This started off a bit slow but it really starts to take off around the 20% mark. 2 long lost sisters come together after their father suddenly dies. That’s about the only similarity between this and The Parent Trap. There is a bit of romance but this is Women’s Fiction. I appreciated the Jewish rep as well though minimal. And I liked how there were twists up until the very end. Overall, I enjoyed this but I wish it had been written in the first person. I also really want to revisit Maine now.

Trigger warning: Book deals heavily with infidelity.

Pet peeve: In The Parent Trap(1998), Hallie is the one who told the mother that the arrangement sucked, not Annie. Hopefully, that was fixed in the published book.

Thank you Dutton and NetGalley for the ARC!

3/5 - An enjoyable family drama in an idyllic setting! The premise of this story - half sisters who come face to face with their existence after their father’s untimely death - was great and I loved how it wasn’t overtly happy. This situation was complicated and the characters were too - Orenstein really explores grief, loss, identity, parenting-child relationships specifically and complex family dynamics generally, and she does it well! I loved how this was more about four unique women than anything else.

I struggled a bit with the formatting and tense (third person with dual POV but rotating perspectives within each chapter) and didn’t feel ultra connected emotionally to either FMC. But I really loved the story and the emphasis on sisterhood and familial over romantic love.

Thank you @netgalley and Dutton for an ARC of this book in exchange for my honest review!

Set against the backdrop of a lakeside summer in Maine, the novel explores the complicated dynamics between two half-sisters — Vivian, a New York sommelier grappling with her father’s death, and Lucy, who spent summers with the same man but never felt fully claimed by him.

The setting perfectly complements the simmering tensions between the sisters, providing a sense of place that is both idyllic and isolating. The lake house serves as a metaphorical battleground for their clashing versions of their father and their unresolved resentment. Despite the weighty subject matter, Orenstein keeps the tone balanced, making it an ideal summer read that’s both poignant and comforting.

The character work is exceptional. Vivian and Lucy are strong, distinct foils for each other, each flawed in ways that feel both realistic and relatable. The way Orenstein addresses generational resentment and complicated family legacies, particularly through Vivian’s prickly, guarded nature, is especially well done.

Another highlight: the food and wine descriptions are exquisite. As a sommelier, Vivian’s passion for food is woven into the narrative, and those sensory details bring a richness to the reading experience that will absolutely delight foodies and wine lovers alike.

All in all, this is a summer read that’s as thought-provoking as it is evocative, leaving readers with a compelling exploration of family, forgiveness, and finding closure.

This was a cute parent trap-ish story set in scenic Maine. It was fun to read a book set in one of my favorite places and Hannah Orenstein described it perfectly.

There were ALOT of characters that I passionately disliked (which I guess is a compliment to the author)! Celeste, Oscar, Patrick and Vivian (for the first half of the book) were all terrible! Lucy and Dawn were perfect though!

Thank you to NetGalley, Hannah Orenstein and the Penguin Group for this ARC!

I am so sad to say, this brilliant front cover was the best thing about this book.

This novel is the story of Vivian and Lucy, half-sisters who meet for the first time at their Father’s cabin. Each of them grew up spending a month of the Summer with him there. But never (very intentionally) did their Father let their paths cross.

So SURPRISE!! They meet and hate each other within minutes. One sister wants to sell the cabin. The other one is grieving her memories there. It’s a lot of emotions.

What really didn’t work for me about this book was all the relationships. There were like four love triangles in this book and all so unhealthy. One sister was in a relationship with her married boss, but flirting with a local guy and then the other sister is married but marriage is in trouble and so starts dating another guy… and the infidelity, the lying, the drama absolutely wasn’t it for me. The sisters (Vivian in particular) were just insufferable. I completely understand that they were going through grieving but that’s no excuse for 31-year-old women to act like 15-year-old girls.

Unfortunately this just wasn’t the Maine-Lakeside-Summer read I was hoping for.

I really enjoyed this one. I found the sibling dynamic to be interesting. While I liked it, I did think it was a bit long and thought it could've been shorter.

3.5⭐️
First off let’s give some claps for this stunning cover!! The cover drew me in and I knew I had to request this one. The writing and vibes reminded me a lot of Carley Fortune’s descriptive writing. Hannah did a really good job of setting all the scenery and imagery of Maine and grounding the story in the setting.

Maine Characters is a story of two sisters, Vivian and Lucy, who didn’t grow up together but meet at a cabin in Maine after their father died. Vivian, who grew up and lived in NYC her whole life, grew up with moderate wealth while Lucy grew up in a slower paced life in Maine. Vivian made some questionable choices in this one that had me questioning her and I didn’t love Lucy at the beginning as she kept judging Vivian based off of her upbringing when that was not her choice. However, as the story progressed and I began to understand them more, I ended up really liking them! The ending resolution between the sisters was really sweet. I wasn’t a big fan of either “romance” for each sister in this one but I didn’t mind too much because I was only really invested in the sisters trying to make new connections with each other. If you love books with family drama and family dynamics, I definitely recommend picking this one up especially in the summer!!

