I wasn’t sure what to expect with Melanie Benjamin’s latest book, California Golden. I love historical fiction, I love stories about the 1960s, I love mother/daughter fiction, and I absolutely adore imagining sun-drenched days spent surf side. Unfortunately, though, I didn’t really love this story. I found a lot of it uninteresting and most of the characters unrelatable. Nevertheless, I’m grateful to Netgalley for the advanced eCopy.

I loved this book! I can somewhat relate to Carol, who desired a surfing career over raising her family. I was in the military and had 2 children. I love my kids and did not put my career over raising my kids as Carol did but it was hard trying to do both and compete with my male counterparts. I loved the historical content of the book and the writing style. Thank you for the advance read! Loved it!

Loved this book as I was a child of of the 60's as well. Gidget, Moondoggie, The Monkees,Timothy Leary...all those icons! This novel centers around sisters, Mindy and Ginger whose mother is a surfer and so of course they attempt too! But the sisters are very different and their lives diverge and come together frequently even as Mindy makes herself known as a film star as The Girl in the Curl and Ginger joins a commune. Mother Carol has left them and they aren't really sure why but the book takes us from Hawaii to California, to Vietnam and Afghanistan. I feel like I've relived a part of my childhood and it's both painful and wondrous! But overall, let me just say this novel is BITCHIN'!
Thanks to NetGalley for this ARC!

I received an advance reading copy (arc) of this book from the publisher and NetGalley.com in return for a fair review. I have read all of Melanie Benjamin's books and thoroughly enjoyed them. This one was a little different, however. The surfing topic didn't really interest me and I found the first quarter of the book slow going, but once I got past all that, the story of the Donelly women was a fascinating one beginning with Carol, the mother. Set during the fifties and sixties when surfing was just beginning to catch on, Carol Donnelly preferred the beach to home where her husband and two daughters resided. The girls, Mindy and Ginger, grew up pretty much on their own. Both surfed, but Mindy was the one who was really good at it. Mindy and Ginger each had their own demons, which made for an interesting story with a few unexpected twists. While Ginger entangled herself with a control freak who abused her, Mindy sough acceptance in the world of celebrities. Things got complicated when Hawaiian surfer Jimmy Cho showed up. I really liked the last three-quarters of the book and, honestly, couldn't put it down. While the author concluded the book by resolving most of the issues, there were a couple of loose ends, I would have liked to have had addressed. Overall, however, the book was well researched and well written as Melanie Benjamin recreated the surfing world in its earliest days.

This book took some time to get into, started slow but picked up after a few chapters. Unlikable and flawed characters, but as the book progressed I understood the Donnelly women a little better. The abuse and neglect of the young girls was difficult and I struggled through reading that.
Well written and interesting to see the women in the sport of surfing, especially in the 1950’s and 60’s, but the story was still hard for me to find enjoyable.

4.5 stars. I had to put this book down at about the forty percent mark because I was so irritated with every character making such poor life choices. Also, sexism and racism are not fun to read about. But after I finished reading it, I was sad to see the characters go. Even though Carol was a terrible mother, she had no choice in becoming one. Mindy and Ginger also had a terrible father, but because he was out of the picture and nothing was expected of men of that era, he got let off the hook.

I never spent any time thinking about the sexism or racism in surfing. Free love and peace didn’t extend to equality for women in most places in the ‘50s and ‘60s. Reading about the way Carol was forced to give birth by being tied up and drugged was pretty gruesome. Ginger in particular believed she was worthless and somehow felt chosen (and not trapped) by a physically and emotionally abusive man. At least Mindy had a few good things happen to her along the way.

This novel about what it was like to be an athletic woman in 1940s through the 1960s is compelling. We still don’t have everything fixed, but at least some things, and at least for now in some places, are a little better.

NetGalley provided an advance copy of this novel, which RELEASES AUGUST 8, 2023.

I'm definitely a fan of Melanie Benjamin's historical fiction and this book doesn't disappoint. [book:California Golden|63340976] provides a view of the surfing culture as it grew in California and originally, in Hawaii. Specifically it shines a light on women breaking into the all male sport of surfing, both competitively and for their own enjoyment.

Description:
Southern California, 1960s: endless sunny days surfing in Malibu, followed by glittering neon nights at Whisky A-Go-Go. In an era when women are expected to be housewives, Carol Donelly is breaking the mold as a legendary female surfer struggling to compete in a male-dominated sport--and her daughters, Mindy and Ginger, bear the weight of her unconventional lifestyle.

