I will not lie: I was 10000% dragging my feet through the first half of this book, but after getting about 60% of the way through, things started to turn around and I was able to enjoy it a little more. So let's start with what I liked:
-the COVER. omg it's gorgeous.
-the setting. idyllic lakeside abode in Maine? Small-town cuteness? Yes please.
-Some of the minor side characters, like Caleb and Dawn.
-Very solid writing- the author knows what she's doing!!
-The ending was very sweet and more touching than I expected.

But unfortunately, this story was not my favorite overall. I found the main(e) characters to be absolutely insufferable, and so insanely emotionally immature and unlikable that at times I couldn't remember if I was reading about 12 year olds or 30-something's. It seemed like everyone in this book was angry and dramatic just for the heck of it. Some of the arguments were valid, but it seemed like no one actually communicated, and when they did it was like pulling teeth. I like reading about juicy family drama, but this just felt petty. I also didn't love how this book made infidelity and having an unhappy marriage seem like an inevitable thing.

I think this story has promise, and for the a different person it might be a hit, but for me it just didn't land quite as well. I would definitely check out other books by this author because as mentioned above, she writes really great descriptive scenes!

Thank you NetGalley, the publisher, and the author for providing this ARC for me to read and review!!

I enjoy Hannah Orenstein and thought this was an interesting premise but it fell flat for me. I really struggled to get into this one.

Thank you to NetGalley and Dutton for providing me with an advanced copy of this book in exchange for my honest review!
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Every summer, Vivian Levy and Lucy Webster spend a month with their father at his lake house — separately. Raised in New York City, Vivian is an ambitious sommelier with a secret that could derail her future. Lucy grew up in a tiny Maine town, where she now teaches high school English while watching her marriage unravel. They’ve never met. While Lucy envied her half-sister from afar, their father kept Vivian in the dark.

When Vivian arrives at the lake to spread his ashes and sell his cabin, she's shocked to find Lucy there, awaiting his return. In an ideal world, they’d help each other through their grief. Instead, forced to spend the summer together, they fight through a storm of suspicion and hostility to untangle the messy truth about their parents’ pasts. While Lucy is desperate to hold onto the house, Vivian is scrambling after a betrayal. After thirty years apart, is it too late for them to be a family?

For fans of Carley Fortune and Elin Hilderbrand, this sister story set on a lush lake brims with the undeniable heart, depth, charm, and humor that have endeared Hannah Orenstein to legions of readers.
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I was initially drawn to this book because I am someone who spent time each summer in Maine in my formative years, so books that take place there call to me. When I read in the description that it would appeal to fans of Carley Fortune and Elin Hilderbrand, I was even more intrigued because those are two of my auto-buy authors. Well, I am so glad that I got the chance to read this book! It is filled with rich characters, a beautiful setting, and plenty of action. I love reading books about sisters, and the story of the relationship between Vivian and Lucy is complex and beautifully written. There is complexity and nuance to the plot, and just when you think that something predictable has happened, a pleasant surprise comes along, and suddenly a bit of a twist has occurred. I had never read this author before, but I will certainly check out her back catalog. This is a great summer read for someone who is looking for an escape to the lake!

The cover is so cute. I was drawn in by the setting in Maine. I struggled to connect with both Vivienne and Lucy. I’m not sure why the characters were made to be almost opposites. Vivienne was mean. Really, they were both pretty immature for their age. I think the storyline could have been more impactful without all the love triangles. I was hoping for a heart tugger.

Look at this gorgeous cover 😍

I loved the setting, a beautiful lake house in Maine. Living in New England and having been to Maine and Portland, it felt like a love letter to them and to summer in New England.

I enjoyed the dual POV from each sister. Lucy started out a bit insufferable for me (though I didn’t agree with all of Vivian’s choices either). But then, as the book went on and their relationship grew closer and each woman made new choices, I grew to like them both.

I did feel the book dragged on a bit, and much of the beginning or middle could have been omitted. There were times it felt slow and I felt myself becoming annoyed with the sisters and their actions. However, the ending was touching (albeit a bit abrupt). I would’ve loved for the story to play out a little more, but I’m genuinely happy with where each sister was at the end; physically, mentally, and emotionally.

