Katherine Center's newest book, HELLO STRANGER, focuses (pun intended) on Sadie Montgomery, a struggling portrait artist who finally catches what could be her big break as a top ten finalist in an important art competition in her hometown in less than six weeks. As she leaves the grocery store with wine and dog biscuits in anticipation of celebrating her good fortune, she suffers a seizure in the middle of the street. After being saved by a Good Samaritan, an MRI at the hospital reveals a blood vessel in her brain that requires surgery. Pressured by her estranged cardiologist father and her less-than-understanding stepmother, Sadie agrees to the surgery immediately instead of putting it off knowing that it will seriously reduce the time for her portrait. Her ability to produce an award-winning submission is further complicated when she wakes up from surgery with swelling in her brain causing prosopagnosia, a rare condition that causes facial blindness.

As Sadie copes with her condition, she must figure out how to use her senses to navigate the strange and frustrating world where she looks at faces but cannot recognize anyone including her best friend or her hated step-sister. Believe it or not, Katherine Center utilizes this difficult and potentially depressing situation as the framework for a successful romantic comedy. As the story evolves, I rode the roller coaster of emotions with Sadie as she worries whether she will recognize her dog Peanut, develops a crush on Peanut's new veterinarian, struggles with her relationships with her family, and begins what could be more than a friendship with her obnoxious/man whore neighbor Joe. The author provides detailed and interesting information about the medical condition along with fabulously developed secondary characters that keep the book moving and upbeat. HELLO STRANGER is a compelling read that I finished in one sitting because I wanted answers to all my questions. Will Sadie end up with Dr. A or Joe? How will she place in the art show? Will she even submit an entry? Is her facial blindness permanent?