Vivian Levy grew up in a wealthy neighborhood in New York City. She is a sommelier and hopes to open her own wine bar one day. After the upsetting and untimely news that her father has died, she heads to his beloved lake house at Fox Hill, Maine, with the hope of selling it and scattering his ashes there. With that money, she could open her own wine bar, as she had no plans to keep the vacation home. Upon her arrival in Maine, she discovers that the house is occupied by Lucy Webster, who claims to be her half-sister. Lucy didn't even know their father had died, so this is an upsetting revelation. Vivian has no interest in her newfound half-sister; she is angry that he has been kept in the dark about this while Lucy knew of her existence and always hoped they would meet. Vivian still wants to sell the house, but Lucy is sentimental about it and wants to hold onto it as she has so many special memories here with her father; they spent every July there together. As the summer unfolds, not only do the sisters get to know one another better, but they also learn more about themselves and what they want out of life. Hannah Orenstein's Maine Characters is reminiscent of an adult version of The Parent Trap; it has all that readers want in a lakeside story, complete with some family drama and soul searching.

I must admit that I wasn't the biggest fan of Vivian at first in Maine Characters. She is kind of abrasive and off-putting, with only one mission in mind. When Lucy enters the scene, this blows up her plans, and she is constantly reminding Lucy that she doesn't have a legal claim on the cabin. I did like that as the sisters spent more time together, they did come to appreciate one another, and their relationship grew from there. They also did a lot of soul searching at the lake as Lucy's marriage is at a crossroads, and Vivian has to tackle some life issues as well.

Orenstein truly knows the setting of a lake town in Maine in Maine Characters. She brought it to life beautifully, and all that a summer there entails - everything from the loons, the sunsets, the small-town feel, and lapping waves on the dock. Fans of Carley Fortune's lakeside summer reads will especially appreciate the vivid setting.

While it is a fluffy beach read at heart, Orenstein does tackle some more serious issues like generational patterns and complex relationships with family. But don't worry! It is nicely balanced with a summer at the lake; plus, a side subplot of blossoming romances.

While this isn't my favorite beach read of the summer, readers who enjoy a lake story filled with sisterhood moments and emotional depth will especially appreciate Maine Characters. In the comments below, let me know if you plan to read Maine Characters this summer and if you are a fan of Hannah Orenstein.

I flew through Maine Characters and think it's going to be a perfect pool or beach read for a lot of people this summer. It has all the things I love in a summer novel: complicated family dynamics, an atmospheric setting, and some ~*emotional tension*~.

I was immediately drawn to both Vivian and Lucy. Vivian’s polished city life clashing with Lucy’s quieter small-town world felt really believable. I loved how they each brought so much baggage to the lake house, and you could feel the tension building as their lives collided. The sister relationship is messy, honest, and emotional. I liked watching it slowly shift from guarded to vulnerable. The plot has a great rhythm; there’s grief, frustration, humor, and hope. I appreciated that it didn’t try to tie everything up in a neat little bow, but still gave a really satisfying ending.

If you’re a fan of Carley Fortune or Elin Hilderbrand, this one definitely belongs in your pool/beach bag!

Thank you to PENGUIN GROUP Dutton and NetGalley for the ARC.

I just love reading Orenstein‘s novels!
Maine Characters by Hannah Orenstein is a charming and heartfelt women’s fiction.
A heartfelt story
MCs is a touching exploration of sisterhood, summer, mourning, complicated families, all tied in the wistful beauty of lake life.
The story was very well written and the characters were wonderfully developed and so very real, they almost felt like real people at times, not just characters.
The setting is descriptive and alluring.
It will hold your attention and draw you in, taking you on journey I wished didn’t end so soon!
A beautiful story of family, and self-discovery in the charming backdrop of Maine.

⭐2⭐
First off thank you NetGalley, Penguin Group Dutton and Hannah Orenstein for allowing me to read an advanced complimentary copy of the book. Opinions and thoughts expressed are completely my own.
Maine Characters has a stunning art designed cover that beckons you to the lake house and the unfolding drama of two long lost sisters. Can the loss of their father and their shared memories of his love open them up to each other? Dear reader, I wish I could say so, but I was deeply disappointed and felt bamboozled into the 1.5 star cottage that has rats in the toilets (yes that happens) busted pipes, and occupied tenants, when I was promised a dazzling 5 star lake cottage.

First off my main beef is with the main male characters in this story. THEY ALL SUCK! Hank was a lousily father to Lucy, hiding her and not owning his love for her mother. He basically coddled Vivian and look at where that got her. Both Lucy's and Vivian's former and current love interest SUCK! I did not root for rekindling or sparking any flames whatsoever in this story. Also I personally dislike when books glorify or justify cheating and this story does just that.
I know other reviews talked about the immaturity that both sisters held tight to and I fully agree to their reasoning, but the men in story just outshined them so much.
Sadly, this wasn’t the story I was hoping to read to launch me into my lake summertime vibes.

