The number one bestselling author, Sophie Kinsella, returns with an irresistible new standalone novel about the perils of burnout and the joy that awaits when you set yourself free.

Sasha is well and truly over it all: work (all-consuming), friendships (on the back burner), sex-life (non-existent). Armed with good intentions to cleanse and relax, she heads to the Devon resort she loved as a child. But it's off-season, the hotel is falling apart and she has to share the beach with a grumpy, stressed-out guy called Finn. How can she commune with nature when he's sitting on a rock, watching her suspiciously? But when curious messages start appearing on the beach, Sasha and Finn are forced to begin talking – about everything. What's the mystery? Why are they both burned out? And what exactly is 'manifesting', anyway? They might discover that they have more in common than they think. . .

About the author

Sophie Kinsella is the author of many number one bestsellers, including the hugely popular Shopaholic series. She has also written seven bestselling novels as Madeleine Wickham and several books for children. She lives in the UK with her husband and family. Visit her website at www.sophiekinsella.co.uk and find her on Facebook at www.facebook.com/SophieKinsellaOfficial. You can also follow her on Twitter @KinsellaSophie and Instagram @sophiekinsellawriter.

Q&A with the author

The Jet2 content team were able to catch up with Sophie and hear all about her fabulous trips, top travel tips and favourite holiday memories. Here’s what she had to say...

What memorable experience from your travels directly inspired a scene in one of your books?

I travelled to LA when the Confessions of a Shopaholic film was being made. I saw that whole experience partly as a giant research trip for another books – the series, Shopaholic to the Stars. I was lucky enough to go on a film set, the red carpet, studios... and of course indulge in some shopping in LA... and the whole time I was thinking: ‘What would my character Becky Bloomwood do?’ ‘How would she react to LA?’ I knew she would go on quite a journey and I couldn’t wait to write it.

Where do you go to recharge your batteries?

I have been on holiday to Oman several times and I always remember swimming in the sea there with great joy. It’s my ‘happy place’. Rather like Sacha, the protagonist in my new novel, The Burnout, I have experienced periods of stress and overwork, and I find the beach a great place to relax and regroup. The swishing of the waves has a very calming effect on me.

How do you research destinations for your books, especially places you haven't visited?

If I set a book in a particular location, I try to visit that place for research, which is a massive bonus of my job! I have set a few books in New York and have spent a lot of time there researching and soaking up the atmosphere. I particularly enjoyed researching Shopaholic Ties the Knot because this trip involved eating wedding cake, trying on wedding dresses, and looking around fancy wedding venues. It was great fun! For The Burnout I visited some of the amazing beaches in North Devon, though I didn’t find any hotels quite like The Rilston!

What are your top three holiday essentials?

First of all: sun cream! I always try to travel with a notebook and pen, because you never know when an idea will hit you. If by chance I forget my notebook and pen I have been known to use a lipliner and an old receipt dug out from my bag... but this is not ideal! I also like to travel with a trusty Miu Miu silver purse which I hang round my neck. I’m notorious for losing my phone or keys, and I can keep everything in the purse and know where it all is!

What’s your best holiday memory?

We took our children to Venice and it was magical – there’s nowhere like it. I love that you can walk so much and pick up the feel of the city. In the evenings, when the crowds have left, it is remarkably empty even in the height of summer. When we were much younger I went there with my husband and we danced in St Mark’s Square!

Reviews

‘I devoured The Burnout in one greedy gulp. Funny, sad, relatable, and so brilliantly done. Sophie Kinsella is the queen of romantic comedy' - JoJo Moyes

‘I'll drop anything for a new Sophie Kinsella. The Burnout is hilarious, sparky and joyful – just the book you need if you're desperate for a break. I loved seeing Sasha coming back to herself on the windswept beach at Rilston!’ - Beth O’Leary

‘Such a hilarious, joyous, life-affirming book; I never wanted it to end' - Jenny Colgan

‘Uplifting and full of laugh-out-loud moments! Loved it!' - Heidi Swain

Our thoughts...

"My love for Sophie Kinsella’s books started with her iconic Shopaholic series, so I was excited to read The Burnout. It has everything you want in a novel – likeable characters, a good plot and plenty of humour. We’ve all felt burnt out at some point, so it was easy to relate to Sasha. If you’re looking for the perfect beach read, look no further!" - Olivia Matthews, Content Executive.

Have we left you yearning for your next summer read? Check out another of our page-turning Penguin posts here...

WIN with Penguin Books!

Ready to kick back on a lounger and get lost in a good book like this?

As part of our amazing partnership with Penguin Books, we'll also be offering one lucky bookworm the chance to win a family Jet2holiday to a choice of six destinations, plus a Penguin Book bundle worth £200! So you could be jetting off to Crete, Spain, Turkey, Portugal, Fuerteventura or Malta, with all your new holiday reads in the bag too. Find out how to enter here.

Check out the free extract, then bag yourself a copy here!