Normally I love all of Katherine Center's books. This was not my favorite of her novels. I won't post this on Goodreads. I love this author too much that I wouldn't like to give her a meh review online.

I went back and forth between 3 and 4 stars on this one. I loved the plot and so many parts of this book but really didn’t like the characters. It was too hard to settle on if I felt bad for Sadie and had compassion for her condition, or if I hated how self absorbed she acted throughout the book. One of the last chapters in which she describes things to Sue definitely helped put me on her side a little bit but overall I was so frustrated throughout the book. I love the authors writing style. It’s so easy to listen to but I wouldn’t recommend this book over The Bodyguard or Things We Save in a Fire.

I had so much fun reading this wholesome little story. Katherine Center truly thrives in creating stories that will warm your heart and be exciting from start to finish. She writes my favorite kind of romance, a cozy, closed-door, fluffy little rom-com. This is the second book I've read from this author and I am so excited to read more from her in the future.

One of the main things I loved about this book is the main character's navigation through life with face blindness. I don't see that much in other books, so it felt unique and fascinating to read about. Although many topics in this story are sad and the main character finds herself at her lowest point, I somehow never found it to be too heavy. I was able to breeze through this story and save myself from a potential reading slump. I also was very happy with the pacing in this story and the balance in the contemporary and romance. Joe was a sweetheart and he had me giggling and kicking my feet the entire time. I will say, this book will not be everyone's favorite because sometimes it is a bit corny and some scenes were a little too convenient. Personally, this didn't bother me too much because I was having fun.

However, there were some things that did bother me a little. The biggest irritant is that, I don't think Sue is a very good friend to Sadie throughout the book. I don't think she really took the time to think about how Sadie felt in certain situations. She was never held accountable throughout the entire book. The author just wrote it off by saying "She didn't mean any harm" but to me, it doesn't matter what you meant to do. She put Sadie in uncomfortable situations, spoke insensitively about her face blindness, abandoned her in times of need, and violated her space. I think a conversation should have been had somewhere in the book to help their friendship be a little more healthy and strong. The only other thing that bothered me was that the ending wasn't as satisfying as I would have liked. This was minor and I don't really know what else I would do differently, but I just didn't really get a big feeling when leaving the book.

Overall, like I said this was really fun and was a perfect pick-me-up read. I would definitely recommend this to rom-com lovers who are hoping for the same effect. A solid 4-star read.

Thank you to the publisher, author, and Netgalley for giving me access to the delight that is this book.

Hello Stranger was beautifully written. I love how Katherine Center writes the most relatable characters. What I think is most beautiful about this book other than the love story is her author’s note. I don’t think an author’s note has moved me or changed my perspective on reading like hers did. In summary she discussed how she came to write romance and how this genre shouldn’t be described as predictable because, well, we read romances knowing we will have a HEA. Which is so accurate. She then goes to describe what we expect to feel while reading certain genres. Once again she hit the nail on the head. She discussed how romances are written from a positive light and how we leave romances blissful. Now that I’m thinking about that I totally agree. I always rate romances higher because I feel lighter after reading them even knowing they will end happily.

This was such a beautiful love story about an artist who suffers from face blindness and finds love while her brain is trying to heal. Emotions were felt, tears were shed, and most importantly the profound moment when all the pieces connected for me. I felt like I was on this journey with the FMC, Sadie. The miscommunication was so well done to me that it wasn’t annoying because I honestly felt like it was realistic and I probably would have done the same thing. It was so good watching Sadie lean into this disability and come out of it more hopeful!

Thank you to Netgalley and St. Martins Press for the digital ARC in exchange for my honest review.

I love Katherine Center and was so excited to read this one! It started off a little slow but I really enjoyed reading it. The characters were likable and fun! The story was a tad predictable but as she says in the author’s note that’s what makes romance books so fun to read!

I absolutely loved this story!! It amazes me how much research Katherine does for her books. It never seems too scientific or textbook-esque. Just enough to learn about something in the context of the story. Sadie is an awesome MC! I laughed out loud several times just because of some of the awkward situations she’d get herself into! I wasn’t sure how the HEA would work out but I enjoyed the getting there! Overall, I would absolutely recommend this book!

