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Don't You Want Me?
"Don't You Want Me" is the second novel by bestselling author India Knight. Sex - there's a lot of it about. So why isn't Stella getting her fair share? Admittedly she's got a few handicaps: she's the wrong side of thirty-five and a single mum (to the adorable Honey), while her hot-blooded Frenchness turns English men pale. Mind you, the men she meets are either perma-tanned show-offs or poorly socialized podgers. On lot have shockingly shiny white teeth; the other lot have, well, wives. What's a girl to do? Dividing her time between London's most PC playgroup (most popular kids' names: Ichabod and Perdita) and lessons on the art of pulling from her cheeky housemate Frank (shame he's got ginger hair everywhere), Stella is seriously starting to wonder if she'll ever have sex again.
"Miles funnier and ruder than anything else of its kind". ("Evening Standard").
"Fabulously funny ...ace". ("Heat").
"Delicious cleverness and funniness ...slips down as easily as strawberry souffle". ("Sunday Telegraph").
"Miles funnier and ruder than anything else of its kind". ("Evening Standard").
"Fabulously funny ...ace". ("Heat").
"Delicious cleverness and funniness ...slips down as easily as strawberry souffle". ("Sunday Telegraph").
260 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 2002
17 people are currently reading
274 people want to read
About the author
India Knight
36 books159 followersIndia Knight is a British journalist. Her novels have been translated into 28 languages.
Knight, a native French speaker, lived in Brussels until about the time she turned nine. After migrating to the United Kingdom, she was educated in London. She was awarded an exhibition to Trinity College, Cambridge, where she read Modern Languages from 1984-1987, before starting her career in journalism.
In addition to writing for and contributing to major British magazines and newspapers, India Knight writes a prominent weekly column for The Sunday Times. She is also a regular guest on British radio and television.
After writing an article in The Sunday Times about her daughter's special needs - her youngest child has DiGeorge syndrome.
Knight lives in London with her three children.
Knight, a native French speaker, lived in Brussels until about the time she turned nine. After migrating to the United Kingdom, she was educated in London. She was awarded an exhibition to Trinity College, Cambridge, where she read Modern Languages from 1984-1987, before starting her career in journalism.
In addition to writing for and contributing to major British magazines and newspapers, India Knight writes a prominent weekly column for The Sunday Times. She is also a regular guest on British radio and television.
After writing an article in The Sunday Times about her daughter's special needs - her youngest child has DiGeorge syndrome.
Knight lives in London with her three children.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 60 reviews
January 29, 2019
This is chick lit, obviously, and I don't normally read chick lit, given that the women who write it sound like they would drone on about relationships and diets and I prefer women who talk about sex and food. It's not as bad as prick lit, though. I would rather gouge out my eyes with a spoon than attempt to read another Nick Hornby novel. His writing lumbers under the misapprehension that self-regarding, immature mediocrity is the natural state of the modern urban male.
Knight, from what I have seen of her journalism, sounds like she has more in the way of appetites than insecurities, so when my cheapo book supplier (Booksale) was offering three of her books for £2.99 with 10% off, it seemed rude not to order them.
I read the Christmassy one, Comfort and Joy, over Christmas, and it was a cheering seasonal, witty read that was perfect for my booze and food-addled brain, and more thoughtful than I was expecting. I didn't realise that it was the sequel to one of the others in my discount bundle, My Life on a Plate. I read that one, too, but thought it much weaker (it was her first) and was actively repelled by characters who were much more appealing in the sequel. This could be because I am fiscally challenged and live in Richmond, so my tolerance for moneyed, entitle shitweasels with big cars and bigger egos is very, very limited.
Don't You Want Me was sharp, shallow and laugh-out-loud funny in many places. She is spot on about many West London types, and super-spot on about late nineties, early noughties high end clubbing. It's six star chicklit, really. If her characters had proper jobs and lived in an edgier postcode she'd make it into the TLS, probably.
Knight, from what I have seen of her journalism, sounds like she has more in the way of appetites than insecurities, so when my cheapo book supplier (Booksale) was offering three of her books for £2.99 with 10% off, it seemed rude not to order them.
I read the Christmassy one, Comfort and Joy, over Christmas, and it was a cheering seasonal, witty read that was perfect for my booze and food-addled brain, and more thoughtful than I was expecting. I didn't realise that it was the sequel to one of the others in my discount bundle, My Life on a Plate. I read that one, too, but thought it much weaker (it was her first) and was actively repelled by characters who were much more appealing in the sequel. This could be because I am fiscally challenged and live in Richmond, so my tolerance for moneyed, entitle shitweasels with big cars and bigger egos is very, very limited.