⭐️⭐️⭐️💫

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

I started this story very hopeful. Two sisters who are just getting to know each other and journeying through grief together and I had such high hopes for the journey they would go on. Unfortunately, they drove me crazy. I would have thought they were very young women if I wasn't told that they were in their 30s. Vivian came off as so self centered and awful and then it seemed like Lucy stooped down to her level. Then the complicated love story that involves cheating, which I'm never a fan of. I kept reading but the story never quite recovered enough for me to rant and rave about this one, unfortunately.

Thank you Net Galley, Penguin Group, and Hannah Orenstein for an eARC of this story.

Every summer, Vivian Levy and Lucy Webster spend a month with their father at his lake house — separately. Raised in New York City, Vivian is an ambitious sommelier with a secret that could derail her future. Lucy grew up in a tiny Maine town, where she now teaches high school English while watching her marriage unravel. They’ve never met. While Lucy envied her half-sister from afar, their father kept Vivian in the dark.

When Vivian arrives at the lake to spread his ashes and sell his cabin, she’s shocked to find Lucy there, awaiting his return. In an ideal world, they’d help each other through their grief. Instead, forced to spend the summer together, they fight through a storm of suspicion and hostility to untangle the messy truth about their parents’ pasts. While Lucy is desperate to hold onto the house, Vivian is scrambling after a betrayal. After thirty years apart, is it too late for them to be a family?

I adore this cover! If you loved The Parent Trap, I think you’ll enjoy Maine Characters. Think Parent Trap, but with adult children (with adult problems and drama). Thoroughly enjoyed reading this, picturing the beautiful Maine lake scenes in my mind.

Maine Characters is out today! (5/13/25)

Thanks to @netgalley and @duttonbooks for access to this book in exchange for an honest review.

The cover of this is my favorite part. I have really enjoyed this author’s previous works, so I was so excited for this. However, the characters feel so immature. I’m also not a fan of love triangles when there’s infidelity happening. I wanted this to work so bad but it just isn’t for me.

Thank you so much to Dutton for the gifted ARC!

The good: I read in just a day and didn't want to put it down! I loved The Parent Trap vibes and wish more time was spent there than anywhere else!

The not so good: There was so much of the book centering around an affair and it just gave me the ick and I didn't care for those characters at all or see their side of things at any point in the story.

Overall, it was a fun read, but I wish less time was spent on the affair drama.

I think many will enjoy this, though!

3.5 ⭐

Maine Characters is definitely a love letter to Maine and made me miss the few times that I've been (and made me crave an Allagash White!) One of my best friends is from Maine and I'm always jealous to hear about his times at camp. Vivian Levy and Lucy Webster are half-sisters that spent a month of their childhood on the lake with their father, but never together. After his death, Vivian goes back to their cabin with plans to sell it, when she finally meets Lucy who refuses to give up the month that she is promised every year. Even though they shared a dad, Lucy always was almost a dirty secret in his world.

This book is definitely giving summer camp and Parent Trap vibes. I overall enjoyed the plot and character arcs of this story that Lucy, and especially Vivian had, but the pace of the book felt way to slow, which detracted from the overall experience of the story. Additionally, the chapter structure with the in-chapter flips of POV were confusing and distracting from the story.

Thank you to Hannah, Dutton Books, and Netgalley for the eARC.

Two sisters, one who doesn't know the other exists, meet at their father's lake house. Together they must work through their grief and try and see what they can become together.

I was so excited about Maine Characters. Sadly, the characters were unbearable. I kept finding things to clean just to avoid this book and I hate cleaning.

There may be an audience for this book. The descriptions of Maine (a state I have never been to despite my only female cousin on that side of the family living there) were STUNNING. However, I need some characters I can enjoy in some way and that was lacking.

Thank you to Net Galley, Dutton, and Penguin Group Dutton for the ARC. All opinions are my own and I genuinely hope that you find readers who enjoy this book.

Maine Characters follows Vivian and Lucy, who are half-sisters that both end up at their father's cabin in Maine after his passing.

