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rebecca321's review against another edition
emotional
funny
lighthearted
relaxing
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
2.0
Not the best, not the worst, but ultimately not for me.
Note: vague spoilers ahead.
I'm gonna be very honest. There aren't many things I enjoyed about this book. At first I thought that I might grow to enjoy it, or at least be fine with playing the audiobook in the background while doing laundry. In the end I was counting the minutes until it was over. Let me explain.
The humour was not for me. Like, not at all. There’s slap-stick comedy, fart jokes, and a lot of stuff at other people’s expense that I just couldn’t laugh at. I think I laughed one time and I don’t even remember at what.
The language in general kept pulling me out. The protagonist is supposedly 33 but the entire time I felt like this was my 50-something year old mum talking at me, using words that I’ve only ever heard 50+ people use. Which isn’t great when the narrator keeps rambling about genitals.
The guy is fine. He’s okay. He’s a guy.
The other characters, however, were so, so much worse. I’ve never seen such annoying people. Boundaries don’t exist. Random strangers are divulging their lacklustre sex life. The staff at the hotel is so pushy about the main couple’s potential romance it feels like they’re breaking a law. But nothing shocked be like the protagonist’s utter entitlement when it came to personal information about the love interest. He kept private information about himself private and she goes ahead and pries it out of his coworker and stalks some random person online to get more info. There’s a lot of stalking in general. The guy wasn’t even angry when he found out the protagonist had gone behind his back to dig into his past and unearth hurtful events, which she ended the relationship over without telling him. The protagonist never faced any consequences for the truly wild shit she pulls on so many of the other people. Instead, she gets rewarded and praised every step she takes. I don’t know why she ended up being literally applauded on so many stages that she had no business being on. Her ex-boss hunts her down because her feedback on the company was so wonderful that he needs to rehire her, and promote her, and take her unbelievably inappropriate advice about firing his own brother. She keeps lying to the entire hotel staff about her diet, causing enormous stress and effort for them, and they never find out. Other people’s distress is generally played for laughs, or to “inspire” the protagonist to “seize the moment” and “live her life”. This was pure insanity. The guy deserved so much better. I hope he realises that in therapy. I’m honestly still shocked. What the hell.
The breakup was painful. It wasn’t even a misunderstanding, it was pure stupidity, and when the couple reconciles and the guy finds out the reason for his six months or agony (the time between her ending things and her changing her mind), he’s like “okay cool”. I would have screamed had I not been dead inside at that point.
I appreciate the mention of burnout and therapy, which turned out to be handled moderately well. That’s honestly the entire two stars for me.
What I didn’t appreciate was the relentless insistence that PEOPLE NEED TO HAVE SEX. The allonormativity was seriously painful at times, including gems like “finally, I’m normal again” when the protagonist regains her libido after years of stress. And I get it, she was probably used to having a libido??? I guess??? But honestly, there are other ways to phrase this stuff. The best part of this is that, when the couple finally ends up having sex, after a lot of unnecessary stalling, we see none of it. Nothing. We do, however, have multiple strangers witnessing the morning-after situation, just so the protagonist could show off that she’s finally one of the normal people again. Having sex. So happy for her.
I think there was more and I just finished two minutes ago and immediately started writing this but I remember bits and flashes of the book like a fever dream and can’t put any of it into words. There was a lot about surfing. And a nun. And a weird mystery that ended up being two mysteries that I kept forgetting existed. I think this is my brain protecting me so I’ll leave it at this.
I like to think I learned something from this. Like, not to trust free audiobooks.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Acephobia/Arophobia
Minor: Dementia, Grief, Death of parent, and Injury/Injury detail
zeevee93's review against another edition
funny
hopeful
inspiring
lighthearted
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
This is the third Sophie Kinsella book I’ve read in 2 months and it is by far my favourite. The book feels like a warm hug—the perfect comfort read that’s highly relatable, laugh-out-loud funny while also being caring and compassionate. Kinsella has always had a knack for creating characters that feel so real, but this time, she’s outdone herself.
