Gavalda sets up every story such that each character's fate can be decided in a single moment. Whether the protagonist's pivotal moment is decided by fate or free will is what keeps these 12 stories fresh and unique. In "Lead Story," traveling salesman Jean-Pierre does not learn the true horrific consequences of an almost-missed exit on the highway until opening Le Figaro the next morning. The veterinarian in Catgut decides her fate in the instant after a brutal crime leaves her feeling physically and emotionally victimized. And when the mysterious stranger answers his cell phone on a first date in Courting Rituals of the Saint-Germain-des-Prés, our heroine decides she has heard enough to cut short what could have been a passionate love affair. ("I come to my senses all at once. Traitor. Ingrate.") It is in these crucial instants, where fate plays a hand, that Gavalda truly shows off her ability to convey love, longing, loneliness, and satisfaction. And perhaps the clarity of these moments is worth more than any full-size French pastry. --Gisele Toueg