The burnout (by Sophia Kinsella)

(Amazon UK link)

After finishing a gripping but disturbing book allocated by our local reading group, I wanted something light-weight for the next few days. So I decided to read ‘The burnout’ by Sophie Kinsella. I like this author’s writing, on the whole. Her novels often feature a somewhat naive heroine, and a flawed but likeable hero. The pace is usually good, with some ironic humour.

I was not disappointed. Sasha is the main character, and she narrates the book. She works in a marketing company but is completely overwhelmed. She’s behind on her emails, she has people asking questions on all sides, and someone trying to make her join in extra activities to increase her happiness. She isn’t sleeping well, her flat is in a mess, and she buys the same fast food every night as she can’t face cooking or making any decisions.

She tries to get help in her workplace, but the boss is impossible to contact, and his brother seems to brush off any suggestions. People leave regularly but are not replaced, and Sasha takes on more and more of the workload. She is very tired, she never goes anywhere other than the office, and she’s even lost her libido. 

Then something happens that is a catalyst for her running out of the office. She considers trying to join a convent (although she isn’t a Catholic), and then she has an accident, which lands her briefly in hospital. She is diagnosed with burnout and given three weeks off. So, at the suggestion of her mother, she goes to stay at a hotel in a beach resort where her family used to go each year, until her father died…

Most of the story takes place when Sasha is on holiday. She’s a typical Kinsella heroine - not naive, exactly, but somewhat tunnel-visioned, and oriented towards lists and other people’s expectations. She has an app on her phone which, in theory, gives her 20 steps towards healing and wholeness. What she doesn’t expect is that her mother has phoned the hotel, pretending to be her PA, and ordering health foods such as kale smoothies. And she finds herself entirely unable to contradict these requests. 

Then there’s Finn, the only other resident at the hotel at first. He seems to be everything that Sasha despises: he’s abrupt and irritable, and even upset a young toddler on the train. While she is forced to eat melons for breakfast, he feasts on bacon and eggs with black coffee. She feels as if he’s invading her space as they both try to relax on the beach, and their first few encounters are far from friendly.

It was inevitable that they would gradually thaw, and discover things in common. It was also inevitable that they would eventually get together romantically. But while the outcome is predictable, the journey is not - and it includes some low-key humour as misunderstandings arise. I was also mildly amused at Sasha’s craving for junk food after just a couple of days of fruit and vegetables, only to discover that word had got around about her supposed health requirements. 

It’s chicklit, of course; the plot reminiscent of the lightweight Mills and Boon novels I read as a young adult. Sophie Kinsella avoids bad language, and closes the door on bedroom scenes, for which I am thankful. She also includes a significant subplot related to surfing, which I appreciated for it's many metaphors. However there’s quite a lot of discussion about Sasha’s libido, and various partners, so it’s not a book for children. 

Overall it fulfilled my wishes for a light read with some low-key humour. Some of the exchanges between Sasha and Finn are quite amusing, and there’s a kind of ironic humour to Sasha’s inability to think outside the boxes that others have constructed for her benefit. It also covers the quite serious issue of office burnout, and how to approach the problem if it happens. 

It’s not my favourite of Sophie Kinsella’s books, but if you’re a fan of her writing, or want something light-weight and well-written (albeit with some very caricatured minor characters), then this is a good choice in my opinion.

Review copyright 2025 Sue's Book Reviews