The Donnelly sisters grow up enduring their mother's absence--physically, when she's at the beach, and emotionally, the rare times she's at home. To escape questions about Carol's whereabouts--and chase their mom's elusive affection--they cut school to spend their days in the surf. From her first time on a board, Mindy shows a natural talent, but Ginger, two years younger, feels out of place in the water.

As they grow up and their lives diverge, Mindy and Ginger's relationship ebbs and flows. Mindy finds herself swept up in celebrity, complete with beachside love affairs, parties at the Playboy Club, and USO tours to Vietnam. Meanwhile, Ginger--desperate for a community of her own--is tugged into the vibrant counterculture of drugs and cults. Through it all, their sense of duty to each other survives, as the girls are forever connected by the emotional damage they carry from their unorthodox childhood.

A gripping, emotional story set at a time when mothers were expected to be Donna Reed, not Gidget, California Golden is an unforgettable novel about three women living in a society that was shifting as tempestuously as the breaking waves.

My Thoughts:
It's hard for me to imagine how life must have been for women when they had so few freedoms and society placed so many constraints on them. It is thanks to women who pushed at those constraints, like Carol Donnelly in this story, that allow women to have so many more choices and opportunities now. This was an emotional story and I found Ginger's life to be downright tragic. Mindy had to be admired for her perseverance and courage, even though she made some bad choices. Carol made some truly bad decisions with her family and did so in a selfish way to follow her dream and her passion for surfing.

This book provided an in-depth profile of surfing lifestyle. I was fascinated with how the surfers lived for the waves and their time spent in the ocean. The book spans history from the 1950's through the end of the Vietnam War in the 1970's. The time Mindy spent on the USO tour provided a scary window on some of the things happening in Vietnam during the war from a visitors perspective.

The writing was superb and the plot moved at a good pace. I didn't want to put the book down. I loved following the Donnelly girls through all of their hardships, dreams and passions. Thanks to Random House Publishing Group - Ballantine through Netgalley for an advance copy. This book will be published on August 8, 2023.

This just wasn't for me sadly. Thanks netgalley & the publisher for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for this advance reader copy in exchange for a review. This will appear on Goodreads and any opinions expressed are my own.
California Golden, while a historical fiction exploring women in surfing in the 60's, at a time when women were to be home raising children and preparing dinner for their husbands, the book is truly a family drama centered around a woman surfer who did not want that traditional 60's life and her daughters struggling to find their place in the world. Told in three POVs and timelines, we get a glimpse into the surfing life in California, the misogyny of the era toward women in the sport, racism against Hawaiians who invented the sport, and even the Vietnam war and drug cartels.
There is a lot going on in the story. Truth be told, I struggled latching onto the book. If I wasn't reviewing it, I would have set it down. When I saw that I was at the 45% mark and not loving it, I wondered if I would finish. I was angry at the characters for their decisions. I didn't like the characters and I was frustrated by my lack of interest. However I kept on and it turned around.
At the end, I still felt bad for Mindy, achingly frustrated by Ginger, and only a tiny bit of sympathy for Carol because of the hints at the end. Dysfunction at its finest.
I wanted more history, more description of the landscape - my goodness you could do so much more with Hawaii. The author did admit that Covid ruined her research on this front however. That's a shame. There is so much there. I could have even used more description of the commune and the drug dealing in Mexico. I wanted more.
But - if you're looking for a mother - daughter - sister story that will give you the emotions you want in a story of dysfunction - its great!
I like it, but didn't love it. There are a lot of trigger warnings in the book, Abuse, swearing, sex, etc, might turn off some. 3*

I had been really looking forward to this read, and I found it fairly good for historical fiction. This is definitely the time period I prefer, the 60’s, although it does jump across a near 30 year span of time at parts.

The story is about a mom who would rather not be a mom, someone who finds herself suffocating with the responsibility of raising children. About a daughter who cannot find herself, always in the shadow of her mom and sister, under the control and influence of a man. About a daughter who feels that she must succeed to make others see her, while always being the one to keep her mom and sister together. Lots of family drama and dynamics, as it travels through the surfing world, a little culty in parts, a little Vietnam action in parts, overall a blend of the times.

The ending was a bit much for me, it definitely ended on a positive note that honestly was probably not the right track for the book. Sometimes a happy ending isn’t going to happen when you have so much trauma and history behind you.

I do thank NetGalley and Random House/Ballantine for giving me the opportunity to check out this advance readers copy!

