Elizabeth Finch – but everybody calls her Birdy – is around thirty years old and at the crossroads of her life. She has never held a job for longer, her love life is an utter chaos and she’s somehow flitting through her life. She doesn’t like commitments. She doesn’t do roots. The only constant in her life is her best friend Heather – Heather with structured life and an accomplished career as a sommelier – well, she has worked long and hard to be where she is at the moment. While Birdy was cycling through dead – end jobs… But Birdy is actually happy with her life.
Heather has a new job lined up in Scotland for the summer. But then she decides to follow her heart and travel to Italy with her new boyfriend, asking Birdy to pretty please cancel this job for her. Birdy, being chaotic as she is, forgets and now it’s too late. Seeing as she’s jobless and homeless and the place is supposed to be a run – down, seldom – visited family hotel, Birdy decides to pose as a sommelier – as a Heather! – for the summer. Well, recommending wine can’t be so hard, right? Ooh, Birdy, wrong!

Of course, what happened in the book felt like a comedy of errors. Firstly, it turns out that the hotel is newly renovated and aiming for different kind of customer, which means that, well, it would be better if Birdy knew a little more than the difference between Pinot Grigio and a Chardonnay. The bar manager, Bill, who has employed Heather (can’t he see the difference between Heather and Birdy???), seems to have a drinking problem. Heather has no idea what Birdy is doing. And Birdy starts to develop a crush on Jamie, the sous – chef, no matter how much she tries not to. Then there is the everyday issue of recommending the right wine and the dreading visit of restaurant reviewer… There are tons of things happening in this book, there is not a single moment flat and the story is simply flying forward, turning out into a quick and entertaining read.

To be absolutely honest, Birdy was not my favourite character, especially at the beginning. Maybe I’m too old, or too cynical to completely appreciate her and her ways. It actually made my eyes roll at hers not so subtle tricks when it came to recommending the wine, always asking other people what they would do and I was wondering how long can she pull it through before it starts to feel too old? I think that many lies and simply “doesn’t give a shit” approach made me feel uncomfortable, as well as the pickle she was getting herself into. I think it was done so purposefully, what with us then getting slowly to learn about her past and seeing that she’s starting to try really hard, but nevertheless it felt too forced and too pushy for me. Sometimes less is more. But yes. There is of course much more to her character than meets the eye, what with the issues when she was growing up. Later on she also proved that she can be a hard – worker – she only needs to find the place where she wants to be. She was also caring and it was lovely to see her growing up and realising what it is she wants to do, seeing her falling in love with a place and with people, starting to trust again, making friendships and really helping.
The cast of the supporting characters waswell drawn and truly entertaining, they are colourful, eclectic and vivid and each of them adds their own sparkle to the story.

The setting is absolutely gorgeous and when you close your eyes you’ll easily find yourself in Scotland. The writing style is lovely and nice and easy to follow. The banter is funny, though I had a feeling that the author tries too much sometimes, especially when it came to Birdy – yes, perhaps she tried to cover her uncertainty with smartness and cynicism but it felt too forced. I also felt that the book is a bit repetitive and some parts felt cringy rather than funny or realistic.

It was a lovely book and I can understand the hype around it, however it didn’t work for me as well as for the other reviewers. There is a lot of potential, a brilliant setting, lots of light – hearted banter and things happening and a lovely blossoming romance - maybe I’ve expected too much? No idea, but I’ll be for sure keeping my eye on Lizzy Dent and as soon as there is another book from her, I’ll bet he first in the virtual queue as this story about finding yourself and a place to belong, at first glance funny and light – hearted but underneath the surface with much more to discover, with some deeper issues running through it was interesting, entertaining and like a breath of fresh air.

I had this as both a written and audible version. Really enjoyed it, an easy listen and quite funny in places. We follow Birdy through her bumbling life, mistake after bad decision, thoroughly likeable though. She finds herself in a situation where she is working in a job that frankly she is unqualified to do! Winging it is an understatement... The storyline was a little far-fetched but isn’t that why we get lost in a book! Light-hearted fun with a bit of romance makes this an ideal summer read.

