Elara Vance measures her life in billable hours and closed deals. Until a dead woman's whim sends her to the one place she can't negotiate: the past. As a ruthless Manhattan merger attorney, Elara's world is one of steel, glass, and shattered competitors. Her only inheritance from a reclusive great-aunt is a dilapidated Vermont cabin—with a catch. To claim it, she must live there for one entire month under the "Polaris Clause." Her plan is simple: endure the freezing solitude, sell the asset, and get back to her life. But the cabin is not empty. It's haunted by the ghost of a life she could have lived and the presence of Leo Callisto , a quietly intense astronomer whose backyard observatory is an encroachment on her property and a challenge to her entire worldview. Leo doesn't see a liability; he sees a sanctuary. He shows schoolkids Saturn's rings and finds solace in the light of ancient stars. As a battle over property lines erupts, Elara is forced to confront the most hostile takeover of all: the one her heart is planning. Under a sky ablaze with stars, where meteor showers paint the night, Elara must choose between the cutthroat world she built and the quiet, awe-inspiring one she's found. The Polaris Clause isn't just about inheriting a piece of land—it's about rediscovering a life worth living. Perfect for fans of the emotional depth of Taylor Jenkins Reid and the small-town charm of Fredrik Backman.