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Maine Characters
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Expected 13 May 25From beloved author Hannah Orenstein, this love letter to lake life is “the Parent Trap for adults,” the story of two half-sisters who meet for the first time at their father’s cabin in Maine after his unexpected death.
Every summer, Vivian Levy and Lucy Webster spend a month with their father at his lake house — separately. Raised in New York City, Vivian is an ambitious sommelier with a secret that could derail her future. Lucy grew up in a tiny Maine town, where she now teaches high school English while watching her marriage unravel. They’ve never met. While Lucy envied her half-sister from afar, their father kept Vivian in the dark.
When Vivian arrives at the lake to spread his ashes and sell his cabin, she's shocked to find Lucy there, awaiting his return. In an ideal world, they’d help each other through their grief. Instead, forced to spend the summer together, they fight through a storm of suspicion and hostility to untangle the messy truth about their parents’ pasts. While Lucy is desperate to hold onto the house, Vivian is scrambling after a betrayal. After thirty years apart, is it too late for them to be a family?
For fans of Carley Fortune and Elin Hilderbrand, this sister story set on a lush lake brims with the undeniable heart, depth, charm, and humor that have endeared Hannah Orenstein to legions of readers.
Every summer, Vivian Levy and Lucy Webster spend a month with their father at his lake house — separately. Raised in New York City, Vivian is an ambitious sommelier with a secret that could derail her future. Lucy grew up in a tiny Maine town, where she now teaches high school English while watching her marriage unravel. They’ve never met. While Lucy envied her half-sister from afar, their father kept Vivian in the dark.
When Vivian arrives at the lake to spread his ashes and sell his cabin, she's shocked to find Lucy there, awaiting his return. In an ideal world, they’d help each other through their grief. Instead, forced to spend the summer together, they fight through a storm of suspicion and hostility to untangle the messy truth about their parents’ pasts. While Lucy is desperate to hold onto the house, Vivian is scrambling after a betrayal. After thirty years apart, is it too late for them to be a family?
For fans of Carley Fortune and Elin Hilderbrand, this sister story set on a lush lake brims with the undeniable heart, depth, charm, and humor that have endeared Hannah Orenstein to legions of readers.
400 pages, Paperback
Expected publication May 13, 2025
About the author
Hannah Orenstein
6 books1,026 followersHannah Orenstein is the author of Playing with Matches and Love at First Like, and is the senior dating editor at Elite Daily. Previously, she was a writer and editor at Seventeen.com. She lives in Brooklyn.
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September 20, 2024this cover is so beautiful, i don't even care what this book is about, why is this so good to me ughhhhh
October 9, 2024
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 so much to Netgalley and Penguin Group Dutton for the advanced copy for my honest review.
November 3, 2024
Two sisters with the same dad raised completely apart end up meeting at his lake house in maine after he suddenly passes away. a story filled with drama, secrets but, most importantly sisterhood. such a beautiful story of grief and forgiveness. after years apart lucy and vivian finally get to be the sisters they always wanted.
thank you to the publishers and netgalley for this ARC!
thank you to the publishers and netgalley for this ARC!
November 1, 2024
What a beautiful cover and blurb, right? This is a story about Vivian and Lucy, half-sisters mourning their father's sudden death of a heart attack and that they did not have a relationship until now. We don't know the inner workings of why Hank chose to keep his families separate while trying to have a relationship with both of his daughters. It was honestly unnecessary and pretty sad. I can say without spoilers that this book has sort-of-a happy-ish ending? Some endings are just heartbreaking and others are of the grand "first kiss/proposal/team wins the championship/winning court case" variety. This ending is neither of these. It is somewhere in the middle and I think that's what makes it a bit unsatisfying.
In my own ratings scale, I use three stars for "I like it, recommend" and two stars for "missing something, not for me" and I rated this as 3 (2.5) because this is well written, it is a good story, it has good pacing and good anecdotes. I simply did not like these characters, they were in difficult situations but handled them poorly, there was no way to turn back the past and the love triangles were...a lot. There are 4 love triangles in this book---
Vivian/Lucy/their father Hank
Hank/Celeste (Vivian's mom)/Dawn (Lucy's mom)
Vivian/Oscar (NYC married boyfriend)/Caleb (Small town bartender)
Lucy/Patrick (soon to be ex husband)/Harrison (new love interest)
That's a lot of people, y'all. It is a lot of characterization and is honestly ambitious. Harrison and Caleb are basically good guys but we don't get the time to get to know them. Dawn is the best character, but she gets very little time and it isn't her story. Everyone else is kind of awful.
