Welcome to the world you beautiful book, you! I was OVERJOYED to get an eARC of Katherine Center’s Hello Stranger and would like to thank @netgalley and @stmartinspress for what I see as a GIFT.

In this book we meet Sadie Montgomery, a woman who will give you the dress off her back. I immediately felt like I knew her, and wanted the best for her. In true Katherine Center style, this book is creative, with some unknowns that keep the pages turning; it is not a book to be put down. Of course she has created at least one or two lovable and unforgettable book boyfriends. There is not only one love story- from dedication to throughout the book, I felt like this was a love story to the wonderful mothers in this world, and I adore that. I have been fortunate to be involved in author zooms with Katherine Center and while none of the above surprises me, please tell me how her joyful, glass half full, ¾ full or glass totally-full brain came up with one of the all-time worst villains in all of romance history??

This book begs for a reread, and now that I know the incredible Patti Murin narrates, I will be giving that a go ASAP.

No complaints about this book- only oohs and aahs.

5/5 ⭐️
No 🚪
Location: Houston, TX

"Love isn't blind. It's just a little blurry." What a perfect way to summarize this one, including my blurry eyes as I completed this beautiful novel.

At least 5 stars from me - Katherine really wrote with her heart for this one. This book brought me to tears on more than one occasion. To start, thank you to the author, Katherine, and to her publisher, particularly Erica Martirano at St. Martin's Publishing Group for advanced access to this one. I wish I could go back and read this one sooner so I could love it longer.

Sadie really gets put through the ringer in this book, and while she's a painter and her brain is leaking or something, which caused onset face blindness, I deeply connected with her character, particularly in relation to her family struggles and the way that she fixated in her world. I oftentimes find myself so in my head that I miss looking up and seeing my life (although I'd like to think I'm more observant than she is - haha). How would it feel to wake up one day and not be able to recognize your own face? Katherine lets us into that world for just a few hundred pages, and wow it makes me compassionate towards people. I get migraines, and that makes me see the world differently, but it isn't a permanent situation. Sadie's face blindness doesn't go away after a few hours or a few days, and the reader gets to experience how she navigates her new (but hopefully temporary) normal, first with her best friend by her side, then leaning in and relying on strangers for help (hence the title, Hello Stranger).

The parts that made me cry though? Her TRULY evil stepsister, her stepmother who buries her head in the sand so she doesn't have to deal with uncomfortable confrontations, and her dad who disappeared the minute Sadie's mom died 13 years ago. Her best friend? Doesn't seem to make Sadie a priority (the girl KEPT FORGETTING THAT SADIE COULDN'T SEE FACES, like it wasn't a big deal! Kinda made me mad!). PRAISE THE LORD FOR JOE. Seriously. He saw her and, actually, he saw EVERYONE, in a way that Sadie really needed. He wouldn't take no for an answer (but not in a demanding, creepy way). He just HAD to help.

Other highlights from me:
1. When Peanut is literally put on prednisone and cyclosporine - my dog, Bear, was on both of those for the past year (I might have a little PTSD but it's great to see that recognition)
2. Peanut eating Pad Thai
3. Peanut wanting to take a nap and Sadie laying on the ground watching him sleep
4. Dr. Oliver Addison
5. Hazel One and Hazel Two
6. When Sadie lets down her walls and lets that joy from within shine (only confirmed at the end by a little surprise from her dad, but no spoilers here)

I'll read anything and everything that Katherine writes. Check this book out!

AND, I was granted early access to this audiobook, and let me tell you, I thought the book was emotional, but I was even MORE of a wreck listening to Patti Murin perform this story. It was moving and engaging and funny and just an overall joy to listen to!

Thanks to NetGalley/St. Martin's Publishing Group for the ARC of this book, and to Macmillan Audio for the ALC of this book. These are my honest thoughts.

Perhaps it's cheating a bit to use the author's own words when writing a review, but I can't think of any combination of words better than "this love story created fantastic anticipation".

To understand Sadie's facial blindness is not an easy feat, Katherine paints a picture (no pun intended) that lets the reader both follow Sadie and also feel equally disjointed.

Romance readers chose romance because of how we know it will all end, eventually. Hello Stranger made me a lot sadder than I expected, but the hope of the story unraveling for Sadie kept me turning the pages (even into the wee hours of the morning when I couldn't sleep).

Hello Stranger tackles "things will get better" in a way unlike anything I've read. Highly recommend this for all readers, whether or not they typically read romance. This was my first book by Katherine and I'm greatly looking forward to reading more.

Thank you NetGalley for the opportunity to read this book.