After the death of their father, two half-sisters finally meet unexpectedly for the first time in their family home in Maine. As they get to know one another and try to reconcile who they thought their father was as they learn about their very different upbringings, the two sisters introspect on the current state of their lives, what they want for themselves and in their relationships. The complex relationship between the sisters as well as their respective mothers kept me engaged, and I thought the romantic subplots were incredibly sweet. I really enjoyed and highly recommend especially as a summer read this year!

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

I have always had a love for Maine as a New Englander and the state being my neighbor. So, when I saw this book and the gorgeous cover, I had to read it.

Meet Vivian and Lucy, half sisters with the same dad. However, only Lucy knows about Vivian until they meet after their father suddenly dies.
Vivian lives in upper west side of New York and lives a rich full life. Lucy is a school teacher in a small town in Maine and lives a quiet life.
After their father passes away, Lucy and Vivian are forced into an uncomfortable decision of what to do with their Father’s lake house in Maine and uncovering many family secrets.

There were many parts of this book I enjoyed and also didn’t care for. The plot for one felt too similar to “The Beach Trap” by Ali Brady for one. The characters are people you like and dislike at the same time, which I can understand was the entire point. It was hard for me to relate to the sisters and I wish there was more to their story than just anger and bitterness through 75% of the book.
While the romance wasn’t my favorite, I was more invested in the drama and dynamics of the sisters and their stories unfolding trying to understand their father and each other. I do think the author did a wonderful job at storytelling with grief and they were incredibly descriptive about everything from the scenery, to the emotions and the characters.
The first half and last half were good, the middle felt dragged out for the fighting between the sisters.

Overall, it’s a great quick beach read and I wouldn’t tell anyone to not read it. You may love it more than me!

3 Stars⭐️

If you like:
•Family drama
•Lake House in small town
•Parent Trap vibes

Then this one is for you!

Thank you Netgalley and Penguin Books Dutton for this ebook copy.

After her dad’s death, Vivian heads to the family lake house to sell it and fund her dream restaurant—only to discover Lucy, the half-sister she never knew about, already there. Lucy’s known about Vivian for years, following her glamorous NYC life online while living quietly in her small town.

With Vivian’s restaurant plans falling through, the sisters decide to spend the summer fixing up the cabin. Along the way, they form a bond, unpack old family secrets, and Vivian finds herself unexpectedly drawn to Caleb—Lucy’s laid-back childhood friend who’s the total opposite of her controlling ex.

This is a heartfelt, easy read about second chances, sisterhood, and finding love and purpose where you least expect it.

Thank you to NetGalley and Penguin Random House for this free advanced copy. I am leaving this review voluntarily.

Maine Characters is a story about two sisters that find out about eachother during a trip to a lake house after their father dies. It is a story touching on the struggles of family dynamic, on opening your heart to something new, and really about personal growth. We thought this was a great summer read with engaging characters and a great plot line. The characters are all so different and it was fun to see them come into themself. We would recommend this book to friends and family.

3.5 ⭐️

This one started off a little hard to get into. I didn’t connect with Lucy or Vivian. Both at times annoyed me. But, as I got deeper into their story, their grief and the history of relationships they both had with their now dead father it became more clear why they were the way they were. I think because I have my own history of an absent father, I understood and related to Lucy more.

This story follows the grief two sisters of suddenly losing their father, but not finding out about each other until one shows up at their dad’s lake house to sell it and finds the other there. The shock and hurt of finding out a huge secret and now trying to reconcile that with the lies of the father they lost. As they talk and work their way through the loss they find that maybe out of this mess their dad left behind, that something good can come out of it.

Trigger warnings:
- death of parent (off page)
- infidelity
- divorce

Thank you NetGalley, Penguin Group Dutton and Hannah Orenstein for allowing me to read an advanced complimentary copy of the book. Opinions and thoughts expressed in this review are completely my own.

Following the death of her father, Vivian heads to his cabin in Maine and discovers a surprise guest in the home—a half sister, Lucy, she didn’t know existed. While Vivian wants to sell the cabin and use the money to open a wine bar, Lucy hopes to hold onto the house, and the two do not hit it off. As conflicts ensue, the two must figure out issues in their own lives, and how to come to an agreement on the house.

I was excited to read this book after loving the author’s novel “Head Over Heels”, and seeing this gorgeous cover! Unfortunately, this wasn’t quite the charming, small town, lakeside cabin read I anticipated. The characters were insufferable and immature, so it was hard to relate to them or invest in their stories. I continued to read in hopes that I would grow to like the characters, but between the bickering and pettiness, and their various messy relationships, it ultimately just didn’t work for me. I do think the ending was good and the story wraps up nicely, but it was difficult for me to get there.