Thanks to @netgalley and @duttonbooks for the ARC. Book to be released May 13, 2025.
#booksbooksbooks #bookstagram #booklover #arcreview #booktok #netgalley #bookrecommendations #MaineCharacters
In my own ratings scale, I use three stars for "I like it, recommend" and two stars for "missing something, not for me" and I rated this as 3 (2.5) because this is well written, it is a good story, it has good pacing and good anecdotes. I simply did not like these characters, they were in difficult situations but handled them poorly, there was no way to turn back the past and the love triangles were...a lot. There are 4 love triangles in this book---
Vivian/Lucy/their father Hank
Hank/Celeste (Vivian's mom)/Dawn (Lucy's mom)
Vivian/Oscar (NYC married boyfriend)/Caleb (Small town bartender)
Lucy/Patrick (soon to be ex husband)/Harrison (new love interest)
That's a lot of people, y'all. It is a lot of characterization and is honestly ambitious. Harrison and Caleb are basically good guys but we don't get the time to get to know them. Dawn is the best character, but she gets very little time and it isn't her story. Everyone else is kind of awful.
Thanks to @netgalley and @duttonbooks for the ARC. Book to be released May 13, 2025.
#booksbooksbooks #bookstagram #booklover #arcreview #booktok #netgalley #bookrecommendations #MaineCharacters
October 15, 2024
The cover and the premise drew me right in; I love The Parent Trap plus Maine is a great setting for a summer story! I’d recommend this book if you love family drama, secrets, and messy relationships. Overall I wish the book was shorter and that the two main characters were more likable (the cheating bit was unnecessary), but it was entertaining and would be a good beach read.
Thank you to NetGalley and Penguin Group Dutton for a copy of this eARC!
Thank you to NetGalley and Penguin Group Dutton for a copy of this eARC!
November 10, 2024
Oh what tangled webs we weave…
Loved the setting of this story in an old family home on a lake in Maine where the evening sunset is an observed ritual each day.
The parent trap style family drama is laid on pretty thick, and sometimes is a bit too much. A few of the characters aren’t likeable at all.
If you like wine talk, complicated mother daughter relationships, and families working through secrets, you might enjoy this book featuring a sommelier as the protagonist.
Thank you to NetGalley for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.
Loved the setting of this story in an old family home on a lake in Maine where the evening sunset is an observed ritual each day.
The parent trap style family drama is laid on pretty thick, and sometimes is a bit too much. A few of the characters aren’t likeable at all.
If you like wine talk, complicated mother daughter relationships, and families working through secrets, you might enjoy this book featuring a sommelier as the protagonist.
Thank you to NetGalley for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.
October 23, 2024
Thank you to NetGalley and Penguin for the ARC. I really enjoyed this book — it hooked me quickly and the plot setup felt fresh. The development of Lucy and Vivian’s relationship was well written, and I loved Caleb and his friendship with both sisters. I’ll be looking forward to future books by this author.
November 10, 2024
Took about 50% to get into it. But once I did what a cute read. A bit predictable but as a new englander felt like a nice summer afternoon.
November 13, 2024
Thank you to NetGalley for the ARC in exchange for my honest review.
I requested this ARC because I'd loved Orenstein's gymnastics novel "Head Over Heels" and liked fine "Playing With Matches". This one also goes in the love column.
The story is told in dual third-person POV from Vivian and Lucy, two half-sisters who are meeting for the first time right after their father's death. I liked how we got right into the issues, and realities and sharing a vacation home and a father unequally and without knowing. It's messy and so human and engaging. Great writing. It really makes you think about how parents become truly human as you become an adult. Even in the most cohesive families, there are difficult discussions.
The story goes back and forth uncovering details of their father Hank's relationship with each of them, as well as his past with their very different mothers. I enjoyed how the communication issues (letters) of the 80s and the social media presence of the 2020s each played a part, as they should.
While this is primarily a story of sisterhood and personal growth, there are also strong dollops of romance for each sister, in their own way. Mostly closed door with some vague references.
