The Burnout

The giddy latest from bestseller Kinsella (Confessions of a Shopaholic) pairs two workaholics on vacation. Sasha has reached a breaking point in her tech startup job: her crowded email inbox makes her “chest spasm” and “left eye start twitching” and she finds no relief from her company’s “employee joyfulness program.” Instead, she heads to a British seaside resort hoping for some much-needed relaxation time. It’s the offseason, so she’s sharing the beach with only one other guest, Finn, who turns out to be just as cranky and burned-out as Sasha and, in her mind, not handling it half as well. The two are initially intent on avoiding each other, but they’re brought together by mysterious, anonymous messages written in the sand on the beach and addressed to them. As they investigate—and commiserate about their jobs—sparks fly and a relationship blossoms. The slow pace may frustrate some romance fans, but Kinsella peppers in plenty of humor as the protagonists share childhood memories and reach for happiness together. The banter is snappy, but what really sets this romance apart is its message of carving out time for life’s simple pleasures. Kinsella’s fans will not be disappointed. Agent: Kim Witherspoon, InkWell Management. (Oct.)