Maine Characters was a refreshingly different story. It had an original plot line with good character development and I was always eager to find out what was going to happen next in the story of Lucy and Vivian.

I also loved the setting! Orenstein did an amazing job capturing the natural beauty of a cabin on a lake so that the reader can nearly feel the sunshine on their face and experience the rocking of the boat. It’ll make you jealous you’re not there.

My only criticism is that one relationship felt unnecessary to the plot. If it was removed, the story would not have changed and because of this, I didn’t have a deep interest in this part of the story.

After many predictable romance novels, this was a breath of fresh air 😌💖 I finished the book wishing I could find out what happens next in the main(e) characters’ lives. Thanks NetGalley for the ARC - so glad I chose this one. 🦞🚤☀️🍷

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the eARC!

Maine Characters is a story about two sisters who have never met, thrown together when their dad dies unexpectedly. Vivian grew up with her dad Hank in New York City, while Lucy got one month a year at Hank's lake house in Maine. The premise drew me in immediately, but both sisters were tough to like in the beginning. Vivian is cold and spoiled, while Lucy is a bit of a pushover. In the beginning it was hard to root for either of them. They do have decent growth thoughout the book and I was happy with where they both ended, but their initial personalities made this a little tough to get into. I did love their cozy lake cabin. I could see this being a great beach read!

This was a fun take on The Parent Trap!

It really took me a while to warm up to both characters but the unique plot and interesting family dynamics made it an interesting read. I love seeing flawed characters who realize they have the ability to change!

the cover of this book is so pretty. the content of the book? not so pretty. i'll start by saying all the characters, with the exception of maybe one, are all insufferable and frustrating. I didn't like the basis behind the book at all either, father's secret life yada yada yada. just was not interested in that. this book is marketed at an "adult parent trap" and it honestly couldn't be farther from that. the only thing that made me think about the parent trap in this book is the scene where they watch the movie. there were also just too many love triangles that then seemed forgotten in the end.

for a book that has such a beautiful cover, I was disappointed in this one and couldn't wait for it to be over. the ending, while pretty happy, seems so unbelievable and sudden that it's just ridiculous. however, I did enjoy the maine/summer setting and visualizing that. some people will definitely enjoy this novel as a sweet little summer beach read, but it wasn't for me.

thank you to netgalley and penguin group dutton for this ARC! out 5/13/25.

This is my second Hannah Orenstein book and she is quickly becoming an auto buy! This book is being compared to the parent trap which was my favorite movie when I was young (Lindsey Lohan can do no wrong). This book did not disappoint.

Maine Characters follows two step-sisters navigating life after the loss of their father in the small lake town of Fox Hill. To make matters more complicated, they had never met prior and find themselves sharing more than just their father’s cabin for the remainder of the summer.

Vivian is a strong-willed, sassy New Yorker who had the privilege of growing up with both of her parents and all the benefits you could imagine. Lucy, on the other hand, grew up with the struggles of single parenthood and was forced to savor one measly month a year with her father in July.

Since their father kept them separate and Lucy hidden from Vivian and his wife, the two had quite a bit of catching up to do throughout the summer. Needless to say, it was not what either of them had in mind. Lucy was more optimistic about their relationship as sisters whereas Vivian wanted to essentially sell the house and move on without a second thought. Their sisterhood blossoms before your very eyes but not without a fair share of drama first. There are love interests, mama drama, small town antics and plenty of secrets that unravel as these sisters begin learn more about one another.

I honestly would’ve picked up this book based off of the gorgeous cover alone—yes, I do judge books off of their cover (everyone does and if they don’t they’re lying). But Orenstein writes with such ease and makes you fall in love with more than just the cover.
Watching Vivian and Lucy find themselves along with a renewed sense of hope in life and love is the kind of character development I crave in every book. She even makes Fox Hill seem to be a character of its own, and if it were a real place I’d probably be booking my trip right now for a little R&R on the lake.

If you’re looking for the perfect summer read, be sure to add this to the top of your list this year!🚤🌊🌅🌲

This is my favorite of Hannah Orenstein’s novels yet. The book explores complex family dynamics and complex relationships overall, but particularly revolves around half sisters. The setting is absolutely gorgeous and reminds me of my own summer happy place. It feels like a hug. While reading, I was also reminded of the feeling of how no matter how much your family annoys you, only you can talk badly about them. I personally enjoyed that the main characters were flawed. I loved the discussions about wine, too. Overall, this is a light-hearted family drama with just a touch of romance and an enjoyable read that I finished quickly.

