The premise of this was interesting, nothing like I ever read before. Katherine Center always has a way of writing light-hearted cute reads. This was enjoyable.

So I've read all of Katherine Center's novels and I think Hello Stranger may be my favorite out of all of them.
So endearing and engaging and I loved Sadie's character!

I really love how Katherine's books always think outside the box and challenge you to see characters - and ultimetely people - in a different way. It is so creative while still being sweet and endearing at the same time. Will read again!

I hated Sadie. Since before her accident, she was extremely selfish, self-centered, and really judgmental towards everyone. In a scene in the book that another character talks about how nice and good Sadie is, and I just couldn't see what she was saying abou the main character that I was reading about. She goes through no development (by the end she accepts help?! that was such a weird thing the book kept talking about - her thoughts about people helping her). I could not stand her. And for an adult character, she read so immature. I kept thinking I was reading from the point of view of a 13-year-old but then she would talk about rent and her job and I'd remember she was almost 30.

The main love interest was an okay romantic interest but I just couldn't believe how quickly their relationship grew. Not to mention the whole misunderstanding SPOILERS AHEAD: it was so obvious since the beginning that the neighbor and the veterinarian were the same people and that he was talking about a dog in the elevator END OF SPOILERS; I had to wait for her to catch up. Parker was such a random villain - what was the point of the character? We can remove her from the story and nothing changes. And she was just so cartoonish villainous.

The weirdest thing for me is that the author seemed to realize these points in her book and in the end she starts defending the decisions in the story via Sadie making a whole speech about how everything that happened actually does make sense. What?!

I keep waiting to read a Katherine Center book that made me feel like The Bodyguard but alas I'm still waiting.

Thank you Netgalley, author, and publisher for the ARC.

Kathernine Center is one of my favorite authors. I loved the story and what I love about this book is the way Center works in an interesting and relatively unknown medical condition that forces our artist to approach work and life in a different way and to learn that it is ok to let others help you.

This book was so fun in a bunch of unexpected ways! Sadie is “blindly” (literally… she has Prosogagnosia—face blindness) navigating through her passion for art, love for her sweet dog Peanut, conflict & processing trauma with her nontraditional family & falling in love. I found myself laughing, my heart breaking & then swooning & then laughing again & again. A round of applause goes out to Katherine Center for consistently delivering us wonderfully anticipatory rom coms! 👏🏼

This book was so beyond wild I don't know that I even have words. While I appreciated the education in face blindness, this book just took it too far.

Not the most sympathetic heroine, nor believable romance. It was an okay read, but not one I’ll think back on often. Disappointing compared to past titles from this author!

Thanks to St. Martin's Press and NetGalley for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.

I am sorry I waited so long to read this one - I know I love Katherine Center and her writing, I just got behind and this one fell behind new releases. But I am so glad that I finally was able to pick it up.

Hello Stranger is a heartwarming and beautifully written novel that captures the magic of love, resilience, and self-discovery. Center masterfully weaves humor, romance, and deep emotion into the main character’s journey. The love story is tender and unique, offering a fresh take on connection beyond appearances. The supporting characters add charm and depth, making the novel even more immersive. It has witty dialogue that Center has perfected and heartfelt moments that kept me reading!

I Dnfed this at about 20%. Unfortunately the author's writing doesn't vibe with me and I couldn't get into the story.

Sadly this is my least favorite title by Katherine Center. This book had a main character that turned out to be quite annoying. It was very sad with what she was going through with her face blindness, both it didn’t need to be brought up so repetitively. It took away from the story. It took me too long to finish the book because I wasn’t excited to read it.

Thank you to NetGalley for this ARC in exchange for my honest review.

