Sadie just got word she is in the finals for an art competition. This could be her big break. She loves drawing portraits. As luck would have it she ends up in the hospital needing brain surgery. When she wakes up from surgery she can't see anyone's face. How can someone draw a portrait if they can't see the face of who they are drawing??

Another Katherine Center book I couldn't help but enjoy! I liked Sadie and was rooting for her throughout the book. I have some brain disorders, not like hers, so I felt like I could connect to her in some way. Plus I'm a dog mom myself! And I fell in love with Joe and his floppy hair. I thought the two of them were cute together. I can't wait to fall in love with the next book Katherine Center writes!

I listened to the book as I read it and I LOVED the narrator. She did such a fantastic job. You could feel the emotions in her voice. She is a narrator I will continue to listen to!

Thank you to NetGalley, Macmillan Audio and St. Martin's Press for the copies of the book!

Hello Stranger offers a lot of what I like in a book an interesting story combined with learning something. In this case I learned about prosopagnosia, otherwise known as face blindness. Learning about this condition was fascinating as I had no idea it was an actual medical condition. The main character, Sadie Montgomery develops face blindness after brain surgery to remove a malformed blood vessel. Sadie learns coping mechanisms to help in day-to-day life, but she is completely unable to do her job as a portrait artist, and of course she has just been accepted into a prestigious art contest.

While the story itself is interesting, compelling even there is something about the book that’s just a tad off for me. The wicked step-sister is a bit too over the top, the parents are a bit too clueless and Sadie is pretty negative and a kinda unlikeable in the vein of “nothing ever goes my way.”

My absolute least favorite trope is miscommunication and/or refusal to disclose pertinent detail(s) that are VERY IMPORTANT pieces of information. In this case Sadie chooses not to tell people she’s interacting with regularly - her new veterinarian, Dr. Addison, and her annoying new neighbor, Joe - that she has prosopagnosia, because she’s embarrassed by a condition she has zero control over.

Even though HS is considered a romance it’s more women’s fiction, IMO. The romance is lacking and never really develops, because the FMC and MMC don’t really spend a lot of time together. I may not have felt romantic chemistry, but I definitely felt strong friendship vibes between them.

However, whilst frustrating at times, Hello Stranger is wholly enjoyable. A perfect beach read with a satisfying conclusion - character growth, comeuppance to the baddie, a new relationship and an understanding that everything doesn’t always have to be perfect.

Thanks to NetGalley and St. Martin’s Press for providing a digital ARC for review. Hello Stranger is available on July 11th.

This is 4.5 so close to 5 but I struggled at times with the female narrator. There were some truly what felt like immature imaginings at times. But I ended up understanding her coping strategies and she grew on me over time. I loved this story and the kind of rom/com haphazard moments that happened before and after we got into the depth of the story.

I seriously adored the love interest, here and the side characters. Center’s writing is, as usual, really well paced and takes you on a wonderful, new, unique and sometimes strange journey. I underlined a lot and I think if you just let yourself enjoy this, you will find it a fun, sweet romance with a lot of heart and growth.

Thanks to #netgalley for the ARC. I read this one so quickly.

Thank you St. Martin’s Press and Netgalley for an EARC of Hello Stranger.

I am so giddy after reading this oh my gosh. I think the last quarter of this book I was giggling so hard and smiling like crazy. Katherine Center is such an amazing author. I am blown away by the books of hers I’ve read. Not only did I immediately want to pick this up after how much I loved the bodyguard, but I will definitely be buying every single book she has ever written after this book. My mind is made up, she is fantastic. Also I’m so excited to go to her book tour for this book.

Anyways back to the book, I absolutely adored this. I was not sure how much I was going to like this at first, especially with the introduction of a love triangle, but that quickly dissolved so I was happy. This book made me question so much. I could not imagine ever being in Sadie’s position of having face blindness especially since her career revolves around faces. However, she made the best of an unfortunate situation and learned a lot along the way. I loved her journey, I love her acceptance, I love her growth. This was a really fantastic book and I had so much fun with it and could hardly put it down. I really think this is a book that you should go in blind to. It makes it so much more fun. Just know it’s wonderful.

Center's newest release is a heartfelt exploration of self and a very romantic read. This book is Women's Fiction with a light element of Romance that mainly deals with the heroine dealing with a severe medical issue and reevaluating her life and career. Take care and check the CWs. Center's characters are not only complex but incredibly relatable; you’ll wind up hoping that Sadie gets everything she wants in her personal and professional life. Oh and man I very much wish all the bad things in the world to happen to a certain secondary character. As Center said in the author's note, this book's got “fantastic anticipation”!

