Couldn't really get into this book. I wanted to love it as much as I loved The Bodyguard but just couldn't get there.

I did however like that Katherine Center chose a medical condition that I knew nothing about, acquired Prosopagnosia. Which allows you to see parts of a face but not the whole thing, essentially you're face blind. It was cool getting all sorts facts about this condition but that meant we go more inner thoughts of our main character Sadie. Who, for me at least, was just self-conceited and boring. BUT thankfully she could still recognize her dog Peanut's face. Because that would have gutted me.

I also liked the twist for which guy Sadie ended up with: our neighbor (sleaze) Joe or Peanut's veterinarian Dr. Addison.

Thank you St. Martin's Press and NetGalley for a copy of this book. I am voluntarily leaving this review.

I actually read and reviewed this earlier on GoodReads and forgot to send in my feedback, my apologies!

I’ve read a handful of Katherine Center books and I have enjoyed them all! Some more than others, this one wasn’t my favorite but it was still overall a good read! I found Sadie’s condition a little hard to wrap my mind around, but I also enjoyed that making the book a little different. Sadie was quirky and silly, which was sometimes annoying - but it wasn’t enough to make me not enjoy her character! She made me laugh with her judgements and her being so naive at some points! I would have liked to see a little more play out with the step sister, I felt like it was sprinkled throughout the book for it to be a little anticlimactic at the end.

3.5 stars overall! Looking forward to reading more from Katherine Center! She know how to write a good book and no 2 are the same!

While not my favorite of Center's books, I did enjoy "Hello Stranger." It took me a little while to get into the story, but I was eventually immersed in Sadie's world and grew to love the characters. I enjoyed the twist and didn't see it coming until later in the book. Center's fans will not be disappointed.

I have loved every Katherine Center that I’ve ever read, and this one was no different. I absolutely love her writing style and the characters that she creates.

One thing I often don’t like about romance novels is that they follow the same formula. I still enjoy the story, but nothing really surprises me and I need a little bit more. But this one was so unique and it actually surprised me a few different times!

I loved the representation of prosopagnosia. I had never heard of it before, so it was interesting to learn about and shocked me when it was brought into the story (not a spoiler, it’s in the synopsis…I just hardly ever read the synopsis).

I also loved all of the side plots that took place throughout the novel, and I would totally read a Parker redemption arc. Just saying.

Thank you to St. Martin’s Press for my gifted copy!

Katherine Center’s books are so special to me. Each one is filled with so much joy, and she always teaches me something about gratitude, courage, and optimism. Her newest book Hello Stranger just came out, and it is filled with all of those things and more.

Sadie is a portraitist on the verge of her big break when a routine surgery causes her to develop face blindness. The book follows Sadie’s journey as she learns to view the world in a completely new way. There’s an adorable dog, art, and a very compelling love triangle!

I first read this book in April and I was so delighted by it that when it came out in July I knew I needed to read it again. Plus, I am begging everyone to stick around for the author’s note, which contains a beautiful mediation on romance and its importance. I would like to frame it and put it on my living room wall. Thank you to the publisher for sending me an early copy!

My favorite thing about this book was how multifaceted Sadie’s life is. Not plot point is at the service of the romantic storyline. She has a job, a family, a best friend, and a dog as well as a love interest or two. And honestly, no one part of her life gets more time in the spotlight than the other. And it all fits together and builds up at the same time. Seamless.

Near the end, I started to get really frustrated with Sadie. She kept ignoring things I thought were PIVOTAL to the plot and focusing on the most insignificant little details. She asked the wrong questions or didn’t ask any questions at all so many times, and I wanted to scream at her. One of her love interests wasn’t mentioned for 100 pages after an event that warranted if not a text exchange or a meetup, at the very least one single thought of him on Sadie’s part. Of course, this all played into the plot, so in the end I somewhat forgave her. But still, it took me out of the book and felt contrived.

