Wow wow wow!!! Now I know why you all love @katherinecenter so much! This was my first book by her and I immediately went and added her entire backlist to my cart! I’m not even sure which I loved more…this amazing story or the authors note. She truly has an amazing way with words.

This book is like a damn warm and fuzzy hug. I have read quite a few thrillers in a row and I needed a change of pace. Maybe a bit of sunshine, rainbows and hope. It was delivered! I really enjoyed the buildup between characters and the anticipation for the ending!!! Plus any book that features a dog wins in my book.

Sadie was the perfect main character. She isn’t successful and she hates to ask for help. She was so easy to identify with and root for. Joe was a wonderful leading man character. He had some funny quips and was so understanding without even knowing Sadie’s whole story.

The tie ins with the neurovascular disorders, the grief of her mother and the growth that we see in this novel did exactly what it was intended to do, provide hope. I know this is all over booksta so I don’t need to say more. It’s wonderful! If you are looking for a dose of serotonin, grab this one. Thank you @netgalley for my advance copy!

This would have been a 5 star read for me except for the use of a four letter word. It was unnecessary. Other than that this was a joy to read. I had never heard of facial blindness and was intrigued. It was very well written and thought out. The last line in the book cut me. A story of misunderstanding, family drama, love and reconciliation.

Sadie Montgomerys life is turned upside down when she develops facial blindness. As a portrait artist entering the biggest competition of her career Sadie needs to get creative with her work. She doesn’t have time to fall for one guy, let alone two, and things get complicated as she tries to navigate her new normal.

Complicated family drama, complicated love drama, complicated work drama. This clever and funny book also touches on loss and grief, and is both hilarious and heartwarming.
I loved The Bodyguard, and this book did not disappoint.
Definitely adding Katherine Center to my auto-buy author list.

REVIEW FOR HELLO STRANGER

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ stars

Thank you to @netgalley @stmartinspress and @smpromance for the gifted eARC!

𝕊𝕐ℕ𝕆ℙ𝕊𝕀𝕊:
Sadie Montgomery is a portrait artist in Houston who just received news for her potential big break. When a freak incident combined with an inherited health problem causes her to have brain surgery, the resulting swelling leaves her with “face-blindness,” or the inability to recognize faces- which might as well be the kiss of (career) death for a portrait artists. As she learns to cope and tries to take care of herself, her dog and salvage her career, she begins to fall for two men who couldn’t be more different. But as Sadie begins to learn…there is more than one way of recognition.

𝕎ℍ𝔸𝕋 𝕀 𝕃𝕀𝕂𝔼𝔻:
• very similar to Katherine Center’s other novels
• unique storyline (face blindness?? I had no idea it was a thing!)
• Peanut stole the show lol
• Overall, I thought the FMC had a strong character arc and growth
• Helpful Joe was such a sweetheart (and a FOX from the sounds of it lol)

𝕎ℍ𝔸𝕋 𝕎𝔸𝕊ℕ’𝕋 𝕄𝕐 ℂ𝕌ℙ 𝕆𝔽 𝕋𝔼𝔸:
• the miscommunication. I get medical diagnoses are personal, but I think a simple discussion with people about what was going on in her life would have solved so many problems and would have prevented some characters (ie her best friend) from looking like a jerk
• I don’t know if I’ve hated a side character(s) more than I hated her family

𝕆𝕍𝔼ℝ𝔸𝕃𝕃 𝕋ℍ𝕆𝕌𝔾ℍ𝕋𝕊:
This book started out hot, then ran cold, then ran hot again with that ending lol. I ended up loving this unique story and, while the FMC annoyed me most of the time, I think towards the end it didn’t bother me as much. This story created great anticipation (if you read her Author’s Note then you know what that means 🤗) and if you love her books then you’ll love this one! Hello Stranger is out tomorrow!

Hello Stranger
Author: Katherine Center
St. Martin's Press

The anticipation of a new Katherine Center novel makes me eager to meet her latest characters and excited for the joy that I know the book will bring me. Her new book, Hello Stranger, is vividly original with a unique plot, an atmospheric Texas bayou setting, and an absolutely endearing main character. Sadie is a portrait artist. She lives in her studio, the rooftop "shack" of a former downtown Houston warehouse converted into a trendy condo.

