The premise of The Summer Job is reminiscent of The School of Rock plot or any impersonatation scheme. It is never a good idea to make your main character a liar off the bat and the compelling reasoning is only revealed much later. Too late for redemption? Perhaps for some, but what I found initially generic and frivolous grew on me much Birdy's appreciation for all things Scottish. There is contemplative mindfulness mixed in with the silly and I enjoyed Birdy's journey.

This book was an absolute delight and I’m surprised I’m not seeing more of it on Bookstagram! I mean, who doesn’t want to read a book about wine? 🍷 While Birdy is a hot mess, she’s quirky and lovable and I was rooting for her the whole time. She’s also hilarious - her voice reminded me a bit of Lillian from Nothing to See Here and I laughed out loud a lot. The author’s clear knowledge of the hospitality industry and the level of detail she incorporated is what really brought the book to life for me - I felt like I was there (and I want to go there!). The whole cast of characters was great - you really got to know everyone working at the hotel. While labeled as a romance, this book was so much more - it’s about growing up and figuring out who you are in this world. I also loved that Birdy is in her 30’s - it’s a good reminder that it’s normal to not have every aspect of life figured out while you’re young.

I highly recommend The Summer Job, especially for fans of Younger (secrets about identity) and Outlander (takes place in the Scottish Highlands). I don’t think the Goodreads rating is doing this one justice at all, I liked it so much!

I absolutely loved Birdie (ahem, Heather)! She was so endearing and funny - the life of the party with a snappy comeback in a tense situation.
The setting was beautiful and so realistic, I felt as if I was right there. The details of wine, food & hospitality were very interesting.
Every character was well rounded,
the author dealt with different personalities both compassionately and realistically.
I was rooting for Birdie throughout the book and I felt I knew her personally.
Perhaps Lizzy Dent is a lot like Birdie herself?
Anyway, I will be sure to look for the next book from this author!

I enjoyed learning about all the wine and being in the countryside of Scotland in book. The scene was set beautifully.

I dont feel this exactly worked for me. The love interest seemed forced. I strongly dislike the aspect of lying. I was hoping the main character would have come clean much earlier.

Overall, this wasn't a win for me. I did finish this novel and enjoyed the ending.

3 stars.

"The Summer Job" is a great summer read. The premise is obviously ridiculous--the thought that you could pass you as a Sommelier is obviously ridiculous, but It didn't stop me from enjoying the book. If you have worked in a restaurant, I suspect you will really enjoy this read. It's a lighter version of "Sweet Bitter."

What is wrong with me? This book has it all. I can not get into it though. I have no idea why I am so disinterested. At this point, I will not be finishing this novel. I do not feel that rating this book a one or two star is fair....I did not finish it.

A great beach read about a young woman at loose ends who learns to respect herself and find a place to belong after pretending to be her best friend to get a job at Scottish resort for the summer. Great character development, with a plot that keeps the reader turning the pages.

Imagine Bridget Jones trying to fake her way through being a sommelier.
Heather Finch, “Birdy”, has been best friends with Elizabeth since they were six years old. Their family lifestyles were pretty opposite. Elizabeth had a wealthy father (widower) who made his money in the wine business and gave Elizabeth everything she ever wanted. Birdy grew up with an alcoholic father and a mother who spent alot of time covering this up, sometimes to the extent of letting Birdy take the blame for her father’s mistakes. Birdy’s relationship with her parents is non-existent, so when Elizabeth (also her roommate) wants to run away to Italy with her ‘boyfriend’ for the summer, it leaves Birdy without a place to stay. Birdy’s boyfriend, Tim, won’t invite her to stay with him and she definitely does not want to go home to her parents. So why not pretend to be your best friend, a sommelier, at a run down Scottish Hotel for the summer. Who would know? Well, the hotel ends up not being so run down and the kitchen is run by a well known tyrant of a Chef named Russell (imagine Gordon Ramsey). During Birdy’s ruse as Heather, she finds friendship, a sense of purpose, and love. It is a cute and enjoyable story. I just wish that the pace at the beginning of the novel moved a bit faster or at least included bigger climactic events, so much happened in the last quarter of the book. There is a little sub-plot twist that I was not expecting. I could easily visualize the characters, flaws and all, although I was not terribly fond of any of them. Not sure if I would quite categorize it as a Rom-Com, not alot of Rom and some Com…so maybe Rom-Com lite? This is a nice light summer read. #TheSummerJob #NetGalley

I sadly couldn't get into this one very well. I didn't find the main character to be super likeable. I ended up more frustrated with the character to just tell the truth!! This was a fun premise, and a quick read once I finally got into after 5 or 6 chapters.

