What a beautifully written and totally unique story!

I adored everything about this one, from the gorgeous coastal-island settings to the retro vibes to the genuinely satisfying ending.

I feel like I KNOW this truly endearing family of six, especially only daughter Ro. She tries so hard but she’s flawed and her “mistake” felt completely realistic to me. She’s just a teenager, after all, forced to act much older because her parents are child-like.

And the last scene had me in tears. It’s a thought-provoking family dynamic that I’m still thinking about, weeks later.

Highly recommend for anyone seeking a memorable, touching reading experience.

A sun-soaked trip down memory lane, The California Dreamers is a nostalgic ride through surf, secrets, and sibling drama. With a dash of ’80s charm and a twist of family intrigue, it’s the perfect beach read with heart!

Beautiful story of a family reuniting for their father’s ocean memorial and delving into their unusual shared past living in a van as drifters by choice. And it is inspired by a fascinating real family, making everything more poignant.

This is an uplifting, escapist, and gorgeously written novel.

There are very few books that deliver on the blurb but this one did and then some.
Endless summer, secrets, a sun-washed family in both past and present - check.
It is all much deeper and more intricate than I expected so I was happily surprised.

I loved this emotional and nostalgic story!

The siblings were all vividly depicted and their life felt like just the escape I craved right now. It's not a perfect one, as the author explores in sensitive depth, but the idea of no telephones, no "tethers" as the father calls it, only a loving family living day-to-day, beach-to-beach, sounds immensely appealing.

The prose is inviting and compelling, and twists kept me turning the pages, with very few lulls.

Recommended for anyone looking to be swept away and hoping to shed a happy tear by the end. It's a good one.

4...wish we had just a little more romance, but the hint of it was nice

I thoroughly enjoyed this lovingly crafted and large-hearted novel by Amy Mason Doan, publishing April 8 2025.

It's a stirring, at times heartrending, but always compelling tale of a family of six like none I've ever met. The Merricks live by their own rules, chasing waves and above all freedom in early-eighties California/Oregon/Washington. They don't cross to Mexico or Canada, and that is significant.

When they're younger, the four children follow worshipfully...until cracks begin to appear in the parents' carefully-constructed world.
Is this truly freedom? What about school and the intriguing friends they'd like to get to know on the beach?

Ultimately, the sole daughter breaks from her family to carve out her own path, a choice as difficult for her as swimming out to sea...but she's summoned back.

I rooted this family on every step of the way, pulled in completely until the mysteries were sorted, forgiveness was offered, and Ronan came to terms with her parents' decisions.

This is a wise and unforgettable book.


Thank you to the publisher and netgalley for the ARC in exchange for my honest feedback.

The California Dreamers is a fun romp of the California surf scene in the 1980s, told from the perspective of a nomadic, van-life family, primarily through the eyes the only daughter, Ronan. The California Dreamers is a light family drama, makes a great beach read, especially if you enjoy setting as acharacter in its own right. Much thanks to NetGalley and Harlequin Trade Publishing for the opportunity to read this eArc in exchange for an honest review. 3.5/5 ⭐️⭐️⭐️

Wow, this book is such a vibe. I picked it because I grew up 30-minutes from Santa Cruz, California. Born in the 80s, I'm well versed in the life of surfers, beach bums (as we called ourselves), and even the occasional RV or van life family that swept through town. It wasn't a hobby, it was a way of life, all of us practically born from the salty water. I wanted to see if a writer could really do justice for that love for the ocean, for the freedom, for the joy of the ride. She did. This is an incredible book that stole my heart from the very beginning and clutched it all the way to the end. Beautiful.

The California Dreamers is a beautifully described story about a family of surfers told in dual timelines. It was slow, but as a fan of Amy’s, I’ll read anything she writes!

Dreamy is the right word!!

I fell in love with this incredibly unique family story set across decades, exploring the life of an off grid family back when that was truly possible…or the dream of it was.

Ronan and her brothers Griffin, Magnus, and Dylan navigate their parents’ dreams of freedom for them with heartbreaking maturity and loyalty. The setting and eras are brought to life, and I truly felt I was with them on their journeys, both emotional and physical.

It’s a full sensory experience - sights, sounds, the feeling of salty water and wind off the coast are beautifully depicted.
My one quibble is I would have liked to stay on the island with this family longer (in the present thread), it all is wrapped up realistically. And the final “paddle out” for father Cap is heart wrenching.

This is one of my favorite reads of the year so far and I will seek out more from this author. fans of Educated and The Alone seeking a slightly lighter vibe will enjoy this one very much.
4.5 enthusiastic and sunny stars
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️💫

Escapist read with sensitive character studies, propulsive olot, and gorgeous settings on every page.

This book builds steadily and surely to a thoroughly satisfying conclusion. Along the way, we don’t just meet the family, we become part of it, riding in their van home and swimming in the same west coast waves.
The braided narrative structure is used to full effect, with both present and past storylines equally compelling and detailed with richness and nuance. Ronan’s story is relatable and layered as her love for her family shines despite her growing questions about their unusual lifestyle

A ideal choice for spring book clubs or upmarket vacation readers.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for an early e-ARE in exchange for my honest review

This book is a rare combination of escapism and depth.

Mason-Doan plunges us into a world that’s both foreign to most and completely relatable. Father “Cap” Merrick’s decisions in carving out a separate, free life for his children may prove controversial, as there’s so much he holds out of their reach. Stability. Conventional education. A broader community.

But in the author’s deft hands we see that his intentions, at least, are pure. And his sole daughter eventually must look at her past squarely and accept the mix of good and bad, the intense love and struggle and the reverence for natural beauty that cannot be forgotten — and which she carries with her gratefully.