Don't You Want Me was sharp, shallow and laugh-out-loud funny in many places. She is spot on about many West London types, and super-spot on about late nineties, early noughties high end clubbing. It's six star chicklit, really. If her characters had proper jobs and lived in an edgier postcode she'd make it into the TLS, probably.
July 30, 2025
Bijzonder grappig
March 20, 2019
This one revolves around a French lass Stella, who isn't quite young, and is 'on the wrong side of thirty five' as the blurb puts it. She has one 18 months old daughter 'Honey' born out of wedlock and yearns to be with a man now that she has split up with Honey's father, Dominic.
At certain points, it made me laugh. Loud. Snort too. It is wildly funny, wild because it deals with her carnal side. I liked the character of Frank, and the way he dealt with Stella and Honey. Knight showed exactly how people aged 35+ feel, they can't fit in with the youngsters, and seem to have loose noodles in place of a fully functioning brain if they try to mingle, and they can't exactly chat up with old birdies who have lost their teeth and use plain walking sticks to support themselves. Parties and Hangovers are out of the equation, so what's one to do other than long for a partner with whom one can mess around with.
Over all, the book is funny, wild and not for readers under the age of 18. I loved the cover, so plus points for that.
At certain points, it made me laugh. Loud. Snort too. It is wildly funny, wild because it deals with her carnal side. I liked the character of Frank, and the way he dealt with Stella and Honey. Knight showed exactly how people aged 35+ feel, they can't fit in with the youngsters, and seem to have loose noodles in place of a fully functioning brain if they try to mingle, and they can't exactly chat up with old birdies who have lost their teeth and use plain walking sticks to support themselves. Parties and Hangovers are out of the equation, so what's one to do other than long for a partner with whom one can mess around with.
Over all, the book is funny, wild and not for readers under the age of 18. I loved the cover, so plus points for that.
August 8, 2018
As I've written quite a few reviews about chick-lit books that I found less than satisfying, I thought I'd dig about and find one that I genuinely enjoyed.
I first found this book because it had been left behind in a holiday home, not a promising start, but I was pleasantly surprised. I wanted something funny, intended for women, and with an ending that wouldn't leave me apoplectic and unfulfilled.
This delivered all of those things.
The main character is refreshingly moody and highly strung, a change from the nice girl, 'everyone has to love me' characters. I actually found her to be interesting, and someone I would like to befriend when I get to her age.
Stella's misadventures are funny, and she has the right amount of self-deprecating horror at herself that makes me laugh, rather than shout at her. I loved all the accompanying characters, who were funny and weird in their own rights, not just background noise.
Some people might say the ending was predictable, but, most chick lit is predictable, and that's a good thing. I've read a lot of books where the author tries to pull of something unexpected in a chick-lit plot, and it usually leaves me unsatisfied and unimpressed.
We all know what to expect when we pick up a pink covered book in the chick-lit section, it's the laughs along the way that I love, and the new characters to love and loathe. (and the steamy sex, obviously).
I first found this book because it had been left behind in a holiday home, not a promising start, but I was pleasantly surprised. I wanted something funny, intended for women, and with an ending that wouldn't leave me apoplectic and unfulfilled.
This delivered all of those things.
The main character is refreshingly moody and highly strung, a change from the nice girl, 'everyone has to love me' characters. I actually found her to be interesting, and someone I would like to befriend when I get to her age.
Stella's misadventures are funny, and she has the right amount of self-deprecating horror at herself that makes me laugh, rather than shout at her. I loved all the accompanying characters, who were funny and weird in their own rights, not just background noise.
Some people might say the ending was predictable, but, most chick lit is predictable, and that's a good thing. I've read a lot of books where the author tries to pull of something unexpected in a chick-lit plot, and it usually leaves me unsatisfied and unimpressed.
We all know what to expect when we pick up a pink covered book in the chick-lit section, it's the laughs along the way that I love, and the new characters to love and loathe. (and the steamy sex, obviously).
July 9, 2018
Dunque. Prevedibile fin da subito.
Avevo capito come sarebbe andata a finire già a pagina 27 e non è che io sia Agatha Christie, eh.
Però il libro è piuttosto piacevole, la lettura scorre via agevole soprattutto una volta passate le prime pagine, quando si comincia a familiarizzare con Stella e con questo suo modo di raccontare le cose, tutto pieno di a) e b) e c) disseminati nel testo e di incisi.
Trovo molto - molto! - antipatica la consuetudine di infarcire il testo di cristi e madonne, ma ho notato che è pratica piuttosto diffusa tra gli anglofoni, tanto nei libri quanto nei film, e mi domando quanto questo abbia a che fare con il protestantesimo e quanto con la più banale maleducazione.
Alcune trovate davvero divertenti e, va detto, la trama per quanto prevedibile è ben congegnata, con tutti i tasselli che vanno buoni buoni a comporre il puzzle finale.
