Release Date: April 8, 2025
About The Book:
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.
About The Author:
Amy Mason Doan is the bestselling author of LADY SUNSHINE, THE SUMMER LIST, and SUMMER HOURS. “Doan’s characters leap off the page,” says Publishers Weekly. “Sure to please fans of Kristin Hannah and Elin Hilderbrand” — Library Journal.
Amy grew up in California and now lives in Portland, Oregon, so she now 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. More at www.amymasondoan.com
Social Media:
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TikTok: amymasondoan
Book Blurbs:
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
Bloggers On Tour:
April 8th- Cassie’s Book Reviews https://instagram.com/cassies_books_reviews
April 14th- Books and Coffee MX https://instagram.com/booksandcoffeemx
April 20th- Plains Reading https://instagram.com/plains_reading
April 21st- Subakka Bookstuff https://instagram.com/subakka.bookstuff
April 26th- Books Love And Understanding https://instagram.com/booksloveandunderstanding
April 28th- CMT Loves Wine and Books https://instagram.com/cmtloveswineandbooks
April 30th – Sarahs Bookish Reviews https://instagram.com/sarahs.bookish.reviews
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May 2nd- Rozier Reads and Wine https://instagram.com/rozierreadsandwine
May 2nd- Love My Books 2020 https://instagram.com/lovemybooks2020
May 5th – Nurse Bookie https://instagram.com/nurse_bookie
May 7th- Nature Books and Coffee https://instagram.com/nature.books.and.coffee
May 7th- One More Exclamation https://instagram.com/onemoreexclamation
May 8th- Jennifer Tar Heel Reader – https://instagram.com/tarheelreader
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