Cover Image: The Summer Job

The Summer Job

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Member Reviews

The Summer Job
by Lizzy Dent
A well written book. Birdie finds herself jobless and homeless so she decides to take her best friends place at a Scottish hotel there is only one problem she is a world class sommelier but Birdie certainly isn’t - then the fun begins! Birdie finds herself on a steep learning curve. Follow her journey. A quick entertaining can’t put down read. Great character and scenery what is not to like.

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While this rom-com is undeniably enjoyable, it also surprises with its depth. I couldn't help but root for Birdy and found the setting and characters of the Scottish hotel where she spends her summer to be truly captivating.

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I ended up only reading the first 100 pages or so of this one. It was a little slow to get going and I wasn't connecting with the characters. I've left it on my Kindle as I'm tempted to give it another go in the summer time!

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I must firstly apologise for the amount of time it has taken me to provide a review of this book, my health was rather bad for quite some time, something that had me in hospital on numerous occasions and simply didnt leave me with the time I once had to do what I love most.

Unfortunately that does mean I have missed the archive date for many of these books, so It would feel unjust throwing any review together without being able to pay attention to each novel properly.

However, I am now back to reading as before and look forward to sharing my honest reviews as always going forward. I thank you f0r the patience and understanding throughout x

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Yes, this is a fun rom-com but it's also got a depth to it that you might not expect. I found myself really rooting for Birdy, and enjoying the setting and characters in the Scottish hotel where she ends up for the summer.

Thank you to Netgalley for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

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When Birdy decides to replace her best friend Heather as a Sommelier in Scotland she has bitten off way may that she realised. Birdy has had a checkered work history and so when she finds herself without a job or accommdodation she decides that it was a good idea to go to Scotland in place of Heather who was going to Italy with the potential love of her life. Not realising just ow hard the role of a sommelier is Birdy finds herself way out of her depth and having to learn over 100 wines and how to pair them with a menu as well as opening and pouring, which as Birdy finds out is so much harder than it looks.
This was a highly entertaining read and I found myself rooting for Birdy to make it through the charade. The description of the Scottish countryside made me feel like I was there and I found all the characters relevant to the storyline. Great fairly quick read that gave me a laugh and kept me turning the pages.

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Sadly this didn’t quite hit the mark for me. I think if you enjoy books similar to Sally Rooney you’ll probably enjoy this. It just didn’t do much for me. As a whole it’s pretty well written and will probably be a book I recommend quite widely for people who enjoy a lot of general fiction.

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4 stars!

Fun, heartwarming, and fast paced story about a bad decision and everyone that comes after it.

Entertaining, funny, with a dash of “she finds herself in the end”

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I do not thin it was my time to read this book: I put it away for now and I will be coming back to this once in the mood for that genre.

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I could not get into this book, ultimately it was not form me and I could not finish it. It may be one for other readers

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What a gem of a book!
Endearing characters, all the feels & so so much laughter.
Definitely one to pick up if you are a romcom fan.

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I've tried really hard to get into these Lizzy Dent books and I know a lot of people enjoy them but this was another I just couldn't connect with the writing and if I can't connect with the writing then I know I won't be able to make it through the whole book. I did try but this one just wasn't for me.

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As someone who is not "grown up" enough for wine (my dad says I'll start enjoying it in my 30s, but for now I find the bitterness of a dry red unappealing) I was really entertained by Birdie's experience attempting to be a sommelier as I know about as much about wine as she does at the start of the novel.

I love the character arc we witness Birdie going through and I genuinely felt for her in several moments. I will be looking for more Lizzy Dent books in the future because her style of humour and storytelling is my cup of tea (and definitely not my glass of red).

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If you're looking for the feel-good romcom of 2021, The Summer Job is a perfect choice! Written by Lizzy Dent, this hilarious and heartwarming story follows Birdy Finch on her unexpected summer job at a luxury Scottish hotel, as she pretends to be her best friend.