I couldn’t get into California Golden, written by Melanie Benjamin. The characters and plot weren’t super believable and I had a difficult time believing the storyline could happen. Thanks to the publisher and Net Galley for the ARC. I’m exchange for my opinions.

I’ve read other Melanie Benjamin books in the past and have really enjoyed them, but unfortunately this one didn’t really work for me. I felt for the characters, particularly the daughters, and the challenges they faced, but I didn’t really connect to them to care too deeply or find a lot of empathy for the choices they made. Melanie Benjamin did a wonderful job of setting the scene of the times and culture, but I still had a hard time putting my 2000s mind into the 1960-70s to try and understand the characters. Also, the romantic relationships involved had two of my least favorite situations, and that definitely played a role in my lack of compassion for them.

I think others may enjoy this book more than I did, because it really is well-written and can transport the reader to a different time if they’ll let it, but it just didn’t work well for me personally.

Jumping into the California surf scene in its heyday was a new experience for me. I learned a lot and came to understand much of the culture of the times and can see how far we have come. I love Melanie Benjamin‘s style of writing and read all of her books, but the timeline jumping around was a little bit difficult for me in this one and it felt a bit disjointed at times. I felt the ending was a bit disappointing also, and that it felt like it was a set up for a sequel, which is some thing I just do not appreciate in a good book. I wanted to love this book, but will have to give it three stars, thank you to NetGalley for the advance read copy.

I don’t know what it is about this book, but it reminded me so much of Carrie Soto is Back by Taylor Jenkins Reid. Could it be the athletic female characters? The “old” versus “new” rivalry? The dedication to perfection in athletics? Whatever it is, I loved this one. It’s a story of obsession, family, and motherhood. It’s a story of surfing, California life in the 60s, and sisterhood. I love Melanie Benjamin as a writer and I can’t wait to devour her next historical fiction endeavor.

California Golden was an interesting book about the female surfer culture in California and Hawaii. The characters and story were superficial and much of the plot line was repeated too often throughout the book. I usually enjoy Melanie Benjamin books for the richly developed characters and settings but this one skimmed above the surface for me.

Thanks to NetGalley and Random House Publishing Group - Ballantine for the opportunity to read this ARC.

A book set in the 50s and 60s in California? As soon as I saw that’s what this book promised I was excited to read it. It’s always a great feeling when that happens. You see a book with the perfect premise you’ve been searching for with the vibes you need. And I’m happy to report this book turned out exactly how I thought it would…perfect!

A touching, heartfelt story about the lives of a mom and her children, two sisters and how their lives are intertwined. I highly recommend this one to anyone who enjoys family stories.

Three and a half stars actually. Melanie Benjamin has written a fascinating book based on a good deal of research. The time line spans the 1950s to the 1980s and focuses on California pop culture during that time. The details are so well depicted that the reader feels immersed in the action. Major themes are family relationships, sexism, racism, music, film, surfing and even the Vietnam war. The fictional part of the novel is a tale of a single mother with two young daughters living through the decades mentioned above. And while I found their story a bit melodramatic, it did form the frame upon which all the historical research could rest. I quickly turned the pages and in the end felt satisfied. Brava, Ms Benjamin!

Thanks to Net Galley and Random House Group for the uncorrected e-galley.

Interesting take on life of women surfers and the 60s. A good take on California and Hawaii during that time. A sad commentary on parenting, drugs and the allure of celebrity.

A very astute tale of,California in the 60’s and 70’s. As someone who is close in age to the character of Mindy and lives in Southern California, this story was a journey back in time to an era where the world turned upside down. The 3 main characters - Mom and 2 daughters - were excellently portrayed as young women and girls of their time.
The author does a deep dive into each of the three main characters who are incredibly different from one another in how they chose to live their lives. And like all of us, they are flawed.
Benjamin does a wonderful job describing the beaches and towns from Malibu down to Laguna. They become a fourth character in the story of these 3 women who you will capture your imagination.

Historical fiction set in the 1950s and 60s on the California coast. Carol Donnelly never wanted to be a mother, but in the 1950s no one cared what she wanted. Her daughters Mindy and Ginger were acutely aware of this and fought desperately to avoid being abandoned. As they grew up Mindy developed a passion for surfing, like her mother and even became famous for a bit. Ginger took a different path and became obsessed with a man named Tom, who continually treated her poorly.

The character development was incredible. I loved watching their lives unfold, even though I wanted to scream at the characters (especially Ginger, sometimes Carol, very rarely Mindy). This story had me hooked immediately and was one I never wanted to put down. So well written, I will be looking for more Melanie Benjamin books.