Thank you to Penguin Group Dutton and NetGalley for the opportunity to read an advance copy!

An adult parent trap? Yeah sign me up! This cover is absolutely gorgeous and immediately drew me in! From there the author's prose captured my heart and I never looked back! Great character development, wonderful plot and some on point summer vibes.

Rating: 1.5 stars (rounded down)

Reading this book was the equivalent of licking chalk.
You’re left with dry mouth, an uncomfortable residue, and confusion about your own actions. It’s a prime example of don’t judge a book by it’s cover.

The most I can say about the writing is that we might as well be playing light as a feather, stiff as a board. The very first page was so strange in its pacing. There are SO MANY instances where I could have sworn the author couldn’t think of a word, and just decided to put a hyphen between each word in a jumble of a description. I wish, as a reader, I got more opportunities to sit in a scene and feel with the characters. Instead, everything was told to me instead of shown.

I had really high hopes for the characters considering the title, but their depth goes about as far down as a sandbar. Vivienne is stuck up and guarded and Lucy, the long lost sister, is a soft spoken doormat that surprises herself when she utters the word “no”. And they pretty much show no potential beyond those roles.

The book is marketed as something similar to The Parent Trap. I disagree. There’s long lost twins, sure. However, the entire plot revolves around the father passing. Plus, the “career-ending” secret that Vivienne reveals made me physically raise a brow. All I can say is that it’s all a bit anti-climactic.

Overall, I found it lacked a compelling narrative and I, in fact, chose sleep over reading this book multiple times (a rarity for me).

Thank you to NetGalley and Penguin Group Publishing for providing me with this arc. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

I wanted to really like this book. The cover is pretty, the concept sounded good, I love The Parent Trap but I didn’t really love this book. The premise is that Hank Levy has 2 daughters, one with his wife that he lives with in New York and the other he had with a former girlfriend near his family cottage in Maine. Hank suddenly dies and his daughter Vivian goes to the cottage to sell it to find a woman there, not just any woman, the mysterious half sister that she didn’t know existed. Lucy, however, did know about Vivian, her mother and her father’s other life in New York. A lot of drama ensues and so many different subplots and fights but I will say the last 25% of the story helped boost my enjoyment. 3 ⭐️ Thank you NetGalley and Dutton Publishing for an ARC for an honest review.

Just from the description of the book saying it was like the parent trap, I knew it was would love this book. So many emotions reading this book but I recommend it.
Thank you Netgalley for an arc, I really appreciate it.

Oh how I loved this novel. I absolutely devoured over the course of one day, and nearly all of it in one sitting. A spin on the classic Parent Trap plot, I was totally enthralled. Orenstein's writing transported me to the idyllic lake in Maine where half-sisters Vivian and Lucy grappled with coming to terms about each other's existence, the death of their father, and the person he was to each.

This was an emotional book, but in the best way. Vivian and Lucy were so different and I loved how their sisterhood transcended those differences. Raised entirely separately and with little to no knowledge of the other, it was a stark look at nature versus nurture and the consequences of our choices.

In a way, Maine Characters is a coming of age novel. Only in death did Vivian and Lucy really get to know their father apart from the person he presented to each. It was hard to hear how he treated each daughter and how different their circumstances ended up being. Though with her father most of the year, privileged in wealth and prestige, Vivian had a frosty relationship with her father - never feeling adequate enough or close to him. Meanwhile, Lucy, though treated somewhat like an afterthought, only got one month a year with her father and sporadic visits and phone calls. While providing the basics for monetary support, Lucy and her father shared a special bond, one that was treasured each magical summer they spent together on the lake in Maine.

Orenstein's writing was captivating. I could feel the cool water on my skin, feel the heartbreak as each girl grappled with a devastating loss, and hear the sound of the waves and the boats on the lake.

This was a quick but impactful read and I very highly recommend. Thank you to Dutton for the copy.

This book was okay in the beginning but got better towards the middle of the book. I felt like I resonated with this book a lot with the family aspect of it all. Wouldn't mind reading more from this author.

Loved the setting and the character development in this book. Beautiful writing - the author really does a fantastic job of describing Maine and the magic that comes with it in the summer..

