"Maine Characters" was such a fun read! The story of Lucy and Vivian, two half-sisters meeting for the first time after their dad's unexpected death, really drew me in. I loved how their relationship evolved, filled with ups and downs, secrets, and moments of forgiveness. The characters felt so real, with their flaws and all, making it hard to choose sides at times. The small-town setting of Fox Hill added a cozy vibe, and the lake scenes brought back fond memories of my own family trips. It was a heartfelt journey through grief and sisterhood, with a touch of humor and charm.

I liked reading Maine Characters. Two half-sisters meet for the first time after their fathers’ unexpected passing. I loved the character growth and how the relationship between Lucy and Vivian grew as the book progressed. It dealt with revealed secrets, anger, grief, and forgiveness well. There were quite a few bad decisions made along the way, but I really liked how it all ended.

Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for the advanced copy. All opinions expressed above are my own.

Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for the advanced digital copy of this book in exchange for my honest review.

The cover of this book is stunning and immediately caught my attention. Like so many, the idea of a summer in Maine is so dreamy so I was instantly drawn to this book. When I saw that this book was compared to a grown-up Parent Trap, I was certainly intrigued. Two half-sisters show up at their dad's cabin in Maine in July only to be completely surprised by each other's arrival (and for one, the existence of a half-sister is also a surprise). Their dad has passed away and one sister wants to sell the cabin while the other needs the cabin to stay in her life. Both sisters are dealing with challenges in their life and the cabin seems to be the one asset that would help in dealing with those issues. But coming to an agreement is going to be their biggest challenge of the summer.

The setting of this book is perfection. I loved reading about this cabin on the lake. It was my favorite part of this book. Unfortunately, the characters just didn't resonate with me and there were too many love triangles to keep up with in this book. I appreciated the growth of the sisters' relationship and the story kept an appropriate pace. It was a nice light good summer read.

Was hoping for more with this, especially with the beautiful cover. Ended up not really connecting with either character and just couldn’t get into the plot.

This one was a hard 1 for me to get into. But once I got into it, I enjoyed it. We have Lucy and Vivian, who are sisters with a twist, Lucy knows about Vivian. What Vivian doesn't really know about Lucy, but they come face-to-face at their father's summer cabin after his death. Unfortunately, so they can't find out What led to them not knowing about each other, but as they get to know each other over the next month, they learn more about themselves as well. I would like to see another book with the same characters. Because I feel like their stories aren't over but it was a good read, good summer, read

The cover of this book is stunning and the marketing of it as “parent trap but for adults” made me super excited for this story, which unfortunately fell pretty flat. Rather than being a novel about two half sisters discovering each other and making up for lost time in their late father’s cabin on the lake, it was more about each sister’s romantic exploits. I felt the POV changes to be unnecessary and the pacing to be off as well, in addition to a few instances where past tense was used instead of the present tense the majority of the book was written in. I think the complex and imperfect mother daughter relationships were well done, and the setting was beautiful — though there may have been one too many mentions of loons.

Maine Characters brings together Hank’s daughters together that had never met and barely (read mostly) knew about each other. Lucy is a teacher and full time Maine resident and the complete opposite of her hardcore NYC sister. This book highlights grief and how 4 different women in Hank’s life grieve his untimely passing and how that can alter your life on a different path than what you planned.

This book shows how secrets come to life and a good reminder that everything and every family is not as perfect as they seem. I loved the character arches but had difficulty resonating with the main characters. A solid 3.5 stars from me.

Vivian and Lucy painted a picture of such a warm, heartfelt story. They were able to create a story of grief, betrayal and sisterhood, and just how messy it sometimes can be. This is a definitely a “feel good” book that you won’t be able to put down. The story was easily relatable to those who are the most important in your life and that time and life are too short.

messy family drama, long-lost sisters, complicated relationship statuses... maine characters was a ride! i love when characters are flawed and you don't seem to quite know who to root for just yet. but of course, but the end, you're hopeful for the future. if im honest, i saw myself in both vivian and lucy and i think that is what this book does well: you can take a piece of each character and find something to resonate with. they're both unsure, scared and approach grief in very different ways but its what reminds you that they are human. they both make mistakes and they don't always know the answers. they felt like tangible characters. really enjoyed this!

