Hello Stranger by Katherine Center
Rating: 4.5 stars
Narrator: Patti Murin
Pub Date: 7/11

Sadie Montgomery has just gotten her big break. She has been asked to paint a portrait and submit it to the North American Portrait Society’s competition in six weeks with a grand prize of $10,000. Right after she gets the good news, she has a non-convulsive seizure, which reveals a bigger issue in her brain that she needs surgery for. The surgery goes well, but it leaves her with a condition commonly known as face blindness, which may or may not be temporary. As a professional portrait artist, it’s essential to be able to see faces, and now that Sadie no longer can, she has to relearn how to see the world and the people in it.

On top of all this, she has family drama to deal with, and she’s involved in a love triangle between her dashing veterinarian and her obsessively helpful neighbor, neither of whose face she has ever seen.

While this all looks pretty messy, Center manages to keep it from getting into “this could never happen” territory. There were a few moments that had me raising an eyebrow, but ultimately, it all came together, and I found myself rooting for Sadie the whole time 🥰.

This is only my second Katherine Center book, and I enjoy her brand of wit and humor, the way she builds relationships, and the emotional depth of her characters. Her FMCs seem so relatable; it’s like I know them personally, regardless of their situation or occupation. Sadie is no different, and with her quirky personality, her drive to be the best in her profession, and the way she handles the cards she’s dealt, she’s a character I won’t soon forget 💕.

I feel like I need to mention that this book contains the mother of all miscommunication 😂. It is the most complicated (yet understandable considering the circumstances) case of miscommunication I have ever read, and I really had to suspend some disbelief while reading. That’s all I’ll say so I don’t spoil anything, but IYKYK.

Patti Murin did a fantastic job narrating this book, and I feel like she brought all the characters to life! I’m definitely going to search out other audiobooks that she’s narrated in the future.

Minor issues aside, this was wildly entertaining, and I really enjoyed it! It's a must-read if you’re looking for a fun escape.

Read if you like:
*A well-done love triangle
*Unique plot
*Single POV
*Swoony romance
*Family drama
*Laugh-out-loud hilarity


Thanks to Macmillan Audio for the ALC and to St. Martin’s Press for my ARC. Hello Stranger comes out on 7/11.

Another wonderfully written book that will have your emotions all over the place. You can’t help to want good things for Sadie. She is a smart, kind and desperately in need of a break. She’s a talented portrait artist who, due to circumstances is now illegally living in her art studio. That she isn’t truly homeless is a result of the kindness of her BFF’s parents who own the building. Sadie misses her beloved mother who passed away suddenly when she was 14 and since then has been emotionally abused and abandoned by her father and treated abysmally by her step monster and sociopathic step sister. On the cusp of getting the very break she needs her world again is upended with a frightful diagnosis requiring surgery only no one tells her about the potential side effects. The surgery leaves her with “face blindness”. Not optimal for a portrait artist who is about to enter a piece in once in a lifetime and the most important contest of her life. This is make or break for her and she is….broken. Every single person she meets is a virtual stranger and creating an actual face is virtually impossible. She refuses to tell anyone about the result of the surgery she needed as she doesn’t want a pity party or to feel less than she already does. She fumbles through the next few weeks faking she has a clue and of course finds her way and her own strength, but wow, its a tough road for her. I was impressed by the detailed research that the author did about Sadies health issue and how she really just rolled with everything that came her way no matter how terrible. If not for her beloved pup Peanut, the only living thing that showed her unconditional love she’d have been truly lost. She was never petty or vindictive, which is the only thing I found slightly unrealistic, or maybe I wanted her to fight back a little bit against those who were supposed to care for her so much and yet treated her so deeply abominably. As always a wonderful read or listen that has me already awaiting whatever comes next.

