I just finished a new book.Maine Characters by Hannah Orenstein was a fun read. I think others will too.

I know we’re not supposed to judge a book by its cover, but this cover is what drew me in! Vivian & Lucy (30s) are half-sisters who never met until immediately after their dad died. Vivian grew up with a cold and distant relationship with her parents, while Lucy got the summer vacation fun version of her dad. As a result, they are experiencing their grief very differently and don’t know how to navigate their new sister relationship, and everything that comes with that, such as deciding what to do about their dad’s cabin. At the same time, both Vivian and Lucy are undergoing relationship struggles that mirror some of what they grew up with, though the sister relationship, father/daughter, and mother/daughter relationships are more of a focus over the romance storylines.

The book was a little slow to start and the characters were hard to root for at first. Eventually, we get to the heart of the story where the family secrets come to the surface. What follows is their journey of complex grief, figuring out if/who they can trust, tension, regret, yearning, exploring sisterhood, guilt, grudges, and forgiveness. This book definitely portrays how messy family dynamics and grief can get. But the character growth was satisfying and the ending tied things together well. I would love to visit this fictional little town.

3.5⭐️ rounded up.

Thanks to the publisher (Penguin Group Dutton) & NetGalley for this e-ARC in exchange for an honest review!
Pub date: 5/13/25

Isn’t the cover and blurb just gorgeous? This story revolves around Vivian and Lucy, half-sisters grieving their father’s sudden death from a heart attack. They also come to terms with the fact that they never had a relationship with him until now. We don’t fully understand why Hank kept his families separate while attempting to maintain connections with both of his daughters. It feels unnecessary and, frankly, quite sad. Without giving away spoilers, I can say that the book offers a sort-of happy-ish ending. Some endings are heart-wrenching, while others are the big, triumphant moments like a first kiss, a proposal, a championship win, or a legal victory. This ending falls somewhere in between, which may leave some readers feeling unsatisfied.

I struggled to connect with the characters. While they were in difficult situations, they often handled them poorly. The past couldn’t be undone, and the multiple love triangles just felt overwhelming. There are four love triangles in this book:

Vivian/Lucy/their father Hank
Hank/Celeste (Vivian’s mom)/Dawn (Lucy’s mom)
Vivian/Oscar (NYC married boyfriend)/Caleb (small-town bartender)
Lucy/Patrick (soon-to-be ex-husband)/Harrison (new love interest)
That's a lot of relationships to juggle. It’s an ambitious amount of characterization, but it’s tough to get to know everyone deeply. Harrison and Caleb seem like decent guys, but we don’t have time to really understand them. Dawn is by far the best character, but she’s underused since it’s not really her story. Most of the other characters, unfortunately, aren't particularly likable.

This one was like... drama central at a lake house, but with a splash of heart. Two sisters meet for the first time under super awkward circumstances—like, their dad just died, and suddenly they’re sharing the same space. Yikes, right? Cue the sibling rivalry and major emotional unpacking.

The setting? Total lake-life vibes. Maine is basically a whole character here, and the small-town charm is chef’s kiss. But the sisters? Kinda hard to root for at first—one’s all ambition with a side of secrets, and the other is trying to untangle her life in her hometown. It takes time to warm up to them, but there’s solid growth by the end.

The family drama is juicy, though it leans a little heavy on the messiness (so. many. triangles.). Still, if you’re into complicated relationships and a hint of healing, it’s worth a read. Perfect for soaking up some sun on a lazy summer day.

Big thanks to NetGalley for the ARC in exchange for my honest review!

Huge thank you to NetGalley and Dutton for this ARC!!

I’ve read (and loved) a previous novel by Hannah Orenstein, so I was so excited to see this one. The premise really drew me in, and I mean, look at the cover of this book! How gorgeous!

It took me quite a while to get into this book. Except for the first couple of pages, the first half of the book was a very slow burn for me. The second half, though, made it worth it. Once I got to a certain point (right around halfway through), I couldn’t put it down.

I felt this book had a lot to say about the world, and I love that in a novel — especially in one where I might not have expected it. I loved the overall larger themes this book commented on, including the messiness of humanity and the complexity of familial relationships, to name a couple.

If you like a messy book (in the best way!) with powerful character arcs, this might be the right book for you!

