If the title doesn't capture your attention like it did me, let me assure you this is worth the read. A man has two daughters that both spend separate months with him at a lake house in the middle of nowhere Maine. He passes away unexpectedly and the daughters end up discovering each other at the house. Typical Parent Trap-like stuff happens and there is a lot of extra drama going on with both sisters that kept me reading and I needed to know how everything wrapped up. Thank you NetGalley and Penguin Group Dutton for a chance to read this one early in exchange for an honest review.

I did like this book but I didn’t love it! The setting is amazing but I could not stand the two main characters fighting the whole time (even when the fights were understandable for their situation).

Maine Characters publishes next month, just in time for summer reading.

The story is about Vivian and Lucy, two previously unknown sisters staying at their father's lakeside vacation home for the summer. They must work through their grief over their father's death while also getting to know each other.

Family relationships are at the center of this book, with a few romantic subplots. The lakeside Maine setting is idyllic. It's an emotional read, but still a great pick for vacation!

Hailed as a reverse parent trap, two sisters meet up at their father's lake house. Neither Lucy or Vivienne know about the other, so it's quite a shock when Vivienne shows up and sees Lucy in HER dad's house. Through the confusion, Vivienne tells Lucy their dad is dead and she will be selling the lake house. Lucy's world is upended...her father she only saw once a year has died, she is in the middle of getting divorced, has lost her job and will now be homeless. Vivienne is unmoved by Lucy's plight, and stubbornly refuses to budge on the sale of the house.

But Vivienne's life isn't rosy either. She's in a relationship with a married man who promises he's leaving his wife, she needs the money from the sale of the house to open her own wine bar in NYC, and shes furious with her dead father for keeping so many secrets. As both girls are forced to spend more and more time together at the lake house, they begin to thaw towards each other and realize how hurt they both were in different ways by their father's secrets.

Can they come to an arrangement that will work for everyone AND manage to become sisters? Or will the pain of the past ruin any hope for the future?

Maine Characters is a highly anticipated summer read for 2025.

Vivian, a rising star in the NYC wine industry, and Lucy, an English teacher from rural Maine, make an unlikely pair when they are forced to share a lake house for the summer. The house belongs to Vivian's dad who recently passed away, taking with him a major family secret - he had a secret daughter near his summer house in Maine (Lucy). Vivian doesn't find out about Lucy until she is faced with settling her dad's affairs following his death, which includes what to do with the lake house. Lucy has always felt attached to the house, which was the only place she got to spend time with her father when she was growing up every July. For Vivian, the house represents the complicated and disappointing relationship she had with her father, and she wants to move on.

I really wanted to like this book. However, I found Vivian and Lucy to be unlikable (nearly insufferable) characters. The way they treat each other for the majority of the book was ugly, and we didn't really get to see a redeemable or relatable side to either of them. While reading, I just felt like I was rooting for both of them to lose.

Thank you to NetGalley for providing me with an eARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.

Absolutely obsessed with this one! The cover and storyline is adorable. I have been recommending this one to all my friends now that it is out.

A beautiful story of a lake and two sisters learning to have a relationship with one another after not growing up together. It’s truly the adult version of The Parent Trap.

I really enjoyed this story of how being human can affect those around you. Vivian and Lucy’s dad never let them meet and it’s from his one choice that everything spirals. The angst, the learning to move past the errors of his ways made for a wonderful story.

The one thing I couldn’t get behind was Vivian and her relationship with Oscar. I HATE when women decide to be the side piece, fully knowing the man is in a marriage. It just grinded my gears. Plus her mom Celeste? Goodness. To keep so much from her? UGH.

Overall loved the journey of this novel. Thank you NetGalley, Dutton and Hannah Orenstein for the ARC in exchange of an honest review.

