I absolutely LOVED this book! We follow Sadie who, after surgery, finds out she now has face blindness. She’s also a portrait artist, so having face blindness has been really challenging. While coping with everything she meets a very lovely veterinarian, Dr. Addison, when her puppy gets some complications. To make things worse? She also starts to crush on her neighbor, Joe, who is such a sweetheart.

I read this book in one day and I am just so happy to have read this. Unfortunately, I didn’t love The Bodyguard, I didn’t fall for the character's chemistry, but THIS ONE?! For some reason, I was all over it! Of course, it was predictable to me but I didn’t hate it one bit!! I already want to reread it.

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️.5 (rounded up to five)

This story follows Sadie, who is a portrait artist. She has to have brain surgery after having a seizure and finding another medical issue as the cause. After surgery, she ends up not being able to see faces clearly due to developing facial blindness as a side effect from surgery. With an important contest coming up in the next few weeks that involves her submitting a portrait of someone, how will she manage when she can't see anyone's faces correctly, let alone her own? Will she ever regain her facial recognition?

This was the 2nd story that I have read by Katherine Center, and after enjoying "The Bodyguard," I figured I would enjoy this one as well.

This story did not disappoint!
It was such a unique premise that I had to read it, if only for curiosity's sake.

This was an interesting story with many misunderstandings, miscommunications, mishaps, and mix-ups!

All of these come together perfectly to create a one-of-a-kind story dealing with grief, love, life, and self-discovery.

I also loved the characters, especially Joe and Dr. Nicole, and the little twist at the end.
I knew it was coming, but I didn't know how or when it would happen.

I'm so happy I was able to read this story and add it to my book collection.

Thank you, Katherine Center, NetGalley, and St. Martin's Press for this ARC.

I don’t think Katherine Center can write a book that is not amazing! I loved this story! The characters (except Parker), the story line, the mishaps…everything. I was internally shouting (since I was on an airplane) at Sadie when she was confused over Joe ghosting her as I thought I had figured out what was going on. The actual explanation of what really happened was sooo much fun. I especially enjoyed Sue’s honeymoon voyage through Canada and the shout outs to Canadian hot spots. The ending was perfect! Another fabulous book for me to recommend to friends & family. Thanks for the fun!

Thank you to St. Martin’s Press & NetGalley for giving me the chance to read this gem.

I enjoyed this book so much. I loved Sadie. She's such a great lead character. I loved her interactions with everyone once she is experiencing face blindness. It's a little terrifying to think about living with this condition and the author really made me feel what Sadie was going through. There were lots of laugh out loud moments. The cast of characters were fabulous. The love story was fabulous. It really illustrated the point that love is blind! I received an advance copy from NetGalley and am voluntarily leaving a review.

This was a beautiful romance+ story that packed in some beautiful life lessons along the way. Sadie’s entire way of seeing people was quite literally changed in a moment and as she learns what it really means to “see” people she’ll start to see herself and those closest to her differently as well.

This was a beautiful read that was hard to put down with great supporting characters some whom you’ll love, some you’ll love to hate.

(Closed door but some strong innuendo, and a couple of curses. Mention of a parents death features heavily)

Thank you to the author, publisher and NetGalley for providing an advance copy of this book to review.

"Love is healing. It's unapologetically optimistic. It's the thing that puts us back together."

Sadie Montgomery is a struggling artist and finally feels like she is on the cusp of making it when she places as a finalist in the prestigious North American Portrait Society contest.

However, a freak medical emergency lands her in the hospital and renders her with a condition called prosopagnosia known as face blindness. Suddenly, every face she sees is a disconnected blur of features.

She has no idea how she's going to pull this contest off and she definitely doesn't need the complication of love in the form of two men-one a dashingly handsome veterinarian that saves her dog Peanut and the other her player-like neighbor Joe who she is not sure she can truly trust.

Somehow, someway, Sadie is going to figure it all out...

I have never read a Katherine Center novel and it definitely won't be my last! I loved the cast of characters and the value they added to Sadie's whole traumatizing experience. I also loved the quirky premise and the very thoughtful discussion of love, grief, healing, and beginning yet again in this novel. It was a beautiful story with a twist or two that keeps the reader engaged.

I definitely recommend this thoughtful rom-com!

