Hello Stranger by Katherine Center

 

Title:  Hello Stranger

Author:  Katherine Center

Narrated by:  Patty Murin

Publisher: MacMillian Audio

Length: Approximately 10 hours and 39 minutes

Source: Audiobook purchased from Amazon.com. 

What is the last book that you read that you think should be made into a movie?

I have been meaning to read a Katherine Center book for a while now, so I was very happy that Hello Stranger by Katherine Center was selected for the July book for the Page Turners Book Club at the Kewaunee Public Library.  Hello Stranger was a truly delightful book and I really enjoyed listening to it on audiobook during some long drives for work.  Sadly, I missed book club due to work, but hopefully I’ll still be able to discuss this book with them in the future.

Sadie Montgomery is a struggling artist who has just found out that she has been selected to be in a prestigious competition for portrait artists.  On her way to celebrate, she has a seizure on the street and is rescued by a stranger.  It is discovered that she needs brain surgery immediately.  Afterwards, she discovers she has a condition called Face Blindness (Prosopagnosia) from the swelling in her brain.  Will she recover from this condition to be able to finish the portrait for the competition?  How will this affect her relationships, especially as she meets two men she is very interested in?

My thoughts on this book:

·       I enjoyed Sadie’s journey.  She evaluated how she has been moving through life, while also determining what caused her mother’s death and how she was treated by her father, stepmother, and stepsister afterwards.  She figured out what were the most important items for her life and how to change her life to work towards her own happiness.

·       It was a great plot point having a portrait artist that can’t see faces.  It made me really feel for Sadie and the stress she was facing in life.

·       All of the characters were great in this novel.  I particularly loved Sadie’s best friend Sue and her parents Mr. and Mrs. Kim.

·       I did figure out quickly what the big reveal would be in this novel, but I truly enjoyed the journey to this conclusion.

·       I loved the extras at the end explaining face dysplasia and how reading romance makes us all happy.

·       Hello Stranger reminded me of some of my favorite romcom movies and I could see this as a fun movie on its own.

·       This was a great comfort read that was entertaining to read during a stressful time at work. 

·       Patty Murin was a great narrator and I enjoyed listening to this in an audiobook.

·       I am ready to read more novels by Katherine Center in the future!

·       There was romance, but it was not spicy.

Overall, Hello Stranger by Katherine Center is a delightful and sweet romcom that is a very enjoyable read.