A review by geohart
Hello Stranger by Katherine Center

lighthearted medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? No
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

2.5

I think the concept here is interesting but I spent a lot of the book waiting for Sadie to realize what was happening (

without the experience of face blindness I cannot comment on not realizing Joe and Oliver are different people based on voice alone but it seems crazy that Joe/Oliver didn’t mention information that would have gave it away (Joe asking about Peanut or apologizing for being late to their date, or even saying listen lady you broke up with me when she was harassing him at the end)

). 

The ‘villain’ is also cartoonishly evil in a way that is hard to take seriously, Sadie’s feelings towards her family in general are also a bit hard to endure at times, especially since she is often expecting/assuming the worst of people

especially with the quickly her relationships all turn around at the end, if it only takes one, albeit heated, conversation to not be enemies anymore is it really fair to call her an EVIL step mother?

Sadie perpetually views herself as the victim but other then the whole brain surgery things things often end up going her way (the girl that was bullied showing up at the end at the exact right time AND being the girl from the coffee shop was a lot)

All of these things aside I did finish it and there are cute moments if you can suspend your disbelief it’s not not worth it