The California Dreamers

A Novel

by Amy Mason Doan

On Sale: 04/08/2025

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The California Dreamers

A Novel

by Amy Mason Doan

On Sale: 04/08/2025

Format:

Amazon Indigo

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About the Book

A group of siblings captured in an iconic beach nostalgia photo reunite on a sunny California island, where they're forced to face the fallout of their unconventional upbringing—and the golden secret that has been simmering ever since...

“A love story to an era of sun, salt air, and freedom. I promise, you will devour this novel.” —Julie Clark, New York Times bestselling author of The Last Flight

“Doan’s latest pulls you straight to the end like a powerful riptide. Unforgettable!” —Jessica Anya Blau, bestselling author of Mary Jane

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.

Also by Amy Mason Doan:

Lady Sunshine
Summer Hours
The Summer List

Critical Praise

“Magical and atmospheric, Amy Mason Doan’s latest perfectly captures the California surf culture of the 1980s, a special time of sun and salt air and freedom. Equal parts mystery and family drama, The California Dreamers is, at its core, a love story to an era that no longer exists. I promise, you will devour this enchanting story.”
—Julie Clark, New York Times bestselling author of The Last Flight

“The California Dreamers is my favorite kind of book—an absolute joy to read! Doan’s latest weaves together complicated family relationships, surf-van life, an outside world that feels threatening and unstable, and a mystery that pulls you straight to the end like a powerful riptide. Amy Mason Doan has created the perfect summer read. Unforgettable!”
—Jessica Anya Blau, bestselling author of Mary Jane

“A masterpiece! Told with breathtaking empathy and a uniquely satisfying complexity of spirit and character, The California Dreamers is the sun-drenched saga of a family who will stay in your heart long after the last page.”
—Allison Larkin, bestselling author of The People We Keep

“Doan’s novel is a thoroughly enjoyable, tender story about the heartbreak of long-kept family secrets and the importance of telling the truth before it’s too late. I was sad to reach the end of The California Dreamers and now have a soft spot for every member of this lovable clan. You will cheer for the Merricks!”
—Tracey Lange, New York Times bestselling author of We Are the Brennans -