The Burnout: A Novel

Written by Sophie Kinsella

Narrated by Bessie Carter

Sparks fly in this delightful novel about two burned out professionals who meet at a ramshackle resort on the British seaside—from the #1 New York Times bestselling author of The Party Crasher.

“I devoured The Burnout in one greedy gulp. It’s funny, sad, relatable, and brilliantly done. Sophie Kinsella is the queen of romantic comedy.”—Jojo Moyes

She can do anything . . . just not everything.

Sasha has had it. She cannot bring herself to respond to another inane, “urgent” (but obviously not at all urgent) email or participate in the corporate employee joyfulness program. She hasn’t seen her friends in months. Sex? Seems like a lot of effort. Even cooking dinner takes far too much planning. Sasha has hit a wall.

Armed with good intentions to drink kale smoothies, try yoga, and find peace, she heads to the seaside resort she loved as a child. But it’s the off season, the hotel is in a dilapidated shambles, and she has to share the beach with the only other occupant: a grumpy guy named Finn, who seems as stressed as Sasha. How can she commune with nature when he’s sitting on her favorite rock, watching her? Nor can they agree on how best to alleviate their burnout (Sasha: manifesting, wild swimming; Finn: drinking whisky, getting pizza delivered to the beach).

When curious messages, seemingly addressed to Sasha and Finn, begin to appear on the beach, the two are forced to talk—about everything. How did they get so burned out? Can either of them remember something they used to love? (Answer: surfing!) And the question they try and fail to ignore: what does the energy between them—flaring even in the face of their bone-deep exhaustion—signify?

• Language: English
• Publisher: Penguin Random House Audio Publishing Group
• Release date: Oct 10, 2023
• ISBN: 9780593822562

Sophie Kinsella

Sophie Kinsella es el pseudónimo de Madeleine Wickham, escritora británica y antigua periodista financiera. Kinsella es la autora de las novelas No te lo vas a creer, La reina de la casa, ¿Te acuerdas de mí? y Una chica años veinte, además de la popular serie protagonizada por Becky Bloomwood, «Loca por las compras», de la que se han vendido millones de ejemplares y ha sido traducida a más de treinta idiomas. Sophie confiesa que le encanta ir de compras y la vuelven loca las rebajas, pero asegura que siempre paga las facturas, solo viaja a Nueva York por razones culturales y mantiene una excelente relación con el director de su banco.

[bookczuk · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

2024 Read. It was surrounded by books that so captured my attention that I can barely recall the plot. Sorry.

[rmarcin-630843 · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

I laughed out loud several times in this witty novel about a woman, Sasha, who is at the end of her rope with her job. She needs to get away. She tries to join a convent, but the sister calls her company and tells them she is there. Sasha's mom convinces her to go away to the beach resort where the family would go for years during Sasha's childhood. Sasha's mom tells the resort to feed Sasha kale smoothies, healthy foods, and let her do yoga all day.
Sasha overhears a man, Finn, griping and complaining about things while at the resort, and he is in her space. But, once they get to know each other, they find they have a lot in common and can help each other out of their collective stress struggle.
Funny, cute romance.

[mav1n1libby · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

This was a cute book. I slightly thought about DNF'ing this about 100 pages in, but I stuck with it. It is a cute story, the enemies to lovers. But I feel like what really made this book was the Terry character. It had a small little mystery included, a love story, some humor. It's a cute book and a great palate cleanser but I wouldn't say it's a must read. I liked the characters, but didn't love them (except for Terry).

[nyiper · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

I always picture Sophie Kinsella as THE main character in her books....she just plain looks the part. Her books are total escapism and, as usual, delightful....easy to read as the characters go through what Kinsella comes up with for their experiences.

[cecilturtle · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

I'm a big fan and it would take a lot to disappoint me. Kinsella is true to form with a quirky, endearing heroine and a handsome beau whose relationship rests on a misunderstanding. In this book, Kinsella pokes fun at the wellness industry, enhances the story with a delightful tribute to a former surfer and creates a whimsical and funny atmosphere in a rundown hotel (which is funny in books and not in real-life, as I can attest).
The plot is predictable, of course, but there are enough twists, turns and questions to keep the reader interested. This is the perfect holiday read!

[clrichm · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

A very cute romance. Sasha, the female protagonist, was a little aggravating at times with how she would swing wildly between confronting issues (the girl has apparently never heard the term "oversharing") and running from them, but she remained a character with whom one could easily empathize most of the time. (That might have had a lot to do with the comedically nightmarish work environment she was fleeing, all the more nightmarish because it was actually quite plausible and all too familiar to many readers.)

I appreciated that the author, while being frank about sexual matters, also knew when it was quite fine to draw the curtains around the scene; it was refreshing, as so many recent romances seem determined to give readers intricate play-by-plays of every moment. Not that there's anything wrong with that, but it's not for every reader, so it's good to see that alternatives remain.

[n.w.moors-1 · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

After Sasha has a freakout at work, she goes on leave to the seaside resort where her family spent summer vacations. She hasn't been back for years, and it's also winter, but she wants peace and quiet. Unfortunately, the hotel has gone downhill over time, and the amenities are not what she expected. Still, she is practically the only person there except for Finn, the obnoxious guy who seems to be determined to upset her. They have a shared bond in that they both took surfing lessons from Terry, a great guy who's since retired and suffers from senility.
This being a Sophie Kinsella book, there are a lot of laughs but also sad moments. There's the growing romance between Finn and Sasha, the goings-on at the hotel, and the poignant time spent with Terry. It's a terrific read and I highly recommend it.

[mrsmommybooknerd7 · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

#FirstLine - It’s not the emails that make me panic.

"The Burnout" by Sophie Kinsella explores the life of Sasha, a woman overwhelmed by the demands of modern life, corporate responsibilities, and a lack of personal fulfillment. She reaches a breaking point, feeling disconnected from her friends, uninterested in intimacy, and unable to even cook a meal without extensive planning. Seeking solace, she returns to a seaside resort from her childhood, only to find it run-down and occupied by a grumpy man named Finn.

As Sasha and Finn navigate this off-season beachside setting, their contrasting approaches to dealing with burnout become evident. Sasha attempts to reconnect with nature through practices like manifesting and wild swimming, while Finn seeks solace in whiskey and convenience food. Their paths collide, leading to conversations about their shared burnout, forgotten passions (like surfing), and the mysterious appearance of messages seemingly addressed to them on the beach.

The novel delves into themes of rediscovery, connection, and the search for meaning in a world filled with burnout. Sophie Kinsella's "The Burnout" is a tale of self-discovery and human connection set against the backdrop of a dilapidated seaside resort. It was such a refreshing and relatable story that will resonate with readers for a long time after they close the book. It was filled with humor and heart, while still tackling other tough topics like mental exhaustion, the importance of setting boundaries and what really defines our self worth! A brilliant novel and one I HIGHLY recommend!

“Go get it.” - Terry

[beckettz-754434 · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

I really enjoyed reading the burnout aspect of it.. but it was a bit shallow and predictable. I did still enjoy the read though