Thank you to netgalley.com for this ARC.

I wasn't sure what to expect about this book from the description but I was pleasantly surprised. A novel about the beginnings of surfing in California and the role and hardships that women surfers faced in this new sport and activity. The story takes place over several decades and shows the lives of two sisters and their mother and were the beach and surfing takes them. This was very informative and much more deeper story than I expected it to be.

I have always been drawn to the 60's era, not to mention California and The Beach Boys. I immediately requested this after I read the blurb of what it was going to be about. I wanted to be immersed or transported back to that era. I did get that feeling when I was reading it, but the surfing aspect was one that I didn't connect with. I also didn't connect with the mother, who had athletic pursuits most of her life. I enjoyed Vietnam being in the story as well. I enjoyed this, but didn't connect to it as much as I had hoped. 3.5 stars.

Edited to add: I had the honor of speaking with Melanie Benjamin about "California Golden" for the Storytime in Paris podcast. Listen to the full interview here: https://bit.ly/3Pge0Fm

"California Golden" is a beautifully-written, deeply atmospheric piece of historical fiction, set in California in the 1960s. Do you know the feeling of standing on a sandy shore, a warm breeze in the air, with a vibrant sunset filling your view? That's the feeling this book embodies.

What do you do when you love some thing more than any one person? And what if that thing is something you, as a woman, are not expected to love? And how are your daughters meant to react?

"California Golden" tells the story of family, loss, passion, and a woman's "place" from multiple perspectives. It's filled with pain and beauty and I absolutely loved it.

I was given an ARC in exchange for an honest opinion.

1960’s California is one of my favorite places to visit in a book. I enjoyed this one, mother-daughter relationships are always interesting to explore. A great rec for anyone that enjoys historical fiction!

The characters were unlikable and the story felt flat. I've liked her other books but this one just didn't connect for me. An interesting premise but I wanted to like it more than I did.

"California Golden" took me on a journey that hit close to home in more ways than one. Even though I didn't love-love it, the story resonated deeply with me.

It follows two sisters and their mom through the ups and downs of life in Southern California from the 1940s to the 1960s. It's not just about surfing – it's about the struggles and choices they face, from racism and misogyny to family dynamics and personal freedom.

Carol, one of the main characters, finds solace and passion in her sport but has to make tough choices balancing dreams with the demands of relationships and family. I understood her struggles and the conflicting emotions that come with sacrificing personal dreams for the sake of others. I also connected with Mindy, the older sister, who struggled with her own challenges and the complexities of sibling dynamics.

Ginger, the youngest sister, was heart-wrenching, showcasing the toll of family dysfunction and societal pressures. Her story served as a poignant reminder of how our childhood experiences shape who we become.

"California Golden" may not be for everyone, but it spoke to me on a personal level. The author's research and attention to detail vividly captured the essence of an era defined by freedom and constraint. Overall, it's a thought-provoking read that delves into the complexities of life and family.

Mother and daughters relationships is what California Golden by Melanie Benjamin deals with. When surfing is your life you start pushing other priorities to the side. Mindy never wanted to be like her mother. Ginger just wanted somebody to want her. I really enjoyed this book. It was fun and what I like when it comes to literal fiction.

Thank you Netgalley and Dell Books for a copy of this ARC in exchange for an honest review

Historical fiction revolving around the start of Southern California surf culture in the 1960s, the story follows the Donelly girls. Mom Carol is left to raise her daughters Mindy & Ginger on her own…if you can call it that. As she chases her dream of being a female surfer, her girls grow up in the sand and surf. Following them through the years, one sister is caught up in the fame of surfing-meets-Hollywood, and the other falls into the cult culture profound during that time. Their relationship changes over the year but their sisterhood is always there.
Thank you to Delacorte Press for the advanced copy in exchange for my honest opinion.

California Golden" takes you on a journey to 1960s Southern California, where surf culture and societal norms clash. Following the Donnelly sisters, Mindy and Ginger, it's a groovy exploration of family dynamics and finding yourself in a time of change. Though it sometimes drifts off, the book nails the vibe of the era, making it a fun and nostalgic read. If you're into the '60s scene, "California Golden" is definitely worth checking out!

Historical fiction about motherhood, sisters and what it means to be a family. Sisters Mindy and Ginger are growing up in the 60’s in Malibu with their often absent surfer mother Carol. I never felt connected to any of these characters and I felt like the author tried too hard to make Carol different. It was generally well written with a nice steady pace of plot. I have liked Melanie Benjamin’s other books better (the Aviator’s Wife and The Children’s Blizzard).