A big thanks to Netgalley and Penguin Books Dutton for the e-ARC in exchange for my review!

Thank you to NetGalley, Penguin Group Dutton & Hannah Orenstein for the chance to read this book in exchange for my honest review.

Who do I gotta talk to at the publishers in the genre picking department? Romance: minor subplot at most. Women's fiction all the way here. AND a wonderful women's fiction, at that. Romance: 3 stars. Women's Fiction: 5 stars. Uncheck the romance box here.. leave it alone. Let it be a little something special within this women's fiction journey. With that said- I'm giving this 5 stars, as the book deserves it!

What a tumultuous tale of two half sisters, their mothers and one dad. This story is heavy on fresh grief due to the unexpected death of Dad. This story unpacks the pain and heartache of there being FIVE sides of the same story.

The setting is EXQUISITE! If you love Carley Fortune's northern lake settings- but are ready for something a little emotionally deeper- look no further than this book.

4.5 raised to 5

One Father with secrets. Two mother’s keeping those secrets. Two stepsisters kept apart on purpose with only hints of the each other. A truth that comes out in a tragic way. A modern day Parent Trap.

The gorgeous cover and blurb made me request it. The author’s writing made me love this book. I have heard of this author, have never read her, but now consider me a fan. Don’t let the light and airy cover fool you, this book deals with a life changing situation. It was so graphically written that I felt I was on a lake vacation. The characters and their development was so enjoyable and relatable. Each one coming to terms with the situation, growing in the process and demanding more of and for themselves. But, there a so many light moments that made me smile. I really loved this story of growth and found family. Add this book to you TBR List now.

Thanks to Dutton Books and NetGalley for this ARC. This is my honest opinion.

Anyone who follows Hannah (the author) on Instagram will recognize many elements of this book. The loons, the sunsets, “wine speed” on the boat. She did a great job conveying her family’s summer spot and building a strong story around it.

There were some dicey parts in the middle where I REALLY didn’t like what Vivian was doing and was hoping the rest of the book was not going in that direction. I was glad when things turned around.

Belying the beautiful cover, this isn’t a fluffy fun beach read. There is a lot of grief, conflict, fallibility, humanity, but also love in this book. No one here is perfect, just like no one in real life is perfect. But it makes for a really good story.

Thank you to the publisher - I received a complimentary eARC of this book from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

ARC/ALC REVIEW

Maine Characters by Hannah Orenstein
5 STARS

Thank you Penguin Group Dutton for the free finished copy of this book and another thank you to PRHA for the free audiobook! #PRHAudioPartner TAG AUTHOR (HASTAGS)

SYNOPSIS: Half-sisters Vivian and Lucy, raised apart and unaware of each other, are forced to share a summer at their late father’s lake house. Vivian, a New York sommelier, plans to sell the cabin, while Lucy, a small-town teacher, wants to keep it. As tension builds, they confront secrets, betrayal, and long-buried truths.

REVIEW: Maine Characters is an absolute must if you like stories of women’s relationships and family drama. I thoroughly enjoyed this one! The setting, the characters, the complex relationships…it all came together for a beautiful book.

This book is described as a grown-up parent trap, and it definitely has those vibes…with a touch more affair and many, many secrets. I was hooked from the first page.

There are many lovely things about Maine Characters, but the grown of friendship between the sisters was my absolute favorite aspects of the plot.

Dutton was kind enough to give me a GORGEOUS finished copy of this book, and I read it while immersing myself into the audio, which was beautifully performed by the talented Mara Wilson.

While this is the first book I’ve read by Hannah, it will not be my last! I’m excited to dive into her backlist as soon as possible.

Publisher: Dutton
Pub date: 5/13/25

From the very first paragraph, Maine Characters had me completely hooked. Hannah Orenstein’s writing immediately drew me in with its sharp voice, emotional depth, and that unmistakable summer-in-New-England vibe. What truly made this book stand out for me was the dual point of view—we get to see both sisters, Vivian and Lucy, navigate love, family, and self-discovery from their own perspectives, which added so much richness and nuance to the story.

I’m a huge fan of books where I have a love-hate relationship with the characters, and this one absolutely delivered. There were moments I was fully rooting for Vivian, and others where my heart leaned toward Lucy. The tension between them felt so real and layered, and I appreciated how complex and emotionally grounded their relationship was. Nothing felt one-dimensional.

