Katherine Center’s writing flows so easily that I often forget that I’m reading because I’m so immersed in the world she created. I don’t know how she comes up with the most unique premises for her novels, but Center’s done it again.

I believe I’ve read one other book with a main character who had face blindness, but this storyline was so distinct I don’t think it even compares. Hello Stranger most definitely did not disappoint!

Thank you to NetGalley and St. Martin’s Press for the eARC in exchange for my honest review.

Katherine Center has become an auto-buy for me. This title was a little tougher to read than some of her other titles, as I often felt as confused as Sadie. I’m assuming that was intentional, and I highly enjoyed this story and didn’t figure out the twist until the perfect time.

I read the Bodyguard by this author and pretty much read it in one sitting it was so good. When I saw this was "Read Now" on NetGalley I just couldn't help myself.

The plot sounded interesting since she couldn't recognize faces and was falling in love with two men at once. But once I got reading - it seemed like I wasn't reading the right book. I wouldn't consider one of the men she was "falling for" as a real contender. The MC also seemed quite whiney to me. Like just get the head surgery - I think that's a bit more important than an art show. It took me a minute to get into it because the first 100 pages or so were not as good as I expected.

This is definitely a slow burn without any spice. I did like the character of Joe and wanted to see where the relationship was going to go. I did predict what was going to happen in the ending quite early which took some of the fun out of it. But I did think it was a sweet ending. I did wish there was more to the ending with her dad, step-mom, and stepsister.

Overall, this one was a three-star read for me. I didn't love it, but I didn't hate it. Would I recommend it? Possibly? If you are a non-spice romance reader, give it a chance. It doesn't have the effect that the Bodyguard did on me and was easy to set down - but maybe someone else would enjoy it more than I did.

Just as it looks like Sadie has her big break, she has an accident that has unexpected consequences. Enjoyed it very much but did figure out the "mystery". I guess I can see why she didn't want to tell others what had happened to her but it sure would have made it easier for her if she had let others help.
Thanks to NetGalley for a preview copy.

Katherine Center did it again. This book was epic, might be one of my favorites because it’s going to live rent free in my head for weeks. Like I’ve already started thinking about how many pre-ordered copies I need to give to my friends and family.
Sadie hasn’t had things come easily to her and she has struggled for everything she has which honestly isn’t much. She doesn’t want help from anyone but when tragedy strikes she has to learn to ask for help. She find that help in her building mate, Joe.
Joe is the ultimate in golden retriever boyfriends (that’s not normally my book boyfriend type but I have made an exception for Joe). Joe helps Sadie in every way he can until a very big miscommunication ruined everything and broke my heart.
I seriously put the book in the freezer and the. Realized I’d ruin my kindle if I left it there.
Favorite quote:

“ We are all just muddling through, after all. We’re all just doing the best we can. We’re all struggling with our struggles. Nobody has the answers. And everybody, deep down, is a little bit lost.”

Hello Stranger is another absolute gem from Katherine Center. It's got drama, hilarious conversations, & of course some romance. This story was hard to put down. A roller coaster time for the main character with a medical issue leading to bringing to the surface some family drama & questioning of life choices. Highly recommend this book & many others from this talented author Katherine Center.

I recently discovered Katherine Center and I love her writing!! My first book of hers was The Bodyguard and that was such a fun read! Then I read Things We Save in a Fire and that book was as funny as it was beautiful and inspiring.
So I was beyond excited to read Hello Stranger! I was also very interested by the premise— falling in love but not able to see the person’s face? I was so curious to see how that played out.
My review of this book: it was definitely entertaining and I’m glad I read it but I didn’t love it as much as I loved her previous books. 3 stars!! The book is fun and charming and you should check it out!

I can’t get enough of Katherine Center’s books! This topic of face blindness was very unique and not something I’ve seen as a topic in books I’ve read previously. This book kept my attention and I loved all of the characters especially Sadie and Sue. I will definitely be recommending this book!