Synopsis: Struggling portrait artist Sadie Montgomery gets news that she has earned herself a spot as a finalist in the same art competition her mom placed in right before she passed. Just as things start looking up for her career, Sadie has a sudden surgery that leaves her struggling with facial blindness. Sadie now has to learn to navigate through life with a new set of challenges. With all this going on, she is also dealing with a sick pet, horrible family members, & the challenge of falling in love.

Review: This book is so different from other romance's I've read. Such a refreshing, light-hearted read. For the most part, I really loved Sadie's character & how she tried her best to stay positive through everything. Sometimes she would annoy me with how badly she refused to ask for help. I couldn't stand her step-sister at allll (I know that's the point but she was so annoying lol) It was pretty predictable at times but it was still a very cute, fun read!

I love that the premise of Katherine's books are very unique, but still feel grounded in real life.

In this novel, Sadie is a portrait artist suffering from temporary face blindness, which not only impacts her work, but all of her interactions and relationships. Sadie's character had so much to deal with, but I loved her positive outlook and overall plucky attitude.

There is a good balance between family drama and romantic storylines in this book, with very memorable characters and conflicts.

Hello Stranger is exactly what I have come to expect from this author: feel-good stories with heartfelt messages and satisfying romances.

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️✨
Genre: Contemporary Romance
Age Level: Adult
Content: some language, kisses

As excited as I was for Hello Stranger, this one was not for me.

💙 What I loved: The plot.

💔 What I didn’t love: Sadie, the main character, and her “evil step sister”.

Hello Stranger is a great story. The idea of a portrait artist losing her ability to see faces and the ensuing mayhem/romance is spectacular. It’s the type of story that I believe would make a great film adaptation. It’s funny and interesting.

I just couldn’t stand Sadie.

I found myself increasingly annoyed with her actions, behavior, and ‘coping’ strategies. I didn’t enjoy her inner monologue, which was essentially the entire book since it’s a first person single POV. And, her character arc just wasn’t redeeming enough for me.

Parker, Sadie’s ‘evil’ step sister was such a hyperbolic bully that it bothered me. Sadie and Parker’s interactions were so outlandish, it felt like reading the script of an early 2000s romcom. So much drama that it was hard to think any of it was believable. There were also plot points regarding Parker that didn’t make sense to me.

Overall, I’d pick up another Katherine Center book but, unfortunately, didn’t enjoy this one.

Katherine Center is an auto-buy author for me. I love her witty contemporary romance writing style. The Bodyguard was my first 5 star read this year so I was really looking forward to Hello Stranger. Hello Stranger has everything I look for in a RomCom and more. It was funny, heartwarming, and had a few twists along the way. It also brought awareness to prosopagnosia, or face blindness, a very real condition that I knew nothing about until this book.

I enjoyed the fast paced plot and the well developed characters. Sadie, the main character, is faced with an unexpected challenge and has to figure out new ways of facing life’s challenges. Normally the MC tends to be a favorite but I’d have to say that Sue may have been my favorite character. She was so ditsy and brutally honest but in a fun loving way!

The story had several great life lessons:
—life is all about perspective…”we only see what we’re looking for”
—face life’s challenges
—look for the good in life and in others…”the more good things you look for, the more you find”
—help yourself by helping others
—see the good in people

Thank you NetGalley and St. Martin’s Press for giving me the opportunity to read and listen to this ARC in return for an honest review.

I’m so glad I got to binge this. I loved how unique this storyline was. It captivated me and I wanted to know more. I also always love that “moment” where the title is quoted or suddenly makes sense in the novel. This was another hit for Katherine Center. Great summer read.

I really enjoyed this book! I went into it without reading the summary, so I had no idea what to expect. I loved Sadie as the main character and loved the writing of this book. It kept me wanting to read. I found the ending a little predictable, but I was very curious to see how it would all play out.

Overall, a great read!

Katherine Center has done it again! Hello Stranger was a completely lovely story that made me smile and giggle the entire time I was reading it! One day Sadie is celebrating the biggest achievement of her life— placing as a finalist in the North American Portrait Society competition— the next, she’s lying in a hospital bed diagnosed with a condition called face blindness. She can see, but every face looks like a jumbled puzzle of disconnected features! As Sadie struggles to cope, she falls into love with two different men. What a mess!

I really enjoyed this book! It was a quick, fun read that was totally uplifting and sentimental. The characters were precious and the Sadie was continuously getting herself into silly situations that made me laugh. Super cute! Five stars!

P.S.- Spoiler alert- this is a squeaky clean romance and the dog DOESN’T die!

