Thank you NetGalley, Hannah Orenstein & Dutton for allowing me to have an advanced read of this book!

I was definitely drawn to this book first by the cover. It’s very summer aesthetic and reminds me of Abby Jimenez’s style. The book itself was not what I was expecting! The plot with the 2 sisters and watching them grow plus the parallels with their mothers was very well thought out. I could not for the life of me though sympathize with Lucy. She was very naive for the first half of the book and took out all of her anger on Vivian (when literally it should be Hank). But once she grew out of that and they bonded more, it was definitely easier to like her. I would definitely read an entire book about Vivian and her life in New York and with Oscar before she went to Fox Hill. Vivian was definitely my favorite and I hope she gets her happy ending :’)

I did think this was a tad longer than I expected, I feel like there was a bit of fluff, and the chapters were sooo long even broken up into the different “POVs.” The extra bit of very short romantic parts (where it just immediately dissolves) just felt like adding something that didn’t need to be added.

Maine Characters follows two half sisters, Lucy & Vivian, who grow to love each other even though through bonding over their memories of their Dad, their relationships with their moms, and repairing/getting their Dad’s house ready to sell after he dies. While Lucy grew up hearing about Vivian, Vivian had no confirmation that she had a sister.

Overall I would give this story a 3/5. This book was not quite what I thought it would be. It focused mainly on the sister’s relationship growth and how they grew up with very differing relationships with both their shared Dad and their mothers.

While there was a subtle subplot of romance, it was not the main aspect of the story in any way. I did not read the summary prior to starting this book and was going in thinking it would be more of a romance book. It was not. I don’t think that makes it a bad story, but readers should be aware that the sisters are the main focus. I still enjoyed reading this book.

I love watching these characters, Lucy & Vivian, grow and ultimately come to love and root for one another. Celeste’s character broke my heart in many ways of how she treated Vivian but also how she carried herself around Dawn and Lucy.

The setting was lovely and I loved how the author created this world in Maine. While the town is fictional, it definitely made me want to travel there!

Thank you to NetGalley & the publisher for providing me with an ARC copy in exchange for an honest review.

You don’t have to be a Mainer to fall in love with this story - but it sure adds to the charm! I absolutely loved this book.

A love story that soars past the typically boy meets girl trope. It’s a love story that encapsulates all the messy, ups and downs, complicated relationships in a woman’s life. This lives outside of the fairy tale romance story, yet seems even more magical as it’s so relatable to real life.

Thank you to #netgalley and #HannanOrenstein for providing this ARC in exchange for my honest opinion. PLEASE WRITE THE SEQUEL 😍

My first book by Hannah Orenstein, and it won't be my last! I was initially drawn to this book because of the beautiful cover and reference to it being "an adult parent trap" (forever one of my favorite movies). I was easily able to sink into this book and while I didn't particularly like either main character, I understood them and found their dynamic fascinating. A book that can keep me reading despite majorly flawed main characters is always a win. The setting was what really won me over, I loved reading about the small lake town in Maine and each of the girls' special ties to the home. The complicated family dynamics were well executed and left me struggling to figure out who to root for. I liked that the sisters' relationship took the center stage, and the romantic relationships were a secondary storyline. There was some great character development over the course of the story, and by the end I found myself coming around to both the main characters. I really enjoyed this book and I have a feeling this will be a BIG summer read!

Thank you so much to Netgalley and Penguin Group Dutton for the advanced copy for my honest review.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for this. I think this book would have worked better if it were written in a closer POV. I didn't feel like I knew either main character well.

Easily this authors best book yet. I found the character so incredibly layered. At times I was so infuriated with them and then I would want to hug them. A beautiful book about messy families.

Thank you to NetGalley, the author, and the publisher for allowing me a free advanced copy of this book for my honest opinion.

This cover is absolutely gorgeous and it's the first thing that drew me to this book. Kudos to the artist!

The Plot:
Vivian and Lucy spend a month with their father, Hank, every summer. After receiving the devastating call that her father had passed away, Vivian goes to their cabin in Maine. Here she meets her half-sister Lucy where she tells her the news. The siblings had an inkling that the other existed, but they had never met prior to this unfortunate interaction.

I'll give you this; I did enjoy the last 100 pages of the book as the sisters finally started to bond and we saw conflicts resolving. In saying that, this was a very hard read for me. I couldn't stand either sister at the beginning and I really didn't like Vivian's choice in a boyfriend. Lucy complained too much and thought she was owed the house just because she was there every July.

I think I would have liked this book a lot more if we got some of the resolution happening earlier. Honestly, I was tempted to mark this one as "DNF," but trucked through since it was so nicely provided for free through NetGalley.

This may be some readers' cups of tea. The plot was well written, the characters had depth, and the location was an absolute dream. In the end, it just wasn't the right book for me.

Thank you Netgalley for an early copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
This was a solid read from start to finish. I felt like Hannah really set up an interesting story (with a gorgeous cover) that had compelling characters. With the different points of view, you were really able to see both sides of the story and sympathize with the sisters. Lots of "fun" drama in this one (crazy moms, love affairs, secret children, etc) so plenty to engage with. This will be a good summer read.

Maine Characters by Hannah Orenstein ⭐⭐⭐⭐

PENGUIN GROUP Dutton
Pub Date: 5-13-25

Thank you @netgalley, @duttonbooks, and @hannahorens for this eARC.

"Spending time with Lucy isn’t comfortable, but it might be the most meaningful interaction she’s had with— family?— in a long time."

