I loved Kinsella's shopaholic series so much that I was super excited to read this. This book felt different. I couldn't figure out exactly what it was, but I think it's partly to do with the fact that I've grown up a lot since Shopaholic.

I also found it really hard to connect with both the MCs. Burnout had such a promising premise and I was so excited to see where it would go, as it's something I can relate to personally. Unfortunately the writing and characters just felt lackluster and didn't hook me in as much as I'd have liked.

I did eventually finish this and it did sort of get better at the end, hence the 3 stars. However the romance still felt super rushed.

I would like to thank the publisher for providing me with an ARC through NetGalley. As always, my opinions are entirely my own.

I loved the shopaholic series and her work that came directly afterward. It found her last novel lacking; The Burnout is a return to the Sophie of old and I, for one, am thrilled,

This was such a cute romcom. Everything I wanted it to be and more.

It was feel good. There were sweet moments. And the main character did some major growth during it.

This novel made me feel warmth in my chest and it was what I needed to read.

An ARC was provided by NetGalley and Random House in exchange for an honest review.

I liked this but it felt incomplete. I think it would have been better if it was dual pov. It felt like you were missing part of the story and that could easily be fixed.

I received an arc through netgalley.

I enjoyed this book so much. I loved Sasha’s character. Having been on the verge of burnout I could relate to everything she said and did. I also loved Finn all of the side characters. Burnt out and on the verge of a complete breakdown Sasha returns to a place of childhood happiness. She even opts to stay at the prestigious hotel she dreamt of staying at as a kid. On a mission to get healthy her days are full of humorous antics. Great book for a chilly weekend read.

While this wasn’t my favorite Sophie Kinsella book, I mean, what can replace the Shopaholic series? But I still enjoyed reading this. There were parts that were laugh out loud funny, parts that were completely relatable and of course the enemies to lovers trope gets me every time. There was a fun cast of supporting characters that really added to the story. And the seaside location was a dream.
Sasha has had more than enough with her job. A boss that doesn’t listen, emails that never end and a team that is severely understaffed. She finally has a meltdown and is ordered by her doctor to take a break. Her mother suggests the seaside resort they visited as a family for many years until the dad passed away. Once Sasha gets there, she meets hunky Finn, who is also struggling with burnout and together they work on themselves and discover a mystery to solve in the process. While at it, Sasha reconnects with some of the people she used to know when she visited as a child.
There’s a lot covered in this book and the idea of running away from your life-who can’t relate to that? I liked the learning to make yourself a priority aspect and the romance not being rushed into worked well.
Thanks to Dial Press and NetGalley for this eArc in exchange for my review.

Sadly I think I've outgrown Sophie Kinsella which I'm totally bummed about. I'm not sure if her writing style has changed or it's just me getting older and reading so many other charming chick lits out there. I tried my hardest to like this one, especially feeling like I could relate to her burnout so much! Of course there were some parts that were cute and funny, but overall it felt somewhat immature and many times slow for me so I just couldn't connect. I really wanted to love this one but quite sadly can't say that.

A fun story and great vacation read. There are some hilarious moments as Sasha leaves her job and heads to the once lavish and posh hotel at Rilston Beach. When she gets there, she's surprised at the current condition and quirky staff but looks forward to having the beach to herself. It's fun to watch her try to work through the 20 steps from the wellness app her mom recommended. And then Finn shows up and they bicker for a while before becoming friends and developing feelings.
I enjoyed this, but I wished there was more of the relationship. I felt the focus was more on Sasha's transformation.

Oh how I ADORE this book!! Kinsella’s voice is so funny and so enjoyable to read. The side characters were so absurd and loveable and really set the stage for this book. Sasha and Finn’s personal journeys along with the development of their relationship throughout the book made this book such a joy. Highly recommend to anyone who needs to remember that the ride is it.

A lovely novel of two people who meet when they need each other most.

