Book Review | The Summer Job by Lizzy Dent

Happy Wednesday my lovely readers. Today I’m bringing you a review of my favourite book of the year so far! I’m just going to leave it there and get straight onto the review. Warning – there might be a lot of dreamy eyes and fangirling.

The Summer Job by Lizzy Dent
Published by Viking on April 15, 2021
Genres: Contemporary, Romance
Amazon | Book Depository | Waterstones
Goodreads

'One of the funniest and sexiest books of the year... Do not miss this one!' EMILY HENRY'Fresh and funny' BETH O'LEARY'Engaging, heartwarming and SO MUCH FUN. I bloody loved it' MARIAN KEYES
Have you ever imagined running away from your life?
Well Birdy Finch didn't just imagine it. She did it. Which might've been an error. And the life she's run into? Her best friend, Heather's.
The only problem is, she hasn't told Heather. Actually there are a few other problems...
Can Birdy carry off a summer at a luxury Scottish hotel pretending to be her best friend (who incidentally is a world-class wine expert)?
And can she stop herself from falling for the first man she's ever actually liked (but who thinks she's someone else)?
If you're looking to replace that Fleabag or Bridesmaids sized hole in your life, look no further: Birdy Finch is here. A snort-out-loud romcom with a heart of gold, The Summer Job is THE debut to lose yourself in this year.

My Review

I had been struggling with reading for a while and this book was a breath of fresh air. I feel like this book came at the right time for me. It’s been a while when you so eager and itching to get back home and read more. I missed that feeling and that’s what reading a book should feel like right?!

Birdy Finch feels she has no life purpose, she can’t find the job or the career she wants, she’s hit and miss with her boyfriends,  basically she just makes really poor life choices. Unlike her best friend and roommate, Heather who is a world class wine expert. So when she decides to seek the (supposedly) love of her life in Italy, Birdy finds herself in Heather’s shoes literally. Heather took a summer job as a sommelier in a run down Scottish restaurant but Birdy never cancelled it, so the next thing she know she’s travelling from the city to the rural area of Inverness and being Heather the wine expert. It’s no problem, learn a few wines and dazzle them but it’s not as easy as she thought especially when it’s a renovated Michelin star hotel and restaurant.

I loved Birdy’s character, there was just something about her that just made me want to be her best friend and root for her. Birdy has no finesse at all, she’s all over the place, which I love about her. I do admire her light packing skills, wish I was like that. She says the first thing that comes to mind which can land her in some trouble if she’s not careful. I love how brutally honest she is which makes her hilarious, it’s refreshing and I think that’s why I grown to like her so much. She knew she was out of her dept but she didn’t want to ruin her friend’s reputation and it gave her the kick up the backside to actually work toward something and I loved that about her. Throughout the book you could see her growing in more ways than one, she embraced it even though she has this nagging guilt of being Heather and not telling her and deceiving the people around her.

The Summer Job isn’t just about Birdy, I loved the complement of the other cast of characters, Irene the owner of the hotel, Bill who was like a father figure, Roxy the sommelier trainee, who adores Birdy and then you have wonderful James *dreamy eyes*. Now this is a rom-com so I can’t not mention the romance. It’s the ‘I’m only here for the summer but I don’t get too involved as I have to leave’ type romance. But we know how the goes. James is shy, guarded but Birdy brings out something in him. Her persona is infectious. It’s that dreamy kitchen romance, where he shows her how to cook and the secret smiles and even now just typing this is making me grin madly. You’ll just fall head over heels with the characters and with this book! Add a stunning setting of rural gorgeous scotland off the coat of Skye and you’ll just fall head over heels.

The Summer Job by Lizzy Dent has now become my comfort blanket, the book I just want to hug and reread over and over again and I won’t ever get bored. Think the comedy of The Devils Wears Prada meets the romance of The Holiday. This is Lizzy’s debut and I can’t wait to read more. If you love Beth O’Leary then you will love The Summer Job.

Thank you to Penguin Viking for sending me a copy in exchange for an honest review.