Absolutely loved this book!

Sadie is a portrait artist who now, thanks to a seizure and brain surgery, cannot see faces! So many mishaps, but such a cute, fluffy love story. I did guess the ending, but I still loved it.

I absolutely love Katherine Center’s books and was very excited to get a chance to read this one early. The Bodyguard was fantastic so knowing that Hello Stranger was another contemporary romance by the author was all I needed to know to dive right in.

Sadie is a struggling artist who is trying to follow in her dead mother’s footsteps and prove her father and everyone else wrong. She finally gets a big break – placing in the top 10 in an art contest where she’ll get to exhibit her work to be judged and auctioned for charity – which also happens to be the same show her mother placed in before she died. But after an accident that night, and then a resulting brain surgery 6 weeks before the show, Sadie knows she’s going to have to work really hard to get the portrait right, and wow at the show. Except, the surgery leaves her with an edema that results in her having acquired apperceptive prosopagnosia – or face blindness for those of us that can’t remember all that.

The following 6 weeks of the story follows Sadie navigating this new and scary condition, wherein she can’t recognize any faces – even those of people she knows. What’s worse is, the art competition is strictly portraits, but how can Sadie do a portrait if she can’t even see faces?

We also get to witness Sadie falling for her aging dog’s vet, even though she can’t see him, but it’s the vibes and all her other senses being heightened that leads to her daydreaming about their future together. Sadie also ends up leaning on her neighbour, Joe, for help, something she hates to do.

This book, in true Katherine Center fashion, is so well written, it’s sweet, introspective and such an easy read. I have loved everything I’ve read by Katherine and this was no exception. I love that it’s a story about romantic relationships, familial relationships but also about loving yourself and seeing the world in a different way and discovering new things about yourself or those around you.

Thank you so much to St. Martin’s Press and Netgalley for a digital ARC in exchange for an honest review.

I didn't know anything about this book before reading it, except that I've enjoyed Katherine Center as an author before. Wow! I recommend that others read it the same way. The story was fascinating, well thought out, and had a surprising twist. I loved it! A great fun read, but also really made me thing. Thank you for the ARC!

A portrait artist about to get her big break goes into a brain surgery and leaves with facial blindness. The plot is kind of forced, but the story is actually pretty nice and interesting, more like a come of age book that makes you think about your choices in life. I love how Katherine Center stories usually have a medical condition as a backdrop, but focus instead on finding love or finding a purpose in life despite the health challenges.

Sadie Montgomery can't see what's in front of her, literally. One minute she's painting portraits next she's suffering from prosopagnosia, commonly called face blindness. This unfortunate diagnosis couldn't have come at a worse time, as she's been selected for a prestigious portrait art competition with a $10,000 prize. Finally, this could be her BIG break not only in the art community but with her father.

Her main comfort is her dog, Peanut who she can never imagine living without. Peanut gets sick so Sadie meets the new vet around the corner from her apartment. While she is unable to truly see him, she recognizes his empathy and caring nature. He becomes the man of her dreams!!!

Its then that she also meets Joe, a neighbor in her apartment building. Joe did not give off the best first impression as Sadie overheard a conversation he was having on his cell about what she suspects is a woman in his apartment. She instantly pegs him a player. The vet and her neighbor have NO idea she can't see their faces as she befriends them both.

What unravels is a serious of snap foos in Sadie's world until she comes clean about what's happened. From the beginning to the end, this love story is wildly engaging. It's funny, charming and filled with a wonderful secondary cast. This book was a whole lot of fun to read!!!

Thank you St. Martins Press for the complimentary copy.

After a sudden accident and a subsequent surgery, Sadie’s life is completely flipped upside down. Before the accident she was on the cusp of having her big break and finally making it as a portrait artist, but after waking up from the surgery, the brain swelling is causing her to no longer see faces. While this may be only temporary, she only has 6 weeks to paint the most important portrait she will ever create.

Katherine Center can do no wrong. She writes beautiful and emotional romances. Her characters always have some very tough issues to deal with that pull all of the emotions out, but you also know there’s a wonderful outcome coming. Sadie’s journey was no different. I was curious where the love triangle would go (although I did correctly guess the outcome for once), what would happen with Sadie’s portrait, and what snarky digs her step-sister Parker would make next. This was another fun rom com from Katherine.