I was drawn to this book because I loved Maine and thought I would like this storyline. I really wanted to abandon this until about 50% of the book. I really didn’t care for the characters or the storyline. I enjoyed it more when it got into the sister’s love lives but the rest was pretty dry.

This review is based on an Advanced Reader Copy (ARC) provided by NetGalley and the publisher in exchange for an honest review.

This review may contain spoilers

The rollercoaster of emotions in this book swept me right into the story and I had a hard time putting it down! I did not want this to end! This was a 4 star read for me.

The complexities of the sister's separate lives coming together and causing more issues and them having to work through their grief, jealously, and a whole slew of other emotions together really brought this story to life for me. I enjoyed that we were getting both of their POVs and that we were also getting the parents' stories. This added so much depth and showed the history so we got a bigger view of the why. The vibrant setting of coastal Maine and the lake house was like another character in itself. The author did an amazing job painting this picture for us so we could understand that this was not just a house, but really part of the sisters in different ways.

There was so much going on in this book but it was very easy to follow and just made me even more invested in this story. I really thought Hannah Orenstein did an amazing job of making Vivian and Lucy come alive, I was feeling all of their emotions, I was cheering for them the whole way. As a someone who grew up spending summers with my sisters at our grandparents' lake house this one really hit home for me. I highly recommend reading this to anyone looking to curl up a book about navigating relationships between family members and partners, life, grief, and love with some humor sprinkled in!

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for providing me with a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. #MaineCharacters #NetGalley.

This book was incredibly intriguing to me, hence the request to read. The State of Maine is very connected to my own childhood, and this did not disappoint. There was a struggle for me at the start to really dive into this book, but as the complex emotions and meanings began to weave through and come out to shine, I was hooked.

Both of the female leads are so incredibly complex in their own way. The way in which the truth came out was a genuine surprise, but also so anticipated as well.

This was a wonderful story that truly defined the chaos of family in every sense of the word and coming from a blended family – this resonated with me so much. So many instances my heart broke for these characters, only to have the pieces picked back up again.

Kudos to the author for painting a realistic picture of the lovely and often messy trials and tribulations of family. Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for this advanced copy and allowing me to give my thoughts and review.

Maine Characters by Hannah Orenstein is an absolutely delightful and heartwarming read. From the very beginning, I was drawn into the picturesque setting of Maine and the story of the protagonist, who returns to her hometown to rediscover herself and confront her past. This book blends romance, self-discovery, and family drama in a way that kept me turning the pages, eager to see what would happen next.

The setting itself is one of the highlights for me. The author does an amazing job of bringing Maine to life, capturing its beauty and charm in such a vivid way that I could practically feel the sea breeze. The small-town atmosphere added so much to the story and really grounded the emotional journey the characters go through.

The main character’s growth throughout the book is something I really connected with. Her struggles with family expectations, personal insecurities, and love felt so real and relatable. I loved how her journey wasn’t just about finding romance, but about learning to find her own path and identity. The relationships in the book, both romantic and familial, were complex and layered, making every emotional moment feel earned and authentic.

The romance in Maine Characters was also lovely. It’s not just a love story, but a journey of rediscovery, healing, and understanding between two people who have their own baggage and history. I really enjoyed how the relationship slowly built, with chemistry that felt natural and heartfelt.

Overall, I highly recommend Maine Characters to anyone looking for a charming, feel-good novel that’s both emotionally satisfying and thought-provoking. It’s a perfect mix of romance, personal growth, and the beauty of a small town. If you’re a fan of stories about finding your way and embracing both the past and future, this one will definitely resonate with you.

Thank you to Penguin Group Dutton and NetGalley for an early copy of this new release.

First of all, this cover is absolutely gorgeous and one of the things that drew me to this book initially. What also drew me in was the promise of “the parent trap for adults,” but I’d call that a little false advertising, as there is no trapping of the parents involved, just two sisters who grew up apart finally getting to know one another.

Honestly, I wanted to like this so much more than I did, I just didn’t find any of the characters very likable. It took me until about halfway through to feel any sort of investment in the story at all. I do think the story picked up during the second half, but the ending felt just a bit too good to be true, even if it was the best case scenario happy ending.

Overall, it was still an enjoyable read, just wished I had been a bit more excited to read it.