The following version of this novel was used to create the guide: Crosley, Sloane. Cult Classic. Farrar, Straus and Giroux, 2022.

Sloane Crosley's novel Cult Classic is set in New York City and written from the protagonist Lola's first person point of view. The novel follows a predominantly linear plot line and largely adheres to the past tense. Despite the novel's frequent flashbacks, temporal shifts, and occasional employments of the present tense, the following guide presents a streamlined, past tense synopsis.

One night while out with her former colleagues Clive, Vadis, and Zach, Lola unexpectedly ran into one of her ex-boyfriends Amos. Seeing Amos made Lola think about her many past relationships. She had been with Max, who she called Boots, for some time and was now engaged to him. However, Lola often thought about her many ex-boyfriends and ex-lovers. She was both annoyed and relieved by the pact she and Boots had made never to speak of their dating history. For Lola, this history comprised a large portion of who she was.

When she got home that night, she decided not to tell Boots about seeing Amos. She did not want to break the pact, nor did she want to confess what seeing Amos had made her feel.

The following day, Lola went out for dinner with a college friend. At the same restaurant she was at the night before, Lola saw another ex named Willis. Seeing Willis made her realize how terrible she had acted towards him. However, when she apologized and Willis assured her it was a long time ago, Lola realized how much her past was still her present reality.

During an afternoon with Vadis, Lola recounted her encounters with Amos and Willis. Vadis remarked on Lola's obsession with the past and then led her to an abandoned synagogue, insisting she had something to show her. Inside, Lola discovered that Vadis had joined forces with their former boss Clive on a new business plan. The business, and the converted synagogue, were called the Golconda. At Golconda, Clive wanted to help clients confront the people from their past in order to help them find closure. Lola was their first test subject. Using social media and meditation, Golconda was manufacturing Lola's encounters with her exes. These encounters, Clive explained, would help her come to terms with her former relationships and thus with her current relationship.

Although skeptical of Clive's methods and motivations, over time, Lola became increasingly intrigued by the Golconda experiment. While Boots was out of town on business, she immersed herself in the Golconda process, hoping it would cure her of her addiction to the past. The more exes she saw, the more her definitions of love, romance, and commitment evolved.

Then one day, Lola realized her engagement ring was missing. She had always hated the ring, its ugliness and its symbolic weight. However, as soon as it was gone, it seemed beautiful and meaningful to her. The following morning, she discovered that one of the kitchen shelves had yanked out of the wall, smashing every one of Boots's glass creations in its descent. She worried how she would tell Boots.

As the day of Boots's return to the city approached, Lola became more resolute. She made a list of all the reasons she was with Boots. Realizing that her attachment to him was unfair, she decided to end their relationship as soon as he returned. Shortly before meeting Boots, she snuck into the Golconda to say her last goodbyes to the space. She was shocked when she heard her name and turned around to see Boots. Boots revealed that after finding her shoebox of boyfriend memorabilia hidden in the back of their closet, he had hired Clive to help Lola forget the past. Lola suddenly realized how much she authentically loved Boots and decided to stay with him.