No one is entirely without blame in this kind of messed up situation and they all make mistakes throughout the book. The ending was sweet and the whole book definitely made me want to visit Maine. (Though Emily Henry had already started that with "Happy Place".)
I requested this ARC because I'd loved Orenstein's gymnastics novel "Head Over Heels" and liked fine "Playing With Matches". This one also goes in the love column.
The story is told in dual third-person POV from Vivian and Lucy, two half-sisters who are meeting for the first time right after their father's death. I liked how we got right into the issues, and realities and sharing a vacation home and a father unequally and without knowing. It's messy and so human and engaging. Great writing. It really makes you think about how parents become truly human as you become an adult. Even in the most cohesive families, there are difficult discussions.
The story goes back and forth uncovering details of their father Hank's relationship with each of them, as well as his past with their very different mothers. I enjoyed how the communication issues (letters) of the 80s and the social media presence of the 2020s each played a part, as they should.
While this is primarily a story of sisterhood and personal growth, there are also strong dollops of romance for each sister, in their own way. Mostly closed door with some vague references.
No one is entirely without blame in this kind of messed up situation and they all make mistakes throughout the book. The ending was sweet and the whole book definitely made me want to visit Maine. (Though Emily Henry had already started that with "Happy Place".)
October 12, 2024
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.
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.
November 14, 2024
I really enjoyed the Maine Characters. It reminded me a lot of another book I read, but can't remember the title (its kind of driving me crazy) ... but this Maine Characters was much better. More upbeat and positive than the "book I can't remember".
Vivian always suspected her father had another daughter and Lucy always knew about her father's "real" family. When the father passes away, their world's collide. Enjoyable characters and the author took some roads that I didn't expect; and didn't take some paths I thought she might. Regardless, I wanted to keep reading to find out what would happen.
Approx 400 pages, approx publication date is May 13, 2025. 4.25 stars, rounding up to 5.
Many thanks to NetGalley and Dutton Paperback for approving my request to read the advance read copy of Maine Characters in exchange for an honest review. Many thanks to Hannah Orenstein for publishing Maine Characters.
Vivian always suspected her father had another daughter and Lucy always knew about her father's "real" family. When the father passes away, their world's collide. Enjoyable characters and the author took some roads that I didn't expect; and didn't take some paths I thought she might. Regardless, I wanted to keep reading to find out what would happen.
Approx 400 pages, approx publication date is May 13, 2025. 4.25 stars, rounding up to 5.
Many thanks to NetGalley and Dutton Paperback for approving my request to read the advance read copy of Maine Characters in exchange for an honest review. Many thanks to Hannah Orenstein for publishing Maine Characters.
October 19, 2024
3.5⭐️
Parent trap and lake house setting drew me in! There’s a lot I liked about this book - the pacing was great, the side characters were sweet, and the setting was perfect.
The story follows two half sisters who find themselves at their fathers lake house. One sister grew up with her dad and the other was hidden her whole life. Both Vivian and Lucy aren’t extremely likable main characters but Lucy bugged me with her accusations of Vivian growing up with money when their father supported Lucy financially as well. Also in general Lucy is upset at Vivian the whole time when it’s their father she should be mad at.
As it goes along we meet their mothers and learn the full story. Would recommend to people who like family drama, messy relationships, and a beautiful setting.
Thank you to Netgalley for the ARC!
Parent trap and lake house setting drew me in! There’s a lot I liked about this book - the pacing was great, the side characters were sweet, and the setting was perfect.
The story follows two half sisters who find themselves at their fathers lake house. One sister grew up with her dad and the other was hidden her whole life. Both Vivian and Lucy aren’t extremely likable main characters but Lucy bugged me with her accusations of Vivian growing up with money when their father supported Lucy financially as well. Also in general Lucy is upset at Vivian the whole time when it’s their father she should be mad at.
As it goes along we meet their mothers and learn the full story. Would recommend to people who like family drama, messy relationships, and a beautiful setting.
Thank you to Netgalley for the ARC!
November 14, 2024
**ARC REVIEW**
4.5 ⭐️ rounded to 5
Thank you NetGalley & Dutton Penguin Group for the ARC for an honest review.
When I got this book on Netgalley I was hyped (have you seen the cover??). A Maine romance ?? I’m already there - but it was not what I expected (I may have skimmed the summary).