The story follows Sasha, who’s hit her breaking point and decides to take a much-needed break from her hectic life. As she embarks on a journey of self-discovery, humor, heart, and a touch of romance is expertly woven together into the narrative with Kinsella’s trademark wit shining through on every page.
While some plot points may feel predictable, the warmth and authenticity of the characters more than make up for it. You can’t help but love Sasha because, in truth, there’s a little bit of Sasha in all of us. In today’s world, we’re often pressured to juggle multiple responsibilities, constantly push ourselves to the limit, and wear our stress as a badge of honor. Kinsella does a fantastic job of addressing mental health and the real challenges of recovering from burnout. It’s not as simple as suddenly deciding to drink kale smoothies, do yoga, and manifest a better life!
The thoughtful, compassionate, and accurate handing of dementia was commendable. Anyone who has been affected by the disease will undoubtedly get a tear in their eye and a warmth in their heart while reading this. The way she balances these serious themes without losing the book’s light-hearted tone is truly masterful. The scene in the final chapters had tears rolling down my face but also smiling eye to ear (if you’ve read the book you know the scene!)
I also really appreciated the attempt at including authentic autistic and ADHD-coded characters, even though they weren’t overtly identified as such. By subtly and respectfully brings these traits into the story, the characters feel even more genuine and relatable. I would have liked them specifically identified but that’s just a personal preference.
The pacing was a little slow towards the middle, however ai honestly didn’t mind. I was so caught up in the charm of the secondary characters and the little seaside town I wasn’t bored despite the lack of major plot development in parts.
Sasha’s internal monologue did become somewhat grating and monotonous in parts but only briefly before I was drawn back in to the story.
Overall, The Burnout is a delightful and meaningful read that will leave you smiling and perhaps a little more in tune with what really matters in life. It’s a good reminder that it’s okay to hit pause, take a breath, and rediscover the joys of living.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Panic attacks/disorders and Dementia
Moderate: Death of parent
Minor: Alcohol
waybeyondblue's review against another edition
funny
hopeful
lighthearted
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
2.75
Content Warnings
Moderate: Dementia
Minor: Fire/Fire injury and Alcohol
purplepenning's review against another edition
emotional
funny
hopeful
lighthearted
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
4.0
My first Sophie Kinsella book! Other than being a bit longer than I anticipated (and probably more than a bit longer than the story needed), it was a solid pick! A funny, lighthearted, hopeful British romance with a good dose of "women's fiction" running through it and a even a smidgeon of mystery.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Mental illness, Panic attacks/disorders, Dementia, Grief, Death of parent, and Gaslighting
Minor: Sexual content and Alcohol
sarahallez's review against another edition
emotional
funny
hopeful
lighthearted
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
Content Warnings
Graphic: Dementia and Death of parent
summerfjord's review against another edition
adventurous
emotional
funny
hopeful
inspiring
reflective
sad
medium-paced
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
3.75
Content Warnings
Minor: Mental illness and Dementia
callidoralblack's review against another edition
emotional
lighthearted
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
Content Warnings
Minor: Sexual content, Dementia, Grief, Death of parent, Fire/Fire injury, and Alcohol
miabarranco's review against another edition
emotional
funny
hopeful
lighthearted
reflective
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
Content Warnings
Moderate: Dementia and Death of parent
okayletsread's review against another edition
adventurous
hopeful
inspiring
reflective
relaxing
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
This was a fun listen on audio! If you've gone through a season of career burnout, you'll likely connect with Sasha, a digital marketer who takes a long break at a beach resort in the winter. There were a lot of far-fetched and totally ridiculous plot points, but it had a lot of heart and didn't follow the typical HEA. I love that about chick lit books vs. romance novels. This book won't stick with me very long, but it fits the bill.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Dementia and Death of parent
louiseortman's review against another edition
hopeful
lighthearted
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
Content Warnings
Moderate: Dementia