Margins
The California Dreamers book cover
The California Dreamers
2025
First Published
3.94
Average Rating
367
Number of Pages

ONE GOLDEN FAMILY. ONE ICONIC PHOTO. It’s 1980s California, and everyone’s dreaming of the endless 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 lined up 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.

Avg Rating
3.94
Number of Ratings
1,452
5 STARS
37%
4 STARS
29%
3 STARS
24%
2 STARS
8%
1 STARS
1%
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Author

Amy Mason Doan
Amy Mason Doan
Author · 5 books

Bestselling author of LADY SUNSHINE, THE SUMMER LIST and SUMMER HOURS, out now. "Doan's characters leap off the page," says Publishers Weekly. "Sure to please fans of Kristin Hannah" — Library Journal. I grew up in California and now live in Portland, Oregon with my family, so I consider both states home. As a writer for publications including The Oregonian, San Francisco Chronicle, Wired and Forbes, I've interviewed everyone from billionaire CEOs to beer-brewing monks. I have an M.A. in journalism from Stanford University and a B.A. in English from U.C. Berkeley. Connect with me on Instagram or via my website, amymasondoan.com. If I'm in my writing cave I may not respond right away, but I do try to get to every message and I genuinely appreciate you reaching out. Writing is this confirmed introvert's way of connecting with people, so I'm always grateful when you take the time to send me a note. xoAmy

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