Hello Stranger by Katherine Center: My Review
Check out my book review of Hello Stranger by Katherine Center – her new romance book release that explores when a portrait artist experiences face blindness but finds love in the process.
*Disclosure: This post may include affiliate links. As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases.
Hello Stranger
by Katherine Center
Category: Contemporary Romance
Tags: Neighbors to Lovers, Health Condition, Artist, Vet
Published July 2023
Amazon | Goodreads
Rating: ★★★★
Boyfriend Rating: 
Hello Stranger Summary:
Sadie Montogmery has had good breaks and bad breaks in her life, but as a struggling artist, all she needs is one lucky break.
Things seem to be going her way when she lands one of the coveted finalist spots in a portrait competition.
It happens to coincide with a surgery she needs to have. Minor, they say. Less than a week in the hospital they say. Nothing about you will change, they say.
Upon recovery, it begins to dawn on Sadie that she can see everything around her, but she can no longer see faces.
As she struggles to cope—and hang onto her artistic dreams—she finds solace in her fourteen-year-old dog, Peanut. When Peanut gets sick, she rushes him to the emergency vet nearby.
That’s when she meets veterinarian Dr. Addison. And she’s pleasantly surprised when he asks her on a date.
But she doesn’t want anyone to know about her face blindness. Least of all Joe, her obnoxious neighbor who always wears a bowling jacket and seems to know everyone in the building.
He’s always there at the most embarrassing but convenient times, and soon, they develop a sort of friendship. But could it be something more?
As Sadie tries to save her career, confront her haunting past, and handle falling in love with two different guys she realizes that happiness can be found in the places—and people— you least expect.
Hello Stranger: My Review
Katherine Center took a medical condition I never heard of and weaved it into such a unique love story. I love authors who teach me something new and give me a wonderful romance full of anticipation, longing and a beautiful happily-ever-after.
Prosopagnosia or face blindness is a condition that affects over 150 million people, she shared.
I honestly spent the first part of Hello Stranger just thinking about what it would be like to acquire their condition like Sadie.
It has to be so surreal but to someone who paints portraits for a living – devasting.
And yet, I loved how “looks” to a point (because she does deduce that Oliver and Joe are quite handsome) are taken out of the equation when it came to her falling for the vet and her neighbor.
I knew where the love story was headed between the “two” men she was falling for and I loved it.
I didn’t rate this 5 stars only because some things didn’t line up for me when it came to her knowing these men.
Like she recognized Parker from her scent and Oliver had a distinct scent so wouldn’t that trigger something for her the next time she was in his presence?
Granted, the last chapter answered some of my hang-ups and they didn’t keep me from enjoying the story.
I also had a hard time not asking questions like:
-Why didn’t she get a second opinion or why didn’t she learn more about the surgery?
– Why did she just let her Dad bully her into it when so much was at stake?
But alas, that’s where my mind goes with health stuff.
While Joe had an interesting back story, this book was all about Sadie for me and her strength in addressing these changes in her life.
I would have liked to have had the found family aspect with the Kims flushed out more and had Parker really get what’s coming to her because she was the WORST!
But overall, I was enamored with this unique storyline and stayed up all night to finish it.
It definitely deserved a spot on my list of most anticipated romance books of 2023 and I highly recommend it.
I can’t wait for more from Center.
*Thank you to Netgalley for the advanced reader copy. All opinions are my own.
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