This is my first time reading this author.
This is an above decent beach read with mostly consistent pacing, clear characters and a few mysteries.
The Merrick family lives a west coast nomadic existence with mostly unschooling for their 4 kids. But it goes beyond—none of the four kids have birth certificates. They are off-grid and undocumented. There is underlying tension for about 3/4ths of the book which, probably more due to my own thoughts about the family than the 1st person narrator, led me to believe our protagonist didn’t buy all in to the lifestyle she was raised in. Thoughts of Educated by Tara Westover and the movie Captain Fantastic kept entering my mind. The combination of the tension and that I kept thinking of the other Captain, Captain Fantastic, made me wonder if eventually child protective services was going to get involved. That is not the direction it goes and there is no abuse, but definitely there will be discussions in book clubs if this was neglect.
Lack of communication, secrecy, following a father who eschews anything traditional and instead calling his way “freedom”—there is plenty to unpack. In some ways the Merricks came across like a 6 person cult with the father being the cult leader.

There are events and things left unexplained. What is up with Mama and her leaving her family for unknown periods? Whats the story with Ava and Lou? What happens with Charlie after the island? These aren’t exactly plot holes, but are left unexplored. I would like to know more about Mama and Cap’s pre-kid existence and why Cap is how he is. There are a lot of family dynamic issues involving lack of communication. I’ll be thinking about this book for several days more.

For the most part the pacing and tone are consistent. This will be on summer reading lists.
Great for reading on a beach or in the bath, reading during a commute, and for book clubs. I can’t think of any trigger warnings unless you also grew up in a nomadic family with a strict patriarch and hated it.

Thank you to NetGalley and Graydon House for the ARC in exchange for honest review.


Of note-not included in general review—Charlie’s full name is different in the two places it is listed in the book.

4.5 rounded up

Wow, this was just gorgeous. It’s a fast-paced, totally unique, twisting plot with heart, it is simply beautifully written, and really made me think about what it would be like to live as these kids did. Dylan, especially, tugged at my heart. Ronan had strength and wisdom far beyond her years and more than once I wanted to hug her.

Is this freedom…or control? In rejecting traditional society, did the father simply substitute his own “rules”?

Like the best books, it doesn’t force the reader to take sides. An incredibly moving, heartfelt, human story. And oh, that scenery.I inhaled it.

The California Dreamers is a nostalgic, heartwarming tale of friendship and finding yourself. Doan’s beautiful storytelling and sunny California setting make it the perfect escape.

Slower paced read that was atmospheric but overall left me wanting a bit more.
Beautiful cover and interesting premise. But the characters were kind of boring to follow alongside. Didn't really connect with any of them.

What a lovely and escapist novel. It was just what I needed in the depths of winter. It’s rare that I give a book 5 ⭐️ but this one deserves it. I will probably read it again down the road.

Heart-warming and thought-provoking story of a family I will never forget. Like a balm in these gray times.

Like the best books it left me wanting to stay with these unusual characters and I was genuinely sorry when it ended. Will be recommending highly. A few quibbles at the layout level but I imagine these will be fixed or they are NetGalley-specific.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher, HTBooks, for an early peek

This was an intriguing read about a family of 6 who live in a rv and travel the coast surfing. The book explores how living like that impacted the family, questions what is freedom, and shares both the good and bad of living that type of lifestyle. I enjoyed the book and the unique look at things.

This is a beautifully crafted and immersive novel and it was a privilege to read early.

Mason-Doan takes the reader on quite the sweeping and windswept journey, giving us an intimate feel for a family living off-the-grid in their home on wheels, a converted food van they call The Gull. Flying up and down to cherished West Coast beaches, eschewing the working stiffs they call "citizens" with enormous pity, the family searches for their happiness away from the crowd, aiming for a purer way of life.

I felt that I was with them for the ride, both on the road and in the water, swimming and surfing. And then, in the present timeline, to an island where they confront their pasts as adults.
The parents in particular stand out like towering figures who are beloved, but a little mysterious to their only daughter, Ronan, while her three brothers are bonded to her in a more immediate and day-to-day way.
It's a way of life I've never considered and do not think is possible anymore, but that is the appeal of this most extraordinary book.

