This book made me want to drop everything and spend three months in Maine. The setting is impeccable and the story is heartwarming. Our two main characters, half sisters Vivian and Lucy, are complicated women on arcs of self discovery and growth. Lucy was a bit too self righteous for my taste but I was still rooting for both of them. I liked that they each got a taste of romance alongside developing career aspirations. This one will make for a perfect beach read. Pick up this book if you like stories about summer Romances, long lost family, and sisterhood.

**Thank you to Dutton for this free digital review copy.**

Maine Characters is a punny title for a not-so-punny book. We open with our first protagonist, Vivian, arriving at her late father's lake house to clear it out and get it ready to sell. She hopes to use the money to start a wine bar with her current boss and secret boyfriend (he's married, oof). But Vivian is surprised by the presence of our second protagonist, Lucy, Vivian's secret half-sister. While Lucy has known about Vivian for most of her life, Vivian suspected her father of having an affair but could never get him to admit anything. And if that's not enough, recently-separated-from-her-husband Lucy hasn't even heard about the death of their father, so Vivian is the one who has to break the news.

It feels like I may have spoiled something there, but you learn all of that information quickly as you begin the novel. It's clearly the set up for a LOT of drama, and it's honestly really sad a lot of the time. There were sweet moments, but most of the time I just felt frustrated at the characters and their decisions. The relationships were messy in an almost unbelievable way and I felt that both women were rushing into things unnecessarily. While somewhat predictable, I was pleasantly surprised that the book didn't follow exactly the path I anticipated.

What really shone in this story was the small town Maine lake house setting. It was so easy to feel like you were there experiencing the summer with Vivian and Lucy, going for a ride on the boat, drinking wine and reading on the back porch, watching the sun set. It was beautiful and made me want to visit Maine in the summertime!

3.5 stars

I was excited to check out Hannah Orenstein's latest after loving one of her earlier novels, Head Over Heels. Maine Characters leans far more family drama than romance, centering on two half-sisters who come together in a surprising way after the death of their father.

While I was generally interested in seeing how this crazy story was going to play out, I had trouble rooting for anyone until the very end of the book, largely because I felt we only got to see the bad qualities of each of the characters. I found Vivian to be cold and hypocritical, and I thought Lucy was incredibly whiny and immature. I honestly didn't like either of them until the last 20% of the book. I wish there had been more character development on the front end so I could have had reasons to like them through all of their (understandable, considering the circumstances) bad behaviors.

The Maine setting was nice, though the writing didn't transport me to the lake in the same way that a Carley Fortune novel does. For me, the best part of this novel was the end, when all four women finally got together and we saw some real vulnerability from all of them. Up until that point, this novel stayed a bit too close to surface-level, leaving me feeling a little underwhelmed. It's a bummer that it wasn't until the very end that I was finally invested in the characters and what was going to happen next for them.

This is a story that has romantic side quests but it’s not the main plot. It leans more into the relationships of the two half-sisters trying to unravel a big mess their late father left them.

One daughter grew with a dad, who was distant, cold, and hard to impress. The other daughter grew up with a dad that popped into her life only once or twice a year but was loving, doting, and proud. One sister knew of the other’s existence, the other did not.

Maine Characters made me feel nostalgic to get lost “up north”; hours sunbathing, cool lake water, boat rides, campfires, and dusty cabins that stayed frozen in time.

Each character is flawed and a bit pitiful in their own way. They make a million mistakes. I enjoyed seeing the growth in not only the sisters, but the two mothers as well.

One BIG pet peeve in this book however is when the author broke the Fourth Wall, but only once. Like, don’t turn the camera to me when I’m reading, thinking I’m there in the story. Don’t call out us readers in parentheses. It’s weird. It works for some books, but only if that’s the whole vibe. Not here. Didn’t work. Made me put it down for over an hour because it was annoying.

Overall, I enjoyed it. Could be shorter... Not obsessed, but not bad at all.

The synopsis for this book held so much hope and anticipation for a story to get lost in; unfortunately it fell flat for me. I had a hard time liking any of the characters, the wild swing of emotions (although some were understandable), using Hank as a scapegoat when he didn't deserve all they placed on him. The last handful of chapters were the best part of the book, the characters grew, matured and were more likable and relatable. I wish there was less of the middle part of the book and more of the future (past where the book ended).
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Thank you NetGalley and Penguin Group Dutton for the advanced copy in exchange for my honest review.

If you are looking for the perfect summer read which includes family drama, a little romance (nothing spicy), and a gorgeous backdrop look no further than Hannah Orenstein’s latest - Maine Characters.

