Absolutely wonderful. Like, REALLY wonderful. I loved every single word of this entire book and cannot wait to reread it in the future. I stayed up too late and woke up early, eager to continue reading about Sadie.

I just love how well Katherine Center weaves such beautiful stories that focus on both grief and healing. 100% recommend. And the narrator is fabulous!

Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for my complimentary e-arc. All opinions here are my own.

Title: A Heartwarming Exploration of Connection: "Hello Stranger" by Katherine Center

Rating: ★★★★☆

Katherine Center's "Hello Stranger" is a delightful and heartwarming tale that explores the unexpected connections that can blossom in the most unexpected places. Center's signature blend of wit, charm, and genuine emotion shines through, making this novel a comforting and engaging read.

The story follows the journey of Cassie Hanwell, a dedicated and accomplished paramedic who finds herself far from her comfort zone when she moves to a small town in Texas. The narrative skillfully navigates themes of resilience, self-discovery, and the healing power of human connection.

Center's character development is a standout aspect of the novel. Cassie is a relatable and strong-willed protagonist, and her journey of personal growth is both authentic and compelling. The supporting cast, including the quirky residents of the small town, adds layers of humor and warmth to the narrative, creating a community that readers will want to be a part of.

The author's narrative style is accessible and engaging, with a perfect balance of humor and heart. Center tackles serious themes with a light touch, infusing the story with a sense of hope and optimism. The pacing is well-managed, allowing the relationships and conflicts to unfold organically.

The romantic elements of the novel are tenderly portrayed, avoiding clichés and presenting a genuine connection between the characters. The slow-burning romance adds depth to the story without overshadowing the broader themes of self-discovery and personal empowerment.

While the plot follows some familiar romance novel tropes, Center injects enough freshness and authenticity into the narrative to keep readers invested. The Texas setting adds a charming backdrop to the story, and the author's attention to detail in capturing the nuances of small-town life contributes to the novel's overall charm.

In summary, "Hello Stranger" is a heartwarming and uplifting read that delivers on both emotional depth and entertaining storytelling. Katherine Center's ability to create relatable characters and explore themes of connection and self-discovery make this novel a satisfying choice for readers seeking a feel-good escape.

Sadie Montgomery's life takes an unexpected turn when, after celebrating a major achievement, she finds herself diagnosed with face blindness—a condition that transforms every face she sees into a perplexing puzzle. In her journey to navigate this new reality, where every face is a disjointed collection of features, Sadie grapples with maintaining her artistic aspirations, addressing family challenges, and caring for her cherished dog, Peanut.

While facing these struggles, Sadie unexpectedly discovers herself entangled in feelings of love, lust, and a fleeting obsession, providing a temporary escape from life's complexities. Amidst the challenges, the story transcends traditional romance, exploring themes of personal growth, resilience against life's obstacles, and the art of letting go of burdens that hinder progress. This heartfelt narrative blends warmth, depth, and substance, addressing challenging issues with a gentle touch while delivering a compelling tale of falling in love and finding oneself.

Thanks to Netgalley and the publishers for sending an ALC in exchange for an honest review.

I thought the premise of the book was super promising. A portrait artist loses her ability to see? Count me in. Unfortunately, Sadie came across as a total brat. Her life sucks, and she wants to blame everyone else for it. I grew super tired of her whining, and I found it really hard to root for her success.

I found it really difficult to care for the love triangle between Sadie, Joe, and the doctor. What annoyed me most of all, is the fact that she had so many nice people in her life willing to help her do all of these things she could no longer do, and she couldn’t take five seconds to care for anyone else but herself. She never took the time to get to know and/or thank anyone else for doing things for her, and I hated it.

I normally love Katherine Center’s books, but this one wasn’t my favorite. The idea of this book hooked me, but I just couldn’t get over the amount of terrible and selfish characters present in the book.

I will say, however, that the audiobook was perfection. Patti Murin did an exceptional job and I truly enjoyed listening to her.

Katherine Center does it again! This book is so beautifully written. Don't miss this one!! You won't be disappointed!

4.25🌟 - I enjoyed it!

Katherine Center books are so fun! This was such a unique premise with the main character dealing with the condition of face blindness. It is creative, sweet, and overall a really cozy romance read. There were predictable moments, but the overall swoon and how it all came together really worked for me.

I have decided that if Katherine Center writes it, I am going to read it. I love the closed-door love stories. Hello Stranger was unlike anything I had read before because the main character, Sadie, is suffering from facial blindness after an accident. Although I did have the "twist" figured out ahead of time, I still really enjoyed this story.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for an eARC.

