📆 pub date: 7/11/23

Rating: 3.5 ⭐️

This book was thoughtful, sweet, funny, and had a beautiful message. I really enjoyed the premise of this story since I was already familiar with prosopagnosia and it truly sparked my interest.

It had a lot of amazing moments and grief/family relationship struggles were a large part of it. Those elements were well done & absolutely made me emotional. This also reminded me a lot of the movie A Cinderella Story.

I couldn’t rate this higher than 3-4 stars because it was just horribly repetitive and predictable. The decisions the main character made, and even things she said, were very cringe. I understand characters have to make certain decisions to further the plot, but Sadie’s choices truly did not make sense to me. She made her life unreasonably difficult by not communicating, especially with the love interests in this book. I never enjoy the miscommunication trope, and this book is just one big miscommunication.

Most things did not make sense, and then to add insult to injury the author spent many pages of the final chapter explaining why so many of those choices made no sense, in an effort to clear up any confusion. It was all tell, no show, and what should have been a swoony romantic ending to bring our main characters together turned into all dialogue.

“Omg you didn’t know?”
“How did that happen?”
“What are you going to do next?”

I didn’t get butterflies, I didn’t grin from ear to ear, it felt so sterile and lacking emotion. Even the plot with the “evil stepsister” that was so heavily focused on throughout the book was abruptly ended. I expected so much more closure from that situation.

I appreciated the message behind this story, and I truly enjoyed the excellent narration on audio. I highly recommend this as an audiobook for sure.

I did enjoy the beginning to middle sections, but the ending really took me out of the moment and left me feeling unsatisfied.

Thank you NetGalley, St. Martin’s Press and Macmillan audio for this ARC & ALC in exchange for my honest opinions.

What a unique book!
I really enjoy when I learn something new in the midst of reading a good book. I didn't even know face blindness was a thing and especially how it worked.
Sadie started off on a really rough foot and made a lot of opps assumptions. It was enjoyable to watch her on the journey of recovery and figuring out life in general. It definitely wasn't enjoyable for her during that time.. except a few parts! Reading the book I was dragged right along with her and how she viewed the world and tried to find ways to help.
Not only was it fun watching Sadie, it made me really think about what assumptions I make about people... and I can see their faces! Just like in the book I wonder if there would be some pleasant surprises.
I would recommend this book.
Thank you to NetGalley and the publishers for the ARC copy. These are my honest opinions

4.5/5 stars

Thank you Macmillan Audio for the advanced listening copy!

Sadie Montgomery is riding the high of her greatest career accomplishment yet -- being selected as a finalist in the North American Portrait Society competition -- until her brain, quite literally, knocks her off her feet. When diagnosed with a "probably temporary" condition called face blindness, Sadie's dreams of winning the portrait competition are as muddled as all of the faces around her. Add in her beloved dog, Peanut, suddenly becoming ill and a series of other unfortunate events and Sadie's life is a bit of a mess. Luckily, she has two very helpful and (assumedly) handsome men nearby: her vet, Oliver, and her helpful neighbor, Joe. As Sadie's life is falling apart and she herself is falling in love (with two different men), she realizes she might have been "blind" in other ways, too.

First of all: Patti Murin on the audio = absolutely brilliant!! She has the perfect voice for a sweet, coming-of-age romance like this: soothing, dreamy, engaged, and realistic. No notes on this choice -- it was perfect.
I also loved Katherine Center reading the author's note; I know many people skip these notes, but listen to this one. It's a great take on romance and how being predictable isn't a bad thing... cool to hear this in her own voice, too.

Now, onto the story. I love love LOVED Katherine Center's last book, THE BODYGUARD, and this one had similar delightful vibes but fell just a teeny tiny bit short of that for me. I, personally, wanted more about the romance and less about Sadie's family, though I totally appreciated the journey she went on in those familial relationships, too. Sadie's character was absolutely adorable and so easy to go on this ride with. There were some giggly moments in this book and some dreamy ones that made me tear up. Not to mention, this book had such a unique premise, with the MC's primary conflict being that she suddenly can't see faces?! Wild, and so creative on Katherine Center's part. It was fun to read a romance that took some different turns than I was expecting, though still filled with the delightful anticipation (IYKYK) that I love in a romance. Another great one from Katherine Center, and I can't wait to see what she'll do next.

Katherine Center you won my heart again with Hello Stranger. Sadie suffers from facial blindness just as her art career is about to be recognized at a prestigious national competition. While she deals with this loss she is slowly falling for her Vet and neighbor but must decide which one she wants to continue a relationship with. I read and listened to this advanced reader copy and thought that @pattimurin did a great job narrating this book in such a way that I was kept engaged. This book will publish next month (July 11th) and highly recommend you pick up a copy. *Thank you @katherinecenter @netgalley @stmartinspress @macmillan.audio for my gifted copy of this book in exchange for my own review.*

PICTURE THIS:
👩‍🎨 You’re a portrait artist
🏆 You’ve just been selected as a finalist in the North American Portrait Society competition - your dream come true!
🏥 You find yourself in the hospital in need of brain surgery
😰When the surgery is complete you feel great. Until you realize you can’t recognize anyone’s face; not your best friend’s, not even your own.
🧩 How can you possibly continue making your livelihood or win the competition, if all faces are like jumbled puzzle pieces you can’t put together to make sense!?

