Written in the 1940s, translated and reprinted in the 1950s and still addictively readable today, Colette’s most well-known novella, Gigi, is a JOUISSANCE favourite. Often paired with another of the author’s books due to its brevity, here it sits alongside Julie de Carneilhan.

In Gigi, a young girl is being prepared for life as a courtesan, but upends the plans her elders have for her when she decides to find love for herself. Julie de Carneilhan explores the struggles that face a chic, sophisticated woman when the ex that got away wants her back.

As far as 20th century book covers go, the Americans so often did it better, so we had to source far and wide to find this pretty 1950s Signet edition from New American Library, with its prettily romantic painted cover and rose pink page edges. This is the 1954 first printing. It was later reprinted as a film tie-in in 1958.