4.2⭐️

This book was great, but…. It was also sort of like a miscommunication with a twist? Which isn’t my thing. But that’s not the books fault. And while I had it figured out pretty much immediately, it was still a good story. Lots of personal growth. The face blindness was fascinating, especially because I already don’t picture characters well. It’s very well written.

Katherine Center is a “must read” author for me. When given the opportunity to read an arc for her upcoming release, I jumped on it. Hello Stranger was a beautifully written story of grief, hard times, love and so much more. I laughed many times at Sadie and her actions. She was so endearing, and infuriating at times! The cast of characters were amusing. I’d love to see a Mr. & Mrs. Kim spin-off novella! Thanks Netgalley for the opportunity!

Did I scream when I saw this was on Netgalley? Yes.
Did I proceed to scream once it landed in my kindle? Also yes.
Did I proceed to scream while devouring Hello Stranger in less than 24 hours? Absofreakinlutely!!!

To say this book was a rollarcoaster of emotions would be an understatement. Sadie Montgomery is a struggling artist who just can't seem to catch a break. When life seems to be heading in a more positive direction the need for a surgery gets in the way of her big break. What follows is a tear jerking story of self discovery, what's really important, and how what we've been looking for may be right in front of us.

This story had everything: a hunky vet, a neighbor who should really keep private phone calls out of elevators, a wise doctor and even an evil stepsister -who I would gladly push down the nearest flight of stairs :)

I cried, I laughed, I obviously screamed, and had a great time reading this amazing novel. Do yourself a favor and pick up Hello Stranger by Katherine Center out July 11, 2023

Thanks Netgalley and St. Martin's Press for the ARC <3

I LOVED this book.

The characters were so sweet and endearing, and I did not anticipate the plot twist at all, which is becoming rarer to me with more and more books read.

Katherine Center writes in such an easy way that brings you along and has you smiling and chuckling to yourself. Definitely reccomend picking this book up when it is released if you are a fan of Christina Lauren, Emily Henry, or Tessa Bailey.

Thank you to NetGalley and St Martins Press for the eARC of this book.

I'm a huge Katherine Center fan. This book did not disappoint! The story is full of emotion from funny, sad, and hopeful.

Hello Stranger by Katherine Center
Sadie is a talented, starving young artist living in a not quite ready for habitation apartment owned by friends. She has finally, after years of hard work, placed as a finalist in an international portrait competition. She’s going to get her chance, and then…
She doesn’t remember. She doesn’t remember why she was in the street, or who helped her. She vaguely remembers a kind, handsome man, and she knows her evil stepmother, who may not be so evil, waiting in the hospital.
With the diagnosis that she has an operable brain injury, Sadie is forced to make a decision that will effect the rest of her life. Will she be able to compete after the surgery? Will she even be able to paint? And who was that kind, handsome, man?
In true Katherine Center form, these questions are answered with humor, empathy and quite a bit of emotion. The things Sadie must go through to reach her own conclusions are heartbreaking, but beautiful. Plus, we get to learn all sorts of new, mostly unknown, facts about the brain and how it works.
Another winner for Katherine Center, who bring joy to literature and isn’t embarrassed to love romance novels---anymore.
Hello Stranger goes on sale July 11, 2023. Thanks to St Martin’s Press and NetGalley for this copy.

*ARC Review*

3.5 Stars

Hello Stranger by Katherine Center is one of the most unique books I have read in a while. The story follows Sadie, an artist, who undergoes surgery for a leaking blood vessel in her brain. Following surgery, the surgical spot has some swelling which causes face blindness. Sadie paints faces for a living (or the absence of a living... to the disgrace of her father), so face blindness is devastating for her. It also comes at an unfortunate time as Sadie is competing in the finals of portrait competition.

Throughout the story we follow Sadie meeting two potential love interests, Dr. Addison the vet, and Joe the weasel of a neighbor. Both male characters are lovely and it is fun to follow the journey. I did feel a bit of whiplash going back and forth between the two characters, and was confused why people were angry when they were. It all made sense in the end but in order to get to the end was a challenge. I think the confusion I had fit the confusion the main character had so it worked itself out.

