Sophie Kinsella has always been my go-to author. I picked up my first Sophie in college, the classic ‘Confessions of a Shopaholic.’ It was a laugh riot, and I became a fan. Later, I picked up Shophalic and Baby when I was expecting my daughter, and I can safely put the onus of a lot of unnecessary baby stuff I bought on Sophie. So, for the longest time, she significantly impacted my life.
I chanced upon her latest book, ‘The Burnout,’ on my latest visit to the bookshop, and I couldn’t resist buying it. I had been in a reading slump for months, and I knew Sophie could only bring me back to my reading spree.
I read the synopsis of a book, Sasha, a young corporate girl pushed to her limits by the constant demands of corporate drudgery. At her tipping point, Sasha seeks solace in a seaside retreat only to wrestle with its comical disrepair—and Finn, a fellow occupant, is equally disenchanted with life. I knew I had to pick this one as it resonated with my life. And there it was, in my bag, a Sophie after years!
Sasha Worth is a young, hard-working professional who leads the marketing of a newly opened firm. She has it all, but she is burned out. She has no sex life, no time for family or friends, and no time to cook. She works round the clock, grabbing a sandwich from Pret and dumping herself on the couch every night.
Her already deteriorating mental health is triggered by the continuous insistence of her colleague to be more active with the company’s Joyfulness Program. Things take a turn for the worse, and she takes a health sabbatical at a seaside resort she loved as a child.
But things have gone wrong at the resort. It has lost its previous charm and is a letdown at first glance; it is in dilapidated shambles, which is not inviting. Sasha makes peace with it and starts working on the 20-step challenge she has set herself up for, which includes Yoga, finding peace, and drinking kale smoothies. There is another problem: she has to share the beach with a grumpy guy named Finn, who she has already seen on her train ride to the resort. He had failed to make an excellent first impression as he had shouted at a child for no apparent reason. Sasha realizes he is also here on a work sabbatical for anger issues.
They are forced to make acquaintances when curious messages, apparently addressed to them, appear on the beach they go to for Yoga. As the conversations continue, they realize that they both are burned out from work, have had some love issues, and need a new direction in life. They also recognize that both of them were at some point at this beach at the same time during their childhood.
It’s a simple rom-com with a bit of suspense. In addition to the fun Sophie’s novels are, there is another layer to the story where you stop to ponder life, work, and balance. I associated with Sasha’s work predicament, but I could empathize with her frustration. Like her, I remembered how often I had gone through the same and thought about leaving everything and escaping to the hills.
And then there is the romance—oh, the tension Sophie creates between the boy and the girl. Filled with flirty banter, it had me laughing aloud while simultaneously swooning just a little bit. While these two start off in opposition (not quite enemies, but certainly not on even ground), their growth throughout the story is precious. In fact, the ending surprised me (in a good way)!
The writing is vivid; I can imagine all the nooks and corners of the resort and the waves on the beach. I can also wholly be in Sasha’s shoes as she experiences a turmoil of emotions, painting a very detailed image. This is one easy-peasy book that just makes you feel good about everything around you; you cannot help but smile every time you close the book.
Sophie does not disappoint.
Happy Reading
Which is your favorite Sophie Book?