I devoured Sweat by Emma Healey, in all its cringe inducing uneasiness, and evil.

Perhaps evil is too harsh.

But it’s fair to say that not many good decisions are made in this book. Cassie is a personal trainer. She helps people get fit and takes excessive pride in curating her own fitness. But she wasn’t always that way. Once she was just getting by, and it was Liam who showed her the way.

Two years late and it’s Cassie leading Liam, in more ways than one.

This story of love, addiction, and abuse is more enjoyable that the subject matter might lead you to expect. For me, Cassie’s journey to physical fitness and beyond was hard to read. The development from health the more extreme end of fitness culture is a painful read. Add to this the role of Liam in forcing the mind-set, and it becomes easier to understand why Cassie is tempted by revenge.

Healey’s ability to create in Cassie a character who is both victim and ultimately abuser is amazing. At times I found Cassie’s actions frustrating and really needed her to do the right thing. Whatever that may be.

Sweat is a psychosocial thriller like I’ve never read before, and I couldn’t recommend it more.

Thanks to NetGalley and the Publisher for an e-copy in exchange for an honest review.

This is an original and contemporary psychological thriller, and I could easily write a review peppered with cliches. Oh, alright, here it is: it had me on the edge of my seat; there are twists and turns at every point; it really hooked me; I couldn't put it down; the cliffhangers - oh... the cliffhangers... Maybe this last one isn't so much a cliche as an actual reaction to the plot. This is, as others have said, a story about a protagonist who is in an abusive relationship and nobody believes her. It's a simple premise, but Healey manages to keep those methods of control by the antagonist coming. It's superbly done. As a reader, I found myself wondering whether what I was being told was, in fact, true. I mean, that's excellent writing... I was manipulated, myself. Great stuff, that (there goes another cliche...) Seriously, I was hooked. Totally. So, and here it is bluntly, I was expecting a more satisfying ending. I won't tell you how it ends, and the ending is fine - perhaps a bit rushed and maybe guessable, but I thought it would be - I don't know - somehow cleverer. Look, read it yourself, you won't be disappointed and you will be hooked, on the edge of your seat and won't be able to put it down, seriously. Highly recommended, and my grateful thanks to the publisher and to NetGalley for the ARC.

This was very different to the other work I read by this author but still very enjoyable. I found it very readable, but also felt so on edge and uncomfortable throughout (it literally made me sweat)... Would recommend if you want something easy to read but with a bit of substance too.

I’m a fan of Emma Healey but I felt this book was not her best. Much preferred Elizabeth is Missing and Whistle in the Dark. It felt like someone else had written it.

This was not what I was expecting, yet as it unfolded, I found it as haunting and brutally accurate as it was important for us to understand the complexities of what being in a coercively controlled relationship can entail and the repercussions for so many that are involved. When you are in such a situation, it is not only damaging, but enduring such crazy behaviour, can in return make you do crazy things to try unpacking what happened to you, to regain control or to survive and feel safe again. It is incredibly hard to explain the why’s, so often you don’t, it is furthermore isolating and a slippery slope into the cycle of abuse.

So, when Cassie gets the opportunity to face Liam, her ex, without him knowing it is her, she see’s her opportunity for revenge, to face her fears and trauma head on and find some sort of closure. But when somebody has got in your head so incomparably, letting them back in in any capacity is a dangerous game.

This one will stay with me for some time.

This was one of those unputdownable books.
From the very first page I was hooked.
Lots of traumatic relationship behaviour here, and a very exciting ending.

This was a tense dark read, with a protagonist I LOVED for her dark humour and imperfection. I wondered where we were going to start with but the tension built up to a brilliant finish.

A psychological thriller based in and around a gym, personal training and an abusive relationship. It took me a while to get into the basis for the story, but it moved quickly after that. I learnt a few things about diet and exercise along the way, this story may appeal to the younger generation/gym rats, but I can't say that I would highly recommend it to all.

Cassie, a personal trainer, can finally face Liam without fear—a stark contrast to their troubled past. The story alternates between the present and flashbacks, unraveling their complicated and unsettling relationship.

