Thank you to NetGalley and Penguin Group Dutton for the ARC.

Lucy and Vivian are half sisters through their dad and they never meet until after he has died. This book is a journey of their relationship together while other things in their personal lives are changing as well. This book is set on a lake in Maine and the setting could not be more perfect.

I enjoyed this book so much. This is women’s fiction at its finest: a cast of characters with family drama and romantic drama. I could definitely see this as a movie or limited series because the characters are really well developed.

Side note: the cover of this book is amazing.

4 stars! This is a story of loss, love and life changes with two sisters meeting at their summer cabin for the first time after the death of their father. It’s a story of secrets, grief and forgiveness that ultimately lead them to the person that they needed all along. I immediately requested this book based on the cover and was happy to find that it was just as beautiful a book on the inside. The book alternates between sisters, Vivian and Lucy, and the summer they have dealing with the loose ends of their father’s death and his complicated life, showing both the beauty and chaos that can occur when your life is turned upside down. It presents the strength of a sibling relationship, keeping us interested with a romantic love subplot, but not overpowering the real relationship that readers are supposed to fall in love with. Overall, it’s a cute summer story that makes you want your own summer house in Maine!

Thank you NetGalley and Penguin Group Dutton for sending me an eARC in exchange for my honest review!

As someone who grew up vacationing in Maine, and even spent time there this summer, I was very excited when I got an advanced copy of this book publishing May 13, 2025. Vivian shows up at her deceased father’s cabin, only to be met with what she soon learns is his second secret daughter with whom he also had an annual vacation at the cabin. The two have opposite lives, one living as a teacher in a vacation town year round, and the other a sommelier in NYC with all the privileges one could want. The main drama revolves around: who is entitled to the cabin and should the cabin be sold or kept? Obviously as two people just meeting with very difficult backgrounds there is a lot of differing opinions.

Overall, I enjoyed the read. The author clearly knows the area well and wrote a lot of that knowledge into the story. The character arcs were fun to follow, although both were a little obnoxious. I think it was meant to be more of a feel good so do not pick this up looking for twists and tricks, but it’s a good lake house vacation read!

This was a sweet book of grief, family, and small towns. I liked the second half of this book much better than the first half. There were elements of this that I liked but much of it felt like there were loose ends that didn't make sense. I've liked Hannah Orenstein's other books more than this one, but I will continue to read everything she puts out.

I really enjoy books by this author and this one didn’t disappoint. Two women, in their early thirties, meeting for the first time and finding out they were half-sisters. I like how real the story felt - the ups and downs of learning about this shock in their lives. The story was easy to follow along. I enjoyed it. .

This was my first book from this author, but I will definitely be picking up her other books in the future as well!

I really enjoyed the writing in this book. I did slightly dislike the characters in the beginning (oops) but they did grow on me as the story went on. And I did somewhat understand their reactions even if i didn't particularly agree. I love how this story shows different ways to handle a certain trauma.

The thing I liked most about this book was how even if it was a romance book, the romance was second and the relationship between the sisters came first. I think there was a lot of character and related development that happened during this story and I love that.

Thank you to netgalley, the author and the publisher for an advanced reader copy. This review is written completely based on my honest thoughts.

Hannah Orenstein’s *Maine Characters* is a heartfelt and beautifully layered story about family, identity, and the fragile, often messy bonds that hold us together. Set against the serene but emotionally charged backdrop of a lakeside cabin, this novel is a captivating exploration of two half-sisters forced to confront their shared past—and each other—in the wake of their father’s death. With its rich character dynamics, emotional depth, and a touch of humor, it’s a perfect read for fans of Carley Fortune and Elin Hilderbrand.

The story follows Vivian Levy and Lucy Webster, two women who couldn’t be more different—or more estranged. Vivian is a driven sommelier from New York City with a career-threatening secret, while Lucy, a small-town high school teacher, is watching her marriage fall apart. Although they’ve shared a father, their lives have never intersected. Vivian didn’t even know Lucy existed, while Lucy spent years watching her half-sister from afar, envying the glamorous life she imagined Vivian lived.

