Preview

Prime logo Prime members: New to Audible?
Get 2 free audiobooks during trial.
Pick 1 audiobook a month from our unmatched collection.
Listen all you want to thousands of included audiobooks, Originals, and podcasts.
Access exclusive sales and deals.
Premium Plus auto-renews for $14.95/mo after 30 days. Cancel anytime.

Hello Stranger

By: Katherine Center
Narrated by: Patti Murin
Try for $0.00

$14.95/month after 30 days. Cancel anytime.

Buy for $20.24

Buy for $20.24

Pay using card ending in
By confirming your purchase, you agree to Audible's Conditions of Use and Amazon's Privacy Notice. Taxes where applicable.

Publisher's summary

The glorious new 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).

"Patti Murin offers a fun, vivacious performance of this lively romance...with steady pacing and a believable narration, this romance will charm listeners." —
AudioFile

“Patti Murin narrates the struggling yet still optimistic Sadie while respectfully acknowledging the hurt and confusion that her condition has caused. Murin’s lively performance and varied character voices make for an engaging and fun listen.”- Library Journal

This program includes an author's note and supplementary materials read by the author.

Love isn’t blind, it’s just a little blurry.


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.

Making judgment calls on anything right now is a nightmare. If only her life were a little more in focus, Sadie might be able to have it all.

A Macmillan Audio production from St. Martin’s Press.

©2022 Katherine Center (P)2022 Macmillan Audio
activate_Holiday_promo_in_buybox_DT_T2

Critic reviews

"This charming, heartfelt romantic comedy has a well-told, unique storyline, and Sadie’s prosopagnosia feels deftly explained, explored, and treated with respect. There’s chemistry between the protagonists with a slow-burn relationship, but there’s also a focus on Sadie’s mental and emotional growth, as well as her artistic frustrations and problem-solving methods. Readers who enjoy Jenny Colgan and Susan Mallery will love this engaging, well-written romance from Center (The Bodyguard)."—Library Journal

"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."—Publishers Weekly (Starred Review)

"Fortunately, the narrator believes in Sadie's potential for positivity and builds up the character from chapter one. Making it a part of the artist's somewhat infantile charm, Murin does not distance herself from Sadie's resentments and brings her quirky, self-pitying humor to high shine."—Booklist

Editorial Review

Talk about blindly falling in love
My favorite part of being an Audible Editor is having early access to my most anticipated listens. From the moment I saw the cover art for Katherine Center’s latest novel, Hello Stranger, I just knew I wouldn’t make it to release day without listening. Struggling artist Sadie Montgomery has finally gotten a lucky break—she’s landed a coveted spot in the same portrait contest that her mother was participating in before her untimely passing. But when Sadie has an accident that leads to a minor brain surgery, she wakes up with “acquired apperceptive prosopagnosia,” or face blindness. Not exactly what she needed while preparing for a portrait contest. With the help of her 14-year-old dog Peanut, his veterinarian, Dr. Addison, and her grungy neighbor, Joe, Sadie tries to put her life back together one jigsaw piece at a time, learning some really important lessons, and maybe even falling in love, along the way. Patti Murin has yet again graced us with her excellent narration, giving me another reason to adore this wonderful author/narrator pairing. —Patty R., Audible Editor