The following version of this book was used to create the guide: Ho, Jean Chen. Fiona and Jane. Viking Press, 2022.

Jane visits her father, Baba, in Taiwan during her senior year of high school. He moved there two years prior. Baba takes Jane to a night market and introduces her to his lover, Lee. Jane is distraught. She wanted Baba to return home to her and Mah, to Los Angeles.

Jane realized she might be bisexual when she first kissed her piano instructor, Ping. Jane wants to tell Ping about her dad, but Ping announces that she is moving away. Jane breaks down and tells Mah about Baba. Mah calls Baba and demands he explain himself.

Fiona’s Grandfather leaves her $10,000. She recently finished university. Fiona’s grandparents lived in Taiwan, where she lived with Mom until she was seven. Mom calls Fiona and tells her the truth about Fiona’s dad. He was a university student of Grandfather’s. Mom ran away with him when she was still in high school. Fiona decides to give Mom half the inheritance and to move to New York City with her boyfriend, Jasper.

In high school, Fiona and Jane frequented a Korean bar with their other best friend, Won. One night, the 27-year-old waiter, Sung, invited the girls to his party at a motel. Fiona managed to convince Jane to join her. Fiona and Jane are the only girls at the party. Fiona ignores Jane’s pleas to return home and instead follows Sung to an adjoining room. Eventually, Jane gets fed-up with Sung’s predatory friends and goes after Fiona. She finds her friend half naked, covered in vomit. Jane drives Fiona to Won’s and leaves her there. That night, Won tells Jane he is gay. As an adult, Jane struggles in her relationships with men. Her sexual partners tend to be either emotionally or physically abusive.

Fiona stays in New York City, though she does not manage to finish law school. Her ex-boyfriend, Willy, scams her out of all her money. She hooks up with a Puerto-Rican man named Gabriel who is rude to her when she brings him home. One night, Fiona breaks down and tells Mom about how she lost her money. Mom invites her to move back home. On Fiona’s last night in New York City, she goes out with her friend, Tish. Tish asks her to flirt with her boyfriend’s friend Gil which offends Fiona.

Won and Jane stayed close friends as adults. As Won cuts Jane’s hair, they discuss Jane’s toxic ex, Carly. Won encourages Jane to write about her life. Jane often visits Mah and cares for her when she is recovering from knee surgery.

Fiona lived with her university-boyfriend Jasper during her first year of law school. They were obliged to live together even after they broke up because of Jasper’s infidelity. The two of them cared for their sick friend, Kenji, together. Fiona and Jasper have sex one night, though Fiona is adamant that they cannot get back together.

Shortly after Fiona moves back to LA, she rekindles her friendship with Fiona gets married to an actor named Aaron. Aaron and Jane become good friends. After Aaron and Fiona divorce, Jane helps Fiona move into a new apartment. Fiona is furious when she discovers that Jane knew of Aaron’s infidelity. Jane decides to defend herself and fight for their friendship.

Fiona marries a man named Bobby, who Jane is not very fond of. Together, they have a daughter named Gracie. Fiona gets nostalgic when she learns Jasper got married. Jane reassures her that she chose the right path.

Jane meets a man named Julian at Fiona and Bobby’s New Year’s Eve party. He is a handsome ex-marine. They have sex that night. Julian is depressed and suicidal. He moves to New York City and often drunkenly calls Jane. Jane breaks things off with him, triggered by her father’s suicide.

On Jane’s birthday, Fiona and Jane discuss Julian. Fiona reassures Jane that Baba’s suicide was not her fault. Just because Jane told Mah about Baba’s affair does not make her responsible for his decision to take his own life. Jane tells Fiona she is writing a book about the two of them, called Fiona and Jane.