I went into this book after a slog of books I just did NOT enjoy and was dreading another meh read. Thankfully The Summer Job finally was the book to break from the dulls I've been reading.

Normally I HATE this kind of premise where the main character in a book is lying and being deceitful but I bought the reasoning in this book and the background behind it. While I still was annoyed it wasn't the deal breaker it can be.

The best part of this book is the setting. The author does an amazing job drawing up the area in your mind and the hotel this takes place at.

I also loved all the characters in this book - they all were flawed but enjoyable in their own ways.

Definitely an enjoyable read I was delighted to spend time with!

Thank you to NetGalley and G.P. Putnam's Sons for an eARC copy of this novel in exchange for an honest review.

The Summer Job’ by Lizzy Dent was a cute summer read! It definitely wasn’t too deep or thought provoking but entertaining to say the least. And I learned SO MUCH about wines! I can say that because my knowledge is minimal. There’s red, there’s white, there’s bubbles. 😂😂😂

Once you know the synopsis of this book, you pretty much know how it will end.

Heather and Birdy are best friends. Heather is a sommelier (a wine expert) and seemingly has it all together. Birdy has no passion and is just kind of coasting through life. When Heather decides she doesn’t want to spend her summer working at a ‘run down hotel’ in the Scottish countryside, Birdy goes in her place. I mean, what else does she have to do? Just drink her days away with her lousy boyfriend Tim. Of course Heather doesn’t KNOW that Birdy is impersonating her, as she is summering in Italy. And obviously while Birdy is at this hotel faking her way with minimal knowledge of wine, she falls for James, a cute chef. Oops!

This book was a fun read, I chuckled a few times and it made me quite thirsty! I enjoyed most of the characters but not so much Birdy… and she was the main character! She was just so self centered and careless. James is too good for her. Anyway… she did get better. There were a few unexpected bits but mostly it was not a very surprising end.

I do want to point out that impersonating someone like this is major fraud. What about signing employment papers and what not? Like, if Heather was this huge sommelier shouldn’t they have know what she looked like?? Minor details, clearly.

Thank you @putnambooks and @netgalley for providing me with the physical book and the digital copy! Read this book if you enjoy light rom-coms (no steam) and witty banter.

I had to remove this title from my TBR because I have too many novels committed to.
This rating is not a reflection of the author's writing or the quality of the book. It was simply cut from my stack as I have other books that are calling to me more strongly.

I loved this story so much! Yes there were some cringe-worthy moments with Birdy's attempts at being a sommelier, but it was completely entertaining. And I fell in love with the setting (I want to visit Scotland so badly), and the romance that developed between Birdy and James. I definitely recommend this one!

I really enjoyed Birdy's character and her optimism! She has the guts to step into a Summer job as someone else and runs with it! There’s a handsome chef that Birdy likes and some stunning Scotland scenery to explore. And Birdy’s old boyfriend decides he wants to visit the hotel sending Birdy into a panic! Add in a control-freak master chef and a relaunch critical for the hotel and you have a recipe for hilarious story. Just when Birdy has found a place where she fits, everyone thinks she is someone else. These characters were so fun and the book was atmospheric and a great escape!

My thoughts are here: https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/4083492722 and I reviewed this title for AudioFile Magazine

I expected this to be more of a romance, but maybe that's on me for misunderstanding the description. I thoroughly enjoyed this book. It addresses what it means to belong, to REALLY belong, and what "home" really is -- and how you can make your own home , both physically and emotionally. Beautiful!

I loved this book! The hijinks and romantic interest was fairly unconventional and there was a humor and lightness to it that I hadn’t realized I was craving. A perfect summertime or beach read, I’m recommending it to everyone I know.

This was so cute!! I had to pick up a copy in paperback because the cover is absolutely stunning! Looking forward to reading more from Lizzy

I loved this book and the Scottish setting. I was initially disappointed in the main character, Birdy, who lied to her best friend to get a job she wasn’t qualified for. However, she grew during the book. The other characters are quirky and funny, and I liked the love story.

Thanks to the publisher and NetGalley I received a complimentary copy of this book. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

The summer job was an adorable women’s fiction / romance. I liked the overall there of the story how she was pretending to be her sister at her job. It sounds like a fun way to spend your summer

I really liked this book! It would make for an incredible movie, too! James is a delight. Love Irene! Love the ride-or-die friendship between Heather and Lizzie. Would absolutely recommend!

I enjoyed this book. Birdy was such a fun character. I loved the small community and all the people. This was a laughable and heartwarming story. This one will definitely make you hungry and want some good wine. This is the perfect summer read. Thank you to G. P. Putnam’s Sons and Netgalley for an ebook arc of this book in exchange for an honest review.

