Okay so let's be honest - it is Sofie Kinsella so it is an automatic read.
But also, the scenario is very relatable to so many of us, who has the work-hard-play-hard life but somehow only end up doing the working hard bit and none of the playing.
A perfect winter holiday read, or beach read, or late-night self-care read. Just read it and lose yourself in the mystery of the messages on the beach.

Sophie Kinsella is one of my must buy authors and I’ve been reading her books now for the best part of of twenty years. The Burnout didn’t let me down and was Kinsella’s signature style of relatability, humour and a pinch of romance. Sasha is currently just surviving. Work is driving her mad and anything outside of work just feels like too much effort. She gets to breaking point and decides to take herself on a “retreat” to the seaside town she spent so much time in during summer holidays as a child. When she arrives she finds that it’s not quite as magical as her memories, but she tries her best to overcome her burnout with some interesting activities suggested by her mum! She meets Finn, who is grumpy and seems to be there for a similar reason to her and they quickly become enemies. Until events in the town force them to speak to each other and they find they have more in common than they think.

I loved this book. I really felt an affinity with Sasha as I have been feeling the same as her towards the end of this year (I know I’m not the only one!). In my minds eye Rilston Bay became the seaside town that I loved as a child and it was very easy to get lost in this book. It was both funny and down to earth with a real message about burnout and mental health and how we all just need a break from life sometimes.

Sasha is at a crossroads in her life, feeling overworked and disconnected from her friends and her own desires. Seeking solace, she travels to a Devon resort she loved as a child, only to find it in disrepair and shared with a grumpy, stressed-out man named Finn. As they navigate their differences and the mysterious messages appearing on the beach, Sasha and Finn begin to open up to each other, discovering they have more in common than they thought. A heartwarming and humorous tale of self-discovery, friendship, and the unexpected ways we can find connection when we least expect it.

A lovely easy read. Full of actual laugh out loud moments with a dash of intrigue and a whole dollop of self healing and love. I found this book heart warming and thoroughly enjoyable. Well worth a read!

Thank you Netgalley

Always have enjoyed the author and her books! Loved the this one and glad I was able to read an advanced copy

Sasha is burned out and exhausted by her job. Before things can get any worse her family satge an intervention and send her to the place of her childhood holidays for a break. However in the midlle of winter it's not quit as she remembered - the hotel is falling apart and a seriously rude and grumpy man always seems to be on the one bit of beach she wants.

I couldn't have read this book at a more opportune time. Whilst my personal situation differs in many ways I was completely exhausted and could really use a break. I loved escaping in the pages of this book with Sasha. It made me laugh out loud and feel comforted in equal measure and I will recommed it to everyone!

I remember really enjoying Sophie Kinsella's shopaholic books quite a few years ago and I was happy to see that she hasn't lost her touch. This story had me laughing out loud at the antics of the staff at the now seriously run down Rilston Bay hotel. I don't know who was the funniest, Herbert the elderly porter who had to be propped up by the guests, Cassidy the receptionist and embroidered thong saleswoman or Simon the overly eager manager.. Anyway I'll let you decide for yourself. Just be prepared to laugh until you cry and, in my case anyway, scare the life out of the cat..
Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for an ARC of this book.


L

Kinsella is back! I loved this. It was really fun and clever. I thought I knew exactly where it was going but it had enough twists to keep me hooked.

The Burnout was a great read, exactly the fast-paced I expected.

Got to know characters immediately and felt part of their story with some brilliant laugh out loud moments when not expected. Easy to read with a touch of Bridget Jones type humour.

This was such a mature and adult story shrouded in British humor and wit.
We follow Sasha worth as she tries to reassess her entire life and find meaning after having a semi meltdown at her work place. She escapes to a nostalgic place to recoup and while she is focused on fixing her life, she inadvertently fixes those of people around her

I love the way the writer approaches the issue of being burnout not just in the place or work but with life generally. We are so induced with the idea of “keep going” that we forget to stop and take stock of where we are going. That depression and stress can take on so many subtle forms that one can totally miss it.
It also shows the extent that childhood memories shape us and how we see life. Terry had such a huge impact on so many kids who grew up to be impactful adults due to his words of encouragement.

Lastly, one can never really love fully if you aren’t whole with yourself. How liking or even enjoying what you do is so important because it reflects on your approach to life.

A laugh-out-loud funny but touching romantic story about work burnout and finding friendship (and love) in the most unexpected of places. After facing numerous challenges at work Sasha heads to a seaside resort to try and recenter her life and find peace within herself to discover a new path. What she doesn't expect to discover, however, is sharing her isolated beach with a grumpy man called Finn. But slowly as their lives begin to crossover in small ways they discover they have more in common than they think, and they both start to learn to have a bit of fun again.

The Burnot is so relatable for anyone working full-time, we have all felt it when the pressure gets too much and you haver to snap. Although, I can't say it's ever resulted in me running away to join a nunnery haha. The burnout is written in true Sophie Kinsella style, if your a fan of her, Giovanna Fletcher, or Paige Toon, you'll love this one!

The Burnout opens with a classic slice of Kinsella goofiness. Overworked Sasha has had enough and decides joining the convent opposite her work is a good idea but when they reject her and HR turn up to drag her back to her desk Sasha takes to her heels and ends up running straight in to a brick wall. Diagnosed with burnout Sasha takes herself off to childhood holiday destination for some Insta inspired rest and relaxation only to find angry, sad Fin sitting on the only good rock on the beach. How dare he? Classic Kinsella, heartfelt, feel good fun.