Sasha is a hardworking marketing exec who finds herself pushed to the limit. After walking out of her job, she is asked to take some time off to reexamine her priorities. Against her better judgement, she travels to a seaside resort that she spent time at as a child with her parents. Determined to better herself with rest and relaxation , she finds it difficult when a taciturn man ends up sharing her beach. Slowly the two talk and find they are in similar situations. It also turns out they have something in common related to the resort and beach and it gives them new purpose.

A beautiful setting, good humor and real characters, this book was treat.

This is my first book by Kinsella, and honestly, I wasn’t super impressed. If I didn’t know, I would think it was her debut novel. This book was a bit of a mess. It’s like the author was unable to decide what genre she wanted to write so she sprinkled in a little bit of everything, but only half heartedly.

The first couple chapters had me excited for the book, it was hilarious and honestly Sasha was very relatable being a bit mentally unstable feeling myself at times. After that it got boring. It drags on with no obvious direction and just feels sloppy. The last 10%ish gets better and has a good feeling to it, but just isn’t the direction you think the book is going to go.

The side characters were funny and made it a bit more enjoyable, they brought comedic relief and I loved Terry’s character and the legacy he built, but I just didn’t find myself excited to read this one.

For being led to believe it was a romance, the romance is barely there and is so slow, then rushed, then putters out. I didn’t find myself rooting for the characters to be together, and wasn’t really excited when they were. Their friendship was nice, but the relationship building was really lacking.

Overall, I don’t necessarily regret reading it, but I wouldn’t read it again, and wouldn’t really recommend it to my friends or followers. I found myself wanting to just get it over with so I could move on to something else.

2.5 Stars

Thank you to NetGalley for providing an ARC. Sophie Kinsella is a go-to author for me. The Burnout was an enjoyable story that was both hilarious and cringy at times; think Bridget Jones vibes. Despite the light read, it also tackled some tough topics like our very real overworking tendencies and anxiety. I wouldn’t be surprised if it ends up on the big screen since it has just the right amount of humor and drama.

Reading this book while I was somewhat burned out myself may not have been the best idea because I could somewhat relate to the main character (though in a far less extreme way!). I typically like Sophie Kinsella’s books and this was every bit as enjoyable as I expected.

Sophie Kinsella's books can be categorized into 3 distinct eras: 1) Can you keep a secret? until Wedding Night 2) Finding Audrey through The Party Crasher and 3) Shopaholic. The sharpest wit, humor and plot development are found in the first era, 2003-2013. It was during this time that chick lit, Sex and The City, The L Word, Single Ladies, and the whole aura of the modern career woman reigned supreme. She was everywhere and everyone loved her. However, times changed and by 2015, society assumed she made it and wrote her off into the sunset.
It was during this time that Ms. Kinsella's books entered its second era. The prose became prosaic with similar plots in different settings. This lasted until The Burnout. It harkens back to the golden age of chick lit and Kinsella's best era. The plot follows other early Kinsella novels where the main protagonists initially do not like each other but grow to fall in love. Also, there are several humorous characters that bring fun and games to the story along with the obligatory light mystery and a heartfelt misunderstanding about the relationship that acts as the tension to keep the reader turning the pages.
Sasha Worth and Finn Birchall find themselves at the Rilston Hotel on the English seaside to recover from toxic stress. After a series of mix-ups, they gradually become attracted to each other and fall in love. The Rilston Hotel, a family resort that has fallen into disrepair, is chock full of quirky characters Cassidy, Simon, Nikolai, etc. who provide comedic relief for the love story such as sourcing the green kale and noni juice smoothies, coordinating the dismal resort events and tricky hotel app, and creating the mysterious beach messages for Sasha and Finn to solve.
The Burnout is for Sophie Kinsella fans who are looking for heyday women's pop fiction. This book is it. Funny, friendly entitled Karens made a splash 20 years ago. The best of their times are behind them. The Burnout pretty much sums it up.