It took me a little to get fully into this story line, but about 1/4 of the way through I was hooked. (I tend to stray away from longer chapters, but I am glad I kept reading)

It was cozy and also complex. I could not imagine learning I had a half sibling at 30 years old, but I think the feeling that were described helped understand a little more of what that might be like. I only have brothers, so I also thought it was sweet getting to hear about gaining a sister and how Lucy and Vivian's relationship grew. The small town of Fox Hill really won me over. The time spent outside and on the lake made me so nostalgic on my childhood and time spent at the lake with my family.

The description shared that the story had undeniable heart, depth, charm, and humor AND I think it was spot on. A love letter to lake life is “the Parent Trap for adults" was also a perfect way to describe Maine Characters as well.

Thank you so much to NetGalley and Penguin Group Dutton for the advanced copy. It was a gift getting to read it!

“Maine Characters” is a charming, breezy read with a lot of heart and a strong sense of place. Hannah Orenstein does a great job capturing the beauty and quirks of coastal Maine while weaving together a story of relationships, identity, and figuring out what truly matters.

The characters are relatable and engaging, and I appreciated how Orenstein gives each one depth and personality. However, I felt like some storylines didn’t dig as deep as they could have, leaving a few emotional moments feeling a bit underdeveloped. At times, the pacing also slowed, and the resolution felt slightly rushed, which kept it from fully delivering on its potential.

That said, the book’s warmth, wit, and vivid setting make it a fun and enjoyable escape. It’s perfect for readers looking for a light yet thoughtful story about family, love, and finding yourself, even when the path isn’t clear. A solid 3.5-star read for anyone who enjoys character-driven fiction with a touch of charm and coastal nostalgia

📖 Book Review 📖 Deep breaths…family stuff is hard. Family dynamics while in the throes of grief is another level of difficulty. Add a secret love child and all bets are off for anything but a heartfelt read full of emotion. Hannah Orenstein holds nothing back in her latest novel, Maine Characters, and I am pretty sure I experienced every sentiment under the sun throughout this read. I am not going to sugar coat it, it was raw and real…and oftentimes uncomfortable…but the whole adventure was beautifully cathartic. Maine Characters delivered it all, set amidst the wildly romantic setting of Vacationland.

I really liked the concept of this book. It was posed as The Parent Trap for adults, which is accurate to an extent. Two half sisters from completely different backgrounds meet for the first time after their father's death. It was enjoyable, and I had a good time reading even though both Lucy and Vivian could be incredibly frustrating at times. But they were both flawed and trying to cope in their own ways.

This book was tagged as a Romance which was a bit misleading. While, there was a romantic subplot for both Lucy and Vivian, it was not the main focus of either of their stories.

Oh, I really liked this book! A quick read but would also be a terrific audiobook for a road trip. It has a unique storyline with a likeable cast of characters. This was my first Hannah Orenstein book but it won’t be my last!

I liked that Maine Characters had references to The Parent Trap and Gilmore Girls, and it even gave me vibes similar to the movie The Other Woman.

Parent Trap: In this book, half sisters are united at their family cabin after the death of their father. At first there is a lot of tension but eventually they find common ground. I did like the summer vibes in this book. Campfires, bbqs, lobster meals, and wine by the lake. It is a good book for the summer season.

Gilmore Girls: This book features different examples of mother daughter relationships, neither which is perfect.

I wasn’t a fan that Celeste was kind of given a villain edit when my mantra is, if he wanted to he would. I think we should have placed more fault squarely on Hank (instead of women against women drama).

A very enjoyable Hannah Orenstein centered on sisterhood. I found the characters to be a bit unlikable/unbelievable at first, but by the end of the book they won me over! I loved the setting and felt fully immersed while reading. I like how this book illustrated that family is complicated, but love is stronger.
4.25/5

4 1/2 stars!