Non male.
Due stelle e mezza.
Avevo capito come sarebbe andata a finire già a pagina 27 e non è che io sia Agatha Christie, eh.
Però il libro è piuttosto piacevole, la lettura scorre via agevole soprattutto una volta passate le prime pagine, quando si comincia a familiarizzare con Stella e con questo suo modo di raccontare le cose, tutto pieno di a) e b) e c) disseminati nel testo e di incisi.
Trovo molto - molto! - antipatica la consuetudine di infarcire il testo di cristi e madonne, ma ho notato che è pratica piuttosto diffusa tra gli anglofoni, tanto nei libri quanto nei film, e mi domando quanto questo abbia a che fare con il protestantesimo e quanto con la più banale maleducazione.
Alcune trovate davvero divertenti e, va detto, la trama per quanto prevedibile è ben congegnata, con tutti i tasselli che vanno buoni buoni a comporre il puzzle finale.
Non male.
Due stelle e mezza.
March 2, 2025
Titolo furviante
La tizia poteva viversi tranquillamente la sua vita da mamma signle (già incasinata così) senza dover rompere i coglioni alla gente.
Sfortunatamente, per noi, invece ha deciso di raccontarci la sua storia inutilmente travagliata.
Dico Inutilmente, perché metà dei problemi di sta donna sono problemi facilmente risolvibili con una buona dose di cazzi propri.
In breve, sta Stella, madre di una bimba che serve solo a farci vedere quanto sia "Husband material" il tizio che la protaginista si vuole fare fin dalla prima pagina: Frenk.
Inutile parlare di come sta qui abbia la solita personalità da "io son migliore di tutti e il resto della gente è strana", davvero raga basta con sto tipo di caratterizzazione e letteralmente il libro è del 2005!
L'odio che sta donna prova per i rossi è insensato e le intere pagine che dedica a descrivere dettagliatamente le motivazioni per cui odia un colore sono assurde.
Com'è assurdo il fatto che a 38 anni, i tuoi discorsi vertano ancora sul sesso e tutte le sue declinazioni.
Ho deciso di dare 2 stelle solamente perché le descrizioni delle situazioni sono fatte in modo decente e i personaggi secondari non sono così tanto irritanti
La tizia poteva viversi tranquillamente la sua vita da mamma signle (già incasinata così) senza dover rompere i coglioni alla gente.
Sfortunatamente, per noi, invece ha deciso di raccontarci la sua storia inutilmente travagliata.
Dico Inutilmente, perché metà dei problemi di sta donna sono problemi facilmente risolvibili con una buona dose di cazzi propri.
In breve, sta Stella, madre di una bimba che serve solo a farci vedere quanto sia "Husband material" il tizio che la protaginista si vuole fare fin dalla prima pagina: Frenk.
Inutile parlare di come sta qui abbia la solita personalità da "io son migliore di tutti e il resto della gente è strana", davvero raga basta con sto tipo di caratterizzazione e letteralmente il libro è del 2005!
L'odio che sta donna prova per i rossi è insensato e le intere pagine che dedica a descrivere dettagliatamente le motivazioni per cui odia un colore sono assurde.
Com'è assurdo il fatto che a 38 anni, i tuoi discorsi vertano ancora sul sesso e tutte le sue declinazioni.
Ho deciso di dare 2 stelle solamente perché le descrizioni delle situazioni sono fatte in modo decente e i personaggi secondari non sono così tanto irritanti
February 6, 2015
This book was an absolute scream. With multiple laugh out loud moments and a plot, which almost any mother can identify (Happy Bunnies playgroup - say no more) I raced through the pages.
I'm not going to reiterate what you can read on the blurb, but despite a cliche plot and the MCs personal situation coming across as a bit contrived--a young mum with no job, no money worries and the ability to still have a life--this story was very well observed, hysterically written and totally engaging.
What shocked me most about reading this story was that initially I didn't care very much for the MC, I felt she was an over-privileged snob, who found a way to look down her nose at everyone around her. And yet, as the pages passed, I found myself laughing at her opinions, and even nodding along, thinking I would react exactly the same way.
Can't believe I found such a fun book, unread, on the shelves of a local charity shop. If you get the chance to read this book, grab it! Good old fashioned mental polyfiller of the chick-lit variety.
I'm not going to reiterate what you can read on the blurb, but despite a cliche plot and the MCs personal situation coming across as a bit contrived--a young mum with no job, no money worries and the ability to still have a life--this story was very well observed, hysterically written and totally engaging.
What shocked me most about reading this story was that initially I didn't care very much for the MC, I felt she was an over-privileged snob, who found a way to look down her nose at everyone around her. And yet, as the pages passed, I found myself laughing at her opinions, and even nodding along, thinking I would react exactly the same way.