In this book there are two women who find out that they are sisters through their father’s indescrecions. This wasn’t a sweep you off of your feet romance - it was a enemies to friends romance about 2 sisters who grew up drastically differently and were treated differently from their father.
I was giggly, teary, and beautifully surprised by this one.
4.5 ⭐️ rounded to 5
Thank you NetGalley & Dutton Penguin Group for the ARC for an honest review.
When I got this book on Netgalley I was hyped (have you seen the cover??). A Maine romance ?? I’m already there - but it was not what I expected (I may have skimmed the summary).
In this book there are two women who find out that they are sisters through their father’s indescrecions. This wasn’t a sweep you off of your feet romance - it was a enemies to friends romance about 2 sisters who grew up drastically differently and were treated differently from their father.
I was giggly, teary, and beautifully surprised by this one.
October 7, 2024
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.
Thank you so much to Netgalley and Penguin Group Dutton for the ARC.
October 11, 2024
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 😍
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 😍
October 16, 2024
4.5! this book is a beautiful story of sisterhood and family, and it’s set on a beautiful lake in Maine. This book was so atmospheric and really took me to Fox Hill in Maine… Although it’s not a real place, I want to go there immediately. This is such a good summer read, both because of its setting and because of the feel good ending. It’s not all sunshine and rainbows by any mean, but I loved seeing the growth all of the characters had. This book had a little bit of everything some romance, some mystery some family drama and it was, very well written.
October 17, 2024
4-4.5 ⭐️ Thank you NetGalley and Penguin Random House for this ARC copy of Maine Characters! I really enjoyed this one! Patient trap like plot, say no more, I am invested! And now want to take a lakeside trip to Maine to boat cruise, eat lobster, and drink Vivian recommended wine. The last 30% of the book was by far my fave and I loved how the story as a whole, and the individual stories within, wrapped up. A heartfelt, sweet read that left me smiling. Definitely recommend!
October 19, 2024
Wow. This is such a beautiful book of grief, found family, love, and the feeling of home. This is my first Hannah Orenstein book and I really enjoyed it!! The characters were messy and real and there were secrets until the last few chapters. Maine Characters felt authentically human and perfectly displayed the messiest of family and rediscovering who you are in the aftermath of grief.
Thank you Netgalley and Penguin Group Dutton for this ARC!
Thank you Netgalley and Penguin Group Dutton for this ARC!
October 23, 2024
I really enjoyed this read!
While it was a bit of a slower one for me I did like the characters development and the back and forth. I have never been to Maine and have an obsession with the area and think the author captured the magic of it all perfectly.
The story itself was interesting and intriguing and kept me hooked! Long lost sisters, a lot of healing and learning, and a lot of how’s to work though. I would definitely recommend this book.
Huge thank you to Dutton and Net Galley for the ARC <3
While it was a bit of a slower one for me I did like the characters development and the back and forth. I have never been to Maine and have an obsession with the area and think the author captured the magic of it all perfectly.
The story itself was interesting and intriguing and kept me hooked! Long lost sisters, a lot of healing and learning, and a lot of how’s to work though. I would definitely recommend this book.
Huge thank you to Dutton and Net Galley for the ARC <3
October 21, 2024
4.5⭐️ Thank you to NetGalley and Penguin Random House for this arc! This book was so freaking good! Towards the beginning I really didn’t know if I was going to enjoy this, but it pulled me in and I was hooked! Such a beautiful story centered around two sisters meeting after a tragic event and how it pulled them together. This is my first book by Hannah Orenstein and certainly not my last! Might be too early to say, but I think this is gonna be one of the biggest books next summer!
November 6, 2024
This was such a cute story, it does kind of give parent trap vibes. I truly enjoyed it. It started out a little slow but it picked up and I absolutely loved the ending. I’ve never read any books by Hannah Orenstein, but I will definitely be checking out some others she has written.
October 5, 2024
This may just be the book of Summer 2025. I loved the setting and the character growth. I couldn't put this one down.
Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for my copy.
Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for my copy.