This is the predicament our protagonist, Sadie Montgomery finds herself in, in Hello Stranger. The condition is called Prosopagnosia and it is a real condition. I was shocked by the information Center shared about the condition and just how many people out there suffer from it. Do you know anyone who has or is currently suffering from this?

Sadie is a character you can certainly root for. Life has dealt her some extremely harsh blows since the age of 14 and she has struggled, yet persisted. When she finds herself in this situation, you really feel for her. But even though the situation is heavy, Center keeps the story light and entertaining. It’s a sweet and clean romance with a slow burn. I love breaking up heavy reads with fun romances and this definitely did the trick.

Hello Stranger is a book that I should have disliked. It has so many aspects of other stories that I never like. For some reason, it all worked for me here and I enjoyed this book.

The story follows Sadie. Sadie is suffering from facial blindness after having brain surgery. She can see everything clearly except for people's faces. The writing around this was so well done. I liked how Sadie would adapt and learn and I love the way it was all described.

Sadie refuses to ask for help even in the shape she is in, she does not want to admit she needs anyone. That’s when her neighbor Joe comes in and breaks down her walls and starts to help her. I liked watching their relationship grow throughout the story. Joe has been through so much but he remains to be an example of what we should all try to be.

The ending was so obvious and honestly so stupid but that didn’t mean I didn’t like it. It opens up so many questions and possible inconsistencies but I just didn’t care I was happy with where everyone ended up. Definitely check out this one.

I was lucky to receive an ARC.
I've been a fan of Katherine's books and couldn't wait to read it.

This was a unique and heartwarming story.
There's a plot twist so it's hard to throughly review, but I did figure it out and was rooting for the H the entire time.
Sophie was a little selfish and self-centered for most of the book. I was frustrated with her, but loved her and the H in the end.

We can always count on Katherine to not write a run of the mill book.
I love that she doesn't stick to the normal romance formula.

Thank you NetGalley for the opportunity to read this early.

If you are looking for a good, clean romantic comedy, then look no further than "Hello Stranger," the latest novel from New York Times bestselling author Katherine Center.

Sadie Montgomery is a portrait artist who has just achieved her dream of placing as a top-ten finalist in the North American Portrait Society competition. On the way to celebrate with her friends, Sadie suffers a nonconvulsive seizure in the middle of the crosswalk in front of her apartment building. Fortunately, a Good Samaritan saves her life. Unfortunately, she learns she has a brain lesion and must have surgery. After the surgery, Sadie is diagnosed with temporary face blindness. Although she can still see, every face now looks like a jumbled puzzle of disconnected features. There are only six weeks until the competition, and Sadie needs to win the prize money. But how can she paint an award-winning portrait when she can't see faces? As Sadie struggles to cope with her new condition, hang on to her artistic dreams, and work through family issues, she meets not one but two men: her new vet, Oliver, who takes care of her beloved dog, and her neighbor Joe, who doesn't make a great first impression but slowly begins to redeem himself.

This was such a lighthearted, delightful book that I thoroughly enjoyed. The plot was unique and fun, and I couldn't help but smile. Just a really enjoyable, feel-good book. I highly recommend it.

I listened to the audiobook narrated by Patti Murin. I've listened to several books with the same narrator and always love her performances. There was also an author's note at the end read by Katherine Center, which you don't want to miss.

Thank you to NetGalley and Macmillan Audio for the ALC in exchange for an honest review.

Wow, 'Hello Stranger' blew me away! Katherine Center does it again! I listened to the audio book, and the narrator, Patti Murin, did an amazing job of bringing Sadie's story to life. Her narration added so much to the story!

I felt so emotional listening to this book, and I had to keep pausing to cry! It was so emotional, and I loved every second of it.

Sadie's journey through grief and its different stages was so moving. She experienced grief from her mother's death and all of the things in her life that changed after that day. She also experienced grief from her medical diagnosis. She couldn't do the things that she did before, and she had to find a new way to proceed her in life and her career.

The story beautifully connected grief and love together, and it showed that it's okay to ask for help. Asking for help doesn't make you weak. It's a way to be strong, and that is something that all of us can benefit from.

I really connected with Katherine Center's Author's Note at the end of the book. In the audio book version, it was read by Katherine Center. Don't skip it- Listen to it! It was so meaningful to hear her reading about the joy of reading romance novels- the anticipation!

Thanks to NetGalley and MacMillian Audio for an ALC of this beautiful story.

4.5 Stars

Thank you to NetGalley and Macmillan Audio for the advanced listening copy of Hello Stranger! I have yet to read a Katherine Center book I didn't adore. Hello Stranger follows Sadie and her journey as a portrait artist with recently-acquired face-blindness. Don't let that sentence deter you - it's a lot more upbeat, happy, and hopeful than it sounds! She meets her uber-helpful neighbor, Joe, and the hot new vet at her dog's clinic. There are so many funny and sweet scenes between these characters. We also get a look into Sadie's past and see her work through some family drama. All in all, a great read by KC and one I'll definitely be recommending to fellow romance readers!

