I'm at a loss of words. Katherine, how did you write such a beautiful book?!

About 1/4 way in, I wasn't sure where this story was going. It was delving more into her new condition than the love story that I thought it was about.

But wow! Im so happy with how it was so much more than just a love story. It was about self discovery and self love. Accepting the bad and always looking for the good.

I've never read a story with a character having to go through what she goes through, that exact condition. It was amazing to see her adjust and learn to live with it. Incredible the growth of the character. I'm speechless. The description of what it's like to live that way was eye opening. Describing her feelings in regards to her mother and what that loss did to her. Heartbreaking. The family drama was intense and felt so real. Learning about her dad and the pain they all went through. That freaking sister!! 🤬

I think this book is incredibly moving in so many ways. It's reminds us to look pass just the superficial. That it's okay to ask for help. It's okay for humanity to get it wrong sometimes. But we got to keep trying. We have to keep smiling, keep laughing, keep living.

I closed the book and I laid there for several minutes just trying to digest what I read. For how it started to how it ended, please, I recommend this book to everyone.

I'm doing a terrible job in relaying just how I feel about this book. I think im still processing. I'm just so blown away by how beautiful it is, wrapped up in a cute little romance book ❤️

| Rating |
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
😘 very sweet romance

🫶

A cute, feel good story with fun characters. This author never fails when it comes to an uplifting read.

https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/61884987

This book was such a delight to read! I have been a fan of Katherine Center’s books since reading The Bodyguard last year, and she continues impress me.
The main character, Sadie, is a struggling portrait artist who develops a condition in which she cannot see faces after a near fatal accident. Yet, Katherine wrote a perfect balance between the tragic event that Sadie is going through and the sweet romance that blooms between the main characters. Sadie was a really fun viewpoint to read this story through and brought both a quirky personality and social perspective to the book.
I would definitely recommend this to anyone looking for a cute romance with no steam! The only reason I did not give this 5 stars was the 3rd act “breakup” felt a bit unconvincing to me.

Thank you to Netgalley for sharing a digital advanced reader copy in exchange for my honest review.

Wow, where do I even start with this one?! This is my first chance to read an ARC (advanced reader's copy) and I am immensely grateful I got to start with such a bang!

I feel like most romance books all fall into one of three of four various tropes, but Center manages to put a spin on the miscommunication trope and write not only an amazing story, but an adorable take on "love at first sight".

Sadie's character is downright adorable, and I couldn't help but laugh out loud at some of her antics. Who among us hasn't plotted our wedding in our mind seconds after meeting someone? Or had internal arguments reminding us that what we're doing is NOT what we should be doing, but we do it anyway?

This is part love story, part self discovery, and all around a delight to read!

I love when a novel makes me want to stop and search the web for more information, and I appreciated the links she lists at the end of the book to learn more about face blindness. It's not every day that you learn something from a fictional story - but this book opened my eyes (pun intended) to the vast number of people that experience face blindness in their everyday lives.

I only downgraded from 5 stars to 4 because I reserve 5 star reads for those "unicorn" books that absolutely blow me away. This book was a joy to read and I will recommend it to anyone that listens. I have my fingers crossed it's selected as a Book of the Month pick.

Any Katherine Center book is an automatic read for me, and her newest novel, ‘Hello Stranger’ is a delight.

We are introduced to Sadie Montgomery, a struggling portrait artist who has recently earned a finalist spot in a painting competition that could be life changing for her career.

Sadie undergoes an unexpected surgery weeks before the competition and wakes with prosopagnosia (face blindness.) Not only is her spot in the competition and her career in jeopardy, now she can’t tell the difference between her best friend Sue and her step-sister enemy, Parker. She also can’t see the faces of the two men she falls for- bad boy Joe who lives in her apartment building and the sweet veterinarian who cares for her elderly dog.

As is typical with Center’s work, the characters are likable and have a depth that is often missing in romance writing. I enjoyed this one from start to finish and highly recommend it!

Thanks to NetGalley and St. Martin’s press for allowing me access to the ARC in exchange for my honest review.

Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️
Spice: 🌶️

Thoughts:

This was my first time reading anything written by Katherine Center so I really didn’t know what to expect going in. Hello Stranger was a nice, fun, easy read but I didn’t connect with some how.