In the end we see each family member, but especially Ronan/Ro, come to terms with choices made long ago and out of sight. And there is a great feeling of grace -- that buzzword of 2024 -- in this story. It's bittersweet in the best way, written with tenderness and subtle skill, and I confess I shed a few tears as the family ultimately decided to make amends and concentrate on the good and the idealistic side of their father's mission....while seeing him clearly, as just a human trying to fight against a world that doesn't understand or value him.
I recommend it highly.

I’ve spent quite a bit of time exploring the coastline of California (and reading on the beach while my boyfriend and friends surf), so I was immediately intrigued by The California Dreamers. One of the things I loved most about this book was how beautifully Doan crafted each setting, capturing the unique energy and essence of each place. Reading about San O and Santa Barbara in particular transported me back to my own sun-soaked days there.
That said, the pacing was a little tricky for me. It’s a slow burn, and I appreciated the gradual build up of tension, I just found myself wishing for a bit more urgency at times. Still, there’s something about family secrets and feelings left unsaid that gets me every time. The California Dreamers does a great job of peeling back those layers bit by bit and the mystery at the heart of it all kept me curious. Doan’s exploration of complex family dynamics, the weight of the past, and how we sometimes fail to understand the people we love most is captivating. It’s not the fastest read, but it’s one that rewards your patience!

Thank you NetGalley and HTP for this ARC in exchange for my honest review!

This book took me longer to get through than I expected. The writing is undeniably well-crafted—atmospheric and beautiful in a way that should have made it the perfect kind of book for me. However, it ultimately fell short. While the prose painted a vivid picture of time and place, the slow pacing made it difficult to stay engaged.

I wanted to connect with the characters, to feel invested in their stories, but nothing truly pulled me in. Without that emotional anchor, I found myself more detached than I had hoped to be. I can see how many readers will find this novel stunning, appreciating its lyrical writing and nostalgic undertones, but for me, I needed more—more depth, more momentum, more reason to care.

Overall, The California Dreamers is a beautifully written book that just didn’t resonate with me the way I’d hoped. A solid three stars.

I was immediately drawn in by the cover and description of this book, and it seemed to be exactly what I was searching for. I enjoyed the overall premise, however I found the main character, Ronan, to be dull. The story was atmospheric and descriptive, but slower than I would've liked. I preferred the flashbacks to the present-tense, and I wish we had more character POVs. It was a really unique concept and intriguing, but ultimately the stakes didn't seem high enough to warrant the drama and heartache endured, especially seeing so little of the other characters, I just couldn't bring myself to care that deeply about the family. The writing was really great the story just felt like it was missing something.

Thank you to Harlequin for the ARC.

The writing style was lovely but the novel just didn't grab me, plot was flat and characters didn't draw me in at all.

Very thankful for this ARC from NetGalley. This is the first book i have come across in quite some time I truly feel is deserving of 5 stars. A beautifully written novel highlighting a family’s unconditional love for one another because of and in spite of their unconventional lifestyle. This novel examines the costs and benefits of breaking away and choosing to live a life independent from societal norms. I was continually engulfed in the story and moved by the neatly woven tale where, seemingly, one item takes Ronan away from her family and then serves to bring them all back together. A beautiful story of love, strength and self discovery.

California Dreamers is at its heart a story of a family of surfers living a nomadic life chasing waves up and down the California Coast. As the story begins, Ava LeClair is at home in Oregon with her two sons when her estranged brother Griff shows up to inform her that their father has died. He is there to bring her back to her surfing family, where she was known as Rowan until she ran away at seventeen to live a more conventional lifestyle. Ava is terrified at the prospect of dropping back into the life she left behind, even more so when she finds out that the press is interested in interviewing her family.

The reporter’s interest is in a picture taken without the subjects’ knowledge that captures the beauty and depth of the family’s love for the ocean, and, each other. One photo that captured the public’s adoration. A picture that had the ability to change their lives irrevocably forever.