I always enjoy Katherine Center’s books, and this one is no different. Absolutely adored it. First book I read on vacation and I absolutely flew through it. I thought it was funny, sweet, adorable, paced well. Loved everything about it. I wish I had more words, but there’s a reason Katherine Center is the writer and I’m not 😉 I’ll just keep saying I loved it. Love, love, love, loved it. Need more. Narration was fabulous!

I am a Katherine Center fanatic. I started this audiobook and then abruptly stopped. The entire concept of losing your life and everyone being a stranger wasn't sitting well with me. I will pick it up again because I do tend to be a mood reader.

This book is so good! The subject matter is so unique and it's handled in such an interesting way. I always love a great cast of characters and this one is filled with friends and family that add so much to the story. There's a fun twist that I didn't anticipate which was fun to watch unfold. I love that all of Katherine Center's books are mostly rated PG and have such touching and heartfelt stories. This is a sweet summertime read.

Another gem from Katherine Center! I loved this book even more than The Bodyguard. This story has so much heart, but also it achieved one of the highest goals of fiction: it helped me walked in another person's shoes. I didn't know anything about face-blindness before this book, and she did soo good explaining it! I was so pleasantly surprised by every twist! The side characters were excellent, and I liked how she showed an imperfect friendship with the main character and her best friend.

I listened to the audiobook thanks to NetGalley and @macmillan.audio. The narration is excellent! Patti Murin was a great Sadie and so easy to listen to.

Hello Stranger by Katherine Center is a novel about Sadie, a portrait artist on the verge of her big break when she unexpectedly experiences face blindness after a surgery. As she tries to navigate her new condition, she must figure out how to paint in a new way while also working through her new friendships with a handsome vet that saved her beloved dog and a guy in her building that she keeps bumping into named Joe. Reading this novel is like catching up with an old friend where the stories flow easily with laughter and tears and before you know it—hours have gone by without you even realizing it. Hello Stranger by Katherine Center is a beautifully written must-read romance that readers will not be able to put down.

The audiobook was well done with a great narration by Patti Murin.

Hello Stranger by Katherine Center is a perfect summer read. While I could practically predict where the book was going from the first few chapters, I still absolutely loved getting there. The plot also felt fresh and new. With so many rom coms now, sometimes it is easy for the plots to start to become all the same after awhile but this is one that will always stand out in my memory. It was hilarious at times with some serious family issues being worked out in the process. Our main character saw a lot of growth. It strikes the perfect balance between being a cute love story while also tackling some serious topics.

4.5 stars. It was definitely predictable, but I loved it so much. There were lots of laughs with just as many tears, and I loved seeing Sadie’s journey with her face blindness and how it effected her art.

Thank you to NetGalley and Macmillan Audio for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.

I really enjoyed this book. So many complicated layers upon layers of heartache and emotion, mixed with some really sweet and sometimes silly moments. Clever and witty writing. I’m not big on miscommunication trope & at points it did get a little frustrating that they wouldn’t just SAY IT, but since there was a medical reason, it made it mostly believable. Also, while this was a romance, it also really was a personal journey for the FMC. She had to sort through so much baggage to get to her HEA. I am so glad she did.

If you enjoyed The Bodyguard, I think you'll like this delightful upcoming release from Katherine Center!

This book deals with some heavy topics, but it's still more rom-com than drama. A few fun plot twists combined with a couple of perfectly pivotal emotional scenes made it a pageturner for me, and I really liked the ending.

I did feel that some of the characters (Parker and Sue, particularly) came off as one-dimensional, but I appreciated the main character's growth throughout the story.

🎧 I loved this one on audio! Patti Murin has become one of my favorite rom-com narrators. Make sure to listen to the author's note at the end, too.

I loved this latest from Katherine Center!! Everything she writes is just so positive and makes you feel better after reading it. This story is one of the most complicated to describe but here goes. Sadie is a struggling artist that is given an amazing opportunity to showcase her art when she is selected as a finalist in a completion. This could be her big break. An accident leads to a surgery that leaves Sadie with a condition of face blindness. This is a huge problem because Sadie is a portrait artist. Coping with her problem Sadie finds herself dealing with family problems, an evil stepmom and sister. Her dog Peanut get sick and she is pretty sure she is in love with the vet. She gets stuck dealing with the horrible neighbor in her building that she is pretty sure sleeps around but is incredibly nice to her. Sadie learns to see people differently as she navigates through her complicated situation.

Katherine Center is an automatic buy for me. I love everything she writes, this was no exception. This has a great twist and was an absolute joy to read!! The characters were relatable and complex. The plot was well thought out and written perfectly!! Well done!!

Thank you to NetGalley for the advanced copy in exchange for an honest review. The audiobook was performed so well, a perfect complement to a great story!!

5 ⭐️