Some authors are so beloved that a reader buys their books without reading the blurb. One of those is Katherine Center, the New York Times bestselling author of heartfelt and bittersweet romantic comedies. Two of her novels, The Lost Husband and Happiness for Beginners, were adapted into screenplays and became Netflix hits. The stars in The Bodyguard and Hello Stranger are classic examples of Center’s characters who refuse to allow life’s punches to keep them down.
Two summers ago, I finished The Bodyguard on the drive home from Wrightsville Beach. I giggled a lot, and my hubby shook his head and just smiled. The dialogue was too good not to share, and he laughed, too. What is not to love about a hard-headed female executive protection agent, aka bodyguard, becoming the fake girlfriend of the two-time “Sexiest Man Alive” in an effort to save his life?
Reading the hardcover was not enough! I used an Audible credit to purchase the audiobook and made friendship pins for my friends while listening. You will understand after reading.
Then Hello Stranger. Imagine you are a portrait artist who has just won a coveted spot in a national competition. Sadie Montgomery wakes up in the hospital after a medical emergency to discover she has face blindness. The doctors say her condition is probably temporary but it may be permanent.
While Sadie learns to cope with this reality, her beloved pet becomes ill, she falls in love with two very different men, and she makes some startling discoveries about her family. The reader joins Sadie on her journey to learn how to see what she cannot.
Once again, Katherine Center wowed me. Her stories are always more than I expect in the best possible ways. Google face blindness. It is fascinating!
Look for these recommendations and other books at Knox County Online Library or your local independent bookstore each week.
Linda Sullivan is an avid reader and wants to make you one, too. For more recommendations or just to talk books, reach out to her at thebookwhisperertn@gmail.com. She can also be found @thebookwhisperertn on Instagram.