October 15, 2024
Oh my goodness! When I got the notification for this book, I was so excited. I had heard about this author and the cover gives off a lake house vibe and you know it is going to be good. Well honestly, this book was an emotional rollercoaster. Trigger warning: dad grief. I have dad grief. The emotions between Lucy and Vivian in the aftermath of their dad's passing was so real. It made my chest hurt sometimes. At times, Lucy drove me crazy but as I imagined missing out on things about my dad's passing and life due to a sibling that I didn't know about and being brushed aside, I cried. Then I thought of Vivian and how it must have felt for your dad to have a second family and all the turmoil you are in, regardless of what you acknowledge, after his passing. Then throwing them together and their complicated love lives. WOW! Rollercoaster. Vivian was sometimes a harder character to enjoy. She was just so cold sometimes that I feel I didn't like her until almost the end of the book. I really enjoyed Lucy though. I think I could have done without the affair relationship that Vivian was having. It was just not my favorite. Patrick bugged me sometimes too. But in the end, this was an amazing story about grief, heartache, coming together in a time of need and honoring our loved ones in the way they would have wanted. I really loved the ending and I look forward to more books from this author. Thank you SO much for an ARC of this book in exchange for my honest opinion. This book gave me all the feels!
October 10, 2024
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.
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.
October 28, 2024
Once upon a time I asked for a salted caramel latte and received a caramel latte with a table packet of salt added to it. Needless to say, it tasted like a prank, and I’ve never ordered salted caramel from that establishment again. Anyways, that’s what this book felt like. A sweet start with aggressive saltiness punctuating the story, disjointed and cobbled together, I really REALLY wanted to like this one but couldn’t.
I mean, the marketing is phenomenal: The Parent Trap for adults?! The COVER is stellar. I want it as a print for my house. But all the magenta lipstick in the world can’t save this higgledy-piggledy (there you go, @Claire) book.
Half sisters Vivian and Lucy meet for the first time at their father’s lake house after his death, and it’s about as awkward as you can imagine. The secrets come out over glasses of wine (through a lot of whining) and they try to deal with the consequences of three decades of miscommunication as miserable roommates. Petulant children posing as adults without moral compasses make poor decisions in a small lake town. That's it, that's the book.
Caught in an identity crisis between being a deep, thought-provoking story about forgiveness, and a comedy, I had a hard time settling into the story. A few lines were startlingly cringey in seriousness, but would’ve been phenomenal in a tongue-in-cheek manner. One hypothetical conversation over a basket of Olive Garden breadsticks made me laugh out loud (if only the author were brave enough to have had it occur outside of Vivian’s imagination).
Tense was also a major, distracting issue throughout. At times, it became hard to follow either the order or events or who was talking.
“Sometimes, love isn’t enough,” was a line from the fourth (!) male love interest introduced in this short book, and I think I would add, “sometimes, a vibe for a book isn’t enough.”
Thank you so much to Netgalley and Penguin Group Dutton for the ARC.
I mean, the marketing is phenomenal: The Parent Trap for adults?! The COVER is stellar. I want it as a print for my house. But all the magenta lipstick in the world can’t save this higgledy-piggledy (there you go, @Claire) book.
Half sisters Vivian and Lucy meet for the first time at their father’s lake house after his death, and it’s about as awkward as you can imagine. The secrets come out over glasses of wine (through a lot of whining) and they try to deal with the consequences of three decades of miscommunication as miserable roommates. Petulant children posing as adults without moral compasses make poor decisions in a small lake town. That's it, that's the book.
Caught in an identity crisis between being a deep, thought-provoking story about forgiveness, and a comedy, I had a hard time settling into the story. A few lines were startlingly cringey in seriousness, but would’ve been phenomenal in a tongue-in-cheek manner. One hypothetical conversation over a basket of Olive Garden breadsticks made me laugh out loud (if only the author were brave enough to have had it occur outside of Vivian’s imagination).
Tense was also a major, distracting issue throughout. At times, it became hard to follow either the order or events or who was talking.
“Sometimes, love isn’t enough,” was a line from the fourth (!) male love interest introduced in this short book, and I think I would add, “sometimes, a vibe for a book isn’t enough.”
Thank you so much to Netgalley and Penguin Group Dutton for the ARC.
October 14, 2024
I’ve followed Hannah Orenstein on Instagram for years and every summer she spends several months at her family’s home on a lake in southern Maine — in fact, the lake and cabin are featured in the stunning cover of her latest book (out next May 13) so reading this book had me picturing everything she posts during the summer.
