First, I’d like to say thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the arc. There are a lot of positives to mention about this book. The cover is stunning! This book covers several topics in an easy to digest manner. Such as grief, new beginnings, and sisterhood. Hannah Orenstein creates a setting of picturesque Fox Hill Lake, written with such detail that you fully picture yourself in this fictional town. Character wise, at the start Lucy is very likable and I felt myself sympathizing for her situation. Vivian her long lost sister is quite the opposite, she is insufferable for the first 75% of the book. Celeste (Vivian’s mom) is not likable either. But Dawn (Lucy’s mom) is a likable character as well. As the book moves forward all characters develop and all become very likable. A few things I didn’t love about this book were the pacing, it’s extremely slow. I did really have to push myself to continue it for about the first 75%. Once you get past that chunk it picks up and I really enjoyed it. Another thing I didn’t love that went along with the overall pace of the book was the chapter length. This could be due to the fact that it’s an arc, but certain chapters were over 45 mins long on my kindle. Which is something that puts me off as a reader. The ending was fantastic, it gives you full closure and doesn’t leave you with what ifs. So major win there! Overall this is a fantastic book, especially for a summer read that is not your standard romance book. I recommend picking this up in 2025!

this was such a cute and touching novel. I was drawn by the beautiful cover and could not get over the journey

Maine Characters is a heartfelt exploration of two half-sisters discovering each other after the death of their father. Vivian, a driven New Yorker, heads to her father’s cabin in Maine to prepare it for sale after his sudden passing. There, she meets Lucy, the other daughter she’s heard little about, who had been spending summers with their father and was expecting this one to be no different. The story follows the sisters as they navigate their grief and their budding, yet strained, relationship.

While I enjoyed the premise and the setting, with the lake house adding a beautiful backdrop to the unfolding drama, I found the pacing a bit slow. The emotional depth was certainly there, as the story delves into the grief of losing a parent and the complicated feelings that arise when secrets come to light. However, the constant arguing between Lucy and Vivian throughout the book started to feel a bit repetitive. While their conflicts were understandable, I couldn’t help but wish for more resolution and less tension as the story progressed.

That said, the setting really shines, and I could see this being the perfect summer read by the lake. The writing captures the atmosphere of Maine beautifully, and the idea of these two sisters, so different yet bound by family, is compelling. While Maine Characters didn’t quite captivate me as much as I’d hoped, I think it would be a great pick for those who enjoy slow-burn family dramas with a bit of emotional heft.

If you’re looking for a thoughtful, summer-ready read about family, grief, and the complications of getting to know a sibling, this book could be right up your alley.

Thank you to NetGalley for the opportunity to receive an ARC.

A grown-up parent trap - after the unexpected death of her father, Vivian heads to his lakehouse to prepare the property for sale. There she finds Lucy, his daughter and Vivian's half sister... who she's never met. The two of them tussle over the sale of the house, and each decide to hang out for the rest of the summer before deciding what to do.

A little slow-going at first, but sets its pace around halfway through. There's romance and complications, affairs and broken marriages, family drama and lakeside lazing. Vivian is a sommelier and I loved the descriptions of wine (although I have no idea if they're correct). There's luscious descriptions of food as well - the key to my heart.

(SPOILER) I loved the ending - we get that deus ex machina of "hey there's trust funds!" Which allows for the characters to keep the house, and we get that continuation of the relationship. It's a little too easy, relies a little too heavily on this very unrealistic money-can-solve-everything trope, but dang it just feels good.

There were many things to like about Hannah Orenstein's new novel hitting shelves May 13th. For me, the two main lures were the idyllic small, lake town setting in Maine and the juxtaposition of its two main characters, half sisters Lucy and Vivian.

The plot is rather detailed as the half sisters, now 30 and 31, meet in the beginning at the lake house in Maine foll0wing their father's death. At first, the reader is lead to believe that Vivian, the city gal from NY, knows nothing about the existence of Lucy, her half sister who has always lived in small town Maine. As the story progresses though, we find out much more about not only their pasts, but also their father's past.

It is a tangled web with many supporting characters thrown in - Dawn, Lucy's mom and Hank's (father's) first love; Celeste, Vivian's mom, Hank's wife, a snobbish and successful NY author; Patrick, Lucy's soon to be ex-husband; Caleb, small town bartender and a possible love interest for Vivian; Harrison, a lawyer working with his realtor father to possibly sell the lake house and a possible love interest for Lucy; and Oscar former lover/married boss of Vivian, serving as the book's antagonist.

