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idk_indigo's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
2.75
I think all of the characters were pretty uni-dimensional as well. Parker, for one, was literally just boring. I wanted to be like, "Girl shut up, you're in your 30's; being this obsessed with your stepsister, whom you lived with for a decade & have known for most of your entire life, is scarily obsessive." She admits to everyone on multiple occasions that she has no life besides tormenting Sadie; she shows up constantly, everywhere; she doesn't seem to have a job, & we know nothing else except that she has a pet & is an asshole. I think Parker would benefit from a hobby or a part-time job or a friend or a personality, or something, anything, just please get her out of the scene.
The father is simultaneously the most & least important side character in the entire book.
I know there is a stepmother & I know her name is Lucinda, next question please.
Don't even get me started on Sue & her sudden disappearance from, like, the most important part of Sadie's career (& frankly, life)? Obligation, schmobligation, but giiiiiiiiiiiiiirl!!! I would not have been friends with Sue after that, & we would've been straight up enemies after the surprise party full of people whose faces I couldn't see?!? I would just hope Susie has something recognizable so I can identify her as I'm throwing hands on the rooftop, I don't care who sees. Then to have the whole situation chalked up to Sue being extroverted? Tying up my hair, handing over my bag, one of us is going to regret their decisions tonight & it's not going to be me...
Even the love interest is boring; his whole personality is being helpful, which is great for Sadie because her whole personality is pretending that she never needs help...but also, sir...I do really like him tho, he seems like a hottie & I've always had a thing for vet MC's...
But the worst part of this book, by a long shot, is the miscommunication trope. I am never typically a fan of a miscommunication. It's definitely far from my favorite, but it's usually not a vibe killer for me. Stuff happens & miscommunication, while an amateur & enraging move, is normal. That's reality. But OH MY GOD! I don't think I have ever wanted to unread a scene in any book as much as I did this one.
It was obvious from the start what would be happening, but eh, whatever, romance novels are always predictable & that's what we love about them. But the whole thing just seemed so outrageously, painfully stupid that I thought, "Well, that can't possible be what actually happens, that would be too stupid, right? Right...?" The answer is no, it apparently wasn't too stupid.
The realization scene was excruciating.
I have read 2 Katherine Center books before this, & I loved both of them so so so much! They were so well-written, so fun, so wholesome! I will be honest, I do think Katherine Center can be credited as the segue into my love of romance, I really do. I am so excited to read The Bodyguard as well, it has been on my tbr for ages (I got the BOTM copy when it first came out, but please don't tell anyone I'm that far behind).
I did enjoy this book, it was fun to read & it genuinely gave me such a good laugh. I definitely think I read this at the exact right time in my life. It was fun, uplifting, it had the perfect amount of trauma without being depressing, & the perfect type of trauma that wasn't triggering.
#iloveditbutitmademeangry #fucksusiethoughlikewhatafuckedupthingtodo #whittisaredflag
Moderate: Bullying and Medical content
Minor: Panic attacks/disorders, Suicide attempt, and Death of parent
foldingthepage_kayleigh's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.75
Graphic: Infidelity, Miscarriage, Bullying, Gaslighting, Grief, Death of parent, Panic attacks/disorders, Medical content, and Injury/Injury detail
Minor: Alcohol and Sexual content
ellaticonstellation's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
5.0
Graphic: Abandonment, Alcohol, Bullying, Death of parent, Emotional abuse, Gaslighting, Medical content, Panic attacks/disorders, and Toxic relationship
emilycheslock's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.5
Moderate: Death of parent, Medical content, and Panic attacks/disorders
elaineh7's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? N/A
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
Graphic: Panic attacks/disorders
Moderate: Bullying
Minor: Suicide attempt
cdace8's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.75
Moderate: Bullying and Death of parent
Minor: Suicide attempt, Panic attacks/disorders, Infidelity, and Grief
dianaschmidty's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
1.5
Graphic: Bullying, Body shaming, Grief, Death of parent, Fatphobia, Medical trauma, Gaslighting, Forced institutionalization, Emotional abuse, Medical content, and Injury/Injury detail
Moderate: Suicide attempt, Infidelity, Animal cruelty, Body shaming, Child abuse, and Panic attacks/disorders
yvo_about_books's review against another edition
3.25
"We’re all just doing the best we can. We’re all struggling with our struggles. Nobody has the answers. And everybody, deep down, is a little bit lost."
