Books and Bakes

Books and Bakes

Book - Maine Characters by Hannah Orenstein

Bake - Blueberry Hand Pies

About the Book

Book - Maine Characters by Hannah Orenstein

This book has been described as Parent Trap but for adults and I kind of agree!

Two half-sisters (one didn't know each other existed), come together after the death of their father and not only have to deal with the grief of losing their dad but then dealing with the family drama of being kept apart their entire lives. Maine Characters is packed full of family drama, betrayal, and jealousy from both sides! Is it too late for the sisters to be family? They are so very different. One is raised by her parents in NYC, she's outgoing, brave and confident. The other sister was raised by her mom in a small town in Maine and only got to spend 1 month a year with her father at his lake house. Now, her existence is coming to light. This book is laced with forgiveness and courage, as the two sisters learn to build those family bonds that were never there and rediscover themselves in the process.

The middle was a bit slow to me; however, I enjoyed the complex characters and messy grief and overall family drama. I needed something that wasn't JUST a summer romance although there are some romance subplots. This one was a great overall read.

About the Bake

Bake - Blueberry Hand Pies

Blueberries are such a staple for Maine I felt it only fitting to pair the two together. These blueberry hand pies are inspired from our own trip to Maine last fall. They are sweet and a little tart and perfect for taking to the lake for picnic. In the book they even go to a local farm to pick their own blueberries and make their own blueberry pie!

This recipe uses frozen blueberries and refrigerated pie crust so you can make them any weekend you would like, lake house in Maine or not!

For more books and baked goods pairings, check out our past Books and Bakes posts. 

For more books to read this summer check out our 20 Books for Summer Vacation. Maine Characters is on the list as well as 19 other great reads to pack in your bag for your next summer adventure.