The book is being touted as an "adult Parent Trap," and that can certainly be seen through so many of its plot threads.

Loved the setting and the two main characters in Maine Characters, and it would be a fun summer or vacation read. Maine Characters has a little bit of everything - family drama, mystery, romance. Thank you, NetGalley and Penguin Group Dutton, for this lacustrine ARC. 3.5 stars from me

It took me a little while to fully settle into the storyline, but about a quarter of the way through, I found myself completely hooked. I typically shy away from books with longer chapters, as they can sometimes feel daunting, but I’m so glad I kept reading—this one was well worth it.

*Maine Characters* was both cozy and emotionally complex, balancing heartwarming moments with deeper themes of family, identity, and belonging. I can’t imagine the shock of discovering a half-sibling at 30 years old, but the author did a phenomenal job of capturing the mix of excitement, uncertainty, and emotional upheaval that would come with such a revelation. The way Lucy and Vivian navigated their newfound sisterhood felt raw and authentic—there were awkward moments, tender ones, and everything in between. As someone who only has brothers, I especially loved seeing their relationship evolve, from hesitant strangers to true sisters. It was touching to witness their bond strengthen as they unraveled the pieces of their shared past.

The small-town setting of Fox Hill completely charmed me. There was something so immersive about how the town was described—the sense of community, the deep-rooted connections between people, and the breathtaking lakefront scenery. The time spent outdoors, especially on the lake, stirred up so much nostalgia for my childhood summers, bringing back memories of long days on the water and the carefree joy that only comes with being surrounded by nature.

The book’s description promised undeniable heart, depth, charm, and humor, and I couldn’t agree more. Calling it *The Parent Trap* for adults and a love letter to lake life was spot on. It perfectly captures the novel’s mix of heartfelt family dynamics, personal growth, and the unique magic of summer by the water.

I enjoyed this one. I liked how the characters grew and were able to forgive others for things that were done in the past.

Thank you to NetGalley for the ARC in exchange for my honest review.

Thank you, NetGalley and PENGUIN GROUP Dutton, for this ARC!

Maine Characters has all the charm of a quintessential summer read, with a setting that feels as cozy and inviting as a small-town bookstore. Hannah Orenstein crafts characters that feel strikingly real—complex, flawed, and fully realized. The tension between Vivian and Lucy was one of the book’s strongest elements, feeling authentic rather than overdramatized. Their dynamic kept me engaged, and I appreciated how naturally their conflicts played out.

However, the pacing didn’t fully work for me. The first half of the novel felt somewhat meandering, and I found myself waiting for a clearer direction to emerge. Once the plot settled in, I was more invested, but I wish the earlier chapters had been tighter. Additionally, I would have loved an epilogue to tie up some loose ends—I turned the last page wanting just a little more closure.

Overall, Maine Characters is a solid read with great character work, but its pacing kept it from fully landing for me. If you love character-driven stories and don’t mind a slower build, this one might be worth picking up.

Thank you to NetGalley and Penguin for providing this ARC! Overall, I enjoyed the book. The pacing was decent, and the character development was strong. While it’s hard to say if I truly connected with the two main characters, I thought the author did a great job realistically depicting how two half-sisters might navigate the situation they find themselves in.

This is a great summer read! Vivian and Lucy’s story is complex and emotional. They are both deeply flawed characters, but you can’t help but root for them. I love when romance takes a subplot to the main characters’ development. Maine Characters did not disappoint!

Thank you NetGalley and Penguin for this ARC!

I LOVED this book. As a Mainer, I am kind of a snob about books set in Maine. I often find them to be a little superficial about life here, only excited to drop names of restaurants and local landmarks, but missing the mark on what life is actually like in our state. Hannah Orenstein did an amazing job of representing both rural and “city” Maine, as well as the dynamics between those from here and our vacationers. On the surface, I loved the story of the two sisters and how their worlds collided. I enjoyed their growth within themselves and together, as well as their complicated feelings around their father, mothers, and the mysterious love triangle between their parents. I loved the imagery of life on the lake (as a photographer, I was especially taken by her descriptions of the beautiful lake sunsets), and enjoyed learning about wine along the way! Deeper than the surface level story, I really appreciated the underlying theme of class differences, ego, and internal conflict. I felt the entire book flowed well and it held my interest throughout. I fully enjoyed reading this book, and I’m so grateful for this opportunity and for the introduction to Hannah’s work. I can’t wait to read more of her stories!