3.5 stars Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the copy. Maine Characters follow two sisters, Lucy and Vivian, as they navigate a new relationship between them. They share the same father, but never knew each other. After the sudden passing of their father, Vivian leaves New York to sell their lake house in Maine. When she arrives, she finds Lucy a sister that she thought existed, but wasn’t sure. Lucy does not want to sell the house and is not going to let Vivian sell it without a fight. I enjoyed the storyline. Based on the cover, I thought it would be more upbeat, but there were heavy themes found in the novel. I didn’t care for Vivian at the beginning, but she redeemed herself. It took me a bit to get into the story, but once I was interested, it flowed pretty well.

This story was more than I expected, in the best way possible! It was more than just a story about two sisters connecting for the first time after thirty years, it was also a story of female friendship, grief and loss, relationships, and what to do when life flips the script on you. There were times when I wanted to scream at the main characters, others where I wanted to hug them, and isn’t that the human experience? The writing was so incredible the characters felt three dimensional. I cried along with them as information was revealed about their father and secrets they, or their mothers, had been keeping.

And, completely unrelated to the writing, the cover design is absolutely gorgeous!!

Thank you Hannah Orenstein, Netgalley, and Penguin Books Dutton for the eARC in exchange for my honest opinion!

I was curious what inspired by the parent trap meant, but this book nailed it. I love the two stories running in parallel with each other. Lucy already knowing about her half sister was the perfect slight difference. Plus being set in a lake house in Maine. Would definitely recommend this read.

Maine Characters by Hannah Orenstein was at the top of my “most anticipated reads of 2025.” I follow the author on instagram and feel like I’ve been watching her write this novel for years. I also grew up going to a lake, so a novel in the style of The Parent Trap that takes place at a silky, cozy lakefront cabin sounded right up my alley.

The premise of this book is two half-sisters who have never met end up at their father’s lake house the summer after he died. Vivian, NYC-based sommelier, is, grew up with her mom and dad going to private schools and enjoying the finer things in life. Lucy, a high school English teacher, was kept a secret and spent the month of July with her father. When they crash into each other, both grieving and trying to make sense of their dad’s choices, a heartfelt story of sisterhood, grief, trauma, and family emerges. Set against the dreamy serenity of a Maine summer, this book is equal parts a warm hug and a dip in refreshing lake water.

“Likeable characters” come up a lot when talking about why someone did or did not like a book. I will say — Vivian is not a “likeable” character when you first meet her on the page, but I found her to be an empathetic one and she grew on me as the book progressed. I really appreciated the side characters and their roles in Vivian and Lucy’s story. I felt fully engrossed in their story and was eager to see how it developed. This was a “I need to go bed, but I want to keep reading as soon as I can” kind of book.

This is a great choice if you’re reading lake-side (or near another body of water) or if you want a mental vacation of Maine. It transports you to a boat traveling at Wine Speed, swimsuit damp from a swim, wine in a mason jar, listening to the rhythmic sound of waves. I really loved it and will be recommending it to almost everyone I know (would skip if infidelity is a no-go topic for you).

This is Orenstein’s best yet.

Thank you, NetGalley for this eARC! I requested this book without ever reading the author’s other work, but I will definitely be checking out more of her books. The title and cover of this book along with the log line that it’s an “adult parent trap” really intrigued me.

“Maine Characters” is a family drama, heavy on the drama. Lucy and Vivian have never met, but they share a father and a summer home on a lake in Maine. After their dad Hank dies suddenly, the two women discover each other and spend the summer hashing out the past and learning how to move forward.

I did enjoy this story a lot. I think the concept was good, the character development was great and even had hints of romance in the side stories. My biggest complaint is the length. I do think it was just too long and slowed down the pacing. Also some of the timeline is odd. They say it’s been weeks but then refer to something as “the other night”. Some of the descriptions were repetitive and lengthy. What the author chose to tell vs show was odd. I have one specific example, but I think it’s a spoiler so I’ll leave it off my review. The romances were cute, not central, but still a nice part of the characters development. Overall, I really wanted to see how the story ended and was satisfied with the ending for Lucy and Vivian.