Special thanks to NetGalley and St. Martin’s Press for sharing this perfect digital reviewer copy with me in exchange my honest thoughts. Hello Stranger is out today- July 11, 2023!

Katherine Center is one of my favorite authors – she writes books with richly detailed plots and well-developed characters. Her stories often involve nontraditional lead romance characters such as in her book, “How to Walk Away,” where the heroine is paralyzed from the waist down.

“Hello Stranger” was an engaging story featuring Sadie Montgomery, a portrait artist who has temporary face blindness after a recent brain surgery. The face blindness leaves her unable to see faces, which is a struggle in both her daily life and in preparation for her entry as a finalist in the North American Portrait Society competition.

Following her surgery, Sadie struggles to prepare for the upcoming competition, navigate her challenging family, and recognize people’s identities due to the face blindness. Through this journey, Sadie becomes friends with her neighbor in her apartment building, Joe, who she can only identify by his leather jacket. Joe and Sadie become friends with sizzling chemistry as they spend more and more time together.

Meanwhile, Sadie also develops feelings for the hot veterinarian, Dr Addison, who cares for her beloved dog, Peanut. (Side note – I enjoy how many of Katherine Center’s books include an adorable dog!)

Sadie struggles to follow her dream, cope with the face blindness, and sort out her feelings for both Joe and Dr Addison. This book was a little slow for me as Sadie continually tried to figure out who was talking to her based on their voice and what that person had worn in the past. Much of this book involved Sadie being tricked by people she would rather not interact with.

While this book wasn’t my favorite one by this author, “Hello Stranger” was an enjoyable read. The plot and characters were endearing and unusual from what one normally finds in this genre.

Special thanks to NetGalley for sharing this copy with me in exchange my honest thoughts.

I LOVED THIS BOOK! I went in blind and was so happy I did! I have never read anything by Katherine Stranger before now and all I can say is that I have been missing out. I don’t usually read clean romances, but in this case, it did not matter. This is one of the best books I have read this year!

The characters were amazing, I love dogs and I can’t say enough about the extremely compelling plot. The story was so well written that words are escaping me. The ending made me feel the story was complete and whole, utterly satisfying!

The narrator, Patti Murin, was so amazing! I loved her voices and I listened to this audiobook in one day. I could not stop!

I wish I could read it over again for the first time!

Thank you @netgalley @stmartinspress and @macmillan.audio for the chance to read and listen to this amazing #ARC!

Since finishing this book, I could do nothing but rave about it! I absolutely adored this one. This is my second book by Katherine Center, and I love the way she incorporates tough topics into her stories with a little humor. At times I was literally laughing out loud with this one. I cannot recommend this enough, and if you do read, don’t skip the author’s note at the end!

What would happen to you if you suddenly lost the one thing that you need for your job, your livelihood, your personal success? Sadie Montgomery is a portrait artist about to potentially get the big break that will make her a success in the eyes of important family members when a potentially serious health condition sidelines her. But even worse, as a portrait artist who specializes in faces, her medical condition has left her with the inability to read faces, called face blindness.

I'll admit, I'd never heard of face blindness and this book makes it so that I'll never forget it! Sadie actually takes her situation quite well and she does have the help of a lovely therapist who helps Sadie navigate this fairly serious change in how she views the world. But there's no way to avoid the fact that the portrait she needs for the contest is not completed, and she'll have to tackle it while she has face blindness.

But there are some bright spots -- namely two -- her new veterinarian who she fantasizes about marrying, and one of her neighbors who lives in the apartment building. Joe, the neighbor, starts out by giving Sadie a wrong impression that gradually changes to something like friendship and maybe more. I don't want to say much more about this, but I truly loved how this unfolded! I had an inkling about what was happening here, but it wasn't confirmed until that glorious ending when a beautiful HEA lands in Sadie's heart.

By the end of this story, I just loved Sadie. The story is told in her voice and point of view which is cute and funny and sometimes sad. Sadie has suffered some loss in her life, for sure. I adored how the family situation come together nicely, even the episode with Sadie's evil stepsister.

I finished this book with a smile on my face and I ended up going back to read the deliciously sweet ending a few times since. Things almost go south for Sadie, but her friends really come through for her.

I loved everything about this -- from the story of a young artist finding her true creative calling to the romance that develops way before the start of the book. The romance here is just a lovely, slow build, that had me loving Sadie and hoping that everything would work out for her.

Overall, this is a terrific feelgood story that had me smiling and re-reading right away. I devoured this is a couple of days because I really needed to know how it all ended up for Sadie, including her art and her family. I just loved this and it will definitely be on my list of favorites for 2023.