Thank you to the author and publisher for an e-ARC of this book via NetGalley.

I absolutely love romances, and I found this book to be a very enjoyable and fast read. If you also love romances, you know all about the HEA (happily ever after), and any “twists” are usually pretty easy to spot from the jump. This book was no different, but that didn’t make it any less enjoyable! I loved Sadie and Joe, and found most of the characters believable. The only real exception to that was Sadie’s evil stepsister, who really just felt like a caricature of pure evil. But I loved this book and would recommend it to anyone else who loves romance. This may be my first Katherine Center novel but it certainly won’t be my last!

I love Katherine Center so it's hard for me to be an objective reviewer. It's no surprise that I found Hello Stranger to be funny, charming, and swoony. When Sadie discovers an underlying condition, she has to have surgery and loses her ability to see faces. As a portrait artist on the verge of her big break competition, this is particularly challenging. At the same time, she meets and falls in love with two men and is involved in some family drama with her wicked step-sister. I was swept up in the story and loved Peanut, but it was a little frustrating that Sadie didn't just tell everyone what was going on.

Sadie Montgomery is a struggling portrait artist needing a big break when she qualifies as a finalist in a competition with a prize that could change everything!

Her celebrating is cut short when she is diagnosed with a condition requiring immediate brain surgery. Everything should be fine, but after surgery, Sadie wakes up with face blindness. How can she win, much less paint a portrait when she can’t see faces?

With the help of one of her doctors, Sadie slowly realizes that she must reconsider her judgements of others and focus on all of her senses in order to see the whole picture.

Katherine Center did a great job with this unique story combing family drama, quirky friends and of course, romance! This was a highly enjoyable read and I wholeheartedly recommend it!

I received a complimentary copy from NetGalley in exchange for my opinion.
#NetGalley #St.Martin’sPress

I loved this book SO much! It was so unique in the concept and DEF unique in the plot twists and ending! I just absolutely did not see the end coming until like 4/5 of the way through the book! And I absolutely LOVE when something is a little unpredictable!!! I also loved that while there may have been a happy ending, I feel like not everything was wrapped up with a pretty bow, and I really enjoyed that! I wouldn't mind seeing Sadie and Joe and Oliver more!👀

Personally, I rarely talk about writing styles but I really love Katherine Center's style! It made for an amazing read that I never wanted to put down! I mean, no joke, I think I read about 2/3 of this book in one day because I just couldn't put it down!

The plot and concept were so well developed and the story moved at a WONDERFUL pace that never left me bored! 10/10 recommend and I can't wait to read other Katherine Center books!

This book was such a delight! The writing was witty and heartfelt. Sadie suffers from Prosopagnosia ( face blindness) after brain surgery. She cannot see people’s faces. Against her doctor’s orders, she falls for 2 men during her recovery period, even though she can’t see their faces! Dr. Oliver Addison is her new vet and he helped save her beloved dog, Peanut. Joe is a guy who lives in the same building as Sadie, and isn’t as awful as she first thought. I did not see the twist in this book coming, even though it was right before my eyes, so to speak! A twist in a rom-com is a welcome change! I enjoyed this book very much and the message in the book is a great one, : stop and take time to see the good in things. :)

I am a KC stan, her leading women are always a delight. But Sadie was a disappointment and there was an immaturity that made it hard to root for. Our MMC was the factor behind a little boost in rating even with a predictable twist in his story. The premise is interesting with a pretty satisfying ending but I wanted more growth in Sadie overall that seemingly came a little too late.

I swear Katherine Center's books are always straight serotonin and this book is no exception. I loved the romance in this one and how I learned about a condition I had never heard of. Currently still putting together the picture for Instagram but this is a book I will be shoving in all my friends hands.

Thank you to Netgalley and St. Martin's Press for this arc! Hello Stranger by Katherine Center is an actual masterpiece and I have nothing but praise for this book! I loved every second of Sadie and enjoyed the plot so much more than I expected. Katherine Center is officially an auto-buy author for me. I would read her grocery lists. When this book is released on July 11, run don't walk!!