After losing her ability to see faces, Sadie's place as a finalist in an art competition is in jeopardy. Sadie's journey with her art, medical condition, and family tugged at my heart, often in bursts of laughter. I was completely mesmerized by the love of her precious dog, Peanut and her romantic complication of meeting two, yes two, men she might love as well. This book met my expectations and took me even higher with new perspectives from sensory points of view.

A special bonus feature of this book is Center's author's notes, acknowledgements, and supplementary materials. Reading her story of research and behind the scenes work is fascinating. This short section is a story in itself, especially about the people she met through her research. It leads me as a reader to want to know more about the medical condition, prosopagnosia. I also loved her descriptions of personal feelings and back story about her writing.

Thank you to Net Galley and for an advance reader's copy. My review is my own.

Have you ever felt like you were missing something in your life, but you didn’t know what it was until you found it?

That’s how I feel about this book. After being in a huge reading slump (thanks, Fourth Wing), it was an amazing feeling to fall in love with a book after just one chapter. The concept being this book is both interesting and unique, providing the reader to learn as they immerse themselves into the lives of the characters. Sadie was a main character who was so easy to fall in love with. Watching her try to navigate her diagnosis of prosopagnosia, or face blindness, allowed for a deeper connection because it showed her in a truly vulnerable position. It really shined a light on what it means to know a person on a level deeper than facial recognition

Meeting men while in this unique position would be hard for anyone, but Sadie took the challenge and really opened up to the possibility that there could be good people in the world.I appreciated that while this book is undeniably a romance, and an amazing one at that, it also focused so much on Sadie herself, outside of a relationship. The book occurs over a relatively short period of time, it still gave Sadie time to feel what she needed to feel and deal with some of the heaviness of her past and her relationship with her family.

I can’t talk too much about our romantic male leads, because I won’t be able to stop. To say I fell hard for that part of the plot line is an understatement. I’m already looking forward to my reread. Katherine Center is easily one of my favorite authors to reread! Her writing is easy to read, flows brilliantly, and leaves me wanting more in all the best ways

5/5 stars, even more if I could.

This book does deal with some heavy topics, so please check trigger warnings if needed.

A huge thank you to Netgalley and St Martin’s Press for the opportunity to read this eARC in exchange for my honest review

The Bodyguard was one of my favorites from last year so I was really excited for this one. Unfortunately, it was a little too slow for me and the pseudo love triangle wasn't my favorite.

A delightful, feel-good rom-com. What a joy to read. You can't go wrong with a Katherine Center novel.

Happy pub day!! This is my second Katherine Center and I'm going to continue to anticipate (heh) her new releases because they're always light, funny, and romantic with a creative concept. HELLO STRANGER follows struggling artist, Sadie Montgomery, who is about to get her big break in a portrait competition... only to experience a non-convulsing seizure leading to temporary face blindness. Uh oh.

What ensues is an amusing development of a love triangle despite everyone looking like Picasso paintings and needed suspension of belief that will remind readers that romance isn't that far from a Fantasy novel.

While there are some aspects of Sadie's character I found frustrating at times (which I also felt towards the main heroine in The Bodyguard), she ultimately won me over. Her love for her dog, her bestie, and her stubborn desire to be self-sufficient were far too relatable.

Thank you to Netgalley and St. Martin's Press for this arc :)

Thank you to St. Martin’s Press and Netgalley for an ARC of this book which I voluntarily read and reviewed. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

I made the very rational, very mature decision to wait to read HELLO STRANGER until I’d gotten through the several other Netgalley books I had, even though I absolutely adored THE BODYGUARD, and have since been staring longingly at HELLO STRANGER for months. Months during which I could have been thinking back on Sadie Montgomery’s experience with acquired face blindness following a sudden brain surgery that leaves her unable to paint a career-altering portrait for a contest that would allow her to continue her dream of being a painter like her deceased mother. Months during which I could have been remembering the bad first impression Sadie got of later-found-to-be pretty perfect Helpful Joe with the floppy hair and ability to always be exactly where you need him.

