Thank you NetGalley for the advanced reader copy of this book. This was a my first Katherine Center book, so I didn't know what to expect, but what I found was a cute heart warming book that helped me learn about prosopagnosia or face blindness. It’s almost hard to write about without giving anything away. Katherine waves a beautiful web throughout the story with the characters and events. She really knew how to play with the strings of my heart with her uplifting, feel good, sentimental story and the sweetest characters.

Absolutely loved this Katherine Center masterpiece! Such a unique concept and often times health (and pet health) is a heavy topic but this was an overall funny and lighthearted read that I couldn’t put down.

Thank you NetGalley for this ARC!

Content warnings: loss of a parent, toxic family members, terminal illness, brain injury

Sadie Montgomery is a portrait artist who gets her biggest break as a finalist in a national competition. But before creating her final entry, she finds out she needs brain surgery. After the surgery, she realizes that her brain can't process the faces she sees around her. She has prosopagnosia when she needs to paint the most important face she's ever painted -- one that could define her career.

Sadie's inability to ask for help and her reluctance to explain her condition makes her life much harder than it needs to be while creating funny and painful experiences that make the novel interesting.

Recommended for all readers of contemporary romance and women's fiction.

Representation: Asian-American side characters

Thanks NetGalley for the ARC of this audiobook. I absolutely loved this book! It was amazing with so many lessons. I loved the characters and the story. I was hooked to the storyline and couldn’t put the book down.

I enjoyed the facial blurriness aspect (can't remember the technical term). It brought an interesting aspect to the romance and overall journey of the characters.

The ending was hilarious!


After not liking "The Bodyguard", I didn't hate this book.

I think Katherine Center will get 5 stars from me for every book of hers that I read. I walk away from her books with a happier perspective on life and this one was no exception.

I’m not sure I can share my thoughts on this book and convince anyone to read it. It’s a story of hard familial relationships, finding one’s self, finding joy in your circumstances, and so much more. Did you put your stuff in your bag?

If there was one author I wish I could be more like, it’s probably Katherine Center. Her positive outlooks in her books have me re-examining myself every. Single. Time. I think there’s a reason she has flowers on all her books. Flowers can bloom in imperfect settings, sharing beauty in harsh environments. Katherine’s stories are just that. Imperfect settings with spots of beauty.

Content: I didn’t notice any swearing, if there was some it was minor. One make out session, but it wasn’t pushing any comfort limits for me. I think this book is appropriate for teenagers and older.

Thank you netgalley for the ALC! All thoughts completely my own

Upon receiving the approval to read Hello Stranger by Katherine Center, I was filled with excitement and elation. As a fan of The Bodyguard, I had high expectations for this novel and was not let down.

The protagonist, Sadie, is a skilled portrait artist who faces a significant setback when her mother's past comes back to haunt her. This leads to a condition that hinders her ability to detail a face, which proves to be a significant challenge in her career. As a nurse myself, I have encountered patients with similar conditions, and I found the author's depiction of the emotions of someone struggling with this to be both poignant and accurate.

One of the most enjoyable aspects of Katherine Center's writing is the quirks and idiosyncrasies she imbues in her characters. These qualities make them more relatable to readers, and this holds true for Sadie as well. The narration by Patti Murin was also commendable, with her portrayal of Sadie perfectly matching the character's energy. However, I did find that the speed of the narration needed to be slowed down to 1.5x to fully appreciate it.

Overall, Katherine Center has once again proven to be an author whose work I will always look forward to. Hello Stranger is an excellent addition to her body of work, and I highly recommend it to readers who enjoy well-crafted character studies and emotionally resonant storytelling.

Dang! There are so many levels to this book! I loved all of the talk about accepting things and adapting to your current situation versus trying to hang on to how things were. I especially loved Sadie navigating her love interest(s) and figuring out what (& who) brought her joy!

The only other book I'd read of Katherine Center's was The Bodyguard, and that one fell flat for me. But the premise of Hello Stranger was too tempting to resist! I'm so glad I gave her another shot, I loved this book.

As a psychology major, I was fascinated by the information about face blindness. It posed such an interesting question: What would you do if you suddenly couldn't decipher faces? Especially if that's what you do for a living.

Yes, the love story was obvious (I won't use the word "predictable," as per Center's perfectly supported argument in her Author's Note 😉 I absolutely LOVED her Author's Note, by the way. I had never thought about how romance books use hope or positive outcome as the anticipation instead of tragedy–like thriller/mystery novels). But it was also fun and satisfying.

