In Summer in the Moon Garden, Kat Bauer is a woman standing at a crossroads.

After twenty years of marriage, Kat’s world is quietly falling apart. Her once-loving husband has become distant. Her marriage is unraveling. And the house she poured her heart into is suddenly at risk of being sold—without her consent. With her twin sons away for the summer at a wilderness program she never fully agreed to, Kat returns to her small hometown of Criss Creek, Illinois, for Memorial Day weekend. But this time, she’s not just visiting family—she’s searching for herself.

Like many women at midlife, Kat faces the question: Who am I, if I’m no longer the person I’ve been for so long? The marriage. The family. The sacrifices. Now, as everything shifts, Kat must decide whether she’ll continue losing herself—or finally reclaim the life she’s always wanted.

What makes Kat’s story so relatable is her quiet strength. Even as her marriage falters and her future feels uncertain, Kat refuses to give up. Instead, she returns to her roots, leans on the deep friendship she’s always shared with her best friend Jess, and bravely steps toward a long-forgotten dream: restarting her teaching career.

Summer in the Moon Garden is a contemporary women’s fiction novel about second chances, small-town life, and the courage it takes to start over. Kat’s story is one of resilience, reinvention, and the healing power of coming home to yourself.

For readers who enjoy stories of personal growth, emotional family dynamics, and small-town charm—with a touch of romance and hope—Kat’s journey offers a heartfelt reminder: it’s never too late to begin again.

Summer in the Moon Garden will be available in July. Sign up to be an Arc Reader to read the novel before anyone else here.