Nostalgic, captivating, and thought provoking. Not everyone grows up behind a white picket fence. Some grow up in very unconventional ways. The sea, the sand, the waves and the van, are what the Merrick family called home. I thought Amy Mason Doan did a tremendous job of capturing the beachy surfer vibe of California in the 1980's. The surf, the way sunlight glitters on the waves, the sand between your toes, the freedom of being in nature, and riding the waves is captured beautifully. I can almost smell the salt in the air!

The Merrick family was not your average family. They traveled the coast, surfing, living, and surviving. They became celebrities of sort when a photograph is published. Years later the siblings will gather to say goodbye to their recently deceased father, but they will not be alone. They will be joined by a journalist who wants to know about them and the famous photograph.

I enjoyed wondering what it would be like to live life as the Merrick family did. Traveling in a van, sleeping in the van and/or on the ground. What would it be like not to attend a traditional school? What would it be like to not put down roots but to travel here and there up and down the coast? What would it be like to be the only female sibling? What makes a home- is it where you sleep or who is in your life? Does how one is raised affect the rest of an individual's life? How do you ever go home if you never had one? The author tackles these questions sand then some.

This plot ebbs and flows like the waves of the ocean. We are shown glimpses in not only the past when the siblings are younger but also in the present day as the siblings come together for their father's final send off. This was a captivating and thought provoking coming of age story about Ronan who left her van living nomadic family at 17 and returns when one of her brothers informs her of their father's passing.

This is a book about family, secrets, identity, love of nature, choices, unconventional lifestyles, and relationships. I found this book to wonderfully written, well thought out, and thought provoking. Be sure to read the author's note at the end to learn what motivated the author to write this riveting book.

This book's nonsuccess with me was due to it being totally forgettable. I've read many great messy family dramas lately, and unfortunately, this one's writing, plotline, and characters were boring and not memorable. I hope it finds it's best audience.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for giving me an ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review!

4.5 stars.

When I first started this book, I thought it would be a solid four stars. I was enjoying it, but it took me a while to read it. But something as time went on got me so hooked on the story, I couldn’t help but give it five stars. I just loved the characters so much. It helps that I love a good sibling story, and so much of this revolved around the kids.

This reminded me of “Malibu Rising” with the surfing and the family drama. Though “Malibu Rising” was more fast paced.

I could picture the scenery very well. It would be an amazing movie in my opinion!

This is a very character driven novel.

The dynamic between these characters was just so interesting. Between Ronan and Dyl, the twin’s with each other, Ronan with Griff and with Mag. Cap most of all. I can’t help but dislike him for what he all did, but at the same time he was such a fascinating character. I didn’t hate him though, especially because the kids didn’t hate him.

Charlie fit into their lives so effortlessly, it was seamless and perfect. I wish we could have seen more of her, but I know the family was the main point.

It was a very, VERY, slow moving plot. So don’t expect a lot of action. You just have to go with the flow of the story. If you like the characters and are intrigued by their life, you’ll enjoy this book. If you don’t connect to any of the characters or don’t care to learn their story, you might as well put the book down.

It felt like I was reading 10 pages in 2 hours, that’s how slow it was. I don’t mean to deter people from this book, because I did really enjoy it, I just wish it had a faster pace. It was so nuanced, you really had to take your time with it.

I loved the Field Journal’s. They felt so poetic. I thought there was another person writing one than just Dyl, but I wouldn’t have expected who it was!

There are a couple things I would have changed. There could be some spoilers, so be cautious reading the next paragraph:

I personally think Ronan didn’t need to have a family, she could have just let the guilt keep her away from her mother and siblings. She could have had other lovers, but I’d rather she have been alone, or at least with no kids. Her separated husband and kids had no point to the story. Other than brief mentions of them here and there, it was just an extra part of the story that didn’t need to be in there. Despite how long it took me to finish this book, I wish we got a little more at the end, especially since Charlie seemed to disappear at the end. I wanted to see more of her and Ronan hopefully being together! I guess the point is they probably wouldn’t, especially because Ronan has another life with her kids, and they established it would be pretty hard to have both. That just proves that she shouldn’t have had a family and just lived on her own this whole time. Then she could have started a relationship with Charlie. Maybe Charlie was too wound up in the past that Ronan was trying to escape from that it never would have worked, but I wanted it to so badly. I loved them together.

It was interesting to know this was based off a real family! I had no idea.

If you love books about families and an ocean setting, this would be for you!

Set in 1980s California, this novel follows a family leading an unconventional life, living in an RV while trying to escape the unwanted fame that follows them. Despite their best efforts to remain anonymous, the world refuses to leave them alone. I felt there was a disconnect in some parts of the story and it took a while to get through this book.

Set in 1980s California, this novel follows a family leading an unconventional life, living in an RV while trying to escape the unwanted fame that follows them. Despite their best efforts to remain anonymous, the world refuses to leave them alone. Their journey unfolds gradually, exploring themes of freedom, privacy, and the challenges of living outside societal norms.

