The following version of this book was used to create the guide: Newman, Catherine. We All Want Impossible Things. HarperCollins Publishers, 2022.

Catherine Newman's novel We All Want Impossible Things is written from the first person point of view of the main character Ash. Written predominantly in the present tense, the novel traces Ash's best friend Edi's final days in hospice care. The following summary also uses the present tense and abides by a linear mode of explanation.

While Ash is visiting her lifelong best friend Edi at Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center in New York, New York, she and Edi's husband Jude learn that the doctors can no longer treat Edi's ovarian cancer. Because there is nothing more for them to do for her, they urge Ash and Jude to pursue hospice care. In an attempt to protect Edi and Jude's young son Dash, Ash, Edi, and Jude decide to admit Edi to hospice care at the Graceful Shepherd Hospice in Western Massachusetts where Ash lives.

When Edi first enters Gentle Shepherd, or as they familiarly call it, Shapely, the doctors predict that she will be there for one to two weeks. Three weeks into her stay, the doctors are unsure how to anticipate the trajectory of Edi's condition.

Ash splits her time between the hospice and her home. When she is at the hospice, she sits dutifully by Edi's bed. The friends not only reminisce about the past during these visits, but write memories, lists, and recipes for Dash to have in the years to come. They also discuss Ash's relationships and writing career.

When Ash is at home, she spends most of her time lying in bed with her teenage daughter Belle. She and Belle have shared the house alone since Ash's husband Honey moved out. Ash and Honey split up after Ash confessed to sleeping with her high-school ex Luca. Although Honey still loved Ash, he left, convinced his wife wanted a relationship that defied logic and reality.

Throughout Edi's last days, Belle is a constant source of comfort and encouragement for Ash. However, Belle also realizes that Ash is not okay. Her mother's string of sexual partners particularly worries Belle. She encourages her mom to take care of herself and to avoid misplacing her feelings over Edi's condition.

When Ash admits to Edi that she is sleeping with Dr. Soprano, Edi urges Ash to value her family and marriage. She wants Ash to understand that she has everything that Edi is actively losing. Although Ash does not think it is this simple, she does listen to her friend.

After Edi falls one night, the doctors suggest that her time is limited. Ash contacts Edi's family and friends, many of whom come into town to say goodbye. Throughout Edi's final hours, Ash finds herself overcome by sorrow, but also by love.

During Edi's repast, Ash finds Edi's father Myron crying in the bedroom. She sits with and comforts him. This moment makes her consider the interconnection between love and loss once more. She suddenly understands that she still loves Honey and wants to give their marriage another try. She finds Honey in the hallway, and the two agree that they want to move back in with one another.

In the weeks following Edi's death, Ash continues to grieve her absent friend. However, Edi's life and death have inspired Ash to value and express gratitude for her life, family, and marriage.