A large glass of summer fun, this is one of those books that I could have downed in one sitting, but you know...life.

Birdy, the often unlucky heroine, sneakily takes her best friends unwanted job in Scotland & as you can imagine, things don't go according to plan. Birdy has so much personality & is an instantly likeable character. She is surrounded by a fun cast of characters including the rugged, slightly brooding love interest & of course lots of drama as she tries to keep up with her charade.

Having worked in the wine industry for several years there were so many funny, familiar bits of this book which really made me smile & I was laughing out loud at 'kilt porn'. The setting is wonderful too & written in such a way that it is really easy to visualise the gorgeous hotel & surroundings.

A warm & enjoyable debut, if a little predictable in outcome it is reached with a lot of humour & great fun. A great summer read that will make you want a large glass of wine, or maybe a cheeky beer to enjoy with it.

I enjoyed this book, though I did find it a bit slow. It's a real feel good book though and an easy read and easy to follow. I kept forgetting "Heather's" name though so got confused when they mentioned Elizabeth,

Elizabeth decides to pretend to be her friend Heather and take on a job meant just for her. She soon realizes she is in much deeper than she thought but she can't turn her back now and risk ruining her friend's reputation. Its only for the summer but soon she isn't sure she wants to leave for the first time in her life she belongs.

Aww what a cute story this was. It was quite predictable in places and yet I loved it. The plot is steady and builds to a very adorable ending. I must admit i can be a sucker for a happy ending. It also makes a lovely change from the usual crime/thrillers that I read. The characters are all well written especially Elizabeth, she has her own flaws but you watch her grow as the story develops. I didnt like Tim at all so I'm glad he wasn't in the story much. I would have liked to have learnt a bit more about Heather though. The story really expresses the beauty of the location and you pick up a little wine knowledge along the way too. A lovely fun read.

Thank you to the publisher for a copy of this fabulous book.

I'm on the bookstagram tour so will prepare a more detailed review for that. Birdy is deeper character than I originally thought. I quickly found myself routing for her to succeed, to be able to be a proper member of the hotel team whilst still being true to herself.

This book made me smile, laugh and occasionally groan as Birdy tries to ensure that she can be a successful wine expert.

I will be busy recommending this book

This is a fun light hearted read great for the summer.

Birdy goes to scotland in place of her best friend Heather what can possibly go wrong?
This is beautifully set in the Scottish countryside with some laugh out loud moments.

Easy read

Birdy has no high expectations in her life: she goes from job to job, she has some kind of "boyfriend", she is estranged from her family, and the only constant in her life is her best friend Heather. Heather is a renowned somelier who is looking for love and that's why she decides to give up on a job in a hotel in Scotland to follow her latest boyfriend to Italy. Birdy decides to take her place. She has nowhere else to go and it could be fun to pretend to be her best friend, right?

The Summer Job is an entertaining and hilarious read. Birdy is a fun and relatable character. All her life she's been floundering, but in Scotland she finds a purpose and a family. She wants to succeed in a job that it's not hers and she knows little about. She quickly comes to care for her new colleagues who become her friends and the family she never had. The Scottish setting is beautiful and atmospheric and the writing is addictive. All in all, a romantic and engaging read!

The book starts with best friend’s Birdy and Heather in London. Heather is supposed to be working a summer season at a hotel in Scotland – but instead wants to jet off with her current ‘this is it, real love for definite this time’ boyfriend to Italy and ditch the sommelier job. Birdy is supposed to be calling the hotel to tell them Heather can’t go – but instead, decides to go and do the job herself – but doesn’t admit to Heather that this is what she’s doing.

The hotel in Scotland isn’t the run down property that Heather and Birdy were expecting – instead it’s been massively done up and is a beautiful ‘place to be seen’. I have to say that the setting and the Scottish countryside is so well described it made me want to visit immediately. To go and stay in a beautiful hotel, on the banks of a loch, with amazing food and wine flights – bliss………

Birdy is clearly totally out of her depth as ‘Heather’ as soon as she arrives – but she works super hard to get up to speed on the wines – and the team at the hotel become really important to her. Her loyalty to her new friends – and to Heather – is what keeps her going and working so hard.

