This is the fifth book by Katherine Center that I have read, and I find her books charming and heartwarming—this book was not lacking in those qualities. Ultimately though, it fell a little flat for me and I had a hard time connecting with the story. The romance felt a little bit rushed to me; I wish we could have gotten to see more from them.

Thank you to NetGalley for allowing me to read this early!

Okay before I read this one I was in such a reading slump. I had so many books that I wanted to read but I couldn’t get into any of them and I was reading a lot of “ok” books. This was JUST what I needed!

This had such an interesting premise that I was very excited when I got accepted to read this. The thought of not being able to recognize faces when you wake up after surgery, even your own?! That’s downright terrifying.

It’s not exactly a known topic to cover, yet 2 percent of the world’s population has face blindness! However I liked that it was written with humour as Sadie adjusts to her new normal. Her inner monologue had me laughing out loud on countless occasions. I also liked that even though this was a romance novel, thats not all it was about. There was much more going on. For the light and funny read that it was, it ended up having a lot of depth.

I did end up figuring out one of the major twists of the story before it was revealed but I didn’t care because I enjoyed it all anyway.

Also hot take.. I really didn’t like her friend Sue? She was kind of a terrible best friend at first? If you read this, let me know if you agree.

Thank you to NetGallery and St. Martin’s Press for this eARC!

This is an absolutely delightful romcom of a book. I loved that while heavier topics were certainly part of the story it still felt so hopeful and sweet.

Thank you to NetGalley, St. Martin’s, and Katherine Center for this ARC in exchange for an honest review!

Honestly, I wanted to love this book but it just wasn’t for me. I found Sadie absolutely insufferable. I could not connect with her in anyway. Sue, her best friend, was a hit or miss character for me. There were times when she was actually a good friend to Sadie (offering solid advice, cheering her on, being supportive, etc.); however, there were more times when she was insensitive to Sadie’s condition/what she was going through and acted very immature. I just don’t see how your best friend has brain surgery and is diagnosed with a serious condition and you continue to just “forget”. I saw the big twist/reveal coming from the beginning, and I thought that was a fun twist (even though I had problems with had it all eventually went down). I felt like Joe’s reactions to Sadie after everything happened felt very out of character. I didn’t understand why Sadie refused to tell people about her condition, because it made everything 1000x harder for her. Also, the entire plot of Sadie’s family made me see red. Sadie was treated awful, abused, manipulated, neglected, and gaslit. Peyton was downright awful and it just blows my mind that no one ever saw through her or attempted to listen to Sadie’s side of things. The fact that they still refused to believe Sadie and it took a random person from their past confirming how awful Peyton was is ridiculous (as is the fact that neither Sadie’s dad nor her stepmom actually ever apologized for believing Peyton over her and treating her bad for years as a result of this). Also, the little random moment of her being told her Dad blamed her for her mother’s death/how her mother died just made me upset, because that could have been handled at any point with a conversation. The last three chapters felt really rushed to me and Sadie was just all over the place emotionally (leaving a voicemail that she loved Joe, then to ignoring him when he showed up to talk to her, then going right back to loving him). I did enjoy the epilogue and the language Center used to talk about moments in life/growth of individuals. Overall, I thought the premise of this book was really unique and interesting. I loved the scenes with Sadie’s therapist and found those to be some of the best parts of the book. The silly moments between Joe and Sadie were cute and the banter/friendship really shines bright in those moments. Mr. and Mrs. Kim’s support of Sadie was also a bright moment. I also loved Center’s information at the end of the book about Sadie’s condition and resources to learn more. While this book wasn’t for me (as a character driven reader if I can’t connect with any of the characters it is hard for me to get past that), I’ve seen lots of positive reviews about this book so it obviously hits well with others!

I really loved this book. I learned a lot about face blindness. You really do feel like you're right there with Sadie through it all. I loved this part, "We're all so steeped in our own confirmation bias. We're all so busy seeing what we expect to see." The good samaritan/Joe/Oliver storyline proved this. Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for an advanced copy in exchange for my honest review.

Thanks to Netgalley for providing me with this e-ARC
I really liked this book. It was mixed with both fun and serious moments and the protagonist's face blindness was shown really well.. There were a few unnecessary characters and moments but I still enjoyed myself a lot. I'll recommend this book to others for sure

Katherine Center does it again- except dare I say, better than ever before! I needed the anticipation, the hope, the joy that this novel brought me.

Sadie Montgomery is a struggling artist, barely getting by, and living in her art studio as a way of survival. Her mother was also an artist, and when Sadie loses her mother at a young age, she clings to art as a way to stay connected.

Sadie’s father is a successful heart surgeon, and to say they have a poor relationship is an understatement. He does not approve of Sadie’s career choice, or anything else in her life. After the death of Sadie’s mother, her father quickly remarried and brought evil stepmother Lucinda and evil stepsister Parker into the picture.