Maine Characters follows the story of two 30-year-old sisters, Lucy and Vivian, who have never met until their father dies and they find themselves in the Maine cabin where they each spent time with him every summer but separately. Vivian isn’t at all receptive to keeping the house or getting to know Lucy and Lucy is crushed because she always pictured them having a better relationship when they finally met and absolutely loves the cabin she spent every July with her father. This was listed as a romance but it’s really not — both characters are working through things with their respective significant others and figuring out whether those relationships work for where they are in their lives but it’s really about two sisters getting to know each other and establishing a relationship that is extremely rocky initially as well as working out where they’re at in their own lives. Both are at a crossroads personally and professionally and have to figure out what’s next while also reconciling the house they’re sharing and the deceased father that connects them.
This was a really lovely story about sisters, and found family and I’m almost sad I read it now and it won’t be new to me when it comes out next summer. I’ve read and enjoyed all of Hannah’s books and I really felt like this took her writing and story development to a whole new level! Definitely worth the read and preorder!
Maine Characters follows the story of two 30-year-old sisters, Lucy and Vivian, who have never met until their father dies and they find themselves in the Maine cabin where they each spent time with him every summer but separately. Vivian isn’t at all receptive to keeping the house or getting to know Lucy and Lucy is crushed because she always pictured them having a better relationship when they finally met and absolutely loves the cabin she spent every July with her father. This was listed as a romance but it’s really not — both characters are working through things with their respective significant others and figuring out whether those relationships work for where they are in their lives but it’s really about two sisters getting to know each other and establishing a relationship that is extremely rocky initially as well as working out where they’re at in their own lives. Both are at a crossroads personally and professionally and have to figure out what’s next while also reconciling the house they’re sharing and the deceased father that connects them.
This was a really lovely story about sisters, and found family and I’m almost sad I read it now and it won’t be new to me when it comes out next summer. I’ve read and enjoyed all of Hannah’s books and I really felt like this took her writing and story development to a whole new level! Definitely worth the read and preorder!
October 2, 2024
There is much to like about this novel. The writing is well-paced, the character development is stellar, and the descriptions of Maine are enticing. The drawback? The two protagonists are so unlikeable for at least the first two thirds of the book that I wanted to abandon it. It is a credit to the author that she was able to craft two characters so understandably wounded yet unsympathetic in their attitudes and behaviors.
Two daughters (half-sisters) are thrown together at the lake cottage they both shared at separate times over the years with their shared father. Lucy Webster is the eldest who was conceived just prior to her father’s marriage to another woman. While not recognized officially as his daughter, he did maintain a relationship with her and provided some financial support that allowed for a simple, if not comfortable life. In contrast, Vivian Levy was raised in a two-parent home with a wealthy lifestyle and one of privilege. Following their father’s unexpected death, the two clash – Lucy playing the resentful victim and Vivian exhibiting a cold and entitled demeanor.
As the story unfolds, the mothers of the protagonists are introduced into the mix and long-held secrets are revealed. The conclusion, while redemptive and healing in nature, felt unrealistic in the quick resolution of multiple issues. Overall, this was a solid story in its emotional exploration of complicated relationships, but not the most enjoyable read.
My thanks to the author, the publisher, and NetGalley for the privilege of reviewing this book. The opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.
Two daughters (half-sisters) are thrown together at the lake cottage they both shared at separate times over the years with their shared father. Lucy Webster is the eldest who was conceived just prior to her father’s marriage to another woman. While not recognized officially as his daughter, he did maintain a relationship with her and provided some financial support that allowed for a simple, if not comfortable life. In contrast, Vivian Levy was raised in a two-parent home with a wealthy lifestyle and one of privilege. Following their father’s unexpected death, the two clash – Lucy playing the resentful victim and Vivian exhibiting a cold and entitled demeanor.
As the story unfolds, the mothers of the protagonists are introduced into the mix and long-held secrets are revealed. The conclusion, while redemptive and healing in nature, felt unrealistic in the quick resolution of multiple issues. Overall, this was a solid story in its emotional exploration of complicated relationships, but not the most enjoyable read.
My thanks to the author, the publisher, and NetGalley for the privilege of reviewing this book. The opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.