I enjoyed the familial trauma even though Sadie's step sister is AWFULLLLLLLLLLL. I was glad to see this story line play out as well.

A cute quick read with a BEAUTIFUL cover. Would recommend for something different.

This is only my 2nd Katherine Center book after reading The Bodyguard. I was blown away by this one. Sadie is a “struggling” artist who places top 10 in a portrait contest with over 1,900 applicants. After a very crucial surgery she loses the ability to see faces. Along the way to recovery she meets 2 men that she both adores, while juggling her family, friends and career. I found this book to be so charming, full of great moments of kindness and clarity, and value. This was a perfect binge romance that also teaches valuable life lessons along the way. I’ll be thinking about this one for a while.

Highlights:
- unique mental health battle
- female artist representation
- romance with fun twists

As my first Katherine Center book, I truly adored this story! Sadie is a self-proclaimed hot mess who sees her life around her for what it really is, but owns it and does her best. She lives in her hovel with her adorable geriatric pup, Peanut, and she gets to do what she loves by painting portraits for a living. Until an accident occurs and her life moves even further into chaos than she could have believed. She meets her “future husband” in her new vet that saves her beloved Peanut’s life, but she also meets her previously despised neighbor “the Weasel.” As she navigates potential relationships with both men, all while dealing with a traumatic brain injury that has created the chaos in her life, I fell more and more in love with Sadie’s perseverance and honesty with her emotions and struggles. This is definitely a new recommendation for all and Katherine Center is a new favorite! As my first Katherine Center book, I truly adored this story! Sadie is a self-proclaimed hot mess who sees her life around her for what it really is, but owns it and does her best. She lives in her hovel with her adorable geriatric pup, Peanut, and she gets to do what she loves by painting portraits for a living. Until an accident occurs and her life moves even further into chaos than she could have believed. She meets her “future husband” in her new vet that saves her beloved Peanut’s life, but she also meets her previously despised neighbor “the Weasel.” As she navigates potential relationships with both men, all while dealing with a traumatic brain injury that has created the chaos in her life, I fell more and more in love with Sadie’s perseverance and honesty with her emotions and struggles. This is definitely a new recommendation for all and Katherine Center is a new favorite!

They say love is blind but thanks to Sadie's sudden medical diagnosis, the old adage is actually, literally true. When a portrait artist loves her ability to see faces (prosopagnosia) how does she go about navigating her life? In Sadie's case, with a little help from her friends. The cast of characters is fun (especially Peanut the dog) and the story will make you laugh and tug on your heartstrings. No pun intended but best to go into this book blind--so stop reading reviews looking for spoilers and go pick up a copy!

Many thanks to St. Martin's Press and Negalley for the ARC

I really, really liked the premise of this book - Sadie, a portrait artist, loses the ability to see faces. Her entire life is turned upside down as she learns to cope with this "new normal." And, of course, at the same time she meets not one, but two guys, who she is interested in (and the feelings are reciprocated). Sounds great, right? Honestly, the romance portion of the book was on point for me. And everything with Sadie's mom had my heart in my throat a bit, in a good way. But the drama with the rest of Sadie's family (specifically her stepsister) was so over the top that it was practically unbelievable, and it actually took away from the rest of the story.

I am a vast Katherine Center fan. I have read almost all of her books and have loved them. So, when the publisher sent me an email inviting me to review Hello Stranger, I immediately accepted. And guess what? I loved it. I loved it so much that I gave it a rare 5-star review. This book did everything. It made me laugh and cry, and more importantly, it allowed me to connect with the characters.

Hello Stranger is a fast-paced book that takes place entirely in Houston, Texas. Almost all of Katherine Center’s takes place there, and I feel that she makes Houston an exciting place to live.

The plotline for Hello Stranger was unique. Before this book, I think I had only heard of face blindness mentioned on TV. And even then, I thought it was something the author made up. So, reading about it in this book (and googling it on my phone) made it fascinating.