Their worlds collide when Vivian arrives at their father’s lake house to scatter his ashes and finalize the sale of the property, only to find Lucy already there—unaware of his death and hoping to reconnect. What follows is a tense, emotional summer as the two women are forced to coexist, navigating grief, family secrets, and the complex emotions of a relationship they never had a chance to build.

Orenstein masterfully captures the tension and vulnerability between the sisters, balancing their mistrust and resentment with moments of raw honesty and reluctant connection. Both Vivian and Lucy are richly drawn, their flaws and fears making them relatable and deeply human. Their journey from suspicion to tentative understanding feels authentic, unfolding with all the fits and starts of real-life relationships.

The lakeside setting adds a lush, almost meditative quality to the story, providing a quiet contrast to the emotional storms brewing between the sisters. Orenstein’s vivid descriptions of the cabin, the water, and the surrounding woods create an immersive backdrop that feels both grounding and symbolic of the unresolved tension between the past and the present.

What makes *Maine Characters* especially compelling is its ability to weave humor and charm into heavier themes like grief, betrayal, and the search for belonging. Orenstein’s prose is sharp and engaging, filled with keen observations about family dynamics and the stories we tell ourselves to make sense of the past. The narrative shifts seamlessly between moments of poignancy and levity, making the story as enjoyable as it is thought-provoking.

The pacing is pitch-perfect, giving readers time to sit with the characters’ emotions while keeping the story moving toward a satisfying, heartfelt resolution. The secondary cast, from Lucy’s small-town neighbors to Vivian’s complicated colleagues, adds depth and color without overshadowing the sisters’ central journey.

*Maine Characters* is a tender, witty, and deeply resonant novel about finding connection in the most unexpected places. With its relatable characters, evocative setting, and nuanced exploration of family, it’s a story that lingers long after the final page. Hannah Orenstein has crafted a standout tale of sisterhood, making this a must-read for anyone who loves stories about reconciliation, growth, and the messy beauty of being human. Five stars—a summer read that’s as moving as it is memorable.

Thank you to Penguin Group Dutton and NetGalley for the opportunity to read this ARC!

Maine Characters is set in the small Maine lake town of Fox Hill, around a lake cabin that was owned by Hank. Hank left behind 2 daughters, Vivian and Lucy, who are only 6 months apart and have different mothers, and very different upbringings. The books follows these 2 half-sisters through a summer where they navigate not only getting to know each other, but finding what they both want out of life as they also deal with their father’s death, and untangle his web of secrecy that kept the two apart for their lives. The descriptive writing about the fictional Fox Hill will have you longing to find your own little lake town and cabin to spend the summer at. I thoroughly enjoyed this read and plan on reading more of the Author’s books!

At first I was put off by the convenient circumstances, but I soon came to enjoy this touching romp of a rom-com by Hannah Orenstein. The author herself has named The Parent Trap as an inspiration, and this book strikes the same tone. Half-sisters Lucy and Vivian, whose shared father has been hiding the complete truth from them both — until his untimely death brings all the secrets to light. Will the sisters end up friends or will one stab the other in the back? What has Lucy’s mother, a successful romance novelist, hidden in her manuscripts? And what is she hiding from her daughter? Nothing is shocking, but this isn’t the kind of book you want to be shocked by. Instead, the slight predictability is a comfort. Everything I wanted these characters to do, they had the cojones to do. And their strength of character made for a more compelling, more modern novel. Finally as someone who has fallen in love with Maine, I enjoyed seeing it through these characters’ eyes. Orenstein does an excellent job painting a picture of modern womanhood in a part of the country still working to define what that means.

Thanks to NetGalley for providing an early copy in exchange for an honest review.

This was a feel good book. I was hooked by the first chapter and I loved seeing the relationship between the sisters grow. It really made me smile. Thank you for the arc!

I judged this book by its beautiful cover and I knew I had to read it I was not disappointed. This book has me planning a trip to Maine! I love the female characters and have a feeling it will resonate with women everywhere.

This was such a good book. I loved the story and the writing so much. The characters were great and the story flowed smoothly. Will definitely read more books by this author in the future.