When you are a voracious reader, it sometimes feels like you have read it all. Hello Stranger gets kudos for being the most original, unique book I’ve read this year. I couldn’t put it down.

Face blindness is a disorder that I knew virtually nothing about. The book does a great job of explaining the medical phenomenon, and even though I still can’t visualize what sufferers see when they look at someone’s face, I could feel every ounce of portrait artist Sadie’s frustration, confusion, and small victories as she faces daily challenges in a faceless world. It’s so interesting the way the mind works, and I was fascinated by Sadie’s perceptions and misconceptions.

I was warmed by her budding friendship with helpful neighbor Joe, after an extremely rocky start. I also enjoyed her relationship with the dashing vet Dr. Addison. The other supporting characters are very intriguing as well. Sadie’s well-meaning—but woefully oblivious—best friend unknowingly creates even more hurdles for Sadie to clear. Sadie’s evil stepsister is a truly heinous human being who kept me on my toes wondering when she would pop up to cause more mayhem and misery. Sadie’s beloved deceased mother is basically another character with how vivid Sadie’s recollections of her are. Her strained relationship with her emotionally distant father and evil stepmom create even more depth.

As a diehard romance lover, I would categorize Hello Stranger as contemporary women’s fiction primarily, with a swoony love story added. I appreciated everything about the way this story unfolded.

While I’ve loved every Katherine Center novel I’ve read so far, this one is phenomenally good. It covers all the emotions: anticipation, anxiety, anger, fear, frustration, delight, love, laughter, and most of all, joy! Thank you!

Format - E ARC (Netgalley)

Rating- ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️

Spice- 💋

Series- N/A

Troupes- He Fell first, unlikely friends, miscommunication,

CW- Brain surgery resulting in Prosopagnosia (Face blindness) absent father, harassment from a family member.

Katharine Center certainly has a way of drawing you in and holding you in her stories! I kinda went into this one blind knowing the basics of the story but not reading that synopsis. And I am happy to report that was a smashing hit for me!

I read this one in a little over 24hours which for me is fast, because I really just could not put it down for long. Sadie is a compelling and dynamic character and while she made some not so great decisions about her own health and well being I could understand her need to keep her weakness a secret.

My gut kelt telling me that Joe wasn’t who Sadie thought he was but since the story is told from her POV you were convinced almost until the end that she was right. I love when the hero falls first and Joe defiantly did, I don’t want to give any spoilers! So I can’t say much more about him or Dr Oliver Addison! But just know that Sadie has good taste in men.

I struggled with Parker, Sadies step sister. And while we find out more about her backstory and why she is the way she is. I just could not forgive and forget the truly awful things she did to Sadie both as kids and adults. Parker was unredeemable in my eyes and I hope Karma catches up to her. I also struggled with Sadie’s Father, and his lack of care and belief in his own daughter. He was more redeemable than Parker but not by much.

I really enjoyed this book even though there was no more then kissing and some hand action. In the spice department! But that is Par for the course with Katherines’s books. I am so looking forward to the new movie being made from one of her books! And whatever else she has in store for use! Also there is a lovely authors note at the end of this one that is defiantly worth a read!

Thank you to Katherine Center St Martins Press and Netgalley for this Advanced copy all options are my own.

Adorable slow burn romance. So many likable well rounded characters. This book had unique story line that had me hooked from the beginning and I couldn’t put it down. I will definitely be reading more of her books in the future.

I enjoyed this book. I remember reading another book by Katherine Center and the heroine experienced a debilitating and devastating tragedy going against her gut feelings. In this book the female lead, Sadie has a great career opportunity for her art, but health issue occurs and Sadie must come to terms with the issue and whether or not her opportunity will become a reality to participate. Along the way, Sadie meets a very good looking guy at the grocery store who tries to help her and pay it forward since she left her wallet, but Sadie's upbringing has her not relaying on anyone for help even a good gesture as she is used to being kicked while down and abused by her dad, stepmother and hated stepsister. Dealing with her health issues, Sadie meets two guys and come to terms with life as she sees it. Love is found, lost and found again. Enjoyed reading about Joe, Oliver, Helpful and bestfriend Sue. Look forward to reading other books by this author.

So much research went into this book to make the difficulties of Sadie’s condition really come to life in this story. I learned so much about prosopagnosia from this book. However, there were parts of the story related to the condition that didn’t make any sense. The recognition of some but not all voices, how long it took for the big misunderstanding to be cleared up; all of this led to a lag in the story and really dragged it down. Even when she realized her mistake with the servers at the coffee shop, she still couldn’t make the connection? Otherwise, this was an interesting, cute story but not up to what I usually expect from Katherine Center.