The Burnout

Sasha has reached the end of her energy. Her job takes every hour she has, her friendships have thinned out, and she cannot recall the last time she wanted anything except sleep. She books a stay at a Devon seaside resort she loved as a child, planning to repair herself with kale smoothies, yoga and quiet.

The hotel turns out to be falling apart, and the beach is not hers alone. Finn, a stressed stranger who is recovering from his own collapse, is there too. Their ideas of recovery clash: Sasha leans on manifesting and a hidden supply of Mars bars, while Finn reaches for whisky.

Then odd notes addressed to both of them begin to appear on the sand. Whoever leaves them, the notes draw the two closer, whether they intended it or not.

The book is a contemporary romantic comedy with a light tone and a seaside setting. Both leads have to say out loud what wore them down, and to recall what they once enjoyed before they stopped noticing it. Expect a gentle, funny read about rest and recovery, with a slow-forming pairing at its centre.