Things I enjoyed:
🖌️ The uniqueness of the story
🖌️ Sadie’s journey of growth and self discovery
🖌️ The plot twist
🖌️ The MMC and the pup

Things I struggled with:
🖌️I wished that there was more development of the other characters.. it’s like I didn’t know enough about them. And it seemed like they didn’t care about Sadie’s condition
🖌️ The dysfunctional family piece seemed a little underwhelming and it wrapped up too neatly
🖌️ The story was slow for a while there but it did pick up towards the end
🖌️ The miscommunication trope frustrated me

Thank you to NetGalley and St. Martin’s Press for an advanced reader copy in exchange for my honest review. All thoughts are my own.

This was a wonderful light read. Sadie is an endearing character that had me rooting for her the entire time. There were some fun twists and turns that kept me engaged. It was also very interesting learning about face blindness, very informative.

Thanks to NetGalley for sharing this digital reviewer copy with me in exchange my honest thoughts.

This was my first book by Katherine Center so I wasn't sure what to expect going into it. There were aspects of this book that I really enjoyed and there were some that just didn't make a whole lot of sense to me.

Hello Stranger could sort of be considered a love triangle which is typically one of my least favorite tropes, however this is a love triangle with a twist and I actually really liked the way it was done here. The twist was refreshing and not something I've read about before in a romance novel. And the love interest(s) are super sweet so that was a plus.

My hang-ups with this book are basically everything about Sadie's family. I just thought the whole evil step-sister plot was over the top and unnecessary and then it was wrapped up too nicely at the end.

Overall, it was an enjoyable read and I'll definitely give Katherine Center another shot.

Thank you so much NetGalley & St. Martin's Press for this ARC! Katherine Center was already an auto-read author for me, but I loved this one so much!! I jumped right in without reading the synopsis and I'm glad I did - it made the adventure more exciting. Sadie's journey through her surgery and recovery were so relatable for me. I felt like some of the realizations she had in therapy were things I just really needed to hear. I can't wait to share all my favorite quotes. I think we can all relate to pretending to be okay when things are hard no matter the scenario. The book has a little bit of everything: misunderstanding, medical struggle, family struggle, guilt, and letting go of the past...and also humor, love, and finding happiness in unexpected places. In true Center fashion this story has the perfect ending for the situation. This is going to be a super popular beach read this summer for sure!!!

This was such an unexpectedly surprising romance novel. I love how well the plot was developed, and while I didn't feel like the romance wasn't at the forefront, I didn't mind that! It created fantastic anticipation, and it was structured in a way that I simply could not put the book down. Some of the twists were predictable, but overall I enjoyed the book and appreciated how different this romance novel was. Katherine Center is quickly becoming one of my favorite authors.
Thank you to St. Martin's Press and NetGalley for the ARC!

CW: death of a loved one (in the past)

I adored this book!! The anticipation in it was so lovely and wonderful (read the author's note and you'll get this reference ;) ).

This love story was so sweet and endearing - Joe was extremely charming and dashing and is the ideal book boyfriend if you're looking for another to add to your collection. Sadie was such a delight as well! She had a rough life early on but I enjoyed how she had to learn things and grow even though she was dealt with a poor hand early on. And even though her family wasn't the best, she still has her found family in the Kims and that warmed my heart for her.

I also especially love seeing underdogs and struggling artists working hard at their goals even when they feel like giving up and that was a great theme in this book.

Sadie, Joe, Sue, and Peanut have found a place in my heart and I am so happy for that because they are absolutely lovely! I definitely recommend this book if you're a romance fan.

Thank you Katherine Center, NetGalley, and St. Martin's Press for the eARC!

Everything is finally coming together for portrait artist Sadie. She has a place in a prestigious art contest which could zoom her art into space. Unfortunately, she suffers a medical emergency, brain surgery, and the loss of the ability to see faces. Her world crashes down as she cannot see the face she is creating a portrait for the contest.
It sounds like she has an imaginary disease but it is real and called prosopagnosia. For Sadie, it is her entire life in upheaval. Her inability to see faces causes situations she had never dreamed.
It is a wonderful story of a life interrupted and of learning to cope after losing one sense and growing, evolving others.
I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

Hello Stranger by Katherine Center is yet another incredible book by one of my favorite authors! Sadie is the kind of heroine I love from the very first page- and her dog, Peanut, is just the best!!!!! After a minor surgery, Sadie's career is in danger. Still reeling, she is devastated when Peanut gets sick. But Peanut might just get the best vet ever. So Sophie is torn between the vet, Oliver, and her hunky neighbor, Joe. Katherine Center writes books that I want to linger in, incredibly heartwarming but not saccharine sweet. It's a fine line and KC walks it perfectly!

