What a Man Wills by Mrs. George de Horne Vaizey opens with a lively gathering at a country manor during New Year's celebrations, where a group of guests share their greatest desires, from love and adventure to wealth and success. As the story unfolds, each guest is given a chance to pursue their ambitions, and a chapter is devoted to each character's journey. Some characters achieve their desires, leading to happiness, while others face sadness or ambiguity. A couple of the stories are lighthearted, while others take on a darker tone, but all of them serve to illustrate a moral about the nature of ambition and the consequences of pursuing one's desires. The novel explores themes such as love, societal expectations, and the conflict between personal wishes and the challenges of reality. Through the varied experiences of the characters, the story reflects the complexities of human aspirations and the impact of striving for what one thinks they want. The narrative ultimately emphasizes that what a person wills may not always lead to the happiness they expect, highlighting the unpredictability of life and the choices one must make along the way.