Sadie Montgomery is a struggling artist, following in her mother’s footsteps. She paints portraits-her style being compared to Norman Rockwell-and has just been told that she has earned one of the coveted finalist spots in a competition that could be life changing. She suffers a seizure in the street and is saved by a good Samaritan. While in the hospital, she learns that she needs brain surgery and although she wants to put it off, she has the surgery and now suffers from prosopagnosia (face blindness). This twisty, entertaining, lighthearted romance is centered on Sadie Montgomery who is struggling artist, barely making ends meet, living in her art studio because she’s broke. Her estranged father is successful surgeon who never approves the life choices she’s made. After losing her mother, Sadie’s life completely changes. Her father marries with Lucinda and she gets bullied by her evil incarnation step sister Parker for over and over. ( Parker is worst kind of villanelle who earns ten million slapping points: Because of her Sadie gets kicked out from her school, losing her reputation, her boyfriend. Even her own father picks Parker’s side: she also loses her entire family) The struggle with face blindness was an interesting way to have people look at others as well as your own life differently. Sadie overcomes so much and finds her way. Definitely enjoyed this one and would recommend it.

Thank you to the author, NetGalley and St. Martin’s Press
Publication date is July 11, 2023

Hello Stranger! I have to say it feels like we’ve met before, because I haven’t met a Katherine Center book that I didn’t love. I know that was corny on my part, but true nonetheless. The plot line was so interesting with characters you love and also characters you love to hate. It gave me all the feels..happiness, sadness, hopefulness, and butterflies. I may be the last one to know, but I wasn’t aware that the condition face blindness existed. Watching Sadie navigate life with this new condition, and seeing how it affects her, and those around her, was truly thought-provoking. KC paints the story as vividly as her cover, making me feel as though I’m not just reading the story, but watching it as well. Sadie’s story brings past and present together, diving into the challenges of the family dynamic, while adding a romance that made me swoon. Overall, I was so engulfed in this unique storyline that I was reading at 3am; I couldn’t put it down! I was so sad to say goodbye to these characters as the story ended.
Hopefully, we will see them on the page again!

I really love how Katherine creates such unique story lines that are unlike anything else I’ve read. Despite the fact that Sadie is majorly going through it in life, this book still felt light, funny and like a warm hug. There are characters here you will love, despise and root for. The ending was fantastic and totally surprised me, which is rare. I only rated this four stars because I felt like I wanted to see even more of Joe + Sadie, and I wanted a little more depth and connection with some other characters in her life.

Thanks to NetGalley and St. Martin's Press for the advanced copy of this book!

This was a cute, fast-paced book with a very unique premise! It was clear how much research Center put into the novel, as Sadie's condition was foreign to me, but Center made it clear - so much so that my head began hurting due to so much focus on brain conditions and impaired vision.

While I think the plot was unique and endearing, Sadie took some time for me to warm up to. For one, I found her incredibly juvenile and thoughtless - especially regarding her health, which is realistic to a certain degree, but come on. She discovers brain surgery is imperative, and refuses to do the surgery ASAP. On top of that, a mere week or so after her brain surgery, she .decides to roller skate for the first time in years on the roof of her building!!. Antics like this drove me absolutely insane. Also, how she cared for her dog - feeding him Pad Thai and other nonsense etc. - was just a little ridiculous. But I digress, after a bit, I did grow to like her, and found her funny at times.

I had to suspend my disbelief a lot throughout the story. Without spoiling anything, it's very clear what the major conflict is when it came to the romance, and it all just became very ridiculous. I thought the romance lacked chemistry too, but it was overall sweet. I also felt that many characters felt one-dimensional, specifically Parker, whose character could have been explored more, but instead was used as a vain, malicious, and stereotypical foil to Sadie.

Overall though, this was a cute and sweet story that flowed well.