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"We All Want Impossible Things" by Catherine Newman is a Friendship and Family Fiction story!

Best friends since childhood, more than forty years, Edith and Ashley have been through everything together. They know each other better than they know anyone else. Now Edith is dying of ovarian cancer and spending her last days in a hospice facility close to where Ashley lives.

Ash spends her days talking and reminiscing with Edi, caring for her, being her friend, and trying not to fall to pieces in the process. You see, Ash is a mess. Her life is a mess and she's desperately trying to hold on, while knowing she must let Edi go...

When I started reading this book, I found myself indifferent to Ashley. Written in a first-person narrative, it was strictly Ashley talking about Ashley and my impression, from the synopsis, was this story would focus on the friendship between Ashley and Edith.

Soon, the more I read, the more I had trouble putting it down. I got to know Ash better and begin to understand how screwed up her life was. Whose life wouldn't take a downturn if their best friend was in the final stages of life?

This author has created characters that are well developed and backstories that fill-in all the gaps between them. Two of my favorite aspects of this book is the importance of friendship and family. In this story, the author has merged them together in the most beautiful way.

When I finished reading this, my first thought was, "Wow, what a ride". For a relatively short read it encompasses a roller coaster of emotions, has comedic and dark humor, devastating sadness, the beauty of friendships, the love of family, and the loss of a loved one.

Yes, it was quite the ride! Now I'd like to listen to the audiobook because I didn't get enough of it, I still get glassy eyed when I think about it, and I want to hear the voices of these wonderful characters bring this story to life for me one more time.

I highly recommend this beautifully written story to everyone who can read!

Thank you to NetGalley, Harper, and Catherine Newman for an ARC of this book. It has been an honor to give my honest and voluntary review.