Whilst the book is generally a fun, light hearted read – with some real laugh out loud moments – it does also cover some heavier topics – alcoholism, being the child of an alcoholic, gaslighting by parents and partners, bullying, friendship – but all as part of the over riding storyline.

Most of the characters were lovely – if slightly flawed in some way. The only one I couldn’t stand was Tim, Birdy’s on / off boyfriend. He was an utter knob – and she could do so much better.

The ending surprised me, and it’s more convoluted that you had expected throughout the book – but I still liked it.

Overall a really lovely read. It’s out in just a few days time – so I’m not tempting you too far in advance!

Thanks to Net Galley and the publisher for my ARC.

A great read about a very naughty heroine who pretends she’s someone she’s not in order to get a summer job. Once up north to take up the job, the fun and games start as it becomes clear that the job is not what she expected. A very good (if somewhat unbelievable) story which makes a relaxing read, following our girl through thick and thin, finding new knowledge and friendships and romance on her way. I was fortunate to be given the audio version as well as the digital version of this book which was wonderful as I was able to jump from one media to another as required - always useful when you don’t want to put a book down. The audio version was very well read which helped bring the characters even more to life than the book alone.

A cute, escapist romance that will transport you to the rugged west coast of Scotland!
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Birdy & Heather have been best friends for decades - they've always been there for each other and they're really all each other has. So, when Heather decides to bail on her summer job, Birdy offers to make the phone call for her. Except she doesn't make the call. Instead, she finds herself in Scotland, pretending to be Heather, ready to give the job a go for herself.

This isn't any ordinary job, though. Heather is a sommelier, and the hotel turns out to be a lot more luxurious than expected. Can Birdy really pull this off?

The Summer Job is a fun escapist read perfect for wine lovers and foodies. There are lots of embarrassing moments, plenty of close calls, and a beautiful wine list that is referenced throughout and will leave you thinking about which bottle you'll be opening next. Oh, and did I mention the hot chef? There's a hot chef!

The middle of the book dragged on a bit and the plot was pretty predictable, but overall it was an enjoyable read. I definitely recommend if you're looking for something lighthearted.

Many thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for providing me with an eARC of this book.

Synopsis: 30yo Birdy takes a summer job as a sommelier at a newly-renovated hotel in Scotland, except it’s supposed to be her friend Heather’s job, not her’s. And she doesn’t know a thing about wine.
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⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️/5
I think the premise of this book is fab, and the setting is lovely - it’s set around the west coast of Scotland and the Isle of Skye and this book really makes me want to visit there! (Perfect for a Covid-friendly summer staycation…)

The writing is easy-reading and the characters were each fun and really well built. I liked Birdy, although my main issue with this book was how the main romance was all built on this lie that Birdy was pretending to be Heather, so I didn’t like that and it was all quite predictable with how it was going to turn out.

This will be a great summer read, FULL of things about wine and food, so that’s an excuse to have a glass whilst you read!
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TW: alcoholism

The Summer Job is a heart warming, escapist and funny read that I thoroughly enjoyed. It was just what I needed to get lost in after a few hectic days over Easter.

I always love books that make me feel like I’m actually there so much so that I start to wish I can experience exactly what the characters in the book are. This book was no exception and I soon found myself wishing I was able to work in a remote Scottish hotel, working alongside the lovely team Birdy meets there. The beautiful descriptions of the rugged Scottish landscape surrounding the hotel were very vivid which further helped draw me into the story as it was easy to visualise the hotel and it’s surroundings.

The thing I most liked about this book were the wonderful characters and the descriptions of the amazing team they made which was heartwarming to read about. I really liked the way they welcomed Birdy and helped her settle into her new job. My favourite character had to be the lovely Birdy who was such a real, down to earth character who I absolutely fell in love with. I was routing for her from the start and found I wanted her to be successful at the hotel.

Overall I found this a fantastic read that was hugely enjoyable. Birdy’s antics often me laugh out loud and while her often self debasing attitude ensured I was firmly on her side. While I did guess that the book would end the way it did I liked the subtle way the book ended and I especially liked that the book continued for a little bit after so we could see how the characters were doing. I really hope this isn’t the last we hear from Birdy and her friends!

