The Burnout

I love Sophie Kinsella books and this one doesn’t disappoint at all. It’s a perfect escape from every day life.

This book resonated with me on so many levels. I fully identify with Sasha & her burnout. Sophie Kinsella was writing directly to me/about me when describing Sasha’s state of mind about work & how it was affecting her mental health & personal life. Have I tried to join a convent & run into a brick wall while escaping my horrible office & coworkers? No, no I haven’t. But the landslide of emails, the constant inescapable workload & the irritation with useless colleagues/upper management? Yup. The lack of desire to cook, see friends & have fun? Yes, 100%. Nail on the head. On top of all that, the beach is my happy place, so right off the bat I thought this was going to be a 5-star read. Come on, reading about how work can overtake your life, ruin it, chew you up & spit you out? And then going to the beach to recuperate & heal? SIGN. ME. UP. And this was a 5-star read, until about the 85% mark. Now, don’t get me wrong, I still loved it. Finn was adorable & lovable & the perfect MMC for this story. The mystery of the messages left on the beach, Terry & his wisdom, & the side characters at the hotel. All perfection. I laughed out loud, I cried, and then I laughed again through tears. So why wasn’t it 5 stars? The ending. I expected the 3rd act breakup. My heart was prepared. And sure, Sasha & Finn got their HEA. And I am nothing if not a HEA girl. But their reconciliation felt rushed, and then the book just ended. On a fantastic callback line, I might add. But I wanted more Finn & Sophie. I needed a hefty, happy epilogue, or a couple more chapters about them reuniting & their life together after burnout. The whole book felt like eating a delicious ice cream sundae with all my favorite toppings. Then right at the end, I was left with nothing but excess hot fudge & nuts at the bottom of an empty bowl. The ratio was wrong. I needed one more bite of ice cream to balance everything out & make it perfect. I guess I’m nitpicking though. I’ll definitely read this book again to be reminded of Terry’s infinite & awesome wisdom about surfing, which somehow relates wholly to everything in life.

Full disclosure: I love Kinsella's books. I love her sense of humor, the quirkiness she gives her characters, and her relatable plots. This one was no different. I found myself totally laughing my head off (the scene with the nuns and the wall was brilliant) while also identifying 100% with the poor overwhelmed, totally burnt-out Sasha. Geez, do I feel her pain! The whole thing was brilliant and zany: the hotel and its ridiculous but lovable staff, the broken down cottages, the memories, the chaos caused by misunderstandings and fear of telling the truth... the romance (swoon). I was a little disappointed in the real reason why Finn had kept his secrets (just felt a little too unbelievable, too contrite), but the rest of the book more than makes up for it. As usual Kinsella wrote a book about being a woman in today's world with humor, compassion, and humanity. Highly recommend it.

When I first picked it up, I wasn’t sure how I would get through 400+ pages, but the story flowed more easily than I expected. Sophie Kinsella’s biggest strength here is her ability to take ordinary situations and stretch them into outrageously funny moments. She has a knack for exaggeration—the kind that makes you shake your head and think, “yes, work really can feel this ridiculous.” The humor consistently worked for me, especially in the way she describes Sasha’s spiraling work stress and the absurdity of corporate wellness programs. The burnout theme also resonated. Not in a heavy, emotional way, but in the “I’ve been there” sense. Most of us have experienced some flavor of modern work stress, and Kinsella brings out its funny, exaggerated corners without trivializing it. Some parts didn’t work as well. Sasha’s tendency to leap to conclusions without talking to anyone felt a bit stereotypical and occasionally predictable. But the humor carried the story forward. The romance between the two leads was…fine. Not the strongest part of the book, not the weakest either. What intrigued me more was how the story plays with the idea of people crossing paths without realizing it. That feeling of looking at someone and wondering, Have we unknowingly intersected before? Kinsella uses this idea beautifully—it adds a layer of charm without spoiling the plot. Overall, this is a light, humorous read—perfect if you want something that blends workplace comedy, gentle romance, nostalgia, and a quirky escape to the seaside.

Enjoyed the descriptions of the Rilston and its adorable staff, and of course the beach and waves. The slow buildup of the Finn Sasha relationship was at times frustrating (did this have to be a 400;page novel?) but very engaging characters. Lots of chuckles reading it. Will recommend to girlfriends for a light summer read

Kinsella brings fresh characters, plot and setting to every book. Her imagination runs so deep. The Burnout is set at a beach resort with a marvelous main character recovering from the job from hell. Classic with many fresh turns. One of her best.

Loved it! Sophie Kinsella is the best, always, but I think it is one of her best! I really enjoyed the storyline, the places, the characters... Funny, sensitive and sexy! Perfect read!

I’m a huge Sophie Kinsella fan. She’s the only author I buy novels from and I’m never disappointed when I read. I personally recommend any Sophie Kinsella novel. Excited to sink into the blankets to read this novel❣️

As well written and hilarious as all her books. Once I started reading it, I couldn't stop until it was over. I completely recommend It!

Uma das características que eu mais aprecio nos livros da autora é o humor, que não é forçado e consegue divertir e fazer qualquer leitor dar boas risadas. Esse não é diferente. O tema central do enredo é sério e até um pouco tenso, já que a personagem principal acaba de passar por uma estafa física e mental originada pelo trabalho e volta ao local em que passava férias na infância para se recuperar. No entanto, tudo é abordado de forma leve e muito realista, com algumas passagens tristes, outras muito engraçadas e até emocionantes. Além disso, há a construção gradativa de uma amizade entre duas pessoas que se ajudam mutuamente na superação, que se torna um lindo romance. Ótima história!

Great humour, nice characters, lots of situations and good advice. Thoroughly enjoyable read. Recommended. The ride is it. The ride is IT.