The California Dreamers: A Novel

Malibu Rising meets The Great Alone: A group of siblings captured in an iconic beach nostalgia photo reunite as adults on a sunny California island to celebrate their late father, only to be forced to face the fallout of their unconventional upbringing—and a secret that has been simmering for decades...

ONE GOLDEN FAMILY. ONE ENDLESS SUMMER OF SECRETS. AND AN IMAGE THAT CAPTIVATED GENERATIONS.

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 iconic 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 The Summer List, Summer Hours, and Lady Sunshine. She earned a BA in English from UC Berkeley and an MA in journalism from Stanford University. She grew up in Danville, California, and now lives in Portland, Oregon, with her husband and daughter. Visit her website at amymasondoan.com and on Instagram, @amymasondoan.