Huge thanks to Ellie Hudson from Viking for inviting me onto the blog tour and for my copy of this book.

This is a fun lighthearted read with great characters and a beautiful setting. The Scottish countryside is described beautifully and I totally got how it lured Birdy in. Birdy is a brilliant main character- trying to escape her car-crash of a life - she needs the support of everyone at the luxury Scottish hotel to prove to her she deserves all the love. With some real laugh out loud moments I easily became wrapped up in Birdy’s life and willed her to give herself a little slack and self love.

I struggled at the start of this book as I found Birdy quite an irritating character to be honest and it took until probably half way through for her back story to emerge and then I warmed to her. On 1 level it was quite a light romance but because of Birdy’s deception it added a further layer. The other characters in the novel were really well written and overall it was an enjoyable read but I did feel it needed a bit of editing as it felt a bit bogged down at times. Thank you to Netgalley and the publishers for allowing me to read a preview copy.

Birdy and Heather are best friends. When Heather turns down a job as a Sommelier in a hotel in Scotland to follow her heart and her boyfriend to Italy, Birdy goes to Scotland in her place and pretends to be Heather! ⁣
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Very much like Birdy, I know very little about wine, so this book was in itself a bit of an education. ⁣
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This fun, lighthearted book had my heart racing in certain situations when I wondered how on earth Birdy was going to pull off being a Sommelier when she new Zero about wine! It was also lovely to see a romance that was set in the Scottish Highlands. ⁣
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Funny and sweet, this is a perfect romantic read for the warmer spring / summer months.

A fast and funny journey of self-discovery introduces us to Birdy, a 31-year-old with no real direction in life. When her sommelier friend Heather runs out on a prospective job at a Scottish estate hotel to spend summer with her boyfriend, Birdy decides to take her place. How hard can it be to pour a bottle of wine? She soon finds herself deeply out of her depth but determination keeps her going. Though surprised at her lack of confidence, the hotel staff rally round her, and she finds support from Bill, the alcoholic bar manager, chef James, would-be sommelier Roxy and hotel manager Irene. But will she get to the end of summer without being discovered - especially as she hates lying to Heather, and to James, who may just be the true north she's been unconsciously searching all her life? Great characters and a fast-paced plot make this a whizz-through read. It gets a bit too frantic at times, and I wasn't a fan of the amount of casual swearing in the dialogue, though maybe I'm just old-fashioned. But the emotions were sound, the writing witty, the descriptions scenic and atmospheric, and the cast of characters warm and convincing. You'll find yourself caring for them all, and rooting for Birdy to pull through the muddle she has made for herself and for Heather,

I love it when a book both surprises and surpasses expectation, and The Summer Job does both.

What at first seems a light hearted and hilarious read, The Summer Job becomes so much more. An exploration of childhood trauma and neglect, grief, friendship and community.

Birdy is drifting through life, whereas her best friend Heather seems to have it all. When an opportunity arises for Heather which she runs away from, Birdy finds herself taking Heather's place as sommelier at a fine dining restaurant and hotel. Immediately she is out of her depth, but determined not to sully Heather's reputation, she studies hard, and finds to her surprise and delight, that she is actually good at her job, and loves being part of the team.

Over time, we are allowed glimpses of Birdy and Heather's childhoods and this gives a depth to the story that forges an emotional connection between them and us, the reader.

Birdy is a wonderful character, empathic, gloriously unfiltered with a self deprecating wit that made me laugh out loud several times.

There is no cheesy schmaltz in this book, it is real and wonderful, warm and heartfelt. I adored every single word.

Many thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for an ARC of this title in return for an honest review.

Have you ever imagined running away from your life?

Elizabeth Finch, affectionately known to her friends as 'Birdy' didn't have a great childhood, due to an alcoholic father and a mother that was worse than useless, but there was one constant in her life, her best friend Heather. Heather is a Sommelier and has a solid reputation in the hospitality industry, but when she's offered a summer placement at a 'run down' hotel in Scotland she decides to run off to Italy instead, in the hope of finding true love, leaving Birdy to cancel her placement for her, but Birdy who is struggling with her own life decides to go in her place, she's been 'Heather' many times before and pulled it off, nothing can go wrong...can it??