I felt the characters and their backstories were more sussed out than in The Bodyguard. I was glad the antagonists eventually received more substance than just "they're evil because they're evil."

Also, I have to mention Patti Murin's narration was stellar! I almost think I preferred the audiobook over reading it because her comic timing was excellent and made me laugh out loud more than once.

Thank you NetGalley for ARC ❤️

Awesome story! Amazing narration and main characters! Story had a good flow and was easy to follow. Shout out to Netgalley and publishing for allowing me to listen and review this book!

4 STARS!

This is by far my favorite Katherine Center book. It's an adorable fun romance novel with laugh out loud moments. The characters are very warm and enjoyable people, unless they are not supposed to be and you can't help by like them and anticipate their happy ending. I also learned about prosopagnosia (also known as face blindness). The main character in this story, Sophie, develops this condition and she's a portrait artist. Don't look to be blown away by fancy writing, twists, or depressing events in this one, just enjoy Sophie for who she is, her dog, Peanut, friends and family. It reminds me a lot of Christina Lauren books, a similar vibe to 'The Unhoneymooners' and 'Josh and Hazel's Guide to Not Dating.' Jul 2023 Pub date

Had to take a star away for cheesiness and predictability.
Overall, this was a cute book. Lots of miscommunication tropes, which drive me nuts, when some simple spilled details with the people in Sadie’s life would have been so helpful.
There was a lot going on, between the passing of her mother, the introduction of an “evil stepmother,” feeling neglected by her busy father, attacks from her horrible stepsister, her failed long term relationship, and her dreams of artistic success… but it all worked well together and the novel flowed very nicely. The audio narration was also excellently done.
This is the 3rd book I’ve read recently with face-blindness as a storyline, which is so interesting.
And the romantic aspect (and the mystery along with it) was predictable yet adorably done.
Definitely recommend this clean, sweet romcom.

I absolutely loved this narrator! She brought the characters so much life.

Ahh I adored this. I went back and forth between audio and reading and couldn’t get enough.⁣
I think I’m a little biased because I love medical romances. They are always a little extra special to me. ⁣
⁣
Sadie is a struggling artist who finally gets a break only to end up in the hospital needing surgery and waking up with Face Blindness. ⁣
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When she finally goes to pick up her dog Peanut from the vet, she immediately falls for the gait and swag of Dr. Oliver Addison.⁣
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But then she also runs into Joe in her apartment building who is so kind and always helpful. She slowly with time falls for him, after he saves her several times. ⁣
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Not being able to see faces is teaching Sadie how to find other qualities and emotions in people and it’s truly a wild journey for her but also very thought provoking. ⁣
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This was so sweet and such a warm hug. I absolutely adored it and couldn’t wait to see what happened at the end and then was so happy with the ending.⁣
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️✨

Sadie is a struggling artist in need for a big break. But after a minor brain surgery, she wakes up and is no longer able to see peoples faces. When her dog, Peanut, gets sick, she meets a veterinarian , and she is pleased when he asks her out. But she doesn't want him to know about her face blindness. Least of all her annoying neighbor, Joe... even if they are fast developing a friendship that could maybe turn into something more?
Katherine Center is one of my autobuy authors and this was really cute! A sweet friends to lovers closed door romance. It was very predictable (I know, romance usually are, but I saw the twist coming just by reading the blurb) and the explanations about the disease were somewhat redundant at times. Also, I don't understand her motivations of not wanting anyone to know about it. And once again, misunderstanding/overreaction is the cause of the 3rd act break-up... I hated it. All in all, it was good, but not her best. I read the ebook and listened to the audio book. The narration was great.
I received an advance review copy for free and I am leaving this review voluntarily.

Hello Stranger by Katherine Center
Rating: 4.5 stars
Narrator: Patti Murin
Pub Date: 7/11

Sadie Montgomery has just gotten her big break. She has been asked to paint a portrait and submit it to the North American Portrait Society’s competition in six weeks with a grand prize of $10,000. Right after she gets the good news, she has a non-convulsive seizure, which reveals a bigger issue in her brain that she needs surgery for. The surgery goes well, but it leaves her with a condition commonly known as face blindness, which may or may not be temporary. As a professional portrait artist, it’s essential to be able to see faces, and now that Sadie no longer can, she has to relearn how to see the world and the people in it.