Thank you St Martin’s Press and NetGalley for proving me with an ARC. I’ll be honest, when I read the summary blurb, I wasn’t excited. I thought this seemed like a goofy premise. But wow I was wrong. I really loved this book. I loved Ms. Center’s writing and creativity. I loved the characters and also hated the ones I was supposed to— I wanted to punch the step sister multiple times. Lol. All around a successful book.

Synopsis: Portrait artist, Sadie, has an accident and develops face-blindness right before her potential big break. But her accident does bring potential love interests into her life, too bad she can't see their faces.

My take: I LOVED this book oh so much. Katherine Center is incredible at writing hilarious rom coms. The bodyguard was another of my favorite reads this year. Our main character, Sadie, refused to take help from anyone which was a little frustrating but her past perfectly explains why she was that way. Plus, she gets herself into so many insane situations that were an absolute delight to read. Hello Stranger was unique and perfectly executed. The tail end of the book had me laughing out loud. What a fantastic read!

Although this is not my favorite genre, I never say no to a Katherine Center book. Hello Stranger did not disappoint! Loved the main character’s voice and personality. She had me laughing and emotionally invested the whole time. Though I found the book somewhat predictable and I was able to guess key ploy elements, it was still a joy to read. This book was the perfect summer read. Thank you St. Martin’s Publishing Group Nd Netgalley for the ARC of this book.

This book was such an unexpected delight!

Sadie is a portrait artist who, after brain surgery, experiences face-blindness, which is obviously an issue for a portrait artist. It's even worse for Sadie, who was just accepted into a prestigious portrait show. With the help of her friend Sue and her hunky neighbor Joe, though, Sadie begins to see the world in a different way.

I was fully immersed in this book and I loved it so much. I would have loved to have seen Parker get her comeuppance, but hey, the world isn't perfect, is it?

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for this ARC.

I have loved each and every one of Katherine Center's books. This one just might be my new favorite.

I love how she took the medical issue of face blindness and created someone's whole life around it. I had heard of face blindness but knew very, very little about it. It is fascinating to realize how much of a person's life is based on recognizing people by their faces. Katherine fashioned Sadie's life, both before and after face blindness, and allowed us to see how life changed for her.

Hello Stranger is a fun, delightful, and yes, sometimes serious story full of fantastic characters with a nice little twist to it. I enjoyed it so much and as always with this author's books, I loved getting lost in her made-up world and didn't want to leave. If you are a fan of Katherine Center's books, you are going to love this one.

Katherine Center can sure tell a good story ya’ll! 4 stars

This was my second Katherine Center book and I just love the way she writes a story with these characters who are very real and relatable. This story gave us such an interesting plot. I have never heard of facial blindness, or “Prosopagnosia”, and this book really gave us an insight into the acquired type.

Our main character, Sadie, is a portrait artist who must have brain surgery after having a seizure in the grocery story parking lot. She is devastated to learn that she has facial blindness as an after effect from the surgery and can’t see anyone’s face – especially when she is supposed to compete in a major portrait competition in only 6 weeks. She is struggling financially, and this competition means a lot to her for the money it could bring and since it was the same competition her mom was supposed to do before she passed away. There is no guarantee that her condition will resolve, and she sinks into a bit of a depressive state, as expected.

The only thing keeping her happy is her sweet dog, Peanut, who I LOVED seeing in this story…..until she meets 2 guys along the way and a relatively small love triangle forms. For those who don’t love the “love triangle” trope, I honestly wouldn’t really call this a true “love triangle”, because 1 of the guys is more in the story then the other and really, she was just “originally interested” in the other guy, but nothing pans out there. This entire circumstance of her love life leaves us with many laughs along the way with some witty banter between our main couple here.

We see Sadie trying to work through so much in this story. She is going through the motions of her diagnosis with her doctor and dealing with trauma from her mother’s death in the past and her evil-step sister. I loved her growth in this story as she went through all of this, and the growth between her, her step-mother and her father.

Overall, the romance was sweet, the twist was great, and it is SUCH a bingeable read! I read this so fast! There were some parts I rolled my eyes at and didn't always love, but overall really enjoyed it. Thank you to the Publisher and NetGalley for an advanced reader copy to honestly read and review. I did listen to the audiobook too, but read most of the ARC e-book so I appreciate that.