Vivian’s father recently passed away. She heads from The City (NYC, of course) up to his lake house in Maine, where she is greeted by a stranger upon arrival. The two women size each other up - and put two and two together. Lucy is Vivian’s half sister. What follows is a beautiful story of growth for both characters - they go through their ups and downs both internally and with each other. Can they put the past behind them and maybe become friends? Can Lucy get over the fact Vivian was raised in a world much different than she? Can Vivian put aside her issues? And, can their moms put aside the past to help them all grieve and move forward? I don’t want to spoil anything… you’ll have to read to find out!

Maine Characters is a great read, I would recommend it to all my friends!

Thank you to the publisher, Dutton, and NetGalley for this ARC. All opinions are my own.

Initially, I thought I would enjoy this story — two young women discover each other after their father passed away. Only Vivian didn’t know she had a half sibling, while Lucy knew about Vivian, but since she was conceived just before Vivian’s parents got married, there is a lot of baggage on both sides. My issue was the story went on and on with antagonism on both sides for about three quarters of the novel. I thought the plot was too predictable, and I really didn’t care about either protagonist. I still kept reading, and the story did get more interesting, but overall, it wasn’t my cup of tea. The author is a talented writer, and she did a great job bringing her characters to life — I thought the secondary characters were way more interesting than Vivian and Lucy, so I give kudos for that.

Thanks to NetGalley, Dutton Books and the author for the eARC and the opportunity to read and review this novel.

This story was really emotional. The characters were well developed. It was harder to feel empathy for Vivian but you learn to care for her. My main critique is the chapter length and overall book length. The chapters were SO long but sort of broken up but should have just been several more chapters.

Parent Trap for adults is an apt description of this one, but this story is considerably less comedic if you’re looking for sisters teaming up for some hijinks. There are a number of triangles in this one and I found myself wishing a couple of the secondary characters (Caleb and Harrison) were either further developed or not included at all. Two other oddly specific points of critique: 1) the beautiful, summery cover suggests to me a happier book than it often is and 2) while I liked the dual story line between Vivian and Lucy, I wished it had been written in first person. Third person had me wanting a bit more emotion.

I read some reviews that both Vivian and Lucy drove some people nuts with their actions, but all things considered I found their characters to be realistic considering the circumstances they found themselves in.

TW: adultery

Thanks to @netgalley and @duttonbooks for the advance reader copy in exchange for an honest review.

I loved this book! I totally loved how the author referenced the parent trap. I really hated the relationships and how they failed the daughters but loved the forgiveness that came in the end. I’m really happy with how lily and Vivian’s relationships ended. Truly loved this book. Great job Hannah!!

I enjoyed this book and the character development. I found the ending to seem to take awhile but thought it was a great feel good story with lots of thought and emotions.

Sisters Vivian and Lucy have just lost their father due to a heart attack. While they would hope to be able to lean on each other in their time of grief, they have never met, and further, did not know each other existed due to their father’s double life.

This book was well written and I enjoyed the dual POV between Vivian and Lucy, as well as the lakeside setting in Maine. However, I didn’t like Vivian or Lucy, and I found their immaturity too hard to overlook. I also felt this story was long and drawn out. The two women eventually grew up, but the majority of the book was them sniping at each other. I’m also not a huge fan of the long lost sibling due to cheating saga, so that main plot just wasn’t for me. I wanted to love this and I’m sad it didn’t work for me.

Maine Characters is a sweet novel that elicits multiple emotions - heartbreak, loss, resentment, love, and redemption. Two sisters (Lucy and Vivian) find themselves in unlikely circumstances - sharing the Maine getaway home of their father. What's the catch? Their father has died, and is no longer able to explain to them how they have never met before. Working through their complex relationship has its challenges, all while grieving the loss of their father and the life they could have had if things had been different.

I went into this thinking it was a romance - do not do the same, as it took me a minute to process that it was not. While there are some romantic elements, the main story is about the sisters and family rather than love and spice. Once I was on the right page, I was able to fully invest myself into these sisters and their journey. It was an engaging story and overall a quick read.

This would be the perfect summer book to read outside while enjoying some sunshine and by a lake/pool. But really anywhere will do. Prepare your heart though - this one takes you for an emotional ride! 3.5 Stars (rounded up!) for me.

Thank you to NetGalley and Dutton for my eARC in exchange for an honest review.

