Hello Stranger: A Novel

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 may be blind. But what if . . . what you see isn't what you get?
It’s all starting to come together for struggling artist Sadie Montgomery. She was just named a finalist in the national portrait competition of her dreams. But when she winds up with a rare, but real, condition where human faces look like jumbled puzzle pieces . . . it is, to say the least, not good.
With only a few weeks to paint the best portrait of her entire life, Sadie will do anything to reverse her condition and get back to work, but it’s anyone’s guess when (or even if) that'll happen.
Enter her dog’s charming veterinarian (who may or may not be Sadie’s daydream fiancé), and her bowling-jacket-wearing, Vespa-riding neighbor (who she can’t seem to stay away from)—both vying for her attention and adding to the chaos.
It’s a lot, but that doesn’t mean it’s bad. Because the truth is, seeing the world differently has its upsides. And love has an undeniable way of giving us courage. And the best way of looking is always, always with the heart.
"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
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✨ Summarized by Bookclubs AI
Readers say *Hello Stranger* by Katherine Center is a charming, clean romance centered on a portrait artist with face blindness, praised for its uniqu...
Objectively, this is not a perfect book. I knew where this story was leading, I became frustrated at some points, and I rolled my eyes, quite a few times. But more importantly, I laughed out loud, a lot.
I thought the premise of this book was very unique and also informative. I really enjoyed the juxtaposition of Sadie who is a creative compared with the scientific facts of the brain condition she suffered. I love reading books where the main character is in fine arts, I can relate to being a creative. I like to hear the details of their works and all of the details that go into it. It really speaks to me and I felt like on a personal note, I could relate a lot to this story. Not only do I share a birthday with Sadie’s mom, Nora, but I have also lost a mother way too soon in life. I won’t go into the personal details of my life with my estranged father, evil stepmother, and all the other similarities, but regardless I think anyone could enjoy this story.
I had a great time listening, I liked the narrator, Patti Murin, and Patti did a great job of voicing Parker to make her even more annoying. Really though, Parker is the worst, and I’m tempted to start a “I hate Parker Montgomery” fan club. Let me know if you are interested.
After the emotional ride I went through with my last read, I needed something with a happily ever after.
Sometimes you just need a romance that you know is guaranteed to leave you smiling and feeling good. A love story with a few bumps and turns that you know will be smoothed out in the end.
Sadie is a struggling portrait artist who has finally gotten her big break via a prestigious competition, but an unexpected medical condition leaves her unable to see how she'll be able to pull it off.
Meanwhile, she's met a couple of love interests and things are going great, but with her current condition things start to get a little blurred.
Pick this one up if you're looking for a light and easy romance. The audiobook was an enjoyable listen.
Thanks to the Libro.fm Librarian ALC program, Macmillan Audio, and the author for this complimentary Audiobook Listening Copy.
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