Books: Domestic Fiction Books: Suspense & Thrillers

The California Dreamers

May 7, 2025May 7, 2025 by onemoreexclamation

Welcome to The California Dreamers by Amy Mason Doan book tour hosted by Suzy Approved Book Tours.

About The California Dreamers

Title: The California Dreamers

Author: Amy Mason Doan

Released: April 8, 2025

Find it: Amazon

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.

Book Blurbs

“Doan’s characters leap off the page,” says Publishers Weekly. “Sure to please fans of Kristin Hannah and Elin Hilderbrand” — Library Journal.

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

“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 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

Review for The California Dreamers

After reading this amazing story, I need more Amy Mason Doan’s books! The Merrick’s are surfers on the Californian coast, the perfect setting. The story is told in dual timelines of the 80’s when the kids were growing up and 2002 when they are putting their father to rest. Secrets come to light as to why the family moved among the beaches so often, why they dodged photographers, and why they didn’t attend school. The author provided just enough information to keep me turning pages and failing to go to sleep at a respectable time. It totally sucked me in.

About The Author

Amy Mason Doan is the bestselling author of Lady Sunshine, The Summer List, and Summer Hours.

Amy grew up in California and now lives in Portland, Oregon, so she considers both states her home.

As a writer for publications including The Oregonian, San Francisco Chronicle, Wired, and Forbes, Amy interviewed everyone from beer-brewing monks to billionaire CEOs. She has an M.A. in Journalism from Stanford University and a B.A. in English from U.C. Berkeley.

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