The novel’s slow, deliberate pacing allows the story to unfold naturally, though at times it may feel sluggish. The atmospheric writing captures the tension between the family's desire for solitude and the relentless pull of public attention. While this unconventional lifestyle is often romanticized, the book also hints at its struggles—though not always in a way that feels fully grounded.

One of the biggest challenges for me was the disconnect between the novel’s beginning and its ending. While the journey is engaging and thought-provoking, the conclusion feels somewhat detached from the story’s initial setup. Additionally, the portrayal of the family's nomadic existence sometimes leans too heavily into idealization, glossing over its harsher realities in a way that felt unsettling.

A contemplative, atmospheric read that explores the complexities of fame and solitude, but its slow pacing and disjointed ending may not work for all readers. While it offers moments of depth and intrigue, the romanticized portrayal of an unconventional lifestyle left me with mixed feelings. Enjoyable, but not entirely satisfying.

Doan Does It Again. I titled my review of Doan's LADY SUNSHINE "Cinematic" and my review of her THE SUMMER LIST "The Boys Of Summer", and I can tell you that despite the few years away, Doan has not lost a single step in her storytelling. This tale is just as cinematic and just as evocative as either of those prior books, and does a phenomenal job of showing one particularly extreme lifestyle... and the repercussions it can have as kids raised within it grow up and begin making decisions of their own.

As with much other fiction - and particularly as I write this review on the day that news breaks that, yet again, Augusta, Ga has arrested a parent trying to make a better life for his kids because he placed them in a safe area for a few minutes while going to a nearby spot for a job interview - yes, there are absolutely elements of this story that would not play in the real world of the 2020s. Yet this book also isn't set in the real world of the 2020s, instead being set decades earlier, in a period where I myself lived at least very certain specific elements of this life both in and out of the trailer park. Identifying which elements goes into spoiler territory, but suffice it to say that it involves what was truly a common practice among working class families of prior eras - even if it may be criminalized by Karens and bureaucrats today.

Still, even with these elements taken as the fiction they are, the story they work to show is itself quite powerful indeed, and Doan truly does an excellent job of showing how halcyon days may not have been as perfect as were remembered... and perhaps we didn't know all that we thought we did in those days either. Doan just has a way with coming of age stories, clearly, and yet again it truly shines through here in so very many ways.

Come for the beautiful, evocative prose that captures the best of (what I imagine to be, having never actually experienced it) the California summers, both back in the 80s and again in the early 2000s. Stay for the all too relatable story of children confronting what they think they know about their own childhoods and all the family dynamics this brings forth in adult children dealing with their parents.

Very much recommended.

A somewhat atmospheric family drama. This one is a slow burn but captures your attention as it’s so relatable. Who hasn’t had kept a secret or had a complicated relationship with their family.
The characters were well developed and kept the story interesting. The ending kinda missed for me but the story itself was interesting and relatable.

Many thanks to NetGalley and Harlequin Trade Publishing for the free e-ARC in exchange for my honest review.

This is a well written domestic drama about a family with four kids who travel up and down the Pacific west coast in their van ("GULL"), living off the grid. The book alternates between the 80s and 2002, when a reporter catches up to the family after they became accidentally famous in a viral photo. Be prepared for family drama and secrets as you are pulled into their eccentric and sometimes erratic life!

This is a picturesque read where the scenery immerses you in the California coast! Wonderful!

Immersive and sharply observed tale of a wild family that was surprisingly relatable.

I especially enjoyed the pivots from past to present and how each sibling gets their moment to shine.

Great for me to read in frigid Michigan in February and I can imagine this one on a lot of chaises this summer.
4.25 rounded up for vivid coastal scenery and strong writing.

Storygraph 4-5

As a mood reader, I have to be in the mood for a book and I haven’t been in the mood to pick this up for a while now. So, I decided to put this down at 50% in. I really wanted to like this but I just don’t think what I got so far, was worth me to keep reading. I dreaded picking up this book and it wasn’t even that bad. I just think the story was very slow. Also the alternating POVs and timeline has me very confused.

The writing was beautiful, I will definitely try this author again. The setting gave the ultimate beach vibes. But the mystery, was just not intriguing enough for me as an avid thriller lover.

Thank you to Harlequin Trade Publishing and NetGalley for this advanced readers copy in exchange for my honest review!

A tender and surprisingly layered story about a woman who grew up in a fitted-out van wandering coastal hideaways with her private, idealistic parents and four brothers.
I took a chance on this one as the cover reminded me of Malibu Rising and I am going on a vacation in California soon.
It was so much more moving & thoughtful than I had expected. The ending was just right for these dear characters.
Solid characterization & lilting prose made for an enjoyable reading experience. Highly recommended and thought provoking for book club settings.

5
Thank you to NetGalley and the publishers HQN for an advanced reader edition

Growing up in the 80's I was drawn to the description of this book and looking to reminisce. This was a great book for that. It was well written and told a great story.

The main character of this novel, Ronan, grew up traveling up and down the west coast in a camper with her parents and three brothers, surfing and living off the grid. She left when she was 17, and 15 years later, diving on a farm under the name Ava, having gotten married and had kids, with no contact with her former life. But when her brother shows up to tell her their dad has died, she has to confront her past. The book alternates between her teenage years in the 1980s, and 2002 when she journeys back to see her family again.

