This book completely pulled me in with its heartfelt exploration of family and the messy, beautiful complexities of sisterhood. I loved the way the story was told from both Vivian and Lucy’s perspectives—it made it easy to get invested in their lives and emotions. The plot was intriguing, with plenty of twists to keep me hooked.

The sisters couldn’t be more different: Vivian is ambitious and polished, while Lucy is down-to-earth and struggling with her unraveling marriage. Their clashing personalities made for some intense, but often meaningful, interactions. Honestly, I found Lucy a bit annoying at times—she was hard to empathize with, especially compared to Vivian, who I thought was going to be the 'villain' but turned out to be more relatable. Surprisingly, their father felt like the real main character, even in his absence. His secrets and choices linger over the entire story, shaping who they are and why they’re so different.

What I loved most was how real the relationship between the sisters felt. Their awkwardness, arguments, and small moments of connection all felt genuine—sometimes funny, sometimes heartbreaking. I found myself laughing out loud at a few scenes and tearing up at others. That balance of humor and emotion really worked for me.

The small-town Maine setting was so vivid it made me want to plan a trip there. And while the love stories in the background were sweet, for me, the real heart of the book was the evolving bond between Vivian and Lucy. It’s a beautifully written, emotional story that left me thinking about family and forgiveness long after I finished it.

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the eARC in exchange for my honest opinion.

I was excited to receive this ARC because the cover is so beautiful and the premise of an "adult version" of The Parent Trap was so intriguing. The book was a little slow to start out, but I did end up enjoying it. At some points I had some difficulty picking it up and continuing it, but I think it was an overall good palette cleanser between books. Definitely for the fans of Carley Fortune as the vibes were very similar.

I enjoyed my read of Maine Characters and my first book by Hannah Orenstein. It was a poignant mixture of complex family dynamics, strong female main characters, and portraits of grief interspersed with splashes of romance. I think this will be an excellent late Summer read, preferably near water at sunset.

I rate this book 5 stars for its excellent character development and heart.

I received this book in exchange for my honest review. Thanks to the author and publisher for sharing this novel with me.

In the acknowledgements Hannah Orenstein says that this is her favorite book that she's written thus far, I have to agree! I've read all of Hannah's books and really enjoyed each one, this one though - AMAZING!

I love a good family drama full of big feelings and this book delivered! Lucy and Vivian's journey from strangers to acquaintances to friends to sisters was so fun to read. At one point in the book the girls watch the parent trap, Hallie and Annie's journey to sisterhood was the perfect parallel to Lucy and Vivian; in both stories, the parents made selfish decisions that hurt everyone involved. Watching the sisters in Maine Characters forgive and grow into better people made for a very enthralling read. I cannot wait for everyone to get to read this book, it's a keeper!

This was an overall enjoyable general fiction read about two sisters who do not meet until after their father’s death. While a little slow to start, the last half of the book goes by very quickly.

What a lovely summer/fall read. For starters, the cover is absolutely stunning. This one definitely isn't romance heavy, but more about family, sisterhood, and female bonding. I think having a dual POV and flashbacks was critical in the storytelling here, since we have two women both going through so much and it was really important to see the story from both perspectives. I appreciated that Vivian and Lucy experienced so much personal growth throughout considering what they are going through. Watching their bond grow as the story moves along is really special. I would recommend this title to fans of Carley Fortune and Abby Jimenez.

Hannah is one of my go-to authors and I love the path she took with this book! I am a sister myself, so I felt very seen by the main characters in different ways and had plenty of laughs about how similar their interactions were to mine and my sisters' at times. I will be recommending this to friends and family who want a story with heart, laughter, and thought provoking topics set on a beautiful lake.

A cute romance novel set in a small Maine town about a pair of half-sisters building a relationship after the death of their father. Set primarily during a single summer, with some flashbacks, this is at once a romance novel, a coming of age story, and a story about family ties. No profound depth here, but solid storytelling and a sweet, if pretty predictable, plot.

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the ARC.

This book about family and sisterhood is set on a fictional lake in Maine. Half-sisters Vivian and Lucy have never met until the day that Vivian arrives in Maine to sell her recently deceased father's house and finds Lucy there waiting for him to arrive to their yearly secret summer at the lake.
This book is a sweet tale of sisters who never knew each other bonding and growing closer while at first, fighting for their own special interests.

This is a great fall romance book. The scene was tranquil and I wish I was in Maine this time of year.

