Sadie Mongomery has spent much of her adulthood trying to prove to her father that she has her life on track. When she finds out that she is a finalist in a portrait competition, she feels like she finally has a chance to honor her mother and show the rest of her family that she is proud of her choices. Suddenly, a medical incident leaves Sadie with face blindness and she feels like her chances to succeed have been crushed.

Hello Stranger is a stand-alone contemporary romance. While the book does cover the MCs frenemies to more relationship it also heavily follows Sadie’s health journey.

Trigger/Content Warnings: medical emergency, bullying by family member, parental death

I had previously heard of face blindness but was not familiar with all of the technicalities. The amount of time and research the author put into studying this condition really comes across throughout the storyline. I learned quite a bit and appreciate the sensitive but realistic way in which face blindness is conveyed.

I have read each of this author’s books and she continues to impress me every time. Everytime I think I have found my favorite Katherine Center book, she writes another exceptional work of art. I can’t wait to see what she has for her readers next.

Patti Murin is one of my favorite solo narrators. She does a fabulous job bringing the characters of Hello Stranger to life. Her portrayal of Sandie’s snarky “evil” step-sister is particularly delightful.

I voluntarily read, listened to, and reviewed advanced copies of this book and audiobook. All thoughts and opinions are my own. Thank you to NetGalley, St. Martin’s Press, and Macmillan Audio!

I received a free Advanced Reading Copy via NetGalley in exchange for a complete and honest review.

One of the best books I've read in a long while!

Katherine Center became a must read author after The Bodyguard so I went into this blind and enjoyed it! It’s a cute, heartwarming story about life’s journey and how things don’t always go as planned. Sadie was a fun MC and I loved her tenacity and grit. She had some great character growth and finally learned how to stand up to others. I am reading Happiness for Beginners now because an adaption is coming out soon and I always try to read before I watch!

Katherine Center is one of my favorite contemporary romance authors. I fell so hard for How to Walk Away and my all time favorite of hers is Things You Save in a Fire! **Sigh**
So of course I’m going to read this! KC always surprises me with her unique story lines and I would have never guessed this one if I tried. It was different and sweet with a lot of non communication. But I did get my HEA! Yay! I read and listened to this and liked both formats. The audiobook was narrated by Patti Mirin. She was awesome if you’re wondering.
Thanks St. Martin’s Press and Macmillan Audio via NetGalley.

Hello Stranger was one unique and heartwarming story that I really needed! This is my second time reading a book by this author, and I should really read her more often. I read this at the perfect time because I am also in the middle of reading a dark romance and this was such a great change in pace. I really just needed something warm and fuzzy to sink my teeth into! I could absolutely see this entire book coming from the beginning. But I strapped myself in and enjoyed the ride. It was so sweet and dealt with real life issues, but it wasn’t all in your face about it. Though Sophie and Joe annoyed me at some parts, in the end, I really loved them both.They grew on me and I thought they were such a great fit for one another. This is easily one of those books that you can read in one sitting and is a perfect book for the beach. It’s a fun book that will captivate you from beginning to end.

I will say that I had the pleasure of listening to this on audio as well. It was such a great listen. The narrator, Patti Murin, did a fantastic job. This is the first time I’ve read a book that she narrated and I listen to her again.

The final thing I’d like to say is fuck Parker 🖕🏻😊

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️/5 (5 Stars)

Narration: the narration was great. Did a good job of voices for different characters.

Steam: 0/5 closed door, just kissing

Out: July 11th!

Thanks to Netgalley, Macmillan audio and St. Martin’s Press for the advanced audiobook in exchange for my honest review

No spoiler review 👇🏻

The Bodyguard by this author was one of my favourite books of 2022 so I was so excited for this one!

This book was beautiful and I loved it! Kathrine Centre is quickly becoming one of my favourite authors. I can’t wait to read. Ore from her, and catch up on her backlist.

This book follows Sadie, she’s a portrait artist. One day she suffers an accident and it results in her having facial blindness. She can’t see people’s facial features. Which makes it hard when you are in a portrait competition….

It has its sadder moments but it’s all beautiful, funny, and romantic. I absolutely enjoyed this book. It’s a closed door romance with family drama, and learning how to adjust to a new life. I highly recommend this book!


