The protagonist in Hello Stranger, Sadie is kind of a hot mess. A likeable hot mess. And just when she catches a break, bam, she ends up in the hospital and comes out the other side with a life altering diagnosis, face blindness. Having read nearly all Katherine Center's books, this one compares in all the best ways... hard to put down, quick read with a loveable protagonist, and an engaging storyline.

TW: death, talk of suicide, bullying

I loved the face blindness aspect of this book. I feel like I laughed and gained a little bit of medical knowledge. I did figure out the twist about 73% in, but had fun watching Sadie figure it out. Sadie’s relationship with her family did give off a Cinderella type vibe, and I would’ve liked to have seen Parker have for pay for her crimes a little bit. I do want to state that I felt like there was a little too much going on, the side plots in conjunction with the main plot which made reading a little bit confusing.

after reading multiple reviews from friends saying that this was a cute one but not their favorite katherine center, I had low hopes going in this one … but I’m so happy to say that I was wrong!!! 😍🥰🥳

katherine center’s writing style immediately sucks you into the story and gets you so invested in the lives of the characters!! I had no choice but to fall in love with the grieving, quarter life crisis MC sadie 🥹 while yes, she had quite a few annoying qualities, I found myself relating to her in the best and worst ways possible

a human female character??? what a concept!

I went into the plot of this one blind, and I HIGHLY recommend doing so! I had absolutely no idea what the main conflict of the story was going to be, and it was so unique and refreshing and wholesome!! it really gets you thinking, what if my entire life changed tomorrow, how would I live today? IT GOT ME IN MY FEELS A LOT OKAY 🥹🫶🏼

and while there was actually little romance and no spice in this one, I found I didn’t mind at all! it was more about acceptance of oneself and acceptance of a toxic and broken family - and I loved that!

and that OMG moment at the end literally had me bawling - it was a perfect happily ever after for me 🥹🥹🥹🥹🥹🥹

a huge huge thank you to netgalley and st martin’s press for one of my new favorite katherine center novels in exchange for an honest review!! run to get this one now!!

rating: 4.5 stars
wine pairing: chile chardonnay

Sadie is barely getting by as a portrait artist, but landing as a finalist in an art competition is the break she needs to put her on the path to success. However, life is never that easy. She discovers a medical condition makes it necessary to undergo brain surgery. A supposedly easy surgery that should fix her right up, but she wakes to find out she can’t see faces. As if that’s not enough, her beloved dog gets sick and her evil stepsister moves into the building where she lives!

Sadie doesn’t know how she’ll be able to compete portrait contest with her condition but after some encouragement and counseling she’s determined to try other ways to sketch the human face.

Her beloved dog gets sick and she can’t lose Peanut! He’s a bright little ray of sunshine in her life, and the last connection to her dead mother. So, she takes him to the vet and immediately falls in crush with the sexy (from what she can tell, anyhow) vet, Dr. Oliver Addison. She also has strange run ins with her neighbor Joe.

Sadie had so many hits against her I was eager to see prevail! It took some work, change in attitude and help from those around her, but gradually bright spots came out of the negatives. Sadie’s past made it hard for her to rely on anyone but herself, but I was thrilled to see her learn to accept help from others when before she absolutely refused it. Her condition changed her outlook in profound, positive ways and it was a joy to see her grow. The romance had a bit of mystery to it. I suspected things, but I don’t want to say anymore, other than it was lovely!

Hello Stranger was sooo good! I was captivated from the first chapter and knew I’d have to finish in one day to see how it all turned out! I was all smiles as I finished, heart soaring with joy! Katherine Center’s note at the end really resonated with me! It hit the nail on the head on why I love romances: “love is nourishing” and “lets readers access a rare and precious kind of emotional bliss.” Yes!

I alternated between the audio and e-copy of Hello Stranger and I don’t think you could go wrong with either version. Patti Murin’s narration was perfection! I listened at my usual 1.5x normal speed. Definite recommend!

