The following version of this book was used to create the guide: Smith, Jennifer E. Hello, Goodbye, and Everything in Between. Hachette Book Group, 2016.

Jennifer E. Smith's young adult novel Hello, Goodbye, and Everything in Between is written from the third person point of view and in the present tense. The events of the novel take place over the course of a single night. The following summary abides by the novel's overarching narrative plot line.

On the night before Clare Rafferty is meant to leave her Chicago suburb for college in New Hampshire, she feels overwhelmed by all of the people and places she will soon have to part with. Although she has known this day was coming for some time, Clare feels suddenly unprepared to say goodbye to her hometown, her parents, her friends, and particularly to her boyfriend of two years, Aidan Gallagher.

In order to make her goodbyes easier, Clare designs a list of things to do and places to visit over the course of her last 12 hours with Aidan. She hopes that the list will not only help her memorialize her time in her hometown, but reconcile her with ending her relationship Aidan. Although she cares deeply for him, Clare is convinced that the two of them should break up before heading off to school. While she will be attending Dartmouth on the East Coast, Aidan will be attending UCLA on the West Coast. She thinks that the distance is too much, and that they will miss out on college life if they stay together. Aidan, however, sees things differently. He knows that he is in love with Clare and therefore believes that their relationship will last.

Clare and Aidan get into Aidan's car and begin working their way down Clare's list. The first stops on her list are their high school and Slices, their favorite pizza place. Clare explains that these places have held significant meaning in their history together. Although Aidan is going along with Clare's plan, he is also trying to convince Clare to let go of her rules and schedules. He wants to change her mind about their future and for her to embrace the unknown.

Clare and Aidan stop at Aidan's house to give his sister Riley a ride to the bowling alley. While there, Clare learns that Aidan has been lying to everyone. Because he has always wanted to move to California, he did not apply to his dad's alma mater, Harvard. He told his parents, sister, and Clare that he applied and he was rejected. When Clare learns the truth of Aidan's deception, therefore, she cannot help but feel betrayed. At the bowling alley, Aidan reveals that he hid the truth from her because he feared she would not support him.

Clare wanted to go to the bowling alley with Aidan because it was the first place Aidan told her he loved her. When she reminds him of this, Aidan is unmoved. He still feels hurt that Clare has never said it back. Because both of Clare's parents were previously married, Clare cannot help wondering if her second love will be more significant and lasting than her first love with Aidan. She has therefore resisted vocalizing her feelings to him.

Although Clare and Aidan make amends, they do decide to break up. They realize that parting ways might in fact be the best thing for each of them.

After they decide to break up, however, Clare's feelings for Aidan begin to shift. After they have sex in her basement, swim out into the lake together, and she tells him she loves him, Clare starts wondering if they might have a future together after all. Aidan tells Clare that her first instinct might be right. If they break up now, they will be ending things on their own terms and because of love. Though Clare knows he is right, she still has a hard time saying goodbye to Aidan when her parents drive her to college the next morning.

A few months later, Clare receives a package from Aidan in the mail. She has not spoken to him in five months. The last time they saw each other was when they were home for Thanksgiving. Although they were both seeing other people, Clare and Aidan ended up kissing.

When Clare opens the box, she discovers a bowling ball that Aidan has stolen for her as a memento of their time together. He then asks if they can get back together now. Clare realizes that she is in fact ready for her new beginning with Aidan.