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.

This was my second book by Katherine Center and I really liked it! I can’t wait to dive into more of her books!

This book deserves all the stars. We meet Sadie who is a portrait artist who undergoes brain surgery and loses the ability to see faces. This was such a cute and fun read. Sadie was a really likable and relatable character. I loved that the romance in the book was not sappy or over done. It seemed very authentic and honest! In a way I did see the twist coming but it did not detour from the love story.

The idea for this book was interesting but it didn’t quite work for me.

I almost DNF’ed this a few chapters in. The whole Cinderella and evil stepmother and stepsister vibes are not really my thing and that’s what it felt like to me.

I have now read 2 books by this author and I feel like she has a very specific pattern she uses. There is always some huge twist at the end and there is always an antagonist who honestly doesn’t get what they deserve in the end. And there are zero sex scenes.

I enjoyed The Bodyguard, but after reading this it was clear it followed the same general pattern and it became predictable. The issue with this book was that unlike in The Bodyguard where the heroine was an awesome badass, I wasn’t super sold on Sadie. She wasn’t super likable.

Wow, wow, WOW!

I was *not* expecting to be so completely blown away by Hello Stranger but here. We. Are!

How to even describe this experience?! Illuminating? Intimate? Filled me with hope and longing and something to look forward to?

PLUS. After the novel’s incredible conclusion, you, dear reader, are treated to an author’s note, a love letter really, not just defending and proclaiming the virtues of the romance genre, but the heart and soul of humanity itself. All boiled down to one inexplicable concept: hope.

Do yourself the most generous of favors and snatch this one up as soon as you can!

Hello Stranger is a book that lifts your spirit and has y0u wishing it wouldn't end! This is my first book by Katherine Center and I absolutely loved it! Sadie Montgomery is a portrait painter and has loved to paint since she was a young child. Sadie's Mom was also a portrait painter and tragically died when Sadie was just 14 years old. Sadie misses her terribly and wishes she had her to talk to. Sadie and her Dad grew apart after her mom's death and he quickly remarried. Lucinda, the stepmother had a daughter referred to by Sadie as the wicked stepsister. Sadie didn't get along with either and was soon shipped off to boarding school. Those relationships are still estranged.

Sadie gets the best news of her career. She's been accepted as one of 10 finalists in the North American Portrait Society competition. Sadie has tried for this for years and finally she's in! When she breaks the news to her best friend, Sue, she's thrilled. Sue tells Sadie they need to celebrate with a party on the rooftop of Sadie's apartment building. Sadie just has to get some cheap wine as Sue will take care of everything else. Sadie walks to the local market and picks out 3 bottles of cheap wine. When she gets to the register to pay she realizes she left her purse at home. She decides to tell the person that she'll be back but she has to go get her purse. When the guy behind her hears this he comes to Sadie's rescue. He offers to buy the wine as he knows it's not going to be expensive. Sadie and he argue a bit about him helping and she leaves without the wine on her way home to get her purse. As she's waiting for the crosswalk signal the guy comes out carrying a bag that looks an awful lot like Sadie's wine.

You never know when your life will change, but Sadie's did as she was in the crosswalk. Sadie awakens in the hospital with her wicked stepmother at her bedside as her Dad is out of town. Could things get any worse? The doctor tells her that she had a seizure in the crosswalk and if not for the help of a Good Samaritan would've been hit by a car. They run all kinds of tests on Sadie and determine that she has a small growth in her brain that is near a blood vessel. She had the seizure because of that. He tells her that she needs to have brain surgery to remove the growth as it will get larger and cause more serious problems. Sadie tells the doctor that she'll have it after the competition in about 6 weeks. They let her leave the hospital.

Sadie's Dad comes to her apartment and tells her that she has to have the surgery now because this condition is hereditary and her mother had it and died from it. He has already scheduled the surgery in a few days. Sadie's Dad is a well known, successful surgeon and she believes him when he says she needs to have it now. When he tells her that her mom had the same thing, she couldn't believe it. Everyone told her that her mom died from a stroke! It turns out the stroke was caused from the growth in her brain as she had put the surgery off until a later time. Surgery goes well, but when Sadie wakes up she has what's called face blindness. She can no longer see people's faces, including her own. They're all jumbled up and she can't recognize anyone because of that. The doctor tells her that once the swelling goes down it should get better or go away all together. The timing of this problem couldn't have been worse as Sadie has to paint a portrait for the competition.

