Katherine Center puts her trademark dose of joy and human compassion into this story of one person who struggles with a rare problem - face blindness, after experiencing a freak accident. As our main character struggles to adapt to her new normal and figure out ways to remember people without recognizing their faces, she also begins to spend more time with a neighbor man she refers to as Joe. Joe turns out to be not what she expected, and in a very good way. This story is sweet, intriguing and unique. There is a fun little twist at the end as well.

Katherine Center has become a must read author for me. There are always great, believable characters, well written romance, and a twist. I really enjoyed the facial blindness storyline.

I absolutely loved this book. If you loved The bodyguard you're in for a treat.

Meet Sadie a struggling artist who just landed her big break by being of the 10 finalist in an art show. No all she has to do is win and get the $10,000 prize. Seems easy enough until the unexpected happens, she can't see peoples faces and her dreams are shattered. Add to the mix an absent Dad, a stepmother and a wicked stepsister. Life has never been easy for Sadie since she lost her mom but now more than ever she wishes she was here. This was such a raw, touching and heartfelt story. How many people have come to a point in their lives when they are faced with a challenge and their career comes to a halt, just not the right fit anymore, or worse your current circumstances are an impediment and you no longer can do what you love.

Due to her circumstances her not so nice neighbor Joe sees her struggling and helps her out. This unexpected change of character is not like Joe or maybe she has been misjudging him. She pictured him living his best bachelor life with half the women in their floor.

But wait there's more her adorable life companion Peanut gets sick, she decides to look for a new Vet. Enter hot (or so she thinks) Dr, Addison. The nice, charming, puppy saving hero of her life. She can totally picture their perfect wedding. She's only met him a handful of times but he is definitely the one..

She is catching feelings for both of these men, frustration is at its highest as she can't seem to catch a break from her prognosis. If you love happily ever after's Katherine Center did not disappoint. Can't recommend this story enough. I loved it and hope you do to.

Thank you Netgalley and the publisher for this ARC in an exchange for an honest review.

This was a hard story to get into for me. The first half of the book was boring and hard to connect with the main characters and the story, but the second half I enjoyed.

I loved reading about Sadie and her struggles with trying to paint a portrait when she was dealing with face blindness. Also trying to navigate her other senses to figure out who she is interacting with when she can't recognize anyone by their faces. I thought the plot twist at the end was beautiful and fun to read. I did see it coming though, but still loved it.

That being said, I didn't like reading about Parker, the evil step sister. She was pretty much a psychopathy and her character never grew throughout the story. I get why Sadie never wanted to ask for help on the way her up bringing turned out after her mother passed away. But I'm glad at the end she finally realized there is nothing wrong with asking for help sometimes. Especially since she found someone that only helps in anyway he can. Joe was my favorite character.

All in all, I did enjoy this story in the end,

I’ve thought a lot about this book and I’m not sure if I absolutely love it or only like it. The predictable story line is seriously shaken up with a very unique twist. The writing was wonderful and the characters super fun! The twist was just hard for me to get past.

I loved this storyline. I enjoyed the character growth and the life lessons that were learned. Great read!

Thank you to NetGalley for the ARC.

I so love that Katherine Center is having a MOMENT on bookstagram. She has long been a favorite author of mine, she writes books that truly touch your soul and leave you feeling better than when you picked it up. Even if you were in a good place at the beginning of the pages, you'll be left in a better place by the final page.

"The more good things you look for, the more you find." This quote. OH MY HEART. This is truly how I choose to live my life, I just never had these eloquent words to describe it. Thank you KC for sharing this wisdom with us all.

"Because tragedy is a given, but joy is a choice." This quote. I recently told my parents, during a particularly challenging time in my life, that I choose to live my life in the sun. I choose happiness and positivity. It's a choice everyday when I wake up. I say my prayers and I choose to get out of bed happy. Some days it's hard. Some days it's impossible. But everyday is a choice, I am in control and I have the power to choose joy. Maybe this book hit me at the right time. Maybe a KC book is always at the right place, right time. But this one hit me in my heart.

I could tell you what to expect, but there are synopsis for that. Here's what I will tell you. Center's author's note made me fall in love with her even more. She helps us all better understand why we love the "predictability" of romance books. Why the terrible covers lead us all to believe in Fabio and why joy is a choice we make and most importantly why reading should spark joy. If you've been around TheBerryBookReport for any amount of time, you've heard me preach that reading should spark joy. If it doesn't, it isn't worth your time. Thank you KC for echoing these thoughts and sharing them with the masses.

I started this review at 4 stars and in the 10 minutes it has taken me to gush my love for KC and her writing, I've changed it to 5 stars. To put it simply; this book sparked joy at a time when joy has been hard for me to find.