Content: Language, 5 “F” words, 10-15 “S” Words and other mild words used. Sexual content was clean for me, just some steamy kisses and discussions of sex.

Katherine Center does it again! Her books are like magic and I just can’t get enough of them!
In Hello Stranger, Sadie is all set to get her career moving with her big break as a portrait artist, but then she soon realizes she has face blíndness - the faces of all those she encounters now look like a jumble of indecipherable puzzle pieces. Sadie must now determine how she will navigate life, love, and her painting all while not being able to see faces.
The characters are lovable and quirky and the novel is full of banter and flirting that makes it a breeze to read!
On top of the novel being phenomenal, Katherine Center’s author note at the end was just the cherry on top and summarizes just why I love her writing and what she shared so dang much!

Thank you to the publisher for an ARC of this book.

I really enjoyed this book. I was fascinated by the face blindness, and I did my own research on it. This was so unique.

I took off one star because some things felt very far fetched to me. I don’t want to spoil anything, but at times, some people came across as very dumb. That’s all.

It was still a really fun read though!

Sadie is feeling on top of the world. She just found out she is a finalist in a portrait competition. But then after a seizure she has to have a small operation that causes her to have face blindness. Through her struggle she relies on the help of her neighbor, Joe. But she’s also falling for her veterinarian and dealing with lots of family issues. On top of everything Sadie has to complete a portrait without being able to see faces.

I loved this book! Sadie was definitely a mess but once she learned to actually accept help from others her life became a little less messy - mostly because she found ways to embrace the mess instead of trying to fix everything. I also found myself falling for both Joe and her vet - two handsome faceless men with caring hearts! Thank you Netgalley and St. Martin’s Press for the egalley in exchange for my honest review.

Hello Stanger is absolutely, adorably brilliant! With a very creative story, witty banter between the characters, romance, family dysfunction and heartbreak it makes for a wonderfully warm-hearted uplifting read!

The premise is Sadie Montgomery, a portrait artist just as her late mother was has just been selected as a finalist in the North American Portrait Society competition. Just as her mother had been! This she thinks, will finally get her father, an acclaimed doctor to finally recognize she made the correct choice when she decided to not go to medical school, something he has yet to forgive her for. Considering he has basically shunned her since her decision and seems to want to have nothing to do with her. He only dotes on his second wife Lucinda and her daughter Parker, otherwise known as the evil stepmother and evil stepsister as there has always been conflict between them, especially Parker who bullied her so much in high school she ended up getting expelled. Could this make him proud?

So, to celebrate she and her best friend Sue Kim and her dog Peanut are going to have a little party at her illegal apartment in the building of Sue’s father. She goes to the corner store to pick up a few items, wine, dog treats and flowers which were her mother’s favorites to include her in the celebration. The next thing she remembers is waking up in the hospital!

It’s discovered Sadie has a brain issue which needs to be corrected as soon as possible, but with the competition coming up she wants to postpone the surgery. But her father convinces her to do it as soon as possible. But after the surgery she discovers that she has something called face blindness where facial features look like blocks rather than faces. They believe this is being caused by the brain swelling after the surgery. Hopefully it will disappear as the swelling goes away. HOPEFULLY?? She has to compete in a portrait contest in a few short weeks and can’t see faces. How will that work?

As she begins her life trying to use the tools the doctor gave her to help recognize people, but absolutely not telling them about her brain issue, she is just grateful that a nice man with glasses and scruffy hair who wears a jacket with the name Joe lives in her building. Although she wanted to be independent, she realizes she does need some help. And Sadie loves she always knows who he is by that jacket!

But when Peanut gets sick and has to go to the vet, that’s where she sees (or attempts to see) the man she is going to marry! He has what looks like slicked back hair and a beautiful voice! And he asks her out on a date!

But the day of their coffee date he never shows, and never texts to apologize. How could her possible husband be that inconsiderate? Although she still has the hots for the vet, Joe seems to be stepping up in her life by helping her by posing for a portrait which Sadie has no way of knowing is good or bad.