3.5 stars rounded to 4

The clever name and gorgeous cover of the book initially drew me in, but it was the story that kept me returning for more. Vivian and Lucy, two half-sisters, connect after their father’s passing. Their summer spent at the lake house becomes an opportunity for them to confront family and personal dramas, as well as long-buried secrets. I was impressed by the dynamic and growth of these two characters throughout the book. I highly recommend picking this book up! Added bonus-the setting on the lake in Maine adds to the charm and makes it an ideal choice for a summer read. Thank you NetGalley for the ARC.

Maine Characters by Hannah Orenstein
Pub Date: May 13, 2025
Rating: 🌟🌟 🌟 🌟💫(4.5/5)
Spice: 🌶️(1/5)

Summary:
Vivian Levys heads to Maine from the city to empty out her recently deceased father’s lake house. Little does she know, when she arrives at the house her half sister (who she doesn’t know exist) shows up. Lucy Webster comes from across town and is looking for her father because they usually spend July together at the lake house. When Vivian arrives emotions take over. These two sisters learn to respect and care for the house and each other while fighting their own emotional battles.

Review:
Hannah Orenstein books ALWAYS get me. She so flawlessly writes compelling stories. I really enjoyed the unexpected romances along the way. The growth of both Vivian and Lucy make my heart happy. I love a story where characters start and end as themselves, but we really truly see them grow along the way.

If you like:
- Rich vs poor
- Found Friends
- Lake Houses
- Unexpected romance

QOTD: How do you like your lobster roll?

Thank you to Net Galley and Dutton/PRH for proving me with an eARC of this novel.

This was such a great novel. I loved the setting and I felt like I was there. This was such a complex story and handled some very heavy topics. I didn't like the characters at first and the character development helped change that. I wasn't expecting this to be such an emotional and heartwarming read. I really enjoyed my first Hannah Orenstein book and I will definitely read more of her work.

I was immediately drawn to this book by the cover and the title if I am being honest. I loved the setting. I feel like Hannah did such a wonderful job at truly taking us to the cozy, familiar, lakeside home. I really appreciate that in the acknowledgments she talked about her own personal experiences. I did enjoy this, I just feel like it was hard to differentiate between Lucy's voice and Vivian's voice. I almost would have preferred maybe if it was told in one POV.

This one. Oof.

I kinda sorta low key hated Vivian. I felt bad for Lucy for the entire book. She is treated like garbage. I couldn't root for Vivian.

The writing isn't bad. I flew the book pretty quickly, just wasn't my fav story.

3.5 stars.

Wow I’m really between 4-4.5 ⭐️

I’m not going to lie, I went into this book not knowing what to expect and I left absolutely blown away by the beauty of this novel! This was my first book by Hannah + will not be my last. Vivian and Lucy were the perfect painting of what it means to simply be, human. This was SO raw and emotional. The character development and story narrating between so many people, was insane. This book is so well written and I easily read it in two days. I cried reading some of their soft and tender sister moments.. as they slowly stopped resenting one another from finding out about their late father’s deep betrayals and mistakes. The family secrets, relationship drama and unexpected twists really keep you engaged with this book. I’m left feeling so satisfied and I REALLY adore both of the main FMCs by the end. I don’t know how Hannah’s writing got me there, because I did not at all like Vivian at first, but it did. I reallllyyyy recommend this one!

3.5⭐️ rounded up
I mostly chose to read Maine Characters for the title and cover. I’ve always felt drawn to Maine and was excited to read a book centered around a small lake town but I do mostly read romance so I wasn’t sure what to expect. The book far exceeded my expectations with a deeply moving story about two grieving half-sisters with a complicated relationship with their father (who doesn’t relate to dad issues?).

I will say there was a lot of side plot to follow in this book. I enjoyed it for the drama and romance but it was sometimes just a lot.

Overall, I think readers will really resonate with these characters and find the beauty of Maine in every page. It made me want to read the authors other books!

Thanks NetGalley, the publisher, and the author for a digital advanced copy of this book!

I requested this book primarily based on the cover and the description of "The Parent Trap for Adults," and hadn't read any of Orenstein's previous work. I loved this book and couldn't put it down. The complex family dynamics and beautiful scenery make the book feel so *real.* I have a few patrons in mind to recommend this to the second it comes out.