This isn’t an easy read, as it tackles the heavy themes of control and emotional abuse. Liam's character is genuinely chilling, and while you feel for Cassie, she’s not always likable, making some questionable decisions. The frustration of her being dismissed by those around her is palpable, and the lasting impact of her trauma is portrayed convincingly.

As the story progresses, the tension builds into a dangerous game of cat and mouse. The narrative flows smoothly between timelines, keeping readers engaged, though you may question its reliability at times.

Set against the backdrop of a gym, the novel picks up momentum and maintains a gripping pace, with authentic dialogue and a strikingly dramatic ending, though some suspension of disbelief is required.

Overall, this thought-provoking thriller examines control and societal perceptions of gender roles. It's intense, twisty, and worth the read.

This is such a unique book, and takes a really interesting look at abuse in relationships. I really liked the main character and how the author developed the story, both in the present and the past throughout.

I wasn’t too keen on this one, but that’s probably my personal preference. Thank you to the writer publisher and Net Galley for allowing me to review this book.

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ - I found this one really uncomfortable to read but was gripped throughout.

Cassie got out of an abusive relationship. She finds a new job as a Personal Trainer, and her ex-boyfriend turns up to her gym, but the twist is he is now blind. The power shift is illustrated by flashbacks to the abuse where her ex clearly had all the power, to the current day where she seemingly has the power... but what will she do with it?

This is clearly a thoroughly researched novel and should come with some trigger warnings. The lasting effects of an abusive relationship are demonstrated in the story, along with the loss of friendships, people thinking you are being over dramatic, and also the codependency that can develop. The added layer of the control over food and exercise was also really unnerving as it is an obsession for mamy of us that can so easily get out of hand and have negative consequences.

I didn't see the ending coming at all!

Thank you to @netgalley and Cornerstone for the opportunity to review.

Publication date is 30th January 2025.

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I was intrigued by the premise of this thriller - and knew Emma Healey to be a skilled writer, having enjoyed ‘Elizabeth is Missing’ a couple of years ago.

This novel felt like quite a departure from her previous works - entering the generation Z world of HIIT workouts and protein shakes. However, I found the characters completely (and scarily) believable.

What would you do if your ex abuser walked into your workplace completely blind - and therefore at your mercy? Would you walk away - or would the temptation of being in control take over? This is exactly what happens to Cassie when Liam - the creator of her gym-honed body - walks into the gym where she works as a personal trainer.

By turns entertaining and chilling, I was gripped throughout - a great read, with a great ending!

This is a compelling yet dark and uncomfortable read with trigger warnings around coercive control, eating disorders and abusive relationships.
Cassie had left her abusive partner Liam but is suddenly faced with him again when he turns up at the gym she works at following a health issue which had caused him to experience blindness. Is this an opportunity for Cassie to exert revenge over the man that controlled her life around food and exercise or is he manipulating her once again?
The story is recounted across two different timelines so we experience the present with Cassie seemingly having the power and control alongside the time when Cassie and Liam were together and he very much held the power.
A well written book with lots of thought-provoking issues raised.
I am grateful to NetGalley and the author for an advanced reader copy of this book.

The book started off really well but i didn't enjoy the ending. Cassie used to enjoy being pushed by her PT boyfriend to get fitter and healthier but it soon starts to become abusive and toxic
I found it a bit unbelievable that when she had a new client who was blind, that he wouldn't recognise the voice of someone he'd been in a relationship with

Having read Elizabeth is Missing some years ago, a new Emma Healey book seemed promising.

Sweat is a very challenging book.

This is the story of Cassie who finds herself the survivor of a frightening coercive relationship-under the control of fitness fanatic Liam who controls her life down to what she eats, how she breathes at night, her relationship with friends and so much more

Some time after the relationship ends Cassie meets Liam again but in very different and somewhat reversed circumstances- Cassie now has the control. Set against the backdrop of the world of gyms and fitness which again weave a control over people in today's instagram driven/likes society - this is a frightening read about life of today

This is an uncomfortable read - there is no light way to treat coercion but is 'an eye for an eye' the solution.