I'm not sure what went wrong here to be honest. I tend to enjoy her work, and I fully expected to love Hello Stranger after reading the blurb. I've read books with a face blindness element before, and it's a topic that has always intrigued me. I fully expected this book to become a new favorite, but somehow I ended up having mixed thoughts instead... This probably mainly has to do with the main character Sadie; there was something about her that simply didn't work for me. She was just too immature and negative, and I was never able to warm up to her completely... In fact, I liked most of the other characters a lot more! There were also too many cliches incorporated if you ask me. The whole evil stepmother and evil stepsister was just taking things a step too far; especially Parker didn't add anything substantial to the story other than annoying the hell out of me. I also saw the big 'twist' coming from a mile away, which was a bit of a disappointment as I kept hoping I was wrong. That said, I can't deny that it was still a very readable story though... And I did fly though it despite those issues.
Graphic: Gaslighting, Car accident, Death of parent, Sexual content, Medical content, Grief, Panic attacks/disorders, Emotional abuse, Abandonment, Injury/Injury detail, Body shaming, Bullying, Medical trauma, Toxic relationship, and Fatphobia
vj_thompson's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
Graphic: Death of parent, Emotional abuse, Toxic relationship, Medical content, Bullying, and Abandonment
Moderate: Grief, Body shaming, Car accident, Panic attacks/disorders, Gaslighting, Medical trauma, and Fatphobia
Minor: Suicide attempt and Alcoholism
kelly_e's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
2.5
Author: Katherine Center
Genre: Romance
Rating: 2.75
Pub Date: July 11, 2023
I received a complimentary ALC of this book from Macmillan Audio via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own. #Gifted #Ad
T H R E E • W O R D S
Entertaining • Outlandish • Predictable
📖 S Y N O P S I S
Sadie Montgomery never saw what was coming . . . Literally! One minute she’s celebrating the biggest achievement of her life—placing as a finalist in the North American Portrait Society competition—the next she’s lying in a hospital bed diagnosed with a “probably temporary” condition known as face blindness. She can see, but every face she looks at is now a jumbled puzzle of disconnected features. Imagine trying to read a book upside down and in another language. This is Sadie’s new reality.
But, as she struggles to cope, hang on to her artistic dream, work through major family issues, and take care of her beloved dog, Peanut, she falls in love—not with one man but two. The timing couldn’t be worse.
💭 T H O U G H T S
Hello Stranger was among my most anticipated releases for 2023, yet it was also the one I was the most unsure about. Katherine Center quickly became a favourite after reading Things You Save in a Fire. But I also wasn't a fan of her 2022 release The Bodyguard, which contributed to my apprehension. Regardless, I dove it shortly after publication, and it turned out my gut feeling was right.
To me, this novel reads more like a rom-com intended for film. The evil step-sister side plot felt outlandish. She was just absolutely awful! As a non-violent person, the fact I wanted to punch her in the face throughout the entire thing, speaks to just how terrible of a person she was. There was also a scene of one character appearing to describe a sexual encounter with a plus-size woman in a derogatory manner that was absolutely unnecessary and harmful. It stopped me in my tracks and I just couldn't believe it made it through editing. It's as though the author was going for shock and the silliest things she could come up with. Throughout reading there was a lot of eye-rolling and the execution just felt silly.
It was a quick read, and the premise had so much potential (focusing on what has become Center's go-to protagonist - a young single woman navigating a tragic pivot). Both of the main characters felt genuine and likeable, but as I've mentioned it was everything else that really ruined it for me. The audio narrated by Patti Murin was fine with good pacing and dictation, but again the story just took away from my enjoyment.
I am sad to say Hello Stranger was a dud for me. It along with The Bodyguard require the reader to suspend belief with such outlandish ideas. I am disappointed that Center has moved away from her signature depth, which is what originally made me love her work. It's clear she's going for more of a fun factor and that just jive with me. With that said, I will likely still give her another shot.
📚 R E C O M M E N D • T O
• fans of the love triangle trope
🔖 F A V O U R I T E • Q U O T E S
"The more good things you look for, the more you find."
"And the idea that anything could just disappear at any moment is something you suddenly understand in a whole new way."
Graphic: Medical content, Injury/Injury detail, Medical trauma, and Bullying
Moderate: Death, Death of parent, Mental illness, Car accident, Panic attacks/disorders, Grief, Gaslighting, Fatphobia, Abandonment, and Body shaming
Minor: Suicide attempt