💐📚 Book Spotlight: Hello Stranger by Katherine Center
Genre: Romance • Contemporary Fiction • Women’s Fiction

☕ Book Details & Rating
Format: Audiobook/Physical
Standalone
Year Published: 2023
Rating: ☕☕☕☕ (4 Coffees!)

🥤 Coffee Pairing: Caramel Iced Latte — sweet, comforting, and a little blurry around the edges (just like Sadie’s new reality).

About the Book

After an unexpected medical emergency, portrait artist Sadie Montgomery wakes up to a shocking discovery—she can no longer recognize faces. Not even her own. With her art career on the line and her world turned upside down, she must find a way to keep painting while pretending everything is fine. Between navigating new challenges, leaning on her loyal dog, Peanut, and juggling two potential love interests—one familiar, one unexpected—Sadie learns that sometimes seeing people clearly has nothing to do with sight.

My Thoughts

I loved this book. The banter in the opening chapter hooked me immediately—it’s smart, funny, and so well written. I started reading the physical copy but couldn’t find enough time to give it the attention it deserved, so I switched to the audiobook. While the narrator did a great job, I’ll admit I preferred the voices in my own head. So far, Katherine Center can do no wrong. Her research into Sadie’s condition—face blindness—is spot-on. This is actually the second book I’ve read that features it (Rock Paper Scissors by Alice Feeney is the other, for thriller fans). I love how Center weaves in unique elements—whether it’s a rare medical condition or an unexpected profession—and uses them to teach readers something new while fully immersing us in the story. She also has a real gift for dialogue—it’s witty, quick, and moves the plot without ever feeling forced.

“Isn’t it lucky when we’re drawn to people who can teach us things we need to learn?”
― Katherine Center, Hello Stanger

Sadie is instantly likable, even with her flaws. She’s determined, a little stubborn, and desperate to prove herself—traits that make total sense once you see her complicated family dynamics. Her dad and stepmother eventually show growth, but her stepsister? Still the worst. Sadie’s secrecy about her face blindness adds another layer of tension. She could’ve avoided some of the chaos by being honest, but it’s understandable—this is a huge thing to admit. She also tends to make snap judgments about people, especially Joe, which adds to her messy, human charm.

And Joe… what a sweetheart. He’s patient, kind, and clearly smitten with Sadie even when she gives him mixed signals. Their relationship unfolds slowly but naturally, full of little moments that make you root for them both.

My only real gripe? The synopsis on the back cover gives away too much. I figured out a key part of the plot before I even started reading, which took away some of the surprise. Still, the emotional journey and the way Center wrote Sadie’s growth made up for it. I loved where the story went and how it made me feel when it got there.

Final Thoughts

Katherine Center continues to prove why she’s one of my go-to authors for heartfelt, character-driven stories. Hello Stranger is equal parts funny, tender, and emotionally grounded, with a heroine you can’t help but root for. Sadie’s journey—messy, brave, and beautifully human—reminds us that seeing people clearly isn’t just about faces; it’s about heart. Even though the synopsis spoiled a few surprises, the story still delivered all the emotional beats I love from Center’s books. She’s officially become an auto-buy author for me—if she writes it, I’m reading it.