Hello Stranger by Katherine Center was a perfect summer read and I cannot wait to recommend it for everyone looking for a good time read. It very much feels like a Katherine Center book, which is always such a plus.

This was a cute story and honestly the beginning of it started off super cute. I honestly loved all the different aspects throughout, like her family trauma and trying to navigate the world in a new normal. Though i did guess what was going on in the story throughout basically the whole thing and it got a bit frustrating that our female MC did not catch on. But it was cute and enjoyable.

I listened to the audio version and the reader was the perfect addition to an amazing book! I loved everything about it- dialogue, storyline, writing style and especially the way it made me feel. While the author is very popular, she is new to me but I will be reading all of her books now! Highly recommend!

I LOVED this book! It was unlike anything I've ever read and was so intruiging from the first pages. I never heard of face blindness so the concept alone hooked me, but the romance was so so sweet and twist WAS SO FUN! I thoroughly enjoyed this story.

Thank you to Katherine Center and St. Martin's Press for the Advance Reader Copy and opportunity to review Hello Stranger.

I loved this book. Hello Stranger captures the essence of what it feels like when someone loses the one thing they not only care about the most, but also identifies them as a person. While we may not all be portrait artists, like Sadie, but that feeling of losing a sense of identity is extremely relatable. This aspect really hit me hard, along with the heart and fear that goes along with it.

While this is a beautiful love story, I feel like it really teeters on the edge of Women's Fiction due to the nature of the story moreso focusing on Sadie's life changing in the blink of an eye and her trying to find herself through the new challenges that have been brought along with her diagnosis and post-surgery experience. Having Joe as our male lead and confidant for Sadie during this transition in her life, perfectly complemented the story.

I think, ultimately, this story was written beautifully. It captured my attention and my heart from the first page. I would 100% recommend this book.

3.5 Stars
One Liner: Cute and sweet (but not wow)

Sadie Montgomery finally gets a chance to prove her worth and earn loads of money. She is a finalist in the North American Portrait Society competition after years of being an unsuccessful artist. One minute she is celebrating it, and the next, she’s on the hospital bed. After mandatory brain surgery, Sadie ends up with Face Blindness, a possible temporary condition that blurs faces into a messy blob.
As a portrait artist, Sadie is devastated by the development. What if the condition is not temporary? And what about the competition she needs to win? With her family issues, monetary troubles, and her dog Peanut’s health condition, Sadie has more than her hands full. However, she finds a ray of hope or two.
While daydreaming about her future with Dr. Addison and getting to know her neighbor Joe, Sadie goes from finding potential love in two men. But things will have to wait until she can see their faces. After all, surprises come in the most unexpected forms.
The story comes from Sadie’s first-person POV.