Since moving to Maine two and a half years ago, I am extra drawn to books set in this beautiful state. Maine Characters tells the story of a set of sisters who have the same biological father but were raised apart. One of the sisters has known of the other their whole life while the other had no idea until after the passing of their father. This story is filled with family drama, sister drama, secrets and of course, the sisterhood we wished for all along.

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for providing an ARC for review.

This is my first time reading this author, and while I did enjoy this novel, it moved a bit too slowly for me at the beginning. The story spun its wheels without going anywhere. This book follows Lucy and Vivian, two half-sisters who meet for the first time at their father's lake house, after their father's sudden death. I never got a full feel for his character, despite the focus on how he kept the two sisters in the dark. The second half of the book picks up, with better pacing and character development, and I did like it better as I finished it. It's an emotional story about grief and family drama.

3 stars for me. This isn’t my go-to genre, but I enjoy an emotional story from time to time. Unfortunately, this one didn’t stand out. I didn’t love the marketing as an ‘adult Parent Trap’—it made the book sound lighthearted, but it was anything but. The story was hard to get into, and it took me a week to get through the first 20%, which is unusual for me. The characters weren’t particularly likeable at first, making it a slow and difficult start. Around 40%, I began to connect with the characters and grew more interested, but even then, the pacing stayed slow. It was a reflective story about discovering someone isn’t perfect and grieving a loss, beautifully showcasing human flaws and relationships. Still, it wasn’t a page-turner. If you enjoy slow, introspective stories, it might resonate more for you.

This was a good read. The characters were complicated and the storyline gave us a good chance to examine those characters and unspool them a little. Both sisters are working through lots of hurt and their paralleled journeys with grief are narratively interesting as they foil one another.

When I read the punny title and the description that this was “The Parent Trap for adults,” I had really different expectations for this book. Maybe that’s on me and the cartoon cover? Because this book was a lot more serious than I expected it to be — which is certainly not a bad thing, it was well written — it took me a minute to catch up to what I was actually reading.

This isn’t a sunny book of silly pranks that bring a broken family back together, it’s more an examination of a lot of people making incredibly selfish decisions over and over, the fallout from that, and the role of forgiveness in the grieving process.

The book is good, but citing The Parent Trap almost feels unfair to both works?

Parent trap meets modern day. I was absolutely hooked from the first chapter. I picked this book to read initially because I loved the cover, and loved the story behind it. I found Hannah on instagram, and thought it was cool that the cabin was a rendering of her own place. This drew me to the book. The flow of the writing, and relatable characters kept me entertained from cover to cover. I love how Vivian was kept in the dark about Lucy. The meeting of the two was uncomfortable, and natural. I’m excited for this book to be published for everyone to read!

I’ve been a fan of Hannah Orenstein for years. I loved how so many of the details in this book come from her own summers at her family’s lake house in Maine. Maine Characters tells the story of two sisters who grew up apart and were kept apart by their father’s secrets. After their father’s untimely death everything comes to a head and Vivian and Lucy have to learn how to co-exist in their Maine lake house. Some of the details of their family conflict seem pretty far fetched and if you explore them too closely aspects of the plot begins to fall apart, but it’s easy to see beyond that because this story and these sisters have so much heart. I loved the exploration of Vivian and Lucy’s relationship with each other, their respective mothers and their father’s memory. If you are going on a lake or beach vacation this upcoming summer, Maine Characters will be a great book to bring with you.
Thank you to Netgalley and Dutton for an advanced copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

I received an ARC of this novel from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

The ending slayed me. I love the growing relationship between the sisters. I wish them well.

Very little makes me happier than a work of fiction that feels like home. Maine isn’t my home, but it’s close, and Fox Hill Lake feels like the lakes my family spent time on in my childhood. The story itself was enjoyable - there were aspects of Lucy and Vivian that I liked and disliked, and I rooted for them both not necessarily to get what they each thought they wanted, but to get what they needed. The end was wrapped up with a pretty little bow, which will certainly make some eyes roll, but which perfectly for me. Review to be shared on Instagram closer to pub date.