What you don't know by Lizzie Enfield

You've been together for fifteen years. You've got two gorgeous kids and a great career. All the boxes are ticked. You wouldn't be tempted by a plain, slightly balding man called Graham...Would you? When Graham Parks walks into Helen Collins' life, the last thing she expects is to fall for him. He's nothing like her handsome, successful husband, Alex. But fifteen years is a long time and Helen can't help wondering what it would be like to sleep with someone else. Has Alex secretly been thinking the same thing? As harmless flirtation develops into something far more complicated, Helen's perfect world begins to look shaky. It's exciting, alluring, all-consuming. But is it worth the risk?


A great summer read, full of humour, tales of woe and love. 


Helen is a part time journalist, working on a newspaper, while also caring for her two children and husband, an actor who works on a top television programme. Helen is sent to interview a new author, Graham Parks, who has an instant connection with her. What follows is a period of confusion for Helen, torn between the attraction of some male attention and that of family life, where Alex, her husband, is away half of the week working, and when at home, appears distant and impatient to return to set.




I found Lizzie Enfield's writing style to be very easy to read, and therefore devoured the book quickly. It was easy to pick up and put down, snatching minutes here and there to read. 


I found the characters easy to identify with and thought Helen's circle of friends to be identifiable in the world today, with close friends having children the same age, being people who know each other well, sharing childcare and helping each other out where necessary. Their dilemas were also current, and are probably faced by many others today.


The book was a great read, and I liked the secret about Venetia, and proves you should not always think the worst of people. I thought that the book tied up the story of Helen, Alex and Graham well, however I would like to have known what happened to Katie.


I would recommend this to lovers of chick lit and anyone wanting a great beach read.


Thank you to the publishers, Headline, for sending me the book to review.