3.75
This book has a wild start! But it’s addicting in its set-up. After her father passes, Vivian returns to his cabin in Maine with preparations to spread his ashes and to sell the house, but runs into Lucy there - who she quickly learns is her half-sister that her father never told her about. Lucy, however, knows all about Vivian. I find these characters , these two sisters, simultaneously excruciating and relatable. Even apart from their grief, both characters personal lives are crumbling apart — and the cabin in Maine is their hideaway, but they then have to deal with each other.
Lucy and Vivian are direct opposites in many ways - Vivian being the cynic and Lucy being the optimist. Their affects lead to different interpretations of their father and their familial relationships and the different ways those mindsets have affected them — I think this is explored in a really interesting way.
I love the backdrop of Maine & feel as though emily henry lovers would love this one!!

A nostalgic novel with a beautiful backdrop. Reading it made me want to book a trip to Maine. I enjoyed feeling immersed.

This story initially grabbed my attention because from the plot summary it seemed like a story filled with drama and secrets however the overarching theme would be centered around sisterhood and that core relationship. I can confirm this book centers around all the above. This reminded me, and will remind most readers, of the "The Parent Trap" which immediately brings a sense of nostalgia to the story, altogether enhancing the reader's experience with the novel. Two sisters separated, finally reunite at their late father's lake house - what could go wrong?
I love the themes centering around sisterhood and developing that bond even through trauma due to the fact i am the eldest sister of 5 and could relate to Vivian so well with her personality and outlook on life.

This was truly such a fun read and look forward to more of Orenstein's work!

This review is based on an Advance Reader Copy provided by NetGalley. This was a cute story of two half sisters from very different backgrounds meeting for the first time after the unexpected death of their fathers. There was a lot of relationship development (sisters, mother-daughter, some romantic but not the focus) that made it a nice departure from the typical romance stories I read. I liked the added details of wine expert and descriptions of Maine scenery and life. It was predictable but cute overall and an enjoyable read.

Maine Characters by Hannah Orenstein is a beautiful story. The "Parent Trap for adults" comparison is spot on, but this book is so much more than that. It touches on complicated topics such as sisterhood, grief, and family secrets. It has that small town charm that connects you to the world and characters quickly.

Two half-sisters, Vivian and Lucy, who have never met, are brought together at their late father’s lake house after his unexpected passing. Their meeting is complicated as both have different backgrounds and experiences with their shared father. The way that they deal with their grief and their feelings about their father is done quite well and is very emotional. I really enjoyed watching their relationship evolve over the course of the book.

The setting really sold the story for me. The author paints such a detailed picture of the small town setting. Whether describing meals, wines, or the town’s local haunts, the story was incredibly immersive.

While I didn’t always agree with their actions, I could understand them, and I found myself rooting for the sisters by the end.

Though the book was a bit slower to start, once you begin feeling connected to the characters and their outcomes, you won't want to put it down.

This book is a great summer read!

3.5 rounded up to 4. I wanted to love this book but unfortunately it was just a like for me. Gave major adult parent trap vibes set against a small town I wanted to visit. I found both characters unlikeable which made the book hard to read at times and a few of the storylines predictable.

Thank you PENGUIN GROUP Dutton | Dutton and NetGalley for this advance readers copy in exchange for an honest review.

Maine Characters is a story of betrayal, lies and secrets but also reconciliation, family and love. It follows Vivian and Lucy half sisters who knew of each other but did not meet until after the death of their father and are thrusted into spending the summer together at his lake house in Maine. They experience ups and downs together and personally as they navigate grief and their futures.

The book is written from both viewpoints but in the third person point of view which is not my preferred pov created emotional distance from the characters for the reader.

The synopsis of this book sounded like it would work for me and did it ever. Forced proximity for two sisters that have never met before. One ready to move on, and the other holding onto the past. The ups and downs of getting to know one another when they seemingly only have their father and a lake house in common. I liked getting to know each sister individually and learning why they acted the way they did to each other. The ending was great as well. Definitely recommend if it sounds interesting to you.

I really wanted to enjoy this but unfortunately had to DNF. I feel like the “Parent Trap for adults” descriptor was misleading, and that was what originally drew me in (along with the gorgeous cover). I felt like the characters were unnecessarily petty and immature, and while I didn’t get to the end or see if that was resolved, I couldn’t get onboard with it enough to finish. The concept itself was great in theory but was lacking in execution - I feel like a YA version of the story might have made more sense with the character’s maturity levels.