Sadie is a struggling portrait artist living in a hovel on the roof of her best friend’s parent’s building. When a near accident reveals that she has a condition called cavernoma that requires immediate brain surgery, she declines. Earlier that day, Sadie had found out she had placed in a yearly contest that could be huge. But, given no choice (her mother died of the same thing), Sadie undergoes surgery only to discover that she has face blindness (prosopagnosia). To a portrait artist, this is career-ending, but Sadie decides to make the most of it. During this same time, she meets an enigmatic veterinarian when Peanut, her dog, suddenly gets sick. She also meets Joe, a resident in the building she lives in, who is happy to help Sadie when she needs it. Not disclosing her condition to them, Sadie starts dating and falling in love with both. With a deadline approaching and trying to choose between two men, Sadie must make a choice. Along the way, she also comes to terms with her estranged family and their choices. Can Sadie reconcile with her family? Who will she choose? Will she let Joe and the veterinarian know about her face blindness? And what about the contest? What sort of portrait will she paint?

The characters in Hello Stranger were well-written and wonderfully three-dimensional. Initially, I was not too fond of a couple of characters, but I liked them at the book’s end. The only character I consistently did not like was Parker. There was a particular sort of evilness to her, and it only amped up as the book went on.

Sadie—I loved her. She was one of the more authentic characters I have read in a book. She made me laugh (I annoyed my husband with the giggling I was doing), and she made me cry. But mostly laugh. I loved how she adapted to face blindness and used it in her art. I also loved how she was with Joe. I understood why she was so upset with her family, too. If I had been treated that way (being sent away to a special school for something that wasn’t even her fault), I would have had zero contact with them. It showed how forgiving (well, in a way, forgiving) she was. And I got her frustration with Parker. I wanted to punch that woman’s face (and I am not a violent person). She did some and said some unforgivable things to Sadie throughout the book.
Joe—Ok, so when I read that conversation that he was having about the overweight women who sat on his face and wouldn’t leave, I thought the same thing as Sadie. But, as I got to know him through the book, I started to like him. I thought he was good for Sadie. He even offered to help her with her portrait, which got pretty steamy for a minute. Then a lightbulb went off. I’m not going to say what, but I will say that it must have been confusing to him during a specific scene. I didn’t blame him for being angry.
Hello Stranger fits perfectly into the romance genre. I liked that the author took a more gradual approach to Sadie and Joe’s romance. There was no Instalove. Sadie didn’t like Joe because of the conversation I mentioned above. But, once the friendship turned to romance, it was awesome. What I also liked about this book is the author didn’t even mention that sex. Instead, the author had Sadie and Joe kiss a couple of times (and it was super hot), and the author kept it at that.

The storyline with Sadie, the contest, and her face blindness was well-written and well-researched. I loved seeing how Sadie tried to identify people (gait, hair, voice, personality). I also liked how the author incorporated it into the contest. I am not an artist (not even close to it) and had no clue how an artist with face blindness would use a grid to help paint people. But the author explained that (and I did a little research on my own).

The storyline with Sadie and her family was heartbreaking. It also made me extremely mad at her father and stepmother. I know her stepmother was trying to help during the book (and she did get brownie points for the dress) but believing Parker over Sadie was wrong. When overhearing what that witch said to her at the contest and what she did, I was furious for Sadie. I cried angry tears for her. Thankfully Sadie’s dad did hear and did try to set things right, but still. I had steam coming out of my ears. I hope Parker gets help (it sounds like she needs it).

The storyline with Sadie, Joe, and the veterinarian made me laugh. I figured everything out fairly early in the book. But it was fun to watch Sadie try to juggle two men. I winced during the breakup scene, and I felt so bad when Joe flipped out on Sadie. I 100% understood Joe’s anger and confusion (I would have been confused too). I did say (out loud), “This is why you tell people you have face blindness.”

The end of Hello Stranger was what I expected it to be. Sadie and Joe got their HEA. But, more importantly, other things were also on the way to being healed. I was sad when the book ended because I wanted to see where Joe and Sadie were in 5 years.

