While this is a bit contrived (a portrait artist acquires face blindness), it's a good read! Sadie navigates her issues realistically. I thought I had one plot line figured out, but the author surprised me.

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️/5

Katherine Center does it again! I absolutely adored this book! It was so unique and beautifully written. Sadie is such a strong character that will have you falling in love with her. I loved reading her journey dealing with love, loss, and major life challenges. While her condition is rare, she was a very relatable character. I loved this book and you should definitely add it to your tbr list!


📘: Hello Stranger by Katherine Center
🗓 Pub Date: July 11, 2023

Thank to NetGalley, Katherine Center, and St.Martins Press for this ARC!

I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

*Reviewed on NetGalley and Goodreads. Will review on retail once published!

Hello Stranger by Katherine Center is about a young woman, Sadie Montogmery, a portrait artist who undergoes brain surgery and loses the ability to see faces. So how will she paint portraits when she can't see faces? Sadie Montogomery has been following in her mother's footsteps by becoming an artist; she has even been placed in a competition in which her mother was established years ago. Her mother died before she could enter her piece in the contest. And now Sadie questions her ability to finish. Sadie's mother dies from a stroke caused by the same brain condition that Sadie undergoes surgery for; her mother refuses the surgery, wanting to spend time with Sadie. Sadie's father is a cardiac surgeon, and when he finds out his daughter has the same condition, he schedules her for surgery. Sadie finds solace in her dog Peanut, a dog her mother purchased for her when she was a child, and Peanut is an essential part of her life, so when Peanut falls ill, she meets veterinarian Dr. Oliver Addison. When he asks her for a date, Sadie is surprised but doesn't want anyone to know that she is suffering from face blindness. Least of all, her neighbor Joe, who wears a bowling jacket of all things and knows everyone in the building, sleeps with women and then mocks them, takes pictures of them, and posts them on social media.

"We're all so busy seeing what we expect to see." We don't pay enough attention to the actual stuff seen. I had a lot of questions regarding Sadie's ability to notice her surroundings and be present in her life before and after her surgery. While we take stuff for granted in our lives, being mindful and present in our everyday lives is a vital lesson.

This is tough for me to say as a devoted Katherine Center fan but this is the first book of hers that really made me cringe. The characters were all one dimensional with a slew of villains that could have been pulled directly from a Disney movie: the evil stepmother, the distant father, the stepsister that is so cruel it's bizarre we are to believe she's a grown woman. Protagonist Sadie lacked depth and came across as incredibly self-centered and insecure. The resolution and twist with her love interest was fairly evident from the beginning. Disappointing read, but I'll keep reading her books. Hoping this one was just a dud.

Sadie Montogmery is a struggling artist, and is beyond excited 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. She is face blind.

As Sadie tries to save her career, confront her relationship with her family, and handle falling in love with two different guys, she comes to terms with her new reality, and her future, whatever that may be.

Well written, and interesting, Hello Stranger explores the issue of face blindness, as Sadie learns to ask for help when she needs it. Recommended. #Hello Stranger #NetGalley #SaltMarshAuthors

If you like other Katherine Center books - particularly Things You Save in a Fire and How to Walk Away - or if you're just in the mood for a well-written if not 100% realistic romance, I recommend!
This plot was cute and slightly predictable but overall I enjoyed. I didn't give a full five stars because there were many parts of the book that felt wordy.

I liked the premise of this book. But I just could not click with the main narrator. Also, why does the author feel the need to state her characters’ nationalities when she describes them ? It’s completely personal but it stuck out and bothered me.

When I was gifted a copy of this book from the publisher, I didn’t know the subject matter would cut so close to home. My daughter was also diagnosed with cavernoma, a malformed blood vessel in the brain- otherwise known as a raspberry- after she passed out at work. Needless to say, it scared her mom and dad to death, but with careful monitoring, she will hopefully never go through the trauma Sadie had to live through.