Wow. There are really no words for how much I loved this story. I absolutely adore Katherine Center’s books and was overjoyed to receive an early copy. This book is so sweetly romantic and hilarious. It’s heartbreaking and yet patches up that heartbreak. The story is so intriguing and inspiring that it makes me want to try to make changes in my own life. I laughed out loud so much while reading this that my cat kept glaring at me that I was disturbing his sleep. But seriously all of Katherine’s books are amazing and just keep getting better and better. I’m always a little sad when I finish one because now there’s no new book of hers to read. But Katherine you are definitely a one-click author for me and I cannot wait to read what you write next!!

Another winning story from Katherine Center!

Sadie Montgomery lives on her own, with her tiny geriatric dog Peanut, in a small hovel of an apartment at the very top of a high end building owned by her friend Sue’s parents. Sadie is a “starving artist” determined to make her artist career work. Partly to get back at her surgeon father for not believing in her, partly to carry on the legacy of her late mother who also was an artist.

Sadie has an unfortunate accident that results in the discovery of an issue with a blood vessel in her head that requires surgery. She’s nervous about the surgery as she’s preparing her submission for a once-in-a-lifetime portrait art competition, but realizing it is serious, proceeds. Unfortunately, a side effect of her recovery is a rare condition where she is face blind. She navigates the effects of this face blindness while preparing for the competition, has a disturbing run-in with a guy in her building named Joe, deals with an absent father, an evil stepmother and stepsister, and develops a huge crush on Peanut’s new handsome veterinarian.

The story had me turning the pages in anticipation. It was obvious that the author did her research about face blindness, and it was fascinating how she weaved the story around it. There was some good laughs and some spicy romance.

I loved Katherine Center’s last book, The Bodyguard, and would also recommend this one! Do not miss reading the author’s note at the end. And I must mention the cover! It is so pretty.

Hello Stranger comes out July 11, so get those preorders in.

I rated this 4.25 stars.

Thank you to St. Martin’s Press and NetGalley for the electronic advance reader copy in exchange for my honest review.

This one missed the mark for me. I just didn't get the facial blindness plot, but I did like that Center shed light on this condition. I wasn't connected with any of the characters, well the main characters anyways. Not my favorite Katherine Center novel.

Sadie, a portrait artist, needs to have brain surgery to fix a life threatening genetic condition. Her surgery goes well but leaves her with a [hopefully] temporary case of face blindness, where she cannot see any human faces. She has to navigate her life without being able to tell who she is looking at, while also trying to figure out what to do about her flailing career.

What I liked: Katherine Centers writing always draws me in and I was engrossed from page one. I really liked this beginning of this one and Sadie's development of face blindness. There were some laugh out loud moments and Joe was a great love interest. Also Mr. and Mrs. Kim need to be protected at all costs!

Despite the above, this book really didn't work for me and I will do my best to explain why. I liked the idea of face blindness but at the same time I feel like it became monotonous and took away from the actual love story. I also felt that things were overexplained and the multiple explanations were repetitive, especially at the end of the book - it felt like the author was trying to convince us that Sadie's face blindness and preconceived notions were valid reasons why she didn't realize what was going on the entire book, but there were 80000 clues she ignored throughout, so I didn't really buy it. The miscommunications were just too unbelievable - ask a single question... have an honest conversation.... and you will get to the bottom of everything.

I also couldn't feel connected to the love story (either of them, honestly) because Sadie knew literally nothing about Joe and yet she fell in love with him? It felt like Katherine Center was so focused on teaching us about face blindness and preconceived notions that the actual love story took a back seat, so it was hard to root for them. Sadie kept the most important part of what was going on with her from Joe and dodged all of his questions, while also not learning even the basics about him... like his job. I don't mean to include any spoilers but honestly you will figure it out so fast anyway. Sadie just felt very immature to me and that was evidenced by her insta love (twice), how she approached her face blindness, her lack of stability and career (you can have one and still paint...?) and even how she handled her messed up family.

The broken family storyline did add a bit of flare to the book and I do think it worked, but I still think Sadie forgave way too easily. Parker was SUCH a villain and I would have also loved to see her face some karma at the end, but I won't totally hold it against the book.