My Thoughts:
With a premise like that and a cover just as attractive, I expected a cute and heartwarming romcom with two endearing characters (and a dog). I got some of it, but…
There are enough laughs and awkward scenes to keep the story light and cater to the ‘com’ of rom-com. There’s some ‘rom’ too, though it gets lost in ramblings and redeems only the last 15%. Peanut is a saving grace in many scenes.
I understand the struggling artist trope, and combined with Sadie’s past, it should make me sympathetic toward her. However, a majority of the time, Sadie sounds whiny and immature. Her determination to not rely on others is admirable, but she never seems to care enough about anyone except herself (and, thankfully, Peanut), even when she is being helped by others. I didn’t find her sweet, TBH.
No denying how hard it’s for Sadie to come to terms with her newly acquired Face Blindness. I mean, who’d want their lives to be filled with a blur of faceless people? It’s even worse with her profession and career at stake. I tried my best to empathize with her and did to an extent. I even understand why she doesn’t want to share it with others (never mind that the plot wouldn’t exist if she did). Still, the FMC makes it hard to take her side.
The book pretty much hinges on suspended belief. I don’t mind that in this genre. (As the author says in her note, it’s the anticipation that counts, and I agree). Yet, things are contradictory in many instances, though they make sense given Sadie’s characterization (this, sadly, is not positive).
Joe is a decent guy- good enough and sweet, but he doesn’t reach the book-boyfriend level. The poor guy has little to no space for character development since the book is from Sadie’s POV.
Sue reminds me of an easily distracted, energetic pup. She could have been more, but again her role is limited for the plot to work. Lucinda, Parker, and Sadie’s dad are restricted and uni-dimensional. Devices used to mess up the FMC’s life and possibly strengthen her.
The pacing wasn’t great, either. The narration starts slow and feels slow almost throughout, even as the days go by. Again, I blame it on the ramblings (which I began to skim after a point).
The last 20% is the best part of the book. However, it comes a little too late, and one thing happens after another to tie up the loose ends. There isn’t enough time to let Sadie’s reasons for her current attitude sink in and justify her actions. I don’t mind the detailed explanation as it is done well.
I’m a fan of epilogues. The one in the book starts great but drifts into a philosophical tone that takes us away from the story. It will work for some, but I’m not looking for the MC to give me any lessons at that point. I just want them to be happy and show me their happiness.
As many other reviewers said, the author’s note is detailed and beautiful to read. Since I’ve never been the type to rank literary fiction higher (doesn’t help that my experience with the genre makes me shudder), I understood her points. Also, romance is one of my favorite genres (I read for enjoyment).

To summarize, Hello Stranger is a cute book with some noteworthy themes and a few laughs. Pick it up if you want something breezy and light (though I cannot help but say- it could have been better).
Looks like this is not the author’s best work (not surprising since I tend to pick up such reads whenever I try a new author). I’ve got more of hers on my list, so hopeful I’ll find better books and enjoy them more.
Thank you, NetGalley and St. Martin's Press, for the eARC. This review is voluntary and contains my honest opinion about the book.
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Rating rounded up to 4 stars on Amazon.

This book was so cute. Very predictable but very cute. The story kept me engaged and I flew threw it in a matter of day. Katherine Center is an auto-buy author for me!

I was originally going to give this a 3 but the epilogue royally ticked me off.

This book had an interesting plot concept but, it was so repetitive. It was also pretty depressing. I read a lot of cozies and watch a lot of hallmark and death of a family member is often a common plot point in both but, the death of the main character's mother was fixated on a lot during the book.

I might have enjoyed the book more without all of the repetition. Her condition was explained in narration numerous times... the reader does not need to be reminded so many times.

The book was also extremely predictable. I was pretty sure I knew what was going to happen based on the synopsis & I was certain very early in the book. I don't mind that as much, I tend to figure out all the books I read (including mysteries)... but it's worth noting...seeing the author included a note about romance books being predictable. Maybe that's what she was going for - or maybe she just knew. I don't know.

But my number one grief with this book... what really ticked me off was the epilogue...
The author actually wrote that it was okay for the dog to die now, the pressure is off, the character has a man now.

How. Frigging, disgusting.

Pets are not emotional support items you can toss aside when something new comes along....

Okay "beloved" pet, you can die now, I have a boyfriend I don't need you anymore.

Seriously? Let's you know how the author views pets & i doubt I will read another book by the author after that

This is the fifth book of Katherine Center’s I’ve read, and they’ve all been so good. She is has become an author for me that is just a solid writer whose books I know I will enjoy. I don’t think this is my absolute favorite of hers, I think the descriptions of face blindness kind of carried over a bit too much into the rest of the story in my mind, giving it a bit of that dream-like feeling when you can’t quite see anything clearly. I still really enjoyed it. I liked all the main characters, and the evil step sister was very sufficiently evil (although you still hope she’ll get some therapy in the end). The plot was mostly predictable - I’m not sure if there was supposed to be a twist, or if you’re just waiting for the main character put everything together - but I almost prefer it that way. This was a unique, interesting story and I look forward to what this author does next.
Thank you to NetGalley and St. Martin’s Press for providing me access to this eARC for my honest opinion!

