Book Club Night Kit
Meet Me in the Garden
Nina LaCour
Cozy night
A tender, atmospheric novel from Nina LaCour that invites readers into quiet moments of connection, longing, and the small graces that shape a life.
Meet Me in the Garden, and Bring Your Slippers
Come for soup, tea, and a slow evening with Nina LaCour's tender new novel. Cozy clothes encouraged, deep thoughts optional.
Reading level: Easy
Best for: clubs that love soft, feelings-first reads and unhurried conversation
Discussion
Warm-up
- 1.Where were you when you read most of this book, and did the setting shape how you felt about it?
- 2.What was the first small moment in the book that made you sink into it, like settling into a favorite chair?
Digging in
- 1.LaCour writes gardens and quiet spaces so vividly. What real place in your life feels like your own version of that garden?
- 2.Which passage felt like a warm hand on your shoulder, and what was going on for you when you read it?
- 3.The book leans into slowness and noticing. Did reading it change the pace of your day at all?
- 4.Who in your life came to mind while you were reading, and did you feel like reaching out to them?
Going deep
- 1.This story sits with longing in a really gentle way. What kind of longing did it stir in you, and did that feel comforting or bittersweet?
- 2.Without giving anything away, what feeling did you carry with you after closing the book, and how long did it stay?
On the table & to sip
To eat
Herbed garden focaccia with soft butter
Rosemary and thyme nod to the garden setting; warm bread invites lingering at the table
Creamy tomato soup in mugs
Held-in-your-hands comfort food for a slow, unhurried evening of talking
Lemon olive oil cake with whipped cream
Bright and homey, echoes the tender, sunlit feeling threaded through LaCour's writing
To sip
Chamomile honey tea (no alcohol)
A soft, non-alcoholic pour that matches the book's calm, nurturing tone
Mulled apple cider with cinnamon sticks (no alcohol)
Warm, spiced, and low-key; keeps hands cozy during quiet conversation
Elderflower and white wine spritz
Floral and light, like a still evening in the garden
Run of show
7:00
Soft landing
Greet with tea or cider already steeping; let folks drift in, no rush
7:15
Mugs and munchies
Serve soup and focaccia while people settle onto couches and cushions
7:35
Warm-up questions
Start with the two warmups so quieter readers can ease in
7:55
Heart of the conversation
Move through theme questions gently, letting silences breathe
8:35
Cake and deeper feelings
Bring out the lemon cake, then dip into the two deep questions
9:00
Scorecards and soft goodbyes
Fill out scorecards together, hand out bookmarks, linger as long as folks want
Host tips
- Dim overhead lights and use lamps or candles to set an unhurried mood
- Have a stack of throw blankets nearby; permission to get comfy is part of the vibe
- Let quiet moments sit. In a cozy club, pauses are part of the conversation
Playlist
hushed, warm, and gently golden, like late afternoon light through leaves
- 01 Re: Stacks - Bon Iver
- 02 Postcards from Italy - Beirut
- 03 Landslide - Fleetwood Mac
- 04 Saturn - Sleeping At Last
- 05 Motion Picture Soundtrack - Radiohead
- 06 First Day of My Life - Bright Eyes
- 07 Holocene - Bon Iver
- 08 The Night We Met - Lord Huron
Trivia
- 1.Who is the author of Meet Me in the Garden? (Nina LaCour)
- 2.Nina LaCour won which major YA award for We Are Okay? (The Michael L. Printz Award)
- 3.LaCour is known for co-hosting what writing-focused podcast? (Keeping a Notebook (with Mary Rockcastle), and previously Slush Pile)
- 4.In what U.S. state is Nina LaCour based, and where much of her work is set? (California)
- 5.LaCour's writing is often compared to which quiet, atmospheric novelist known for Marilynne-style introspection? (Marilynne Robinson)
- 6.Before writing full time, Nina LaCour worked in what profession? (High school English teacher)
- 7.Which earlier LaCour novel centers on two best friends and a road trip in the wake of loss? (Hold Still)
- 8.LaCour's books are frequently shelved in which two genres? (Young adult and literary fiction)
Bookmarks
Print, cut, and tuck one at every seat, a small keepsake from the night.
“Come sit awhile. The kettle is already on.”
Meet Me in the Garden
Nina LaCour
bookclubnight.com
“Small hours, soft light, a story to hold.”
Meet Me in the Garden
Nina LaCour
bookclubnight.com
“Some gardens grow inside us.”
Meet Me in the Garden
Nina LaCour
bookclubnight.com
Rate the book
Coziness☆☆☆☆☆
Emotional warmth☆☆☆☆☆
Sense of place☆☆☆☆☆
Characters you'd hug☆☆☆☆☆
Lingering feeling☆☆☆☆☆
One word for how this book made you feel: ______________________
A scent or sound this book reminds me of: ______________________
I want to reread this on a night when: ______________________
That's a wrap
Thank you for coming
We hope the company was good and the conversation even better. Until the next chapter.