Cassie has been so damaged by Liam and his manipulative nature that even her family doubt her words and when she finds her path to retribution her closest friend cannot support her.

This is a story of obsession, a story that mirrors society's obsession with fitness and regime and denying pleasure but ultimately this is a story about the horrendous and hidden nature of victimisation experienced by so so many people

You are pulled through the story by the sense of foreboding towards wanting to know the outcome ... every story of coercion is different and fortunately society and the legal system is waking up to this horrendous "everyday ' crime. Does Cassie make the right choices? Are her actions a direct result of the damaged inflicted upon her ? Could she or should she have taken another path?

This is a claustrophobic read and if you have experienced any coercive actions then it may be too much. This a book that will be talked about . It is like a thriller and the toxicity is palpable.

An important focus on a difficult theme but not an easy read .

A difficult, yet insightful read....taking you into a world of unhealthy relationships.
The complex, toxic nature of the main characters seeped into the bones of me.......weighing me down and keeping me hooked, in equal measure.
Full of tension, a well crafted and disturbing tale, that stayed with me long after I had closed the last page.

I really wasn't sure what to expect with this but it's a novel which, gripped me. It's a story of psychological abuse and eating disorders. Cassie has been dating Liam for a number of months having quickly moved in with him. What transpires during their time together is a catalogue of horrendous abuse as he puts her on a fitness regime and strict diet; no more than 500 calories a day which have to consist of the right nutrients. He slowly tears her away from her close-knit female friends making her dependent on him.
She manages to escape however only for him to turn up one day at her current gym where she is a PT. Liam has a tumour which has made him blind unless he has an operation.
The gym happens to have a cut-price offer for those with 'needs" and Cassie is assigned to him. Over the course of 10 weeks she devises equally abhorrent ways to punish him for his torture of her. At times you actually feel sorry for him as he accepts Cassie's dangerous methods of training until Healey cleverly switches back to focus on what he did previously. At times it was difficult to empathise with either of them as we are taken down the rabbit hole of Cassie's mind, which is seriously damaged. Despite this however, as a reader I was fully invested and had difficulty putting this down.
About three quarters of the way in you realise that Cassie has a serious problem with her own body image. It is her who restricts herself, pushing herself through rigorous training and watching what she eats. Her close friend Tanya feels she is judged on her body shape having given birth to two children. It is quite shocking.
The end is one I didn't see coming but felt that it was right. Healey managed to knit everything to perfection, as hints we never questioned became important observations.
I have to give this a 5* rating and thank NetGalley for the opportunity to read it ahead of publication.

I am not sure how I felt about this book as I found it quite a difficult read. I just wanted Liam and Cass to get on, but I guess that wouldn't make a gripping story.

It shows how two people supposedly to be in love can do such damage to each other.

I felt the ending to be a bit odd.
Thanks to NetGalley and the publishers for my ARC.

Trigger warnings - abuse, coercive control, disordered eating, exercise OCD, food control, attempted murder.

(Unfortunately) I could relate to the main character, Cass and her relationship with Liam. This made the book a hard read at times, but definitely worth it.

The author has brilliantly captured some absolutely brutal scenes. How she has managed this and then found a balance of moving on to something else is amazing. She has really shown the depth of what can be reality for some, and how it can be misconstrued or excused.

I love how the book is told on two timelines, I think this really gives you a chance to get to know Cass & Liam.

I really didn’t enjoy Cass’ mum & dad as characters - although maybe this was intentional, I just felt like they could have been better. Would have loved to have seen them develop more and get more involved.

One thing I couldn’t get past was Liam not knowing Cass’ voice, even with the accent change. Maybe this is just something I’ve honed in on too much. But it’s definitely one of my main reasons I’ve not given the book 5 stars. Sorry!

This book was a real page-turner for me, but I was disappointed with the ending. It felt really rushed and an anti-climax after what was such a descriptive, tense book.

I have to say this book is like nothing I’ve read before - in a good way! I think it has covered some really important topics, in a very realistic and relatable way. I’m glad that I got the chance to read the ARC and I would definitely recommend. I’ll be looking out for this author now, I’m very interested in her other work.

Thanks NetGalley!