Thank you NetGalley for the ARC. This is the perfect beach read. It gives off the California and surfing vibes. And has a great family in the middle. I loved every minute.

This was such a great family drama that has a family living a van life in the 1980s before it was trendy. The book also has a 2002 timeline as the family reunites to honor the wishes of the deceased patriarch.

The book has a bit of mystery, lots of great California beach settings, family drama in both timelines, and additional details such as the chapter headings and a field journal that kept me engaged from start to finish.

We even get a “Behind The Book” at the end which got me doing a bit of internet searching.

This book shifted between the late 1980s & 2002. In the 1980s we learn about a family who travels up and down the Pacific Coast, finding the best waves and never staying in one place too long.

In 2002, we meet the same family and watch them navigate the secrets and lies that kept them together and one that pulled them apart for over a decade.

This story is filled with untold secrets & explores the beautiful yet complicated relationships within a family.

I enjoyed the story and really wasn't prepared for the ending, which is a great kudos to the writer because it was not predictable.

Catch a wave with the Merrick family. Living out of their van, they cruise up and down the California coastline. They surf and live an unconventional life. However, the children are told not to talk to strangers and not to allow themselves to be photographed.

This atmospheric story flawlessly captures the ‘80s surfing imagery and California beach vibes. However, at its core is a family who, though they live seemingly without a care, are hiding something, and a photograph changes everything.

Nostalgic and thought-provoking, it’s a sparkling blend of family bonds, coming-of-age, secrets, and choices. Welcome the summer season with this perfect beach read!


Thank you @suzyapprovedbooktours and @amymasondoan for the gifted book. Thank you @harlequinbooks for the gifted audiobook via #NetGalley.

I think I was expecting more of a MALIBU RISING style book and while the covers are similar this is definitely not that. While written well with beautiful prose, I was just bored. The big tension in their was so minor in the grand scheme of things that I couldn’t understand why the whole family just couldn’t move on with their lives. Ultimately, this wasn’t for me but if you love flawed characters and dysfunctional families then check this one out.

I love books that expose me to different lifestyles and perspectives and devoured this one. I am still processing the choices the Merrick parents made for their family. The life the “dreamers” lived was definitely unconventional but there was a lot of love without a doubt. The deep bonds the siblings shared tugged hard at this only child’s heartstrings. This would be a great pick for a book club since there is a lot to unpack. I appreciated the author’s note about the inspiration for the story and thought the narrator was fantastic.

This gripping family saga masterfully weaves drama, mystery, and suspense into a story that transports readers straight to the sun-soaked beaches of California.
With a richly atmospheric setting and complex characters, it’s a powerful tale that keeps you turning the pages.
Emotional, layered, and utterly engrossing—this is the perfect summer read.

Incredibly atmospheric and full of interesting, unique, and complicated family dynamics. There are some frustrating and heartbreaking moments that make this a story I felt invested in. The narrator was okay- I did not find that they really enhanced or detracted from the story, but they were not distracting.

Thank you to Harlequin Audio and to NetGalley for an ARC of this audiobook.

I love historical fiction books, and the cover of this one drew me in. I really enjoyed the narrator, but over all this book just fell flat for me. It took a long time to get to the point of the story, For me this book missed the mark. I really wanted to enjoy it, but found myself just wishing it was over most of the time. This is the first book that I read by this author, but I probably wouldn't read another one.

I have mixed feelings about this book. I was intrigued by the idea of a family living permanently in a van, moving up and down the coast, surfing and living an unconventional life. And, this book does capture that lifestyle exceptionally well. I was also interested in the idea that a single photograph could affect their lives so significantly. But, this is where I felt that the book fell short. The idea of this photograph seemed overblown as the book progressed, and when the truth was revealed it just made me sad. For better or worse, the family dynamic is the central plot; it is fascinating but does not make for an overly happy ending. Thanks to the author, publisher, and NetGalley for the opportunity to review this audiobook.

The Merrick siblings, this idyllic vision is their reality, as they travel up and down the coast with their parents in a van year-round, surfing and swimming their days away. But when a photographer secretly snaps a stunning photo of the family with their boards in the sand, and the image ripples across the country, the only life they’ve ever known is put at risk.