I recommend Hello Stranger to anyone over 16. There is no sex (a couple of kissing scenes), mild language, and very mild violence.

I want to thank Saint Martin’s Press and Katherine Center for allowing me to read and review Hello Stranger. All opinions stated in this review are mine.

This was a sweet chick lit .This was my second by Katherine Center book and I am open to reading more.
She develops her characters well and has good plot ideas. In end usch a good read if you just want something cute and fast paced.

ARC kindly provided by the publisher in exchange for an honest review.

I am a fairly new Katherine Center fan, but a big fan nonetheless. I did not expect this book to be as funny and sweet and life-affirming as it was, and yet! I loved it.

Sadie Montgomery has just gotten her big break - she's placed in the top ten finalists for a National Art exhibit. All she needs to do over the next six weeks is create a winning portrait. Unfortunately, on her way to celebrate her success with her best friend Sue, Sadie suffers a nonconvulsive seizure and only avoids being hit by a car when a Good Samaritan steps in to rescue her. The seizure indicates an issue in Sadie's brain - good news: it can be solved with minor brain surgery. She'll need a few days in the hospital to recover, but will be back at home and painting in no time.

Unfortunately, when the surgery is complete, Sadie realizes she has suffered the very unlikely side effect of prosopagnosia (aka face blindness). What ensues is a hopelessly romantic story of finding yourself even when everything seems lost. While Sadie is figuring out how to cope with her face blindness and prepare for the portrait competition, she starts to fall for two very different men: her dog Peanut's handsome and sophisticated veterinarian Dr. Oliver Addison, and her carefree hipster neighbor Joe.

This was a very sweet read that was sometimes laugh out loud funny. I really enjoyed watching Sadie learn to ask for help and be vulnerable. I thought both Dr. Addison and Joe were fantastic characters. The cons; I could not buy into the fact that Parker was just about the most venomously evil stepsister of all time and just....got away with it? It was all a bit convenient for me. And the twist - although I did see it coming (no pun intended!) I still enjoyed it and the way it all unfolded.

This ranks up there with The Bodyguard and Happiness for Beginners (my two favorite Katherine Center novels) - a perfect read for someone looking to be reminded that life isn't all that bad after all.

Four stars (4.5, if I could!) Thanks to NetGalley for the ARC.

I am sitting here with tears streaming down my face after reading this. I don't even know where to begin with this review other than, this novel was a true delight from start to finish.

There are two pretty distinct storylines happening in this novel:

The first and most prominent in my opinion, is not the romance featured in this novel, but the relationship Sadie has with her dad and her stepmom/stepsister. So much of who Sadie is and her current life is shaded by what happened to her as a child.
-Dad- Sadie's dad is a terrible father from the moment he shows up in the book and by the end, he has had to address his terrible parenting. He is not redeemed, which is a good thing, in my opinion, but he has owned up to his awful behavior, the worst of which is him blaming his daughter for her mother's death, and something Parker, Sadie's evil stepsister used to hurt her.
-Lucinda- Lucinda overall isn't terrible. She is passive and a pushover and has enabled her rotten daughter, however, and also helped her husband remove most of Sadie's mom's memory from her life. Lucinda seems to understand now how awful it was, even if she was just doing what her husband wanted.
-Parker- Parker is evil incarnate, literally Satan. She is evil from the moment she's first in writing until she leaves. She is not the only antagonist in the story, but she is the true villain. Sometimes, your overly evil campy character does a disservice to the story, but she actually is the perfect set up to show how bad Sadie's dad and Lucinda were as parents, which is the true trauma Sadie has suffered.

This storyline comes to a head in a major way near the end of the novel and it made me weep tears of empathy and compassion for Sadie, seeing what she went through and how she has not so successfully dealt with the trauma her mother's death inflicted on her, but also her father's cruelty and neglect. I think what I loved most of all is that Sadie gets validation and recognition, even if years too late.