I really loved this book - it’s a great coming of age drama, a great family drama, great descriptions of surfing and nature, and some low key suspense running in the background as you wonder why Ronan’s family lived like this, and why she left and never went back. I loved Amy Mason Doan’s last book, Lady Sunshine, so this was one of my most anticipated books of the year, and this did not disappoint. It would also make a great book club book as there is a lot to discuss.

4.25 stars

This was a solid okay book for me. I liked the premise of this story told in two timelines about a nomadic surfing family and what happens after a photo of them becomes famous. One timeline takes place in the 1980s, detailing their life pre and post photo. The second takes place in 2002, when the family reunites after their father’s death.

At times I felt like this unfolded way too slowly and I found myself uninterested. I did enjoy all of the characters and their unique personalities and perspectives on their life.

I felt the end wrapped up too quickly and I would have loved to read more about Mama and Cap and how they started their lifestyle.

This is the second book in a row I've read about estranged siblings reuniting after not seeing each other for several years. This time, it's the Merrick siblings, who were raised by unconventional parents traveling in a van and surfing along the beaches of California. Only sister Ronan left home at 16, never speaking to her brothers or parents again until the death of her father 15 years later. When she returns for his funeral, she must decide if she wants to merge her past and present lives and reveal why she left home all those years ago.

I love all of Amy Mason Doan's books. She is always able to capture the feeling of summer with her writing and writes very wistfully of the past. The surfing life she describes is a unique topic for a novel about family, brothers and sisters, and their relationships and interactions.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for an eARC in exchange for an honest review.

The California Dreamers is a story that takes place in California during the 1980s. The Merrick family, mother, father, 3 sons, and a daughter basically live off the grid. The kids don’t go to school, and the parents just pick up work when they need it. They are all excellent surfers. However, at some point a photographer snaps their picture, the six of them walking into the water with their surfboards, and it makes it way into marketing materials. The father is furious because he never wanted them to speak to anyone or have their pictures taken. Ronan, the daughter, eventually leaves home at 17 due to her part of getting the picture out there.
She is found a few years later by one of her brothers after the father dies. She returns for the father’s “send off” and the story continues from there with many secrets being discovered.
This story was inspired by a real life surfing family, the Paskowitz’s.
This story is an enjoyable read although it drags somewhat in the middle but shows a strong family tie. It’s an easy read and reminds one of those warm, sunny days with smell of the ocean.

Thank you, NetGalley, for this ebook ARC of 'The California Dreamers' by Amy Mason Doan - expected release date of 04/08/2025 (ARC was provided by the publisher via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review)

This is the story of the Merrick Family who lived a nomadic lifestyle as a family of 5 on the west coast in the 1980's. The story is told from Ro's perspective and it goes back and forth from 2002 to the past (1980s). They were a family of surfers who did their best to live off grid.

I found the book to have an easy flow to it and fell in love with the characters who each were well developed. The "twist" comes FAR into the book and the conclusion tied everything up well in my opinion.

This was the first of Doan's books that I've read. I enjoyed her writing style and will certainly be reading more of her in the future!

I am a big fan of Amy’s books so I was thrilled when I heard a new one was coming. Amy’s skill as an author seems to improve with every book and I have enjoyed all of them! This one is set in the 1980’s in California and follows a family that lives off the grid in their old van. This family of six travels up and down the coast and spends their days surfing. They always try to keep a low profile but an iconic and surprise picture of them makes them famous. While trying to maintain their lifestyle the picture and the scrutiny following it causes a fracture in the family. Years later and after the death of the patriarch they once again come together after one member has been away for years. A journalist has found them and wants to do a story on their life and they fear what could be disclosed in the article and being thrust back into the spotlight. Many secrets and misunderstandings between the family are revealed as they spend this time together. Will they be able to unite again or will the fractures continue? The atmospheric and descriptive writing is so well done you can feel yourself transported to each setting. I like a character driven novel and the character development was well written. I enjoyed the mystery and the secrets that became known as the book progressed. Overall another great book from this author. Be sure to preorder this one!!

This cover alone is amazing! Gives off the perfect beach/surf vibes for a summer read. However, it took me some time to finish. I kept setting it down to start another book, thinking maybe I just wasn't in the right mood for this type of read. Ultimately, it was just the slow pacing that left me wanting more. What I love about Historical Fiction is being able to go back in time and experience different life events and learn through words. But, I struggled to connect with the writing and couldn't grasp the true feelings throughout this book. Overall, it was just an average read for my preferences. Great for an audience who loves a character driven storyline with the perfect setting though.

Thank you NetGalley and Harlequin Trade Publishing for the opportunity to read a digital ARC in exchange for an honest review!

*Book publication date: April 8, 2025*
*Reviewed on March 24, 2024*

If summer could be bottled…this is it right here.
The California nostalgia and summer vibes oozed out of this family drama. I enjoyed this from start to finish and being a native Californian…I loved the representation of our state.