Patti Murin did a phenomenal job with the audiobook. I loved her narration and how she brought the story to life.

Thank you to SMP Romance, Macmillan Audio and NetGalley for the advance copies.

The protagonist in Hello Stranger, Sadie is kind of a hot mess. A likeable hot mess. And just when she catches a break, bam, she ends up in the hospital and comes out the other side with a life altering diagnosis, face blindness. Having read nearly all Katherine Center's books, this one compares in all the best ways... hard to put down, quick read with a loveable protagonist, and an engaging storyline.

TW: death, talk of suicide, bullying

I loved the face blindness aspect of this book. I feel like I laughed and gained a little bit of medical knowledge. I did figure out the twist about 73% in, but had fun watching Sadie figure it out. Sadie’s relationship with her family did give off a Cinderella type vibe, and I would’ve liked to have seen Parker have for pay for her crimes a little bit. I do want to state that I felt like there was a little too much going on, the side plots in conjunction with the main plot which made reading a little bit confusing.

after reading multiple reviews from friends saying that this was a cute one but not their favorite katherine center, I had low hopes going in this one … but I’m so happy to say that I was wrong!!! 😍🥰🥳

katherine center’s writing style immediately sucks you into the story and gets you so invested in the lives of the characters!! I had no choice but to fall in love with the grieving, quarter life crisis MC sadie 🥹 while yes, she had quite a few annoying qualities, I found myself relating to her in the best and worst ways possible

a human female character??? what a concept!

I went into the plot of this one blind, and I HIGHLY recommend doing so! I had absolutely no idea what the main conflict of the story was going to be, and it was so unique and refreshing and wholesome!! it really gets you thinking, what if my entire life changed tomorrow, how would I live today? IT GOT ME IN MY FEELS A LOT OKAY 🥹🫶🏼

and while there was actually little romance and no spice in this one, I found I didn’t mind at all! it was more about acceptance of oneself and acceptance of a toxic and broken family - and I loved that!

and that OMG moment at the end literally had me bawling - it was a perfect happily ever after for me 🥹🥹🥹🥹🥹🥹

a huge huge thank you to netgalley and st martin’s press for one of my new favorite katherine center novels in exchange for an honest review!! run to get this one now!!

rating: 4.5 stars
wine pairing: chile chardonnay

Sadie is barely getting by as a portrait artist, but landing as a finalist in an art competition is the break she needs to put her on the path to success. However, life is never that easy. She discovers a medical condition makes it necessary to undergo brain surgery. A supposedly easy surgery that should fix her right up, but she wakes to find out she can’t see faces. As if that’s not enough, her beloved dog gets sick and her evil stepsister moves into the building where she lives!

Sadie doesn’t know how she’ll be able to compete portrait contest with her condition but after some encouragement and counseling she’s determined to try other ways to sketch the human face.

Her beloved dog gets sick and she can’t lose Peanut! He’s a bright little ray of sunshine in her life, and the last connection to her dead mother. So, she takes him to the vet and immediately falls in crush with the sexy (from what she can tell, anyhow) vet, Dr. Oliver Addison. She also has strange run ins with her neighbor Joe.

Sadie had so many hits against her I was eager to see prevail! It took some work, change in attitude and help from those around her, but gradually bright spots came out of the negatives. Sadie’s past made it hard for her to rely on anyone but herself, but I was thrilled to see her learn to accept help from others when before she absolutely refused it. Her condition changed her outlook in profound, positive ways and it was a joy to see her grow. The romance had a bit of mystery to it. I suspected things, but I don’t want to say anymore, other than it was lovely!

Hello Stranger was sooo good! I was captivated from the first chapter and knew I’d have to finish in one day to see how it all turned out! I was all smiles as I finished, heart soaring with joy! Katherine Center’s note at the end really resonated with me! It hit the nail on the head on why I love romances: “love is nourishing” and “lets readers access a rare and precious kind of emotional bliss.” Yes!

I alternated between the audio and e-copy of Hello Stranger and I don’t think you could go wrong with either version. Patti Murin’s narration was perfection! I listened at my usual 1.5x normal speed. Definite recommend!

