The following version of the book was used to create this study guide: Dawson, Maddie. Snap Out of It. Lake Union Publishing, Seattle, WA, 2023. Kindle AZW file.

Billie Slate is an outgoing, fun woman who has had her share of heartaches in life. As a young woman, she was married to Victor and lived in a three-story house with her mother on the top floor and Victor's mother on the bottom. Billie and Victor had an infant daughter Louise when Victor announced he had been bewitched by his poetry teacher. He left a few months later for France where he wrote poetry and severed most of his ties to Billie and Louise. Billie spent Louise's childhood doing whatever she could to earn money. She worked at home so that she could be with Louise. Billie sought to fill their lives with people and adventure, and Louise sought to create order out of Billie's chaos. Eventually, Billie's mother moved away, her mother-in-law died, and Louise married.

This novel picks up as Billie is about to turn 60. She still lives in the same house. Her best friend Calvin, in his 90s, has become Billie's roommate. She has two other roommates who share her life and home – Marisol and Edwin. Billie is shocked when she receives an email from Victor announcing that his wife has died. She tells him to stop texting, but Victor continues.

Louise has launched a successful career as an online influencer. She and her husband Leo post photos and information on Instagram which has earned them a lot of money over the years. Louise is obsessed with having every detail perfect and showing that perfect life to her followers. Leo has become disenchanted with the lifestyle and announces he is leaving to follow his own career as a photojournalist. Though Louise is trying to hold their business together, she discovers it is impossible without Leo.

Billie and her friend Kat have started a business called Snap Out of It in which Billie dresses up as a stuffed rabbit – the Heartbreak Bunny. She goes to homes of those wallowing in the aftermath of failed love to help them move on with life. She urges them to sever ties, throw away reminders, and return to living for themselves. Billie is working with a young man named Joey when she first meets Joey's father, Mason Davis. Mason is a television personality who is intrigued by the fact that Billie snaps Joey out of his depression. Mason invites Billie onto his show which launches her business so that Billie becomes increasingly in demand by clients and by those who want to hear her speak. When Billie is addressing a group of women, she is shocked to see Victor at the back of the room. He begins to be part of her life even as Billie begins to admit she is attracted to Mason. Louise is angry when she learns Billie and Victor have been communicating. She feels cheated out of a childhood with both parents, and she tries to regain that by putting Victor and Billie together. Billie has to admit she is drawn to Victor because of their shared past, but she knows that Victor is unreliable.

As the novel reaches a climax, Victor fails to support Billie's business efforts, making Billie realize that this relationship will never work. Louise and Leo have reconnected for one night that results in an unplanned pregnancy, and Louise settles into the life of a single mother by uniting with three of her best friends and their families. Billie and Mason are planning to marry, and Billie discovers that she is still happy when her life is a little less chaotic.