As with The Bodyguard, I read this book in one sitting because it was just. that. GOOD. With characters that will absolutley steal your heart (except for Parker, she’s a demon), tropes that are wonderfully set-up then subverted, and a swoon-worthy love story, this book is one that should be at the top of everyone’s summer TBR.

I absolutely adored Sadie and Joe’s relationship, and how Katherine Center explores the idea of how our perception of others can shift depending on context. Basically, I loved this book, and need people to read it so I can talk about it more.

This was my second book by Katherine Center and I really liked it! I can’t wait to dive into more of her books!

This book deserves all the stars. We meet Sadie who is a portrait artist who undergoes brain surgery and loses the ability to see faces. This was such a cute and fun read. Sadie was a really likable and relatable character. I loved that the romance in the book was not sappy or over done. It seemed very authentic and honest! In a way I did see the twist coming but it did not detour from the love story.

The idea for this book was interesting but it didn’t quite work for me.

I almost DNF’ed this a few chapters in. The whole Cinderella and evil stepmother and stepsister vibes are not really my thing and that’s what it felt like to me.

I have now read 2 books by this author and I feel like she has a very specific pattern she uses. There is always some huge twist at the end and there is always an antagonist who honestly doesn’t get what they deserve in the end. And there are zero sex scenes.

I enjoyed The Bodyguard, but after reading this it was clear it followed the same general pattern and it became predictable. The issue with this book was that unlike in The Bodyguard where the heroine was an awesome badass, I wasn’t super sold on Sadie. She wasn’t super likable.

Wow, wow, WOW!

I was *not* expecting to be so completely blown away by Hello Stranger but here. We. Are!

How to even describe this experience?! Illuminating? Intimate? Filled me with hope and longing and something to look forward to?

PLUS. After the novel’s incredible conclusion, you, dear reader, are treated to an author’s note, a love letter really, not just defending and proclaiming the virtues of the romance genre, but the heart and soul of humanity itself. All boiled down to one inexplicable concept: hope.

Do yourself the most generous of favors and snatch this one up as soon as you can!

Hello Stranger is a book that lifts your spirit and has y0u wishing it wouldn't end! This is my first book by Katherine Center and I absolutely loved it! Sadie Montgomery is a portrait painter and has loved to paint since she was a young child. Sadie's Mom was also a portrait painter and tragically died when Sadie was just 14 years old. Sadie misses her terribly and wishes she had her to talk to. Sadie and her Dad grew apart after her mom's death and he quickly remarried. Lucinda, the stepmother had a daughter referred to by Sadie as the wicked stepsister. Sadie didn't get along with either and was soon shipped off to boarding school. Those relationships are still estranged.

Sadie gets the best news of her career. She's been accepted as one of 10 finalists in the North American Portrait Society competition. Sadie has tried for this for years and finally she's in! When she breaks the news to her best friend, Sue, she's thrilled. Sue tells Sadie they need to celebrate with a party on the rooftop of Sadie's apartment building. Sadie just has to get some cheap wine as Sue will take care of everything else. Sadie walks to the local market and picks out 3 bottles of cheap wine. When she gets to the register to pay she realizes she left her purse at home. She decides to tell the person that she'll be back but she has to go get her purse. When the guy behind her hears this he comes to Sadie's rescue. He offers to buy the wine as he knows it's not going to be expensive. Sadie and he argue a bit about him helping and she leaves without the wine on her way home to get her purse. As she's waiting for the crosswalk signal the guy comes out carrying a bag that looks an awful lot like Sadie's wine.

