Book Review: Hello Stranger

Over the last few years, Katherine Center has become one of my favorite authors. Her books tend to straddle that line between romance and women’s fiction, which I really love. While her last book THE BODYGUARD was definitely a straight romance, her most recent release HELLO STRANGER goes back to that genre blending area.

Sadie Montgomery, a struggling portrait artist, has finally hit her big break, being selected as a top 10 finalist in a prestigious competition. Unfortunately on her way to celebrate she has a medical emergency and ends up having to have surgery leaving her with something called “facial blindness”. Basically, everyone’s faces look like puzzle pieces not put together correctly – pretty much a portrait artist’s nightmare. She can’t recognize anyone’s faces, and has to rely on the sound of their voices, which she isn’t very good at.

Left trying to cope with her new life and taking care of her elderly dog who has his own medical emergency, Sadie becomes infatuated with her dog’s new vet. She also strikes up a friendship with a neighbor that she originally didn’t like, but realized that maybe he isn’t so bad after all.

I LOVED THIS BOOK SO MUCH. It might be my favorite Katherine Center yet. Sadie doesn’t have it quite together, and then her life totally implodes, forcing her to function without her primary sense. I absolutely adored her, and most of the characters (not the evil stepsister lol). And there’s a really great twist that the whole time I kept saying “I hope this happens.” It’s excellent. Highly recommend it!

HELLO STRANGER comes out July 11th. Thanks so much to Netgalley and St. Martin’s Press for the arc.