California Dreamers gets off to a slow start, not completely drawing me in until about the 40% mark. Ultimately, I liked it, this story of a young girl’s struggles to understand the unconventional life that she both loves and resents. More than just a surfing story, it explores the often fraught topic of family bonds and growing up and leaving. By the time I had finished the book I had grown to really care for the protagonist Ava having delved so deeply into her feelings and desires. 4 stars for this gem of a book taking place in my home state.

I received this advance copy from the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review and feedback.

I requested this book because I live in Santa Barbara and the description really drew me in. I'm a huge fan of Malibu Rising and most California beach stories. This however, was not it.

The writing is gorgeous. I could easily envision every location, person, and scene. The dialogue was great and the author really can write a story. I just didn't care about any of these characters. The stakes didn't seem high enough to warrant any of the drama. I got to the end and genuinely thought, "All of this for THAT?" It just didn't matter the way the story lead me to believe.

This is a bummer since the writing is actually really fantastic. The story just didn't come together in a meaningful enough way for me. Thank you NetGalley.

I didn’t expect to love this book as much as I did. I loved the premise behind the book. I was really excited to read it because I hadn’t read something similar. This book delivered!

We have a family living the van life back in the 80s living off grid raising their children on the along the beaches of California. They are trying to stay incognito and live a secret life away from society. There is some mystery surrounding the family and why they have made these choices and if they will stay with their family unit. I loved the beach vibes and everything about this book! This would be a perfect summer/beach read!

Thank you to @htp_hive and @htpbooks for giving me the opportunity to read this ARC! 🙏🏼

Ronan and her family live in a van drifting up and down the west coast spending their days on the waves. They are constantly moving and trying not to make an impression so no one questions their made up names or that the kids don’t go to school. One summer a picture of their family, dubbed the Dreamers, makes its way to a newspaper and then advertisements and souvenirs. Tension builds when they constantly have to look over their shoulder and Ronan, at 17, decides she needs to leave this life. 15 years later she reunites with her family to honor her late father and secrets and truths are revealed.

Thoughts
I appreciate the original plot and it was fun to read about all the surf towns up and down the coast of California, many I am familiar with. But, the story felt drawn out and made it seem longer than its 350ish pages.

This is a lovely book that pulls the reader in immediately and propels us along until the final, haunting image.

It's a favorite story trope : a large family gathering in which old wounds, jokes, kindnesses, and secrets come to light. But the author does something special here with her setting, on a secluded island off the California coast. Her main character, "Ro" -- who has been living in another state for years under a different name, is drawn reluctantly onto the island unable to resist the pull of her long-distant family.

As we gradually learn the truth of her past, her siblings, parents, and a first love also come to life on the page.

And, oh, that secret she's keeping rent my heart in two. It helps us understand more than anything in words how conflicted Ro (or Ronan) was about her upbringing off the grid in a surf van that the family called home.

But this is, above all, a novel about healing. It is a beautiful and wise book. I'll be recommending it heartily and imagine it will spark good discussion about the morality of Ronan's lifestyle as a chid.


Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for this early edition of The California Dreamers by Amy Mason Doan.

First, what drew me instantly to this book was the cover, how eye catching and gorgeous! I enjoyed this story overall! I didn’t necessarily love or connect with the characters, especially the parents, so I found it hard to truly love the book. A very cool story about a nomadic family in California in the 80s, living off the grid and surfing any chance they could get. While that may not be the life we desire for ourselves, there is something charming about this simple way of life that will draw readers into the book. I would definitely recommend to a friend! Thank you NetGalley and publisher for an advanced reader copy of this book.

I was looking forward to reading Doan's new book based on the description, but honestly, I had a hard time following the storyline - it was just jumping all over the place. It would've helped to have the background of the story in the beginning instead of over halfway through. I did finish reading it, but it just wasn't for me.

4.5/5 rounded up to 5
Publication date: April 8th, 2025

This book was great and really captivating. I loved the plot with its twists and the 80s nostalgia. I wish that the book explored the romance subplot more though. I definitely will be reading more from this author!

Thanks to NetGalley and Harlequin Trade Publishing for an ARC in exchange for an honest review