There were just so many elements of HELLO STRANGER to love. With every digital page turned, I was excited to see the romance(s) develop as well as the twists that came with Sadie’s sudden inability to recognize faces, even those she had seen so many times before. (Though I guessed the major one after the coffee shop door incident, I found it so clever that it was still thrilling to watch play out on page!) I was aware of face blindness, but Katherine Center wove information about the diagnosis, leading to a better understanding of the difficulties people who experience it go through, into this story that turns into a lesson about the power of asking for help and not being ashamed when you need it.

And while I didn’t love Sadie’s family for all the blame, disbelief, manipulation, and pure evilness they put her through, it was such an interesting addition to the story that showed why Sadie might have such a need to remain independent and keep her face blindness a secret.

There was also an instance of fatphobia that made me uncomfortable and I don’t think it was properly addressed or acknowledged by the author, so if you are sensitive to that sort of thing, please be aware.

With that, while I wish I hadn’t waited to read HELLO STRANGER, in the end, the anticipation was absolutely worth it.

This story was cute, adorable, charming, whatever else you want to call it. Sadie is in an accident and loses her ability to see faces. With Sadie’s job being a portrait artist, this result from her accident is tougher on her than most. Will she ever recover? While she is going through all of this, she meets a guy in her apartment building and her vet. I felt that parts were predictable, but that didn’t stop my enjoyment in reading it. Regarding the romance, the big twist at the end, I did catch on early to what was going on. I laughed and cried with Sadie as she went through her journey. This was a feel good light romance that was fun to read.

I save Katherine Center's work for when I need an express dose of warm and fuzzy. Hello Stranger delivered in the best way possible. I am also grateful that I had the foresight to start it when I could stay up reading - this one was a 24 hour read for me. I was rooting for Sadie every step of the way - and that is something this author is exceptional at - making you care about the story's characters whether you can relate to them or not.

Sadie's life is complicated and nowhere near where she'd like it to be. Just as she's on the verge of her big break as a portrait artist, and proving to her father that she can "hack it", life's unpredictability kicks in and she finds herself navigating the world through the lens of prosopagnosia (face blindness). Enter two potential love interests and things just get even more interesting. For the reader anyway!

I already knew a fair bit about prosapagnosia because of my field of study but this story took it to another level because of Sadie's occupation. There were a number of reading moments I just wanted to give Sadie a great big hug. Yes, of course there was a romance component to the story but I actually liked that it was about much more than just that. I was entertained, my feelings skilfully manipulated, I chuckled, I teared up. This is a great summer read! And if you're already a Katherine Center fan you will not want to miss this one!

A huge thank you to Netgalley and St. Martin's Press for gifting me an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

4.5/5 stars

Hello Stranger is a captivating romance novel that explores the challenges faced by Sadie, a talented portrait artist who unexpectedly develops face blindness. As a portrait artist, this newfound condition is particularly devastating, as it threatens her artistic career. She must navigate the world with an altered perception, relying on other cues to recognize the people in her life. Katherine Center deftly explores the psychological and emotional impact of the condition, painting a vivid picture of Sadie's fear and frustration. The story highlights the importance of resilience and adaptability, as Sadie learns to rely on her other senses.

Amidst these challenges, a captivating subplot takes shape when Sadie's veterinarian and neighbor express a romantic interest in her. Sadie keeps her face blindness a secret which leads to an interesting set of challenges and complexities. Inevitably, there were instances where Sadie's face blindness created misunderstandings or moments of confusion. This predictability was the only minor drawback of Hello Stranger.

Nonetheless, it is an enchanting romance novel with its unique premise of face blindness and its exploration of the challenges faced by Sadie in both her romantic and professional life.

Thank you to Netgalley and SMP Romance for an advanced reader copy.

“Seeing the world differently helps you see things not just that other people can’t—but that you yourself never could if you weren’t so lucky. It lets you make your own rules. Color outside your own lines. Allow yourself another way of seeing.”