Sommelier Vivian is shocked when her father Hank passes away, but the right thing to do, after the funeral, is to return to the lake house where they summered to fulfill his request to spread his ashes. When she arrives, intending to clean out the cabin and and prepare it for sale, she’s shocked to find Hank’s other daughter, Lucy, living there, confirming he knocked up another woman before her married her mother. It’s their first time meeting, and they clash. Vivian, raised Jewish, was aware of Lucy’s existence, and used it to keep her father distant, while Lucy, raised secular, was well aware of Vivian’s many privileges. Lucy is a local girl, an English teacher whose marriage to her high school sweetheart, Patrick, is on the rocks; Vivian is the wine expert at a swank NYC restaurant; one of the perks of her affair with the owner, Oscar, is he’s given her the summer off to grieve. Part of Lucy’s surprise stems from the fact that it’s not Vivian’s turn for the house: Lucy always spent July at the lake, and Vivian, August. Also: Lucy didn’t know her father had passed away, and it’s Vivian who delivers that blow.

The point of view switches from Vivian to Lucy, so that the eader’s sympathies lie first with one sister, then with the other. They alternately try to connect with/repel one another, but ultimately find they have more in common than not, and are able to fill in the missing pieces to create a more complete picture of their father. They forge a relationship that includes sharing space and planning a memorial service for Hank–and they invite their mothers, Dawn, a local waitress, and Celeste, a NYT best-selling romance novelist.

The expansive pace and literary writing give the feel of a leisurely beach read, though the fraught situation and emotions are intense rather than light in the way an Elin Hilderbrand novel is quickly consumed and disposed of. Orenstein is an observant writer, and the vivid details of the New England setting, the small town with just one bar, the taste of wine and a homecooked meal, and the fury with parents who disappoint you are explored slowly and deeply. The central conflict beyond resentment over the other’s existence is whether to keep or sell the house. The romantic subplots add to their character development, and their mothers have their own stories, with their daughters and with Hank. Orenstein juggles all of this expertly. A mystery resolved by a timely discovery of letters that gives voice to their deceased dad muddied the waters a bit for me–it felt like an abrupt insertion and quick fix, and the switch to a third voice felt jarring. Family dynamics are messy, unpredictable, annoying, loving, generous, and sometimes mysterious, and I didn’t need everything to be neatly wrapped up as it was.

Were this a romance, I’d tag it forced proximity and opposites attract; billed as the Parent Trap for grown-ups, the similiarity was just in getting to know a sibling, not a parental reconciliation. The premise is not unlike characters Sharon and Susan being forced to room in the same cabin when their antagonist pranking gets out of control. The novel references the Lindsay Lohan version at least twice (I’m partial to the orginal, starring Haley Mills). Pair with The Bear for another take on very different sisters living in a cabin on a the coast, The Cookbook Collector, which also has very fine culinary writing and Jewish underpinings, or Summer After Summer, which has a Hamptons spin on putting the family home up for sale.

I received a free advance reader’s review copy of #MaineCharacters via #NetGalley courtesy of #Dutton. A review will post to HLBB on 5/12/2025

This was my first book by Hannah Orenstien, and I plan to read more of her work. Her characters and in particular he depiction of the small town in Maine kept me engaged throughout the book.

The books starts with two sisters raised apart meeting at the lake house when their father passes away. It's a story filled with drama, secrets and of course grief, of many kinds. The sisterly bond and how to work through grief to forgiveness is the main theme.

Her character development was on point and the relationship between the sisters kept me going, wanting to learn more about the sisters.

I have a feeling his is going to be an instant hit!

I really enjoyed this book — it hooked me quickly and the plot setup felt fresh. The development of Lucy and Vivian’s relationship was well written, and I loved Caleb and his friendship with both sisters. I’ll be looking forward to future books by this author.

Maine Characters by Hannah Orenstein was a great, cozy end of summer read. The book focuses on the familial relationships between half-sisters but with a small touch of rom-coms. If you’re spending a summer weekend on a lake, this is a great, easy read.