November 11, 2024
Every summer, Lucy spends July with her father at the lake house, and Vivian spends August. Never together. In fact, Vivian isn’t even supposed to know that Lucy exists. Both are going through their own struggles when their father passes. Vivian is immediately ready to sell the house and use the money to open her own business. When she arrives however, Lucy is there and the two are forced into close proximity for the foreseeable future. Could they possibly forge a relationship?
Ok first of all, within the first few chapters, this book mentions Mars 2112, and if you never went there you missed out. That is a core childhood memory. The food was terrible, but the atmosphere and how you got to the restaurant could not be beat! So automatically I was already in love with this book. As is my norm these days, it did take me a bit to finish, I mean throw in a devastating election while reading and that will certainly cause some trouble reading, but I just loved every second. I live for Hannah’s lake stories in the summer, so reading about the dock, and the sunsets, and of course the loons had me swooning. Dealing with my own grief right now…the grief aspect of this, though insanely different than my own, made it both harder to read at times, and comforting at others. I have been anxiously waiting this book from Orenstein, and it was so worth the wait! I believe my comment to her when she said she was writing about the lake was “Girl I would read your grocery list! But I would READ THE SHIT out of a book set at your lake.” Well, read the shit out of it I did…and as expected, LOVED!
Thank you to @duttonbooks and @hannahorens for my gifted copy of this book!
Ok first of all, within the first few chapters, this book mentions Mars 2112, and if you never went there you missed out. That is a core childhood memory. The food was terrible, but the atmosphere and how you got to the restaurant could not be beat! So automatically I was already in love with this book. As is my norm these days, it did take me a bit to finish, I mean throw in a devastating election while reading and that will certainly cause some trouble reading, but I just loved every second. I live for Hannah’s lake stories in the summer, so reading about the dock, and the sunsets, and of course the loons had me swooning. Dealing with my own grief right now…the grief aspect of this, though insanely different than my own, made it both harder to read at times, and comforting at others. I have been anxiously waiting this book from Orenstein, and it was so worth the wait! I believe my comment to her when she said she was writing about the lake was “Girl I would read your grocery list! But I would READ THE SHIT out of a book set at your lake.” Well, read the shit out of it I did…and as expected, LOVED!
Thank you to @duttonbooks and @hannahorens for my gifted copy of this book!
October 5, 2024
This was my first Hannah Orenstein novel, and I’m thrilled to have discovered her as an author. Any story set in Maine is an immediate draw for me, and this book did not disappoint. I loved the authentic references to Maine’s towns, culture, cuisine, and landmarks, which truly brought the setting to life.
Overall, I would rate this book 3.5 stars, rounded up to 4. It’s a fast-paced novel that manages to balance depth and character development—a challenging feat. I appreciated how the author gradually unveiled the characters' backstories, allowing the reader to better understand their motivations and decisions as the narrative unfolded.
However, I struggled with one of the sisters, Lucy. She was a difficult character to empathize with, especially when contrasted with her sibling, who initially seemed set up as the "villain" of the story. Interestingly, the true central figure turned out to be their father. His influence loomed over the narrative, shaping the choices and realities of everyone involved.
This novel would make an excellent book club pick due to its exploration of complex family dynamics and the human flaws woven so skillfully into each character. The layered events that brought them to their present state provide rich material for discussion and reflection.
Thank you to NetGalley, the author, and the publisher for providing me with an advanced copy to review. All opinions expressed are my own!
Overall, I would rate this book 3.5 stars, rounded up to 4. It’s a fast-paced novel that manages to balance depth and character development—a challenging feat. I appreciated how the author gradually unveiled the characters' backstories, allowing the reader to better understand their motivations and decisions as the narrative unfolded.
However, I struggled with one of the sisters, Lucy. She was a difficult character to empathize with, especially when contrasted with her sibling, who initially seemed set up as the "villain" of the story. Interestingly, the true central figure turned out to be their father. His influence loomed over the narrative, shaping the choices and realities of everyone involved.
This novel would make an excellent book club pick due to its exploration of complex family dynamics and the human flaws woven so skillfully into each character. The layered events that brought them to their present state provide rich material for discussion and reflection.
Thank you to NetGalley, the author, and the publisher for providing me with an advanced copy to review. All opinions expressed are my own!
October 12, 2024
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 & Penguin Group for providing me with an ARC copy in exchange for an honest review.
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 & Penguin Group for providing me with an ARC copy in exchange for an honest review.
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