I loved the whole parent trap vibe. This book was such a great read! From the very first page, the story pulled me in and kept me hooked all the way through. The writing was smooth, the pacing was spot-on, and the characters felt incredibly real and relatable. I found myself rooting for them and eagerly flipping pages to see what would happen next. There was a perfect balance of emotion, drama, and just the right touch of humor. It was one of those books that’s hard to put down. I’d definitely recommend it to anyone looking for a well-written and engaging story.

I had a hard time reading about four women fighting over a not so great guy but in the end I think they realized that fault and embraced each other. I like to see women supporting each other instead of cutting each other down. They got there eventually.

My biggest complaint is that I wanted to see them all succeed together. The “surprise” at the end kind of prevented that. More epilogue, less middle plot.

Unfortunately this was a dnf for me. I struggled to enjoy the relationship between the estranged sisters and get engaged in what was happening. I didn't really like either of the FMCs which made it difficult to keep reading. I tried and got about halfway, but this just wasn't for me.

Overall a good story for anyone who wants a cozy summer read that gives lite parent trap vibes. The storyline itself is very interesting, it just took me about 50% of the book to lock in with the characters but once I did, it was enjoyable.

Thank you NetGalley for a copy of this eARC.

I wish there was a little more to this book. It felt a lot more like a lit fic, when I was thinking this was more of a romance. Although this ended up being more of an emotional read, I did not feel connected to any of the main characters, and the sisters seemed to go back and forth a majority of this book. Just not what I was expecting this would be.

⭐️⭐️⭐️💫 (3.5, rounded up to 4)

What a gorgeous cover—this book had me at first glance. And once I cracked it open, I was completely drawn in. Maine Characters was a surprisingly emotional read, and I don’t say that lightly. Very few books catch me off guard emotionally the way this one did.

The story follows Lucy and Vivian, two half-sisters who share a father, Hank, but were raised worlds apart. When Hank suddenly passes away, the women—strangers to one another—meet for the first time at his quiet lake house in Maine. What unfolds is a summer full of grief, tension, discovery, and long-buried secrets that ripple through both of their lives.

Lucy is a grounded, small-town Mainer stuck in a lifeless marriage, while Vivian is a polished, high-strung New Yorker whose privilege is worn on her perfectly tailored sleeve. Watching them clash, connect, and slowly uncover pieces of their shared past gave me major Parent Trap-but-make-it-literary vibes.

The Maine setting was stunning and atmospheric—calm lake mornings, creaky floors in the cabin, the smell of pine and coffee in the air. But while the backdrop was serene, the story is packed with family drama, tangled relationships, and emotional reveals. At times, the number of characters and love stories felt like a lot to juggle, which kept me from rating it higher—but if you love layered family stories with emotional depth and a little messiness, this one will deliver.

🏵️ Maine setting
⛱️ lake house summer
🏵️ unexpected family bonds
⛱️ secrets, grief, and healing
🏵️ emotional & immersive

Thank you to NetGalley and Penguin Books / Dutton for the ARC in exchange for my honest thoughts.

Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️ (3/5)
Tropes: family dynamics, small town

Vivian Levy and Lucy Webster are half sisters who meet for the first time after their father’s death. Initially, there is hurt, confusion, mistrust. Slowly they begin to compromise and learn more about each other in order to move forward. Along the way, of course, they discover more about themselves and I appreciated that they didn’t settle.

There weren’t any unexpected plot points, but the story was carried along because each person is multifaceted and layered.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for access to an e-ARC in exchange for an honest review.

When Vivian's father passes away, she's conflicted. He was her dad, but they didn't have the best relationship. When she goes to his summer home in Maine to get it ready to sell, Lucy is already there. Lucy is a girl, around Vivian's age, claiming that it is her father's home. Vivian has to come to terms with the fact that her dad had been lying to her for years while dealing with his death and other personal ups and downs.

I really enjoyed this author’s previous novel but this one didn’t hit the mark for me. Maybe the next one?

I absolutely love this cover, and I can see how people would love this book, but I don’t think it’s for me. The plot and setting are both interesting and reeled me in from the beginning, but I couldn’t get over the immaturity of our adult sisters.

From the moment I saw the cover of Maine Characters, I was drawn in.
From that first page, I was hooked. I will say that this was an emotional read and very rarely, will I say that about a book. Only a handful of books have an ability to emotionally get me like Maine Characters did.

We have our two mfc, Lucy and Vivian, who share the same dad, Hank, but were raised apart from each other. He suddenly passes away, and Lucy and Vivian decide to meet up at his cabin, which is on a lake in Maine.
I probably would've rated this higher, but it had a lot of characterization and love stories to keep up with, so if you loved drama, then this is for you.
Lucy is just your average local Maine girl stuck in a loveless, stagnant marriage. Vivian is a hoity toity uppity spoiled brat who lives on the upper west side of New York. As they come together at Hank's cabin on the lake, secrets will come out and be revealed. These secrets will have lifelong impacts on their lives.