In her mission to conceal her true identity, Birdy quickly finds herself caught up in Heather's world, meeting fascinating characters and experiencing situations she's never faced before. From funny misadventures and over-the-top obstacles to overcoming her fears and making lasting memories, Birdy's journey is an exhilarating ride you won't want to miss!

The Summer Job has it all - from laugh-out-loud moments to tender heartfelt moments and a surprising but ultimately rewarding love story - making it a must-read for anyone looking for a delightful summertime escapade. With the potential to soon be adapted into a TV series, you'll definitely want to jump in on this heartwarming journey.

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Excellent book - loved the story of Birdy! So relatable I was desperate to read more and couldn’t put it down!

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I received a digital arc of this from netgalley in exchange for an honest review. There was a lot of hype around this book on social media so I was excited to read it. For me though, unfortunately, it just seemed very slow paced and I found myself being distracted from it and finding reasons to put it down. It didn't grab my interest as much as I thought it would. The premise is great and maybe I just expected too much from it, I don't know. It's a good story but not as easy flowing and fast paced as I'm used to.

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This book has been on my Netgalley shelf for far too long and I can’t believe it has taken me so long to get around to reading it.

Birds can be frustrating at times as she makes some terrible decisions, and sometimes, her behaviour is baffling. But she is warm-hearted and generous and desperately searching for fulfilment in her life.

Her decision to head to Scotland and pretend to be wine expert is so crazy, but based on best-friend Heather’s descriptions of a rundown and remote Highland hotel, Birdy think she just might be able to pull it off.

When she gets there, she is clearly massively in over her head. The hotel has had major renovations, and Michelin starred chefs and the stakes are suddenly far higher.

Things get even more complicated when Birdy falls for gorgeous James. And decides she actually loves her fake jib and fake life.

This is a fun read. I was waiting to see how far Birdy would go before she got caught out, which inevitably will. Her friendship with Heather is really constant for her, and she puts it all onto eh line for her summer job.

There are some genuinely funny moments, some that made me cringe and some heart-warming as Birdy finds her passions and discovers that her summer job is more important to her than she ever imagined.

Thank you to Netgalley for my gifted digital copy. I really enjoyed the book and am pleased to have finally ticked it off the tbr list.

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oh i really loved this book, every time you picked it up and started reading made me have a smile on my face. Whilst reading i was really rooting for birdy 'heather' and loved her sense of humour and sarcasm. The moral behind the book was touching a person truly discovering who they really are. Highly recommend.

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3.5 stars
Despite finding the heroine unlikeable in many instances, there was just something about this book that kept me reading. Said heroine was not really sympathetic...but then just enough to not be a complete 'why did I waste my time on her?' at many points. I wanted to know what was going to happen, and the setting and the food kept me rather enthralled. I don't know what it was - possibly a good balance that kept me just short of wanting to toss this one across the room? But it worked, and I really enjoyed it throughout, despite Birdy, despite Heather who is also a specimen in her own right. I kinda liked Birdy's bawdry humour which hovered just borderline of vulgar sometimes, yes, but didn't really cross the line... Again, there was just 'something' about this book, and I'll credit that to Lizzy Dent's voice and writing
It's funny and irreverent and rather heart-warming especially the more into the story you get. Stick with it, because the start can be a bit off-putting (it's a win you or lose you type of start, I'll admit) but the rest kinda makes up for it

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Birdy can't commit to a job or a relationship and when her friend decides to run away to Italy instead of take up her new job, her only thought is to impersonate her and do it for her. There is just one problem; the job is a sommelier and what she thought was a run down old hotel has been transformed into a posh venue and she is way too out of her depth!
I liked Birdy's character even though she was in the wrong and I was constantly on edge wondering if/when she was going to get caught. The rest of the hotel staff were also fun and likable and I liked the friendships she formed even though they all had no clue who she really was. There is also a bit of romance which was cute and the Scottish landscape was a wonderful setting to really en-capture the heart of this story. Overall I really enjoyed the book and how it is all brought together at the end.

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