What an incredibly charming book! I don't want to spoil anything for anyone by revealing the tropes at play in this one, suffice it to say that Katherine Center created several wonderful characters and put them all in a scenario full of twists and turns that I've definitely never seen in a romance novel before. Unique, romantic, full of heart.

This book was absolutely fantastic! I discovered Katherine Center this year and this book did not disappoint! The banter in this book is unmatched. I laughed out loud multiple times! Peanut was for sure my favorite character and provided much comic relief. The character development is so rich and immersive. The plot was very unique and had me on the edge of my seat from the beginning. I feel we can all learn a little something about perspective from this book, and how noticing what is around us, and paying attention, can completely change the narrative.

I loved this book, it's a quick read or listen. Thank you to NetGalley and McMillan Audio for the advanced audio copy, and St. Martin's Press for the digital ARC.

I've been a fan of Katherine Center's books since I read her first book years ago, and while they are romance with some drama, I find her writing so entertaining and pleasurable. I believe these books just make me smile and feel good. The ending author's note reminds me of why I enjoy this genre.
Sadie is the kind of character that makes rooting for her easy! When an accident leads to a discovery of a neurological issue, and her outcome leaves her with face blindness, look it up, it's real. As a portrait artist with a competition upcoming this is devastating. Sadie is suddenly looking at faces all messed up, and she messes up so many people , can't recognize her evil step sister, and many others...it's frustrating. She is surrounded by people who love her, people who want to help her and some frustrating familial relationships.

Read this book, enjoy the people and the discovery of a unique disorder and how Sadie works to overcome its impact.

The audio narrated by Patti Murin was very well done.

*4.5

I have read two Katherine Center books and they have both been absolute gems. Never would I have thought I would go this crazy over a closed-door romance, but here we are. Katherine Center specializes in romances that are so feel-good, you won't be able to help but awww out loud (I did. Several times).

This book has a lot of moving parts, but it works so well. We have a painter who suffers from face blindness as a result of surgery that she has right before the biggest portrait contest of her career. We see her as she reconciles her faith and ability within her career with her new reality. This also takes place within a family drama and a new relationship.

There were times when the story got a bit predictable, but I don't feel like the book suffered from it. The author's note at the end of the book definitely backs up my thought about this. Katherine Center basically says that romance is supposed to be predictable - it is one of the hallmarks of the genre. So while I predicted a lot of what was going to happen, it only made me love this book more.

If you need a pick-me-up, this book is the perfect thing for you. It is so feel good and I just loved it with my whole heart.

Thank you to Netgalley and Katherine Center for this ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Full disclosure, this was my first Katherine Center ever. And given how many people rave about her books, I thought there would be more than just kissing. No, just me? Okay moving on.

That being said, I really enjoyed the plot of the book. A portrait artist developing face blindness right before a pivotal competition is quite a conundrum. Then add in a particularly vile stepsister, being torn between your hot vet and your boy next door, and learning how to paint again after brain surgery, and you're left with a stinger of a plot. I loved watching Sadie come into her own and become SO assertive in her own quirky way. This girl can roller skate, paint for days, and be one of the kindest people ever. It's just astounding. Read this book if you want a sweet romance that will make you smile.

*Thank you to St Martin's Press and NetGalley for an ARC in exchange for my honest review*

Hello Stranger is yet another 5-star read from Katherine Center! The story of Sadie, a portrait artist, barely making a living selling her work on Etsy, who finally catches her big break, when tragedy strikes. Hello Stranger will make you question what truly makes you recognize someone -- is it their laughter? their eyes? their voice? their personality? the way they light up a room? How do we truly "know" the ones we love? What causes us to fall in love? Why do we feel closer to some than we do others? Is beauty truly only skin deep? A delightful read -- highly recommended!

Hello Stranger by Katherine Center

Official rating: 5 stars
Page turner rating: 4 stars

Sadie seems to barely catch a break when she finds out that she is a finalist in a prestigious art competition. She thinks maybe this is going to be her moment until she finds out that she needs to prioritize her health with an immediate surgery.

