Title: Hello Stranger
Author: Katherine Center
Genre: Romance
Published On: July 11, 2023
Publisher: St. Martin’s Press
Source: digital (Netgalley)
Pages: 336
Synopsis:
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.
Temporary, they say. Lots of people deal with this, they say. As she struggles to cope—and hang onto her artistic dreams—she finds solace in her fourteen-year-old dog, Peanut. Thankfully, she can still see animal faces. 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.
My thoughts
(Spoiler free)
I’m confident when I pick up a Katherine Center book, I’ll be smiling when I reach the end. And her newest novel Hello Stranger supplies in abundance!
As soon as I heard the synopsis for Hello Stranger, I was excited to pick it up. I love when an author takes a little-known but real life experience and plots a fictional story around it. In Hello Stranger, we meet Sadie, who ends up with a case of face blindness after having to undergo minor brain surgery. (When is brain surgery ever minor??) The doctors have assured her it should go away within a few months as the swelling around her surgery site goes down. However, Sadie relies on facial awareness more than most people since she’s a portrait artist and she’s just received the honor of being chosen in the top ten finalists for a portrait painting contest. The top prize is $10,000, and Sadie desperately needs that money. She desperately needs to be able to paint. And she needs the big break winning will give her in the art world.
Not to mention, maybe her father will finally validate her chosen career.
Her happiness and well-being depends on this contest!
“It takes a certain kind of courage to be brave in love. A courage you can only get better at through practice.”
Katherine Center, Hello Stranger
This is a fun story with some depth, as well. I couldn’t help but laugh as Sadie’s misfortunes land her in more and more unfortunate circumstances. But I was laughing while also feeling the unfairness of how life seemed to be piling up on top of her all at once.
I didn’t want to put this one down, reading furiously—until about the midway point when something happened that took me out of the story. And I hate when that happens. It wasn’t anything with the main characters, but a situation with a side character that frustrated me. It seemed too much like something that was put in to serve the plot, when so many other things could have occurred and felt more organic to the story. I tried to push past it, but I never seemed to get back to that initial glow.
Here’s the thing I’m discovering (and feel free to skip this paragraph where I try to psychoanalyze my reading experience): When I love an author and read a lot of their books, I get really hyper-focused. (I do the same thing with Emily Henry books). I pay attention to every detail, devouring every word, and if they don’t add up to me, or they don’t give me the it’s-so-damn-good chill bumps, I find myself a little disappointed. Which really isn’t fair to the author, but I don’t know how to…. expect less?? Center’s previous book The Bodyguard was my favorite read of 2021 (I’d read it early, as well), and it’s hard to live up to that!
I still really enjoyed this book and highly recommend it. I just have a few things I would change—and it’s quite possible I’m being overly picky.
Let’s start with what I enjoyed:
I can’t get into much about the plot because of spoilers, but it’s creative and different and refreshing.
Sadie is hard to love at times. She can come across as a bit immature and selfish, but it’s rewarding to watch her change and figure things out.
I loved the romance—even the bit of the triangle we get. If you’re not a fan of love triangles, I don’t think you’ll mind this one. The core romance is heartfelt and swoony and gave me all the feelings I look for in a love story—with one particular scene that gave me those chill bumps I anticipate.
Now what I would change:
I wish I could have gotten a little more time to get to know Sadie before her brain surgery. I couldn’t tell if the way she was acting was her usual self or a result of her new circumstances.
I can’t say I loved all the side characters, which is rare for a Center book. There are a few that seemed to change too much from the beginning to the end, and a few that seemed over the top.
I felt like the story could have benefited from a little more editing or polishing, as well. I read an advanced copy, however, so maybe there will be some changes.
While not perfect, Hello Stranger delivers a romance to remember and the joyful reading experience I’ve come to expect in a Katherine Center book. If you’re a fan of unique love stories with charming characters placed in unconventional circumstances, you should give Hello Stranger a try!
Thank you to the publisher, St. Martins Press, and Netgalley for providing me with an advance copy.
(All quotes are taken from the advance copy and are subject to change in final print.)
Rating:
Barnes and Noble | Kobo | Bookshop | Indiebound | Amazon
About the Author
A Song For A Book
Maybe it’s too on the nose, but when I thought about music for Hello Stranger, one song immediately came to mind: “I Can See Clearly Now” by Johnny Nash. So I went with it. The upbeat tempo and lyrics work well, I think!
I can see clearly now the rain is gone
I can see all obstacles in my way
Gone are the dark clouds that had me blind
It’s gonna be a bright (bright)
Bright (bright) sunshiny day
It’s gonna be a bright (bright)
Bright (bright) sunshiny day
Oh, yes I can make it now the pain is gone
All of the bad feelings have disappeared
Here is that rainbow I’ve been praying for
It’s gonna be a bright (bright)
Bright (bright) sunshiny day
look all around, there’s nothing but blue skies
Look straight ahead, there’s nothing but blue skies
I can see clearly now the rain is gone
I can see all obstacles in my way
Here is that rainbow I’ve been praying for…
Will you be adding Hello Stranger to your tbr? Let me know in the comments!
Happy Wandering!
Amazing review!
Thank you! <3
What a great review. I love Center’s books as well. I know what you mean about expectations and authors.
Thank you! <3
This was a different experience, reading this book. I couldn’t really decide what to think of it while reading it. I found her a little annoying, but when I got to the end I got it. Great review!
Yes! It was a different experience. Which isn’t necessarily bad… just different. 😃
I love her books. I should read this one early too.
You should! I’m excited to see what my fellow bloggers think.
Great review, Dedra! I totally get what you mean by loving an author’s work so much that you want everything to be as perfect as their other books and being disappointed when it’s not. Sorry to hear that this one didn’t quite live up to the previous reads!
It’s hard to find that balance, right?! That’s why sometimes I like it when I go into a book with mixed reviews. Lowers those expectations. 😃
I’ve enjoyed all but one of the books by Katherine Center that I’ve read, and I’m really looking forward to reading this one. Great review! 😀
Oooh, now I’m curious which one you didn’t like, and if I’ve read it yet. 😃 I hope you enjoy this one!
This one’s on my TBR, so glad you enjoyed it overall. I appreciate you mentioning your thoughts about the side characters.
Yeah, it could totally just be a case of bad timing for me. I’m anxious to see what others think. I hope you enjoy it!