I've been a fan of Sophie Kinsella for years and adore her work!

When I read the summary of "The Burnout", I knew I had to read it, not because Sophie wrote it, but because it resonated with me in that moment. If you've ever felt unsatisfied with your career and overwhelmed to take the next step, this is a must-read. I truly felt every page of this story and wished I could transport myself to Sasha's beachside getaway, imperfections and all.

And if I haven't convinenced you yet, just consider the opening scene: a wild chase down the street by scheming nuns!

Thank you to NetGalley and Random House for the ARC!

There are some books that come around at the right time, making you reevaluate how YOU live your life.

This was the case for me with The Burnout from Sophie Kinsella. Kinsella is an OG for me, so it was a pleasure to read this timely (in many ways) novel.

Highly recommend!

*The Burnout* by Sophie Kinsella is a witty and heartfelt exploration of modern life’s pressures and the importance of self-care. The story follows a woman, Clara, who finds herself on the brink of burnout after juggling a demanding career, family expectations, and personal stress. Kinsella’s trademark humor and relatable characters shine through as Clara navigates the challenges of finding balance and reclaiming her well-being. The novel delves into themes of mental health, self-worth, and the importance of taking a step back. While Kinsella’s lighthearted writing makes it an easy read, *The Burnout* also offers a meaningful message for readers seeking comfort and reflection.

When her mountain of e-mails and work stress become too much to bear, Sasha Worth runs away and tries to join a convent, only to hit a brick wall--literally. The opening of The Burnout by Sophie Kinsella, which tackles a serious subject with humor, sets the tone for this rejuvenating rom-com.

After the wall incident, Sasha takes temporary leave from her job at a tech company. She travels to Rilston Bay, the seaside resort where she vacationed every year with her family as a child, though she hasn't visited in 20 years. She's now going during the off-season, but she'll have the beach to herself to practice the activities she envisions will make her healthier: yoga, meditating, communing with nature. She's shocked, however, to find her beloved resort is now run-down, with sketchy rooms and furniture. Her plans are further disrupted when the rude man she encountered on the train shows up as a guest at the same hotel. The two keep their distance, until they realize they can help each other heal as well as revitalize the resort itself.

Even when exhausted by life, Sasha is a classic Kinsella (My (Not So) Perfect Life; Finding Audrey; I've Got Your Number) protagonist: quirky, kind, and optimistic. Her relationship with Finn, the grumpy fellow hotel guest, refreshingly takes its time to build, allowing Sasha to find her own strength. Together the two rediscover simple joys like surfing, something they both did as children at Rilston. As their former instructor used to say, "you have to enjoy the ride. The ride is it." Kinsella reminds readers of the same when it comes to life.

I enjoyed this one, it had some great laugh out loud moments! As someone who has experienced burnout, I found that it also hit a little too close to home at times. I found that helped me relate to the main character much more and I understood how she got herself into some of the ridiculous situations. I also really enjoyed the rom com side of this and thought the romance was super cute!

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for this ARC in exchange for an honest review.

The Burnout had several laugh out loud moments. I throughly enjoyed this read and I do believe Finn is my new boyfriend. I loved how he helped Sasha through her burnout and how she brought out his caring loving goodtime self. The ending was very heart felt and I might’ve tested up a little bit. I will definitely be reading more from this author.

The Burnout

by Sophie Kinsella

Sasha is the Director of Special Promotions for Zoose, an app for a travel company. It was her dream job for several years—until it wasn’t. It happened gradually as the creative founder stopped being hands on, delegated a lot of authority to his brother, and the management became top-heavy. Several people quit her department in disgust and were not replaced increasing Sasha’s work load. Sasha’s complaints went unanswered. Her burnout was not pretty, and she ended up with her doctor signing off on a a three week leave. Sophia departs London for the Rilston Hotel on the beach in February. It’s cold and out of season there, and the hotel has gone downhill from the posh remembrances of her childhood, but at least she is separated from an endless parade of emails from all over the world and nonsense from the company’s “empowerment and well-being officer.”

There is a lot of humor as her mother pretends to be her very demanding PA and insists via morning telephone calls to the hotel that the staff provide Sasha with certain items that will help her on her “wellness journey” including kale smoothies and noni juice both of which are disgusting when they finally locate them for her. Her seaside room has boarded up windows, but she can spend her days in a decrepit beachside cottage that is destined to be torn down. The characters working at the lodge are just that—characters. They try so hard to please, but are very quirky. Sasha is too nice to complain or explain that she really would prefer to have crisps and a choc bar.

Sasha is not looking for romance which is good because one of the few guests is Finn, a man who also has burnout. They start not wanting to be anywhere near each other, but then discover that they both were surfing students of Terry back in the day. Everyone loved Terry who was part excellent surfing instructor and part philosopher.