CW: family drama, medical procedures, medical trauma, death of parent (past), bullying (past)

i LOVED this book. Its sweet and not spicy, which is a bit unusual for me as someone who loves spice. But the anticipation of them falling in love is what had me glued to the pages
I really like when romcoms take on a deeper issue, I feel like it connects us more to the characters, and this one was a really heartwarming story that I highly recommend to anyone who likes their romances to have a bit more depth

4.5 stars.

The thing about a Katherine Center book is that no matter what mood you are in when you pick it up, you will most certainly be smiling after finishing one of her stories. She's truly a comfort writer in every sense of the word! You might think - it's another contemporary romance, how different can it be from other books, but you'd be surprised my friend. Katherine Center has a knack for unique storylines that just feel like a big warm hug.

Hello Stranger was no different, it was sweet, sentimental and uplifting. And I can't stress enough on how utterly perfect that final twist was. I've read quite a few thrillers and yet, I could never have guessed that one, or should I say it was a classic case of "confirmation bias" haha (you'll get it, if you've read the book!) A story full of hope, heart and humor, Hello Stranger is a "love story that created a fantastic feeling of anticipation" (read the author's note to get this reference) and had me completely charmed. A must read for all romance readers.

As always, Patty Murin nailed the audio, perfectly embracing Sadie's vibe! she also did an excellent narration of the evil sister Parker! A delightful audio experience overall.

I don’t think Katherine Center can write a book that is not amazing! I loved this story! The characters (except Parker), the story line, the mishaps…everything. The narrator was fabulous & made the story so much more fun. I was internally shouting (since I was on an airplane) at Sadie when she was confused over Joe ghosting her as I thought I had figured out what was going on. The actual explanation of what really happened was sooo much fun. The ending was perfect! Another fabulous book for me to recommend to friends & family. Thanks for the fun!

Thank you to MacMillan Audio & NetGalley for giving me the chance to listen to this gem.

Katherine Center is absolutely hands down one of my new favorite romance authors. I discovered The Bodyguard because of a bookish friend’s recommendation, and now I’m in the process of binging all of Center’s books. I even bought out all of the titles BOTM currently has in stock (and Hello Stranger is a July 2023 main pick!). This is serious.

Center’s light-hearted, no-spice romances are my new go-to contemporary romance reads. I loved the heartfelt, real world issues juxtaposed with happy romance that, in this book, was such a great story of people falling in love and the best miscommunication trope I’ve seen used ever.

Sadie is such a positive FMC, and her love interest, whom I will only vaguely reference because I shall not spoil plots, were so great together. Oh, I just loved this book. It’s a must read, even if you only get it from the library. If you’re a fan of romance without the graphic sexual content but still like the sensuality of two people’s attraction and falling in love with one another, you’ll love this book.

Once again, Patti Murin does a great job bringing Center's story to life (Murin also narrates The Bodyguard by Katharine Center). I loved the dramatic reading, the great character voices, and the narration overall was completely immersive.

My thanks to NetGalley for the eARC and ALC, for which I willingly give my own, honest opinion.

I have mixed feelings about this book because I enjoyed the book and the writing, as I always do with KC books, but I did not particularly like the plot. I think one challenge that established authors like Katherine Center face is that after publishing so many good books, we begin to start comparing them with one another. I kept trying to not hold this book to any standard but it is hard when KC wrote books like THINGS YOU SAVE IN A FIRE and THE BODYGUARD. I really enjoy Katherine Center's books but this just wasn't my personal favorite. I read via ebook and audio formats and enjoyed both!

"Hello Stranger" is the perfect FUN love story! Similar to "Shallow Hal", our main character faces a life altering event that causes her to be face blind. She is left with the task of relearning how to interact with the world while not seeing people's true faces. To make matters worse, Sadie is a portrait artist, relying on her ability to see faces! Sadie is forced to learn how to ask for help in order to set things straight. She finds herself asking for help from one particular person in her building who she may or may not be falling in love with!

The twist in this story literally made my jaw drop! I loved listening to this on audio, the narration was perfect!

Review of Hello Stranger by Katherine Center

I don’t do star reviews anymore, but spoiler alert. This one has five stars. I listen to the audiobook in half a day. I couldn’t stop listening for anything. I got totally absorbed in the main character and her story. It was funny, it was sweet, and I learned some thing too. I love her style of writing so much. I can never find fault in it. I loved the ending of this one beyond words, and I never saw it coming. Pun intended. I highly recommend the audiobook for this one as well.

