Summer in the Moon Garden
An Amazon #1 bestselling novel of friendship, reinvention, and second chances.
Welcome to Criss Creek, Illinois—where golden summer nights, blooming gardens, and the quiet courage to begin again set the stage for a season of change. When Kat returns to her hometown after the collapse of her twenty-year marriage, she’s not the only one at a crossroads. Her best friend Jess is facing her own reckoning. Together, they make a bucket list to reclaim joy, purpose, and the parts of themselves they lost along the way.
But when Kat’s first love reappears, and Jess uncovers a life-altering secret, both women must decide what they’re willing to risk for a second chance.
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.
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What Early Readers Are Saying
“A great summer read! I fell in love with the characters and by the end, I felt like one of the family. The story moved beautifully, the character development was perfect, and I couldn’t put it down. I devoured it and never wanted it to end.”
“Deep, honest, raw, and heartfelt—this book gives the mind plenty to ponder and the heart so much to feel. It’s the kind of story that stays with you. My first by this author, but definitely not the last.”
Recipes from the Book
Recreate the flavors of the story with recipes inspired by the book’s culinary moments, bringing the narrative to life in your kitchen.
Blog Post Links
Visit Kristie’s blog for more insights and behind-the-scenes content related to ‘Summer in the Moon Garden.’
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...
10 Cozy Small-Town Women’s Fiction Books to Read This Summer
There's a particular kind of comfort in small-town women's fiction. The familiar faces on Main Street, the porches where people actually sit and talk, the way a whole community shows up when one of their own is struggling. These...
Old-Fashioned Strawberry Jam (The Jam From My Novels)
There's a jar of strawberry jam that keeps finding its way into my fiction. Readers of Blooming Into Life may remember it making an appearance there. In Summer in the Moon Garden, Danny brings a jar to Kat — made by his mother Rose and his Aunt Mary Ann (Colleen's...
The Song That Inspired Summer in the Moon Garden
Readers often ask about the inspiration behind my stories. Sometimes it's a place. Sometimes it's a character who appears out of nowhere. And sometimes, it's a song. The song that inspired Summer in the Moon Garden was LANCO's "Greatest Love Story," and its themes of...
Meet Jess Dalton: A Fierce and Tender Heroine in Small-Town Women’s Fiction | Summer in the Moon Garden
If Kat is learning how to move forward, Jess Dalton is learning how to stand her ground. In Summer in the Moon Garden, Jess is the woman you want in your corner—fiercely loyal, quietly determined, and the kind of friend who shows up when everything feels like it’s...
Sweet Mama Jane’s Cinnamon Rolls
These are my take on The Pioneer Woman’s cinnamon rolls. I cut her recipe in half and I use cream cheese frosting instead of the glaze from her recipe—they never disappoint. Soft, buttery, and generously frosted, they’re everything a cinnamon roll should be....
Meet Kat Bauer: A Story of Starting Over, Second Chances, and Rediscovering Herself
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...
Second Chances in Life and Love
Second chances—those slippery, almost mythical opportunities we long for—often feel like something that happens in books or movies rather than in real life. “If only I could do it all over again…” How many times have you thought those words to yourself? Maybe it was...
Kristie Booker
Kristie Booker is the Amazon #1 bestselling author of Summer in the Moon Garden and other heartfelt contemporary women’s fiction. Her stories often explore themes of friendship, family, and personal growth. Originally from rural Illinois, Kristie now resides in Chicago, where she draws inspiration from both city life and her small-town roots. Her novels are a testament to the resilience and quiet strength found in everyday life.
