Such a cute cover, I'm sad to say this one was a miss for me.

I just never connected with the MC. I found the evil people in her life just a bit over the top (really, they have nothing else going on in their lives?). I found the lover interests just silly (really, he just rolled with the name?) and at a very odd time in her life. She's falling apart, I have a tough time believing any guy would jump in to be in the middle of her mess.

I did like finding out about face blindness. The author note at the end about it was fascinating and it's definitely something I don't read about often. I also loved the author note about reading and why we tend to sway towards one genre over another. "love is a form of hope" is such a nice idea for why some gravitate to romance. I tend to like horror, thrillers and mysteries, so it makes sense that I struggle to connect with a lot of romance novels.

So take my review with a grain of salt. If this one sounds good for you (and you love this author), grab this one. I bet you'll love it!.

A huge thank you to the author and publisher for providing an e-ARC via Netgalley. This does not affect my opinion regarding the book.

Katherine Center has done it again!! I had such a fun time reading The Bodyguard, so I hard really high hope for this new book. Starting from the first page, I was in love with our characters, the setting, the little details, everything.

Center has a great way of writing sweet and meaningful romances that still have you swooning and itching for more. I love that this was closed door but you could still feel the intimacy, I loved the banter and romance. Everything about this was so fun. It wasn’t a life changing story, but if you’re looking for a sweet romance that is a quick read and a fun time, you’ve come to the right place.

Love love Katharine Center’s books! She writes such heartwarming stories but they also have depth. The characters have growth and are relatable. I have loved all of her books. She is a wonderful author.

I did have a hard time getting into this book. It was not my favorite Katherine Center book. I struggled to connect with Sadie. I also am not a big fan of love triangles so if that’s not your trope, maybe skip this one.

I absolutely adored this book. It was so cute and quirky and the perfect light hearted read. I thought the main character, Sadie was hilarious! Even though I guessed the big plot twist pretty early on I still really enjoyed the reveal. I highly recommend this one!

Thank you! Thank you! Thank you! No spoilers. Beyond amazing I enjoyed this book so very much. The characters and storyline were fantastic. The ending I did not see coming Could not put down nor did I want to. Truly Amazing and appreciated the whole story. This is going to be a must read for many many readers. Maybe even a book club pick.

such a fun read from katherine center! i read her last book and it was an easy 5 star and this was such a good book as well! she’s definitely an author i will continue to read and buy!

Katherine Center has become a favorite author for me, and her books always feel like a warm hug when I finish.

The characters and storyline were so well written, and I thought this was a fascinating take on prosopagnosia, facial blindness.

While the story does have a bit of a love triangle, I didn’t mind it once I finished because it all came together so well for that HEA I’ve come to expect with Center’s heartfelt and emotional storylines.

I paired the audiobook with the book and loved the immersive reading experience so much.

*many thanks to St Martin’s Press, Macmillan Audio and Netgalley for the gifted copy for review

***3.75 Stars***

It’s been some time since I finished Hello Stranger, my first read by Katherine Center which has for a long time been on my radar under authors I had to check out. I started the audiobook sometime in the morning and didn’t realize I had basically finished it by the end of my work day, that’s a sign of a good time. Our Protagonist Sadie is funny and what seems to be accidentally charming, everything seems to be going well when we meet her until it’s not. Living in her bestfriends parents studio space that really was never intended to be lived in, Sadie is trying to accomplish some goals and if that proves her dad wrong along the way then so be it. She’s a Portrait Painter finalist in the North American Portrait Society competition and is on task to produce the painting that will get her a win. It seems attainable until she develops Prosopagnosia, also known as facial blindness. Every face she comes across is unrecognizable seeing as they looked jumbled, all except her cute dog Peanut who she is able to see. Sadie’s path first crosses with her sweet caring neighbor Joe while at the grocery store singing as if she were alone in her shower! (cue our beloved hate-to-love trope) at this time she’s already developed Prosopagnosia and does not know he is her neighbor. I chucked off her rudeness towards him as more of a defense mechanism because of how vulnerable she must’ve been feeling at the start of having facial blindness. I sure would probably be very hesitant talking to any strangers I couldn’t fully recognize.

Fast forward to Sadie needing to take her dog Peanut to the Veterinarian where she meets Dr. Addison who we really don’t know much of but hey, he’s a Doctor so that checks off Sadie’s box. This is where I started feeling a way about our MC even while still fully enjoying seeing her navigate through all of the things being thrown at her all at once. The one moment I was able to connect with Sadie and feel empathy for her character was when she was experiencing a cold front from her father. She doesn’t have a good relationship with her step mother or step sister which leaves her isolated from family. She has this one in a million best friend who has become found family but otherwise she’s alone. Since that aspect of the book really landed with me, I was not left satisfied with how quickly and neatly the family issues were squared away. I wanted more for Sadie even though she wasn’t my favorite Contemporary Romance protagonist. That being said, there’s no denying how hilariously entertaining this was or how compulsively readable it is. I’d be down to give this author another go, I’ve heard great things about The Bodyguard which is on my TBR.

I have been a long time fan of Katherine Center’s - ever since I read Happiness for Beginners back in 2016! - and reading her latest book is always a highlight of my year! Hello Stranger was of course, no exception. I think there is just such a wonderful feeling of comfort going into one of her books. I just know I’m going to enjoy the next several hours of what I’m reading, im going to love the main female character, and I’m going to turn the last page and feel all warm and fuzzy even if I’m a little sad it’s all over.