Hello Stranger is about Sadie, a struggling portrait artist who doesn’t want to admit she’s struggling to her father who told her she should become a doctor like him. She makes it seem like everything is going fine for her despite the fact she’s living in her art studio on the roof of an apartment building, which was only meant to be a studio, not a full time residence.

One day she finds out she has a problem with her brain – but she also just found out she’s in the top 10 for a prestigious portrait contest, she doesn’t have time for brain surgery right now. Until her father, a literal brain surgeon, tells her she needs to have the procedure done ASAP.

She has the surgery and comes out of it fine, except she, a portrait artist, can no longer see faces.

I’ve never heard of prosopagnosia (face blindness) before so it was fascinating to learn more about it in this fictional story – but the disease is a real one. Sadie is taught tricks on how to get around not being able to see someone’s face, such as being nice to everyone and reading body language and tone of voice. She’s not great at knowning peoples voices so what ensures is hilarious and heartwarming of her getting to know people each time she meets them until she realizes who they are.

Enter Joe. Joe is a guy who lives in the same building as Sadie and has been helping her out. But Sadie has a crush on Dr. Addison, her veterinarian, and has already decided they’re getting married! I loved seeing her interact with her two crushes and you’ll never guess how this story ends (you will absolutely guess it’s pretty obvious, but that’s one of the best things about romance)!

Sadie is such a great character and she doesn’t let this temporary (hopefully, according to the doctors) disability stop her from painting a portrait. She’s a genuine person and I wish I knew someone like Sadie in real life!

I can’t fail to mention her best friend Sue who often forgets Sadie can’t see faces anymore but is still there for her. She’s the definition of a ride or die.

Joe is another good guy we learn about in bits and pieces from what Sadie pieces together. I liked him a lot.

This was such a heartwarming read!

In Katherine Center's charming romantic comedy "Hello Stranger," struggling artist Sadie embarks on a journey of self-discovery and unexpected love amidst a whirlwind of challenges. With vivid characters, witty dialogue, and a heartwarming story, this delightful read will leave you captivated and inspired.

Some authors just have a knack for writing, and let me tell you, Katherine Center is one of those authors! She has an uncanny ability to deliver an absolutely stunningly powerful piece and makes it look simple! Every single one of her books that I've read, she makes it look effortless! And I feel like she really puts the work and research into the things that she writes about, making the story come alive that much more!

I had read really good reviews about Hello Stranger and boy they weren't wrong! Katherine Center has this way with words that will make you break out not just a tissue but the whole dang box, every single time. I felt like she really researched Face Blindness before writing this book and really had an understanding for it, which made her story all that more beautiful. Her characters are perfectly fitting and the type of characters that you want to root for and see succeed!

Hello Stranger was narrated by Patti Murin. I think this was a first time listen for me for her, but I was not disappointed at all so I will definitely pick up titles she narrates in the future!

Overall, this was an amazingly emotional rollercoaster ride of a story, but one you'll want to jump on time and time again!

I would like to offer a HUGE thank you to Katherine Center, Macmillian Audio, and Netgalley for providing me with a copy of Hello Stranger which allowed me to contribute this honest and unbiased review!!

This one was delightful! Sadie is a portrait artist and has is a finalist in a competition. However, she has suffered a severe seizure that sent her to the hospital where it was discovered she needs brain surgery immediately or she could die. Her mother had the same problem and did not have the surgery and did die and so she relents and undergoes surgery. Now postoperative she now has face blindness. She cannot distinguish one face from another. The man she met on the street could be the same man next to her and she would not know. How is she going to be able to paint. Also, how can she remember who is who when she cannot remember who she spoke to before. This was a fun story that took Sadie through all the stages of recovery and when she finally learned how to let someone help her she was able to live life a little easier.

🔊🎧 #AudibookReview

If ur looking for a light/warm-hearted read with quirky characters u can't help but be charmed by, look no further!

Sadie is an up & coming artist, she has her family struggles like anyone else- her mom passed & since then her father remarried, they don't have the best relationship, nor does she get along with her stepmom & stepsister - but for the most part she's happy in her little apartment, her best friend close by, working on her artwork to win a prestigious competition, the very same one her mom had entered right before she passed.

She meets a handsome stranger as she's waiting on line at the grocery store & when she realizes she'd left her purse at home he offers to pay. She scoffs & as she runs out to go grab her purse he follows close behind having purchased all her groceries. One minute she's crossing the street bantering with him, the next she blacked out & finds herself in the hospital. It turns out Sadie has a rare condition called face blindness, where generally she can see but she cant make out faces, facial features look all jumbled like a Picasso painting to her. Doctors can't tell her how long it'll last or even if it'll self correct at all, cue Sadie's freak out.