Thank you NetGalley and Dutton for the opportunity to read the ARC in exchange for my honest review.

Maine Characters by Hannah Orenstein

A book with the parent trap vibes but for adults! Two sisters who have never met both end up at their dad’s cabin at the same time. Vivian was kept in the dark and had no idea she had a half sister. But Lucy knew of her half sister Vivian. They both spend the summer together working through the messy truth about their parents pasts while also dealing with grief. Will they be able to figure things out and be friends or even family?

I was hooked right from the beginning. I could understand why Vivian was upset with her parents but I don’t think it was far for her to be anti Lucy.

I think both characters were very relatable. It was interesting to see their reactions to grief.. both very different. I thought it was a beautiful story. I could see myself reading this again, especially on the summer. I’ve spent time in Maine before so it was very cool reading a story that is based in Maine. I also love how pretty the book cover is. This is the first book I’ve read by Hannah but i really enjoyed it. I’d love to read more books by her.

Thank you so much Hannah, NetGalley and PENGUIN GROUP Dutton for the ARC!

Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Publication Date: May 13 2025

#NetGalley #MaineCharacters

The cover really drew me in and made me want to visit immediately. This one did take me awhile to get through, though, because I just really wasn’t vibing with either main character… I could see where both Vivian and Lucy were coming from, but was overall very frustrated by their lack of willingness to communicate through their new shared reality and how they ended up hating on each other instead (esp. Vivian towards Lucy, like girl… please be kinder). Though I would probably lash out too if I were in their situation, so who am I to judge? The love triangles were also a bit cumbersome after a while. They ended up taking me out of the story a little because I was having such a hard time believing that no one would honestly communicate with one another. My favorite character was absolutely the setting!! I’ve wanted to visit Maine ever since I did a project about it in 4th grade almost 20 years ago now, and this just added to my obsession! Probably wishful thinking to hope for a hot local bartender when I visit though…

Maine Characters is a love letter to a very particular kind of Maine summer. The comfort and psychological safety of an old family camp, the worn but irreplaceable furniture, the kitchen full of mismatched and precious dishes, sunsets on the lake in the boat full of damp pool noodles, the whole summer punctuated with bonfires and lobsters and loons. I absolutely adored that aspect of the book (and was not surprised to read in the acknowledgements that Hannah Orenstein knows this setting well). The cover is absolutely gorgeous and perfect.

Despite all that, I struggled to find a relatable or likable character in this book. I don’t need my protagonists to be perfect, and I understand that all of these people had been through some serious trauma, but I found both Vivian and Lucy to be immature and irritating for the first 75% of the book. I had a hard time understanding the actions and motivations of Celeste and Dawn. And don’t get me started on Hank and Oscar. This was frustrating because I enjoyed Orenstein’s writing style, and wished I had connected with the characters more. I did appreciate that the story left some unresolved plot lines, rather than unrealistically tying everything up in tidy bows when the characters were clearly not ready for that.

Finally, I think the choice of marketing this book as a “Parent Trap for adults” quite odd — it was nothing like that movie in almost any way!

Thanks to the publisher and Netgalley for providing an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

This one was a lot of drama! The 2 Main characters meet in an unexpected way and this just get more complicated. Although there is growth from both the characters there was a lot of pettiness. I understand the feelings on both sides and clearly the book wasn’t for me but I didn’t really see the point. This is more a story of reflection and growth and the only reason it was brought to light way the way the characters were brought together. Overall it was a decent read just not for me. I did like the setting of the story though.

I loved this book! I couldn't put it down. I loved Vivian and Lucy's characters. This book had twists I didn't expect but it ended perfectly.

Who needs a beach read when you can have a lake read?

I really enjoyed this one. It took a good while for it to get going, but once it did, it worked really well. I appreciated the way it examined the complexities of relationships, how nothing is ever black and white or cut and dry. This was a great character study; Vivian and Lucy, as well as their two mothers, are imperfect. Vivian and Lucy both have their moments of being imperfect, selfish, conniving, overly dramatic, and hindered by empty promises from men.

Considering this book is very Parent Trap like, I'll put it like this: there wasn't the same level of fun in their snippiness to each other, so the beginning dragged. Once the started to actually take the time to learn about the other, for better or for worse, and especially when the mothers came into the picture, this book shined.

Thank you to NetGalley and Dutton for an eARC in exchange for my honest review.