This is truly a unique family with some crazy rules. I love how they seem separate…but cause them some problems and they circle around each other in protection.

This is told in two different time periods. I wanted a bit more distinction between the two. But, this could have been because of the format. The audiobook might have caused part of this issue for me.

But y’all…the setting of the different California beaches and riding the waves…freedom at its best.

The narrator, Ann Marie Gideon, is pretty good. She was not as emotional in some areas as I felt the story needed.

Need a family drama with a great setting…THIS IS IT! Grab your copy today!

I received this novel from the publisher for a honest review.

An emotional, dual timeline, family drama based on real life about 1980s counterculture, surfing and family secrets. I really enjoyed this story about four adult siblings reunited when their father dies who look back nostalgically about their time growing up in California in the 80s unhindered by the strictures of society and free to embrace their surfer lifestyles. Great on audio and perfect for fans of books like Malibu rising by Taylor Jenkins Reid or California golden by Melanie Benjamin. Many thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for an early audio and digital copy in exchange for my honest review!

The Merrick family are nomads. They live out of a van and stay out of public eye as much as possible. They have rules about not being photographed or talking to strangers about their personal lives. One day a photo of the family surfing is published, causing a rift in the family dynamic. Ronan left home at 17 and now has a family of her own. Her brother shows up, letting her know that their father died and they want her home to send him off. Ronan is hesitant, but decides to go back to her family and face her past.
Really good novel and a cool premise.

*Special thanks to NetGalley and Harlequin Audio for this digital audio e-arc.*

4.5 rounded up. There was a lot to love about this book including the vivid imagery and tight knit family. The bond was deeply evident with supporting details throughout the book. Enjoyable but I truly didn’t get the secrecy and wide chasm in the family.

Advanced listener copy provided by Harlequin Audio but all opinions are my own.

1980s California and the Merrick family is living off the grid - they surf all day, live in a van and get sporadic schooling from theIr mother. Their father has warned them not to allow any photographs of them, they need to stay below the radar so no surf competitions, no formal school etc. Then one day someone shoots a photo of them without their knowledge and the photo goes as viral as anything can in the 1980s - it becomes a poster, shows up on towels and mugs. Decades later the siblings and their mother come back together to honor their deceased father, even Ronan who ran away when she was 17. Only together as a family unit for a few days, a journalist is set on finding out who the photographer was, and during the search, family secrets come out and old wounds are reopened.

I loved the beach vibes as well as the underlying story but I found this one to be a bit slow. I started by listening to this but there were a few too many characters and I couldn't quite map all the relationships so I was glad I had the book to go back to for clarification - and I then ended up reading about 1/3 of it. I liked the narrator but I was definitely confused at times between the time jumps and the multiple characters (I was not at all confused once I picked up the book though). So this was a really like but not love one - although I will try others by the author because I liked her writing and the underlying story.

3.75 Stars

Thank you t Harlequin Audio and Netgalley for the ALC to review

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.

A dual timeline story set in the 1980s and 2002, this is a beautiful and atmospheric family drama about an unconventional family living a nomadic surf lifestyle. I enjoyed the leisurely pacing, the author’s obvious love of nature and that my favorite children’s book, The Island of the Blue Dolphins, played a big part in this gorgeous novel.

Ann Marie Gideon narrated this story beautifully and brought me right back to being a teenager living at the beach.

I plan on devouring all of Amy Mason Doan’s backlist as well as all of her future books.

By the 10th chapter I gave up on this book. The storyline fell flat. There was no excitement or drive to finish it.

Thank you NetGalley and the publisher for this ALC. I was really excited to start this because the premise sounded great. I actually went into it wondering if it would have Malibu Rising vibes. For awhile I was enjoying the story and wondering where it would lead. But at some point I found myself bored of the slow moving plot and wasn’t really looking forward to listening anymore. I wasn’t attached to any of the characters and the family drama felt too forced. Hopefully this will work for others, but this one didn’t quite hit the mark for me.