You never know when your life will change, but Sadie's did as she was in the crosswalk. Sadie awakens in the hospital with her wicked stepmother at her bedside as her Dad is out of town. Could things get any worse? The doctor tells her that she had a seizure in the crosswalk and if not for the help of a Good Samaritan would've been hit by a car. They run all kinds of tests on Sadie and determine that she has a small growth in her brain that is near a blood vessel. She had the seizure because of that. He tells her that she needs to have brain surgery to remove the growth as it will get larger and cause more serious problems. Sadie tells the doctor that she'll have it after the competition in about 6 weeks. They let her leave the hospital.

Sadie's Dad comes to her apartment and tells her that she has to have the surgery now because this condition is hereditary and her mother had it and died from it. He has already scheduled the surgery in a few days. Sadie's Dad is a well known, successful surgeon and she believes him when he says she needs to have it now. When he tells her that her mom had the same thing, she couldn't believe it. Everyone told her that her mom died from a stroke! It turns out the stroke was caused from the growth in her brain as she had put the surgery off until a later time. Surgery goes well, but when Sadie wakes up she has what's called face blindness. She can no longer see people's faces, including her own. They're all jumbled up and she can't recognize anyone because of that. The doctor tells her that once the swelling goes down it should get better or go away all together. The timing of this problem couldn't have been worse as Sadie has to paint a portrait for the competition.

Sadie bumps into a guy who lives in her building. He wears a bowling jacket with the name Joe embroidered on it. She doesn't think much of Joe as she sees him coming and going from various apartments at all times of day and night. She thinks he's sleeping around with many of the women in the building. When she overhears him talking to someone on the phone about a huge whale who snored and slobbered all night, she was disgusted. She decided Joe was quite a sleaze and to stay away from him. Sadie's dog, Peanut, is her closest family. Peanut is quite old and one morning he is not himself. He won't eat and wants nothing to do with his toys. Sadie is a mess over this and rushes off in her pajamas, robe, and slippers to the vet.

The vet tells Sadie that it's quite serious but he's going to give Peanut blood transfusions to help him fight it off. Sadie sits in the waiting room all day waiting for an update. Sadie is attracted to the vet even though she can't see his face. His hair is gorgeous, he wears nice suits, he has a warm voice, and he's very comforting. Sadie decides she's going to marry him and starts planning their wedding, where they will live, and how many kids they will have. When the vet tells Sadie that Peanut is making progress, she's relieved. She goes home as the vet says he'll need to stay overnight with more blood transfusions. When she comes back later, the vet is about to leave but stays so that Sadie can visit with Peanut.

Back at her apartment building Sadie is overwhelmed with everything going on and has a panic attack. Joe sees her and comes to the rescue. He tells her he had a friend who had panic attacks and he can help her calm down. Sadie is amazed how good Joe is at making her feel better. Maybe she misjudged him after all. Will Sadie get her ability to see faces again before the competition date? What will she enter into the competition if not? How do you paint a portrait when you can't see a face? Will Sadie and her Dad get closer now that she's had her surgery? Will the nice vet help Peanut enough so that he can go home? Will Sadie and the vet get closer? Who is Joe and what is his story? Will Sadie and Joe become friends or more? You'll have to read Hello Stranger to find out the answers!

Hello Stranger will have you laughing, crying, and feeling for Sadie during the difficult times she must endure with face blindness. It's a wonderful book and I rate it 5 stars with my highest recommendation. I'd like to thank NetGalley and St. Martin's Press for an advanced copy of Hello Stranger in exchange for a fair review.

Such a lovely book! I really enjoyed everything about this book…the writing, the plot, the characters, the humor, the chemistry…..it was all SO good! I highly recommend this one to everyone!

Thank you Katherine Center, St. Martin's Press and NetGalley for allowing me to read this ARC e-book. I loved this book it had all the aspects you love in a rom com and it was so wholesome. Nothing overly inappropriate and the characters were so strong. What an absolutely amazing plot, the flow was great. I had only briefly ever heard of facial blindness one other time and hearing about the different variations was very interesting.