I received this eARC thanks to NetGalley and St. Martin's Press in exchange for an honest review. Publishing dates are subject to change.

I believe I've found my favorite Katherine Center book!

Hello Stranger is about Sadie, a portrait artist, who develops prosopagnosia (face blindness) after a medical issue. It is hopefully temporary, but it comes at a terrible time, as Sadie has just six weeks to complete a portrait for a prestigious portrait contest that she's been selected for. While Sadie is recovering and learning how to paint with her new condition, she meets two interesting men -- a dreamy vet who cares for her beloved dog Peanut and a neighbor who sometimes seems like a jerk but is somehow always available to lend a hand when she needs it. Sadie learns about herself, her art, her history, and her relationships as she navigates her new reality.

Honestly, I was surprised by how much I enjoyed this book. The premise sounds more than a little far-fetched, but in the pages it didn't feel that way. It's clear that Katherine Center did her research. There were a couple of moments that I had to suspend disbelief, but oddly enough they weren't connected to Sadie's face blindness! They were just a couple of moments of coincidence that felt a little too convenient.

I think rom-com devotees will enjoy this book, and I think even people who don't often read them might enjoy it. The characters and story were engaging and the typical rom-com misunderstandings made sense in this context. It will make a great light pool-side or beach book for the summer.

5 Star Read⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Hello Stranger was the first book I have read by Katherine Center, but I will 100% be going to read her other books. I loved Sadie’s story and the struggles she faced while dealing with life altering news. It’s sweet, emotional, and fun! I strongly recommend this book for those looking for an amazing romance that is nothing like you have read before!

Being approved for an ARC of Katharine Center's latest was definitely a gift from the universe...and of course, her publisher, to someone in need of that bit of "hope' as the author describes in her afterword

Sophie Montgomery, an talented portrait artist, has a accident that reveals she has an undiagnosed cavernoma in her brain. Having brain surgery 6 weeks before the art contest that could potentially make her career may not be optimal, but the surgery left her with a condition called face blindness. Her struggles with painting a portrait and with life itself form the crux of this novel. As a person who never wants to ask for help, she doesn't want to explain her condition to anyone.

I usually figure out the twist coming. I know as a Katherine Center novel that we are working towards a happy ending, but I really liked how we got there. Learn a little about neuroscience while being totally immersed in this book.

This was a one seat read for me. I just love Katherine’s books!

Sadie Montgomery is on top of the world. She’s just placed as a finalist in a photography contest, which is huge, but that’s all come crashing down. She’s had to have a surgery that left her being diagnosed with Prosopagnosia, where you can’t distinguish anyone’s face feature. Now she’s struggling with her dream, she’s not sure what to do with her life. She meets Joe who lives in building and decides to use him as a model. But really it’s her dog Peanuts vet she really wants to marry, but having Joe at arms length can make the unimaginable happen

I loved the characters and plot. As any book of Katherine’s I have read, she always makes them real and very engaging. Sadie did come off a little immature at times, but I do some women act like that so it wasn’t too terrible.

A very lighthearted sweet story!

I can’t believe this was my first Katherine Center read! I loved it so much 😍

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
🧼

Sadie is a portrait artist, who is about to get her “big break,” when she gets into an accident that leaves her with a *hopefully* temporary condition, face blindness (causing faces to be blurry).

Joe is Sadie’s neighbour, who becomes her friend, and a pleasant distraction. She doesn’t explain her condition to him, but he helps her out nonetheless.

A lot of this book sends the message that things aren’t always as they seem. People aren’t always who we think they are, based on first impressions or external factors.

This definitely had some predictable moments, but that’s part of the fun of it. Definitely read/listen to the author’s note, she explains a lot there.

I tandem read this book - audio and ebook - and really enjoyed the narration! Patti Murin did a wonderful job at capturing Sadie, and all the side characters.

What you’ll find in Hello Stranger:
🌼 Artist heroine
🌼 Cinnamon roll hero
🌼 He falls first
🌼 Romcom
🌼 Friends to lovers
🌼 Forced proximity
🌼 Slow burn
🌼 Miscommunication
🌼 Single POV/first person

Thank you so much to NetGalley, St. Martin’s Press, and Macmillan Audio for an advanced copy to review. All opinions are my own.

Sadie is a portrait artist on the verge of her career taking off when an unexpected accident happens, and her dad forces her to get brain surgery to save her life. Unfortunately, a rare side effect happens that causes Sadie to have face blindness. (It was an interesting read to understand what individuals with face blindness go through on a daily basis.) Quickly after the surgery, Sadie develops a crush on her neighbor Joe and her veterinarian Dr. Addison. So, she is dealing with her career on the rocks, crazy crushes, and her distant and annoying family. Poor Sadie! ...well, not really because she is childish, selfish, annoying because she doesn't want to tell anyone about her face blindness. I would think most people would tell others as a courtesy, so that they could be aware if you don't recognize them.

