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. ⁣
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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.

I loved this book. I LOVED THIS BOOK!

This novel follows Sadie, a struggling portrait artist who is determined to prove to her family -- and the rest of the world -- that she is doing just fine. Sadie's passion is painting faces, she has just been accepted as a finalist into a prestigious portrait contest. The same art contest her mom had been accepted to right before a malformed blood vessel in her brain ruptured, and resulted in her death. It turns out Sadie is even more like her mom than she thought, however, as she has that same vessel anomaly.

Four weeks prior to the deadline for the contest, Sadie undergoes brain surgery, resulting in acquired prosopagnosia: Face Blindness. She has lost her ability to see faces, much less paint them. With the help of her best friend, a neighbor who may or may not be a judgmental playboy, and a brief bout of infatuation with her dog Peanut's veterinarian, Sadie rediscovers what's most important in life. And that sometimes, it's okay to not be fine,

This novel had me laughing out loud, and gripping the edge of my seat. It was funny, had a sprinkle of science, discussed mental health concerns, and was above all: beautiful. In case it wasn't clear, I loved this book with my whole heart, and can't recommend it enough.

Hello Stranger by Katherine Center is...another masterpiece by Katherine Center. I generally stay away from Romance or Rom-Com novels that are too saccharine - it just isn't' for me and I find myself eye rolling my way through. After reading this description I worried that perhaps I wouldn't connect with the character or her experiences. I WAS WRONG! From the opening lines I just loved this story and even when I had a sense of what was coming the tone and writing was so well executed that I didn't even care and just enjoyed.

Sadie Montgomery is a portrait artist taking after her own mother who she lost at a young age. She has just gotten a major break in her career and is getting ready for a night celebrating. As she's crossing the street she suddenly experiences a stroke and ends up in the emergency room. She learns that she has a rare brain disorder and has to get surgery asap. She is reluctant to move forward with it as she is on deadline but her surgeon father insists - and as she's coming out of the operating room she realizes that she can...no longer see faces. What follows is her experience navigating this major turn with the help of her friends and neighbors...and lovers?

Patti Murin was an exceptional narrator - one of the best I have heard (and I have listened to so many). She added a lot to the story and created a memorable performance.

Hello Stranger is charming, it's sweet, it's wonderful. I BREEZED through this in less than 24 hours because I was just having such a good time. Don't miss it!!!

Thank you to Netgalley and Macmillan Audio for the advanced copy - Hello Stranger will be out 7/11/23.

Hello Stranger was wonderful! It’s not my favorite of her books but still very good and the whimsical heartwarming vibe you expect from her books. Definitely would recommend!

Patti Murin is a great narrator, and the condition the heroine is dealing with made for a unique and interesting premise. It was really fascinating to learn about and made you think. But I figured out the big twist and misunderstanding in the elevator very quickly, so that made the rest of the book frustrating as I waited for Sadie to figure things out. Also, her sister was so cartoonishly, one-note villain (also an issue I had with the antagonist in The Bodyguard), and I couldn’t believe she suffered no consequences for her horrible behavior.

What a great story! Definitely kept me engaged the whole time. The narration added so much depth to the characters! Will definitely be recommending this to many people!!

I absolutely enjoyed this book and around the last 75% stayed up way too late reading it just so I could get to the end! I love the author's note at the end about the romance genre, especially the note about people calling romance predictable. I love that romance is predictable, that's why I pick up a romance instead of a mystery book. I love seeing all the pieces come together, knowing I have two characters to root for, who will get a lovely HEA after a series of funny and unfortunate events.

The romance in this was delightful, but what I really appreciated was the family dynamic. Sadie has a sour relationship with her father, step-mother, and step-sister. And although things are better with them by the end of the book, their relationships aren't magically fixed and suddenly healthy after uncovering a misunderstanding. I do wish that we could have seen more of Sadie's female friendships, especially as she goes through this difficult time.

Overall, this book gave me exactly what I wanted: a fun read filled with anticipation as I waited for that final kiss.

Thank you to Netgalley and St. Martins Press for the ARC!

4 stars

This is a charming romance that will please incoming fans of this author as well as folks who are new to her work. The concept is creative, and the payoff is absolutely worth the investment.

Sadie, the m.c., has just gotten a fantastic opportunity to have her art featured, and this is coming at the right time. Though she's relatively happy in her life, she has a nagging need to show her dad that she's made something of herself. Her living environment, which everyone hilariously refers to as her "hovel"; her moderately successful Etsy shop; and her relatively attachment-free life bring her enough joy, but she still longs to reveal a different kind of progress. Unfortunately for Sadie, all of this goes out the window when she has a major medical episode resulting in a surgery that changes her life in more ways than one!

While Sadie's medical event comes with terrible downsides, it also offers some fascinating opportunities. The main effect of her surgery is (what is hopefully temporary) face blindness, and this creates many awkward and hilarious situations, including her falling in love - or at least extreme like - with two swoony dudes. Readers catch onto what is happening WAY sooner than all of the characters do, but that doesn't diminish the fun.

I enjoyed Center's first novel but liked this one even more. Sadie is a great character; there's so much more to her than her love life. The narration for the audiobook is also well executed, and I recommend this option when and where accessible. I'm already looking forward to what this author brings forward next!

A thoroughly enjoyable read/listen. The basis for the story was so different and was a breathe of fresh air. The way the brain processes things is fascinating. Patti Murin was a great choice for narrator. Her voice is lovely and fits how I pictured Sadie so well.

Hello, beach read!

It's easy to see why BookPage calls Katherine Center “the reigning queen of comfort reads.”

She writes about falling in love and confronting adversity like no other author.

In "Hello Stranger", Katherine Center's female protagonist is a portrait artist who wakes up from surgery with Acquired Apperceptive Prosopagnosia, AKA Face Blindness.

A portrait artist who can't see faces?

Even though "love is blind", Acquired Apperceptive Prosopagnosia makes dating (and falling in love!) very challenging, too.

Although I felt that the first half of this book was too cheesy for my vegan palate, the book picked up and, overall, Katherine Center delivered.

I especially enjoyed the book's final twist and the author's compelling note that provided additional facts about Acquired Apperceptive Prosopagnosia.

In the Author's Note, Katherine Center also gave additional insight as to why she enjoys writing love stories that make readers laugh, swoon, and give new perspectives on love, as an unapologetically optimistic form of hope.

I listened to the audiobook read by Patti Murin, who did an outstanding job with the narration.

Special thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for providing me with an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Thank you NetGalley and St. Martin’s Press for providing me with a copy of Hello Stranger for review. I was so excited as “The Body Guard” was hands down my favorite book of 2022!

When artist Sadie Montgomery has urgent brain surgery she comes out with facial blindness. At the same time she has one of her largest work projects in the midst and is juggling her feelings for two men!

I adore Katherine Center’s writing style and “Hello Stranger” did not disappoint! I devoured this book and I’m left wanting more! I can not wait to see what she writes next.

Thank you NetGalley and Macmillan audio for the free ALC in exchange for my honest review. This is my 2nd Katherine Centre and is mt my new favorite. Its my first book with face blindness and loved the twists that were revealed. It felt. Smidge longer then it needed to be i thought it was done but there was another 2 hours and 45 minutes. Grwat narration super clean what you expect with a Macmillan audiobook.

3.5/5