Sadie has been an outcast since her beautiful, artistic mother died when she was fourteen. Her father quickly remarried, bringing an ambivalent woman and her vindictive daughter into their lives. Unable to cope, Sadie moves out as soon as possible and spends the next few years until the diagnosis working to stay afloat. But now, she has a chance to shine; a contest to win ten thousand and a prestigious spot in the artist community. Until the brain surgery wipes away her powers of facial recognition, leaving her unable to see anything other than pieces of a person’s face in strips and pieces. Can you imagine? It’s called prosopagnosia, or face blindness.

The author’s candid description of the procedure is both frightening and funny:

they’d wash my hair with Betadine solution to sterilize everything, and then they’d comb it with a sterile comb, and then they’d shave just the tiniest bit, and then they’d cut and peel a flap of my scalp back . . . and then they’d drill a four-inch hole in my head.
Like they were going ice fishing.
No big deal.
Katherine Center. Hello Stranger (Kindle Locations 539-542). Kindle Edition.

It’s moments like this that made reading this story a comfort for this very worried mother. It helps to learn with humor. Ms. Center does a wonderful job guiding us through Sadie’s emotional journey and all the highs and lows along the way with her core spirit that never lets her give up.

This is a must-read.

Hello Stranger by Katherine Center
I’d like to thank NetGalley, the publisher St. Martins and the author for the opportunity to read this early in exchange for a honest review.
I was so excited to be invited to read this early, not gonna lie I let out an audible squeal!!
i absolutely devoured this book and while I am no stranger to Katherine Centers novel this book read a little different for me.
It reminded me how people can be so different yet so much the same, how in life challenges we incur shape the roads that we travel and with these trials and tribulations we have to keep pushing on!
I always love a good story and this one was no different. I admit there were some surprises in the book which just added to the excitement.
Thanks again! Five stars ⭐️

I have been a Katherine Center fan for a few years now. After reading How to Walk Away in 2018, I have read every new book as it has come out and even read some of her backlist.

I very much enjoyed Hello, Stranger. It's one part Cinderella, one part mystery and 100% what we have come to expect from Center. The characters were delightfully quirky and nuanced, while remaining completely loveable. It is closed door, but I would say at times it is on the edgier side of the spectrum.

All in all, a very delightful read!

This was just the book I needed. It was fun, cute, and just a delight to read. I love that her books have these great characters who you root for and always a little unique twist. This time it deals with having a side effect of a surgery and well lots happen to our lead character. Katherine Center always writes with heart and humor, and I look forward to each book she writes. This was no exception! Posted on Instagram @carolinehoppereads and Goodreads.

Sadie Montgomery needs a good break, and suddenly it arrives in the form of earning a finalist slot in a portrait competition! She's worked long and hard for this day, to prove to herself, to the world, and to her family that she's made the right decisions and has it in her to be a success. What she couldn't foresee was a sudden and urgent need for a minor preventive brain surgery. The surgery is deemed a success, but it slowly dawns on Sadie that a horrific side effect is that she can no longer see faces. Which is enough to kill her career as a portrait artist.

Sadie's learned the hard way not to ask for or accept help from anyone, so she finds comfort in her precious dog and her friend from art school. But when her dog suddenly needs urgent medical care too, she meets the handsome local veterinarian, Dr. Addison (she doesn't have to see his face to know that body and that walk carry a good looking man!). Even better, he asks her on a date! But then her neighbor, Joe, who she swore to hate for all eternity (after she heard talking smack about some woman who spent the night) starts worming his way into her life. Could their friendship develop into something more? Or is Dr. Addison the one for her? And how can she possibly paint a portrait and pursue her dreams when she still can't see anyone's face?

This was such a feel-good book. It was like a lot of Katherine Center's books--a horrible, terrible thing happens and the protagonist has to painfully find a way to live and grow through it. I loved the lighthearted take on heavy, deep, human things like love, dreams, forgiveness, and belonging. This book was like nourishing comfort food to me, and I think it will meet with great success!