As things heat up with Joe, the competition gets closer and she has no idea what her entry looks like and her evil stepsister tries to intervene in her life just as she did when they were young, she must make some decisions. Is the vet worth the wait or is Joe the one. Should she still be an artist when she can’t even see what she’s doing. What would her mother have done? What advice would she have given her.

As decisions are made Sadie sees her life in a different light. She begins to understand what had been motivating her before her issue and quite frankly she does not like what she sees.

And then the night of the competition takes place and the chaos really begins!

Hello Stranger is uniquely wonderfully different in the best refreshing way possible. It has heart, soul and a beautiful story! Katherine Center’s books continue to amaze me as they seem to get better and better!

Thank you #NetGalley #St.Martin’sPress #HelloStranger #KatherineCenter for the advanced copy.

Hello Stranger by Katherine Center

I love authors who add characteristics/hurdles/struggles…whatever you want to call them…that we don’t often see being focused on in novels. Center does this with her stories, and it’s one of the many reasons she is one of my favorite authors.

Did you know that some people have face blindness, also known as prosopagnosia? I had no idea! The main symptom is having difficulty recognizing faces, even those you see on a daily basis. This was fascinating for me to learn about, so thank you to Katherine for teaching me something new.

Aside from that aspect of the novel, I loved the love story between Sadie and Joe. Falling in love with someone for who they are instead of their looks will always be 🙌🏼 for me. It didn’t hurt that Joe was handsome though 😂

This was a heart warming and wholesome book that made me laugh and cry. I really can’t ask for more than that with a romance novel.

I recommend this as a fun summer read 💜

Thank you to the publisher for a Netgalley.

Soooo this was a miss for me. I wanted to love it, but I just did not. Katherine Center is a hit or miss for me. This is my fourth book by her and she's 2/4. My problem with the two I did not like was the main character. I felt Sadie was extremely immature, as was her step sister Parker. The weirdest part of this story was this relationship. It felt extremely misplaced in this story. And please don't get me started on Sue who continuously forgot her best friend could not see faces. Like seriously?

Loved the relationship with Joe, but that is pretty much it. Oh and the very end. Here for the ending as it brought some sort of maturity to the plot.

Katherine Center has quickly become one of my favorite authors. Her stories are infused with joy and thought-provoking inner dialogue that makes you want to live a happier, more connected life. Hello, Stranger, is a love story, but also includes a healing story as we follow Sadie through her complicated family dynamic, current medical diagnosis, and art career. Center pushes readers to question how they see the world, how a first impression may not be accurate and how that can shape our future beliefs. She addresses loneliness, leaning on others and the importance of asking for help. I loved the romance in this. I love how Katherine writes male characters and Joe/ Oliver was no exception. Highly recommend this wonderful, thoughtful story! Thank you so much to SMP Romance for the early copy; all thoughts are my own.

In "Hello Stranger," Sadie Montgomery's life takes an unexpected turn when she is diagnosed with face blindness just as she reaches a pinnacle in her artistic career. This unique and intriguing premise sets the stage for a story that explores love, personal growth, and the complexities of human connections.

The portrayal of face blindness as Sadie's central struggle is both fascinating and empathetic. Katherine Center does an excellent job of conveying the challenges faced by someone with this condition, and readers are drawn into Sadie's world as she navigates her new reality. The emotional and psychological toll that face blindness takes on her relationships and her passion for art is portrayed with sensitivity, allowing readers to empathize with her journey of acceptance and adaptation.

The romantic aspect of the story is where the plot takes a more uncertain turn. Sadie's simultaneous attraction to two very different men adds a layer of complexity to her already tumultuous life. While this love triangle aims to enhance the story's emotional tension, it occasionally feels forced and distracts from the core themes of the book. Some readers may find themselves torn between rooting for one suitor over the other, while others may feel that the romantic entanglement overwhelms Sadie's personal growth. I guessed the major plot twist right near the beginning of the book which sometimes made me want to just get to the end.

The writing style is engaging and expressive, effectively conveying Sadie's emotions and the challenges she faces. The author beautifully captures the art world and the complexities of family dynamics, enriching the narrative with depth and authenticity.

"Hello Stranger" is a thought-provoking read that offers a fresh perspective on the complexities of human perception and relationships. The idea of finding unexpected connections and love amidst life's blurry realities is an inspiring and hopeful message that resonates with readers.