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The Dressmaker's Secret by Susanne Dunlap #Review

We are diving into the past to the nineteenth century with the Regency romance, The Dressmaker's Secret Earl by Susan Dunlap . It was published by Comfortable Prose Publishing on 25 Mar. 2025 .   A marriage of convenience to a scoundrel? Not if Augusta can help it. The impoverished daughter of a baronet, Augusta has no intention of being bartered away like a prize horse. Instead, she flees to London, determined to forge her own path as a modiste. But fate has other plans. On her very first day in the city, she crosses paths with a brooding earl—one burdened with a clubfoot and a reputation nearly as scandalous as the proposal she ran from. His captivating sister, Mariana, is not only Augusta’s employer’s best client but harbors a secret ambition of her own: to marry the one man society deems wholly unsuitable. Drawn into Mariana’s reckless schemes of masquerades, cross-dressing, and Whig intrigue, Augusta soon finds herself entangled in more than just scandal—she’s lo...
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The Summer Job by Lizzy Dent #Review

 

I am so happy to be featuring Lizzy Dent's debut romcom, The Summer Job which is published by Penguin on April 15th. 

 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)

The Summer Job is a fresh, fun, feel-good romcom for fans of The Flatshare, Bridget Jones and Bridesmaids.

My Thoughts

This is a real escapist read, just perfect for the coming summer. The central character, Birdy, is always entertaining and wears her heart on her sleeve. She gets herself into a situation she finds it hard to get out of, as she checks out of her London life and heads to Scotland. The setting is gorgeous and there are some lovely descriptive passages which fit beautifully into how she is feeling.

  Birdy has had a difficult childhood and as the story develops, she has a yearning for the security she sees others have had. Her relationship with Heather throws light on both their insecurities. You feel all the characters Birdy meets have their own story to tell and there feels like there is more to come. if Lizzy decides to write it. There are some genuinely funny episodes but also some poignant momentswhen things do not go to plan. Overall, it is a fun read with some sparky characters and at the heart, a gentle romance.

In short: Fun, feisty and fabulous!

About the Author

 Lizzy Dent (mis)spent her early twenties working in Scotland in hospitality, in a hotel not unlike the one in this novel. She somehow ended up in a glamorous job travelling the world creating content for various TV companies, including MTV, Channel 4, Cartoon Network, the BBC and ITV. But she always knew that writing was the thing she wanted to do, if only she could find the confidence. After publishing three young adult novels, she decided to write a novel that reflected the real women she knew, who don't always know where they're going in life, but who always have fun doing it. The Summer Job is that novel.

You can follow Lizzy here: Twitter  |  Website   |  Instagram

Book link: Amazon UK 

Thanks to Lizzy Dent and Ellie Hudson of Viking Books for a copy of the book and a place on the tour.

Check out the rest of the tour!


 

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