I just knew as soon as I read the blurb for this book that I was going to love it, as a reader I often imagine slipping into someone else’s life but never quite in the way that Birdy does. I love that it seems so harmless at first, who will really notice if she takes this job for Heather, but then as Birdy realises just how different the situation is from what she expected I knew that this was going to end up a fraught but fun journey.

I think it’s Birdy’s energy that really pulled me into the story, she is the kind of character whose heart seems in the right place even when she is doing something deceitful and manages to get away with it because she is charming and just unapologetically herself, even when she’s pretending to be Heather. Also James, I mean he’s just perfect, very loveable and unassuming, it’s one of those situations where you are kind of rooting for something to happen between them because they have all the right chemistry but at the same time you really don’t want anything to happen because you know that someone will get hurt in the end.

I found I had those kind of rollercoaster feelings throughout the book, I was cheering her and the team on when things were going well but I was also waiting for something disastrous to happen at the same time, and there are plenty of opportunity for slip-ups. It got to the stage that I was both wanting to get to the end of the book to see how or if she is found out but also just not wanting the story to end because I was enjoying it so much. There is a lot of fun to this book but I liked that it didn’t shy away from the harder topics too, it is well balanced and that for me made it all the more enjoyable because it felt more real. It also allowed Birdy the chance to grow as a character and show that she is more than the sum of some bad decisions, which is what I was hoping for the most when reading.

The setting also really comes alive in this book, I wish Loch Dorn was a real place because I would love to be one of the loveable misfits that end up working there, it definitely made me want to go off on a little Highland adventure. There is a quirky bunch of characters that work at Loch Dorn and they all make the story come alive that little bit more and provide many obstacles for Birdy to overcome.

The Summer Job is a highly enjoyable read with a story that is compelling and at times unexpected and a main character that you can’t help but adore even when they are not being entirely honest.

I thought that Thesiger Job was a cute and fun romcom, though I would have liked more rom with my com if I'm honest.

I liked the premise and the setting was well thought out and executed well. I really liked Birdy, and Roxy and James...the whole staff at the hotel were great to be fair.

I did feel that the end was fairly rushed which wasn't ideal, and a lot of the resolution seemed to happen off page which is a bit of a bug bear for me, but all in all it was a good summer read.

The Summer Job by Lizzy Dent is a fantastic, fun read! It’s light, but also has deeper undertones which is exactly how I like my ‘fun’ reads- giving me something to think about!

Birdie is bored with her life so it’s no surprise that she takes steps to change it... but it IS a surprise when she winds up in Scotland impersonating her best friend who happens to be a wine expert- something Birdie is NOT!

Lizzy Dent happens to be the cousin of the author, Rachael Johns, which was initially what got me interested in reading this book, but the storyline also intrigued, and I am so pleased I read it. A great book!

Thanks to #netgalley for a copy of this book #thesummerjob in exchange for an honest review. #bookstagram #amreading

The Summer Job is a fun and feel-good read, that's perfect for reading on your staycation or on the beach with a cocktail. With characters, you will fall in love with and dialogue that will have you laughing out loud, it's an enjoyable read that's perfect for summer.

I really wanted to love this book but i ended up finding it really mediocre. The idea was really good but something that has been done so many times before.

I really liked Birdy, i thought she was absolutely hilarious. However the romance and some of the key events just felt a bit forced to me and not original.

I also started reading this a while ago but didn't feel like i HAD to finished it, if you know what i mean? If you are looking for a funny summer read, this is for you, but sadly it wasn't for me.

When this book startes it hit with a bam. It was a great way to start. In the middle it feel a bit flat and then everything ramped up again.

I liked the characters in this book, they were all very different but it worked. Certainly a chalk and cheese moment along the way.