On top of all this, she has family drama to deal with, and she’s involved in a love triangle between her dashing veterinarian and her obsessively helpful neighbor, neither of whose face she has ever seen.

While this all looks pretty messy, Center manages to keep it from getting into “this could never happen” territory. There were a few moments that had me raising an eyebrow, but ultimately, it all came together, and I found myself rooting for Sadie the whole time 🥰.

This is only my second Katherine Center book, and I enjoy her brand of wit and humor, the way she builds relationships, and the emotional depth of her characters. Her FMCs seem so relatable; it’s like I know them personally, regardless of their situation or occupation. Sadie is no different, and with her quirky personality, her drive to be the best in her profession, and the way she handles the cards she’s dealt, she’s a character I won’t soon forget 💕.

I feel like I need to mention that this book contains the mother of all miscommunication 😂. It is the most complicated (yet understandable considering the circumstances) case of miscommunication I have ever read, and I really had to suspend some disbelief while reading. That’s all I’ll say so I don’t spoil anything, but IYKYK.

Patti Murin did a fantastic job narrating this book, and I feel like she brought all the characters to life! I’m definitely going to search out other audiobooks that she’s narrated in the future.

Minor issues aside, this was wildly entertaining, and I really enjoyed it! It's a must-read if you’re looking for a fun escape.

Read if you like:
*A well-done love triangle
*Unique plot
*Single POV
*Swoony romance
*Family drama
*Laugh-out-loud hilarity


Thanks to Macmillan Audio for the ALC and to St. Martin’s Press for my ARC. Hello Stranger comes out on 7/11.

Thank you to NetGalley and St. Martin's Press for a copy of the audiobook in exchange for an honest review.
I was typing out "predictable" when the authors note started playing, and I must say that I quite agree. This book is perfectly predictable or 'hopeful' in the best of ways.

I adore the way Katherine Center writes her characters and flips common tropes. Very much enjoyed this one as it does everything its supposed to do!

Wow. There are really no words for how much I loved this story. I absolutely adore Katherine Center’s books and was overjoyed to receive an early copy. This book is so sweetly romantic and hilarious. It’s heartbreaking and yet patches up that heartbreak. The story is so intriguing and inspiring that it makes me want to try to make changes in my own life. I laughed out loud so much while reading this that my cat kept glaring at me that I was disturbing his sleep. But seriously all of Katherine’s books are amazing and just keep getting better and better. I’m always a little sad when I finish one because now there’s no new book of hers to read. But Katherine you are definitely a one-click author for me and I cannot wait to read what you write next!!

Another wonderfully written book that will have your emotions all over the place. You can’t help to want good things for Sadie. She is a smart, kind and desperately in need of a break. She’s a talented portrait artist who, due to circumstances is now illegally living in her art studio. That she isn’t truly homeless is a result of the kindness of her BFF’s parents who own the building. Sadie misses her beloved mother who passed away suddenly when she was 14 and since then has been emotionally abused and abandoned by her father and treated abysmally by her step monster and sociopathic step sister. On the cusp of getting the very break she needs her world again is upended with a frightful diagnosis requiring surgery only no one tells her about the potential side effects. The surgery leaves her with “face blindness”. Not optimal for a portrait artist who is about to enter a piece in once in a lifetime and the most important contest of her life. This is make or break for her and she is….broken. Every single person she meets is a virtual stranger and creating an actual face is impossible. She refuses to tell anyone about the result of the surgery she needed as she doesn’t want a pity party or to feel less than she already does. She fumbles through the next few weeks faking she has a clue and of course finds her way and her own strength, but wow, its a tough road for her. I was impressed by the detailed research that the author did about Sadies health issue and how she really just rolled with everything that came her way no matter how terrible. If not for her beloved pup Peanut, the only living thing that showed her unconditional love shed have been truly lost. She was never petty or vindictive, which is the only thing I found slightly unrealistic, or maybe I wanted her to fight back a little bit against those who were supposed to care for her so much and yet treated her so deeply abysmally. As always a wonderful read or listen that has me already awaiting whatever comes next.

Thank you NetGalley for the advanced audiobook copy. I really enjoy Katherine Center’s writing. The narration for this audiobook was excellent.

The main character's struggles to go through their regular day-to-day after a surgery that brought on face blindness was a concept that was super intriguing to me. Sadie is portrait artist who can't see faces and had to find other ways to paint a piece before a competition, and it really was a book of shenanigans. I enjoyed it a lot.