Thank you to Penguin and Negalley for the ARC in exchange for my honest review. I'm struggling with how many stars to give this because it was ok.

First, the marketing for the book says this is "The Parent Trap" for adults. I don't see that or it represents the most shallow interpretation of The Parent Trap story. Lucy and Vivian are half-sisters who have never met. Vivian lived with her mom and dad in NYC in privilege. Lucy grew up with a struggling single mother in a small Maine town. Lucy would spend one month every summer with her dad in his summer home in Maine. Upon his death, the sisters meet as Vivian arrives to spread her father's ashes and sell the family home and Lucy arrives to spend her summer with her dad who she doesn't know is dead. They don't get along. And them not getting along is a good portion of the book.

The sisters are left to manage the mistakes of their father amid the ups and downs of their personal lives. And, frankly, Vivian's personal life made me want to scream because she was a raging hypocrite. And Lucy also makes some questionable decisions. The middle 1/3 of the book can be summed up with "they don't like each other," because not a lot else happened. And I spent most of the book wondering, "WHY DIDN'T THIS WEALTHY MAN HAVE A WILL?" The book does explore the complexities of grief and parental relationships, but not with as much depth as I was expecting.

The beautiful cover sets the tone for this story of two half sisters grappling with the death of their father. Vivian arrives at her father’s Maine cabin to ready it for sale after his death only to find his other daughter, the one she suspected him of having but never knew for sure, enjoying “her month” of time at the lake. Drama ensues, of course, but there’s so much heart in the twists and turns. The juxtapositions of city mouse/country mouse paired with their famous romance novelist/waitress mothers isn’t the same old Hallmark tripe. Vivian and Lucy are real and flawed, just as their father was. There are many love stories contained in this, but I think the sister love story outweighs them all.

Ya know, this was really cute. I enjoyed the story and the growth of the characters! I’ve never been to Maine, but I imagine this is what it feels like.

Thank you netgalley for this early release. Unfortunately I dnf’d this one at about 20%. The characters were so shallow I couldn’t relate to their drama. Both of the women were obnoxious and whiney. I’m sorry I could not give this one a more well rounded review but I could not keep going.

The beautiful cover and comparison to The Parent Trap had me very excited to pick this one up, however I think I was a little disappointed. I loved the premise. Anything that has to do with messy family drama always entertains me. I just couldn't connect with the characters and there were a few things (like the cheating) that I typically steer clear of in books, so there were some parts I didn't enjoy.

Overall I liked this. The pacing was good and the character building was there. I wish we got a litttttle more, like my main questions have to do with paige and Oscar and overall just a little bit of missing finality to the story.

My biggest issue:
Not a fan of the frequent and in chapter POV switching, either stick to one the whole book or ONLY change when a new chapter starts

Review can also be found on goodreads.

This book made me long for warm summer days spending with family on the lake. they both make mistakes and they don't always know the answers. they felt like tangible characters. really enjoyed this!

I really wanted to enjoy Maine Characters by Hannah Orenstein, but unfortunately, it fell flat for me. The storyline had potential, but these sisters were incredibly frustrating. They came off as immature and self-centered. Instead of growing throughout the book, it felt like all the characters were underdeveloped, making it hard to care about anyone in the story. The pacing was slow, and I found myself struggling to stay engaged. Overall, the book lacked the depth and maturity I was hoping for, leaving me disappointed.

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

Thank you to NetGalley and Penguin Dutton for the early ARC.
I really enjoyed this spin on an “adult parent trap.” The setting of Maine on a lake was so tranquil that I really enjoyed my time in their little neck of the woods. Lucy and Vivian might not be characters that I will remember forever but I did think the author realistically portrayed how two half sisters may navigate a situation like they are.
I definitely recommend this book for a poolside or beachside reach this summer! I also want one of Celeste’s book, perhaps the Naked in New York one! 😎👙☀️

This book had all the makings of a great book in my opinion. A adult version of The Parent Trap and a bright and colorful cover. Well that is about all this book had going for it.

Every summer,Vivian Levy and Lucy Webster each spent a month with their dad at his lake house. Neither girl knew about the other until their father dropped dead of a heart attack and the women showed up at the lake house and discovered each other.

Vivan and Lucy were not likable in any way. They were petty and vicious women who needed to grow up and learn to treat other humans better.

The other issue I had with this story was that every single character was involved in a love triangle. It was hard to keep track of what people were in which triangle which seems ridiculous.

This was a hard no for me. Sorry.

I received an ARC of this book from NetGalley and the publisher in exchange for an honest review. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

Trigger warnings: parental death and sudden loss.

An emotional journey exploring different types of relationships. I especially loved the sisterly bond as both characters grow individually and together while navigating life's events.

The cover for this book is absolutely gorgeous. I love it and I was so excited to read this!

This was the first book I’ve read in over a year that was in third person. It threw me at first but overall this book was pretty good! I loved Lucy a lot more that Vivian.

this one was ok. The story was a little slow paced for me. I really enjoyed Lucy, but found Vivian to be insufferable. I did enjoy watching the two slowly start to get along better. There was just something missing from keeping me super hooked.

What initially drew me into this book was the cover, so so beautiful and I think captures the vibe of the book well.

I didn’t really love the main character, she just fell a little flat for me. However, I adored the setting in which this was written and I think it really added a lot to the novel as a whole.