The ending is predictable, but still a sweet ending. I'm a fan of Katherine Center's novels and always enjoy her books.

Hear me out, because I did like this book (3 Stars) but only because I got to the ending.

~the bad~
First of all, Sue is the worst best friend to ever hold that title.
HOWEVER, I'm not sure Sadie deserves a better best friend. Even taking into account her "probably temporary face blindness" she's selfish, judgmental and bratty. I can't remember how old Sadie is supposed to be, but I think it's older than the ~19 that she's coded. By the way... it was *IMMEDIATELY* obvious what Joe's elevator conversation was about, so she's also kinda dumb.
People feeding their dogs people food isn't quirky or endearing, it's just obnoxious.

~the good~
Joe is phenomenally funny and incredibly sweet.
The romance is believable and (as always with Katherine Center) very well done, even if Sadie is The Worrrrst.
Frustratingly perfect evil stepsister dynamic.
The final act - perfect combination of tension, stress, emotion, comedy & happiness (not necessarily in that order).

Through her meticulous research on face blindness, Katherine Center not only weaves a beautiful story about triumph over personal obstacles but also imparts a profound lesson on kindness, love, and the power of choosing joy.

Sadie Montgomery is a talented portrait artist, and her life takes an unexpected turn when she is diagnosed with face blindness. As a finalist in a prestigious portrait competition, she must overcome this newfound obstacle and paint a portrait with her new diagnosis. With her late mother's successful legacy in the same field, the pressure is on for Sadie to prove herself. I resonated so much with Sadie's yearning for her late mother's presence and her deep connection to her as an artist. This exploration tugs at the heartstrings, evoking both empathy and tears for Sadie's longing.

Sadie also grapples with several other challenges. These include dealing with a mean step-sister, navigating strained relationships with her father and step-mother, who lack affection, and managing her finances while caring for her aging dog.

The light romance element adds a delightful touch to the story. The scenes between Sadie and her love interest are crafted with perfection, striking a balance between giggles and sighs. You’ll definitely get all the sweetness you expect from a heartwarming romantic comedy, leaving yourself with a warm and fuzzy feeling.

Katherine Center's "Hello Stranger" is a beautifully written novel that combines a compelling story with memorable characters. With its exploration of face blindness, the book sheds light on a lesser-known condition while imparting important life lessons. This heartfelt tale of triumph, love, and optimism will undoubtedly captivate you and leave you with a renewed sense of hope.

This was such a fun romance that really pulled at my heart strings. I related to Sadie, and I loved the various plot lines that came together. This will be a great beach read!

This wasn't necessarily my favorite Katherine Center book but I definitely enjoyed. I appreciated that the story wasn't just about love, but about family, healing and forgiveness. I will continue to support and appreciate the stories Center continues to share with us.

Hello Stranger is a fun new romance from Katherine Center. Sadie Montgomery finally has her big break. She’s about to celebrate with friends when she ends up having a surprise seizure that ends up revealing a hereditary disease that causes her to have brain surgery. After surgery there’s some swelling and it causes her brain to go a bit haywire and she ends up with face blindness. Sadie’s life is a mess now and what is going to happen to her job, the contest she’s suppose to participate in, her dog, family, etc.
It was so interesting learning about face blindness and how it can affect someone’s life. The problem for me was that Sadie was just very annoying and immature with her life and emotions. I get that the book has her going through all this and having her change and grow but it felt like some things were childish. The romance was a bit predictable as well. Overall easy read but expected a bit more after I loved her last book.

This one wasn’t for me. In the first chapter, so many details are shoved in as if the author was cutting pieces or a jigsaw puzzle to fit the hole. The main character wasn’t likeable - nothing redeeming - no nuance or complexity. The story was silly. The plot was predictable. I know I’m in the minority here - glad I read it as I know it’s going to be everywhere when it publishes next week.

First thought: I truly loved this one! The banter between the characters and the instant connection I felt to them made this a page turned I couldn’t put down.

Saddie is a struggling portrait artist who has a lot to prove to herself and her family and she just got her big break. She has 6 weeks to finish her a new piece for the show but a chance encounter with fate, brain surgery and now losing her ability to see faces has been thrown her way. Not to mention an evil step sister who is out to ruin her life.

Enter the men in her life: Oliver an adorable vet who saves her dog peanut, Saddie marked him instantly as her future husband. Then Joe the guy who lives down the hall and is such a player or so she thinks. She simply can’t stand him!