The story of this book was great talk about faking it till you make it. And that is exactly what Birdie did.

The description of the landscapes made me want to go to Scotland to see all the sights.

Enjoyable read. Left open for a follow up.

Thanks to NetGalley for the free ARC in return for my unbiased opinion.

Although it’s a lighthearted book I found on finishing it that my head was still in Scotland and I was surprised not to see a loch out of my window. In amongst the fun, and there are some lovely moments, there are serious subjects, loss, disappointment, friendship, handled sensitively. Most romance novels are pretty forgettable but I’m left wondering what happens next, and hoping we will see part two of the story.

Warm fun read 😊

Enjoyed this book so much – if I could give 6 stars, I would!

The story follows the main character; young free-spirited, commitment-shy, Birdy - who impersonates her best friend, without her knowledge, to take a job in what she thinks is a run down hotel in Scotland – just for a laugh.. and thinking how hard can it be?

However, Lock Dorn has had a new refurbishment with an imminent relaunch and all the staff are pulling together to make it a success. Birdy starts to battle with her conscience and realises she is risking tarnishing her best friend’s reputation as a well-educated Sommelier.

Easy, face-paced, relatable well-developed characters, that leaves you wanting more. The perfect summer read that will leave you happy and bouncy.

I’m really looking forward to reading more by this author in the future.

A big thank you to NetGalley for this ARC in exchange of an unbiased, honest review.

If you want a laugh a minute, fun loving romcom then this is the book for you. Well written and the characters are great. Enjoy this as I have done. 5stars,, well done Lizzy and look forward to seeing this on TV, hope they don't spoil it.

Thanks to NetGalley and publisher for this ARC

Loved this. So funny and the characters were amazing. Really great book. Thank you to Netgalley and the author and the publishers for the privilege to read this for my honest review

Great idea, some laugh out loud moments and a satisfying ending - what more could you ask for in a romcom

This is very funny! Madcap, slightly bonkers chaotic humour, cue Elizabeth Finch aka Birdy, or in this instance Heather. Yes, Birdy is impersonating her best friend and has taken on a summer job as a sommelier in a Scottish hotel/restaurant Loch Dorn with hilarious results.
I was instantly pulled into Birdy's messy life out of sheer horror that one person could be so disorganised and in slight awe of her confidence (or stupidity?) attempting to blag her way through an important role in hospitality, believing she could pull the tartan wool over everyone's eyes.
Not a situation I would ever find myself in, I read on with incredulity at her efforts to deceive. Misplaced, misguided, but basically a good person at heart, Birdy in real life would unsettle me and have me running for the safety of boring predictability, but there is something about fictional Birdy which makes the reader want her to succeed.
She knows nothing about wines, can't cook and forgets the basics of attending to the diners' needs and yet somehow she manages to win the hearts of staff, alcoholic bartender Bill, Roxy a trainee sommelier, Anis sous chef, Irene head of the team and her son, rather handsome but shy chef James.
Not comfortable stringing along her friend, the real Heather, worried about her friend's escape with an unsuitable boyfriend to Italy, and trying to extricate herself from the antics of on-off relationship with the immature Tim, who got her in this mess in the first place, will Birdy make peace with herself and come out of the escapade unscathed or will her trail of pretence finally catch her out?
There is an interesting layer to The Summer Job though, in that Birdy is not the only one with a secret or two...
A great book for escaping with and feeling good, I can highly recommend The Summer Job to any reader, all year round.
Thank you to Netgalley, the publisher and author for allowing me the opportunity to read this book.

Light but also layered, empathetic life-swap romance/comic story.

It's the plot of many a romantic comedy story: the (mostly) unintentional mistaken identity, the decision to simply take over their life to hide a truth, or make a point, or help someone out... or to attempt to have a fresh start.