Hello Stranger by Katherine Center was a perfect summer read and I cannot wait to recommend it for everyone looking for a good time read. It very much feels like a Katherine Center book, which is always such a plus.

This was a cute story and honestly the beginning of it started off super cute. I honestly loved all the different aspects throughout, like her family trauma and trying to navigate the world in a new normal. Though i did guess what was going on in the story throughout basically the whole thing and it got a bit frustrating that our female MC did not catch on. But it was cute and enjoyable.

I listened to the audio version and the reader was the perfect addition to an amazing book! I loved everything about it- dialogue, storyline, writing style and especially the way it made me feel. While the author is very popular, she is new to me but I will be reading all of her books now! Highly recommend!

I LOVED this book! It was unlike anything I've ever read and was so intruiging from the first pages. I never heard of face blindness so the concept alone hooked me, but the romance was so so sweet and twist WAS SO FUN! I thoroughly enjoyed this story.

Thank you to Katherine Center and St. Martin's Press for the Advance Reader Copy and opportunity to review Hello Stranger.

I loved this book. Hello Stranger captures the essence of what it feels like when someone loses the one thing they not only care about the most, but also identifies them as a person. While we may not all be portrait artists, like Sadie, but that feeling of losing a sense of identity is extremely relatable. This aspect really hit me hard, along with the heart and fear that goes along with it.

While this is a beautiful love story, I feel like it really teeters on the edge of Women's Fiction due to the nature of the story moreso focusing on Sadie's life changing in the blink of an eye and her trying to find herself through the new challenges that have been brought along with her diagnosis and post-surgery experience. Having Joe as our male lead and confidant for Sadie during this transition in her life, perfectly complemented the story.

I think, ultimately, this story was written beautifully. It captured my attention and my heart from the first page. I would 100% recommend this book.

3.5 Stars
One Liner: Cute and sweet (but not wow)

Sadie Montgomery finally gets a chance to prove her worth and earn loads of money. She is a finalist in the North American Portrait Society competition after years of being an unsuccessful artist. One minute she is celebrating it, and the next, she’s on the hospital bed. After mandatory brain surgery, Sadie ends up with Face Blindness, a possible temporary condition that blurs faces into a messy blob.
As a portrait artist, Sadie is devastated by the development. What if the condition is not temporary? And what about the competition she needs to win? With her family issues, monetary troubles, and her dog Peanut’s health condition, Sadie has more than her hands full. However, she finds a ray of hope or two.
While daydreaming about her future with Dr. Addison and getting to know her neighbor Joe, Sadie goes from finding potential love in two men. But things will have to wait until she can see their faces. After all, surprises come in the most unexpected forms.
The story comes from Sadie’s first-person POV.

My Thoughts:
With a premise like that and a cover just as attractive, I expected a cute and heartwarming romcom with two endearing characters (and a dog). I got some of it, but…
There are enough laughs and awkward scenes to keep the story light and cater to the ‘com’ of rom-com. There’s some ‘rom’ too, though it gets lost in ramblings and redeems only the last 15%. Peanut is a saving grace in many scenes.
I understand the struggling artist trope, and combined with Sadie’s past, it should make me sympathetic toward her. However, a majority of the time, Sadie sounds whiny and immature. Her determination to not rely on others is admirable, but she never seems to care enough about anyone except herself (and, thankfully, Peanut), even when she is being helped by others. I didn’t find her sweet, TBH.
No denying how hard it’s for Sadie to come to terms with her newly acquired Face Blindness. I mean, who’d want their lives to be filled with a blur of faceless people? It’s even worse with her profession and career at stake. I tried my best to empathize with her and did to an extent. I even understand why she doesn’t want to share it with others (never mind that the plot wouldn’t exist if she did). Still, the FMC makes it hard to take her side.
The book pretty much hinges on suspended belief. I don’t mind that in this genre. (As the author says in her note, it’s the anticipation that counts, and I agree). Yet, things are contradictory in many instances, though they make sense given Sadie’s characterization (this, sadly, is not positive).
Joe is a decent guy- good enough and sweet, but he doesn’t reach the book-boyfriend level. The poor guy has little to no space for character development since the book is from Sadie’s POV.
Sue reminds me of an easily distracted, energetic pup. She could have been more, but again her role is limited for the plot to work. Lucinda, Parker, and Sadie’s dad are restricted and uni-dimensional. Devices used to mess up the FMC’s life and possibly strengthen her.
The pacing wasn’t great, either. The narration starts slow and feels slow almost throughout, even as the days go by. Again, I blame it on the ramblings (which I began to skim after a point).
The last 20% is the best part of the book. However, it comes a little too late, and one thing happens after another to tie up the loose ends. There isn’t enough time to let Sadie’s reasons for her current attitude sink in and justify her actions. I don’t mind the detailed explanation as it is done well.
I’m a fan of epilogues. The one in the book starts great but drifts into a philosophical tone that takes us away from the story. It will work for some, but I’m not looking for the MC to give me any lessons at that point. I just want them to be happy and show me their happiness.
As many other reviewers said, the author’s note is detailed and beautiful to read. Since I’ve never been the type to rank literary fiction higher (doesn’t help that my experience with the genre makes me shudder), I understood her points. Also, romance is one of my favorite genres (I read for enjoyment).