Synopsis from Amazon:

Sadie Montgomery never saw what was coming . . . Literally! One minute she’s celebrating the biggest achievement of her life―placing as a finalist in the North American Portrait Society competition―the next, she’s lying in a hospital bed diagnosed with a “probably temporary” condition known as face blindness. She can see, but every face she looks at is now a jumbled puzzle of disconnected features. Imagine trying to read a book upside down and in another language. This is Sadie’s new reality with every face she sees.

But, as she struggles to cope, hang on to her artistic dream, work through major family issues, and take care of her beloved dog, Peanut, she falls into―love? Lust? A temporary obsession to distract from the real problems in her life?―with not one man but two very different ones. The timing couldn’t be worse.

If only her life were a little more in focus, Sadie might be able to find her way. But perceiving anything clearly right now seems impossible. Even though there are things we can only find when we aren’t looking. And there are people who show up when we least expect them. And there are always, always other ways of seeing.

Katherine Center has done it again! Hello Stranger was one of my most anticipated reads of 2023 and it did not disappoint.

Sadie Montgomery is a gifted portrait artist and when we meet her, she has just made it to the final round in a prestigious competition. She is ecstatic until she is quite literally blindsided by a life changing event & lands in the hospital diagnosed with “face blindness.” Doctors hope her condition is temporary, but there’s no way of knowing. How is Sadie supposed to paint what she can’t see?

What always draws me to Center’s books is how strong her heroines are in the face of adversity. No matter how big of an obstacle they face, there’s always a sense of perseverance and hopefulness & we see this with Sadie as she copes with her situation. I’m not familiar with face blindness, but I thought Center did a wonderful job of handling the condition with respect & sensitivity, while at the same time, infusing Sadie’s journey with her signature warmth & humor.

While much of the focus is on Sadie’s journey, there is also a romantic element. Even though Sadie can’t see their faces, she finds herself attracted to two very different men she encounters while looking for distractions from her situation. One is her new neighbor, an obnoxious yet endearing guy named Joe, and the other is the vet who saved her dog’s life. The timing is of course terrible because she has more important things to worry about than her love life, but she cannot deny that she’s attracted to both men. I loved watching Sadie navigate her way through this love triangle she didn’t expect to find herself in and was more than satisfied with how this aspect of the story plays out.

Filled with relatable & realistic characters, witty dialogue & a storyline that is both heartwarming and humorous, Katherine Center has another winner on her hands with Hello Stranger. It’s easily one of my favorite reads of the year so far. ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Thanks to @netgalley & @macmillan.audio for the ARC & ALC. The audio was an absolute delight, and Patti Murin’s narration is *chef’s kiss*.

I was hovering over my rating for a bit but then I got to the author’s notes. I loved Katherine Center’s take on romance stories and the anticipation - as opposed to predictability, which is a term I’ve possibly overused in romance reviews. This was such a hopeful and joyous story that I had to give it a good rating!

Sadie Montgomery is a portrait artist who's been selected as a finalist in a local competition and she couldn't be more excited. But a freak accident, a neurological diagnosis, and immediate surgery leave her with a condition called "face blindness." She can see, but every face she looks at is now a jumbled puzzle of disconnected features.

Sadie struggles to cope with her new condition but with the support of her best friend, a compassionate therapist, and the disarming tenant down the hall, Sadie slowly develops the confidence to face her fears and her new reality.

The reveal is not surprising, but the anticipation and the journey are delightful. And the ending maintained the warm, hopeful feeling without being perfect. Patti Murin’s narration was excellent.

Sadie really wants to stand on her own two feet. But, she is having some terrible difficulties. She thinks her life is looking up. She has been selected as a finalist in a major art portrait competition. Then she wakes up in the hospital with a major brain abnormality. She has to have brain surgery. And this leaves her with face blindness. No way can she compete if she cannot see faces!

This book has some of the best characters (as do all her books)! Sadie has flaws but she is struggling to do her best. Life just keeps knocking her down. Then there is her sweet 14 year old dog named Peanut. Enter veterinarian, Dr. Oliver Addison. He is a good-looking guy that goes out of his way to help Sadie. But, as you can guess, there is a little bit of confusion in places!

I have been a fan of this author since I read my very first book. And I love this one just as much as How To Walk Away! This author can just transport me into her stories and keep me there.

This book is more than just a romance. It is a story about strength and courage. Sadie’s perseverance is amazing. And the research that went into this affliction is incredible. Katherine Center has done it again!

Need an adorable story to get you through the day….THIS IS IT! Grab your copy today.