This is a poignant and, at times, comedic read of a young woman who's life has so far been a car crash, careering from one dead end job to another, she's never had a proper relationship, even Tim was useless, I found him, quite frankly, irritating and immature and I knew Birdy could do so much better. She had so much to offer, she was funny, caring, hard working and loyal (putting aside the fact she hadn't told Heather what she was doing) and she just needed to find herself and decide what she truly wanted out of life. This book covers many topics, both light and dark, but together they work and it's a great debut novel for this Australian author and a very enjoyable read.

I'd like to thank Penguin UK - Viking and Netgalley for the approval, I will post my review on Goodreads now and Amazon on publication day.

Absolutely brilliant debut novel by Lizzy Dent, I devoured it in two sittings and enjoyed every morsel. The cast of characters was fabulous with all their flaws and imperfections , the descriptions of the settings were sublime, and it made me laugh out load at times. A perfect summer read and highly recommended.

I loved this book, it was laugh out loud funny!! Birdy Finch is between jobs, she shares a flat with her friend Heather who is a recognised sommelier. Birdy has an unreliable boyfriend and when Heather finds love with her fella Christian and is whisked off to Italy, . she leaves Birdy looking after her flat; she has also got a job at a new hotel in Scotland as sommelier but feels that love is more important. Birdy tells her not to worry, she'll ring them and explain she can't make it and to get someone else! But who better than Birdy herself who feels like a "Summer Job" away from her boyfriend is just what she needs!

So begins the adventure/escapade of Birdy masquerading as Heather; it can't be hard, it's only an out of the way hotel and suggesting a few wines, easy peasy!! But of course, it's not. The scrapes Birdy gets into are hilarious, and of course there is a handsome chef who takes a fancy to her. Will she find true love??

How this pans out makes for a really funny read, Birdy's dialogues at times are just so funny you'll find yourself chuckling and more importantly wanting her to get away with the deception.

Get this book, you will enjoy it. Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for an advance copy to read.

This wonderful book transported me to my beloved Scottish Highlands, one of my favourite holiday destinations and I could not have been happier. It encompasses everything I love in a story including fabulous characters, humour, romance, a fantastic setting and glorious culinary delights. All of this combined to create an engrossing book which once you start it you will not be able to put it down.

I really enjoyed the author’s writing style which is engaging and humorous. The story is beautifully constructed and the deeper we get into it the more interesting it becomes. The whole story is based on a lie, a lie which although initially with good intentions snowballed out of control. Birdy becomes so deeply embroiled in this deception you are on edge for most of the story wondering when she will get caught and concerned also about how on earth it is all going to unravel. The premise of the story is a little far fetched, I can’t see anyone actually getting away with such duplicity, but it works as a story and I found it highly entertaining.

The descriptions of the landscape are beautiful and vivid and as I have visited many of these places in Scotland I can concur are accurate too. The depth of information conveyed surrounding the hospitality industry is really interesting and certainly piqued my interest and I loved the descriptions of plant foraging, the food, the cooking and the wine talk. I even learnt why the Isle of Skye was so named.

The characters are all interesting and loveable, even the imperfect ones. Birdy was definitely my favourite with her bright and colourful personality. There are many layers to her personality and you can’t help but love her sarcasm, innuendos and quick wit. She’s lively, fun and hilariously funny and I laughed out loud with some of her antics. In particular the foraging scene where she hurts her ankle and reveals her ‘hobbit foot’, the champagne cork episode was also equally as funny. Despite this lively and outgoing side she has had a difficult childhood and there are issues she’s trying to come to terms with from the past. James, the handsome chef, is the love interest and what an adorable character. He’s warm and sensitive, I loved his passion for food and that he made Birdy feel special and wanted.

The Summer job is an easy and wholesome romcom, with some weightier issues addressed. It is a quick read, with an engaging and humorous storyline but without being too light and fluffy and the perfect holiday read. It made me crave a trip to the Scottish Highlands as soon as possible. Although I enjoyed the epilogue I would love to see a sequel to this book, preferably set in Scotland again!

Thank you to the publisher for my advanced eARC, my review will be published across my social media handles nearer to publication.