In Hello Stranger, our main character Sadie suffers from a stroke early in the book which results in a condition called acute prosopagnosia (facial blindness) in which her brain literally cannot see people’s faces. Where one would should see a face, Sadie just sees a jumble of blurred features. I thought this was just fascinating and loved the spin it put on the story. The diagnosis is thought to be temporary, but only time will tell. In the meantime, Sadie, a struggling artist, needs to figure out how to complete her entry of a painted facial portrait for a contest she’s a finalist in, a contest that could really accelerate her career. I also really loved the different ways Sadie attempted to continue painting portraits when she couldn’t even see what she was painting.

And of course, the love story part of the book was super cute and even though I figured out where the story was going, it didn’t take away from my enjoyment of this book at all. Katherine Center, thank you once again, for writing another delightful book for us to devour and enjoy.

I liked this book so much that I got it as my BOTM so I could have a print copy to match Katherine's other book, 'The Bodyguard'. Perfect for fans of sweet romcoms!!

I am always excited to see a new Katherine Center book. I always love the covers and titles. This book is no exception. Great, light hearted story dealing with a topic that was unfamiliar to me, face-blindness! She knows how to push and pull at your heart but always leaves me feeling happy and content.

Katherine Center wrote a story that I read in a day because I didn’t want to put it down. The relationships are intriguing and I loved the characters. A feel good book that you will love if you like enemies to lovers and friends to lovers troupes.

This book was surprisingly thoughtful and deals with a lot of heaviness, all while keeping with a classic romcom feel. I loved reading from the perspective of the main heroine, who is dealing with a life-altering disability. This made her a somewhat unreliable narrator, so when she was surprised with information it was very easy to feel surprised with her. It was very well done.

This sadly was a miss for me. It was a fun premise, but I just didn't love it. It was full of ridiculous mishaps that felt over the top and lackluster at the same time. The love "triangle" was more cringy that cute and I wish it would've been done in a better way. This may also be a right book wrong reader situation!

I love how heartwarming the author's books are. She makes you feel like you are a part of the story, you can picture exactly what she is describing in the story.

I absolutely loved this book. It was a cute rom com while also tackling some deep topics. This book was well researched and handled the topic in a sensitive manner. 10/10

It's a heartwarming romance with a unique premise that kept me engaged even at moments it was somewhat predictable.

Sadie is an amazing portrait artist celebrating her acceptance as a finalist in a big portrait competition when the unthinkable happens. One moment Sadie is talking to a stranger and crossing the street and the next she is waking up in a hospital bed. What's worse is Sadie realizes something is right when she looks at people's faces... she can't recognize them and nothing matches up. She is diagnosed with "face blindness" and given the not-so-reassuring opinion that it is probably not permanent but they don't know how long it will last. As Sadie struggles with her new reality, she finds herself caught up with two very different men. One is the player who lives in her building and the other is the caring vet who helps her dog Peanut when he takes ill. Her life is a mess and she literally can't see things clearly, but Sadie might learn that it isn't all about what we see, but what we feel.

This book was so fun. I found myself googling "face blindness" because it sounds fascinating, but also terrifying. Sadie has to learn to rely on her other senses and place more trust in people than she has before. As always, Center delivers a heartfelt romance that is both lighthearted and emotional. While I figured out the twist prior to the ending, I still absolutely enjoyed it and fell in love with all the characters. As with all of Center's book, I definitely recommend!

Thank you @netgalley and @stmartinspress for the digital copy in exchange for my honest review. This one is available now!

Sadie is just hitting her peak as a portrait artist when a sudden medical condition leaves her unable to recognize faces. Not ideal timing. But with the help of her friend, a handsome veterinarian, and an always helpful neighbor, she might just be able to get through this, and hopefully be able to recover just in time to compete in a portrait contest.

Although somewhat predictable, I really enjoyed this book. It was cute and funny, and I loved the inner monologue of Sadie as she crushed on the vet, and dealt with all the blows life kept sending at her. She felt very relatable, other than the rare face blindness. But her quirks and humor always showed through.

I’ve enjoyed other books by Katherine Center as well, and I will definitely be on the lookout for upcoming releases!

Thank you to NetGalley and St Martin’s Press for an advanced copy of this book!

Sadie Montgomery never saw what was coming . . . Literally! One minute she’s celebrating the biggest achievement of her life, and 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. This is Sadie’s new reality with every face she sees.

I've only read one other book by Katherine Center, but she is fast becoming a new favorite author! I loved this story and the characters (the fact that the main character shares a name with my dog doesn't hurt 😆) and how well they work together. She has a way of tying everything together in a way that's perfect. This should have been a quick read, but I did put it down many times between work, life, and school, and for some reason, I had trouble picking it back up. Once I did pick it up, I flew through it! There was 1 "big" twist in the book, which I did see coming from the beginning, but I really enjoyed how that twist settled and didn't linger. I also loved Joe, and I'm wishing to meet my own one day! 😍 Sadie learned through her face-blindness event and grew from it. I can't wait to read more from Kathrine Center

I rate this book 4.5 🌟

I'd like to say a huge thanks to the author, publisher, and NetGalley for an ARC of this novel in exchange for an honest review.