The plot of this story was so interesting and different, I loved it. I had not read a book about this topic before, it was very enjoyable to learn about it and how Sadie navigated the challenges that came with it.

I loved Sadie’s character, I could relate and empathize with what she went through when losing her mother. I was so invested to learn more about her family life and her friendships.

I could see the plot twist from the very beginning, but it did not deterred me from enjoying it. It was actually really satisfying when everything was revealed.

The love interest was and absolute sweetheart, loved the romance aspects so much. The love triangle was great and well done.

Absolutely recommend for everyone to read this one as soon as it’s released! I was lucky to receive an ebook arc and the audiobook, loved the narration. It was great and enjoyable, reading the digital copy was great as well so I would recommend both.

Thank you to NetGalley, St. Martins Press and Macmillan Audio, for providing me with a copy of this book before the release date in exchange for my honest review.

"Hello Stranger" was a charming story that took me by surprise by how fantastic it turned out to be. Nothing was as it seemed and the main character was so lovable. I was here for all of it.

I agree with one review I read: don’t think about this too hard and just go with the flow. Face blindness is literally and figuratively challenging to perceive. This story was kind of mind-blowing once all the dots are connected.

Sadie is a struggling portrait artist who wants to prove to her estranged father that she isn’t a failure by winning the North American Portrait Society competition of which she is a finalist for. Unfortunately, a near accident leads to needing emergency surgery which leads to Sadie developing acquired apperceptive prosopagnosia (aka, face blindness). Devastated, Sadie wonders how she can continue painting faces if she can’t see faces if it’s unknown if or when she’ll recover?

While desperately trying to figure out and pushing back against her new normal, Sadie falls head over heels in love with her adorable dog’s veterinarian, Dr. Oliver Addison. Even though she can’t see him she can tell he’s handsome and is totally her future husband. This was an unexpected new turn of events that really brought out Sadie’s personality that might have easily been buried under grief.

But she couldn’t have foreseen ever catching feelings for Joe, another tenant in her building who she’d initially deemed a womanizer. Yet the more she learns about Joe - kind, very helpful, Joe - as they spend time together, the more she likes him. I really like how the author built up those two relationships. This was an enjoyable love triangle and very well done.

Sadie had a lot on her plate. Face blindness, an emotionally distant father, an evil stepfamily, falling in love, and major self-doubt. It forced her to take a huge step back and reflect on her life Before and After. I liked how the book tackled confirmation bias in relation to Sadie’s struggles to adjust/find balance after her diagnosis. How confirmation bias can limit our perception and understanding of people. Throughout an entrancing uphill battle, Sadie learns to see the best in herself and in others in ways she never could before in order to finally find a way to forge forward towards the future she’s always wanted.

"Hello Stranger" was a crazy, impossible, endearing love story that hit all the right marks. I loved it!

CW: bullying, brief discussion of past attempted suicide

Thanks again St. Martin’s Press and NetGalley for the eARC to read in exchange for an honest review!

🛼🎨 Hello Stranger by Katherine Center 🎨🛼

Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️💫 4.5/5 (rounded up to 5)

Genre: Contemporary fiction with a sprinkle of romance
Tropes: Love triangle, forced proximity, opposites attract
⚠️ TWs: Death of a parent (mother) - heavily discussed, fatphobia, health issues - face blindness, toxic family relationship

📖 Read if you like 📖
🧲 Opposites attract
🥜 An adorable book dog named Peanut
🔺 Love Triangle-ish
🏠 Forced proximity
🏥 Overcoming/adapting with health issues
👍🏼 Quirky, loveable, messy MCs
👨‍👩‍👧‍👧 Family Drama
🧠 Therapy positive
😢 Working through grief

💭 Thoughts:
This book was an absolute delight! I loved this story and how unique it was. I always look forward to the “life nuggets” in Center’s writing, and this provided that plus laugh-out-loud moments. I flew threw this, and it’s the best book I’ve read in a couple months. I adored the dog in the book, Peanut, and the love triangle was so nicely done. I highly recommend it!

Thank you to NetGalley and St. Martin’s Press for this eARC in exchange for my honest review.

I loved Katherine Center's last book The Bodyguard and was very intrigued by the premise of this one. Sadie, a portrait artist, develops face blindness. Every face is new to her as they look like a mix of disconnected features. She has to rely on other means to recognize someone.