Although the plot was engaging overall, and although I liked the way the author explored the idea of face blindness and how it affected a portrait artist, I found the supporting characters to be shallow and cardboard. The evil stepsister has no reason to hate the heroine other than the fact that she's an evil step-sister. And the idea that the mother never knew her daughter was so evil didn't make sense. I would have preferred it if the author hadn't included that part of the story because it didn't do anything to enhance it.
I loved her dog and their relationship. I loved learning about the different techniques she tried when trying to paint with face blindness. There was a lot to enjoy about this book if you can overlook the cardboard supporting characters. Oh, and the landlord was so sweet! I loved him!

I chose not to share this review more broadly because I didn't want to bring down the book's rating.

This book was so fun. If you are looking for a feel good, warm hug, make you smile read, this is it.

I absolutely loved Sadie as a main character. Her struggling relationship with her father, step mother, and evil stepsister helped explain the way she viewed life and her constant need to turn away help until Joe helps her see the world in a new light - even if it is a faceless one.

I can’t stop smiling after this read.

Katherine Center can do no wrong, in my opinion.

This wasn’t my favorite book by her. It took me awhile to connect with the story, BUT in true KC fashion it was an easy, enjoyable read and the ending was well worth it. Do yourself a favor and stick it out with this one. KC, you did it again!

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for this ARC!
I thoroughly enjoyed Sadie’s story. It was uplifting and silly and honest. Yes, I predicted the main twist, but I found that I (surprisingly) didn’t care! This was my first book that I’ve read by Center, and it will not be my last!

I received this book from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. This was a cute and amusing novel about a fiercely independent woman who develops face blindness after surgery, and eventually realizes that it’s not a bad thing to need help from others. Overall, I liked the book, but a lot of things seemed to be rushed and packaged away for a neat, tidy ending.

Obsessed!!! 5 stars 🤩 I knew I loved Katherine Center when I read the Bodyguard (and honestly I didn’t think her books could get any better), but this might just be my favorite Romantic Comedy novel of all time. Sadie was super relatable while also being unpredictable. I loved the plot and have never read anything like this before. Going to recommend this book to everyone. Thank you to NetGalley for giving me early access to this title. This one did not disappoint!

Hello Stranger is just too cha-cha for words. (Steel Magnolias fans 🤚🏻) Heartfelt, witty, and chocked full of life lessons!

I adored the MC, Sadie! She was the walking billboard for “When life gives you lemons”🍋 …make lemonade and serve it up with a slice of cake -preferably yellow, with chocolate icing!

@Katherine Center had me laughing out loud, with the most relatable quotes:

“And of all the bras I owned, how had I managed to grab the one that always slid off my shoulder? I yanked the shoulder strap up and pressed it in place sternly, like Stay.”

We’ve all been there, am I right ladies?

I laughed, (obvi), I cried, I swooned, and I fell in love with Peanut, the pad Thai eating pup 🐶 …and maybe a handsome Veterinarian or two. This book completely embraced me in the best bear hug, and left me with a smile on my face and hope dancing in my heart!

Hello Stranger is the perfect sweet rom-com (a sprinkle of kisses, hold the spice) That will leave you with the beautiful reminder to never stop believing in yourself!

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

All opinions are my own.

Sadie struggled with so many things throughout her life, losing her mother at such a young age was just the tip of the iceberg. Her dad withdrew, turning away from her and towards a stepmother who also did not support her. She tried to become strong and independent , not relying on anyone for anything. Accepting help was not allowed. She had a pretty good life: a career she loved, despite not supporting her financially; a best friend to support her, along with pseudo-parents; and her beloved Peanut, the love of her life in dog form. She was following in her mothers footsteps, and things were beginning to look up for her. I love a strong female character, and knew that despite never wanting to accept help, that is exactly what Sadie needed. And I couldn’t wait to find out who would provide that. The unusual concept of face blindness added a somewhat comedic turn despite the seriousness of her condition. Imagine not recognizing anyone you ran in to? How would you cope with this? This “blindness” seems to open up Sadie’s other senses. Her troubles force her to see things she was trying to hide from. It was interesting to watch all her preconceived notions fall around her feet as Sadie realizes that accepting help may not be the worst thing one can do. The one thing that bothered me was the art show scenes. I was surprised to hear see the art being trashed she vehemently. While I understand that the point was that Sadie was unable to see faces - art is such an emotional and personal thing that there is always someone who would like what she did. I felt that the art world was portrayed poorly here. And personally I did not feel that it truly added value to the story. But I hate when peoples creativity is put down in any way, so this is probably a more

5000000 Stars

I absolutely loved Hello Stranger. Katherine Center took me through all the emotions in this wonderful and fantastic new book.

Sadie Montgomery, a struggling artist living at the top of a apartment building. Things seem to be going her way when she lands one of the coveted finalist spots in a portrait competition. It happens to coincide with a surgery she needs to have. Minor, they say. Less than a week in the hospital they say. Nothing about you will change, they say. Upon recovery, it begins to dawn on Sadie that she can see everything around her, but she can no longer see faces.