The plot in The Burnout develops nicely with a growing friendship and false starts at a relationship. The pair collaborate to determine who is leaving mysterious messages in the sand. They meet up with their hero Terry again, and they find themselves a part of the small community of the town where everyone knows their business. I enjoyed the eccentric characters and felt like I was joining in on their celebration of Terry. Everyone had “Terry quotes” memorized which related to both surfing and life.

I received a complimentary copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

Rating: 4/5

Category: Women’s Fiction, Romance

Notes: Some inappropriate language and sexual references in regard to sexual organs and libido, but no open door scenes.

Publication: October 10, 2023—Random House (Dial Press)

Memorable Lines:

Finn feels safe and trustworthy. And most important, he gets it. He knows how I feel. Just to meet someone who’s been through something similar is such a relief.

Infinite waves. Infinite chances. You can’t dwell or think about what might have been. There’s always another wave. Although you have to be looking the right way to see it.

It seems most art experts are happy to spout on endlessly about their own opinion, So my method is: Let them do that while I get on with drinking the free champagne. And when they pause, say, Stunning, isn’t it?

This is a cute read. A little on the long side but I was invested enough in the characters and story to complete it. Had some lol funny parts.

This book started out fairly well for me, but quickly became hard to finish. Sasha is too old to be as whiny as she is in this book and she lets herself be bullied without standing up for herself. While I felt that the workplace burnout was very relatable, it just got too hard to deal with and took me months to finish after picking it up and putting it down multiple times. This book may be good to others and I hope that those who like it appreciate it, but it was personally not for me.

Thanks to NetGalley and Dial Press for my ARC in exchange for my honest review.

Great Chick Lit. Sophie Kinsella developed an intriguing character many women can relate to being overworked, burn out and finding their rebound in life. Love the focus on self-care.

The book starts out strong. I giggled from the silliness of it all, and the crazy situation the MC got herself into
.
After a while though, the silliness just got silly and it wasn't funny anymore.

I ended up finishing it but it was very just meh for me

I love Sophie Kinsella novels and this one did not disappoint! I loved the addressing of work burnout, because it is REAL. This had some LOL moments and definitely a rom com. I loved the coastal setting and I loved the meet cute of Sasha and Finn. The story did feel a little long, but it didn't hinder my feelings.

I adored this story about the main character, Sasha, taking time away because she's burnt out. She goes to a seaside resort (with less than perfect conditions) and has many adventures while she's there. This book was heartwarming, and made my want to take a weekend (or 3 weeks) at the sea.

As always, i enjoyed this book by Sophie Kinsella. It was fun to read and kept my interest.


Thank you to the publisher and netgalley for this review copy

Quick and light read, tackled in a single sitting. Some of the comedy was a little too silly, but still was overall an enjoyable read - appreciated the nostalgic component.

I have been reading Sophie kinsella books for the last 17 years (started with shopaholics) and I still love them!! This book hit so true for me!!
I think most of us have hit that burnout, especially from our careers.
I wasn’t sure about this book at first but I am SO glad I decided to read it!!
Sometimes you just need a break but maybe not become a nun kind of break!
Great book highly recommend

#TheBurnout #NetGalley
Sophie Kinsella has another hit on her hands. I love the characters in this novel. They are endearing and vibrant. The Burnout will have you hiding under the covers and reading the book.

Humor, love, mystery and emotion all come to life as Sasha and Finn face the turmoils of everyday life. Overworked, vulnerable and unsure of their futures the beach and their shared experiences with the quirky characters at the hotel makes for a very entertaining read. Highly recommend!

This was an enjoyable and pretty typical Sophie Kinsella book. Full of quirky characters, misunderstandings, and romance it was an enjoyable, albeit predictable read. Definitely what I would call a comfort read.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for an ARC of this book. All opinions are my own.

The Burnout by Sophie Kinsella is a story that many of us can relate to. It’s about a woman who takes on too much at work, feels undervalued, unappreciated, and unheard. Sasha faces burnout and then deals with the consequences that follow in this hilarious novel.

Sasha reaches her brink when one to many things become “urgent” and suddenly she finds herself with a need to escape right away. What follows is a series of hilarious outcomes, which cause her to take a leave of absence from her job. During this time she returns to the vacation spot from her childhood and books a room at the lavish and luxurious hotel she always dreamed of staying in. But, things aren’t always what they seem and the hotel is anything but what it once was 20 years prior. Here, she encounters a cast of unique characters who all take part in her “20 steps to wellness” she sets out to accomplish. But, will one of these encounters become romantic? Will a mystery of a drowning during her last vacation there be solved?

During her time away from work, Sasha struggles to find herself, her voice, and her purpose. But with time, everything seems to slowly change.

https://www.bellavidastyles.com/past-virtual-book-club-recordings/the-burnout-by-sophie-kinsella