Parker—leads Sadie to the one thing she needed most. Hope! She needed to find the hope that was still in front of her. Shed had once said, “If you can’t trust yourself, who can you trust.” By the end of the book, Sadie learned to really trust herself and in doing so, learned to trust those around her as well—even her father and stepmother.

I loved this book and thank NetGalley and St. Martin’s Press for the opportunity to read and review this wonderful book.

Hello Stranger is a book about Sadie, an artist that loses the ability to recognize faces after having brain surgery from a random seizure. During this face blindness, Sadie is trying to prepare for an art competition that she will have to complete a portrait. Talk about difficult when the girl can't see people's facial features in their correct spot! As she tries to cope with her diagnosis she meets two men, Joe her helpful but womanizing neighbor and Dr. Addison her dog Peanuts vet. Stuck between the two she has to decide which of these faceless men she actually wants to pursue.

I love Katherine Center's light romantic books and Hello Stranger was another fun read for me, Even though I saw one twist coming I still enjoyed the book and the unique plot on facial blindness.

Absolutely adorable!

This made me laugh out loud. It’s funny, sweet, and so cute. A great summer read!

Did you know that if you damage a certain portion of your brain, you will see faces as scrambled features resembling a Picasso painting? It's called prosopagnosia, a real-life ailment which is usually temporary, but sometimes a permanent condition. Face-blindness due to this ailment is the premise behind Katherine Center's latest book, Hello Stranger. Particularly of note, the title is perfection-as every person the main character, Sadie, meets is a stranger until she speaks with them and figures out who they actually are. Additionally, once you know what Sadie's chosen profession is, you will understand how debilitating the prosopagnosia truly is. As you can imagine, it would be tricky to live a normal life suffering from face blindness, much less fall in love, so it's not only interesting, but fun, to follow Sadie's tale. Ms. Center does an excellent job keeping up with the details of Sadie's impairment, realistically showing the trauma associated with her injury and prolonged illness. This is a great book with an interesting and unique perspective.

This was only my 3rd book by Katherine Center, and it might have been my least favorite of the three I have read of hers. It was really slow to start, so I feel like it took me longer than it should have to really get into the book because I loved her other two I read (The Bodyguard and How to Walk Away) so much. I had a hard time connecting to Sadie at first, which also made it to read at first. I think I was finally hooked into the storyline about halfway through and did not see the twist coming until much later. I rate books based on the emotions it made me feel and whether or not it made me cry, and this one did leave me tearing up. Overall, it was a very cute book and a good romcom that I still recommend despite the slow start.

Thank you for the ARC, Netgalley! I really enjoyed this one! The story of the face blindness was really interesting and I really liked the idea of falling for someone without knowing what they looked like. I also really liked the side story of Sadie’s family and how the conflicts aren’t perfectly resolved- it felt much more real. The twist at the end is very cute- another winner for Katherine Center!

Katherine Center has done it again. I loved everything about this book (including the author’s note!) and devoured it in an evening. Hello Stranger brings you joy while also giving you space for introspection.

I struggled with this book at the beginning. I liked Sadie. I think the way she handled everything that was thrown at her was realistic and easy to understand. The ups and downs she went through felt very authentic. I loved Joe! I, like Sadie, was concerned at first, but he ended up living up to his nickname! 😉

I’m not going to go into many details because I think it’s best to go into this book blind and experience everything right alongside Sadie. But here are a few of my takeaways:

I did not like Sadie’s best friend, Sue, or her evil stepsister. Honestly, both of those characters could have been removed, and I don’t think it would have changed the plot much at all. I loved Sue’s parents though. They made me smile every time they showed up!

The entire book was fairly predictable. I was slightly confused at the beginning of the book, but very quickly guessed at how things were going to go down, and what do you know? I was right. But that’s okay. I still enjoyed Sadie’s story, and had a fun time reading it.

I’ve never read anything by the author before, but I’m going to buy The Bodyguard because I like the way this book was written and want to read more from this author in the future.

Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for the complimentary e-arc. All opinions are my own.

Hello Stranger (eARC) — 4.5 ⭐️

𝐏𝐮𝐛𝐥𝐢𝐜𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧 𝐃𝐚𝐭𝐞: July 11th

𝐖𝐡𝐚𝐭 𝐈 𝐥𝐢𝐤𝐞𝐝 —
🤩 Addicting Read
💗 Contemporary Romance
🔐 Closed Door Romance
😂 Plenty of LOL Moments
🔥 Slow Burn Romance
🧠 Mental Health Rep
🥰 Feel-Good Story
🔺 Love Triangle

𝐑𝐞𝐚𝐝 𝐭𝐡𝐢𝐬 𝐛𝐨𝐨𝐤 𝐢𝐟 —
🐶 Your dog eats better than you do
🛼 You’re an expert roller-skater
🎨 Your dream job involves painting
💭 You can easily create an imaginary romance in a daydream
🍷 You think cheap wine is the best wine

𝐑𝐞𝐯𝐢𝐞𝐰: If you enjoy stories with an evil step-sister, an adorable dog, a spontaneous best friend, and the chance to learn about a rare medical condition, look no further - this book is for you, and don’t get me started on the swoony romance!!