Sophie Kinsella is the author that made me fall in love again with reading almost twenty years ago. I have read and loved all the Shopaholic books and most of her stand-alones. So I always look forward to discovering a new story by her hand. And although I have enjoyed her last few ones, I have not been blown away by her characters and plots any more. For example, The Burnout has an interesting premise, one many of us can relate to: work takes over your life and you lose the will to do anything else. So I was really curious to see how Kinsella would explore this topic.

Here, our main characters takes a few days off and stays in a hotel in the coast fighting for its survival. I was a bit disappointed how everything turned out to be so silly once she gets to the hotel, like the staff being so old that they would fall asleep while talking, or the tables being carton boxes instead. I do like some silliness and fun situation but here it all got a bit absurd.

However, I did enjoy the main story and how it progressed. It did dig a bit deeper in the main issues and I think it was not rushed.

Hmm… ok firstly I just want to say that all through my teens if you had asked me who my favourite author was it would have been Sophie kinsella handsdown but lately her books just aren’t working for me anymore.

I know I overly disect books but I absolutely hate it when I end up reading a book and constantly thinking , you wouldn’t say that, or that wouldn’t happen.
When I’m confronted with those thoughts it breaks the illusion and I can’t get a fix on the characters or picture them clearly.
There were moments that I thought it had lots of potential and the opening was fairly strong but it was just a bit too silly sadly and not one for me.
That being said I will still keep reading kinsella. Becky bloomwood will always have my heart.

4.25 stars
This is the second stand-alone Sophie Kinsella book that I've read and given the time of year, The Burnout arrived in my life at exactly the right time.
I definitely feel burnout creeping in every so often, especially in the run up to Christmas and I could just imagine taking a break from work and everything else and going back to a childhood holiday spot to escape it all.
I liked Sasha and Finn and was rooting for them to finally get together, so it was a nice slow burn.
However, I'm never a fan of the miscommunication trope. And even though I liked that Sasha and Finn took time to themselves for six months, I just wished that they would talk to one another.
I loved seeing the journey that Sasha went on though.
The ending was also really special and definitely made me feel warm and fuzzy.
Thank you to Netgalley for providing me with a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

4.5 stars

I’ve read Sophie Kinsella since her early Shopaholic days and have enjoyed watching her novels evolve from straight, laugh-out-loud — but essentially fluffy — romcom into more layered writing that encompasses serious themes, albeit in a lighthearted way. For me, her books just get better and better. And this is one of my favorite yet.

Meet Sasha, director of special promotions for the Zoose travel app. Overwhelmed by the pressures of her job, she’s finally flipped and hit a wall — literally! The nuns won’t have her, so it’s off to the seaside town where she used to holiday as a child for a few weeks of R&R.

Meet Finn, the only other guest at the formerly grand but now dilapidated beachfront hotel. He’s rude, arrogant and shouts at little kids. And what’s more, he’s appropriated the flat rock where Sasha likes to practice her mindfulness.

They despise each other on sight.

As plots go, what follows is pretty predictable, following a standard enemies to lovers trope. But the getting there is the most enormous fun. There are missteps and misunderstandings aplenty along the way; some amusing, others quite poignant.

Both Sasha and Finn are credible, ultimately sympathetic characters, and I don’t mind admitting I ended up rooting for them to get their sh*t together and live their happy ever after.

Kinsella always populates her books with wonderfully caricatured peripheral characters, and here was no exception. There were some to love, some to loathe and some to pity.

But for me, the real standout of this book was Kinsella’s on point depiction of burnout syndrome. Yes, she exaggerates it but only to make a point of how debilitating and frightening it is. I know; I’ve been there, and I thought she handled it magnificently.

I also related to the nostalgia of childhood holidays by the sea. The excitement of returning year after year to a familiar place. That first glimpse of the water. The favorite haunts and activities.

There really was lots to love in this story and I lapped it all up like a cat that got the cream.

The Burnout is an interesting and relatable read and is told with a lovely sense of humour. I think we can all relate to Sasha’a burnout and this was a nice reminder to take a bit of time to focus on what’s important. I really enjoyed the characters. Fin is a great love interest and I really enjoyed the eccentric and unique variety of quirky side characters in this book.
Overall a really enjoyable and comforting read

A interesting and quite relatable read. Sasha is over worked under appreciated, something most can relate to. I found this enjoyable to read, just the right amount of humour, yes, some of the situations you think that if they happened to you, you’d be turning and running as fast as you can, but the light humour and friendships forged make this book special.

The connection between Sasha and Finn from childhood holidays was interesting, as was the beach messages and the unfolding of memories about an incident that happened the last time they both visited as children was an interesting twist and it allowed Sasha and Finn to form a good solid friendship.

A great read, and highlights that you never know what another person is thinking, feeling or suffering through just by their outward appearance. A lesson we all sometimes need reminding if.

Sophie Kinsella's "The Burnout" is a delightful romp into the realm of romantic comedy, where the trials of modern life meet the healing power of love and laughter. Kinsella, renowned for her witty and relatable tales, presents a narrative that's both a balm for the weary soul and a beacon of joy for the rom-com aficionado. Through the escapades of Sasha and Finn, readers are treated to a tale that's as much about finding oneself as it is about finding romance. Kinsella's signature charm and humor are on full display, making "The Burnout" a must-read for those in need of a humorous yet heartfelt escape