I have loved Katherine Center's prior books and will continue to read and root for her books, but I just prefer for the love story in a romance to be the main focus of the book, and I don't think that was the case here.

This is my first Katherine Center book, and I was very happy with it! This is the story of Sadie Montgomery who is on a mission to prove to her dad that she is a successful artist and that she is thriving on her own. In reality, she is living in a rooftop "hovel" as her stepmom calls in her best friend's parents building. She has just been accepted into a very prestigious art contest for her portrait that she submitted which is her regular genre of art. She does portraits on Etsy by commission. She ends up in the hospital after a near death experience in which a good samirtan saved her to find out that she has a rare brain tumor that is recommended be removed immediately. Being Sadie, she puts it off and says that she will wait to do the surgery after her art show.

Her dad comes to visit her to discuss this operation that is needed. To back up, Sadie's mom died unexpectedly when she was little, and her and her dad's relationship is strained to say the least. She hasn't seen him in 2 years when he just shows up to explain that the tumor that she has it also how her mother passed away. He implores her to get the operation and let's her know that he has scheduled the surgery for this week. Saide ends up doing it and is recovering wonderfully until the day that she can't see faces clearly anymore which is essential for her as once again she is a portrait artist. She meets with her doctor who informs her that her brain is going through a lot right now and that she needs to know that everything may not be as it seems. Her doctor suggests she learn to recognize people in other ways- how they walk, what they smell like etc.

Right after her surgery she starts recognizing more people in her building, particularly her neighbor who she assumes the worst of based on her observations. She also ends up having to go pick up her dog Peanut, who she has had since her mom died, at the vet where she instantly falls in love with her vet and even plans their wedding all without seeing his face.

This is the story of a woman who tells everyone that she is fine and that she doesn't need anyone's help because she has been hurt and left behind (intentionally and unintentionally) by people she loves. Sadie is now torn between her feelings for Joe (her neighbor) and her vet Dr. Oliver Addison. I loved how Katherine made it obvious that everything is not how it seems whether you have a brain operation or not. We make assumptions about observations that we make without having conversations and sometimes think the worst of people because of that. I absolutely LOVED LOVED LOVED how the end of this book came together. Bravo Katherine on making me smile and giving Sadie and her person their HEA.

Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for the ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review! I truly enjoyed reading this.

Have you ever read a book that makes you wish you were more conservative with your previous 5 star reviews because you’d found a TRUE 5 stars? Well, that’s this one for me. I absolutely loved this book, even despite my hatred for the miscommunication trope. The characters are so
well written. You’ll laugh, feel the warm fuzzies, and want to be Sadie’s best friend.

This was the 55th book I’ve read this year, and the best hands down.

3.5 stars

“Hello Stranger” tells the story of Sadie, a portrait artist, who after having brain surgery, loses her cognitive ability to recognize faces. This is a problem for Sadie, who is in the process of a very important portrait competition that could change her life, while also getting to know two new men in her life (without seeing their faces).

Overall, I felt ambivalent towards this book. I adored the concept and how unique it was, but I felt that it was just a bit lacking. Almost as if it was rushed, but still dragged out all at the same time.

The FMC was a bit whiney, and I felt like the MMC was a bit of a shell of a character. Compared to some of the other romances I’ve read lately, they had a very shallow relationship and didn’t get deep as so would have liked. I just felt like I didn’t really know either of them, and the chemistry wasn’t there. In fact, I felt like all of the characters were pretty one-dimensional, and I had a difficult time caring about the outcome for any of them.

All in all, I don’t think that I would recommend this on any given day, as it wasn’t my personal cup of tea. However, it looks like I’m in the minority of people, so if you’re excited for this one, definitely check it out for yourself!

Thank you to NetGalley and St. Martin’s Press for the ARC in exchange for my honest opinions!