Oliver "Joe" Addison, HE WAS SO AMAZING. I loved him so much. The plot twist at the end. OH MY GOD. Joe and Oliver had end up being the same person. "That was you? You bought me that cheap wine?" "Were you the one to push me out of the crosswalk?" He was. He is amazing.

I cannot recommend this book enough. I cannot recommend Katherine Center enough.
Special thanks to NetGalley and St. Martin’s Press for sharing this perfect digital reviewer copy with me in exchange my honest thoughts.

Publication date is July 11, 2023

I don’t think I’ve read a Katherine Center book that I don’t like. This one might be one of my new favs! It was such a unique-one-of-a-kind-rom-com that I think everyone should read!

This story was about a girl named Sadie who unfortunately found out about a rare brain condition called Prosopagnosia which and causes facial blindness. Crazy right?! As a previous Ortho/Neuro nurse-this disorder intrigued me. Not only was this story about her coping with this disorder but in true Katherine Center fashion it was about finding yourself as well. And of course finding love. Here a some quotes that I wrote down while reading just to show you a glimpse of the personal depth this book went into:

“Isn’t it lucky when we’re drawn to people who can teach us to learn?”

“We’re all struggling with our struggles. Nobody has the answers. And everybody, deep down is a little bit lost.”

“The more good things you look for, the more you find.”

This last quote really hit home for me. The writing was excellent, short chapters, great character building, witty, clever, romantic, heartfelt, quick read and overall a feel-good book!

5 ⭐️ all the way for me!

First of all, I want to thank Katherine Center, St Martins Press, and NetGalley for the ARC of this wonderful book! The story of Sadie and her love interest, Joe, had me drawn in immediately. I couldn’t get enough of them. It was a beautifully written love story with lots of twists and turns along the way. This was my third book of Katherine Center’s that I’ve read, and i loved it just as much as the other two

Last year I had the pleasure of reading the arc for Katherine Center’s The Bodyguard. I was obsessed— I positively loved it. When the opportunity arose to snag an arc for Hello Stranger I knew I had to jump on it. It was so worthwhile.

Now, I will say ,the book and I needed a good moment to truly warm up to one another. I read about 20% and found myself setting this one aside to read other books. Yesterday, I came back to it and I could not put it down until the very end. I read from afternoon to late night (technically early morning) and devoured the rest of the book. I ate it right up.

This book and I didn’t instantly warm up to one another, but after getting to know each other, we became the best of friends.


》Sadie《

Sadie is our star, our protagonist and fabulous lead. Her voice is so warm, welcoming, relatable, and hilarious! I love how she thinks, the way she analyzes things is similar to myself, making her all the more relatable. I love her optimism, her strengths, and her vulnerability. She’s a beautiful lead through and through.

》The Romance《

I don’t want to give too much away about the romance! It might be pretty clear what’s happening early on, but all I will say it was a total joy to witness. If I could ask for anything is wishing there had been more overt romance on the page. It’s a slow burn, but a beautiful one.


》Family Matters…Not《

Why not a 5 star for a book I enthusiastically enjoyed? That dang stepfamily and father! Whew! They were the woooooorst. The stepsister was pure evil. The stepmother had like one decent moment, but not enough to erase how otherwise awful and superficial she was. Then there’s the dad; he may have had potential, but sticking with his wife and stepdaughter was an instant no for me. (view spoiler)

Too often in recent contemporary romances I see a lack of awful characters getting their comeuppance. Why does ever lead have to be the bigger person, take the higher moral ground, and forgive? For once, just once, let me read a character who says, it’s not enough. Not enough has been done for forgiveness.

It bothered me a lot, but at the same time this qualm shows just how much I came to care for Sadie. I had her back the whole time— love that girl! I wish her all the best!


》A Smile to Remember《

Regardless of personal nitpicks, I left this one so wholly satisfied and content. I left with a big ol' smile. Sadie rose so beautifully, her humor was infectious, her candor refreshing, and her enduring spirit inspiring.

This is her story— and she owned it.

Katherine Center CAN DO NO WRONG! Truly <3.
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I've been on a Katherine Center kick lately. I just recently finished Happiness For Beginners and because there are so many books on my TBR, it's usually a while before I circle back to the same author. However, when Netgalley gave me the opportunity to read Center's new novel Hello Stranger (releasing later in 2023), I didn't hesitate. Her books just always make me feel so good - I can't ever put them down and I love her characters so much. It was no different with Hello Stranger. In between taking care of my kids/doing my job - you bet I had this book in my hand - swooning over new book boyfriend Joe or being aghast and how evil Parker is (iykyk, and you will when you read this!).
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What I love the most is how hopeful Center's books are. They always give me such an optimistic view of life and a desire to try harder, to see the bright side, and to never give up on hope. Her characters go through intense experiences, so much more than I deal with, and they handle these experiences with a perseverance that I found admirable.
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Additionally, the romance in this book was just so perfect and swoony. The chemistry is spot on and from someone who isn't always a lover of romance, this may actually be my favorite part of the novel.
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I rec this book to anyone who wants to feel good when they read :).