3.5 rounded up.

I absolutely think this could be a 5 star book for a lot of readers. The plot is interesting, the writing is great, and I think it’s a perfect book for fans of contemporary fiction, especially as a summer read, the last 50% especially.

For me, it was complicated and a lot of my mixed feelings are totally just personal/user error. I knew it was contemporary but thought there would be a little more to the romantic subplots. Obviously the relationship between the sisters would be the focus of the novel, but I felt like that didn’t start till the 48% mark, at which point I was a lot more invested in both the characters and the story.

Once I was in the second half, I did enjoy it a lot more but it wasn’t until I was crying at the end that I realized some of the disconnection I felt was absolutely on me and not the book itself.

In another time, I would have been reading this in August, on the lake, at the motel my family has been going to for decades. In reality, my grandmother passed a year and an half ago, days before the annual trip. We went for a few days anyway around her funeral and the motel was under new management and everything was wrong. It turned out to be our last trip too, as they never answered any of our emails to get rebooked for last year, despite staying in the same rooms for the same week for so many years.

It wasn’t until the end of the book that I realized I was putting up walls especially when it came to how much Lucy loved and wanted to keep the house. It made me realize how well the importance of the house and their grief was interwoven into things, even as the focus shifted more towards the girls developing a relationship and figuring out how to move forward with their lives separately and together.

I think this may have been the right book, wrong time for me but I would definitely reread this with these feelings in mind and would recommend it to others.

Thank you NetGalley and Penguin Group Dutton for the ARC.

Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Genre: 🖊️ Literary Fiction
Recommend:✅

Good Beach Read Alert! 🏖️ “Maine Characters” is the perfect beach read, even more of that beach is actually a Lakehouse.

I loved the premise of “Maine Characters” and it’s executed very well. Vivian and Lucy are strangers who are also half sisters that find themselves sharing their dad’s Lakehouse for the summer after he unexpectedly passes away. Obviously tensions are high for both sisters, who are both also at different crossroads in their lives.

A *few* plot points in this one are a little eye-roll inducing but honestly, who cares, it’s a beach read! It’s well written, easy to read, and slightly scandalous.

You’ll love this book if you love:
✅Family Secrets
✅Beach Reads
✅Dual POV

Maine Characters is a wonderfully written story about life and all of the messy aspects of it. Although not currently summer, I love the landscape painted by the author and at times it even reminded me of an Abby Jimenez or Emily Henry book. I really enjoyed the depth conveyed through the characters while their relationships grow. Overall a good read!

Maine Characters was an interesting read. It revealed how messy lives and relationships can be and that there are always more than one side to a story.

This was a really beautiful tale about grief, difficult family relationships, and making the most of the circumstances you’ve been dealt. I absolutely loved the setting and felt fully immersed in a summer in Maine, though I’ve never been there before. It made me long for lazy days on the lake and a slower summer in nature. The imagery and writing were spectacular. The character growth of not only Lucy and Vivian, but also their mothers was nice to watch unfold slowly throughout the book, and I enjoyed seeing how their relationships with each other evolved as well. By the end I was tearing up several times. I liked that things weren’t just easily explained away or tidied up. The characters had messy lives and were in an uncomfortable situation, and while there was a bit of a happy ending and everything ended up satisfyingly wrapped up, they still lived with the tension of the grief over their father and how he had disappointed them all. He didn’t have a redeeming arch that made him out to be better than he was, and I liked that the book allowed some things to just not be resolved or happily ever after. Overall I really enjoyed the book, although I felt the pacing could have been a bit faster and sometimes felt it was slower than I’d like.
Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for an advanced copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

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

I really wanted to like this book with two half sisters going to their dad’s lake house for the summer, but I had to DNF at 50%. But the way the characters acted were really immature and petty for the age that they are at in their lives. To me they acted like teenagers or little kids when they’re in their 30s. And with the cheating trope dragged along in there didn’t sit right with me.

What also lost me with this book was the writing. The time jumps and transitions between POV’s in the same chapter in some places were not well done to where I had to re-read the section in order to understand what was going on.

There just wasn’t enough character development for me to continue reading this book because of the way the characters acted.

liked the premise but couldn't relate to the protagonist in the first few pages, wanted a bit more to catch my attention.

Great story line that revolved around two daughters who shared the same father but different mothers. It was mutilayered with many relationships and flowed from character to character. Recommend.

4.5 rounded up - I laughed and cried over this novel with it’s believable, flawed characters and relationships. The premise is as described - a spin on The Parent Trap, but for adults. Two thirty year old half sisters clash at a lake house in Maine. For Vivian, she suspected she had a half sister, but no real proof. For Lucy, while she knew about her half sister, she was the secret daughter stashed away. When their father dies, they find themselves together at the lake house, with very different agendas.

