In The Summer Job, we meet Birdie who’s kind of impersonating her best friend Heather because she doesn’t really have anywhere else to go. Thinking that the job she’s taking as Heather will be an easy one, she’s thrown into a world where she needs to know hundreds of wines, pairings, and recommendations, plus there’s a friendly Scottish friend that’s definitely easy on the eyes.
This read was such a breath of fresh air and Lizzy Dent really excelled at fleshing out Birdie’s character from the context of what she’s had to go through in her past compared to Heather and how it has led her to where she is now. Wine is not something I’m an expert at and although I couldn’t quite understand half of what was expected of Birdie in this job that turns out to be more challenging than previously thought, Dent does a great job at making it easy to read and like the reader is also learning and getting through the obstacles Birdie is facing. Even as a person with the least knowledge of wine, I found myself feeling more confident about it by the end of the book and really enjoyed reading from Birdie’s perspective throughout it.
This novel depicted such lovely and serene scenery based in Scotland and I fully enjoyed the character development that Birdie experienced during her journey, particularly as she got to know the cast of side characters and explore the areas of Scotland. Speaking of side characters, I loved the heartwarming found family aspect involved in the story as Birdie works towards feeling like she belongs somewhere even when she’s technically pretending to be Heather. The humour throughout the book was light and although the amount of swearing surprised me a little, I loved the easy-going nature, and particularly how well the poignant moments that discussed more serious topics were integrated with such care all the while maintaining respect and sensitivity.
Although this was definitely a fun and cute rom-com novel, the romance was not at the forefront of every decision and every scene. If anything, the romance supported Birdie’s character development which made her moments with the dreamy chef all the more enjoyable to read. While others may not like it, the fast pace was quite enjoyable as there was never a moment where it felt like things were dragging. Despite the fact this novel was a great read, I didn’t like that I wanted so much more afterwards! I got so attached to this family so quickly it’s almost a little baffling and hope we get some sort of sequel because it would be great to read more from Birdie & co.
Overall, this was such a great read (a great debut!) and I look forward to reading more from Lizzy Dent. I’d highly recommend it if you’re keen for a fast-paced, heartwarming, and fun rom-com with found family and personal development vibes. Birdie is certainly a unique character that’s out of the box, complex and energetic, which is a type of character I don’t see often in books and it was truly refreshing.
The Summer Job is available from Amazon, Book Depository, and other good book retailers, like your local bookstore.
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Synopsis | Goodreads
Birdy just got her dream job. The problem is, it’s not hers. Warning- this is not your typical rom com. 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 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)?
