It took me a really long time to write this review once I finished the book, I think part of me was hoping that if i took a step back, I would have better things to say about it.
In truth, there is nothing particularly wrong with this book, and especially considering how fast I tore through it, I don’t understand why it left me so cold.
I think I didn’t like the framing, mainly. Everything was happening so fast, there was no enjoyable escalation, you were just part of the action from the start until the end without any breathing room, change of rhythm or particularly effective twists and turns. It all felt a little one note I suppose, and I didn’t particularly care about the main character.
I’ve actually been thinking that if the story had been told from the courtroom perspective, slowly dissecting the case and uncovering the facts one by one (and thus allowing a slow painting of the main character’s downward spiral) it may have worked better for me.
That said, this book is still highly readable and I think it will find its audience and do really well. The very specific kind of orthorexic abuse it depicts was absolutely fascinating and was the main reason it kept me interested - but because the way it was delivered did not work for me, it really only left me hungry for more and disappointed.
I don’t think this is a bad book but I just really think it could have been so much better with a pinch more subtlety, more warmth, and above all a (relatively) slower and more varied pace.

TW for this book around domestic abuse, coercive control. I think this might be a difficult read for anyone who has ever been in a controlling, abusive relationship.

Before beginning this review, I have to say Emma Healey is an author who is difficult to categorise. I have read all three of her novels and it would be difficult to believe they were all written by the same author. Many will be familiar with [book:Elizabeth Is Missing|18635113] a tale of a woman spiralling into dementia trying to solve the mystery of her missing friend but I actually think, as a parent, [book:Whistle in the Dark|35068416] was a better book - a parent's struggle to understand what caused her daughter to disappear.

In Sweat, we meet Cassie, who has previously been in an abusive relationship with Liam. However, when Liam comes back into her life, Cassie has gained something of the upper hand (I won't explain why) but this causes her to behave in a difficult, but understandable, way.

The book is told across along two timelines - Cassie and Liam's previous relationship - and how they have met again in the present day. Whilst some of Cassie's behaviour does appear to difficult to understand, I am really not qualified to judge it. This is a difficult but powerful book to read.

Thanks to Netgalley and Random House UK, Cornerstone | Hutchinson Heinemann for an ARC in exchange for an honest review

Thank you for the opportunity to review this book. I was initially sceptical about the premise that someone wouldn’t recognise their ex partner but Healey manages to pull it off admirably. The gut-churning details of an abusive relationship were superbly woven into what I suppose was a standard Mystery format.

Possible spoilers

An uncomfortable read at times, the way Liam extends his control over Cassie. There's a growing sense of dread as the story unfolds and his actions become more extreme.
Also, the way Cassie exerts control over her own life. Exhausting.
What struck me as very realistic was her parents reaction to the whole thing.
Tanya was a great character, and a great friend, like the only sensible person in the book.
Very enjoyable.

This is a really interesting take on coercive control and the narrow line between showing you care for someone and then you're actually controlling them. Instead of the story being about a male trying to stop a female seeing their friends or making them stop work and focus 100% on the man, this is instead about how a man tries to manipulate the woman's body, how he controls everything she eats, makes her feel disgusting if she even talks about chocolate. It shows how he breaks her down, makes her not be able to have any fun, and in turn her friends can't bear to be in her presence anymore. It's a very different take and was so interesting to read.

And then when Cassie, who Liam has tried to control with food, gets a chance to get her own back we see the lengths she goes to.
It makes hard reading. I didn't particularly like Cassie at all and thought her revenge tactics were crazy, odd and of poor taste, but through flashbacks we get to see why, what's made her act like this. Although I felt sorry for her, I still didn't like her so it made it a bit of an odd read for me...

It was very readable, it was exciting at times and it did make me think about my own relationship with food and exercise and how it can dominate my mind at times, so that was a great angle, so unusual in books. But I didn't really like the main character so it was hard to be fully backing her and willing her to get away with it - which did take away the tension.

Overall, four stars, it's refreshing to read a story which is focused on fitness and food.

I got sold on this book with the tagline “I stared at him the way that women never get to stare at men; without fear” - but I felt that this book fell short. I’m not sure what I expected but this wasn’t it. The book immediately introduces you to an abusive relationship that is heavy and eye opening. But as soon as Cassie is in the situation where the roles are reversed, she doesn’t back down and walk away from the situation, so she effectively puts herself right back into that awful relationship. Cassie wants revenge but a lot of what she wants to do doesn’t materialise and instead she puts toilet water in his water bottle, and personally trains him with uneven weights! I enjoyed parts of this book, but ultimately I felt that it took us round and round in circles the whole book with no real end goal or closure to the story which didn’t feel completely unrealistic.

📚 Book Review 📚

In this twisted and macabre tale, we meet Cassie, a PT who works at a gym and the relationship that develops between her and her new client, Liam.

Cass is obsessed with body image, body fat, fitness and calorie counting and very soon, we learn that she has previously been in an abusive relationship. The dual timelines show us very quickly the depths of coercive control and abuse she suffered from the man that was her boyfriend. So how will Cass react when he walks into her workplace? We learn that pretty quickly.

The description of abuse and control is graphic and can be upsetting at times. It is brilliantly juxtaposed with the effect this has had on Cassie and how it has twisted her state of mind and changed her personality, as she seeks revenge.

For me, I wanted more from the majority of the book. We meet other characters, such as friends and Cassie’s parents who are blind to the very dangerous situation their daughter is in, I wanted to jump into the pages and shake them. Tania, Cassie’s best friend, is a great character; level headed and direct. A gripping cat and mouse struggle ensues at the very end, which brought the story back up for me. Although I had kind of guessed what would happen, it was still nail biting and deserved.