I've read a handful of Katherine Center books, and this is easily the best one yet! I was so impressed with the storyline and how down to earth it felt. I had no perception of what Sadie was going through, but it was portrayed really well. Her family dynamic was a bit strange, but I loved how it all tied together. I loved that I knew nothing about this book before jumping in, so I'm going to stay vague in this review and stop here. This is one I will recommend for a while!


Read if you:
- Liked Life's Too Short by Abby Jimenez
- Liked Georgie, All Along by Kate Clayborn
- Are thankful you don't have an evil step-sister
- Love the appeal of a rooftop bar

* I received an ARC of this book from NetGalley. Thank you NetGalley and the publisher for this book. All thoughts are my own.

3.5 stars

This book didn’t really wow me. I liked the characters, especially Joe, and the story is a quick read, but it just made me feel sad. Then the epilogue felt kinda preachy to me so I didn’t like it. Like I get that this book is about humanity and how we need to be nicer to people because we don’t know what they’re going through, so it really doesn’t need to be written out in the epilogue. I also found the lack of communication to just be so annoying. Sadie is a gal who just does not like to ask for help, so when she can no longer see faces, she falls into some issues with Joe that could have been so easily avoided if she was just honest.

I wouldn’t not recommend it, I’d probably just suggest borrowing it from your library if you can.

I am always truly delighted to pick up a Katherine Center title. Although this wasn’t my favorite by her, it was still a happy read.

How would you handle being told you have a congenital brain abnormality that requires surgery ASAP? How would you handle that brain surgery leaving you with some life-altering (temporary) side effects?

I know there were some extenuating circumstances but I found myself getting a little frustrated with our main character. She felt so out of touch (I get it) and I just wanted to shake her a few times.

But this was a cute romance with a lovable love interest, an off the walls best friend, and an art competition.

I received an eARC via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review

This is a story that really explores if love is blind.

If you enjoy a classic romcom, but appreciate unique elements to add a bit of a twist- this is a good bet! The author continues to write hilarious dialogue, and there’s a senior dog- a guaranteed way to win me over. It was also fun to follow a struggling artist in a fun, light story that doesn’t feel deeply tragic.

Thank you so much @macmillan.audio for the excellent audio copy! & thank you @stmartinspress for the eArc!

This book was unfortunately not for me. The premise was interesting, but the characters were irritating/ over the top. And the whole ‘twist’ was too predictable.

Thank you Net Galley for an advanced copy of a book by one of my favorite authors! I thoroughly enjoyed this book and learned about a condition called face blindness. Somehow I have lived 5 decades and hadn’t heard of this actual condition where people with prosopagnosia are unable to see or recognize faces. I had to do some research about this to really understand what it is and how it works. It is a fabulous plot device, especially when the main character, Sadie, is a portrait artist who just got selected to enter a prestigious competition. Luckily she has her dog and friends for support, if not her family. I loved the twists and turns and Katherine Center’s characters, as always, are some I would most want to meet and be friends with.

From the publisher St. Martins Press:

Sadie Montgomery never saw what was coming . . . Literally! One minute she’s celebrating the biggest achievement of her life—placing as a finalist in the North American Portrait Society competition—the next, she’s lying in a hospital bed diagnosed with a “probably temporary” condition known as face blindness. She can see, but every face she looks at is now a jumbled puzzle of disconnected features. Imagine trying to read a book upside down and in another language. This is Sadie’s new reality with every face she sees.

But, as she struggles to cope, hang on to her artistic dream, work through major family issues, and take care of her beloved dog, Peanut, she falls into—love? Lust? A temporary obsession to distract from the real problems in her life?—with not one man but two very different ones. The timing couldn’t be worse.

If only her life were a little more in focus, Sadie might be able to find her way. But perceiving anything clearly right now seems impossible. Even though there are things we can only find when we aren’t looking. And there are people who show up when we least expect them. And there are always, always other ways of seeing.
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My review:
The premise of this book intrigued me. I have heard of face blindness but Center’s Sadie shows us what it is really like. Her distress, anger and sadness are palpable. I could feel her upset and I felt for her. I so badly wanted her to heal…she deserved it!