Maine Characters is the story of two half sisters, Vivian and Lucy, who after the death of their shared father meet for the first time accidentally at his cabin in Maine. Having grown up in very different worlds, Lucy seemingly hidden away in small town Maine with her single mom, and Vivian living in New York with her mother and father, the meeting of these two women is less than perfect. While I didn't particularly enjoy either character initially, I'm glad that I kept going with this book because I did enjoy watching each character evolve. As Lucy and Vivian navigate a summer together at this shared cabin with their own memories of the father they each separately knew, they learn to unpack some of their own personal baggage and by the end of this book I was really invested in their futures. The beautiful cover might have been my initial draw to this story, but I really did enjoy it in the end. Thank you to Net Galley and Penguin Group Dutton for this advanced copy, all opinions are my own.

**3-Star Review of *Maine Characters* by Hannah Orenstein**

*Maine Characters* by Hannah Orenstein offers a charming, coastal setting and a mix of quirky, relatable characters that provide a refreshing take on the classic coming-of-age story. The protagonist, Libby, returns to her family’s seaside town in Maine to help run their summer inn, only to find herself tangled in family secrets, romance, and personal revelations. The picturesque backdrop of Maine adds a lot of warmth to the story, and Orenstein does a good job of making the setting feel like a character in itself.

However, while the characters are engaging, some of their motivations and actions feel a bit forced, and the plot can occasionally slip into predictability. The romance is sweet, but it doesn't offer much depth or surprises. The family dynamics are the most compelling aspect of the story, but even those moments feel somewhat underdeveloped.

In the end, *Maine Characters* is a solid, easy read that delivers a mix of humor and heart but lacks the depth to truly stand out. It’s an enjoyable book for fans of light contemporary fiction, but not one that will linger long after the last page.

DNF @ 39%. Couldn’t force myself to finish this one. The characters weren’t very likable, the story was dry and dragged on, and the plot wasn’t what I was expecting from the description. Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the eARC.

This was such a beautifully written, engaging story that easily kept my attention from start to finish! I loved following both Lucy and Vivian, half-sisters who find themselves working through past and present challenges following the death of their father. The lakeside setting of the book was idyllic, serene, and easy to envision, with occasional pivots to New York City or other rural locations. Additional characters were showcased with just the right amount of personality and substance, making them memorable. I really enjoyed Hannah Orenstein’s writing style and look forward to reading more of her work in the future! This was easily a 4.5 ⭐️ read for me— I’m rounding up to 5 as I don’t have any specific complaints or criticisms for Maine Characters. Well done! Thanks to Net Galley and the publisher for an ARC of this wonderful story.

I would like to thank Net Galley and the Penguin Group for the opportunity to read this as an ARC. The premise is interesting. Vivian Levy is the daughter of Hank ( a private wealth manager) and Celeste. (a romance novelist) She is a sommelier in New York. She has plans to open her own wine bar. Growing up, she and her father always spent the month of August at his cabin in Fox Hill Lake, Maine.
Lucy lives in Fox Hill Maine. Her parents never married, but every July she and her father spend the month at his cabin . Lucy's parents are Dawn and Hank. Hank has 2 daughters, almost the same age.When Hank dies unexpectedly, the sisters meet at the cabin. The book details how they work through their lives and respective back stories. This is a complex book.There are a lot of characters, and a lot going on. I really didn't find either Lucy or Vivian very likeable. It is slow moving at first and a bit hard to follow. It really is not a parent trap for grownups. For me, it was just ok.

I loved the location, the cover, and the vibes. This book is PERFECT for the summer, especially a summer getaway by the water! I genuinely planned a lake girls trip the same weekend as I read this book and that is not a coincidence as this book will have you pulling up lakefront rental websites, too.

After their father unexpectedly dies, half-sisters Vivian and Lucy decide to spend the summer at his lake house. Little do they know, the other will be there... as they have never met and Vivian didn't even know Lucy existed. Secrets are revealed, lifetimes of betrayal come to light, and tensions are high as the sisters must come to terms with their father's past and decide what to do with their future.

This one is tough for me to rate. I enjoyed the ending of the book and the feelings it left me with…but I did not really enjoy the journey there.

I think both Vivian and Lucy were supposed to start as totally unlikeable and slowly transition into women who had grown and that readers cared about. At 75%, I still found both of them insufferable. Even at the end, I wasn’t a huge fan of either and that made it difficult for me to get invested in their story.

As I mentioned, the ending was nice, but overall, I don’t think this book was for me.

A big thanks to NetGalley and Dutton Books for a free eARC in exchange for my honest review.