Thank you to Penguin and Negalley for the ARC in exchange for my honest review. I'm struggling with how many stars to give this because it was ok.

First, the marketing for the book says this is "The Parent Trap" for adults. I don't see that or it represents the most shallow interpretation of The Parent Trap story. Lucy and Vivian are half-sisters who have never met. Vivian lived with her mom and dad in NYC in privilege. Lucy grew up with a struggling single mother in a small Maine town. Lucy would spend one month every summer with her dad in his summer home in Maine. Upon his death, the sisters meet as Vivian arrives to spread her father's ashes and sell the family home and Lucy arrives to spend her summer with her dad who she doesn't know is dead. They don't get along. And them not getting along is a good portion of the book.

The sisters are left to manage the mistakes of their father amid the ups and downs of their personal lives. And, frankly, Vivian's personal life made me want to scream because she was a raging hypocrite. And Lucy also makes some questionable decisions. The middle 1/3 of the book can be summed up with "they don't like each other," because not a lot else happened. And I spent most of the book wondering, "WHY DIDN'T THIS WEALTHY MAN HAVE A WILL?" The book does explore the complexities of grief and parental relationships, but not with as much depth as I was expecting.

The beautiful cover sets the tone for this story of two half sisters grappling with the death of their father. Vivian arrives at her father’s Maine cabin to ready it for sale after his death only to find his other daughter, the one she suspected him of having but never knew for sure, enjoying “her month” of time at the lake. Drama ensues, of course, but there’s so much heart in the twists and turns. The juxtapositions of city mouse/country mouse paired with their famous romance novelist/waitress mothers isn’t the same old Hallmark tripe. Vivian and Lucy are real and flawed, just as their father was. There are many love stories contained in this, but I think the sister love story outweighs them all.

Ya know, this was really cute. I enjoyed the story and the growth of the characters! I’ve never been to Maine, but I imagine this is what it feels like.

Thank you netgalley for this early release. Unfortunately I dnf’d this one at about 20%. The characters were so shallow I couldn’t relate to their drama. Both of the women were obnoxious and whiney. I’m sorry I could not give this one a more well rounded review but I could not keep going.

The beautiful cover and comparison to The Parent Trap had me very excited to pick this one up, however I think I was a little disappointed. I loved the premise. Anything that has to do with messy family drama always entertains me. I just couldn't connect with the characters and there were a few things (like the cheating) that I typically steer clear of in books, so there were some parts I didn't enjoy.

Overall I liked this. The pacing was good and the character building was there. I wish we got a litttttle more, like my main questions have to do with paige and Oscar and overall just a little bit of missing finality to the story.

My biggest issue:
Not a fan of the frequent and in chapter POV switching, either stick to one the whole book or ONLY change when a new chapter starts

Review can also be found on goodreads.

This book made me long for warm summer days spending with family on the lake. they both make mistakes and they don't always know the answers. they felt like tangible characters. really enjoyed this!

I really wanted to enjoy Maine Characters by Hannah Orenstein, but unfortunately, it fell flat for me. The storyline had potential, but these sisters were incredibly frustrating. They came off as immature and self-centered. Instead of growing throughout the book, it felt like all the characters were underdeveloped, making it hard to care about anyone in the story. The pacing was slow, and I found myself struggling to stay engaged. Overall, the book lacked the depth and maturity I was hoping for, leaving me disappointed.

Thank you to NetGalley and Penguin Group Dutton for the advanced copy in exchange for an honest review.

Thank you to NetGalley and Penguin Dutton for the early ARC.
I really enjoyed this spin on an “adult parent trap.” The setting of Maine on a lake was so tranquil that I really enjoyed my time in their little neck of the woods. Lucy and Vivian might not be characters that I will remember forever but I did think the author realistically portrayed how two half sisters may navigate a situation like they are.
I definitely recommend this book for a poolside or beachside reach this summer! I also want one of Celeste’s book, perhaps the Naked in New York one! 😎👙☀️