Sadie Montgomery is feeling a little lost in life. She’s single, living in a rooftop hovel of the building her best friend’s parents own, and selling portraits on Etsy to make a living. She does have one thing going for her though: a spot in the North American Portrait Society competition. That is until a sudden brain surgery leads to (hopefully temporary) face blindness. Now she has to find a new way to see faces and the world around her.

What if your whole world and how you see get turned upside down? Everything you thought you knew no longer applies. This book may be called a romance but it’s so much more. It’s about helping and being helped. It’s about confirmation bias and seeing what we want to see. It’s about taking a step back and paying more attention. It’s about rethinking who we are and who we want to be.

That ending though. I was shocked, I was pleased, I was overjoyed. I never saw it coming. This is one of those books that I so hope people can read without being spoiled first so I won’t say any more.

Ugh Katherine Center just has my heart. Her books are in a league of their own for me. I finish feeling fulfilled, content, swoony, and even a little wiser. Even the author’s note and acknowledgments had me enthralled. I’ve listened to Katherine Center speak a few times now and the way she explains romance and its importance captivates me every time.

Thank you NetGalley and St Martins Press for the eARC in exchange for an honest review. This book is on shelves today!

Sadie is an aspiring artist waiting for her big break in the art industry. She wants so bad to create that one painting that is going to make her famous to prove her estranged father wrong about her career. Sadie learns that she is a top ten finalist in an art contest and will have to submit a new painting to the contest. She also learns that she has a brain injury and will need surgery immediately to avoid the risk of dying.

Sadie completed the surgery and is in recovery when she finds out that she has suffered a major side effect. She can no longer recognize facial features. Unfortunately, this puts a kink in her plans to submit a painting in the contest. She must find a way to win against all odds.

HELLO STRANGER is a wonderful romantic comedy. Sadie falls madly in love with someone in her apartment building and also think her dog's vet is so dreamy. This book is filled with laughs, all the while trying to make the best out of life.

Katherine Center has written a heart-warming novel that will have the reader "anticipating" the best of the story while learning to look for new perspectives in their own lives.

This was such a charming and engaging, closed door romance.

Sadie is a portrait artist and a finalist in a big competition which means that knowing faces is important to her livelihood. When she has to undergo emergency brain surgery, one of the side effects is “face blindness” which means she can’t recognize any faces.

Left without her livelihood and tormented by family members, Sadie finds her life complicated by possible romantic entanglements with not one but two different men- if only she could see their faces!

Center clearly put in a lot of work to understand the brain science and experiences of someone with this condition let alone an artist. While it didn’t work for me 100% of the time I thought the story was really thoughtfully and intriguingly done. Although ostensibly a romance, this book mostly felt like Sadie’s story as she came into her own.

Some of this book strained credibility and a lot (most) of the characters felt more like caricatures than anyone with real nuance but I had a really enjoyable time reading this

Thank you so much to the publisher and NetGalley for letting me read an early copy in exchange for an honest review.

Sadie, after having a seizure, finds out that she needs brain surgery. After the surgery, she learns she has (hopefully temporary) face blindness where she does not recognize faces. She has to learn how to go through life without being able to know who she is talking to.
To add insult to injury, she is a portrait artist (hard to do when you don't recognize facial structure) and has just won the opportunity to compete with a new painting. Sadie has to figure out how to paint a portrait with her new found face blindness. Thankfully she has the help of her best friend and her neighbor.
Opinion
This story is quite unique. It is the first book that I have read by Center, though I must admit to having some on my bookshelf waiting to be read. If the rest of her books are anyway near this good, I know I will devour them.
I was intrigued by the face blindness. I have no idea how I would function without being able to recognize people. Being able to write about such a disability shows what a master writer Center is.
The pace of the romance is quite slow but it was so perfect. When things fall into place at the end, a feeling of triumph went through me.
This book is well worth the read.
Many thanks to Net Galley and to St. Martin's Press for providing me with an ARC of this book.

