I avoided romance for many years because it felt *too cutesy*, *too perfect*. Luckily, at some point, I came down from my high-horse and realized how much I love and need too cute and too perfect. Prosopagnosia is a fun trope to work into literature (not that it is fun for the sufferer), and it would be so easy to misuse it in myriad ways. Here, the author does a pretty darn good job of describing the condition (and, hey, there is a neuropsychologist - my profession!). Is there a lot of *too perfect*? Obviously. Is the portrayal (especially of the recovery) completely accurate? Probably not 100%. But would it be a good romance without it?

Hello Stranger is one of my new favorite Katherine Center books. It was so amazing and I devoured it. I didn't expect to feel so many emotions towards the end, but I was balling with how strong Sadie was at the end. In the Author's Notes at the end, the author writes "This love story really created a fantastic feeling of anticipation" and that couldn't have said it more perfectly.

This is my new favorite Katherine Center book, and I've read quite a few!

I absolutely adored every minute of this! I knew from the summary this one had a unique premise, and Katherine did not disappoint in her execution of it.

Sadie is a portrait artist, and after a seizure and a hospital stay, she finds out she needs brain surgery. But post-surgery she wakes up and realizes she can't actually see people's faces anymore. In the middle of her potential big break as an artist, Sadie has to reimagine everything she thought would be true of her life. Add in her dog having health issues, falling for the new vet, AND falling for the mysterious neighbor she once thought was a jerk...life is a lot messier for Sadie than it used to be.

In typical Katherine fashion, this isn't just a love story. This is mostly a story about Sadie, and her having to re-define who she is, and who she wants to be. She learns to stand up for herself against her mean step-sister, and to say the things to her dad and her step-mom that she had been holding in for years. She learns who she can depend on and lets herself admit that she needs help, even when everything inside of her is begging her to keep quite in order to not be a burden to anyone ever (I totally relate to that!).

But even with all of that, the love story is still beautiful and swoony! I don't want to say too much so people can go into it without knowing too much, but this book has my new favorite Katherine Center hero! The sweetest of book boyfriends!

I loved this book! If you haven't picked it up yet, please do! And please please do not skip the essay at the end! I so appreciated Katherine's words on love stories and romance books!

Thank you to @netgalley and @Stmartinspress for a free copy of this book in exchange for my honest review. Thank you to @macmillian.audio for a free download of the audiobook.

Not being able to see faces?! I didn’t even know that was a thing, but thanks to @katerhinecenter new book, I do now. I appreciated the education along with the developing love story. Center just has a way with writing books that pull me in and not let go.

This is a great read!

4 stars

#books #bookishlife #booklover #readingisfun #iowabookstagrammers #iowabookstagram #netgalley #stmartinspress #macmillianaudio #ltbreaderteam #hellostranger #katherinecenter #smpinfluencers

I have read all of Katherine center’s books and each one gets better. Her books are an auto buy for me. She is an exceptional storyteller, and this book is no different. Highly recommend.

Hello Stranger was such a wonderful portrayal of what it looks like to take a hard situation and grow from it. Katherine Center did such a wonderful job of leading us through our main character, Sadie's, growth and discovery of becoming her best self, while also finding romance in the midst of it all! The plot was a unique one that I haven't read before and I throuroughly enjoyed it! If you enjoy a fun romance, with depth, funny moments and endearing characters, I would suggest you read Hello Stranger! It was such a beautiful story and I am looking forward to reading more of Katherine Center's work.

Thank you NetGalley and St. Martin's press for the ARC of this book!

This was my first Katherine Center and I was excited to dig in because I’ve seen so many ravings reviews! I thought it was cute and I enjoyed the ending.

I’ve gotta admit it wasn’t the home run I was hoping for. The middle too slow for me and a bit repetitive… I found myself just trying to get through.

I’m not a big romance reader, I dabble more in the romcom when I’m taking a break from my thrillers/mysteries. I liked KC’s writing style and I’ll probably give her another go. I already own a copy of Things We Save In A Fire, so it’ll probably be that one (or The Bodyguard).

3.5⭐️

I'm not sure how she does it, but Katherine Center can take a tragedy and turn it into a love story like no other. Sadiie's mother died when she was 14 and she has never really gotten over it (if getting over someone's death is even possible)l.. Most of her decisions have been guided by her relationship with her mother before she died and with her father afterwards. As she prepares to celebrate a major career achievement, a medical emergency changes her life and perspective. Center uses the change in her health to create a series of events that helps Sadie heal in body and spirit. About halfway through I was compelled to stay up until midnight to finish. A true sign of a good book!

Hello Stranger is an enjoyable, light hearted read that also tackles some deeper issues. Sadie suffers from a surprise medical issue that causes her to lose the ability to see faces and recognize people. She has to adjust to this new disability and figure out a way to still create the portrait art that she loves in time for a competition.
I liked the premise, which was different than typical romance stories. At the very beginning, I didn't like Sadie. She was rude and selfish. But as the book continued I learned a lot about her and her condition.
Thank you to Netgalley and St Martin’s Press for the advanced copy in return for my honest review.