"Hello Stranger," by Katherine Center is a romance novel with a twist. It questions how one might navigate the world without the abiwlity to recognize faces? Sadie Montgomery is a young artist who shockingly loses this skill after a "minor" surgery. The result is that she finds herself in several challenging situations that cause her to: confront old, unresolved family tensions, question the future of her career, and develop new personal and intimate connections. It is a light, easy read for the summer.

Thank you Netgalley and St. Martin's Press for the ARC!

Hello Stranger was wonderful! It’s not my favorite of her books but still very good and the whimsical heartwarming vibe you expect from her books. Definitely would recommend!

Hello Stranger
By Katherine Center
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

Publication Date July 11, 2023

Sadie is a 28-year-old struggling artist that after having a minor surgery finds herself dealing with face blindness. She is no longer able to recognize the faces of friends, families, or strangers so she has to rely on her other senses to do so.

All of a sudden she meets Dr. Oliver who saves the life of her beloved dog and then a man in her building named Joe who seems to always pop up at the most embarrassing moments. She falls head over heels for both of them.

This book was the first one I've ever read that deals with face blindness. And it was explained in a way where I understood what it was and how it affected her personality in the way it developed the story.

The romance in this book was very sweet. Just like any other Katherine Center book. She has a way of writing characters that are deeply relatable. They're flawed human beings, but they all have some redeeming qualities as well.

This was such a good book to read. I love the fact that it focuses on the true relationships in her life and how through everything she's going through those never change. As well as developing her own view of the world now that it is different.

Thank you to NetGalley and St. Martin's press for an arc exchange for an honest review.

This book was real and relatable. I have never read a book like it. The struggles, the characters, the love, I felt connected to the story. I did not want it to end. I deeply enjoyed this read.

The Bodyguard was my first Katherine Center book (I loved it) and while this one didn’t quite reach the same level as The Bodyguard for me, it was still an enjoyable read! The main character, Sadie, is a portrait artist who develops face blindness at the worst possible time: right when she’s finally gotten her big break.

Things never seem to go quite right for Sadie, but there is always an undercurrent of hope. Her difficult circumstances are the catalyst for her character development, along with a sweet love interest. Sadie learns that it’s okay to let others see her vulnerability, and that accepting their help doesn’t make her a burden.

I love how Katherine Center allows Sadie’s growth to be driven mostly by her own realizations and experiences, not the appearance of her love interest (though he certainly helps). The author also does a great job describing other characters even though Sadie can’t see their faces!

What I didn’t love: there was a pretty important (imo) misunderstanding between Sadie and her love interest that didn’t get cleared up until 2/3 of the way through the book. It bugged me all the way until then, but it seemed like it didn’t bother Sadie for nearly as long. I would’ve liked to see the misunderstanding resolved sooner. Also, the reason for Sadie’s stepsister hating her wasn’t fully explained. I usually look for more backstory when there’s animosity between characters.

(A shortened version of this review will appear on my Bookstagram account @reading_at_eventide on 5/16/23)

This was has truly been a bit hard to get into. I enjoyed the bodyguard by center and was excited to jump into this one. I think that the premise of face blindness and what im going to assume is a FMC that ends up finding love despite being able to see his face is GREAT but there is ... something missing that I can't but my finger on. This was has been a current read for over two months so I think I am finally going to let it go. However I am giving it 2 stars because again the premise is great and this is one that I could see myself revisiting in the future.

I absolutely adored the concept of this! It’s such a refreshing take for a romance read. You’ve got a “live by my own rules” FMC who wants nothing more than to create and live by her art. After a surgery goes… not as planned, she’s unable to see the world in the way she used too (in more ways than one).

I enjoyed the love triangle, it was fun although confusing at times. I also enjoyed the mix of characters: some were very likeable and some not even in the slightest.

Overall I think this is going to be a hit for those who enjoyed The Bodyguard!