Sadie bumps into a guy who lives in her building. He wears a bowling jacket with the name Joe embroidered on it. She doesn't think much of Joe as she sees him coming and going from various apartments at all times of day and night. She thinks he's sleeping around with many of the women in the building. When she overhears him talking to someone on the phone about a huge whale who snored and slobbered all night, she was disgusted. She decided Joe was quite a sleaze and to stay away from him. Sadie's dog, Peanut, is her closest family. Peanut is quite old and one morning he is not himself. He won't eat and wants nothing to do with his toys. Sadie is a mess over this and rushes off in her pajamas, robe, and slippers to the vet.

The vet tells Sadie that it's quite serious but he's going to give Peanut blood transfusions to help him fight it off. Sadie sits in the waiting room all day waiting for an update. Sadie is attracted to the vet even though she can't see his face. His hair is gorgeous, he wears nice suits, he has a warm voice, and he's very comforting. Sadie decides she's going to marry him and starts planning their wedding, where they will live, and how many kids they will have. When the vet tells Sadie that Peanut is making progress, she's relieved. She goes home as the vet says he'll need to stay overnight with more blood transfusions. When she comes back later, the vet is about to leave but stays so that Sadie can visit with Peanut.

Back at her apartment building Sadie is overwhelmed with everything going on and has a panic attack. Joe sees her and comes to the rescue. He tells her he had a friend who had panic attacks and he can help her calm down. Sadie is amazed how good Joe is at making her feel better. Maybe she misjudged him after all. Will Sadie get her ability to see faces again before the competition date? What will she enter into the competition if not? How do you paint a portrait when you can't see a face? Will Sadie and her Dad get closer now that she's had her surgery? Will the nice vet help Peanut enough so that he can go home? Will Sadie and the vet get closer? Who is Joe and what is his story? Will Sadie and Joe become friends or more? You'll have to read Hello Stranger to find out the answers!

Hello Stranger will have you laughing, crying, and feeling for Sadie during the difficult times she must endure with face blindness. It's a wonderful book and I rate it 5 stars with my highest recommendation. I'd like to thank NetGalley and St. Martin's Press for an advanced copy of Hello Stranger in exchange for a fair review.

Such a lovely book! I really enjoyed everything about this book…the writing, the plot, the characters, the humor, the chemistry…..it was all SO good! I highly recommend this one to everyone!

Thank you Katherine Center, St. Martin's Press and NetGalley for allowing me to read this ARC e-book. I loved this book it had all the aspects you love in a rom com and it was so wholesome. Nothing overly inappropriate and the characters were so strong. What an absolutely amazing plot, the flow was great. I had only briefly ever heard of facial blindness one other time and hearing about the different variations was very interesting.

I’ve enjoyed other books by Katherine Center and this one was no different. A feel good romance that dished out some life lessons along the way. I liked the characters, the story pulled me in, and of course just a little bit of conflict to make it interesting. The topic of face blindness isn’t something I’ve come across much, so that was refreshing.

I will say, I figured out the twist quite early, but it was still an enjoyable read.

Would recommend this to others.

I received this book free of charge from NetGalley in exchange for my honest review.

This was such a delightful read! I have had a lot of luck with Katherine Center’s books so I was incredibly excited to dive into her newest offering. There were parts of the story that were fairly predictable but I didn’t care since I was having such a great time. Once I started reading this one, I did not want to put it down. I had a wonderful time with this book and couldn’t wait to see how things would work out in the end.

Sadie was a great character and I loved getting the chance to see her work through some pretty big issues, including the sudden inability to see faces. Sadie is a portrait artist so seeing faces is vital to what she does. I couldn’t imagine dealing with some of the things that were thrown at her in this book. I really liked how the romance of the story was handled and thought it added a lot to the story. l I was eager to see Sadie find her happily ever after.