After loving The Bodyguard, I was so excited to read Hello Stranger, and it did not disappoint. I found it just as addicting, and the unique plot line kept me intrigued. While I wanted to shake Sadie for a lack of communication sometimes, she was a relatable main character, and I couldn’t help but root for her and laugh at her amusing behavior. Overall, this sweet story gave me a sense of hope and made my heart oh so happy!

𝐓𝐖: parental death, bullying, medical content, sick pet/vet visits, panic attacks, fatphobia (minor), suicide attempt (minor)

Thank you, NetGalley and St. Martin’s Press for providing me an eARC and audioARC copy of this book in exchange for my honest review.

Okay everyone. Stop what you’re doing. And pre-order Hello Stranger by Katherine Center. Right. Now! This precious gem of a book comes out July 11th, and it’s the perfect summer (or anytime) read! ☀️

This love story really created fantastic anticipation .💓

Our main character Sadie is a portrait artist who develops face blindness just weeks before her entry for a career-changing portrait competition is happening. But that’s okay, she’s got this. She doesn’t need anyone’s help! She’ll navigate through this mess, plus the drama with her evil step-sister, PLUS her beloved pup’s health issues (don’t worry, he’s just fine!), PLUS PLUS falling for two guys!

This one made me laugh, had me feeling just as blissful as Sadie skating on the rooftop, and had the most unique love triangle. I cannot recommend this one enough!

I'm a simple girl, I see a Katherine Center book, I know I have to read it. This is my third Katherine Center book this year, and there's just something comforting yet emotionally captivating about each one of her books.

Hello Stranger is a story about an artist who loses her ability to see faces. A condition caused by an accident that makes faces appear more like jumbled puzzle pieces. This forces a lot of chaotic energy and misconceptions into her life and perhaps a little love too.

This was just a super fun and heart warming read. I loved Sadie's journey of connection, not only to herself but to her mom and those around her. Because she can't see faces, she's forced to see things in a new creative lights. There is a message of hope amongst all the hardship in every one of Center's books and this was no exception. There's always a romance that secondary to the growth plot and he was a total gem...this brought many sweet little moments that will warm your insides.

Unpopular opinion alert, The Bodyguard was a bit too goofy for me so I was happy to see Center return to more of a heartfelt, emotionally dense story that i've come to know and love from her other books. Don't get me wrong, this still had a touch of silliness but it was lovable and I embraced it. I loved the quirkiness and whimsy that accompanied the bittersweet. Overall a wonderful read, and perfect for summer!

Loved the audio as well!

very light strong language (maybe and F word or 2), closed door just kissing fade to black.

This one made my heart shine bright like the sun 💛✨☀️ I can’t wait for more of you to read it this Summer!

KC has become a comfort author for me!

This one takes you on trip figuring out how to navigate life unexpected, confront challenges past & present, and identify what truly matters to you!!

Sadie never saw what was coming! One minute she’s celebrating her “big break” in life, the next she’s in the hospital! As she struggles to cope with her new reality and medical diagnosis, her life is completely out of focus.

It felt so relatable! Something happening out of your control. The fear of the unknown, but also holding on to hope! I felt so much for and so connected to Sadie. I loved seeing her personal growth through her struggles. I felt all the emotions - laughed, cried, smiled, hoped.

Of course there is a love interest because it is a romance, but I will let you read all about that 😉 I’ll just say I loved how it all came together!!!!

Another #mustread & must read author’s note!

Did KC write this one for me? 💁🏼‍♀️😂
I definitely felt like she was talking to me directly! I loved feeling THAT connected!! 🥰

All the 💗💗💗💗💗 for this one!!

While predictable, this book was enjoyable like curling up with your favorite blanket and a beloved movie. Sadie has an accident that causes face blindness, but she still manages to meet someone new and develop feelings. Overall this was a great book. I always love anything but Katherine Center!

3.5⭐
Genre ~ contemporary romance
Publication date ~ July 11, 2023
Page Count ~ 336
Audio length ~ 10 hours 39 minutes
Narrator ~ Patti Murin
POV ~ single 1st
Featuring ~ face blindness, slow burn, no steamage

Sadie is excited about some news that could change her life when she has a seizure that does change her life. She has brain surgery that results in face blindness, which doesn't bode well for her career as a portrait artist.

I fount it to be a bit on the slower side as Sadie had to try to figure out who was talking to her based on their voice and what she can recognize of something someone has worn in the past. While I'm sure this is quite disconcerting and something I never want to experience, and I know this is the main plot, but it got to be a little much for me. How many times can one person dupe her ~ and the duper was a doozie.

She has 2 possible love interests:
Joe ~ the helpful neighbor who she mistakes for a sleaze.
Dr. Addison ~ the veterinarian who tends to her beloved, Peanut.
Who will she choose? I must say I am very happy with her choice 😉

Overall, I did not love this one like I did The Bodyguard, but I still liked it well enough. There is so much love for this one from other reviewers, so go see what they have to say.

I was fortune enough to have a kindle copy and an audio copy ~ both ways were fine. The narrator did a fine job. She totally nailed a good voice for the rude bully step sister, Parker.