How is she supposed to paint for the competition? How is she supposed to move thru the world? And then there's her love life. When she takes her dog to the vet she can just tell without really seeing him that he's attractive. And then there's that handsome stranger, will she ever bump into him again? As she befriends annoying leather jacket guy from her building the pieces of her life start clicking into place, does it matter that she can't really see any of them?

This novel had such a unique premise & great overall positive message. I'd say the focus was more on Sadie's predicament than the romance aspect but it was sweet & still shared the story's spotlight. I didn't always get why Sadie had such issue with her stepmom, it was a bit repetitive & annoying at times but easy enough to look past. I've become a big fan Katherine Center, she is sunshine personified & her books are extensions of herself, full of light & refreshing positivity

Last year, The Bodyguard was in my best of list – not only did I enjoy the story but I adored the narration by Patti Murin – so it was a no-brainer for me to review this year’s release Hello Stranger.

Sadie Montgomery is a portrait artist, broke and desperate to get her big break. She barely squeaks by with the earnings from her Etsy shop. She lives in her studio which she’s not supposed to do as her landlord, Mr Kim, (her BFF’s father) assures her it’s not “fit for human habitation”. She refers to it as her “hovel”.

Her father is a very successful cardio-thoracic surgeon who is disappointed with Sadie’s career choice. When Sadie’s artist mother died when she was 14, he remarried very quickly thereafter. Sadie does not get along well with her stepmother, Lucinda, and positively detests her stepsister, Parker, – who is a very nasty piece of work indeed.

But things are finally looking up! Sadie is a finalist in a national portrait competition – one of 10, out of a pool of 2000 entrants. In six weeks, she has to deliver an original portrait and she has the chance to win $10,000 and finally get some success.

On the way home from buying party supplies to celebrate her making the cut, she has a seizure and is rushed to hospital. There, she is diagnosed with a venous malformation in her brain which needs to be fixed or it could be fatal. It is the same thing that killed her mother. Following surgery, Sadie is left with a condition known as “acquired prosopagnosia” – acquired face blindness. She not only cannot recognise faces (something those who are born with prosopagnosia cannot reliably do to one degree or another), but the faces themselves are a jumble of pieces, like a mixed up jigsaw puzzle or a Picasso painting. For a portrait artist, this is a disaster. The condition may or may not spontaneously resolve. It’s a lot for her to cope with.

Sadie is comforted by her beloved dog, Peanut, who is a “gentleman of certain years” and her sudden crush on Dr. Oliver Addison, the new vet at the clinic where Peanut was boarded when she was in hospital. She can’t see his face of course but she just knows he’s a looker. He’s also very kind and loves animals. Check and check.

Meanwhile, her neighbour, Joe, moves from “weasel” category into the friend zone. She thought he was a womanising creeper but as she gets to know him she realises that’s not what he is at all.

Sadie is a person who does not like to ask for help. She is always and ever “okay”. Great, even. Joe is the guy who is always willing to help. He helps anyone – even Parker, when she moves into the building largely to mess with Sadie, because she really is awful.

Over the weeks leading up to the portrait competition, Sadie has to find a way to paint a face that doesn’t look like a police sketch or a ghoul and, she has to ask for help. Both of these things are incredibly hard for her, especially because she refuses to tell most people about her face blindness. She thinks of it as a failing or a weakness and is embarrassed by it.

It’s not difficult to guess the gimmick of the story so I don’t necessarily give myself points for picking how things ended. What makes it so fun is the characters and the way the story is told.

Sadie is wonderful. She’s funny and interesting. Her flaws are realistic and understandable. She has had to learn to rely on herself since her mother died and her father essentially abandoned her (emotionally at the least) and now it is a point of pride to keep doing it. She wants to honour her mother and find some further connection to her with her painting. Just before she died, Sadie’s mother was also a finalist in this same portrait competition.

And Joe is the best. I never believed he was a creep – I figured who he was talking about in the elevator that time. He’s kind, generous, smart and good-looking. Mr Kim calls Joe “helpful” because that’s what he is. But he’s no doormat either.

The only thing I’d say is that I think the “gimmick” went on just a little too long. I began to get impatient for the big reveal. For me, it tipped over from tension to the wrong side of frustrating. But this was only very close to the end and it’s a small thing in the bigger picture (heh, see what I did there?).