I listened to the audiobook and thought that Patti Murin did an amazing job with this story. I thought her voice was perfectly suited to this book and enjoyed the various voices that she used to represent the cast of characters. I felt like she added just the right amount of emotion to her reading. I listened to this book for hours at a time and believe that her narration added to my overall enjoyment.

I would highly recommend this book to others! I thought that this was a wonderful story about a resilient character that I couldn’t help but love with a nice dose of romance worked in perfectly. I will definitely be reading more of Katherine Center’s work soon.

I received a review copy of this book from St. Martin’s Press and Macmillan Audio.

This is the second Katherine Center book that I have read...and I wish I loved it as much as I loved the first one. I gave this book 3.5 stars, rounded up to 4 (because Goodreads won't let me do half numbers). The premise of the book was intriguing, and ultimately the reason I requested to read the book - but I just cannot support the FMC.

Sadie went through something truly life-changing, admittedly, but chose to lash out at those who would help her rather than accepting their help, or just explaining why she was choosing to do things the hard way. She seemed very concerned with herself, and was kind of a brat. I felt bad for the things she had been through leading up to this event, but I couldn't bring myself to sympathize with her past that. The love triangle between Sadie, "Joe" and the Vet was a bit much, and was easy to see through. I am a big "Joe" fan, even though I think he deserved someone better than Sadie.

All in all, the book was okay. There was a lot of drama that was unnecessary, and I wish the ending (especially as it relates to her relationship with her family) had been wrapped up better. It could be that my expectations were set super high, but this book didn't meet them.

Thank you to NetGalley and St. Martin's Publishing for giving me the opportunity to read this ARC in exchange for my honest review.

Katherine Center does it again! Hello Stranger is the cute and fun follow up to last years The Bodyguard - my first Katherine Center book.

It did take me a few chapters to get into the book as I felt like the book kind of started in the middle of the story - with Sadie talking about her money and family issues. However, once Sadie has her surgery, the story does pick up and moves really fast.

There is a twist which I think most, if not all, readers will see coming. However, it was still a fun twist! It feels like a fun take on the overdone miscommunication trope typically found in romance books.

Overall, this was a fun book! It makes a great beach read!

Thank you to NetGalley and St. Martin's Press for giving me an ARC copy of this book. All opinions are my own.

I'm thrilled to share my thoughts on my first novel by Katherine Center, and it certainly won't be my last. Center's exceptional talent as an author shines through in every aspect of her work. I was completely mesmerized by the lovable and relatable characters, as well as the unique and heartwarming plot that explored themes of self-realization and forgiveness.

In "Hello Stranger," we follow Sadie, a portrait painter who develops face blindness after undergoing surgery. This condition makes it challenging for her to recognize people by their facial features. Amidst this struggle, Sadie encounters the man of her dreams, Dr. Oliver Addison, when her beloved pet falls seriously ill. However, she's unsure if she can recognize him without his usual coat and neat hairstyle. Adding to the drama, Sadie grows close to her neighbor, Joe, whom she initially pegged as a womanizer, but time spent together reveals a different side to him.

One aspect I truly appreciated about this book was how it expanded my vocabulary. Katherine Center seamlessly incorporates medical terms that were new to me, prompting me to delve further into their meanings and explore them on the internet. This enriching experience didn't feel burdensome; rather, it added depth to the plot and enhanced my understanding of the characters' journeys.

The pacing of the plot was impeccable, and the first-person point of view added an element of mystery, keeping me eagerly turning the pages to uncover what would happen next. While I had a slight inkling of where the story might be headed a few chapters in, perhaps due to my experience reading numerous novels, it didn't diminish my joy and excitement in witnessing the story's unfolding. "Hello Stranger" was a captivating book that defied gravity, refusing to be put down due to its unique charm.

I found immense pleasure in immersing myself in the lives of the characters. Although a work of fiction, Sadie, Joe, and Oliver felt realistic and relatable. They faced challenges, endured wounds from life's trials, and needed time to heal and regroup in order to find a sense of normalcy once again. Their journey mirrored the complexities of real life.

"Hello Stranger" provided such an enjoyable reading experience that it immediately compelled me to reach for another Katherine Center book from my shelf. That's just how awesome this novel is. If you're in search of a heartwarming read that will evoke smiles, laughter, and tears as you navigate through the story, then look no further. "Hello Stranger" comes highly recommended!

