The following version of this book was used to create the guide: Xie, Jenny. Holding Pattern. Riverhead Books, 2023.

Jenny Xie's novel Holding Pattern is written from the first person point of view of the main character Kathleen Cheng and in the past tense. The novel is predominantly set in Oakland, California and traces Kathleen's experiences after returning to her hometown in the wake of her breakup. Although the narrative incorporates frequent temporal shifts, the following summary abides by a linear mode of explanation.

After Kathleen Cheng's longtime boyfriend Oren broke up with her, Kathleen was overcome by heartbreak. Unable to face her life in Baltimore without Oren, she filed for a leave of absence from her PhD program and moved back to her hometown in Oakland, California.

Although Kathleen hoped that being back in California would cure her loneliness and longing, she soon discovered otherwise. Being back in her mother Marissa's company was particularly irksome. Marissa was on the verge of marrying her fiancé, Brian, a young and wealthy Silicon Valley entrepreneur. Kathleen had never been able to understand their relationship, and was even more confused when they got engaged. Ever since Marissa and Kathleen's father, Baba, divorced 20 years prior, Kathleen had known her mother to be a helpless, reclusive alcoholic. With Brian, however, Marissa was a new and unfamiliar woman.

In order to temper her frustration with Marissa, Kathleen started spending more time with her best friend LB and LB's boyfriend and Kathleen's high school ex-boyfriend, Andrew. When Kathleen and LB found an ad for a cuddle clinic called Midas Touch one day, LB urged Kathleen to apply for a job, submitting an application on her behalf.

Although initially skeptical, Kathleen soon became a professional cuddler with Midas Touch. Her favorite client was a middle-aged man named Phil whose wife, Diane, had recently died. Kathleen was supposed to be alleviating her clients' loneliness, but found that cuddling and chatting with Phil quelled her loneliness and longing, too. Then one day, Phil insisted that Kathleen take Diane's old sweater. Kathleen agreed, soon discovering that the sweater allowed her to be a different person.

With Phil's help, Kathleen finally solidified the arrangements for her mother's bachelorette party in Las Vegas. She traveled to the hotel, the Venetian, with Marissa and Marissa's friends Tiffany, Joyce, and Meredith. Kathleen was prepared to have a bad time, but soon discovered that the experience was making her mother happy. While at the spa all together, Kathleen was then shocked to discover new information about Marissa's past: Marissa had known about Baba's affair even before leaving Shanghai and arriving in California with Kathleen. She had chosen to deal with the affair, because she still needed Baba to get the life she wanted. Kathleen had a new understanding of and respect for her mother.

When Kathleen ran into Phil in Vegas, she was unnerved. Phil had wanted to surprise her, and insisted that they could be good together. Kathleen realized she had failed to establish appropriate boundaries in their relationship. She owned her mistake, apologized to Phil, and said goodbye.

On a hike with Marissa and Marissa's friends, Kathleen spoke honestly with her mother about Phil for the first time. Instead of condescending to her daughter, Marissa was gracious and understanding. She reminded Kathleen of her gifts and skills, and encouraged her to put them to better use.