Hello Stranger
A Novel
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4.2 • 193 Ratings
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- $14.99
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- $14.99
Publisher Description
The glorious novel from the beloved author whose bright, hopelessly romantic New York Times bestsellers have been called “My perfect 10 of a book” (Emily Henry) and cheered for their “speedy pacing and sexual tension for miles” (People).
Love isn’t blind, it’s just a little blurry.
Choosing between two men isn't brain surgery, but for Sadie Montgomery, it's both. One moment Sadie is celebrating the biggest achievement of her life—placing as a finalist in the North American Portrait Society competition—the next, she finds herself struggling with face blindness. She can see, but every face she looks at is now a jumbled puzzle of disconnected features. And she'll need brain surgery to (hopefully) reverse it. And that's not all. She's seriously crushing on her beloved dog Peanut's handsome vet, but she can't seem to stay away from her annoyingly endearing neighbor. She thinks she knows who she likes more... but then (like their faces) that starts getting blurry too!
If only her life were a little more in focus, Sadie might be able to figure out who she wants, work through her condition, hang on to her artistic dream, and confront major family issues. But perceiving anything clearly right now seems impossible. Even though there are things we can only find when we aren’t looking. And there are people who show up when we least expect them. And there are always, always other ways of seeing.
"With its emphasis on its central character, combined with its “swoony” romance, “Hello Stranger” is a hit. Sadie is everything you could want in a protagonist — the right amount of quirky, sunshiney and stubborn, and the men she’s in love with are equally fascinating. All the side characters provide humor and comfort, and even those characters who you aren’t really supposed to like are annoyingly intriguing and captivating. Center created a brilliant cast of characters, set to a plot that’s sure to keep you reading." --Michigan Daily
APPLE BOOKS REVIEW
When the first of many twists takes place in the very first chapter of a book, you know you’re in for an extraordinary read. Katherine Center’s imaginative romance centers on struggling portrait artist Sadie Montgomery, who enters a prestigious painting competition in the hopes of finally showing her estranged family that she’s a success. The only problem? Emergency brain surgery has left Sadie with face blindness, and at this point, she can’t even recognize her best friend, let alone create the best portrait of her life. Sadie’s situation is wildly compelling—and that’s even before two magnetic crushes enter her life. We adored the fizzy fun of these dual romances and the unusual heroine caught in the middle. Hello Stranger is charming, sexy, and full of surprises.
PUBLISHERS WEEKLY
With a thoroughly modern millennial heroine at the helm, this emotional contemporary from Center (The Bodyguard) tugs on the heartstrings and grabs attention. Portrait artist Sadie Montgomery, 28, may finally get her big break when she's selected to enter a prestigious competition. Unfortunately, the contest coincides with a minor medical procedure that turns into emergency brain surgery, and the recovery process leaves her unable to make sense of human faces. Though warned by her neuropsychiatrist that her (possibly) temporary face blindness may make her interpret her other senses incorrectly, Sadie works to get her painting back on track with the support of her best friend, Sue, and her neighbor, Joe, who she can only recognize from the bowling jacket he wears all the time. She also tries dating her hunky veterinarian, Dr. Addison, hoping a relationship will help her settle back into normal. But is she seeing the whole picture? Center takes Sadie's life seriously and her struggles with adulting resonate even before her face blindness sets in. Meanwhile, a dash of humor and an endearing love story make the pages fly. Readers will be hooked.
Customer Reviews
Great read!
This author is hilarious. I loved this book. Page turner for sure. Five stars ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️🤩
A breath of fresh air!
I can’t say enough about what a joy it is to read anything by Katherine Center. She writes about imperfect people who work really hard to be better and who ultimately find love and light in their lives. There are no politics or preaching, just a great story that ends happily. This book not only was a great story but I learned a lot of things I didn’t know before. It was just a joy to read. The author waxes poetic in the notes at the end of the book about why romantic novels are so important and well loved. She says, “…tragedy is a given, but joy is a choice.” In a world where so many of us are dealing with huge problems, it is such a joy to take a breather and escape. I highly recommend doing just that with this book. You won’t be disappointed. ♥️
I love Sadie and her inspirational story!!
Why haven’t I read more books by the amazing Katherine Center? Her latest masterpiece “Hello Stranger” is funny and uplifting, as well as serious and emotional. Sadie is my new hero as she faces a complex medical condition that changed everything about her life. She desperately wished her beloved mom, Nora, was still alive to help guide her through this difficult time. The special memories Sadie has about her mom brought tears to my eyes as I realized how close they were when she was growing up. I admired Sadie’s kind heart, her zest for life and her ability to ignore the naysayers as she traveled down her own road to success! The brightest light in Sadie’s life is her dog Peanut, a spry and energetic 14 year old Maltese/Yorkie mix. I worried along with Sadie when Peanut became ill, as she bundled him up and walked as fast as she could to the emergency vet, praying he could save his life.
Sadie faced her illness with courage and humor as she bravely navigated the world of faceless strangers. Sadie needed to rely on her other senses to help her recognize her friends, acquaintances and her annoying family members. Romance was in the air for Sadie as she fell in love with Peanuts veterinarian Oliver, and also her helpful neighbor, Joe. I found Oliver to be more like a book boyfriend, too good to be true whereas Joe made Sadie laugh, kept her company when she was sad, and was always there with a tender hug. Sadie showed the world that with determination and the help of good friends and the man of her dreams, life goes on and the future is what you make it. Sadie had a decision to make though, and it was a big one. Which handsome man, vying for her attention, would win her heart?