To summarize, Hello Stranger is a cute book with some noteworthy themes and a few laughs. Pick it up if you want something breezy and light (though I cannot help but say- it could have been better).
Looks like this is not the author’s best work (not surprising since I tend to pick up such reads whenever I try a new author). I’ve got more of hers on my list, so hopeful I’ll find better books and enjoy them more.
Thank you, NetGalley and St. Martin's Press, for the eARC. This review is voluntary and contains my honest opinion about the book.
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Rating rounded up to 4 stars on Amazon.

This book was so cute. Very predictable but very cute. The story kept me engaged and I flew threw it in a matter of day. Katherine Center is an auto-buy author for me!

I was originally going to give this a 3 but the epilogue royally ticked me off.

This book had an interesting plot concept but, it was so repetitive. It was also pretty depressing. I read a lot of cozies and watch a lot of hallmark and death of a family member is often a common plot point in both but, the death of the main character's mother was fixated on a lot during the book.

I might have enjoyed the book more without all of the repetition. Her condition was explained in narration numerous times... the reader does not need to be reminded so many times.

The book was also extremely predictable. I was pretty sure I knew what was going to happen based on the synopsis & I was certain very early in the book. I don't mind that as much, I tend to figure out all the books I read (including mysteries)... but it's worth noting...seeing the author included a note about romance books being predictable. Maybe that's what she was going for - or maybe she just knew. I don't know.

But my number one grief with this book... what really ticked me off was the epilogue...
The author actually wrote that it was okay for the dog to die now, the pressure is off, the character has a man now.

How. Frigging, disgusting.

Pets are not emotional support items you can toss aside when something new comes along....

Okay "beloved" pet, you can die now, I have a boyfriend I don't need you anymore.

Seriously? Let's you know how the author views pets & i doubt I will read another book by the author after that

This is the fifth book of Katherine Center’s I’ve read, and they’ve all been so good. She is has become an author for me that is just a solid writer whose books I know I will enjoy. I don’t think this is my absolute favorite of hers, I think the descriptions of face blindness kind of carried over a bit too much into the rest of the story in my mind, giving it a bit of that dream-like feeling when you can’t quite see anything clearly. I still really enjoyed it. I liked all the main characters, and the evil step sister was very sufficiently evil (although you still hope she’ll get some therapy in the end). The plot was mostly predictable - I’m not sure if there was supposed to be a twist, or if you’re just waiting for the main character put everything together - but I almost prefer it that way. This was a unique, interesting story and I look forward to what this author does next.
Thank you to NetGalley and St. Martin’s Press for providing me access to this eARC for my honest opinion!

As with The Bodyguard, I read this book in one sitting because it was just. that. GOOD. With characters that will absolutley steal your heart (except for Parker, she’s a demon), tropes that are wonderfully set-up then subverted, and a swoon-worthy love story, this book is one that should be at the top of everyone’s summer TBR.

I absolutely adored Sadie and Joe’s relationship, and how Katherine Center explores the idea of how our perception of others can shift depending on context. Basically, I loved this book, and need people to read it so I can talk about it more.