This was a quick read, more contemporary fiction than romance. I wanted to love Sadie but I had a hard time with her character. I liked her neighbors, The Kims, and Joe's character. Peanut, her geriatric dog, was a cute addition to the story. The end had a bit of a twist and as always I appreciated the author's humor. I look forward to the next novel by Katherine Center. Thank you to the publisher for my e-copy of this book.

This was my very first Katherine Center novel and I truly enjoyed it. The story was wonderful and I called the plot twist from the very beginning, but that didn’t stop me from enjoying the way the story unfolds.

Sadie is a portrait artist who after an unexpected accident, undergoes surgery and wakes up with face blindness. This new situation in her life brings about so many emotions as well as struggles and we feel Sadie’s anxiety and desperation. Sadie is strong-willed and as she powers through her new way of viewing her surroundings she falls into some unexpected relationships.

I loved the chemistry between the main characters and the way our heroine navigates these new struggles as well as feelings throughout the story. Sadie was a bit self centered in the beginning, bit she shows growth by the end of the story and I always appreciate some honest character growth.

“If I told you, that I can’t remember the last time I met someone who woke me up like you do . . . That there’s something about you that I can’t get out of my head . . . That I keep thinking about you and wondering if we might be . . . really right for each other . . . What would you say?”

This was a truly emotional read. I was teary eyed at moments and absolutely overjoyed at others. Definitely read the author’s note at the end of the story.

*A huge thanks to NetGalley and St Martin’s Press for providing me with an eARC for review. All thoughts are my own.*

Another great summer read from Katherine Center! Sadie all of a sudden suffers a hard blow that could risk her career - and stumbles through forming relationships and experimenting with art techniques. Incorporating family wounds and personal struggles, you feel for the characters.

Perceptions altered and will she recover?

Thank you to St. Martin's Press and Netgalley for the ARC.

I've never read anything about this author before but heard only great things about her books, so I was really excited to read this book as I've only heard great things about her writing! 

This book was an interesting experience. First of all, the whole concept was very unique and I enjoyed the overall story. The book starts with our FMC, Sadie, needing to get emergency brain surgery which leads to her developing face blindness. As a portrait artist, this really messes up her career path and she needs to learn how to function with it. I really enjoyed reading about this as it's not something I heard about before, and it was interesting to learn about something new, one of the things I love most about reading. This really fascinated me as I thought the whole premise was so unique and I was excited to see what this story had in store for me.

To me, the plot and characters felt very predictable and a bit over the top (Parker) so I lost interest while reading, and I felt like the overall story was a bit long. I felt like the romance was more of a secondary part of the book, but I did enjoy the author's note at the end that described romance novels as being anticipatory and I could see how this story did that, but it just didn't hit home for me unfortunately. I also didn't like Sue as the best friend.

One thing I really enjoyed was watching Sadie's character growth throughout the book, and I enjoyed reading about her struggle with grief about losing her mother unexpectedly and how it affected her relationship with her dad. I also liked how she was a bit quirky and was just unapologetically herself. Also, JOE. He was the highlight of the book for me and one of the sweetest heros ever in a book, but I would have loved to know more about him as it feels like we only brushed the surface of his character. I also liked the romance between Joe and Sadie as it felt believable despite wishing for a bit more from them. 

Thank you St. Martin's Press and NetGalley for this book in exchange for an honest review. Out July 11th!

3.25

I absolutely adore Katherine Center's books! This one did not let me down.

Sadie has just been picked as a top 10 contestant in an art portrait contest when she finds out she needs brain surgery. The procedure causes more long term problems than expected. This problem interferes with her portrait painting for the contest.

Joe can't help but be helpful. People or animals. In fact he's volunteered himself to help Sadie out with her painting. Little does he know how confusing she's about to make his life.

I of course really enjoyed this one. However there was so much missed communication it became frustrating. Which is the reason for my 4 star rating rather than 5. I know it wouldn't have been the story it was had that communication occurred but it's almost unbelievable that it didn't.