🌺🌸🌼🌺🌸
✨Happy Pub Day✨
✨✨✨✨✨✨✨✨

📖Review
5🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟
📖Book 68/100
📚Hello Stranger
💫Genre: Romance
✍️Katherine Center
E-Book 5🌟✔️
Audiobook 5🌟✔️
Narrator: Patti Murin

📝Synopsis 📝
Sadie a struggling artist gets the opportunity to compete as a finalist in an art competition her late mother competed in and placed. Not only does she have to proved herself to her father, she also has a step mother and step sister who’s gaslighted her a bit too much.
Last but not least, she wasn’t expecting to suffer from a neurovascular issue and fall for not one but two guys🫢

💭My Thoughts 💭
This was my first Katherine Center book, and I loved it so much and her writing style. This was a cozy read that had me giddy turning pages, and I even happily listened to the audiobook version right after…NO REGRETS! I loved the plot and character development, heck I even liked Lucinda (until the end)…but that evil step-sister was intolerable and a great addition to the story. I loved that this particular story brings light to Face-Blindness, and enlightened me with so many facts about this condition. I don’t want to give major spoilers, but if you love:
Heartwarming books✔️
Unique Plots✔️
Family Drama✔️
A love triangle✔️
Swoony Characters✔️
Then this one is for you!

✨Thank you @netgalley & @stmartinspress @macmillan.audio
for a copy of this ARC in exchange for an honest review.
📌Publication Date:
July 11, 2023
✨✨✨✨✨
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#bookreview #booktok #books #booksarelife #bookrecommendations #bookrecommendation #booklovers #booklover #fictionbooks #romancebooks ##netgalley #HelloStranger #netgalleyreads #bookworms #bibliophile #netgalleyreviewer #netgalleyreview

This review was originally posted on Books of My Heart


Review copy was received from NetGalley, Publisher. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.

4.5 hearts

Hello Stranger was a journey of personal growth for Sadie. I didn't figure out her name until later in the books because a person doesn't call themselves by their own name. We are mostly shared her thoughts and point of view. Sadie had a rough childhood with her mother's death, her father's withdrawal into grief and then the evil stepmother and stepsister.

She loves art which is her mother's legacy, and treasures some of her mother's things. Then she needed brain surgery or she might die suddenly like her mother did. I really appreciated how kind and positive she stayed with all the past and present problems she has. I don't that I would have been so strong. But some of the family issues seemed a bit over the top. How could they be so evil?

Even though part of her development has her thinking she didn't give enough, somehow she had her amazing friend Sue and her parents so she wasn't without any support or love. Her reluctance to accept help or tell anyone about her challenges seemed believable. Thankfully, she has Peanut to calm any distress.

Like most other books by this author, the heart is this character Sadie and how she struggles, survives and even triumphs in her life. The romance is a bit of a side story. I liked how helpful Joe was and eventually connected him to his profession while Sadie didn't. Their miscommunication was miserable and sad. Really, Sadie was so honest and forthright, it felt unfair.

I really enjoyed Hello Stranger and recommend it. The emotional ride while sometimes a bit silly or unrealistic, is also inspiring. It was so easy to root for Sadie all along.

Hello Stranger had such an unique idea and I think Katherine Center did a really great job in their writing of this subject. I really enjoy Katherine Center's writing, and this book showed that. There were definitely moments where I wasn't enjoying the main character, Sadie. There were moments where I felt that Sadie was hitting the "woe is me" bit a little too hard. But then again, she was going through a pretty traumatic accident. I loved Joe's character sooo much <3. I loved the relationship that Joe had with the people he surrounded himself with, and loved that Mr. Kim called him Helpful. I did guess the ending about halfway through, but that didn't change how much I was kicking my feet and giggling at Joe and Sadie's reunion at the end. I found that the ending really wrapped up the book in the best way, while everything wasn't being back to normal or wasn't perfect, it was still good. Overall, I really liked this book and will continue to fangirl over Katherine Center's books/book men.

Huge thank you to Netgalley and St. Martin's Press for this ARC in exchange of an honest review.