Get ready to be transported to beautiful Maine in this fun parent-trap inspired book :)

4 stars!

Maine Characters is filled with deeply flawed characters set in a beautiful small town with a touch of “the city” :) The story details frustrating yet compelling storylines for each character and is quite a breath of fresh air in terms of overall plot!

The themes of sisterhood, grief, and dysfunction across different relationships were all explored in this book and left me angry, happy, frustrated, and relieved all at once! The pacing of the book was a bit challenging at times but overall a wonderful read!

I was stoked to read this because of the advertising being an adult version of the parent trap. Plus the cover is to DIE for gorgeous. But unfortunately I never got hooked like I was hoping. I did like the concept, and wanted to keep reading.

Not sure if it was the ARC or if this is how the final book is, but there were very long chapters but had breakdowns of different chapters alternating between the two sisters. I wish the POVs were not in third person, but being in third person made it easier to keep up with whose POV we were in so that’s good.

Anyways, I was hoping for a bit more but ultimately fell a bit flat for me.

Thanks for the early copy from Netgalley and Dutton!

This was a really good read with a surprise jumping out at every turn. Two half sisters meet for the first time at their father’s lake house and spend the summer unraveling lies and deception at every turn. Kind of a “coming-of-family” story. Honestly, some of it was pretty predictable but in a good way. I kind of figured out how it was going to end up. But that didn’t make the story telling any less enjoyable. I’m interested to read other books by the author. Also, the cover art is beautiful!

Thanks to NetGalley for the Arc.

I really enjoyed this book in spite of how much time I spent disliking the characters. All the characters are flawed (in a realistic and well written way) and go through an evolution to better themselves throughout the book. Hannah Orenstein’s ability to build believable characters, full of relatable motivations and ever changing emotions really sets this book apart and makes it shine.

Some example of the characters and their growth:
- Spoiled and selfish Vivian realizes the impact of her actions and takes big steps to right past wrongs
- Idealistic and jealous Lucy learns the grass isn’t always greener on the other side and learns to stand on her two feet alone and with confidence (while still having her friends and family at her side)
- Even side characters such as Dawn (lets her life pass her buy while she wallows in heartbreak), Celeste (allows her bitterness and the importance she puts on her reputation leave her in a love-less marriage), and Caleb (allows his attraction to Vivian to not be as good of a friend to Lucy at times) demonstrate growth while still helping build out the overall plot

One watch out for future readers, the story is a lot more emotionally draining than the beautiful cover might initially imply.

Thank you to Hannah Orenstein, Penguin Random House, and NetGalley for providing me with an advanced reader copy in exchange for an honest review.

Hannah Orenstein’s Maine Characters is a heartfelt and deeply emotional novel about family, grief, and the unexpected bonds that form when two strangers realize they share more than just DNA. Described as “The Parent Trap for adults,” this book delivers a compelling mix of tension, self-discovery, and summer nostalgia, all wrapped up in the picturesque setting of a Maine lake house.

A Tale of Two Sisters

Vivian Levy and Lucy Webster couldn’t be more different. Vivian, a sophisticated sommelier from New York City, has always believed she was her father’s only daughter. Lucy, a small-town English teacher in Maine, has known about Vivian for years—and resented her from afar. Their father kept them apart, carefully maintaining two separate lives, until his sudden death forces them together for the first time.

The novel begins with Vivian arriving at the lake house to spread their father’s ashes and finalize its sale, only to find Lucy already there—waiting for a man who will never return. What follows is a summer filled with grief, resentment, and ultimately, revelations about the tangled secrets of their parents’ past.

What Works
• Complex, Well-Developed Characters: Both Vivian and Lucy are flawed yet deeply relatable. Their dynamic is fraught with tension, but their journey toward understanding each other feels authentic and earned.
• A Beautifully Crafted Setting: Orenstein’s descriptions of lake life—the stillness of the water at sunrise, the smell of pine, the warmth of bonfires—create an immersive backdrop that adds to the novel’s emotional depth.
• A Fresh Take on Family Drama: While the estranged sibling trope isn’t new, Maine Characters brings a fresh perspective by exploring not just sisterhood but also identity, inheritance, and the weight of unspoken truths.

What Could Have Been Stronger
• Some Predictability: While the emotional beats are satisfying, certain plot points—like the eventual reconciliation—feel inevitable. A few more unexpected twists could have made the story even more gripping.
• A Slow Start: The first few chapters lean heavily into exposition, and it takes a bit of time before Vivian and Lucy’s interactions truly ignite. But once they do, the story is hard to put down.

Final Thoughts

Maine Characters is a beautifully written novel that captures the complexities of family, the pain of long-held secrets, and the healing power of shared history. If you love books about messy, complicated relationships (with a touch of lakeside charm), this one is well worth the read.

Would I recommend it? Absolutely—especially if you’re in the mood for a summer read with emotional depth and a satisfying (though slightly predictable) resolution.

I got this book as an ARC from NetGallery and I’m so glad I did. Vivian arrives in a very small Maine town, with the ashes of her father, set to sell his lake house and use the money to open a wine bar in New York City. When she arrives at the house, she’s shocked to find a half-sister she didn’t know she had. Lucy is the sister who was raised in the town, who didn’t know her father has died. The sisters spend the next weeks navigating each other, their loss, and problems in their own lives. This is a story of how secrets and deceit can get out of hand quickly change lives forever.