I was given a free advance copy of this book from @netgalley in exchange for my honest review.
This is not your typical romance story. Granted it does have a meet cute (or two), some predictable moments, a HEA, and fun likeable characters. But... The whole time the main character, Sadie, can't see anyone's face! Can you fall in love with someone without seeing their face?
Due to a complication after brain surgery, Sadie has temporary (hopefully) face blindness! Not great for a portrait artist who just qualified as a finalist in a huge national competition. Not for any new relationships she may want to start!
@katherinecenter is a great fun romance writer! I liked this one a lot! The characters were fun and I was rooting for them! I did figure out a big "twist" pretty early on, but it didn't ruin the story for me.
This one is set to be published tomorrow, so check it out!
#HelloStranger #NetGalley

I read The Bodyguard last summer and was so excited for Katherine Center’s newest novel. I loved the unique plot of facial blindness and the main characters portraiture profession. Sadie’s continued run-ins with neighbor Joe are sweet and fun, making this a great summer read. The reason this is a 3-star for me is because of Sadie’s family. At times this plot point was completely unrealistic and cringey, making the whole story fall a bit flat. Overall it was a good beach read that could have had more relatable family dynamic.
Thanks to NetGalley and St. Martin’s Press for this digital copy in exchange for an honest review.

I wanted to read this before it's pub day and honestly, it took me a while to get through it.

This is my second Katherine Center book and even though it's only my second book I've come to the conclusion that her writing is a bit dramatic and a little unrealistic to my liking. It still deserves a full 4 stars for me because I am a sucker for a support animal like Peanut.

There were a few plot holes that I wasn't expecting but they totally made sense at the end which made me enjoy the book overall.

I wasn't a fan of Parker she was my least favorite character in the whole book. She took the role of being a stepsister to a whole other level which made me mad. However, she tied the whole vibe overall in the book. I would have loved to hear the audio but I was able to read the ARC which I appreciate for getting approved.

Katherine Center is one of the comfort authors for me so I will be reading/listening to her other books. This book opened my eyes to an illness that does happen to people out there. It made me actually look into it while reading this book which was different. I would recommend this book to my fellow book lovers.

This book was nothing short of incredible. I cannot stop thinking about it and I read it months ago at this point. I’ve always loved Katherine Center’s books – and I refuse to pick a favorite because they’re ALL just THAT good, but this book left me without words.

Sadie creates portraits for a living… at least until a routine procedure leads her to being diagnosed with temporary face blindness. Suddenly everything she took for granted is infinitely more difficult and no one seems to be who she thinks they are.

While I 100% predicted the ending of this book, I was amazed throughout. I loved the significance of the title – especially after going into this book blind (no pun intended), and each step of Sadie’s journey just pulled me in deeper. I couldn’t put it down, and better yet, I didn’t want to.

I also loved the audio – the narrators did a phenomenal job and kept me engaged the entire time!

This book is so much more than a romcom – although I can promise you’ll both laugh and swoon. It’s heartbreaking, healing, and all-around enlightening, too. If you haven’t read a Katherine Center book yet, stop putting it off and get started, because I promise you you’ll want to buy her entire backlist once you get started.

Sadie wants to experience success in the art world. After years of failing to make a name for herself, she finds out she's a finalist in a portrait show taking place in weeks. When something goes wrong the night she plans to celebrate with Sue and her friends, the one thing she needs to help her win the competition is lost.

Katerine Center can do no wrong. She does a great job exploring grief and how that can influence relationships with others, not just family. I liked her relationship with Sue and her budding romances. Sadie is self-deprecating in a quirky way and in no way gives up on herself. While there is miscommunication in this novel and I typically do not like it, I understand the reason for it. I also loved Center's Author's Note at the end and it's such a great reminder that romance novels really do give us that hope we so often need. ♥️

Thank you SMP Romace/St Martin’s Press and NetGalley for the ARC!

Sadie is a portrait artist who just qualified as a finalist for the American Portrait Society competition, when she finds out she needs brain surgery that ends up giving her “face blindness.” This obviously makes portrait painting and life difficult for her.

This one was all over the map for me…there were aspects that I loved: Peanut, Joe, Mr. And Mrs. Kim, Dr. Nicole, descriptions of painting processes, and how to learn to see the good in things.

But just as equally I struggled a bit with Sadie and her constant “woe is me.” And just super despised Parker and am not sure why she needed to be in the story? It got so frustrating at times that I struggled to push through to less stressful chapters….

Overall, I enjoyed the story, but I’m not sure I’d ever reread.

3.5 stars.