Birdy hasn't made much of her life so far, and when her friend Heather, head over heels with a new man in another country, offers her an invitation in her stead to attend a swanky event, she jumps at the chance to feel like someone more successful for the evening. It's not all that hard pretending for one evening that she's actually a Master of Wine, it's quite fun.

But then Birdy is offered a job that Heather has turned down, a few months in a Scottish highland hotel, as sommelier/wine expert, as part of their plan to modernise and freshen up their establishment. How hard can it be?

Readers will know the kind of thing to expect - the momentary moral questioning, the identity problems, swotting up on her new expert subject, and of course... the staff Birdy is going to meet and have to live with for weeks and weeks.

As well as the slightly frothy storyline of a woman pretending to be someone else and making mistakes and having little successes along the way, with romantic entanglements ensuing, there are some slightly more weighty issues brought to the surface too - Heather's slightly creepy relationship developing overseas, with Birdy quietly offering support from afar. A staff member with a drink problem. A woman whose lack of achievement gives her a different perspective on the life she is 'borrowing'.

Very easy to listen to, this is perfect material for audiobook and paper. It's a pacey plot that feels like a 90-minute romcom, it has moments of romance and comedy, and you have a few characters you do empathise with. And a hot cook. And some rather interesting moments as Birdy teaches herself about wine.

Light enough for a summer read, but also more memorable than the instantly forgettable typical book this entails.

With thanks to Netgalley for providing a sample reading copy.

DNF -27%

This was an ARC that I did not request, however it did sound interesting and I tried to read it and I could just not get into it. I had to force myself to read up to 27% and I am giving up. This is officially my first DNF ever. I usually love these kinds of adult romances but nothing about this story urges me to continue.

The story starts off with Birdy and she goes to this hotel in the highlands of Scotland to work there for the summer but the problem is that she is impersonating her best friend who is a renowned sommelier, while Birdy knows nothing about wine. In the third of the book that I did manage to read, nothing happens... except Birdy pretending to be her friend and avoiding anyone from finding out she's not who she says she is. I am not entirely comfortable with this concept especially since her friend has no idea that she is doing this. And this was the biggest problem for me, but also I just cannot connect to the character, I do not care about the story and do not want to find out more.

This just was not for me. I am sure many will enjoy this, there is nothing inherently bad about this book, I just could not for the life in me continue to read it.

Many thanks to Netgalley and the publishers for this arc. I went into this expecting a fun, engaging read with situational comedy scenarios and a little romance on the side. There was some romance but it was meh as was the overall book. I’m afraid this book didn’t gel with me. I found it too shallow and superficial. I was 25% in and wondering what the main plot would be, and desperately wanted something to kick off. It’s doesn't really until the second half and by then it felt too late. The main protagonist is a typical manic pixies dream girl. Within the first day the love interest actually describes her as a breath of fresh air. I found it corny.
I liked the effort and the premise but unfortunately the execution fell flat for me.

Ahh this was so much FUN! I love a good summer romance style book filled with hijinks and this certainly delivered. Dent’s book - which sees protagonist Birdy take take on her friend Heather’s identity and job - is a riot. Not only are there all the funny moments you expect to arise from such a situation but there’s also many lessons Birdy learns about herself along the way. It’s hilarious and heartwarming with some dishy romantic moments. Highly recommend for a good read in the park or on the beach, paired with a glass of wine of course!

I received this book from Netgalley in exchange for an honest, independent review.

Birdy Finchy runs away from her life, straight into the life of her best friend, Heather. The only problem is she ends up taking on Heather's summer job at a luxury Scottish hotel, as a world-class wine expert, when the only thing Birdy knows about wine is how to drink it. But can she pull it off? And what happens when she starts falling for the first man she's ever actually liked, when he thinks she is actually someone else?

I didn't think I would enjoy this book, but for personal reasons: I used to love 'chick lit' rom-com type books, but have fallen out of love with them over the years, preferring crime and psychological thrillers now. However, this book was a great read from start to finish; a very easy read, with many likeable characters and nicely wrapped up at the end.

