Would I Lie To You? by Aliya Ali-Afzal | Book Review

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Would I Lie To You? By Aliya Ali-Afzal

My rating: 3/5

Publisher: Head of Zeus

Publication date: 8th July 2021

Blurb:

She could lose the perfect life... if she tells the truth.

At the school gates in Wimbledon Village, Faiza fits in. It took a few years and a brand new wardrobe, but now the snobbish mothers who mistook her for the nanny treat her as one of their own.

But the perfect life costs money. When her husband Tom loses his job, Faiza realises she'll have to reveal her biggest secret: she's spent her family's entire life savings.

Unless she doesn't...

It only takes a second to lie to Tom. Now Faiza has six weeks to find £75,000 or risk losing the family she has worked so hard to protect.

Review:

I went into this book blind and it is a very unique premise. Faiza is married to Tom, a banker who is made redundant. They have three children, some of which attend a private school where she has to keep up appearances with the white school mothers. 

Faiza has had sole responsibility of the "emergency fund" for the past few years but, unbeknownst to her husband, she has been spending it frivolously and the full £75,000 is gone. Faiza begins lying on a small basis to Tom but her lies spin and grow out of control. But how far is she willing to go to keep her secrets?

I really liked the fleshed out characters throughout this book and they all have great backgrounds. We know them. Serious topics are covered such as finance, sexual assault, racism, culture, suicide and they are done well. For me, the book is very slow paced which made it feel a bit long. This is totally personal preference though, I just like a bit more fast-paced excitement. I did feel Faiza's anxiety grow as I read and was willing her to stop lying and tell her husband the truth.