What if you had a secret sister you didn't know about until after your father's death? Vivian and Lucy meet each other at the lakeside home in Maine where they each spent summers with their father - different months, of course!

Such a strong sense of place that had me visualizing time I've spent at lakeside camps in Maine and New Hampshire.

The unfolding and changing relationships had me hooked: sister-sister, daughter-mother, girlfriend-boyfriend, wife-husband . . . and most fraught/interesting, mother-mother!

Request the eARC from NetGalley or add to your TBR for 2025!

This book was so cute and is such a good summer/lake trip book. I received an advance copy of this book. Lucy and Vivian were so engaging as characters and I couldn’t help but root for both of them at different times. This was beautifully written and handled some sensitive issues with such tact while ultimately making a statement about family and what binds us together.. the family secrets and redefining what that looks like in spite of the secrets and lies reminded me a lot of Beach Read by Emily Henry which is my favorite book of all time, I think anyone that enjoyed that aspect of Beach Read will really enjoy this book as well. I like the romance sprinkled throughout this story as well but this book is definitely not a romance book as it truly is about family dynamics.

Thank you so much to Netgalley and Penguin Group Dutton for the ARC.

The publishers describes Maine Characters as Parent Trap for adults -- and that's a perfect description! As the book opens, we meet Lucy Webster and Vivian Levy as they find out that they're half sisters, and then the fun and drama begins.
Maine Characters is a fun read featuring unusual and complex family dynamics and well developed characters. There are plenty of surprises, and lives are upended and changed (in more ways than one) over a very short period of time one summer. While the main characters are the two women, this is also one of those books where a house plays a central role. And then there's Hank, Lucy and Vivian's now deceased father. Ms. Orenstein also beautifully captures life in a small Maine town and the cover is lovely.
Thanks to Netgalley and Dutton/Penguin Random House for the opportunity to read Maine Characters in exchange for an honest review.

I give this book a 4 out of 5 stars. It was a fast paced book and I finished it in about 3 days. The only bad thing about the pace of the book was that it has super long chapters, so sometimes it was hard to get through all of them. Switching to talking about the actually book, it was super good! I loved the story, it was making me think about my own life and my family. I loved all the characters and liked how it the end all of them were a good person and they all actually liked each other. Through out the book I kept switching for rooting for Lucy and her ideas to Vivian and I love how in the end they both got what they really wanted. I also like idea of the author in a book, I loved hearing about all of Celeste's book and what they meant to Lucy, and Vivian. Vivian not reading a lot of them is understandable. It made me think about in my own life when Vivian was getting mocked in school about her moms books. While my mom isn't an author she is highly talented at her work, so sometimes it gets a little confusing, but this part of the book was very good. Overall I loved the book, it was a fun summer read (even though I am reading it in fall) I plan to get the physical book as soon as it comes out and am looking at reading some of Hannah's other books. Thank you so much for giving me this opportunity I loved it so so much!!!

Thank you NetGalley for this ark!!

Woah!!! Love love love, loved this and cannot wait to read more by this author. Will purchase hard copy!

What a premise!
Vivian Levy and Lucy Webster both spend a month with their father at his lake house but never know that each truly exist! While Lucy is aware of Vivian, Vivian truly has no idea. The first she learns of it is when she comes to spread his ashes and finds Lucy at the cabin.

Not sure I could get over that in one Summer! But the two are stuck in the cabin together! It's a nostalgic look at lake life and a true delight.
#penguingroup #hannahorenstein #mainecharcters

I love that the setting of this book was essentially in my backyard.

This story explored the complicated relationships of multiple families, more specifically two half sisters Vivian and Lucy.

This book had wonderful character development - this will be a best selling summer 25 read!

Thank you to netgalley and the publisher for this arc.

4.5 stars - I’m fairly sure now, that long lost sister books are some of my favorites and this was no exception. It helps that I LOVED my time in Maine so the setting was perfect. Each character had enough mystery to make you want to know what they were hiding and the plot unfolded well.

If you’re looking for a spicy romance, this isn’t for you. The romance was mostly fade to black but I didn’t have any concerns with this since I loved the story. If you’re looking for something warm and fuzzy with good character development this is a great quick one to pick up!

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

I really enjoyed this book! Not my typical read but absolutely loved the story! Definitely was a story which highlights the messiness in family relationships but also the love. I really enjoyed this story and would definitely recommend!

I really enjoyed this book. There could've been a little more development as I felt the plot was rushed at times. Lucy was an annoying character at first then she grew on me. Overall it was a cute read that's perfect for summer.

I just finished my first book by Hannah Orenstein, and it definitely won't be my last. I received an advance copy of this book and had been seeing it everywhere, so I was looking forward to reading it. The main characters were fantastic. This book was beautiful; it told a story about love, secrets, and discovering the true meaning of family. My family has a complicated past, with my grandma having a secret fourth marriage that we only found out about after her death, so I felt a connection to Lucy and Vivian. What does it mean to redefine your understanding of something you thought you knew your whole life? That's the real heart of the story, and it offers a beautiful insight into humanity and trust. I can't recommend it enough.

Thank you so much to Netgalley and Penguin Group Dutton for the ARC.

Really enjoyed this book. I do wish it was longer because I feel like some plot points were a little rushed. For instance Lucy is automatically in a committed relationship with Harrison after two dates. Overall I was able to overlook those flaws and really enjoyed the story.