#AmReading

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The Burnout by Sophie Kinsella
Published by The Dial Press on October 10, 2023
Age/Genres: Adult, Contemporary, Fiction

Goodreads

Sasha has had it. She cannot bring herself to respond to another inane, “urgent” (but obviously not at all urgent) email or participate in the corporate employee joyfulness program. She hasn’t seen her friends in months. Sex? Seems like a lot of effort. Even cooking dinner takes far too much planning. Sasha has hit a wall.

Armed with good intentions to drink kale smoothies, try yoga, and find peace, she heads to the seaside resort she loved as a child. But it’s the off season, the hotel is in a dilapidated shambles, and she has to share the beach with the only other a grumpy guy named Finn, who seems as stressed as Sasha. How can she commune with nature when he’s sitting on her favorite rock, watching her? Nor can they agree on how best to alleviate their burnout ( manifesting, wild swimming; drinking whisky, getting pizza delivered to the beach).

When curious messages, seemingly addressed to Sasha and Finn, begin to appear on the beach, the two are forced to talk—about everything. How did they get so burned out? Can either of them remember something they used to love? (Answer: surfing!) And the question they try and fail to ignore: what does the energy between them—flaring even in the face of their bone-deep exhaustion—signify?

Her job drove her up a wall, or rather, into a wall.

Sasha thought she found her dream job, but it turned into a nightmare due to staffing shortages and poor management. After her wall episode, Sasha was signed off work by the doctor. Looking for rest and relaxation, she returned to the quaint seaside town where she vacationed as a child, and there she found a fellow "burnout" named Finn, who would become a big part of her wellness journey.

I will never stop looking forward to Sophie Kinsella books. As expected, The Burnout was filled with Kinsella's signature over the top comedy, quirky characters, and lots of heart. I feel like many will be able to relate to Sasha's situation. Maybe their burnout wasn't job related, but they probably experienced this phenomena at some point in their lives. I loved the big message of learning to say "no" and being sure to make time for yourself.

It was wonderful that Sasha had someone to take this healing journey with. Finn had been asked to take a break from his job after several outbursts. He, too, was suffering from burnout. Though, they initially were put off by each other, they eventually bonded and opened up to one another. Sharing that load and giving feedback helped them both on the road to recovery and reclaiming their lives.

All that time together was bound to push them in a romantic direction, and I thought this was a great match. Their chemistry coupled with their honest discourse and snappy banter solidified my faith in this union. I especially loved when they talked about their childhood memories. Both remembered Rilston Bay fondly. It was their "happy place", and it was wonderful seeing them rediscover their joy and the charm of the town together.

I believe a quirky cast is required in every Kinsella book, and she really outdid herself with the Rilston Bay inhabitants. The hotel was staffed by quite a rag-tag bunch, and it was easy to root for them as they attempted to save the hotel. Cassidy was a standout who stole the show every time she was on-page and will no-doubt emerge as a fan favorite.

Overall, this was classic Kinsella. For me, that means lots of laughs, warmth, and happy feels.

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One Christmas Morning by Rachel Greenlaw
Published by Avon on October 17, 2023
Age/Genres: Adult, Fiction

Goodreads

For fans of The Midnight Library and One Day in December who love a dash of Dickensian magic, One Christmas Morning is a heartwarming debut novel about a woman’s self-discovery, the strength found in friendship, and the promise of second chances.

Eva has spent the past three years burying herself in her work, trying to forget the heartbreaking events of the Christmas that ripped her world apart. And this year, on the eve of her shop launch, the last thing Eva wants is to drive to the wild moors of Cornwall to attend her friends Hallie and Kian’s Christmas party. But at her husband James’ insistence, here they are. Worse still, Hallie announces she is pregnant, bringing Eva’s pain to the surface.

Overwhelmed by her friend’s news and the bittersweet memories of past Christmases, Eva tries to sneak back to London in the middle of the night. But as the clock strikes midnight, she is visited by the ghost of her beloved grandmother. Gran tells Eva that if she doesn’t face her ghosts head-on and stop shutting out her loved ones, she risks losing them all forever.

When Eva wakes on Christmas morning, she finds herself living not her own life, but that of her hardworking assistant, Diana, whose overflowing inbox isn’t the only secret she’s been keeping. The next day, she wakes on Christmas morning again, this time in the body of Hallie’s sister, Natalie. As Eva lives Christmas Day again and again through the perspectives of her friends, she is offered a glimpse into the lives of those she has been pushing away. With each Christmas Day comes a new lesson—and an insight into the secrets and struggles her loved ones have been hiding. To move forward, Eva must let go of the past. But is it too late to fix her future?

After suffering multiple losses, the Christmas season became a reminder of Eva's hurt and grief. In an attempt to escape her pain, she threw herself into her work, but what she thought would be a lifeline could ultimately destroy her whole world.

I want to start by saying this is NOT a cute and fluffy holiday romance. This was a tale of a woman whose day of reckoning had arrived. It was a very thoughtful examination of what can happen when grief goes unchecked, or we fail to nurture the important relationships in our lives, and I thought Greenlaw did it in such an interesting way.

The book summary mentions "Dickensian magic". This magic came in the form of a time-loop with a twist. I thought the twist was interesting and really allowed Eva to gain additional insight into how her life had gone wrong. Each day Eva experienced in the time loop brought her closer and closer to understanding what she had to do to fix it, and I really did want her to fix it.

This whole experience also helped Eva deal with her grief. Neglected by her parents, Eva's grandmother became the most important person in her life. She was Eva's anchor, and since her death, Eva was adrift. Trying to fill that hole with work reached toxic levels, and she was able to really reflect on her missteps and pain each day she lived in the time loop.

I greatly enjoyed taking this healing journey with Eva. I also appreciated the message of this book because it is so easy to lose sight of what's really important. It's not money or things, but the people who we love and who love us back. Overall, this was a heartwarming, touching, and hopeful tale.

*ARCS PROVIDED BY THE PUBLISHER

How would you recover from burnout?
Let us know in the comments!