Overall, this was an enjoyable read and certainly not your average romance. Something Center says in the Author’s Note really struck home after finishing Hello Stranger. Basically, romances may be predictable, you may know who will end up with who and that it’ll all end happily. But the anticipation of getting there, the excitement of watching things unfold, makes romances so enjoyable. In the end, I felt a sense of satisfaction that made up for any frustration I’d felt before. And there were certainly a few things I didn’t see coming…

I think Katherine Center has become one of my favorite "Rom-Com"plus authors! With this and The Bodyguard (one of my favorite books of last year), I really appreciate the way she has a love story that I am invested in but that's not the main story. The main story is the beautifully written main female character and their family and friendships and the dynamics of those relationships as well as their inner struggles about who they are and what they do for a living. The characters are dynamic and likeable and I finish her books feeling emotions I didn't expect to feel in a "rom-com".

This book deals with art, loss, grief, illness, facial blindess (which was incredibly fascinating), an evil stepsister, and of course love. I enjoyed every moment of this book and the characters that Center brought to life. I extra appreciate that her books are closed door - this girl's face turns red real fast with open door scenes! At first I was going to say that this book is predictable but then I read the Author's Note and was hit with a great realization from the author.

"Sometimes I see people grasping for a better word than predictable to describe a romance. They'll say "it was predictable - but in a good way." I see what they are going for. But maybe the word predictable has become predictable...I propose we start using anticipation."

I love this - it's a rom-com - of course some of it will be exactly what I expected it to be. But why is that a bad thing? I was ANTICIPATING everything that I expected to happen in such as great way that I kept turning the pages so that I could experience that a-ha moment WITH the characters. Special shout out as well to the main character's dog Peanut who I loved with all of my heart! I had tears in my eyes in one scene and immediately had to go hug my dogs.

The Bodyguard is still my #1 of hers but this was such a lovely, enjoyable story of friendship, love and the power of kindness and hope. I want to immediately buy all of Katherine Center's backlist because her books just constantly bring a smile to my face and warmth to my heart.

Thank you to Netgalley & St. Martin's Press for this ARC in exchange for my honest review.

This is my first book by Katherine Center and it lived up to the hype. I loved both main characters and watching Sadie struggle with the that have happened to her but then watching her figure it all out. I plan to read more by this author.

Hello Stranger is the new reality for portrait artist Sadie Montgomery as she suffers from a side effect of brain surgery called prosopagnosia, or face blindness, a neurological disorder characterized by the inability to recognize faces, in the latest from Katherine Center that arrived on bookshelves July 11.

Sadie had just placed as a finalist in the North American Portrait Society competition when she was ready to celebrate and start her entry only to be shot down thanks to her brain scrambling the pieces of people’s faces. She only has a few weeks to start and finish a new portrait to enter into the contest that offers a huge prize. While face blindness may be only temporary, there are no guarantees that the faces she sees will clear up.

As if suffering face blindness was not enough of a challenge, Sadie faces other problems: major family issues thanks to an evil stepsister, the failing health of her dog Peanut who her late mother had given her, and an obsession with two men, one her handsome new vet and the other a neighbor in her art studio/apartment building.

As she struggles to create a portrait for the competition when she cannot even see her subject’s face any other way but in “pieces,” her end result tends to look like something scrambled as in a Picasso painting, an entry the Portrait Society is not likely to favor. Because this is a contemporary romance, readers will get feel-good vibes as Sadie deals with life as a face-blind person juggling potential romances with two men whose faces she cannot see.

Katherine Center is the New York Times bestselling author of nine other books, including The Bodyguard, Things You Save in a Fire, and What You Wish For. Her book The Lost Husband was made into a Netflix movie, and Happiness for Beginners will air on Netflix starting July 27 starring Luke Grimes from the TV series “Yellowstone.” Center lives in her hometown of Houston, Texas, with her family.

My review will be posted on Goodreads starting July 23, 2023.

