I think this book literally rescued me. All is not well in my life right now. And, well, neither was Sasha’s life, and this book basically slapped me in the face to tell me to get myself back together. If ever you’re in need of a heartwarming feel-good book with relatable drama and enjoyable silliness, I cannot recommend The Burnout enough.
Sasha Worth is a 33-year-old who has been working two years for a big startup travel app called Zoose, and at first she felt on top of the world. That all gradually changed with one thing after another. The main cause is an incompetent and arrogant boss named Asher, the brother of the CEO, Lev. Asher doesn’t seem to care about how the office functions, and only about looking good in front of the higher-ups. The company isn’t replacing those who leave and putting all the work onto Sasha. She’s doing work for three different people at the moment. The workload, as well as the pushy nature of some of her coworkers, plus the need to send apology emails day in and day out, has stressed her out so much, that she no longer has the energy to cook for herself, take care of her apartment, or see friends and family…she’s even completely turned off from the idea of sex, I guess because, the idea of dating someone requires additional energy and commitment she really does not have. All she can really do when leaving for the night is order the same halloumi wraps at the cafe nearby and watch Legally Blonde in the background, while trying to play agonizing catch-up.
Well, one day it becomes way too much, and her doctor provides her with a mandatory three-week break, and Sasha’s family says she should go over to the Rilston Bay resort, which she and her family used to go every year when she was growing up. Where that man Terry used to teach people how to surf and they could rent these luxury cabins on the beach. Three problems, though; One, it’s February, and this isn’t in the Caribbean or someplace, so it’s not exactly swimming weather. Two, her mom put her on this overkill of a health diet that the workers are strictly abiding by. Three, there’s no one else at the resort right now, since it’s the off-season. Except this other angry and annoying burnout called Finn. I won’t say any more, other than I guess we’ll see if Sasha can find herself again despite these obstacles in her prescribed vacation.
All of Sophie Kinsella’s books (that I’ve read) have female protagonists with things they need figured out, especially her famous shopaholic protagonist that I sometimes really wished I could have a firm talk to, but she does these themes in ways that are charming rather than awkward, and more relatable than condescending. And to be fair, a lot of the male characters are just as ridiculous at the best of times. Sasha is I would say her saddest protagonist yet, starting off lost and overwhelmed and flat-out alone, like Linus Baker in The House In The Cerulean Sea. Because of this, I was especially excited to see what would end up making her happy again, proving a story doesn’t have to have wall-to-wall action to make you interested in it.
The Rilston resort and its off-season employees are all a little bit off, not the same quality as Sasha remembers. The resort is a little run down right now. The app it uses is pretentious, outdated, and worst of all, glitchy. Cassidy and Nikolai and Herbert try their best, but wig out a little if things don’t go exactly to plan. They’re not flexible. And the water is way too freezing to swim or surf even if Sasha has a wetsuit on. All of these things both made me want to tell Sasha to just get on a plane down south, as well as give her a pat on the back, feeling sorry that the paradise she grew up in wasn’t the same anymore. And that is a perfect metaphor for how some things change or run their course as we grow older. They might lose their spark. But that doesn’t mean the spark can’t be found again. It also doesn’t mean all’s truly bad. As Sasha manages to find herself some little moments of happiness at this resort, she comes to respect her workers, and she finds maybe Finn wasn’t as shallow as she perceived. She even comes to realize maybe her goals weren’t so unachievable, and after a first act that’s really depressing, as Sasha comes back to life, we feel really happy for her.
I won’t spoil all that happens, I want you to be able to really enjoy this. I am a bookaholic, yes, but after completing a novel, I almost never want to do an instant reread. But that is what The Burnout is, a romcom that recognizes the importance of human connections and looking for the light when things get dark. It reminds us all that when we’re stressed, depressed, and feel trapped in the demands of life, sometimes we just need some human connection, some bravery to do what we need to do, and a little adventure to be happy.
My grade: 5 stars out of 5
William J. McGinn 
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