3.5/5⭐️

4.75 🌟

This was a fantastic read. I loved that it taught me about a medical condition I wasn’t previously aware of… facial blindness or prosopagnosia. There are 2 forms, but, Sadie, had the acquired version from a brain surgery.

As a portrait artist on the brink of a possible glow up for an art contest, you can imagine how absolutely terrifying this must have been. Your entire career is on the line and as someone who prided herself on being independent and not asking for help, this must have really hit where it hurt:

This book takes you through the trials Sadie went through and in the end conquered with humor, compassion and grace.

This book offered you hope & joy on a silver platter.

I will have Sadie and joe on my heart for a very long time:

I absolutely adore Katherine Center! What a talented author who is magical with her writing.

Hello Stranger is a love story written by Katherine Center. I was at first frustrated with this book until I read to the end and read what the author had to say about a romance book. Ms. Center really put things into perspective. We read mysteries/thrillers for the twists and the surprises. Romance is supposed to be predictable and we are looking for the happy ending. Thinking about this definition of romance, this book is a success! Hello Stranger is a cute book with likable characters and the appropriate evil people to keep things in perspective. It moves along quickly and is entertaining.

Hello Stranger will be released on July 11, 2023 so it will be the perfect beach read for end of summer travels. Thanks to NetGalley for an advanced copy in return for an honest review. #NetGalley #HelloStranger #KatherineCenter

Thank you to Net Galley and St. Martin's Press for the opportunity to read an advanced copy of Hello Stranger by Katherine Center.

When I received my advanced copy, I held off on reading it for a while. I was worried I wasn't going to enjoy it, and boy, was I proved wrong. Hello Stranger was such a good read! Katherine Center has such a unique writing style that is so enjoyable. I love how she's able to create strong characters and plots but add in such significant personal journeys. I foresaw the twist at the end, but the premise of it almost deterred me from continuing reading at the beginning of the book.

**I would like to thank NetGalley, St. Martin's Press, Macmillan Audio, and Katherine Center for an ARC and ALC of this book! This will be available on 7/11/23!**

"Maybe life was full of surprises. Maybe disappointments could turn out to be blessings."

This was my first Katherine Center, but definitely won't be my last. I flew through this book within a few hours.

"It takes a certain kind of courage to be brave in love. A courage you can only get better at through practice."

Sadie Montgomery is our quirky, artistic heroine. After being informed that she needs to have an operation on brain, she goes through with it expecting and hoping for minimal side effects. Unfortunately, the swelling in her brain causes her to have face blindness. As a professional portrait artist prepping for her "Big Break," its not only terrible timing but also totally derails everything she is.

Luckily she has two cutie love interests to distract her. Dr. Oliver Addison, her dog Peanut's totally hot veterinarian, and Joe, the infuriatingly handsome man-hoe that lives in the same apartment complex as her.

I really loved her character but sometimes it felt like she was written a little too quirky to the point that I didn't fully believe it, especially in the beginning when you haven't built that rapport yet. Once I got to about 20%, it didn't bother me as much but it was still annoying.
While I started to root for her whole-heartedly, she wasn't the most likeable heroine for me.

The love-triangle took me a long time to figure out lol but there were still so many holes and parts that made me not believe it. Obviously this whole story is made-for-book, but I just wasn't really sold on any of the romance. It was kinda like all of a sudden they were in love but i wanted more build up for that. The tension and sparks wore off pretty quickly. Sadie had so much growth and self-improvement whereas the romance didn't develop into something of the same beautiful nature.

READER BE WARNED:
This book is more women's fiction, self-discovery, and healing than it is romance. The romance was more of an after thought in the story. If this is what you're looking for, congrats ignore my previous paragraph and enjoy. This book being mainly advertised as a romance is a little misleading.

While I have some complaints of this story, I can't deny how much I still really enjoyed it. It was fast paced and a total feel-good. I thought about this book the entire next day, which is always a sign of a great book for me. I will absolutely be reading more books by Katherine Center.