Where the Forest Meets the Stars is a poignant contemporary novel set in rural Illinois, where grief, mystery, and unexpected love intertwine over one transformative summer.

Joanna Teale has returned to her graduate research on nesting birds after losing her mother and surviving breast cancer. Determined to prove she is unbroken, she devotes herself to long days in the field and quiet nights in her cabin—until a barefoot, bruised young girl appears at her door.

The girl calls herself Ursa and insists she has come from the stars to witness five miracles. Concerned for the child’s safety yet captivated by her intelligence and charm, Jo allows Ursa to stay while she searches for answers. With the help of her withdrawn neighbour, Gabriel Nash, Jo begins to unravel the mystery of the girl who reads Shakespeare, brings good fortune in her wake, and makes them question everything they thought they knew.

As their fragile circle deepens into family, the summer draws to a close and Ursa’s dangerous past begins to surface. Long-buried secrets, hard choices, and the promise of healing force Jo and Gabe to face both their pain and their hope.

Themes

• Grief, trauma, and emotional recovery
• Found family and second chances
• The blurred line between magic and reality
• Love, trust, and the courage to begin again

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