The characters are so real. Watching their relationships grow and change was such a journey. It’s rare that a character I can’t stand in the beginning has a redeeming arc that actually seems real, but this author truly showed growth in her characters.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for a digital copy and a chance to read this early. All opinions are my own.

this book is beautifully written and the cover is breathtaking.

the storyline in this hit very close to home. i discovered in 2021 that i had a half sister through 23 and me. (her mom and my dad broke up before her mom realized she was pregnant with her and didn't tell my dad, 34 years later she found us.) we still have a lot to work through so this book gave everything i needed it to and more. i cried, i laughed. this was just so so good. 💕

I really enjoyed the plot of this book and how fast paced it was. The characters had A LOT of flaws and room to grow but they redeemed themselves at the end. The setting reeled me in and kept me going. I can’t wait to read more books by Hannah!

If you love books that feel like therapy sessions—packed with raw emotions, deep life issues, and zero clichés—Maine Characters is a must-read! I loooovvveeeddd it! From the stunning cover to the very first page, this one had me hooked. And trust me, it delivered on the drama.

Meet Lucy and Vivian—two half-sisters who barely know each other. Lucy’s a small-town Mainer stuck in a dull marriage, while Vivian is a high-maintenance city girl from NYC. When their father, Hank, suddenly passes, they reunite at his lakeside cabin in Maine. But instead of a peaceful getaway, secrets start spilling, and their lives will never be the same. Buckle up—this one’s an emotional rollercoaster!

Thank you NetGalley & Penguin Group Dutton for the ARC!

Loved the story and following the sister’s lives. Love the plat on words for the title, as well as the cute cover. Lastly, love how the book dealt with difficult topics without being too overwhelming.

I was initially drawn to this book for the STUNNING cover and the reference to it being the 'adult parent trap'. SOLD.

This was my first Hannah and definitely won't be my last. I found it hard to relate to the two FMCs because my sister is my very best friend, however I did sympathize for them and was rooting for their sisterhood. I love a complex & complicated family dynamic, because HELLO that is life!! And I do feel that was well executed.

While I wouldn't say this is going down as a 'favorite of all time', I did enjoy this and would recommend.

3.5-4

I wasn’t sure what to think going into this one - family drama isn’t my typical genre. But I was quickly hooked into the angst, grief, and animosity between the sisters. And they’re both so flawed, yet still likable, that I found myself cheering for both of them. A great summer read. Thanks to Dutton for the ARC.

Maine Characters is such a heartfelt story of sisters, betrayal, and grief!

Lucy and Vivian are both extremely well developed characters and narrators. It was easy to identify with pieces of each of them and to empathize with their struggles. I enjoyed watching them get to know each other and reckon with their unique relationships with their dad. The descriptions of Maine were a huge highlight of this story, and I felt like I was also at the lake alongside them.

Both characters show so much growth by the end of the story, and I loved how it all came together! I would recommend this book to anyone who loves complex family dynamics, relationship and work woes, and deep explorations of love and grief.

Thank you to NetGalley and PENGUIN GROUP Dutton for the e-arc in exchange for an honest review.

Vivian and Lucy are secret half-sisters with a Maine lake house in common. Vivian, seemingly successful in life, is the quintessential city girl, busy with work and future plans. She was only ever able to squeeze in one week of vacation a year with her father. Lucy, older and not much wiser, is finding discontent with her humdrum small town life. She would always have July to be with her dad and stay with him. The women come together for a summer of discovery. Discovery of each other and many (many) family secrets from both sides. Lucy strives to be more like Vivian and stand up for what she wants, but at the same time Vivian is trying to do the same.

Many thanks to NetGalley and the Publisher for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Well written with a beautiful cover, but possibly just not the right book for me. I was bored the first half as it just felt so slow without much happening. The second half was definitely more interesting and the pace picked up a bit. I was left feeling that a lot happened, but also that not much happened at all.

very parent trappy (in fact they watch the movie in the book)! awesome vibes and strong characters. 5 stars. tysm for the arc.

I just finished Maine Characters by Hannah Orenstein, and I can’t stop thinking about it! This book hit me in all the right places. The story felt like a cozy yet profound exploration of self-discovery, family, and love, with the kind of raw honesty that makes you really connect with the characters. I absolutely loved how Orenstein created such a vivid, authentic sense of place in Maine—it almost felt like I was there, breathing in the salty air and watching the characters grow right before me.

The characters themselves felt so real and multidimensional. Their struggles were deeply relatable, and I found myself rooting for them through every twist and turn. The way the story weaves together personal growth and the complexities of relationships made it impossible to put down. I really appreciated the balance between lighthearted moments and the more serious themes, and the romance was sweet, but it didn’t overshadow the personal journeys of the characters.

Hannah Orenstein’s writing is beautifully crafted—emotional, witty, and so beautifully descriptive. I loved every moment of this book, and I’m already looking forward to reading more from her. If you’re a fan of character-driven stories that pull at your heartstrings, Maine Characters is an absolute must-read!