I would like to thank St. Martin's Press and NetGalley for providing me with an ARC in return for an objective review.

Struggling portrait artist, Sadie, is one canvas away from her big break when her plans are thwarted by a sudden medical emergency and subsequent brain surgery that takes away her ability to perceive faces. Friends and family become strangers. Sadie suddenly cannot recognize her own reflection and is forced to reevaluate her career and her perception of her own life. A stranger becomes an unlikely supporter as she discovers the value of familiarity and learns what it means to be seen.
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I'll admit, I had my doubts about this one. I am always apprehensive about medical problems used as a plot device because sometimes they are misunderstood and misleading, but I felt like KC did her research and handled it delicately without beating it to death. I found it to be a fascinating and heartwarming perspective of a real diagnosis. The imagery used when describing Sadie's new perceptions and her painting are beautiful and touching. I liked the romance aspect of the story and felt like it came together well at the end, but it is also a tale of self-discovery that felt original and uplifting.
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The "evil stepsister" trope just felt so unrealistic to me and it was very interwoven into the story, which made it hard to ignore. It created a slapstick kind of comedy, but I think Sadie's clumsiness and disorientation fostered enough humor on its own. I also felt like the twist at the end felt far-fetched but there was an attempt to address a plot hole that made it more digestible. It is notably free of spice, not even any fade to black scenes, that are always kind of a bummer for me personally when I pick up a romance.
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I enjoyed this far more than the Bodyguard so I am looking forward to what KC has next on her roster.
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Thank you NetGalley, Katherine Center, and St Martins Press for this ARC e-copy in exchange for an honest review!

Katherine Center has done it again. Hello Stranger captured my heart with is sweet storyline and engaging characters 🎨

Read if you like
🖌️closed-door
🖌️friends-to-lovers
🖌️unique plot lines
🖌️found family
🖌️healing after trauma
🖌️lots of laughs

Katherine Center does it again with this cute, heartwarming book that will get readers hooked from the first page. I discovered Center when The Bodyguard came out which was my favorite read of last year. Let me say that this story did not disappoint at all. So this story follows Sadie who has something going on with her life until an accident and now has to struggle with her dream and family issues only with two men she had met. Usually I love my romance spicy which Center doesn’t do though that never disappoints me as her story are always great. The plot and story structure is well done and the pacing is just perfect. I love the setting and the conflicts in the book. Sadie was a wonderful character and I loved how much she developed in the story. I love how this story focuses a lot on self-development instead of just romance. The side characters were great and I loved seeing Joe and Oliver. The romance is a love triangle which usually I don’t prefer reading but I didn’t mind it for this book. I liked the outcome and the story was very cute. Everything turned out well for this book and I can’t wait to see what the author has in store for us next.

*this e-arc was sent to me by the publisher to give an honest review in return*

Now, romance is not my normal genre but I love Katherine Center and Hello Stranger was another hit for me. She is creative with her plots and that is why I love her books so much. This one was no different, and I have only read about face blindness in thrillers, and to introduce it in a romance novel was actually kind of genius, there were even times I was laughing out loud in here. The plot was great, I loved (and loved to hate) these characters and listened to this in one sitting as it was so good. On that note, the audio is fantastic, it was great to listen to and I think it is the way to go if you like audiobooks for sure.

P.S. The author’s note at the end is not to be missed!

Thank you to Park Row Books and NetGalley for the digital copy to review.

Katherine Center really knows how to craft unique stories! I enjoyed the first bit of this one, but after I while I started to find myself peeved by and disinterested in the narrator. I know she had been through so much, but I found her to be a little immature, so it was hard for me to feel invested in her story. I also experienced way too many plot holes overall, but I still enjoyed the premise of the book and appreciated the chance to learn more about face blindness. Will continue to read Center’s books, for sure!