I really enjoyed this book. The premise was super relatable and the setting was so interesting. Sasha was hilarious and I loved reading about her exploits and her budding relationship with Finn. I would definitely recommend this book.

This wasn't my favorite Sophie Kinsella, but it was quick and had some very cute moments. 
*
Sasha is completely overworked and burned out, and after an embarrassing blow-up at work, she takes a few weeks off to spend at the beach hotel resort she went to as a kid and try to rejuvenate. Only the hotel isn't at all what she remembers, and she has to share the beach with a grumpy guy who is also there to recharge. 
*
So there were a couple things I didn't like about this. First, it was so over-the-top ridiculous that it made it hard to connect to at first. And it was also just soooo predictable. Every time a new element was introduced, I knew exactly where it was going and nothing ended up surprising me. 
*
That said, there was an element about the ending that was really sweet. And there was a lot that was relatable about Sasha's issues with burnout, and it was uplifting to see how she handled it. 
*
So I didn't love it, but could be a light, fun book and especially helpful if you're struggling with burnout yourself!

Squeeeee! Kinsella is a favorite writer of mine. She never lets me down. This grumpy/grumpy romance on the dilapidated coast was so adorable! I kept laughing out loud (snorting really) and had to stop reading on my commute! I’ve preordered this and can’t wait to read it again on audio later this month when it releases. This is the epitome of feel good fiction. Where would I be without Sophie Kinsella? I don’t even want to imagine.

Sasha is over it. She is burnout from work and literally can’t take it one more second. She finds herself at a resort she went to as a child with her family. She’s hoping while here she can rest and figure out what to do with her life.

At this resort, she meets Finn, who is also there for a retreat from work. He is trying to sort out some of his issues as well. They start to hang out and you can see a change in Sasha. They had a rough start but you can see something start to blossom as they spend more time together.

This book made me laugh out loud at times. I loved Sasha’s inner monologue and I found her to be relatable at times. This book is goofy, sweet, cute, and fun. But it also has some depth which took me by surprise. It also deals with some heavy topics which when reading, made my heart hurt.

I loved all the characters and this is such a comfy, cozy read. If you want a book that will make you laugh, maybe cry, and just feel warm and cozy, check this one out on the 10th!

Thank you to NetGalley and Random House- The Dial Press for the ARC in exchange for a honest review.

The day I read a book by Sophpie Kinsella without laughing, squealing, and kicking my feet, is the day I know I’ve checked out of life. Kinsella is the queen of hijinks and completely over-the-top characters that I fall in love with immediately, and The Burnout is packed to the brim with both. It’s equal parts slice-of-life, romance, and small-town-living, and never takes itself too seriously.

The only reason you wouldn’t enjoy this book is if you’re not interested in pure fun. This book is goofy, silly, sweet, cute, adorable, all of the sunshine adjectives. It’s also so funny. The one-liners and background mayhem from the hotel staff, Sasha’s family, and the townspeople, are all perfectly added into the perfect seaside adventure. For a more detailed review, check out my website!

Thank you to NetGalley and The Dial Press for sending me an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

As with most Sophie Kinsella books, this was funny and fun. It also felt timely and was a quick read. It wasn't my favorite of hers but a solid, solid effort and you won't be disappointed if you're a fan of her zany characters. I loved the setting as well. Definitely add this one to your TBR pile!

The Burnout comes out next week on October 10, 2023 and you can purchase HERE.

My flat is a shambles. Everywhere I look I see the evidence of some task I've been intending to do, from the unopened tester paint pots to the exercise bands I was going to use to the dead plants to the magazines I haven't read. It was Mum who gave me the subscription to Women's Health. Mum, who works at an estate agency and does Pilates and has a full face of makeup on before 7 A.M. every day.

She makes me feel like a complete failure. How does she do it? By my age she was married and making lasagna every night for Dad. I have one job. One flat. No children. But still life feels impossible.