From the book's blurb, I thought I wouldn't like Birdy but I found myself warming to her instantly; she's funny and totally believable. I laughed and cringed along with her, and loved her relationship with Bill, the hotel's alcoholic barman.

A great escapism novel!

I defy anyone to not fall in love with Elizabeth ‘Birdy’ Finch. She’s a fantastic literary creation that I was rooting for so hard in this great novel from Lizzy Dent. Having had a tough upbringing in Plymouth, Birdy is pretty much alone in life, except for loyal friend Heather. She and Heather have been friends for life, understanding each other’s difficult family situations and providing undying support for each other. However, Heather’s family were financially better off than Birdy’s, so despite being without the emotional support and presence of her family, Heather has been able to rely on a financial cushion to train as a sommelier or wine expert, working in hospitality. Birdy hasn’t had the same education, so tends to drift from job to job without ever finding a passion of her own. Now, Heather is going to Italy with her current boyfriend and Birdy feels lost. With no sofas left to surf, Birdy may have to do the unthinkable and return to Plymouth, when an idea strikes her. Before the Italy opportunity, Heather had the chance of a summer job at a hotel near Loch Dorne in Scotland. For some reason, she’d been keen to go, then changed her mind. She gives Birdy tickets to the British Wine Awards at the Ritz and Birdy goes with her on/off boyfriend Tim. It’s there, where an idea takes shape. While wearing Heather’s name badge, Birdy runs into Irene - the manager of the Loch Dorne hotel. They get along and Birdy starts to wonder - could she do Heather’s job for the summer? It would take a lot of studying, but maybe she could pull it off and surely anything’s better than going back to Plymouth?

I loved the hotel and the surrounding Scottish scenery. The author describes the area with love and with such detail I could truly imagine it. The way Birdy connects with the place really surprises her. Having always lived in a city, Birdy has never really experienced being in nature and at first turns up in all the wrong clothes. Her first hike, which she undertakes in Converse trainers is a bit of a disaster as she sprains her ankle. It slowly has a remarkable effect on her mental health, seeming to soothe her anxiety and allow her to ‘be’. For someone with such a busy brain it’s amazing to see how she grows to love walking and travelling to Skye both on her own at times. Birdy has never really been confident enough to do things on her own, but now she starts to try it, either hiking or going to the coast for fish and chips. It seems to give her the space and quiet she needs to sort things out in her own mind. She even tries foraging, horse riding and fishing! There’s a stillness about her when she’s outdoors that she’s never had before and perhaps a sense of belonging to this place.

Of course, her plan doesn’t go without incident and she’s permanently exhausted from studying the wine list in her room. Yet there is a new found confidence about her. She loves being part of this small team who work like a family. Nobody is without their weaknesses but they help each other along and they’re united in their concern about the executive chef Russell and his modern ideas. The pub has been redecorated and the menu changed from the ‘neeps, tatties and whiskey’ destination it was previously. The staff seem so pleased to have Heather there and she quickly makes friends, I could see how these people could become a little family for Birdy - if she hadn’t been deceiving them of course. There are so many hurdles for her to jump over, not to mention the little tiny spark of something she can feel with the chef James.

Lizzy Dent is clearly astute when it comes to how a difficult start in life can affect someone into adulthood. If the people who bring you into the world don’t love and value you it’s very hard to understand how anyone else might. Children whose parents neglect or emotionally abuse them, don’t wonder what’s wrong with their parents, they wonder what’s wrong with themselves? This is Birdy all over. She knows her family aren’t great, but she still can’t see the good in herself. Those moments Birdy has, when she’s walking in her new hiking boots or eating fish and chips on the harbour, are moments when she’s discovering her genuine self for the first time. This book is absolutely joyous. So, if you’re going on holiday this summer, make sure you have this little gem packed in your hand luggage. You won’t regret it.