Wow! Center's writing really immersed me in the story. I put it down at first because I could feel the anxiety building just from Sadie's experience. The brief break was helpful and I found myself relating less directly to her situation. I would encourage you to be aware of the content. If you have recently gone through your own medical trauma now might not be the best time for you to pick this up. That being said, I've loved every minute of this read. I felt quite a bit of disgust in some situations with how the characters play out those situations but I was really pulling for Sadie. She can't seem to catch a break. In the end the journey for her is one of growth and learning and acceptance and understanding and utter surprise. I will definitely be picking up more Katherine Center books! Side note: I so wish I could see her artwork.

Hello Stranger by Katherine Center 🌟🌟🌟Many thanks to NetGalley for this ARC in exchange for an honest review. Let me start by saying that Katherine Center was one of my newfound favorite authors of 2022. I have since happily read almost all of her books. Hello Stranger, while still being a good read, is my least favorite book of hers. I could buy in on the protagonists new disability & was pleased with the non discriminatory way it was written into the storyline. What I had a hard time wrapping my head around was her dysfunctional family dynamics - both in how it was abruptly brought up and just as abruptly resolved. Those issues, IMO, warranted more time/therapy in order to move forward. I was still feeling traumatized by her family drama & all of a sudden., she was over it! Might just be me..Still I found it to be an entertaining read.!

I was thrilled to read an advanced e-copy of the latest Katherine Center book, Hello Stranger (release date, July 2023). The book focuses on Sadie Montgomery, a portrait artist facing an important deadline for a prestigious contest and suddenly struck with facial blindness. What is facial blindness, you ask? The book does a great job of breaking down the brain mumbo-jumbo, and it is devastating to say the least.

I met Katherine on book tour last year, and to me this book radiates the countenance of the author more than any of her previous books. Or maybe now that I’ve met her, it all just makes sense.

Sadie has every reason to feel despair, and she is wrestling that beast to the ground and fighting for joy. Relentlessly, doggedly pursuing hope of any kind in a dumpster fire of circumstance.
That is Katherine, 💯, based on my brief interaction with her. It’s infectious to be around because there are many reasons to feel hopeless in this world and she fights for joy. Life is hard: keep on trucking. Look for good: see good.

Sadie was a very vulnerable character for many reasons (not just the facial blindness curveball) and the sections involving her grief over her mother were raw and searing. My heart just went out to her, and I loved the people the novel brought into her life to help her feel seen and to tear down her walls a bit. I loved her counselor especially. As usual with Katherine Center, the dialogue is snappy, I could not put it down, and the resolution of both the romance and the central character’s challenges were satisfying.

I’m currently recovering from knee surgery myself, feeling discouraged some days with the ups and downs, and this book resonated so much. Thanks, @katherinecenter for another wonderful story!

Thanks to St. Martin's Press & Netgalley for the e-ARC.

I had a ton of fun with this one. I absolutely love Katherine Center's writing. I felt really connected to Sadie as we followed along on her journey. I liked this book because it focuses on many aspects of Sadie's life, not just the romance. We get to see some nice fleshed out relationships with her Father, Stepmom and Stepsister, as well as her best friend Sue and her dog Peanut. I loved how we followed Sadie into learning to accept help from others through a sort of unprecedented event. And Joe, he was such a great love interest; patient, kind, and helpful. Man, I was falling for him along with Sadie. I highly recommend this book, especially for fans of Emily Henry. I need to check out more of Katherine Center's books (I also love and recommend the Bodyguard by her).

Some lovely things:
- Quirky MC with chaotic inner monologue
- Amazing love interest with the nickname "Helpful"
- cute veterinarian
- great female friendships
- great chemistry between characters

Thank you NetGalley for giving me this advance reader copy in exchange for a review!