The story switches POVs throughout as the two sister navigate their new relationship with each other, the secrets their father kept from them and the drama in each of their love lives. So needless to say, there is a lot of characterization and love stories to keep up with, if you loved drama, then this is for you.

Each of the characters takes their turn being a bit insufferable as well, so if you aren't into a messy girl, this novel is not for you. But it isn't the running theme of the book.

The author did do a great job of setting the scene and made me desperately wish I had been reading this on a dock down by the lake instead of inside on my couch on a rainy day.

🏵 beautiful Maine setting
⛱️ lake house
🏵 family drama
⛱️ large family
🏵parent trap vibes
⛱️emotional read

I love the setting of this story but unfortunately this was a did not finish for me. I could not keep the backstories straight between the two sisters which made it hard to continue. I was constantly flipping back to a sticky note on who had which childhood and current job, etc. at mid way I stopped reading because there was nothing to be invested in to continue outside of whether to sell a house or not.

When I saw this was being described as “the parent trap for adults,”I knew I needed to get my hands on a copy! Also, this cover is stunning, right!?!

Tysm to @prhaudio for the early listening copy and @netgalley and @duttonbooks for the early reading copy. I did an immersive read of this one and really enjoyed Mara Wilson’s narration.

I absolutely loved the Maine setting. My wife and I love to go there every year and it is always so beautiful! This story also has some pretty gripping family drama. If you are a fan of the movie The Parent Trap, you're really going to love this one. I don't want to give too much away about this one but I found Lucy and Vivian’s dynamic very interesting and this story has so much heart. Definitely a great summer read!

4 stars

I was so excited to dive into this new book by Hannah Orenstein. I’ve followed and enjoyed her work for years. This book felt a little slow to draw me in for the first half, but I really got hooked in the second half. It’s an interesting story to think about, especially the fun take on an adult Parent Trap situation - a throwback favorite movie of mine as a millennial. I enjoyed the deep look at complicated family dynamics, personal relationships, and all the ups and downs and challenges that happen.

I also truly loved the setting of the book in Maine. Having followed Hannah for a while, I knew her love of Maine and the summer she’s spent there. I could really feel that through the setting of the book and how everything was described - it has me dreaming of a trip to Maine to enjoy all it has to offer.

I’m so grateful to NetGalley and Penguin Group Dutton | Dutton Books for the ARC in exchange for my honest review. I can’t wait for more books in the future by Hannah Orenstein.

It was the title that grabbed my attention - my family has been spending summers on a lake in Maine since 2011 and I thought it would be fun to read a book that took place locally. I was right! It’s part family drama, part romance and a lot about friendships. Vivian and Lucy are half sisters that were raised by their respective mothers, and without each other. After their shared father dies they meet unexpectedly and there’s a lot of catching up to do. If you enjoy Meg Mitchell Moore or Carly Fortune you will enjoy Maine Characters.
Thank you Netgalley and Penguin Group Dutton for the digital ARC!

Vivian and Lucy are half sisters, meeting for the first time at age 30 after their father’s sudden and unexpected death.

Vivian grew up with her father full time in NYC, while Lucy only spent time with her father when he visited his lake house each summer. Lucy envied Vivian’s full time relationship with their father and Vivian didn’t know Lucy existed.

They are mourning their father and their different relationships with him and all that was left unsaid by him while also dealing with their careers, love lives and meeting each other for the first time.

Both sisters had their own issues but I really enjoyed the story and how they came together and each individually evolved over the course of the summer.

Thanks to #netgalley, the publisher and the author for this e-arc. It’s out today, May 13th!!

Vivian and Lucy are strangers who meet at their father’s house - sound confusing? It is for both of them as they learn about the half-sister they didn’t know they had while processing the grief of their father’s passing. This messy, complicated and real book takes you on a journey of their summer spent in their dad’s lake house as they figure all of this out - their future, their relationship, how to deal with their mom’s and the rest of the world.