This book is a single narrative that follows her journey through it all and guys you don’t want to miss it!

This book was everything in my opinion it had a slow burn romance, a bit of enemy to lovers, self discovery, conquering adversity, family drama and most importantly an awesome message.

Book officially launches 7/11/23 but run and preorder now you won’t regret it.

“𝙏𝙝𝙖𝙩’𝙨 𝙬𝙝𝙖𝙩 𝙮𝙤𝙪’𝙫𝙚 𝙗𝙚𝙚𝙣 𝙙𝙤𝙞𝙣𝙜 𝙖𝙡𝙡 𝙖𝙡𝙤𝙣𝙜. 𝙏𝙚𝙡𝙡𝙞𝙣𝙜 𝙩𝙝𝙚 𝙨𝙩𝙤𝙧𝙮 𝙤𝙛 𝙖 𝙜𝙞𝙧𝙡 𝙩𝙧𝙮𝙞𝙣𝙜 𝙡𝙞𝙠𝙚 𝙝𝙚𝙡𝙡 𝙩𝙤 𝙥𝙖𝙞𝙣𝙩 𝙚𝙭𝙖𝙘𝙩𝙡𝙮 𝙡𝙞𝙠𝙚 𝙝𝙚𝙧 𝙡𝙤𝙨𝙩 𝙢𝙤𝙩𝙝𝙚𝙧. 𝘼𝙣𝙙 𝙢𝙖𝙮𝙗𝙚 𝙣𝙤𝙬, 𝙞𝙣 𝙩𝙝𝙚 𝙨𝙩𝙤𝙧𝙮, 𝙩𝙝𝙚 𝙜𝙞𝙧𝙡 𝙝𝙖𝙨 𝙣𝙤 𝙘𝙝𝙤𝙞𝙘𝙚 𝙗𝙪𝙩 𝙩𝙤 𝙥𝙖𝙞𝙣𝙩 𝙡𝙞𝙠𝙚 𝙝𝙚𝙧𝙨𝙚𝙡𝙛.”

In Hello Stranger, the protagonist Sadie is a starving portrait artist who develops face-blindness weeks before a prestigious art contest she’s depending on for her big break. In the midst of Sadie’s struggle enter two strangers: a handsome veterinarian and her helpful floormate, and thus the plot unfolds.

In classic Katherine Center fashion, Hello Stranger isn’t simply a contemporary romance narrative. It expands on topics such as loss, family relationships, and the connection that we as humans share with the people who surround us.

Center subtly challenges a question that’s been nagging society: What do we owe each other?, by simply saying, “it’s nice to have a reason to do something nice”.

Ultimately, the book is sprinkled with humour and happiness. You leave with an enlightened perspective on prosopagnosia and also confirmation bias (something we are all guilty of). To my disappointment, I wasn’t very fond of the characters who drove the story. In particular, I didn’t feel a strong connection with Sadie, and there were times when I experienced severe second-hand embarrassment on her behalf. I did, however, see glimpses of myself in the parts of her that refused to ask for others’ help and her inherent desire to make her father proud. On the other hand, I loved Mr Kim, who was an absolute saint, and was rather amused by the refined palette of Sadie’s dog, Peanut (he was a total foodie). There’s also a surprise plot twist at the end of the story that’s equal parts funny and satisfying!

Hello Stranger wasn’t my favourite Katherine Center book, but it remains a light, enjoyable summer romance and a nice reminder about the good of humanity. (my rating: 3 stars)

Some Hello Stranger Memes I created:
https://www.instagram.com/p/CuZwXjBL7d4/?utm_source=ig_web_copy_link&igshid=MzRlODBiNWFlZA==

Thank you NetGalley for the early eARC :)

I love Katherine Center’s books. She has great characters that you can relate to. Yes there’s always a problem or issue but it’s not overly tragic. Always a good palate cleanser. Hello Stranger was no different.

Sadie is an artist who has finally gotten her big shot. She’s a finalist in a huge portrait painting contest. But life is never that simple for Sadie.

While walking home, she is almost hit by a car but luckily a Good Samaritan was able to push her out of the way. Unfortunately she did not go unscathed. After brain surgery, she is diagnosed with face blindness. She is not able to recognize anyone’s face, even her own. This is quite the obstacle since the deadline for the competition is soon approaching.

With the stress from the competition, major family issues and a geriatric dog; of course, she falls in love/lust with two very different men.

Sadie is not sure how she always gets herself into these messes but she’s got to figure it out and pray that the face blindness is only temporary and will correct before the art show for the contest.

Thanks to NetGalley for providing this copy in exchange for my honest opinion.