4 STARS

Hello Stranger is a captivating romance that stands out due to its unique premise—one of the main characters suffers from face blindness, adding a fresh layer of complexity to the typical love story. The book delivers an emotional yet heartwarming narrative, with well-developed, likeable characters who feel both relatable and endearing. The surprises woven into the plot kept me intrigued, and the romance unfolds in a way that feels genuine and touching. The story also highlights the challenges and nuances of living with a condition like face blindness, which adds depth and authenticity to the character's experience. Overall, this book is a delightful and thought-provoking read, perfect for fans of romance with a twist.

Katherine Center literally never disappoints. I really enjoyed this one. I liked the uniqueness of the plot. It was not my favorite by her, but I did thoroughly enjoy this one!!

A slower but rememberable book an entertaining romance that deals with unexpected changes. Sweet but not spicy. Saw the twists coming but still enjoyed it.

*Hello Stranger* by Katherine Center is a heartfelt and uplifting romance with a unique twist. The story follows the protagonist, who experiences a life-changing event and finds herself navigating her emotions while developing a connection with someone unexpected. Center’s writing is warm and engaging, and she does a great job balancing emotional depth with humor.

The characters are well-developed, and I appreciated how the protagonist's personal journey of healing and self-discovery was handled. The romance is sweet and slow-burning, with plenty of moments that tug at the heartstrings. However, there were parts of the story that felt predictable, and the pacing was a bit uneven, which kept it from fully capturing my attention.

Overall, *Hello Stranger* is an enjoyable, feel-good read with plenty of heart, but it didn’t leave the lasting impact I was hoping for. It’s a perfect pick for fans of Katherine Center's writing or anyone looking for a gentle, emotional romance.

Katherine Center is an auto buy author. And this did not disappoint. I have already added this to my bookshelf.

Katherine Center is such a solid romance writer. Hello Stanger While this was not my favorite of hers, I did enjoy and thought it was very cute.

My first word of warning about me and my review, I LOVE anything Katherine Center. She’s my #1 girl, any new book announcement will immediately be preordered and shelved on Goodreads. As no shock to anyone, I loved this book and have been recommending it to everyone I know. The premise behind this one was so different than anything I’ve heard or read before, which just made me want to learn more about the female MC. Could you see the ending coming? For sure. I don’t mind it though since I know there’s going to be a HEA at the end and I enjoy watching the MC’s journey throughout the book. Tears were shared, I for sure laughed out loud, and (imo the best part about a KC book) by the end my heart felt so nice and warm.

"You can't see when you're not looking."

There are many lessons of love and grief in the engrossing romantic Hello Stranger by one of my favorite romance authors, Katherine Center.

Sadie feels she's on the right path when she's a finalist in a prestigious art portrait contest; until she's hit by a car, has a lesion on her brain that should be removed to avoid deadly consequences, and wasn't told about the remote chance of developing Prosopagnosia, face blindness. How's a portrait artist supposed to make a living when faces appear jumbled to her brain?

In the midst of this catastrophe, Sadie is dealing with unresolved grief over her mother's death when she was 14 years old. Her Dad remarried quickly giving Sadie her nemesis, stepsister Parker, who is best described as, "She has a pretty face. Too bad she ruined it by being pure evil."

I was genuinely thrilled to hear Patti Murin narrate this book with her ability to express grief, anger, sarcasm, love and humor with pure realism. When Sadie meets veterinarian Oliver Addison to treat her dog Peanut, she starts planning their wedding in her mind even though she has no idea what he looks like; then she meets Joe who seems to be a player but is always there when she needs someone.

I alternated reading and listening to this romance that blurred the lines with family drama, life changing medical issues and finding yourself. Sadie's two men care for her but neither knows about her face blindness. She's so focused on not needing anyone that she's not seeing the truth, an obvious twist, and it has nothing to do with her illness. We often look in the mirror and say hello to a stranger.

I received a free copy of this book/audiobook from the publishers via #NetGalley for a fair and honest review. All opinions are my own.

A very interesting read. Thank you to the publisher for allowing me to read this book. It wasn't really for me, but I am sure that it will be loved by the right audience.