It’s crazy this is my 3rd 5 star read of the month! Hello Stranger was awesome and will rank in my top favorites of the year!
It’s my favorite book that I’ve read so far in 2023! (So sorry A Court of Mist and Fury you are a very close runner up!)
I haven’t read many books that make me feel the way this one made me feel. So much more than just another romance book. It was fun, cute and hopeful. Made me laugh out loud and smile all the time. Truly made me feel happy. I wanted to be bffs with the main character Sadie and her dog Peanut!

Hello Stranger is about Sadie, who discovers she needs emergency brain surgery and develops the complication of face blindness. It may or may not be permanent. This throws a wrench into her work, as she is a face portrait artist. Sadie just found out she is in the top 10 of a face portrait competition. Sadie meets Joe, one of her neighbors. They don’t get off on the right foot but slowly develop into friends. There are obstacles such as Sadie’s older pup Peanut getting sick and Sadie having immediate infatuation with the veterinarian Oliver. Not to mention the evil stepsister Parker’s meddling.

I could gush about this book for a while! It was so good and would recommend it to everyone! It won’t officially release until July 11. Request it on Netgalley, mark it on your calendar and/ or preorder!

Katherine Center's Hello Stranger is so much more than a romance. It is an absolute triumph!

Every so often I come across a book that makes me want to write, a story that inspires my soul to nourish the ideas that have laid dormant for too long. That's exactly the feeling I had after finishing Hello Stranger, the urge to create, to somehow manage to breath life into a story half as vibrant as this one.

Sadie Montgomery, seemingly on the cusp of her big break as a portrait artist, faces a frightening setback after a seemingly routine procedure leaves her experiencing face blindness. Even the faces of those she loves most no longer spark any sort of recognition in her brain. Not only does this discovery disrupt her emotional health, but her livelihood as well, since she was barely able to make ends meet before. As Sadie not-so-patiently waits to learn whether or not this condition will be permanent, she embarks on a journey of self-discovery that forces her to confront some repressed grief and a dysfunctional family dynamic. And somehow, she also finds herself falling in love...with two men?

Now, I will refrain from saying too much to avoid spoilers but I can promise that the dynamic between Sadie and her guy is the sweetest dang thing ever, like truly the most perfect depiction of a man so enamored by a woman who keeps evading him. Their stolen moments, sprinkled throughout, were so adorable and filled with the whimsy Sadie needed in her life.

Also, I so enjoy Center's narration style. I recall feeling similarly while reading her previous release, The Bodyguard. As Sadie navigated this life and love she never imagined for herself, Hello Stranger felt like being given an inside look into her personal diary. She became a friend as she confided her every hope, fear and desire in me. It was like I knew her. It was like I was her, my own thoughts and feelings right there on the page. Though mostly lonely and confused, Sadie's character also felt hopeful and renewed. She trusted that the universe hadn't forgotten her, that the challenges put in her path would come to feel more like lessons someday. It was very moving to witness her growth.

Now, there is an element that was easy to piece together as the reader, and, initially, I questioned that choice, thinking the book was far too predictable for its own good. But wow, I was proven very, very wrong. As this story nears its conclusion, there is a sequence of chapters that are so expertly done I couldn't stand to put my kindle down. My heart was in my throat, tears welling my eyes as every subplot was woven together to create this masterful web of events.

Not going to lie, this may be the longest review I have every written, but Hello Stranger is so deserving of that honor. This story provided so much joy and wonder into my life in the time it took to read, a gift I never take for granted, to love a story so completely.

Thank you NetGalley, St. Martin's Press, and Katherine Center for this eARC in exchange for an honest review.

Katherine Center is one of those authors that I always trust to give me an amazing story that will grab me until the very end. I went into Hello Stranger without even reading the blurb (that's how much I trust this author), and was immediately immersed in the life of Sadie, a portrait artist who loses the one thing she relies on the most: her ability to recognize faces. As a Chuck Close fan and past art student, I could immediately relate to her from an artistic perspective. As a woman who has an incredibly hard time trusting people and asking for help, I understood Sadie's fears and struggles in a profound way. This difficulty trusting, along with her face blindness, leads to plot twists that are surprising to Sadie, but not necessarily to the reader. I understood what was happening all along, and it was an interesting perspective to be able to see clearly what Sadie couldn't. I felt so much empathy for Sadie and Joe, and loved every second their story.