Stunning cover. Emotional read.

Lucy and Vivian, half sisters, end up meeting at their dad's cabin after he passes.

So many emotions, so much drama, and healing.

Thanks to NetGalley and Penguin Group Dutton for an ARC

This book having a gorgeous cover and being compared to " The Parent Trap" was all I needed to pick it up . I absolutely LOVED this book. I feel like I have been in a rom com rut and this brought me right out of it. Two half sisters accidentally run into each other and meet at the family lake house when they find out their father has died. Both of them have ties and memories to this house with their father , and the sisters could not be more different. Vivienne, a fancy New York sommelier who was raised with a silver spoon in her mouth, and Lucy raised by a single mom working two jobs, who is currently jobless and going through a divorce. The summer they spend together at the lake changes them for the good, the bad and the ugly.

Family drama ensues after the death of dad. Vivian heads to her late father’s house in Maine to spread his ashes per his wishes. Upon her arrival at the house, she is a little more than afraid when someone else is there. Surprise, it is a sister who knew all about her, but that she knew nothing about. It’s a long summer for them with so much happening. From finding out so many truths, uncovering and dealing with betrayals, finding themselves, figuring their relationship and how to move forward. I thought I’d enjoy it more than I did. Didn’t really find either of the main characters terribly likable so connecting with the story was difficult for me. Adore the author, this wasn’t my favorite. Would have rated 3.5 if half stars were available.

This book definitely wasn’t what I was expecting. When I first requested this ARC I thought that the description sounded equal parts fun and sad. It wasn’t sad…

While I didn’t necessarily dislike the story, I didn’t love it either. The plot felt very slow, even with the flashbacks and constant narrative changes between Lucy and Vivian. It honestly didn’t really start to pick up until the last quarter of the book.

I wouldn’t say that this book gives Parent Trap vibes, but it definitely references it in the story itself. It’s more so the journey of two 30-something half-sisters meeting each other for the first time after their father dies. Vivian grew up rich in New York City while Lucy was poor growing up in a lake town in Maine.

Unfortunately this book didn’t do as much for me as I would’ve liked.

I really loved this book! A gorgeous setting (and I was luckily to read some of it while also in Maine!), lovely characters who grew and changed, and a fun plot. Think parent trap, but all grown up. Two half sisters that have never met now thrown together after their father's tragic early death. The sisters couldn't be more different and I could never choose which I liked better. I loved to hear their different perspectives, how their lives were completely different even though they came from the same man and spent summers in the same place. I loved to see how tiny decisions in life can make ripples that turn into giant waves later down the line. Hannah Orenstein always does an incredible job of reeling me in and keeping me on the journey. What looks like it could be a fluffy rom com turns into something deeper. Sure there is romance, but there are family woes, girls becoming women, huge life-altering choices, humans growing and changing, forgiveness, and lessons learned. I loved these characters like their were my friends. Highly recommend this book to anyone, especially women in the same stage of life as me.

Really enjoyed this book. Loved that it focused on a sisters relationship vs a love story the whole time. Enjoyed the writing and look forward to reading more from this author.

This book was very cute, filled with witty banter, humorous and well-developed characters, and a well-paced plot. I love the parent trap type storyline and felt like the characters handled the situation with the age appropriate maturity. A fun read!

This is definitely family drama first, romance second. Which is fine by me!

I did enjoy watching these two sisters go from a mutual hatred (mostly frustration) and get closer to adoration. It did take awhile though😂

Also learning that your parents are people and are in no way perfect. It’s a weird concept to grasp sometimes.

It’s light on the romance, but I liked that addition too! The men they found were sweet and caring. I always love to see that.

This book spoke to me.

Not because I have an unknown half-sister (I don't), or because my dad has died (he hasn't), but because of the setting. This is MY Maine. So many books about Maine are set on the coast, but the trees? The lake? The summer people? The one-stop small town? The damned Maine stubbornness? That is where I grew up. I could have gone to high school with Lucy and Caleb. Our camp was 2 rooms and a porch with no running water and an outhouse, but I feel those sitting-on-the-dock-listening-to-the-loons vibes in my soul.

Admittedly, both Vivian and Lucy don't start out as the most likeable characters. Vivian is cold and unwilling to listen and not at all empathetic, and Lucy is so blind-sided by her father's death on top of her marriage falling apart that all she can do is lash out emotionally. But as they ride out this roller coaster of a summer, there is great character growth. Neither of them are the women they were at the beginning, by the end.

I have a complicated relationship with the state of Maine, but this book made me miss it.