Thank you to NetGalley and Dutton Books for my gifted e-copy!

*I received a copy of this book on NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. Thank you to the author, publisher, and NetGalley for this opportunity*

Alright, time to be honest, I totally read this book for the cover. I mean, come on, it's gorgeous right? And any book set in Maine will always hit my soft spot just right, especially since it's set so close to Portland (and a few of my favorite spots were actually mentioned in the book, which was an unexpected and sweet surprise!).

I think I would describe this book as an adult parent trap where the twins didn't meet each other until the death of one of the parents; there was a lot of sisterly tension, a lot of petty fights and hurt feelings, and, at the end of the day, a kind of familial love that can't easily be captured. I wasn't in love with either of the female protagonists (Lucy overplayed her "poor me" hand a little too often for my liking, and Vivian was a rude cheater), but I can also appreciate how flawed and well-developed they were as characters. Orenstein did a commendable job of crafting two women who felt very real, and whose stories felt genuine.

Gah when I say I wanted to love this book, trust me I wanted to adore it....I just didn't. I loved the whole premise of being an adult Parent Trap and the setting in Maine but that is where my love ends. I did not like the main characters at all. They were in their 30s I found them very whiney, selfish and just horrible. That was my main gripe with this book. I'm super bummed I didn't like it but it happens.

This one took a minute for me to get into and the sisters had to grow on me but once I settled in I LOVED it. I’m also obsessed with the cover! It definitely gives Parent Trap vibes with a side of grief and a secret family. I enjoyed witnessing these sisters come into their own as they grapple with their shared family, grief and realizing that neither of their lives look the way they thought it would.

This should absolutely be on your summer TBR!

Thank you to @Netgalley and @Duttonbooks for this advanced copy in exchange for my thoughts.

This was an enjoyable book. The characters have never met and feel betrayed. They both have things they are working through. Sister relationships can be hard to navigate. I enjoyed all the characters.
 
Thank you NetGalley and PENGUIN GROUP Dutton for the ARC.

#MaineCharacters #NetGalley

3.5

Vivian and Lucy are half-sisters who’ve never met—until their father’s death forces them to share his Maine lake house for one tense summer. As secrets surface and grief collides, they must navigate betrayal, inheritance, and the question of whether thirty years is too late to start being sisters.

I liked the lake house. I liked the mentions of Portland. I liked the sisters—their drama, their grief, their consequences. I liked the forgiveness and the nostalgia. I liked the story, but I didn’t love it. The voice feels like it almost nails every detail and emotion, but then falls just short. Kinda like a false breaker—a wave that looks ready to crash, only to flatten at the last second. Maybe that’s the point—this is a lake, not the ocean, after all. Either way, I don’t think you’ll regret spending time with these feuding sisters and their journey of self-exploration, but I wouldn’t start planning an annual trip.

The narration is excellent, despite my assumption that having both sisters' POVs read by the same actor would be too confusing.

Perfect for you if you like:
Slow-burning forgiveness
Sisters feuding
Family drama
The Parent Trap
Cottage-lake vibes

Similar to:
Meet Me at the Lake by Carley Fortune
The Identicals by Elon Hilderbrand (I have not read)
Same Time Next Year by Annabel Monaghan (I have not read)

⛔️closed door romance
⚠️loss of father, infidelity (like a lot)

thank you to netgalley for the e-arc. i always go into one of hannah's books being optimistic about the story she's writing and with the hope she got even stronger as a writer. i'm always at least half right because while her ability to write and weave a story from beginning to end keeps improving, the substance is disappointing. there were the 2 main character sisters and both were insufferable. how many chapters do we have to read about childish women not being able to come to an actual compromise and fight over it?

I really like Hannah Orenstein's writing and I was very excited for her new book. The cover is gorgeous, and I love the Maine setting. Vivian and Lucy were well-drawn characters and I felt for both of them as they managed the grief and disappointments of losing their (shitty) father and learned to understand each other.

3 1/2 stars I think… idk I really wanted to love this but the main character doing exactly what her dad did and being mad at her dad for it is crazy. I love the overall story line so much. I love a family book

-Maine Characters by @hannahorens
I really enjoyed this book. Vivian’s father has died and she heads to his vacation home in Maine to ready it for selling. When she arrives, she is greeted by a woman who turns out to be her half-sister that she had an idea existed, but could never get an answer out of her dad to confirm.
It takes place in July and August and the sisters have to learn to coexist together as Vivian is focused on selling and Lucy, her new sister, doesn’t want to. Both sisters navigate their betrayal, grief and their respective mom,s all while dealing with their own personal issues.
Maine was a great character and although the book seemed a little long, I still would recommend.

Thank you to @netgalley for the arc.

This was such a heartwarming story, I loved both Vivian and Lucy for different reasons but they were both amazing in their own way. There was a touch of romance added to the plot that really served the story well too. Overall, a great summer read