Patti Murin is fantastic. I just love listening to her. She has wonderful comedic timing and perfect intonation. Katherine Center writes with humour but its often about the delivery in audio and the jokes land every time here. But it’s more than just jokes. It’s the amusing asides, the whip smart turns of phrase. Ms Center writes them and Ms Murin delivers. It’s a perfect author/narrator pairing.

Ms Murin has a great range of character voices, excellent pacing and wonderful emotion in her performance. I enjoyed listening to her so much I immediately went to Audible to find more of her work.

Kaetrin

Thank you NetGalley and St. Martin's Press for granting me access to this book in exchange for an honest review.

Katherine Center is known for her great research and way to fully immerse a reader into each of her protagonist's stories. I fell in love with Sadie from the minute I started reading. I love the quirkiness of her character and the way she is described.

Her depth of character and how much she goes through in the book is such a testament to many of the journey's and challenges we all face. She has face blindness, after finally getting recognition for her portrait artistry and then falls for two guys. It is truly and adorable romantic tale and a great story of overcoming obstacles, and taking chances.

Loved listening to this. Katherine Center truly never disappoints.

This author is such a favorite of mine. I'm so happy to say this one did not disappoint. The characters were well written, the plot was fast paced, and the writing was well done. Overall, I loved the idea of this one and how the author executed it. Good job!

HELLO STRANGER
Katherine Center
RomCom

In this book Sadie Montgomery, a finalist in a major portrait competition, suddenly goes face blind. Every face she looks at is just a jumble. How in the world is she going to come up with a portrait for the competition in time?

This book is funny and very enlightening on what it would be like to lose a major body function; one that is something we take for granted everyday. I would give this book 5 out of 5 stars.

In short, this book was phenomenal and I urge all of you romance lovers to read it soon.
This one is a keeper, a new comfort read, and one that I will definitely read again and again.

The amount of fondness I had for these main characters… 😊

The way I adored each side character… 🥰

The amount of times I teared up with both joy and sadness… 🥲

The way I let myself really feel this book and cried while listening to the audiobook in my car… 😭

The amount of times I literally laughed out loud… 😆

The way I absolutely loved this book the whole way through… 😘👌🏻 *chef’s kiss*

We all know how much I love when the title is mentioned in the book… and there it was towards the end, just waiting to be heard! 😄

I figured a couple of things out early, but still had all the excitement to read on for the grand reveal.

This was fun, and I'm not usually a fan of this type of serendipity. I often think that authors use face blindness as a cop out in their stories, but I felt like this actually added to the plot because she was a portrait artist. I really appreciated the author's note at the end of the book because it really added prospective to the story/characters and made me enjoy it everything a bit more.

In HELLO STRANGER, Katherine Center delves into themes of parental approval, self-sufficiency, and the processing of grief.

Sadie Montgomery has just had a huge break in her career, but an accident threatens her livelihood, since she develops face blindness right as she is expected to deliver a portrait for the competition. In the midst of this, Sadie feels she must not appear weak and doesn't open up to her father or friends. She wrestles with trying to gain her father's approval, and they both revisit memories of her mother's earlier death.

Are the themes and circumstances revelatory and new? No. Can we make predictions for what will transpire? Of course. But those need not be detractions. There are books we engage with for the mental break they afford, for a pause from what we find present in the world around us, be it the polarization, the uncertainty, the fear. Offer a story well told, offer a welcome diversion, and that can be enough.

I especially enjoy reading author's notes when they reveal their motivation or inspiration, and the reflection that closes this book brings valuable insights to Center's work. Center shares what drew her to romance, after she was gifted a romance book when she was forty. It was the "positively valanced" anticipations, contrary to the anxiety and dread that drive other genres. She is not content to work in shallow tropes; instead, she weighs what makes a story work and fleshes it out accordingly. 

Take this stunning insight: 

"Yes, misery is important.

"But I think joy is just as important. I think the ways we take care of each other matter just as much as the ways we let each other down. That light matters just as much as the darkness. That play matters as much as work, and kindness matters as much as cruelty, and hope matters as much as despair.

"More so, even.

"Because tragedy is a given, but joy is a choice."

I found this book pale somewhat compared to The Bodyguard, but it is still a pleasant listen.

The audiobook is narrated by Patti Murin, who does a pitch perfect job encapsulating Sadie and drawing readers into the experience.

(I received a digital ALC from the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for my honest review.)

I absolutely loved this book. This is my second book by Kathrine Center and I love her writing. The storyline, the new knowledge of face blindness, the quirky bestie, the rude neighbor, the dreamy vet, and the evil step sister/mom were all amazing!!! It keeps you captivated the entire story!!

Thank you Net Galley for the chance to read and listen to the ARC.
I can't wait to read more from Kathrine Center.!!