I am a relatively new Katherine Center stan, but so far, every single book that I've read by her has been a hit in my opinion and HELLO STRANGER continues that trend. Feel-good, happy, and heart-warming. It has it all!

Katherine Center does it again! This story captivated me from the very start. The characters were so vivid and well written. I also enjoyed the mystery of the neighbor and how Sadie comes to learn more about him. Katherine Center has such a gift for writing stories that have you predicting what will happen but still surprise and keep you guessing. This was definitely one of my favorites of hers. Thank you to netgalley for the early copy!

I’ve been in a big time reading slump this fall with our family dealing with illness, a hurricane and a busy schedule- Hello Stranger absolutely crushed that slump! I read it in two days, which is the fastest I’ve read a book in almost 6 months (but something I used to do regularly).

I always love Katherine Center’s books and this was no exception. When the plot pieces started clicking together it was so satisfying. I usually am annoyed with no spice but I loved the plot and characters so much that I honestly didn’t even notice and it didn’t take away from my rating. Thanks so much for providing this arc!

This story left me feeling good. I am used to Katherine Center's strong heroines, so this character is different from her other main characters, quirky and suffers from low self-esteem, seeing self as a failure. True to the author's style of writing there are certain scenes that are laugh out loud hilarious.
The story has to do with the loss of her mom, contributing to how she is the way she is and not feeling able to connect with her father. The storylines with her stepmom and stepsister are interesting. The main character develops a condition which does not allow her to visually see correctly, instead faces are unclear, so she learns how to use her intuition to guide her in her interactions, and what the character discovers is all is not what it seems. I love how the author weaves such a storyline, creating characters who develop over time through the story and as a reader rooting for them and deeply empathizing with them. You will not be disappointed, another rave review for Katherine Center!

Such a fun and cute book and a perfect pick-me-up on a blah day. I read so many psychological thrillers that I'm always stunned when there are likeable characters in a book! The only thing that disappointed me was that it didn't feature a Texas city like all of her other books. I've always felt like that added to the ambiance.

I'm in my pajanket getting the vapors, fanning myself while reading the ending of this book., LOL! Another Katherine Center book that had me at Hello. I love Katherines writing style, it's like a conversation with your best friend, ugly crying then laughing because your friend knows you so well, they can get you to laugh like no one else can. This story was emotionally satisfying and delightfully clever.

I'm not typically one who stays up well past my bedtime to read a book. I mean let's be honest, I really value my sleep. But Hello Stranger did this exact thing to me. Nearing midnight, tears bursting from my eyes while I'm simultaneously smiling with joy. I loved Hello Stranger by Katherine Center. LOVED.

Sadie is a struggling artist who is looking for that one break in her career and when the opportunity arises she knows she only has one shot. Except as if the universe knows when you are at your make it or break it moment, Sadie is nearly hit by car, put in the hospital, only to find out she needs brain surgery. With just a few weeks until the portrait competition, Sadie goes in for brain surgery and comes out good as new, right? Except Sadie quickly realizes that she is unable to see the faces around her. Not ideal for a portrait artist. The story follows along as Sadie navigates a faceless world, discovering both herself and a growing romance in between the pages.

I said it twice and I'll say it a third time. I loved this book. Katherine Center has a way of writing that makes you feel. You feel the good, the bad, the love, the hurt, the hope, the humor. You feel the characters and believe that you are right with them in the story. If I was a fan of Katherine Center before, I am without a doubt, life-long, fan now. Highly recommend.

Hello Stranger had such a unique spin to the plotline that had me second-guessing what was real right up to the very end. I really enjoyed the dynamic between the two main characters, Sadie and 'Joe' but felt that the relationships among between other characters fell a little short of the depth that gets a reader really invested in the outcome. Overall, I'd recommend this book to someone looking for an entertaining meet-cute type of read.