I always enjoy Katherine Center books. I enjoyed Hello Stranger although there was one small tiny tiny thing that annoyed me. Sometimes in books I get annoyed when characters don’t communicate early enough. Having said though, I really liked this story. The characters are developed and some are likeable and some are very unlikeable, but that’s good because that’s life. There is a good lesson I this book as well.

I have read most of Katherine Centers books and while I enjoyed this one it wasn’t my favorite. Hello Stranger is about Sadie, a struggling portrait artist who has surgery and wakes up with facial blindness. It follows her story of navigating life with this new impairment and falling in love along the way. Sadie is easy to root for but her family/step family is awful. In the end it was a cute fast read just wish there was more chemistry and less confusion.

Oh man, the way this book drew me in and hooked me! I wasn't willingly putting down my Kindle until I knew what was happening next. And there was always something happening next! Between the complex character backgrounds, the plot-line twists and the general story information and quips, I was always wanting to read and know more. While I wouldn't quite qualify this as a beach read romance, it is certainly a cozy curl up in your favorite comfy spot with a hot drink and dive deep until the last page romance book. I look forward to reading more by Center in the near future!

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️💫 4.5/5

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

Okay, this was such a unique story that had me feeling all of the emotions. It was truly an enjoyable read!

I had never heard of face blindness before reading this story, but was amazed to learn that so many people across the globe have this condition. Throughout the story, I found myself feeling so sorry for Sadie, especially when she kept running into her atrocious stepsister! My heart cried from joy for Sadie when, after putting off picking up her dog from the kennel because she couldn’t stand to not be able to see his little face, she was able to SEE him! I also cheered for Sadie when she finally accepted her situation and started painting again, despite her work not being what it used to be.

Katherine Center’s writing is so easy to read and I absolutely adored Sadie’s inner monologue! I couldn’t get enough and can’t wait to read more by this author!

📖𝓑𝓸𝓸𝓴 𝓡𝓮𝓿𝓲𝓮𝔀 📖
📕 𝐓𝐈𝐓𝐋𝐄: Hello Stranger
📝 𝐀𝐔𝐓𝐇𝐎𝐑: Katherine Center
🗓️ 𝐔𝐒𝐀 𝐏𝐔𝐁 𝐃𝐀𝐓𝐄: July 11, 2023
🤔 𝐆𝐄𝐍𝐑𝐄: Romance/Romantic Comedy
📱 𝐅𝐎𝐑𝐌𝐀𝐓: eARC
✨ 𝐌𝐘 𝐑𝐀𝐓𝐈𝐍𝐆: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

What a unique and enjoyable story! Katherine Center is quickly becoming one of my favorite authors. Everything I read, I like. I thought the plot was very creative and it was well executed. I felt attached to the main character, Sadie, right from the start. I had such empathy for her as we learned of her struggles, both past and present. I did figure out one of the surprises but it took me a while and didn’t end up taking away from my enjoyment. I highly recommend this one. It was a cute story that pulled at my heartstrings!

Here’s the book blurb from the publisher:
Sadie Montgomery never saw what was coming ... Literally! One minute she's celebrating the biggest achievement of her life-placing as a finalist in the North American Portrait Society competition-the next, she's lying in a hospital bed diagnosed with a "probably temporary" condition known as face blindness. She can see, but every face she looks at is now a jumbled puzzle of disconnected features. Imagine trying to read a book upside down and in another language.
This is Sadie's new reality with every face she sees. But, as she struggles to cope, hang on to her artistic dream, work through major family issues, and take care of her beloved dog, Peanut, she falls into-love? Lust? A temporary obsession to distract from the real problems in her life?-with not one man but two very different ones. The timing couldn't be worse. If only her life were a little more in focus, Sadie might be able to find her way. But perceiving anything clearly right now seems impossible. Even though there are things we can only find when we aren't looking. And there are people who show up when we least expect them. And there are always, always other ways of seeing.

I absolutely love Katherine Centers writing style and story telling. And Hello Stranger was everything I accepted it to be and more! I will forever read what she writes!