It feels like I review a lot of chick-lit on here though I don’t feel like I read as much as I used to. Interesting. But I have, once again, found another chick-lit book that I just had to read of Netgalley and that was The Summer Job by Lizzy Dent.
In this book we follow Elizabeth ‘Birdy’ Finch as she takes a job as a sommelier up in Scotland pretending to be her best friend Heather. The problem is that she knows nothing about wine and in this up and coming hotel her lies could cost her everything.
I obviously went into the book knowing that lying was going to be a big theme. But it did still bug me a little. However, where this book improved upon other books like this, is that Birdy does know it’s wrong and deals with the consequences. She might still get a happy ending, but it does make her take a long look at her life and she does have to make up for things. There’s no easy forgiveness and for that I’m grateful.
I actually got through the book super quickly and I really enjoyed it when I did. But after a few hours looking back over the book I realised that though it was an easy read. It was just, okay.
There’s a lot of heavy topics dealt with but that’s nothing new in chick-lit, and it didn’t really make me like most of the characters that much more or even feel that sorry for them. I did love the found family aspect, I just found the characters themselves a little lackluster and not particularly memorable. Which is a shame.
The setting was gorgeous and the romance was okay but overall the book wasn’t anything special. Just a foodie read set in Scotland though one that I’m sure will make others cry in places.
I would recommend it to others but it’s not one I think I’ll pick up again myself.
3/5 Stars
Lace and Dagger Books 