Our story begins with Sadie celebrating that she is finally going to have her big break! She is a finalist in a prestigious art contest, with a prize of ten thousand dollars-a life-changing amount for Sadie. While en route to a party to celebrate her accomplishment, Sadie has a seizure in the street and is barely saved by a Good Samaritan. Possibly a blessing in disguise, the doctors discover that her seizure was caused by a malformed blood vessel in the brain, a cavernoma, and she requires brain surgery.

What should have been simple surgery, leaves her life completely changed when Sadie wakes up with acquired apperceptive prosopagnosia, also known as face blindness. Everyone looks like a stranger to her, and she has no way of painting a portrait or competing in her make or break art contest. While the doctors are confident her condition will resolve in a matter of time, Sadie is rightfully devastated and left wondering how to live life in the intermediate.

Of course, this is a romance story, and a love triangle at that. Sadie falls for the attractive (at least his body, unknown about the face) veterinarian who saves her senior dog. She also falls for the womanizer neighbor in her building. The inability to see faces forces Sadie to become aware of other physical attributes and personality traits of her love interests, but can she even trust her brain right now to show her what is real?

Hello Stranger is the heart-warming, hopeful story that you need in your life right now.

Read if you love
❤️Relatable characters
💔Complex family dynamics
🧠To learn while being entertained
🎨Art
💕Romance that will remind you that true love is possible

I really, really enjoyed reading this one. I spent like 90% of the book smiling while I read because it was so witty and cute. Sadie was a really easy character to connect with and fall in love with. I loved Joe, Dr. Addison, Mr. & Mrs. Kim, Dr. Nicole, and Sue. I really enjoyed the evil stepsister aspect of the book because it added another layer to the story. I was hooked from the first page. I can say without a doubt that living inside off Sadie’s head for 311 pages was so much fun. This is my first book by Katherine Center and I plan on picking up her others books as well. Highly recommend this one if you are looking for a romantic comedy and an easy but super enjoyable read.

I am a huge fan of Katherine Center, so I was overjoyed to receive an advance copy of her latest novel! It is, as always, a sweet and thoughtful story with thought provoking plot lines and relatable main characters that you love to cheer for.

The story is told in first person by the main character – Sadie Montgomery. Sadie is a portrait artist with a strained relationship with her father and stepmother. She finally gets her lucky break: a finalist spot in a prestigious portrait competition. But as she prepares for her big chance she has a seizure and a diagnosis of a cavernoma (a cluster of abnormal blood vessels in her brain) that requires immediate surgery. What is supposed to be a minor procedure has one major and unexpected side effect – face blindness (acquired apperceptive prosopagnosia).

Sadie struggles personally and professionally to live with her inability to recognize human faces. How can she paint a portrait if she can’t see faces? As she waits for her other senses to adapt, she meets two men who she develops feelings for – Dr. Oliver Addison – the vet who saves her beloved dog Peanut – and her neighbor Joe – who did NOT make a good first impression.

The exploration of how we rely on our ability to recognize faces and the other ways we recognize people was really interesting and helped create a wonderful about Sadie’s growth as a person – and as an artist. I also loved the portrayal of her relationships with her family and friends.

But… the only thing that kept this from being a five star read for me is the portrayal of her evil stepsister and nemesis, Parker. I just found her a little over-the-top evil to be believable. I’m sure there are people that are that hateful, but one person being the cause of all of Sadie’s misfortune was more than I could believe.

Did I love the book? Yes! Will I be buying a paper copy as soon as it’s released? Yes! Do I recommend the book? Absolutely!

I received an ARC from Net Galley and the publisher in exchange for an honest review.

Sadie finally feels like she is getting her big break when she is selected as a finalist for a portrait competition. However, after a surgery complication she is left with prosopragnosia, or face blindness. She meets a handsome veterinarian who saves her dog Peanut. Then become friends with Joe, who’s maybe a player, from her apartment building. She starts to figure out how to live without being able to see faces and to paint portraits of all things. And finds herself into two guys without really seeing them.

I really liked this romcom and loved the main characters. It was a fun, fast read with a unique storyline. I loathed some of the family drama, especially the evil stepsister, Parker, who should honestly be in jail or something. The ending can be send from the beginning but it was enjoyable and just a joyful read full of hope. Sadie somehow managed to keep going and didn’t give up when I think I would have!

Thanks to @netgalley and @stmartinspress for the arc for review.

Sadie is a painter about to have her big break, but after a series of unfortunate events she can no longer see faces. She meets a hot veterinarian, Dr. Addison, and crushes hard while trying to hide her struggles of her new face-blindness diagnosis. She's trying even harder to hide her diagnosis from her douchebag neighbor.

Katherine Center's writing is like a warm blanket wrapped around you. Reading about Sadie and seeing how she came into her own while facing multiple challenges was so heartwarming. By the end of the book she was confident and able to let people in (I love character growth). Oh, and the romance was so lovely. Truly, this book, like all Katherine Center books, was a gem.

Also, the author's note deserves 5 stars alone.

This love story really created fantastic anticipation.

Thank you to NetGalley and St. Martin's Press for the eGalley!