The romantic storylines for both sisters were also a highlight—they were fun, heartfelt, and full of just the right amount of drama and charm. Orenstein did a fantastic job making me care deeply about both romances while keeping the family dynamic at the heart of the story.

Overall, Maine Characters was a great read—entertaining, emotionally satisfying, and beautifully written. I didn’t want it to end.

4.5 rounded down to 4.

This book was adorable! Kinda like a modern day Parent Trap, but also not. :) The two main characters Lucy and Vivian were so much fun! It took me awhile to warm up to Vivian, but when you read the book, you'll understand why. What the two of them have to reconcile, regarding the nature of their connection is a serious matter. While they both initially struggle, Vivian much more than Lucy, they end up handling each other with love and care. Both of them have similar personal journeys throughout their character arcs and they both come out learning a lot about themselves and each other. Overall, this was such a sweet story about sisterhood and ultimately, forgiveness.

I do have to note, that I would NOT have had as much grace and understanding with Celeste like Vivian and Lucy do. It would take me longer than that hot minute to be able to even look at her again. Just saying.

Maine Characters is a breezy, heartfelt read tailor-made for summer—think toes in the sand, sunglasses on, and a cool drink in hand. The story follows two sisters as they discover each other's existence and come into their own over the course of one lakeside summer, and Orenstein delivers plenty of warmth, charm, and summery vibes. It’s light, comforting, and easy to devour in a single weekend.

That said, the plot doesn’t offer many surprises. Every twist and turn arrives exactly when you expect it, which may be a comfort for some but leaves little room for depth or tension. Still, if you’re looking for something sweet, familiar, and feel-good, Maine Characters delivers just that.

Highly enjoyable. Characters were complicated and flawed, not sunny Pollyanna ciphers -- which made them far more interesting. Will definitely be recommending this for anyone who enjoys a little complexity in their stories.

I wont lie.... I did struggle with this one. I found the characters rather frustrating. But if you overlook some of the character flaws this story has some emotional and caring moments that will hit hard.

I think if you grew up loving the Parent Trap you will probably love this.

I enjoyed this emotional family drama of two women who find out they are half sisters after their father’s death. As the story unfolds the hatred dissolves and their relationship builds. It was an emotional story that I felt very invested in. Plus it was set in New England which I’m a sucker for as a setting.

I wanted to love this book. And it did end up better than I expected. But alas.

Maine Characters follows to half sisters meeting each other for the first time after their dad dies. Fighting over what to do with their Maine cabin, the story follows the sisters Vivian and Lucy as they deal with their own heartbreaks that mirror similar stories that their own mothers faced with their terrible dad. Coming to terms with all the truths and lies and emotions, I felt like this book has an extremely slow start and the first 50% should have been the first 25%. On top of that, there was something about the writing that I really struggled with. I can’t exactly put my finger on it.

A cute capture of Maine, a stunning cover, but not my favorite book.

Thank you as always for sending me an ARC and happy almost pub day!

I’ve enjoyed Hannah Orenstein’s previous books, so I was excited for this one! It took a little time for Vivian and Lucy to grow on me, but I enjoyed seeing their relationship grow and seeing them evolve as individuals. This book also made me wish I had a lake house in Maine!

This was pitched as The Parent Trap for adults, and as someone who grew up in the Lindsay Lohan era, that premise definitely caught my attention. I also loved the cover and felt a little nostalgic pull; I spent summers on Maine beaches growing up, so even though this was set on a lake, the setting still felt familiar in some ways.

Maine Characters is undeniably a love letter to Maine. After peeking at the author’s Instagram, I could really feel how personal this book is to her. The loons, the prosecco in Mason jars, the chips and salsa, the boat rides—it’s clear this story came from the heart, and that part really worked for me. The lake and its connection to family was evident from every page.

As for the characters... this is where I struggled. The concept of two half-sisters meeting for the first time after their father’s death had potential, and yes, there’s definitely a The Parent Trap vibe. But unlike the fun, lighthearted energy of the movie, this was mostly tension. Vivian and Lucy disliked each other for most of the book, and honestly, neither one was particularly likable. Vivian read as a spoiled brat, and Lucy came across as immature and constantly complaining. Both were pretty harsh, both toward each other and toward their dad, and I had a hard time rooting for them. I wanted to see them soften toward each other earlier in the story.

That said, there is growth by the end, and I appreciated the resolution. But getting there involved a lot of back-and-forth and tension that, for me, made this less enjoyable as a summer read. I don’t mind messy or flawed characters, but in this kind of book, I usually want at least one person to root for, and I just didn’t feel that connection here.

If you're into family drama (and there's plenty of it), with a little romance on the side and a strong sense of place, this might work better for you. For me, it was a solid read, but not quite the heartfelt sister story I was hoping for. 🌟 🌟 🌟

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