Tenderly wrought, gripping, and set along the West Coast’s most jaw-dropping settings, this should prove a popular spring read for book clubs and readers craving relatable women’s fiction brimming with nostalgia and intelligence.

Amy Mason Doan’s The California Dreamers is a thoughtful, character-driven novel that follows the Merricks, a legendary surfing family, through multiple time frames. Told from the perspective of Ro, the family’s daughter, the story explores the tension between freedom and fame, family loyalty and personal identity.

The Merricks live a nomadic lifestyle, avoiding the spotlight, but Ro starts to question whether this way of life is truly the freedom her father, Cap, dreams of—or just another kind of cage. His deep respect for nature feels more like an early 2000s mindset than something from the 1980s, adding an interesting layer to the story. When a single photograph catapults the family into fame, Ro decides to leave at 17, craving a more normal life.

This is very much a coming-of-age story, with well-developed characters and a layered narrative. The pacing can be slow at times, but the emotional depth makes up for it. It’s a really good book—not perfect—but definitely worth a read.

I wanted to love this book. the characters are well written, the cover is beautiful, but the storyline is all over the place and the ending was rushed.

This is a slow moving story about a non traditional family living the surf life out of their van and how one photo of them wrecks their family. I liked the descriptive writing and could picture them in their van traveling the coast but I wanted more from the story. The mom goes on “rambles”, dad is revered as godlike and the kids pretty much raise themselves. The story is told from the point of view of the only girl and alternates between past and present. There were a few extra plot lines ( a reporter, a female friendship and a nemesis of the dads) that did not add to this story and seemed like filler.

This is a beautifully written book, but just did not grab me and pull me in. Thanks to NetGalley for the advance copy!

**Book Review: "California Dreamers"**

"California Dreamers" is a captivating novel that follows a group of friends as they navigate their hopes and dreams in sunny California. The characters are relatable and well-developed, each facing their own challenges and aspirations. The vibrant setting brings the story to life, making you feel the warmth and energy of the Golden State. The themes of friendship, love, and self-discovery are beautifully woven throughout, creating an engaging and inspiring read. Overall, it's a feel-good book that encourages readers to chase their dreams and cherish their connections. Highly enjoyable!

There are some books that I'm so happy I choose to read instead of listen to and The California Dreamers is the newest addition to that list. Reading this book made me feel like I was wrapped in a golden sunshine hug throughout its entirety. Taking place up and down the California coast and told in 2 timelines, Amy Mason Doan paints a beautiful picture of a family of surfers finding their way in the 80's. As with most families, there are things that the kids keep from their parents and vice versa. Then, a picture of the family is published (though the patriarch has a strict no picture policy) and the golden bubble the parents have created to keep their children in, threatens to burst.

Being from California and a lover of the beaches and coast, I could picture every place the Merrick family landed. I also appreciated how the love that each of the members have for each other is laid out in their own unique way and explored throughout the book. When the story came full circle in the last few pages it had me crying like a baby, which is something, I've said before, that doesn't happen that often.

If you're looking for a feel good story about family dynamics, sunshine beaches and a couple of twists thrown in, I highly recommend this one.

Thank you NetGalley for the ARC!

Based on a true free spirited family that lived like nomads and surfed from dawn to dusk in the 60's.
Ronan, along with her older twin brothers and younger brother, have only known life in the van her parents call The Gull, traveling from one perfect set of waves to the next. The dad known as Cap has laid out a clear set of rules that they all follow - surf till the waves tell you to stop, take care of the earth and only depend on each other. No formal education, health care or jobs they avoid the authorities and follow the sun. Life is good until a photo of the family appears everywhere giving them notoriety and Ronan runs to start a new life at 17. She is summoned years later after Cap dies for a memorial and homecoming that will either mend or break the family forever. The story moves like the tide going from Ronan remembering her childhood to the current day filled with gentle swells and hidden riptides. A deep coming of age story of an unusual family filled with a sense of belonging that will resonate with readers of family drama and former California surfer kids who still search for the best waves from the beach. My thanks to the publisher for the advance copy.

Thank you Harlequin Trade Publishing and NetGalley for the ARC of The California Dreamers. Unfortunately I did not love this book. The cover of the book was very alluring but the story was very boring to me. This is about a family who lives the van life and travels up and down the western coast. The children don’t go to school, spend most of their time surfing and the parents do sketchy shit. The family dynamic was weird. The only thing that kept it interesting to me was the little twists that were thrown in there.

I absolutely loved this book! The author painted a beautiful picture of surfing culture and van life. It left me thinking about the characters and setting for days, and got me really excited about a planned trip to Southern California!

I was drawn in immediately by the gorgeous cover but inside was a nicely written story about complex family relationships and varied ways of living. At times, this was really slow-paced but the character development was well done and I liked the thought-provoking undercurrent of questioning whether the way the Merrick kids were being raised was the "right" way. I think that thread is something we can all relate to in one way or another. Overall I thought this was a decent read, but no big wow factor to hook me in.

This is my first Amy Mason Doan novel, and it won't be my last. I am rushing to read more from this fantastic author! I absolutely love this novel. Wow. I fell in love with the Merrick family. These characters and their closeness touched my soul. The way the story was told had me wanting to jump in the book. I can see the picture California Dreamers so clearly. I can see the Gull and Cap's hat, Ronan's hair, Dyl's field journals, the waves, the coins, the secret sea. I could go on and on. I didn't want the story to end. My heart breaks for the lost 15 years and death of Cap. In the end, the connections and misunderstandings come to light, but so does forgiveness. I chose this book because of the setting. I love the ocean. The novel was so much more. Thank you, Net Galley, for the ARC. It's definitely one of my favorite reads!!