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).
I'd like to thank Ellie at Penguin Books for inviting me to be a part of this blog tour and for my proof copy of The Summer Job to review.
Have you ever wished you could be someone else? That is exactly the situation that our central character Birdy Finch finds herself in after her best friend Heather asks her to decline a job she's been offered as a wine expert at a Scottish hotel. Instead because of circumstances she finds herself in, Birdy decides to step into Heather's shoes and take on the job herself. How hard can it be?
From the outset I found myself wondering how she ever thought she could get away with it, pulling the wool over the eyes of her new colleagues with her extensive wine knowledge when she doesn't know a Riesling from a Chardonnay. But also at what risk to Heather's professional reputation? If everything falls apart then it's not only her life up in smoke but also that of her best friend Heather who knows nothing about what Birdy is doing.
No sooner had she arrived then Birdy realises that this won't be quite as simple to blag her way through as she had hoped, her wine for dummies book isn't going to cut it to convince everyone that she knows what wine to pair with the mouth-watering dishes being prepared in the kitchen. I literally cringed at some of the circumstances she finds herself in, who knew that opening a champagne bottle could cause such an injury... only Birdy could hurt herself in that way!
The more I learned of Birdy's background, the more I began to understand her and her desire to fit in even if I felt her impulsive actions were completely reckless. She hasn't exactly had an easy life but it's about time that she grew up and stopped flitting through life from one situation to another. Is this the Summer that she finally finds herself?
I loved the setting, a luxury hotel in the Scottish countryside. It definitely sounded like the place I would love to escape to right now after the year we've had. There's nothing better than being able to go for a leisurely walk during the day then return for a tasty meal cooked by someone else.
Overall The Summer Job is the perfect escapism read although it wasn't all light-hearted as there were also some heavier themes featured as well.
No comments:
Post a Comment