The secondary romance between Sadie and the love triangle of the Vet and Joe, is amazing. THIS IS HOW YOU WRITE A LOVE TRIANGLE PEOPLE. I was laughing my ass off at the big reveal at the end and adoring what this author chose to do with the romance and the conflict. Like, it literally works perfectly.

Also, I loved the inclusion of prosopagnosia or "face blindness", and how it was clearly well researched. I loved Sadie's POV as she dealt with it and tried to still be an artist, despite her developing this disability.

I highly recommend this book to anyone looking for an adorable romcom, with a lot of drama, hijinks, and a cute dog named Peanut!

Thanks to NetGalley and Katherine Center for the ARC for a review!

I was drawn by the first book of hers that i read and this was just as good. I am a total fan of Katherine Center's story and books. This was a good one. Must read it.

This one took me completely by surprise. It was a very unique premise for a book as we follow Sadie try to navigate through face blindness.

What did I love?
- Sadie's insta love for her vet Oliver
- Her neighbour Joe
- Her positivity through a traumatic time

Definitely recommend this one to all romance fans who are looking for something a little different in their next read! This one has a lot of emotion, laugh out loud moments, and reminds you that even when there are tough times you can make it through.

Gorgeous and heartwarming. I am so glad I took an on this book and this author. Will be reading more from this author as this was just perfection.

Hello Stranger by Katherine Center
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Do yourself a favor and don’t read the synopsis. This summer, buy this book, and as soon as you get to your car- start reading it. Immediately.
You’re welcome.
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This is my favorite Katherine Center book so far.
I loved everything.
The plot was so unbelievable and entertaining, hooked me from the start with humor and an emotional one-two punch to the gut.
There was no part of the story where I felt like taking a break, rather I was unreasonably cranky each time I was interrupted while reading this.
This book made me so happy and I cannot wait till I am able to get a physical copy on my shelf.
Sadie is the best. Peanut is adorable. Dr Nicole is a boss. And the love story 🥹😍🥰.
5🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟 I loved everything about this book. And I need to know if “shag bandit” is a term people actually use in the UK now? (🤣🤣)

4.5 Stars Hello Stranger by Katherine Center is probably the most original plot line that I’ve read in a while. There was a twist at the end that I saw coming before the reveal, but it was still a fascinating story. Portrait artist Sadie Montgomery has finally gotten her big break—she’s a finalist in a very selection portrait competition and she needs to produce a completely new work for the show in six weeks. Unfortunately, Sadie is then diagnosed with a malformed blood vessel in her brain and needs surgery to fix it right away. After the successful surgery, Sadie suddenly can no longer recognize anyone. She has acquired prosopagnosia—aka “face blindness”—and everyone including her family, friends, and strangers look like a Picasso painting of a rearranged face. While lamenting how she will compete when she can’t paint a portrait as she normally would, Sadie fixates on her dog Peanut’s veterinarian, Dr. Oliver Addison. Though she can’t see his face, she can tell he’s very attractive and she gladly accepts when he asks her out. Sadie decides to keep her diagnosis from everyone, including her neighbor Joe, who suddenly seems to be everywhere. Sadie and Joe strike up a friendship, that then seems to develop into more. But what about Dr. Addison and what will she do about her career and the competition?

As I said before, this was a completely new plot line that didn’t rely on the same recycled tropes. Once I figured out the twist, it felt glaringly obvious, but it was still a delight to watch it all unfold and be revealed. Although Sadie felt scared about her new reality with her face blindness, it caused her to question her judgement in a way that felt uncomfortable, but it also pushed her to question other things. She began to look for other styles and ways of painting, rather than copying the style that her late mother had used. Sadie began to see more possibilities and notice other things about people that she hadn’t noticed before. The one part of the story that really irked me was the character of the wicked stepsister, Parker, though the author did a good job of making this character get on your nerves just like she did Sadie’s. Parker deserved worse than what she got, but I also wouldn’t have been mad at some redemption for her in the epilogue, but oh well.

This story was truly charming and I loved the whole thing!