Hello Stranger by Katherine Center is a solid contemporary rom-com. I listened to the audiobook, which clocks in at a little over ten and a half hours and is narrated by Patti Murin.

Sadie is a portrait artist who is struggling for her big break. After she is selected as a finalist in a huge competition, she learns she needs to have "minor" brain surgery. During recovery, she realizes she can no longer perceive faces. Doctors tell her it's probably temporary but she struggles to cope.

The artist who did the cover really knocked it out of the park. They also did the cover for The Bodyguard, the author's last book, which was one of my favorite reads last year. It was the first book I'd read by Center, and I fell in love with her prose. I read the whole thing in one sitting, which happened again with her latest book.

I enjoyed Hello Stranger but not as much as I loved The Bodyguard. I think the story could have been tightened up a bit, and I'm not sure the side story with the evil stepsister needed to go that hard.

But I do highly recommend this book and the author in general. I need to pick up more of her back catalogue!

Tropes in this book include: strangers-to-lovers, love triangle, forced proximity, miscommunication, mistaken identity

CW: death of parent (prior to book), brain surgery, dog in hospital, description of panic attack, bullying, gaslighting, emotional abuse, suicide attempt (mentioned), face blindness

This was my second Katherine Center book and I really enjoy her writing style. Hello Stranger didn’t work for me as well as Happiness for Beginners did but I still enjoyed it. I liked Sadie, even when she made decisions I didn’t agree with. The love story was very cute as well. I did find the step-sister character to be a bit much - it was hard to believe that someone could be that cruel. There were also lots of coincidences in the plot stretched believability at times - I’ve never been to Houston but it can’t be as small of a city as this book makes it out to be. Overall, this was a light enjoyable read and I look forward to reading more of Katherine Center’s backlist.

Hello Stranger is a hug in book form. Absolutely charming, light, and feel good. Those looking for a steamy romance might want to skip it, but it has such heart. For anyone in need of a little cheering up or happy in their lives, I highly recommend picking this title up.

Thank you NetGalley and St. Martin's Press for this advanced copy.

I loved The Bodyguard and Things You Save in A Fire. This book was good but the plot contributed it to not being on of my favorite books by Center.

I enjoy Center’s writing style and humor. The enemies to lovers vibe was fun. I appreciated how Sadie tries hard to feel grateful she had her mom instead of bitter that she lost her so soon.

<spoiler> In one section of the book, Sadie’s painting is being ridiculed because it doesn’t look like a particular person or fit into the mold. This scene reminded me of how society treats accessibility, disability or anything they view as “not normal”. She found a way to paint with her face blindness and it was beautiful, yet her work is not accepted by society because it was not traditional.

One content warning I haven’t seen listed is one for animal medical treatment/pet illness. Do not fear, the dog lives.
As someone who recently lost her dog to an illness that caused the pup to not eat, the sections of this book that took place at the vet left me crying.

I gave this book 3 stars and look forward to continuing to read Katherine Center’s backlist.

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

As with all of the KC books I've read so far, this was a good time! The story was complex, unique, and well-researched; the characters had a good balance of endearing and annoying traits; Sadie's family background was infuriating and added good villain fuel to the fire; and Peanut was the most precious lil dude!

I thought the romance aspect was sweet, and it was cool to see that relationship develop without Sadie's sight. I do think the story leaned a little too heavily on miscommunication and assumption, but if you can suspend your disbelief for a bit, I think it works.

Later on in the book, I assumed what was happening and how it would end, and I was correct. However, it didn't ruin my overall enjoyment of the story. I liked how things played out, and having the medical aspects thrown in there was a unique touch. Some of the brain specifics and how they played out seemed a little too convenient for the plot at times, BUT I also have never met anyone with this condition, so I can't attest to how realistic or not those aspects were. KC definitely did her research, so I assume it could be legit.

Sadie did annoy me at times with how she doubled down on her refusal to ask for help. I sort of get why she became that way, but it ultimately crippled her emotionally to stay that stubborn about it.

Overall, I'd recommend it if you're looking for a nice romcom with neat medical and artistic twists!

Such a good, good book!

After reading so many stories, even tropes that are tried and true, sometimes you need unexpected twists to get you gasping and invested. This book is it.

Katherine Center does it again with a story filled with love, drama, and underrated humor. I enjoyed the characters, although I got upset at Sue at her role as the bff, and loved the roles they played in Sadie's life. I loved the Kims being pseudo parents, and Lucinda's insistence of being there for Sadie. Let's not forget the non-triangle love triangle between Sadie, Joe, and Dr. Addison.

I love love love love loved this book! Katherine Center tells the most beautiful stories that balance heartwarming romance and an authentic look at what makes us human.