I received this novel from the publisher for a honest review.

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Hello Stranger
By: Katherine Center Pub Date: 7/11/23
Publisher: Macmillan Audio
Sadie Montgomery is a portrait painter just like her mom was. Unfortunately her mom passed when she was 14 and her father isn’t supportive of her career. He wanted her to be a doctor like him. They are estranged now.
Sadie has entered the same contest her mom placed in years ago and she too was selected as one of the finalists. With just 6 weeks to prepare, she’s feeling the pressure.
When she falls and has a seizure things get serious quickly.
When she wakes up at the hospital to her wicked stepmother Lucinda she knows things are bad. She needs surgery and for the first time her father comes to her tells her she needs to do the surgery right away and confesses the condition is hereditary and her mom put off her surgery and died before it could be fixed.
Only when she wakes up she doesn’t recognize her best friend Sue's face. She is a portrait painter who can't see peoples faces. Everybody looks like a stranger to her. She worries about Peanut’s face the most, her 14 year old dog her mom rescued. But when she finally works up the courage to go get him from the border, everything is normal with Peanut. Until she begins to notice that he’s not moving like he should, nor eating and drinking. She rushes him down the street to the emergency vet. Where is she meets Dr. Oliver Addison, who she knows is good looking without seeing his face.
Because of her condition she needs extra help, her neighbor Joe enters the fold and now she has 2 men in her life. But maybe she’s “seeing” things she never had before.

I really loved this book. Katherine Center has become one of my favorite romance authors. Her characters are always fun to learn about. This was definitely the feel good romance I needed.

A portrait artist struggles with “probably temporary” face blindness after an accident, in Katherine Center’s heartwarming and funny, HELLO STRANGER.

After celebrating her most significant accomplishment to date (placing as a finalist in the North American Portrait Society competition), Sadie Montgomery undergoes emergency brain surgery and wakes up without the ability to see faces clearly. As a portrait artist on the cusp of her big break, this more than dampens her prospects. Intent to figure a way through, and with the help of her best friend, Sue, and her beloved dog, Peanut, Sadie starts to paint again… sort of. Along the way, she begins to fall for two very different men—her neighbor Joe (with his telltale bowling jacket), and hunky veterinarian Dr. Addison. All this couldn’t happen at a worse time, though, as her whole life spirals into a jumbled mess she can’t seem to decipher. And as the days tick by, will she be able to deliver an entry to the competition that could change it all for her?

Center (THE BODYGUARD) delivers an endearing story about hope, love, and found family. While it’s somewhat easy to predict the direction of the narrative, and despite questioning the reality of some scenarios, this was a charming escape. Funny and sweet, HELLO STRANGER is a warm, feel-good type of story. Center also clearly did her research on Prosopagnosia (face blindness), helping to shed light on this difficult condition.
If you’re looking for a heartwarming one-weekend binge, this is a great book to pick up.

I loved the originality of this book and the health topic it wasn’t like anything i’d read before. Even though it is a romance i also really liked the career and art aspect. I was invested through the whole story and finished it in 3 days. Had really great side characters and even a bit of a found family trope. And omg the plot twists at the end!! Overall really great book I’ll definitely be recommending, and I rated it a 4.5 stars!

#HelloStranger:⁣
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Thank you @macmillan.audio and @stmartinspress for my gifted copies!⁣
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Katherine Center is one of my favorites, but this was just a middle of the road type of book for me. Now, that doesn’t mean I hated it. It just means it was middle of the run. I’m not dying on any Hello Stranger hills this year. I felt like the writing was kind of all over the place, and I didn’t really know where we were headed. All I knew is we were heading somewhere without seeing faces. It still had characters I cheered and rooted for, and I still got all the gushy squeals like KC knows how to make me feel. I enjoyed it, but it just wasn’t the 5 star I was hoping for. ⁣
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The audio was great. I listened to a lot of it while at the pool, and it kept my attention. Patti Murin is always phenomenal, so I’m always going to choose audio whenever she is the narrator. ⁣
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I’m a huge acknowledgment and authors note type of person, and I really liked KC’s authors note. I’ll leave you with my favorite part: “Because tragedy is a given, but joy is a choice.” So, overall it was a cute story that had me cheering for every party involved, the audio was great, but it did feel kind of choppy. Regardless, I adore Katherine Center and can’t wait to see what happens next. ⁣
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Hello Stranger is out July 11!