"California Golden" ventures into the surfing culture of 1960s California, revolving around the lives of Mindy and Ginger, daughters of surfing icon Carol. Divided into three parts, the novel explores familial complexities and societal dynamics against the backdrop of Hollywood, surfing, and Vietnam. While author adeptly captures the era's essence and prejudices, the characters feel shallow and the plot disappointingly predictable. Despite its thematic potential, the emphasis on surfing may deter some readers. However, Benjamin's portrayal of family dynamics and individual resilience amidst adversity offers moments of depth. Overall, "California Golden" provides a glimpse into an era but falls short, earning 2.5 stars.

Mindy and Ginger are sisters living in LA in the 50s/60s. In order to maintain their relationship with their mother they follow in her footsteps and become surfers. Mindy goes on to become semi famous and with the ‘in crowd’ in Malibu while Ginger attaches herself to Tom, another surfer/racist, who is all bad news. The story follows the sisters lives and looks back at their mother’s life and why she was the inattentive mother that she was.
This book opened up my mind to how things might have actually been during that Malibu surfer craze of the 50s and 60s. You imagine it as this bright colorful pop dream like the movies portrayed, but the reality was most likely very different. I also appreciated the look at motherhood during that time and how Carol was forced into a situation she didn’t want to be in and then looked down on when she couldn’t be this perfect housewife and mother. Hearing her side of the story made me feel far more empathy towards her than I had in the first part of the book. I will say that this book had one of the most irredeemable characters I have ever met in a book. Tom was just an awful human. His racism and the way he viewed the world were just difficult to read and the way he treated Ginger was atrocious and frustrating to see her not want to leave. But even with that, I really enjoyed the book and the look into that period of time in our history.

Thank you to #NetGalley, the author and the publisher.

Surf's up.

It was not a easy life for Carol who had 2 girls, Mindy and Ginger at a young age. Carol was a surfer in her 20s and was in Hawaii already married. She didn't want a life with her husband who left her and just wanted the good life as a surfer in Hawaii.

Mindy is the oldest who had a good head on her shoulders and Ginger, who was two years younger and sort of reliant on Mindy and sort of flaky I guess you can say, getting into a cult with her boyfriend and living like a vagrant. Mindy had her life as a surfer like her mom and then as an actress which she left behind in her 20s. Their mom wasn't really there for them and they lead independent lives without her. It was sort of sad really. They lost touch with each other, the girls going their separate ways like I said above and with their mother.

What an ending.

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for providing me with an advance copy of California Golden by Melanie Benjamin in exchange for my honest review and feedback. The premise of the book intrigued me as I love the Beach Boys and anything ocean related. This was a great read that captivated me from the first page and held my attention until I finished. I was unable to put it down once I started and I promise the same thing will happen to you when you pick it up to read it. Great story!

California Golden gave me all the surfing and sunny vibes ☀️ 🏄‍♀️

As someone who loves a good family drama based and set in California, I easily flew through this. Told by 3 povs and different time lines, we follow a mother and her two daughters who internally struggle during different journeys that intertwines. As some parts were tough to read, the author acknowledges that when we think of the 1960’s it’s colorful with good vibes, the author also explores Vietnam, cults and drugs.

Told in two different eras and storylines, the author does a good job tying them together nicely. In the beginning you easily dislike the mother, but told in two parts the story explores her past and what it like to be a women in the 1940s-1950s internally struggling with the expectations of being a good wife and mother.

Thank you netgalley and random house publishing group - Ballantine for this ARC in exchange for an honest review

I have always enjoyed Melanie Benjamin's books so I was looking forward to her newest book set in my own state. The book gave me Taylor Jenkin Reed vibes crossed with hippie historical vibes from Jane Green. I love hearing the cities mentioned that I have been to or the beaches Melanie talks about that the main character has surfed. This book will give you the best summer vibes but also take you back to a time where free love, drugs, and board shorts were a thing.

A perfect beach read. I think this book would work well for anyone who isn’t a southern california native. For those who are, it might come off as a try hard attempt at evoking the summery socal imagery. I didn’t find the characters or their relationships easy to connect with or cheer for. A great cover, but an unfortunate miss for me.

I had high hopes for this history about surfing but somehow this one didn’t really land for me. I felt that the trials of the sisters and the way in which they were subject to abuse due to their mother’s negligence was too much for me to stomach and was overall too sad.

This was not for me. The story was kinda slow and I couldn't connect with the characters at all. I was hoping for something different

Normally I love a new book by Melanie Benjamin - she has such a way with words, and I'm usually able to fall deep into her stories in just a few pages. This one, however, didn't do that for me. I tried to wait longer and see if it was me or the book, but I'm thinking it was just an "oil and water" combo with this one - nothing worked. Sorry!