memphisholli's review against another edition
emotional
lighthearted
fast-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
mindfullibrarian's review against another edition
4.0
(free review copy) What a timely story! Burnout is such a real thing, and in my industry of education, it's becoming more and more prevalent. I love how Kinsella treats this topic with the care and attention it deserves while also crafting a warm and unique story. I loved the setting and all the quirky characters at the hotel, and the friendship / romance itself was sweet. All in all, a satisfying happy read for anyone who has had it uptohere with work.
Source: digital review copy via Edelweiss
Source: digital review copy via Edelweiss
thatsoneforthebooks's review against another edition
4.0
✨ Review ✨ The Burnout by Sophie Kinsella; Narrated by: Bessie Carter
This was my first book by Sophie Kinsella and it made me laugh out loud. The premise is relatable - a woman overwhelmed by work, suffering from burnout, and feeling at a dead end. She quickly decides maybe she'll run away to the convent down the street, but instead of getting her Sound of Music moment, all she runs into is a brick wall.
While the burnout component isn't funny, the book is filled with the silly and ridiculous alongside some genuinely moving reflection on the main character's life and her journey to find herself again. I loved her friendship with the male main character, and eventual romance, though that didn't really have the space it needed to bloom and grow.
The setting of the main part of the book in a small beach town was delightful and her efforts to chase self-help culture via yoga and meditation and kale smoothies definitely was a real lol moment (again, relatable in that this stuff can be helpful but also way overdone). There's a sort of mystery at the heart of this book as well that I enjoyed but didn't feel quite fulfilled by in the end.
Full of a hilarious cast of characters this is great in audio form. I thought the narrator really brought the story to life and made the comedy feel even more funny than reading it on the page. An absolute hoot!
⭐️⭐️⭐️
This was my first book by Sophie Kinsella and it made me laugh out loud. The premise is relatable - a woman overwhelmed by work, suffering from burnout, and feeling at a dead end. She quickly decides maybe she'll run away to the convent down the street, but instead of getting her Sound of Music moment, all she runs into is a brick wall.
While the burnout component isn't funny, the book is filled with the silly and ridiculous alongside some genuinely moving reflection on the main character's life and her journey to find herself again. I loved her friendship with the male main character, and eventual romance, though that didn't really have the space it needed to bloom and grow.
The setting of the main part of the book in a small beach town was delightful and her efforts to chase self-help culture via yoga and meditation and kale smoothies definitely was a real lol moment (again, relatable in that this stuff can be helpful but also way overdone). There's a sort of mystery at the heart of this book as well that I enjoyed but didn't feel quite fulfilled by in the end.
Full of a hilarious cast of characters this is great in audio form. I thought the narrator really brought the story to life and made the comedy feel even more funny than reading it on the page. An absolute hoot!
⭐️⭐️⭐️
sammunro24's review against another edition
3.25
Quite enjoyed this but found the ending really quite boring.
kkastrup2's review against another edition
emotional
funny
lighthearted
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.5
hideyourspoons's review against another edition
5.0
The Burnout is the book to read now. Now, as in, before you go to work to answer more emails than there are hours in a day. Before you have one more day of being overworked and under appreciated. Before, like FMC Sasha, you're ready to give it all up and pledge yourself to the life of a nun to avoid one more manifest positivity wellness survey from HR.
There is so much contemporary familiarity in Sasha's life, but there's also campy comedy & a cozy mystery to solve. The secondary characters that run the hotel feel straight out of a Monty Python sketch. These hotel scenes are timed out like the dinner party scene in You Can't Take It With You. The audience thinks everyone is ridiculous (and they are) but things like tastes-like-swamp kale smoothies, an overly effusive apologetic manager, and a receptionist with a custom embroidered thong side gig is all just another day for the hotel crew.
Our couple also has a lovely bit of action to adventure into while they rekindle their calm (and maybe fall in love too). Mysterious messages are written in the sand out front of their beach lodges. Reminiscing on their childhood spent at the same resort they now are riding out their respective burnout episodes leads them to clues, old friends, and new discoveries about themselves.
The whole book is a ride. And the ride is it. The Burnout will be a very poignant read for anyone stuck, under appreciated, overwhelmed in work or life. This is a hopeful story though, and not just depression porn. Its relatable, hilarious, and would make a well timed read for when the winter blues set it.
Thank you NetGalley and Random House Publishing Group & The Dial Press for an advanced copy in exchange for my honest review.
There is so much contemporary familiarity in Sasha's life, but there's also campy comedy & a cozy mystery to solve. The secondary characters that run the hotel feel straight out of a Monty Python sketch. These hotel scenes are timed out like the dinner party scene in You Can't Take It With You. The audience thinks everyone is ridiculous (and they are) but things like tastes-like-swamp kale smoothies, an overly effusive apologetic manager, and a receptionist with a custom embroidered thong side gig is all just another day for the hotel crew.
Our couple also has a lovely bit of action to adventure into while they rekindle their calm (and maybe fall in love too). Mysterious messages are written in the sand out front of their beach lodges. Reminiscing on their childhood spent at the same resort they now are riding out their respective burnout episodes leads them to clues, old friends, and new discoveries about themselves.
The whole book is a ride. And the ride is it. The Burnout will be a very poignant read for anyone stuck, under appreciated, overwhelmed in work or life. This is a hopeful story though, and not just depression porn. Its relatable, hilarious, and would make a well timed read for when the winter blues set it.
Thank you NetGalley and Random House Publishing Group & The Dial Press for an advanced copy in exchange for my honest review.
jana114's review against another edition
lighthearted
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.25
aak27's review against another edition
hopeful
lighthearted
reflective
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? It's complicated
5.0
meredithgr's review against another edition
emotional
funny
lighthearted
relaxing
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.75
Not my favorite Sophie Kinsella, but still a very enjoyable read. There seemed like there were a lot of plot lines that tried to weave together, which made it just a bit too much for me. I did really enjoy the premise of being burned out and trying to find your life again.
gcarlson94's review against another edition
emotional
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? Yes
3.75