New York Times bestselling novelist Kristan Higgins turned her worst fear—losing a spouse and being left alone—into the subject of her latest novel, PACK UP THE MOON, (Berkley Trade Original; June 8, 2021).
At twenty-four, Kristan lost her beloved father in a tragic accident. She’s keenly aware of life’s fragility and as the wife of a firefighter has spent most her marriage steeling herself for the potential loss of her husband, Terrence. Kristan and her husband share a very happy marriage, but she’s written Terrence’s eulogy four times. If he’s late coming home from work and she can’t reach him, she automatically prepares for the worst.
Kristan wrote PACK UP THE MOON to explore her own scariest question: how do you move on after losing the love of your life? In writing the book, she reaffirmed her belief that love has the power to transform even after the one you love is gone and that there is always space for hope.
In PACK UP THE MOON (Berkley Trade Paperback Original; June 8, 2021), Kristan Higgins delivers a tragic love story with a hopeful ending—just not the one you expect. Reminiscent of Me Before You, this is the story of young widower Joshua Park, whose late wife, Lauren, left him twelve letters with directions on moving forward in the first year after her death. In true Kristan Higgins fashion, the result is a laughter-through-tears page turner.
PACK UP THE MOON is her most ambitious and moving story yet.
Lauren’s letters lead Josh on a journey through pain and anger to fragile, cautious hope. The tasks he’s assigned range from the deceptively simple, like grocery shopping or hosting a dinner party for family and friends, to the unthinkable—getting rid of their bed and kissing a woman who isn’t Lauren. On Josh’s clumsy and occasionally humorous path to healing, sorrow slowly makes room for laughter and new relationships. Higgins’s heartbreaking and ultimately hopeful story affirms love has the power to transform a life and transcend death.
In its starred review Kirkus said “Higgins deftly navigates a premise that could’ve been sappy and instead turns it into something poignant, realistic, and occasionally even funny. A moving and life-affirming portrait of grief that’s sure to bring the tears.”
A beloved author with a devoted fan base, Kristan Higgins has sold 4.5 million books worldwide, scored nine New York Times bestsellers, and is published in more than two dozen languages around the world. Her two most recent novels were each selected as People magazine’s “Pick of the Week.” Kristan is also a cohost of the Crappy Friends podcast, which discusses the often complex dynamics of female friendships, with her friend and fellow writer, Joss Dey. Higgins lives in Connecticut with her family.
Learn more at kristanhiggins.com.
