Book Review: The California Dreamers

By Melissa Amster

It’s 1980s California, and everyone’s dreaming of the endless summer: sun-drenched beaches, infinite waves, and most of all, beautiful, beautiful freedom. For 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.

Decades after, the now-distant siblings gather on a gorgeous, wild island to honor their late father. But their reunion is complicated when a journalist, eager for the truth behind the famous photo, discovers their identity and tracks them down. As the siblings reckon with the possibility that more of their lives could be shared, a revelation about their past forces them to confront long-held heartaches. Together, they’ll have to decide whether to let the same tensions rip them apart again—or if telling their story on their own terms might just be the way to recapture the family magic. (Synopsis courtesy of Amazon.)

I have read all of Amy Mason Doan's novels. She's known for presenting idyllic summer memories ranging from the 1970s to the 1990s. Her latest novel, The California Dreamers, does this as well. Going back and forth between the 1980s and early 2000s, Amy weaves a captivating story about a family living off the grid and surfing whenever possible. 

This novel had a unique premise and I appreciated that. It almost brought me back to when I would read The Boxcar Children when I was growing up. I felt like I was at the beach with Ronan and her unconventional family. The descriptions really brought the story to life and the narrative kept me captivated the entire time. 

I could see why Ronan's reason for leaving was so difficult in terms of how it affected her family and I liked how everything was slowly revealed, like a package being opened a little bit at a time while getting to peek inside every so often. 

I only had a couple concerns. The first was that the timing was inconsistent. Since this was an advanced copy, I can only hope that was fixed for the final publication. Also, I didn't understand the surf terminology. It would have been helpful to have a glossary or images. 

The California Dreamers is definitely worth checking out for an interesting read! Now that summer's over, it's a great way to recapture the feeling. This novel is perfect for fans of Taylor Jenkins Reid, Karma Brown, and Jessica Strawser.

(Trigger warnings at the bottom of this post.)

Movie casting suggestions (focusing on the 2002 timeline as it is easier to cast adults):
Ronan: Maika Monroe 
Griff: Cole Sprouse
Mag: Dylan Sprouse
Dyl: Charlie Tahan
Mama: Marley Shelton
Pauline: Gillian Jacobs

Thanks to Harlequin for the book in exchange for an honest review.

More by Amy Mason Doan:
Lady Sunshine
Summer Hours
The Summer List

Enjoyed this post? Never miss out on future posts by following us.

Listen to this book on Speechify!

🏄

🏄

🏄

🏄

🏄

🏄

🏄

🏄

TW: Parental neglect, poverty, physical violence (off page), death of parent