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.

An excellent read for any and all readers! Author comes at you with both barrels and knocks you out of your shoes! Great job fleshing out all the characters. I give this book FIVE stars! Definitely recommend!

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

This is a fun novel about a surfing family who lives and travels in The Gull--a van they can take anywhere. It begins in 1995 when protagonist Ronan is out surfing with her dad, Cap. It then moves quickly to 2002 as Cap has died and his wishes were for his ashes to be scattered--what better place than his beloved ocean! What happens in-between those years is a great family drama as it shows how dynamic values can change and stabilize!
Thanks to NetGalley for this ARC!

Thanks to @harlequinbooks for the ARC- this one releases April 8th🌊🏄🏻‍♀️

I was not as enchanted with this one as everyone else seems to be. I’ve spent a lot of time in San Diego come my late teens and early 20’s and lived an hour from a beach at any given time on the opposite coast for 15 years.

I don’t have a soft spot for van life nor do I ever want to experience it. It’s crazy that Cap and Mama were never arrested and have the four kids taken by CPS. No social security numbers or birth certificates the Merricks barely exist outside of the small jobs their father can barely hold and their one trusted friend Charlie who spends half her time in Hawaii.

The twist was buried so far down in the flowery story that I barely cared by the time it was revealed. I never once felt bad for Ronan and quite frankly she was just as bad as her family for what she chose to do to her own.

Satisfying ending with all grievances aired and everything tied up.

I loved this book it had such a beachy vibe with a touch of mystery.thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for letting me review the book Thanks
Highly recommend

This was my first book by Amy Doan and I really enjoyed it!
It had that beachy mystery vibe too it

I loved the vibes and the story line was really good!

I can’t wait to read more from this author

What fun to read this beachy/mystery/family saga story as I am stuck in the dead of winter here in the Midwest!

I love beach stories, and I love nostalgia. This certainly had a different twist to it than most beach stories, but it was packed full of glorious '80s nostalgia.

It's a story of a family living somewhat a unique life as they trek the beaches all up and down the California coast in search of enticing waves, sandy dunes, and a place to hide "Gull," their van which is not only their mode of transportation, but also their living quarters. It's a rather eccentric and sometimes a erratic lifestyle for Merrick family - Cap and Mama and their four children.

The story alternates between the early '80s to present day when the four offspring reconvene on a remote island with Mama and a surprise guest to scatter Cap's (the Dad's) ashes. By this time, Ronan (the only daughter) has been living away from the rest of the family for nearly a quarter of a century. She fled at 17 when an image of the six with their surfboards was captured on the beach then was commercialized and skyrocketed them grudgingly into the public spotlight. While on the island, more secrets from the past emerge as strained relationships also surface.

This was such a fun novel to read with twists that kept the reader engaged right up until the end, and you can't beat those California beaches and the 19080s as the setting. Thank you, NetGalley and Harlequin Trade Publishing for this sun drenched ARC.

I wasn’t sure what to expect from California Dreamers, having never read anything by Amy Mason Doan. But the description of an endless summer, a secret photograph, and siblings revisiting their past pulled me in, and it went straight to my TBR.

Narratives from multiple time frames were woven together beautifully to bring the story to life. The unexpected twists and turns kept me guessing and I honestly didn’t want to put it down. The only thing that seemed out of place was the brief romance subplot - with so much else going on it felt like a distraction. But aside from that, it was an engaging read from start to finish.

Thank you to NetGalley and Harlequin Trade Publishing for providing me with an e-ARC of this book in exchange for my honest review.

The California Dreamers is the first Amy Mason Doan title that I’ve read, but it certainly won’t be the last. Amy has a way of building characters that resonate with the reader and make you want to know what happens to them even after the story is done. A beautiful novel about a family raised in an unconventional manner. Please read this book.

This was such a good book. I loved the story and the writing so much. The characters were great and the story flowed smoothly. Will definitely read more books by this author in the future.

This is a unique story! It is different than most books right now which makes it really appealing! It took me a while to get into it and there were moments where I was a bit confused. However, as the book went on I became invested in the characters and the storyline.

This book absolutely has my heart!! I have lived in California my entire life, and the backdrop of the west coast in the 80s was both familiar and comforting.

The California Dreamers by Amy Mason Doan is a beautiful story about a family of 6 who spend their lives off the grid, traveling the west coast in their van. It is told from the point of view of the only daughter, Ronan Merrick. The dual timeline alternates between Ronan’s childhood and present day, when she is reunited with her family fifteen years after running off and leaving that whole world behind.

Don’t we all fantasize about living off the grid at some point in our lives?! Mason Dean expertly captures the Merrick family’s unconventional, yet simple way off life, from their love of surfing and appreciation and care for nature, to the strong family bonds that develop as the siblings come of age, and later reunite.

I loved each and every member of the Merrick family, each unique and special in their own ways. By the end of the book I felt like I was part of the family and wasn’t quite ready to let them go. Of course the characters are not without their faults, but I love how the author slowly pulled back the layers of this story, as past secrets were slowly revealed. By the end, I came to appreciate each of them in a whole new way.

Thanks to Graydon House and NetGalley for an advanced copy of this book in exchange for my honest review.

#TheCaliforniaDreamers #NetGalley

this book was so beautifully written and captivating. I love the California in the 80s vibes. The dual timeline was also very fun and unique. This book follows a family of 6 living in a van and traveling across west coast living off the grid. it was such a unique concept for a book. it was so interesting to see how someone's life could very so wildly based on their upbringing. I loved the secrets that were revealed throughout the book. and i loved the ending. defiantly worth the read!!

Thanks to the publishers and NetGalley for the ARC of this novel. Inspired by a real family, The California Dreamers tells the story of Ronan, her three brothers and her parents who live an unconventional life, living in a van and traveling up and down the west coast to surf. A photograph taken of the family without their permission became famous, and the fallout from the photo was felt by every member of the family. I found the premise interesting but the whole story kind of rambling and while there were some surprises, I kept waiting for a big one that would help the rambling make sense and for me that never came.