I think that when this book is released, check trigger warnings will need to be included as scenes are graphic and realistic. Some descriptions are very close to the knuckle, although integral for the story.

I’d like to thank Random House UK, NetGalley and the author for the arc and the fantastic opportunity, in exchange for my honest feedback 😊
Book released on 30th January 2025

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

This was such an interesting and unusual read. Liam was a fitness and health fanatic when he got together with Cassie and he used his techniques to push her into a healthier lifestyle. It quickly became controlling and abusive. Now Cassie is working as a personal trainer and Liam turns up as a client- blind thanks to a recent illness. Cassie uses her new found power over him to make him sweat. The narrative jumps between her training him and his past abuse and it's a really gripping read.

Whilst quite an uncomfortable read, I couldn’t stop reading. It was all written very well and in a sensitive way despite the topic. I haven’t read anything like this before and I was very intrigued throughout.

A powerful intriguing thriller - I liked how unique it felt to other 'typical' thrillers. I adored the character development, feeling absorbed in Cassie's life and what she would do next. There were times when I was utterly gripped, but others where I felt the plot was a little slow. None the less I read this in a matter of days. A unique well written story!

I wasn't really sure what to make of this book. Reading this was like witnessing a car accident - pretty horrifying to watch but you still find yourself unable to turn away, wanting to find out how it ends. A great study of human nature, even if it was uncomfortable in many places. I would be surprised if this book didn't come with at least a trigger warning or two, but I believe those that brace it will find it compelling nonetheless.

A tense and gripping story about Cassie who has just got out of a long term abusive relationship. When her now blind ex joins her gym and asks for PT sessions she immediately sees a chance for revenge. I enjoyed the plot as it was a different take on this type of story and I thought the premise was really interesting, it poses questions on what you would do yourself in a similar situation. The writing style flows nicely and it was really easy to read. I particularly enjoyed the ending which had me on the edge of my seat! Not my usual type of read but one that I did enjoy.

Cassie has left her controlling boyfriend Liam and is working as a PT at a gym. Following a faux pas by the owner, the gym offers discounted training to people with disabilities and Liam turns up because he is now blind. Cassie has to train him so pretends to be a different trainer, hoping he won't realise it's her, while she takes small acts of revenge.
The book goes back through their relationship history, showing how Liam took over Cassie's life, and is still trying to get her back with the help of his friends. These parts are uncomfortable to read.
It gets very dark and twisty.

A very uncomfortable read but somehow this talented author managed to make it engaging and even enjoyable. When Cassie encounters her ex Liam in the gym and forced to not only interact but train him,, she’s intimidated, panicked and scared but Liam’s turn of fate gives Cassie the upper hand for once.
Cassie is endearing and vulnerable but also shown as strong and determined which I loved. Liam was also vulnerable yet absolutely despicable which meant that I couldn’t stop reading.
Told through different timescales, this was a relevant and cleverly written novel which will stay with me. Thanks to the author, publisher and Netgalley for the opportunity to read

I would highly recommend this book the anyone. The main character shows strength and control subjecting her ex partner to some of the cruelty he showed her. It was well written handled in a sensitive manner but also gave a clear message of the strength of women. I would highly recommend you read it.

Sweats centres on one woman's abusive relationship with her ex-boyfriend, Liam, Told through a backwards/forwards timeline, the reader experiences how a toxic, abusive relationship can take hold and destroy a life, and how sometimes revenge is sweet.
The main character was ultimately a strong woman, who manages to turn the tables on her boyfriend, and subject him to some of the terrible things he did to her. This was a dark tale & very slickly written.

A captivating thriller full of tension that had me turning page after page until I knew how the story would end.

Intelligently plotted and a fabulous unique writing style had me immersed in Cassie's life. I really felt for her and the themes of abuse, revenge and obsession felt authentic and rang true.

Liam was a despicable character and his blindness created a palpable tension in the narrative and I was riveted to the story waiting to see what would transpire between them. I was never quite sure if he was faking it or not.

A powerful and emotive story.

This is an uncomfortable read which I admit I found challenging, it focuses on the impact an abusive and coercive relationship had on Cassie as well as looking back on difficult times in their relationship. I liked the concept of Cassie trying to exact revenge on Liam and the situation Liam was in offered a unique opportunity but the events that occurred seemed to be more detrimental to Cassie than Liam really. I really struggled with the hang over from her relationship which was extreme control over her calorie intake and obsession with exercise, overall the book needs a few trigger warnings. I had to persevere with this and I mostly did so to see how it concludes and there was a certain irony to the ending that I liked however that was the only strong part of this for me.

This book is a solid 5 star to me, I loved the character development, the storyline... it was perfect. Thank you so much for my arc. Highly recommended.

Sweat by Emma Healey
Rating: 3/5
Release Date: 30 January 2024


Cassie manages to break free from the clutches of her controlling ex, a fact revealed gradually as she shares glimpses of her past throughout the book. However, her world is turned upside down when she finds herself training her former abuser, Liam, as a client.

Confronted with the source of her trauma, Cassie struggles with the desire for revenge and how far she's willing to go to get it.

If you can suspend disbelief regarding the protagonist's ex-boyfriend failing to recognise her voice, even with a disguised accent, despite their past intense relationship, then this suspense-filled thriller is worth delving into. It delves into themes of stalking, coercive control, and the complexities of weight and body image.

I did however find the narrative of “Sweat”lacking in forward movement. Despite spanning over 300 pages, it felt like we were stuck in the same loop, with little character development or plot advancement.

Thank you so much to Netgalley, Random House UK Cornerstone, and the author, Emma Healey, for providing me with a copy of this book in exchange for an honest and fair review.