The things that bothered me about the book were Sadie’s circle. Her best friend Sue really wasn’t as supportive as one would expect. And Sadie’s father is a very flawed parent; maybe even more disappointing than the evil Parker because he is HER FATHER. It was difficult to read those parts and frankly, I had trouble understanding Parker at all. She is Evil for no reason, and ridiculously so. Parker was just over the top evil! It just made me mad and I don’t like feeling that way in a rom-com.

I saw where the book was going and predicted correctly. Funny but seemingly unrealistic. The ending tied things up and was happy, as rom-coms are. But just a little too much unhappiness on the way there for me.

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ Thank you to NetGalley and St. Martin’s Press for an advance digital copy in exchange for my review.

I started reading this a few months ago and had to pause due to some of the content. I finally read a spoiler to confirm that the worst did NOT happen, so I’ll say this - animal lovers, this one’s safe to read!

I loved it. I love everything by Katherine Center, but it’s good to know that no matter how much I change, I still love her books. That said, either this book has a great twist or I’m the dumbest reader out there, because I did not see it coming. Which was truly delightful and made me enjoy it all the more. I really didn’t know how it was going to end - how Sadie would handle her sudden impairment, what would happen with her art show, and which love interest she’d end up with.

Maybe because KC’s books straddle the women’s fiction/romcom line, but I love how unique they are. They have the depth of women’s fiction with the HEA of a romance and enough LOL moments to push them into romCOM territory. She’s one of the few authors whose novels I can reliably lose myself in every single time. I look forward to a new one every year and get kinda sad and maybe a little cranky when I’ve finished one since I know I have to wait at least a whole ‘nother year before I get a new one.

All this to say, do yourself a favor and grab a copy of Hello Stranger this July. If you haven’t already, might as well pick up KC’s backlist while you’re at the store. Happy reading!

Thanks to NetGalley for the gifted copy.

I absolutely adored this book! It was a fun twist on a romance novel with some more depth than other books of the same genre. I loved the chemistry between Sadie and Joe, as well as the family dynamics throughout the book. An easy, delightful read!

Last summer, I lost myself in The Bodyguard by Katherine Center. This summer, Center had a new treat in store for me. From the first chapter, Hello Stranger reads like a Cinder-fella story, but with a unique twist and complications for the characters to overcome--brain surgery recovery under the deadline of a career-advancing art competition. I rooted for Sadie from the beginning as she explained her complicated relationship with her Dad and her initial meeting with a handsome stranger who she has prime banter with. Readers will love this book and it ought to be selected for many book clubs!

A nice read - nothing that’s earth-shattering or life-altering, but that’s ok sometimes, right? I enjoy most of this author’s work and this one was no exception. Give this a gander, you’ll be glad that you did.

I struggle with vision issues, so getting into this story took a lot out of me because of my own personal triggers. Although Center tackled a difficult topic, she did so in a way that made the book enjoyable to read.

It's surprising to learn that many people suffer from face blindness, and some of them don't even know they have it.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for sharing an early copy of this book with me!

This book was a TRIP! The main character Sadie is a witty realist who experiences a medical condition which quite literally changes how she sees the world. Full of frank discussions of loss and the grief which envelops those the dead leave behind, this book also contained moments of great levity, mistaken identity (although I’m still not sure how realistic it was), and made me rethink how I interact with the world, specifically with the faces in the world. This is the second novel of Stranger’s I’ve read and her injection of snark and novelty into her work has made me a definite subscriber.

Poor Sadie has a lot to deal with. She suffers from prosopagnosia aka face blindness after getting an edema removed from her brain. Yikes! She can't recognize her best friend, her father, not even herself in the mirror! Luckily, she can recognize her dog, Peanut, her only source of comfort for a time. Unfortunately she is also a portrait artist and has been entered into a competition that she has to produce a new portrait for the show. When she meets a man and another man, she has to choose between two men she's never seen before. There were a lot of funny moments in this book and I liked Sadie as a character. I wasn't a fan of her father, her best friend, or her literal evil stepsister but it was a quick read with a serious topic. I liked it better than The Bodyguard.