"Sometimes we really are the best versions of ourselves. I see that about us. And I’m determined to keep saying that about us. Because that might be the truest thing I know: The more good things you look for, the more you find. “

I freaking loved this book! I have only read The Bodyguard from this author and now this book. I loved both so much! I honestly really need to read her backlist. This book started off a little bit slow for me, and I didn’t know where it was going. I went in a little bit blind so that’s probably why lol. But after a few chapters, it definitely picks up! It was interesting, reading how Sadie had to deal with not being able to recognize faces. There were a few times where I was a little bit annoyed with her personality and the way she viewed life. But I honestly don’t know what I would be like if that happened to me. I loved her relationship with Joe, her neighbor. It went from a little bit of loathing and annoyance to realizing he’s a good person and then falling in love. I loved how caring he was with her. The two of them made each other feel comfortable, in each other’s presence. I I am really happy that there wasn’t much of a love triangle in this romance. There was a quick moment where Sadie was infatuated with her pet’s vet, but that quickly burned out. There was a little bit of a plot twist to this book and this is actually the first time ever that I figured it out early on! I am really happy how it all played out in the end! The only thing I wasn’t too keen on was Sadie’s stepsister. I know you’re not supposed to like her character, but she was so mean!!! I find it hard to believe that someone at 28 could honestly still be a mean bitch and act like that. I wouldn’t even believe someone at the age of 16 to act like that. Maybe I’m just sheltered from the world. 🤣

Read if you like:
Heroine’s POV
Neighbors to lovers
Heroine with a medical condition
Swoony hero
A small love triangle
Hilarious moments
Kissing only
Mean stepsister

Okay, this book was adorable. I honestly didn’t expect to enjoy it as much as I did! I was a little hesitant to pick this one up as the reviews have been so mixed. Thankfully, Hello Stranger was a total winner for me. What can I say? Sadie and Joe stole my heart. I loved, loved, LOVED this couple. Center has a knack for creating the most charming and dynamic characters, wouldn’t you agree? They’re always so relatable, lovable, and realistic. I adored Sadie and Joe on their own, but together they were just perfect. (Insert chef’s kiss here.) Their story is extremely unique, and Center puts a clever little twist on things that I’ll refrain from saying more about. You just gotta read about their wonderful journey all on your own! I also loved the artistic flair present in Sadie’s storyline. She’s a painter, and also a finalist in the North American Portrait Society competition. Her creative process was extremely intriguing to me because I’m a sucker for imaginative and expressive characters. Plus, I learned SO much from this novel! Have you ever heard of Prosopagnosia, aka face blindness? I didn’t even know that it was a thing, so I truly appreciated learning so much about this medical condition. Also, don’t forget to read the author’s note at the end of the book. Center’s take on romance novels will make you appreciate them in a whole new way. So, if you’re a Katherine Center super fan, I can pretty much guarantee that you’ll love her latest. Grab a copy now—it just released yesterday! Hello Stranger gets 4/5 stars from me!

My first book by Katherine Center and I'm completely in love with this one. Like a book you want to hug when you finish. Original and unique are two perfect words to describe this contemporary romance. This book gave me all the feels and makes you really want to just appreciate life. I don't know what took me so long to read a book by this author but I'll definitely be picking up more now. I have maybe heard of face blindness a time or two in my life…but never really thought about it. So reading about this was really mind blowing.

Sadie is a portrait artist and is a finalist in the North American Portrait Society competition. She couldn't be happier with this accomplishment. When she winds up in the hospital and ends up with a diagnosis of facial blindness, her career as an artist is now on hold until she can hopefully improve. There are two men that Sadie crosses paths with that she is smitten with. Her mother has passed away but is brought up throughout the story and you get to see how she still plays an important, positive role in Sadie's life. Her father, stepmother and step sister are another story….like some nasty people. But anyways, this was such a fun book to read!

Out now.

Thank you to the publisher and netgalley for the gifted copy. All opinions are my own. My review will be posted on Instagram, Bookbub, Goodreads, and Amazon.

I love, love, loved this book. The character were fantastic and the plot kept me reading. So happy to have had the chance to read an advance copy~