Can't believe I found such a fun book, unread, on the shelves of a local charity shop. If you get the chance to read this book, grab it! Good old fashioned mental polyfiller of the chick-lit variety.
January 10, 2012
A entertaining, light read and deeply funny. Some great observations throughout and even though you can figure the plot out half way through, it's still satisfying. If you want a break from deep literary stuff and a bit f romantic escapism, I'd recommend this. Don't expect it to tax you however, and don't expect anything deeper than a set of accurate and amusing snapshots of Stella's genuinely portrayed life.
June 4, 2019
Someone left it at out neighborhood's outdoor library, so I thought why not?
Well, for one, because, as other people said, it was dead predictable: from page 5 or so, you knew how this was going to end, despite the main characters idiotic comments.
Then, there's humor, and there's ridicule disguised as humor, which after a couple of times can become old.
I does have a couple of funny moments, but they are not enough to make it a good book. Besides, more often than not one feels that the author is striving to find something smartassy or mean-in-a-smartassy way, but it doesn't really work.
Chicklit can be a really feel-good, pleasant read at times, but this isn't one of those times.
Well, for one, because, as other people said, it was dead predictable: from page 5 or so, you knew how this was going to end, despite the main characters idiotic comments.
Then, there's humor, and there's ridicule disguised as humor, which after a couple of times can become old.
I does have a couple of funny moments, but they are not enough to make it a good book. Besides, more often than not one feels that the author is striving to find something smartassy or mean-in-a-smartassy way, but it doesn't really work.
Chicklit can be a really feel-good, pleasant read at times, but this isn't one of those times.
November 8, 2021
Very predictable from the get go.
38, a toddler, asking where all the good men have gone. Typical disturbing and deeply not funny because we all know these children have huge disadvantages in real life due to the bad choices of their mothers.
This story is actually funny but very predictable. If you are able to put your brain on zero by the pool, it's a book for you.
38, a toddler, asking where all the good men have gone. Typical disturbing and deeply not funny because we all know these children have huge disadvantages in real life due to the bad choices of their mothers.
This story is actually funny but very predictable. If you are able to put your brain on zero by the pool, it's a book for you.
April 29, 2019
Was given this book by a friend. Not usually my type, but I thought I'd give it a go. What a crack up! I actually laughed out loud a few times. It reminds me of what a down to earth chat with a group of girlfriends ends up being sometimes, especially after few drinks!!!!!!!!!!!!
November 27, 2021
A joyful, quick, easy read with characters I'd could envisage. The things I felt let it down were a) it ended abruptly (maybe the author means to write a sequel) and b) one character was introduced, mentioned a few times and then never appeared again with no explanation given.
September 23, 2024
this was actually pretty funny, and refreshingly british. i read it too long ago to remember if there was anything offensive about it, but i can safely assume there probably was. the ending was too obvious, though - i thought we WEREN’T meant to think they’d get together?
August 29, 2017
Un libro senza nessuna pretesa, con un finale pure parecchio prevedibile.
November 28, 2017
It my book it a good book
April 1, 2018
L’inizio è carino, ma poi sembra diventare piuttosto stupido e volgare... mollato dopo 50 pagine...
May 9, 2020
Ok book
January 4, 2022
Loved this book. Couldn't put it down. Had me laughing out loud.
June 4, 2023
This book did not age well.
March 30, 2024
Boring book
June 7, 2024
I've read and enjoyed books by India Knight before ( and I loved her latest
" Darling"), but afraid to say this one seemed only very slightly better than tosh.
" Darling"), but afraid to say this one seemed only very slightly better than tosh.
August 15, 2024
De eerste 20 pagina’s waren taai maar daarna zoooovaak hardop gelachen echt leuk
October 15, 2024
an old favourite
November 9, 2024
I found this book too slow and predictable
There were funny parts in it and I liked Stella but it was too slow for me.
There were funny parts in it and I liked Stella but it was too slow for me.
July 3, 2025
Bloody hilarious, would recommend to anyone who wants a light read and roll about laughing 😂
Loved it!
Loved it!
September 6, 2025
You could tell how it was going to end… but the story itself was filled with funny moments
February 12, 2026
I've read it like 6 times with the physical book. But then lost it. Now I've found it, i will read it again.
January 3, 2017
Enjoyable chick-lit!!
March 5, 2017
The plot had poetntial, but like halfay trough the book it got lost.
I was really disappointed because I thought it was gonna be different, and have a better ending, but sadly it wasn't like that....
I was really disappointed because I thought it was gonna be different, and have a better ending, but sadly it wasn't like that....
Displaying 1 - 30 of 60 reviews