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Birdy is 31 and has a long list of jobs she’s tried and left for one reason or another. And this summer, she’s just started a new one. But this job is unlike any she’s done before: She’s not only pretending to be a sommelier, she’s pretending to be her best friend the sommelier. And her best friend has no idea.
Heather had taken off for Italy for the summer and decided to back out of the seasonal job at an old hotel in western Scotland. Birdy, out of options for a place to live over the summer and just needing to get away, through a series of events ends up impersonating Heather at Loch Dorn. It’s crazy, but she thinks it should be manageable with some research and hard work. But, of course, it turns out to be far more difficult than she ever expected — the hotel has undergone a major transformation to an upscale property, with a kitchen overseen by a Michelin-starred chef.
If that weren’t bad enough, Birdy finds herself falling for one of the chefs, a handsome, down-to-earth local. But how can she have any relationship with him when she’s masquerading as someone else, and she’ll be leaving at the end of the summer?
This story is a fun take on a standard plot: woman who’s a screwup in work and most relationships lands herself in a crazy situation and then manages to find herself, grow, and start making changes. Will she be able to overcome the crazy situation she’s gotten into and find happiness? The answer, of course, is yes. The journey is the enjoyable part. I would recommend this as a light, entertaining, quick read except for its constant profanity.
Rated: High, for profanity and sexual content. There are about 140 instances of strong language, around 60 uses of moderate profanity, about 40 uses of mild language, and more than 60 instances of the name of Deity in vain. There are plenty of suggestive and vulgar sexual references. Sexual content aside from vulgarity is limited to some kissing and one fairly short but detailed scene.
*I received an ARC of this book in exchange for my honest review.
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