The Summer Job is a cute, quick read about a floundering thirty-something woman who pretends to be her best friend for a summer job as a sommelier. I liked the mix of romance with more substantial storyline, though as the book moved forward, it was clear things were going to detonate when her employers and love interest realized she is not who she said she was. I was internally cringing waiting for Birdy to be found out, wondering how someone my age could think this was a good idea. It kept me on the edge of my seat and is a good book to bring with you for a pool day.

The Summer Job by @lizzy.dent was such an enjoyable book. Birdy Finch is a little lost in life when she takes on a summer job as a sommelier in place of her friend, Heather. She thinks it’s a run down hotel in Scotland, but she’s unaware it’s been renovated into a super posh hotel! She spends most of thr summer pretending to know about wine and researching like crazy in her off time. This is a classic case of fake it until you make it!

Obviously things don’t go as planned and so much goes wrong that can go wrong! Birdy handles each thing as it comes and does a pretty good job of hiding things. She has a sad backstory of growing up with an alcoholic father that definitely helps explain her life and circumstances.

The Summer Job

Rating: 4/5🌟

Sweetbitter but make it English 👩🏻‍🍳🍷

Birdy is notoriously flighty (no pun intended). Unable to keep a steady job and on the brink of running out of money - she finds a last minute job at a resort in Scotland. The only problem? They think she’s her best friend Heather. And that she’s a trained sommelier.

A laughable yet sweet tale of personal growth and finding your way, The Summer Job is a fun take on self discovery, friendship and Scottish romance.

I really enjoyed this - it was fun and quirky and the characters really seemed to come alive on the page. A great beach read!

Thank you to the author, NetGalley and GP Putnam’s Sons for the ARC!

Read if you like:
+ Wine
+ British Rom Com
+ Friendship and personal growth

Hmm, I tried my best but I could not get into The Summer Job. From the book summary, it sounded appealing to read. But I could not get over Birdy's personality. She sounds so annoying most of the time. Like why women? What is the problem with you? She makes a mess of everything, and it's totally your fault. Own up to it. Stop making excuses for things. But no, Birdy will keep doing so until it blows over her face.

The Summer Job by Lizzy Dent is the story of Birdy, a lost soul who jumps on an opportunity to pretend she is her best friend, Heather, for the summer. Heather is a highly regarded English sommelier that had a job lined up at a newly remodeled resort in Scotland but decides to tag along with a new love to Italy instead of following through with her obligation. Birdy, who has nowhere to live and not a job prospect in sight, heads to Loch Dorn estate. Birdy knows virtually nothing about wine but gives it her all to not make a mockery of Heather. This book did not grab me from the start, it took reading about the first bit to go all in, but once I did I couldn't get enough. The author did a great job giving a backstory on the characters, I felt connected to each of them and cared for their outcomes. Overall a satisfying story.

Birdy is 31 and has a long list of jobs she’s tried and left for one reason or another. And this summer, she’s just started a new one. But this job is unlike any she’s done before: She’s not only pretending to be a sommelier, she’s pretending to be her best friend the sommelier. And her best friend has no idea.

Heather had taken off for Italy for the summer and decided to back out of the seasonal job at an old hotel in western Scotland. Birdy, out of options for a place to live over the summer and just needing to get away, through a series of events ends up impersonating Heather at Loch Dorn. It’s crazy, but she thinks it should be manageable with some research and hard work. But, of course, it turns out to be far more difficult than she ever expected — the hotel has undergone a major transformation to an upscale property, with a kitchen overseen by a Michelin-starred chef.

If that weren’t bad enough, Birdy finds herself falling for one of the chefs, a handsome, down-to-earth local. But how can she have any relationship with him when she’s masquerading as someone else, and she’ll be leaving at the end of the summer?

This story is a fun take on a standard plot: woman who’s a screwup in work and most relationships lands herself in a crazy situation and then manages to find herself, grow, and start making changes. Will she be able to overcome the crazy situation she’s gotten into and find happiness? The answer, of course, is yes. The journey is the enjoyable part. I would recommend this as a light, entertaining, quick read except for its constant profanity.

One little misunderstanding leads to a big lie for Elizabeth "Birdy" Finch one summer. When her best friend Heather decides not to take a job as a sommelier at a hotel restaurant in the Scottish highlands, Birdy decides to show up in her place pretending that she is Heather. The problem is, she doesn't know much of anything about wine. Birdy keeps this all a secret from Heather and also studies her ass off to learn more about wine. She also finds herself falling for the hotel owner's son, which is a problem since he doesn't even know her real name.

This was a cute, sweet book without being too sappy. I liked the restaurant setting and all the talk about wine. Birdy was a fun character who just wanted to live her best life and almost immediately regrets her decision to pretend to be Heather. The novel was funny and will be a great beach read and the perfect pick for someone looking for something lighter.

What to listen to while reading...
Little Lies by Fleetwood Mac
Champagne Supernova by Oasis
Time to Pretend by MGMT
Someone to You by BANNERS
Kiss Me by Sixpence None the Richer
A Case of You by James Blake