The List of my Desires

The List of My Desires is a gorgeous little novel that has sold more than half a million copies in its native France. It is as beautifully written as it is heart-breaking, and is a fable-like tale of how money can't buy happiness. (STYLIST)

On the whole, Jocelyne is happy with her life: her dressmaking blog, her factory-worker husband, her children, her friends who dream of winning a fortune. And so when Jocelyne hits the Euromillions jackpot, she keeps it secret, writing a list of simple desires: getting her hair cut, buying a garage door. But while she appreciates the wisdom of being cautious, others don't... (SAINSBURY MAGAZINE)

This charmingly Gallic look at how we evaluate our life and the potentially corrosive effects of money is reminiscent of The Elegance of the Hedgehog (THE BOOKSELLER)

Gregoire Delacourt's cautionary tale looks at what happens when Jocelyne Guerbette unexpectedly finds herself in possession of a cheque for 18 million euros after winning the EuroMillions lottery. (LIVING FRANCE)

This was a really interesting read, with a message about the dangers of money and that money doesn't bring you happiness....I give this book 9/10. (VINTAGE ROSE BOOK REVIEWS)

This "gem of a novel" has been a huge success in France with massive sales and rights sold in 27 countries, and it does sound as though its story may 'chime' with many of us. (CORNFLOWER BOOKS)

Gregoire Delacourt's fictional The List of My Desires asks what happens when we achieve our heart's desire, after its protagonist Jocelyne wins the EuroMillions lottery. (HARPER'S BAZAAR)

This though-provoking debut from Gregoire Delacourt is a huge bestseller in France. (GOOD HOUSEKEEPING)

Impeccably translated from French by Anthea Bell, it's a sparkling and intriguing read...This is a very elegant novel. Its restraint is wonderful, with not a superfluous word. Grégoire Delacourt's keen eye pans deftly across the inner landscape of desire and longing, presenting a tender homage to almost unfashionable virtues - loyalty, duty, patience - without ever taking the high moral ground...These days, it is regarded as clichéd and hyperbolic to describe a novel as a tour de force. But I can't think of a more appropriate description for this book. (IRISH INDEPENDENT)

The story feels very French. I'm not sure exactly what it is that gives it that French flavour. You can tell it's a book in translation, even though it's beautifully translated, but somehow there's something about the characters that oozes French-ness, if there is such a word! It's a lovely, quick read. The chapters are short, enticing you to read just one more, late into the night, and it's a fairly short book overall that fast readers could probably polish off on an uninterrupted sunny afternoon. (THE BOOK BAG)