A seizure and almost accident leads to necessary eye surgery, which leaves Sadie with face blindness. While this would already be a scary and stressful thing, Sadie is a portrait artist and has just entered the biggest competition of her career. She struggles with how to paint a portrait that will win the competition when she cannot see faces, and she is forced to learn to lean on those around her for support - including her neighbor Joe who is suddenly everywhere and offering to help when she's in a bind.

This book is so much more than a love story. I really loved the side plots, and, in true Katherine Center fashion, the book dives into topics like grief, allowing others to help you, toxic family members, and confirmation bias.

This book is truly beautiful, and I am so thankful that Katherine is championing the importance of romance novels. These characters are flawed and real and human. The love story is charming and gave me butterflies. What else can you ask for in a great book than that?

Thank you to St. Martin's Press for an eARC. All thoughts are my own.

Hello Stranger
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Author: Katherine Center

I requested a digital advanced readers copy from NetGalley, St. Martin’s Press and Macmillan Audio and providing my opinion voluntarily and unbiased.

Synopsis: Love isn’t blind, it’s just a little blurry. Sadie Montogmery has had good breaks and bad breaks in her life, but as a struggling artist, all she needs is one lucky break. 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. Temporary, they say. Lots of people deal with this, they say. As she struggles to cope—and hang onto her artistic dreams—she finds solace in her fourteen-year-old dog, Peanut. Thankfully, she can still see animal faces. When Peanut gets sick, she rushes him to the emergency vet nearby. That’s when she meets veterinarian Dr. Addison. And she’s pleasantly surprised when he asks her on a date. But she doesn't want anyone to know about her face blindness. Least of all Joe, her obnoxious neighbor who always wears a bowling jacket and seems to know everyone in the building. He’s always there at the most embarrassing but convenient times, and soon, they develop a sort of friendship. But could it be something more? As Sadie tries to save her career, confront her haunting past, and handle falling in love with two different guys she realizes that happiness can be found in the places—and people— you least expect.

My Thoughts: I LOVE everything about Katherine Center and especially loved this book. She always knows how to touch my heart. I needed some Center happiness when I read this book as I had surgery in May and was finishing my Master’s Degree in June when I read this. Sadie, a struggling portrait artist had to have brain surgery to fix an issue that could be terminal. Upon waking up from surgery, she is unable to see face details. Sadie was selected as a finalist for a contest that could establish her in the art world, a portrait contest, that she will not be able to do fully due to her face blindness. Then Sadie ends up with two men who mean something to her. Will she have to choose? Will she recover from her face blindness in time for the portrait contest?

The story is narrated by Sadie, in her POV. The author represents neurovascular issues, specifically prosopagnosia, extremely well, it is authentic and well researched. Sadie is independent, fierce, and loyal. There were times that Sadie was prickly but I still loved and was rooting for her. Parker is Sadie’s evil stepsister that plays a big part in this book (maybe we will get a follow up book on her). The characters were well developed with depth, witty banter, chemistry, emotion, and intriguing. The author’s writing style was complex, heartfelt, thought-provoking, engaging, and just brilliant. I do not want to discuss the plot to much as I do not want to spoil for other readers, but I will say that while I expected the twist(s), it did not take away from the story.

Again I love how Center’s books make me feel. They are lighthearted, heartwarming reads that will turn any day into a joyful one. I throughly enjoyed every word on the page. This story was more than a romance, or even a mystery, it was about hope, resiliency, and perseverance through life. I highly recommend this book and any book by Center. I would also recommend reading the author notes at the end of the story. The novel is available in physical, kindle, or audiobook formats.

This was perfectly fun but not my favorite of Katherine Center's! I found it hard to get past the absurdity of the premise.

Thank you @stmartinspress & @netgalley for the advanced copy.

"Love isn’t blind, it’s just little blurry."

Katherine Center does it again! I don't think Center gets enough credit because she is an auto-buy author for me. I look forward to her wonderful stories and beautiful covers every year. I can't imagine waking up and not being able to recognize faces anymore - especially as a portrait artist! Following Sadie's diagnosis (hopefully temporary) she begins to develop feelings with her veterinarian and a friendship with tenant in her apartment building. What happens when the faces and feelings begin to blur?

This story was just sooo sweet and lighthearted. I loved the character development for Sadie; truly transformative throughout the story. If you've ever read a Center book then you know what you're in for. If you haven't, I highly suggest any one of them to start. They're all wonderful 5 star reads.

I was gifted this ARC, all thoughts are my own, and I have purchased a copy of the novel myself.

Oh, Katherine Center, you are the best, and the amount of time and effort you place into your stories is why you are one of my favorites. Hello, Stanger is one of your best, and I adored every single second of this story.

Hello Stanger is about an artist who is about to have her big break when she has a seizure, and everything changes. Not able to recognize faces anymore, Sadies life spins out of control. During the novel, you get to watch her grow and go through struggles with complex emotions and family drama. There is also a love triangle which was a fun surprise. I absolutely adore Katherine and think everyone should add this book to their TBR.