Hello Stranger was 3.5/5 stars for me. It was a cute, fun romance that involved a unique aspect in that the main character suffers from prosopagnosia throughout the story. I always appreciate when authors incorporate this kind of thing into stories to shed light and awareness on different things. Overall, this story was enjoyable, funny, and cute, and I really liked the main character and her growth from start to finish. The biggest downfall was the drawn-out middle and the forced incorporation of family drama. The family issues felt like a detraction from the main story and didn't entirely fit in, but wasn't something that ruined the book for me. This isn't a favorite from Katherine Center for me, but still a good story nonetheless!

This book was so sweet! I loved the story, and wanted to smack Parker several times. As a bulldog owner, that scene had me cracking up! Really enjoyed!

I'm a few days late to this party but better late than never!
I've not run into many Katherine Center books that didn't at least stir the collective juices and this one's no different with Hello Stranger.
In fact, there's at least two strangers that woo Sadie's heart. The veterinarian and this guy named Joe who ghosted her....Or, so we presume.
You know not being able to see faces is sometimes more of a blessing than a course because you have to use other sensory perceptions to feel your way through life. Allowing yourself to succumb to the emotional process and incorporate it all as a building awareness campaign in action.
Who would think anyone with such limitations could join an art gallery and become a successful artist in his/her own right?
I love the way in which this headed for all the hot button topics and dealt with her dog Peanut to lead the way.
Apparently, the dog helps her out with the vet in more ways than one and the ending was one I don't think I'll soon forget.

Hello Stranger’s storyline was a complete surprise to me. The main character, Sadie, has face blindness due to a freak accident. I have never heard of face blindness so this was extremely interesting to learn about.
You will go through many emotions reading Hello Stranger. I think I went from laughing to pondering to disbelief to crying.
This is the story of how Sadie tries to find her way in a life where she cannot see faces on people. What makes this even more difficult is that Sadie is an artist…..portrait artist at that. Will she be able to save her career? Will she be able to find a new normal?
Overall, a very entertaining and sweet read.
Many thanks to NetGalley, the publisher and author for the opportunity to read this book for my honest review. All opinions expressed are my own.

"Hello Stranger" by Katherine Center is my favorite book by this author by far! I have enjoyed all her books and when I saw that she had a new book out, I just knew that I had to read it! This book was so cute and I love the angle of facial recognition. It really gives a new meaning to "love at first sight", without the sight. Do yourself a favor and pick up this delightful book!

Katherine Center is one of my go-to authors as I adore her books! This one was just as great as I imagined. Sadie's dream of placing in an art show comes true, but just then she has an "incident" and must have brain surgery resulting in "face blindness." Now think about what that would do to an artist who paints portraits! Sadie does the best she can even as people's faces now look like a Picasso painting to her! When her evil stepsister, Parker moves into her building, it gets even stranger as Sadie has fallen for Joe, a neighbor who Parker clearly wants as well. It all gets even crazier from there! I laughed, I cried, and repeated it all until the end! And am I the only woman on earth who didn't know what a pajanket was? Cause now I want one!
Thanks to NetGalley for this ARC!

HELLO STRANGER was a bit of a mixed bag for me. I don’t typically gravitate towards the light-hearted romance genre, but I adored Katherine Center’s previous book, THE BODYGUARD and knew I wanted to give her upcoming book a try.

The story follows Sadie Montgomery, a fledgling portrait artist, as she navigates life and love after being hit by a car leaves her with the inability to recognize faces (prosopagnosia/face blindness).

The story started out strong. I found the medical aspects of prosopagnosia fascinating and appreciate the author bridging this rare neurologic condition to light. This made for a fantastic premise and great starting point, but the story fell flat from here.

While I felt for Sadie, she really grated on me. She had experienced true trauma in her life but she came across angsty and immature in her relationships with her family, friends, and romantic interests. Her internal monologues and dialogue with other characters also felt like they were intended for a younger audience and the secondary characters hit me the same way (cue the arrival of an “evil stepsister”). The story felt a bit YA and perhaps this is why HELLO STRANGER didn’t work for me.

With a chick-lit story I wasn’t expecting any mind-blowing twists, but this felt a bit too predictable despite the intriguing start. This has gotten great early reviews, so if you don’t mind outlandish circumstances and a YA vibe you might enjoy this more than I did.

RATING: 3/5
PUB DATE: July 11, 2023

Many thanks to St, Martin's Press and NetGalley for an electronic ARC in exchange for an honest review.

I'm a big Katherine Center fan, so this was an auto-read for me. I found this one a little more predictable than her others, but I still thoroughly enjoyed it. Sadie's a bit of a mess (aren't we all?) and I couldn't help but keep reading to see how things worked out for her. I would definitely recommend for a fun, thought-provoking read!

First of all, thank you Netgalley and Katherine Center for the advance reader eGalley of this book!
The topic is intriguing, but unfortunately fell flat. We know throughout the book that all of the mystery men are the same guy, and it’s annoying waiting for the MC to catch up. Plus the miscommunication trope is played to an extreme here, and it’s just frustrating.
I can’t say I’m not disappointed, after reading The Bodyguard which I adored.