This book was great! The emotional rawness of it really held my attention. Even though I don’t have a sister, I could feel the kinship from the page that hit me right where I expect sisterly bonds would within my life. I really appreciated the author’s attention to building up both the world of the lake house, the years of pain and confusion from the sisters, and the ice breaking in real time. This is a great read for people who are looking for emotional reads and character studies - if you find literary fiction being your thing, definitely pick this one up. While not a “beach read” per se, the background will make you ready to go to your own “lake house” and spend the summer there, so highly suggest reading this in your favorite summer spot!

Thank you to the publisher for a copy of this book in exchange for my honest review.

Maine characters Is partly the author’s ode to life on the lake in Maine.
It’s also about a man who hid both parts of his life and whom I didn’t care for. Although he isn’t alive for the book he factors largely in it.
Frankly, I wasn’t too keen on either Lucy or Vivian because one was rather snobby and the other rather whiny.
Both characters develop quite a bit during the course of the book.
I actually wanted to read Celeste’s books!
The cover of the book is exquisite.
It’s a good beginning of summer book for readers.

Thank you Hannah Orenstein and Dutton for this eARC :)

I am SO torn on how to rate this book. On one hand, I think if a book makes you feel as many things as I felt about this one, it is a book well done! On the other hand, I kind of left the book feeling “eh” at the end. 😬

Let’s talk about what I enjoyed! I loved the setting of this book. I think the lake house backdrop added both beauty and complexity to the story, and it gave us a better insight into the two contrasting sisters. Also, the overall plot was interesting to me! By the end of it, I was so invested. These characters were messy and flawed, and I was intrigued by what could be next. From the beginning, you want these sisters to reconcile and even feel hopeful that it can end well for them. And I would say that the ending did that! All the loose ends were tied together, and the path forward for the moms and the daughters felt right for this book.

But here are some of the things I didn’t love: This book was marketed to me as Beach Read meets Parent Trap… those are not what I would use to describe this book. Because I went in thinking these were the vibes, I was definitely expecting more romance and girlhood vibes (with grief as a backdrop.) Instead, this book spends more time exploring grief and complicated relationships, and the found family elements were slightly lacking. Which I think you won’t feel the way I did, if you know this going in! With the right expectations, I think the ending will be so satisfying.

Another issue I had is that these characters are 30+. They are grown women, and there were so many moments where they didn’t act like it. And hear me out! Yes, they are grieving. Grief makes us act out, and there is space for characters to revert back in the midst of this tough season. HOWEVER, it felt like Vivian as a character was painted as a villain for how she acted, but Lucy was allowed to act out and be upset?? Vivian was constantly apologizing, growing, and changing her perspective. She is constantly reflecting and having to process how she acts. And listen - she is imperfect and makes mistakes! She needed to have the moments she had. But it drove me up the wall that Lucy was painted in a way where she was allowed to figure things out and act out?? And she’s not really held accountable for really anything?? Again I can hold space for the fact that Lucy’s life was really hard and she was going through a lot! *BUT* Hank is the villain of the story !!!!!! And too much of this story it felt like different women were being painted as the villain/pitted against each other, when HE was a grown man who made the decisions that he did. At any point, he could’ve changed the trajectory of this entire story. And he didn’t. He had SO much time to say or do LITERALLY anything, and he didn’t. And that’s on him. No one else.

And maybe that’s the hold up for me?? If this book happened when the girls were in their early 20s, I think I would feel SO differently about this book. It would make so much more sense for these characters and how they act! A lot of the childishness would fit for the age. I also think it would make it more sad to me because it would feel more “what could have been”. (And yes, I know this kind of gets explained at the end?? But I think it would’ve been better earlier) There are just so many components of this story that if it occurred earlier, I would have just been able to understand so much better.

Also - I went into this book thinking it would be a romance based off how it was marketed, and in my opinion, this isn’t a romance. There are romance elements? There are side plot romances if you will? But the “happily ever after” is not between romantic relationships, and it was definitely a sprinkle in the plot. It was not the focus. (Again - not a bad thing. I think romance driving the plot would have taken away from everything going on. I just incorrectly thought this was a romance.)

All of this to say, this book did make me feel so many things, and I was invested in how everything would turn. I think with the proper expectations, this could be your new favorite book!! If you’re looking for a fiction book that deals with grief and messy relationships, this could be right up your alley ☺️