This book was a delight to read. I was excited to see blurbs from some of my favorite authors on the jacket, including “Beach Read” author Emily Henry. “The Summer Job” did a fantastic job establishing its setting and writing believably about the hospitality industry. I was fully immersed both in the world of hospitality and in the gorgeous, remote Scottish landscape Lizzy Dent brought to life. Dent’s characters, especially Birdy, feel fresh and relatable. After reading the interview with Dent where she mentions some characters from TV and movies that she drew from for Birdy’s character, I think she did a spot-on job of writing a flawed, yet likable female protagonist that you can’t help but root for. While Birdy is the main character, the author fleshes out the other characters well, making them feel like real people with their own stories, shortcomings and aspirations. While I would have been interested to learn more about some of their histories, that’s just a testament to how Dent got me invested in these characters. The writing is clean and easy to read, but Dent’s specific descriptions of food, drink and nature are beautifully detailed. The dialogue felt realistic to me as well. The story allows for its main character to grow over the course of the book, but no so much so that it feels forced. The themes, of feeing directionless when everyone around you seems to have their lives together, and of the importance of family—biological or not, really resonate. Whether you’re looking for a fun summer read with depth, a literary escape to Scotland, a story you can get emotionally invested in, or all of the above, I’d definitely recommend “The Summer Job.”

This book was so much fun! I loved it. I laughed so hard and definitely wanted to be friends with Birdy. If you are looking for a fun summer read, look no further!

Despite a rather implausible set up, this book was a lot of fun. It makes for a great summer read - just the right amount of frothy.

DNF @ 40%
This story focuses on Birdy, she took a summer job in Scotland pretending to be her best friend Heather, a noted wine expert. She knows nothing about wine, except how to drink it. DNF at 40%, While the writing was good, I found that nothing was really happening with the story line or the romance. I became bored pretty early on, but I pushed myself to read another 20 % hoping that it would pick up, but never did. Birdy just kept trying to hide she had know idea what she was doing and kept getting injured which made up the first half of the story I read. I found both main characters to be childish, making poor judgement choices, especially for a noted and rising wine connoisseur. It that really did not fit with how successful she was. Overall, nothing was happening, the romance storyline was barely there. It came off as juvenile and very frustrating.
Trigger warnings: Alcoholism
I received this advanced ebook, via Netgalley. This review is my own honest opinion.

Liked it and enjoyed the read, but didn't love it. Felt more like women's fiction than romance. But I enjoyed the characters and the setting quite a lot!

Lizzy Dent’s debut novel is a fun foray into the world of fine dining and wine pairing. The story is set in Scotland, at Loch Dorn, an upscale Michelin Star restaurant. In this case of mistaken identity, the heroine, Elizabeth (Birdy) Finch, finds herself acting as their sommelier. It’s a job she knows virtually nothing about but thinks she can fake it, until she sees the 20-page wine list. Birdy, along with the reader, gets a crash course in fine wine and food, and learns the beauty and hospitality of the Scottish west coast. There is humor and charm galore from beginning to end, as Birdy does her best to be herself, while pretending to be someone else. A fun summertime read. Bon appetit!

This was a great chick lit read, but something happened while reading this that I don’t usually experience - I couldn’t help but feel SO ANGRY at the main character, Birdy, for how she treats her best friend! Once I got over it and reminded myself that it was a work of fiction, I really did like the plot and how well the characters and setting were established.

I am sorry for not reviewing fully but I don’t have the time to read this at the moment. I believe that it wouldn't benefit you as a publisher or your book if I only skimmed it and wrote a rushed review. Again, I am sorry for not fully reviewing!

This book perfectly filled the Sweetbitter sized hole in my bookshelf that's been living there since I finished that novel. I was happy to escape to the world of Scottland and emerge myself into the unknown world of wine with Birdy, as she ventured on this crazy journey. The cast of characters she met along the way were an added, lovely bonus.

I thought this was great!! I loved the character development and it was just the right pace. The story itself was familiar, yet completely unique. I would definitely read more from this author.

#TheSummerJob #NetGalley
Lizzy Dent’s, The Summer Job will not disappoint. It is a story about Elizabeth “Birdy” Finch, a woman whose childhood had much to be desired. In place of her family, she has her wonderful childhood friend, Heather, who has a love for wine and a much better home life.
An opportunity for Birdy to change her uneventful life arises when Heather decides she would rather run off with her boyfriend to Italy than to show up for a job as a sommelier at an Inn/Restaurant in Scotland. Unbeknownst to Heather, Birdy takes on her identity and becomes an uneducated sommelier at that Inn. Through a comedy of errors, new friendships, and love, Birdy discovers more about herself and where she wants to be in life.
This was a wonderful summer read, and so entertaining. I would strongly recommend it to all who love a heartwarming, funny story. Thank you to Netgalley and Penguin Group Putnam, G.P. Putnam’s Sons for this ARC.