Thank you @netgalley for the Advanced Reader Copy of Maine Characters by Hannah Orenstein. It is the story of a developing relationship between two sisters, who didn’t know that each other existed until they were adults. Vivien’s father dies, and she leaves her sommelier job in New York City, where she grew up, to go to Maine and get her father’s summer lake cottage there ready to sell. When she gets there, she finds out that she has a sister who is just a few months older that her father had never told her about. Lucy lives in the area with her mother, and spent a month every summer with her father at the cottage. The women have very different experiences with him, and with the house. Their relationship develops, and they learn about their father and about themselves. It’s a little bit coming of age, a lot about family relationships. I liked this story, and grew to like both sisters as the book went on. #mainecharacters #hannahorenstein #netgalley #advancedreadercopy #arc #lovetoread #mainenovel #sisters #readersofinstagram #lakelife

Thanks to Netgalley and Penguin Books for allowing me access to read this ARC!

4 stars. Lately I have been very much into romance, fantasy, and romantasy, so when I got approved for this ARC, I wasn't sure if I should try reading it now or wait a little bit when I was more in the mood for a solid fiction book. However, I gave it a shot and I ended up absolutely devouring this book. Once I got 30% into it, I just could NOT put it down. Was the beginning a little painful to get through because of the character's personalities? Yes. But the story really starts to improve as the characters start to make discoveries about themselves, and overall this book was such a feel-good story about personal growth and owning up to one's past mistakes, and I really enjoyed it. There's also a bit of romance tossed in which helped keep me interested in the beginning when I still wasn't sure of the book.

This was a very interesting read. I'm a big fan of women's lit, and the description of this along with the stunning cover had me! I enjoyed the majority of it, though certain parts I felt were a bit drawn out for me personally. By no means my favorite book of the year, but it was an enjoyable read.

Thank you #netgalley for providing an ARC of #MaineCharacters!

I decided to read this because I love spending summer in Maine and it accurately captured the charm of rural Maine. However, that’s where my enjoyment is the book ended. The storyline wasn’t believable. In the real world, Celeste would’ve had Lucy removed from the house and sold it. Lucy’s character was so annoying, unlikable, and kind of pathetic. Needed more of Caleb. Needed a follow up to next summer!

This was such a lovely read! Hannah Orenstein did a masterful job making the reader experience the book with all of the senses through the scenery and food in particular. I would have loved an epilogue or a little extra at the end but this feels like the definition of a cozy summer read if there was one

The story about a father who has passed away, but had two daughters and two “families” was an interesting premise for the story.
It wasn’t my favorite, but it was an okay read

annoying characters and pacing failed to keep my interest from start to finish
thanks to netgalley for the arc in exchange for my honest review

I struggled through the first part of this book as I didn't feel like I could sympathize/empathize with Vivian or Lucy. They both felt a little too unlikeable when I was trying to figure out where the story was going. But, I loved how Hannah described Maine, it makes me want to live on a lake house there!

I did think it was going to be a bit more romance but the focus of the book is definitely on sisterhood/relationships. While a bit slow at times it's a beautiful story between two women who learned to love themselves where they were at, deal with past family secrets, and how to cope with the choices they make.

Thank you to NetGalley and PENGUIN GROUP Dutton for the ARC!

This book was a family drama that beautifully explored the invisible bond that exists between two sisters who have never met before.

When Vivian's dad dies, she heads to Maine to put their lake house on the market. When she arrives, she comes face to face with Lucy, his other daughter, who Vivian didn't know existed. What follows is a story of two women struggling to come to terms with all the secrets and lies that have been the cornerstone of their entire lives.

I loved how this book alternated between viewpoints so that the reader was able to understand both main characters. Each woman was dealing with major life changes in their professional and personal lives, while simultaneously trying to learn who the other is and deal with the emotional fall-out of their father's secrets. At times, I didn't like either woman, but as the story went on, I was able to understand them and their actions better. Both were hurt and broken, but their strength and resiliency were admirable and I wanted them to find the happiness they deserved.

There was a small amount of romance in the book but it was very secondary to the storyline. The calm and peaceful small town lake setting was the perfect balance for the tumultuous events that were happening. The only thing that I really didn't like was the long chapters. But that's a personal issue, nothing to do with the book itself! I definitely recommend this one if you're a fan of contemporary women's fiction and family dramas. Maine Characters will be published on May 13th, 2025.

Thank you to Netgalley and Dutton for the e-arc of this book in exchange for my honest opinions.

Maine Characters was the female bonding book I didn’t know I needed. It’s such a beautiful story about not only learning to love yourself, but to learn how to forgive your parents and the choices and mistakes they might have made. And also about learning to be open to the curveballs life throws your way. This is a great story about two women that have to deal with the literal “sins of the father”. I love all the pop culture references, including something for the Swifties. This is my first read by this author, and I will absolutely be reading her other work.