Women’s fiction set in small towns—with heart, hope, and second chances.
Discover stories of friendship, family, and the quiet courage to begin again.
Women’s fiction set in small towns—with heart, hope, and second chances.
Discover stories of friendship, family, and the quiet courage to begin again.
Amazon Bestselling Author
Kristie Booker
Kristie Booker is the author of Summer in the Moon Garden, an Amazon bestseller in Women’s Romance Fiction, and other heartfelt women’s fiction about friendship, reinvention, and second chances. She writes stories about women at midlife crossroads, the bonds that carry us through change, and the quiet strength it takes to begin again.
A rural Illinois native now living in Chicago, Kristie is endlessly inspired by the charm of small‑town life—places where everyone knows your name, secrets run deep, and second chances quietly bloom. When she’s not reading or writing, she’s likely cooking with seasonal ingredients from her local farmers’ market or tending her backyard garden, where flowers, herbs, and vegetables grow alongside new story ideas.
Her family—including two nearly grown sons, a lazy labradoodle, and a wonderfully supportive husband—is at the heart of everything she does. Kristie hopes her books leave you with the same sense of joy, comfort, and possibility that inspires her every time she sits down to write.
Amazon Bestseller in
Women’s Romance Fiction!
Summer in the Moon Garden
A Novel
Summer in the Moon Garden is a heartwarming novel of friendship, reinvention, and the unexpected ways life can bloom again—no matter where you’ve been.
By Kristie Booker
Blooming Into Life
A Novel
Blooming Into Life is a testament to the enduring power of family and the freedom found in letting go.
Kristie’s Writing Blog
Follow Along
Kat’s Fresh Lime Guacamole (from Summer in the Moon Garden)
The guacamole Kat makes at the kitchen counter with one eye on the driveway — fresh lime, a little heat, and a lot on her mind. In Summer in the Moon Garden, there's a quiet 4th of July moment I keep coming back to. Kat is at the counter making guacamole for the...
Aunt Gertie’s Margaritas (from Summer in the Moon Garden)
A 4th of July pitcher, salt-rimmed and stronger than it needs to be — straight from the Criss Creek kitchen. There's a 4th of July scene in Summer in the Moon Garden that I love because nothing dramatic happens in it — and everything does. The women in Kat's family...
Rose’s Old-Fashioned Strawberry Jam (from Summer in the Moon Garden)
The strawberry jam that runs all the way through Criss Creek — and the recipe that started it. In Summer in the Moon Garden, there's a small moment I think about more than some of the big ones. Danny shows up at Millie's house with a flat of strawberries balanced on...
Recipes
Spatchcock Chicken
This recipe yields a perfectly juicy bird with crispy skin and tender meat, roasted on a bed of onions, lemon, and garlic.
Homemade Vanilla Extract
Since I began making my own vanilla extract, I’ve noticed a big difference in the flavor of my baked goods.
Chocolate Ganache Cupcakes
Deeply rich and irresistibly moist, this chocolate cake recipe has become my absolute go-to for both elegant layer cakes and perfect cupcakes.
