This book was very effective and very disturbing in its theme of controlling and abusive relationships. Unexpected twist at the end which I did not see coming.

Not really my kind of story but interesting reading about the total dominance of a woman by a man in the name of love! The conclusion was totally unexpected.

Very effective and disturbing book, which definitely managed to convey a lot of what's so harrowing about controlling and abusive relationships. The characters were all well written and fleshed out, particularly Cassie's best friend and her daughter. A lot of the book was difficult to read, and even though Cassie was a fairly unlikeable protagonist I still felt for her. This book definitely needs a trigger warning for controlling abuse, but is otherwise well worth the read.

Racy thriller which really unsettled me! Case and Liam are in love and Liam wants Cassie to reach her potential. His controlling ways are too much and Cassie has enough…. Until she sees him again but the tables have turned!

What a read. Can’t wait to buy this for bookish friends

I’m not sure what to make of this book as I didn’t relate to either of the characters and although I understand there are men who use coercive control as a day to day tool, I really struggled to empathise with the female character both in her current incarnation and in her past relationship. Some reviewers said they found the book funny, but I really disagree with that. I found the book made me feel uncomfortable, particularly the motivation behind wanting to re-engage with an abuser. However on the positive side I did learn about diet and exercises. Don’t get me wrong, this isn’t a badly written, poorly researched book but it just wasn’t my cup of tea.

Sweat by Emma Healey is a book which has many dark and sinister themes. The relationship between Cassie and Liam is a a disconcerting one, centred around issues of control, coercive and belittling behaviour. Also there is the issue of Cassie’s eating disorder.
Once Cassie is free of Liam’s influence on her life she becomes a successful personal trainer. This is when the storyline for me becomes unpredictable and not very believable. This is when Cassie finding out that her previous boyfriend, Liam now has a sight disorder and is blind but wants personal training sessions to improve his strength and fitness becomes his trainer.
I found the idea that Cassie would be able to work so closely with someone who has had such a negative impact on her physical and mental health unbelievable. I also have to say that the characters of Cassie and Liam were of two dislikable people, who you wouldn’t want to spend any time with.
I was glad to come to the end of the book and was sorry not to have read the introduction more closely, otherwise I wouldn’t have chosen to read or review the book.
I have read and enjoyed other books by the author, just not this one.

I was keen to read this as I had been such a fan of Elizabeth is Missing. But I wish I had known a little more about what I was getting myself into. Definitely one that trigger warnings need to be observed.

The characters within this were hard to enjoy or to connect with; but this may have just been because I was acutely aware that I needed to protect myself when reading this.

I do think it had all the right elements for a successful psychological thriller though!

Thank you to Random House UK, Cornerstone | Hutchinson Heinemann for my ARC.
My opinions are my own

First off, please check your triggers warnings. Contains coercive and controlling behaviour that is realistic and unsettling.

This is not an enjoyable book to read. It's a suffocating, dark, and very uncomfortable story. If I had realised what this book was about, I probably wouldn't have read it.

This book is a lot to take in, and I have pondered on how I should write this review. There are moments in this book that felt too real to me. Liam's character, who is controlling and coercive, is hard to read. What he puts Cassie through is not pleasant and feels like it's hitting a raw nerve. Not everyone is going to get, see, or feel the full effect that this book can have on you. That is a good thing, though.
What I couldn't grasp is Cassies character acting how she did. Coming from that toxic relationship to putting herself in such a vulnerable position again after so long, it just didn't sit right with me. I just felt like she wouldn't have done all the things she did. The ending, from the pov of Liam that felt real, bit again would Cassie have put herself in that situation? Again, these are just my opinions.

Overall, it's worth a read because it's a very real and insightful look into what a narcissistic, controlling, and coercive person is like.

Thank you to Random House UK, Cornerstone | Hutchinson Heinemann for my ARC.
My opinions are my own
Out January 2025

A thrilling & exciting read. Not like anything I’ve read before, would 10p% recommend. A true page turner & couldn’t put it down.

Sweat (kindle Edition) a psychological thriller by Emma Healey was heavy going but worth it for the amazing twist at the end.

Liam, Cassie's boyfriend pushes her to the limit with his endless fitness regime which encroached into her not having a social life anymore. Eventually Cassie sees the light and ends her relationship with Liam.

Then out of the blue out of all of the gyms who should turn up but her ex boyfriend Liam who is now blind and Cassie is a trainer for disabled, blind, deaf, in wheelchairs, had prosthetic limbs or had learning difficulties to benefit from a twelve week personal training session in the gym she works at.

The title of the thriller Sweat is very apt as Cassie's life is blood sweat and tears as she is pulled in deep by Liam's obsession to have the most perfect, healthy girlfriend no matter what it takes.

I loved Elizabeth Is Missing but struggled with this novel. I think this is largely because my main requirement for enjoying a book is that I have to care about at least one of the characters, and I found myself profoundly unmoved by anyone in Sweat, least of all the protagonist, Cassie.

I understand that there needed to be a motive for her to want revenge against her controlling ex but the device used by the author to allow for this was just laughably unrealistic in my opinion. And after that, I was unable to really engage. I finished the book because I want to maintain my review ratio in return for the ARC, but if this hadn’t been a Netgalley choice I would’ve given up. Two stars for a topical theme.

I didn't read Elizabeth is Missing so came to this entirely because the premise stood out to me. I was so drawn in by Cassie; it's impossible not to empathise with her as you learn the backstory of her relationship with Liam and Emma Healey does a remarkable job making the reader more and more uncomfortable as Cassie's behaviour becomes increasingly erratic and dangerous. It's all written with such nuance and the gym setting and focus on the body is so well captured.

That said, I found the thriller-y aspect didn't really deliver for me. The tension ratcheted up so much over the course of the novel and then collapsed in a quite silly (sorry!) scene that didn't feel in character for either person involved.

Overall, though, I enjoyed this for the characterisation, exploration of a workplace and culture we don't often see, and the uncomfortable, murky moral position it puts the reader in, rather than the thriller plot so I'll very much still be recommending it.

This book was wildly different from what I was expecting - in a great way. I've never read anything quite so oddly captivating and spine tingling, while also being incredibly frustrating. It's the type of book that makes you want to shake the main character until she's awake (and eats a nice snack!)
I did find the first few chapters to be extremely slow, to the point of me almost giving up - but it absolutely picked up in the second half. My main critique, though, is that while I found the main character of Cassie to be incredibly fierce and powerful, I didn't understand her "why" until it was clearly revealed until about 2/3 of the way through this story. As much as I was invested in what was happening, I also really just didn't get along with her actions.

This book deserves every trigger and content warning under the sun - but if you can get past that... highly worth it for as satisfying an ending as you could hope for, I suppose. I'll be thinking about this one for a while...

I recently finished reading the book "Sweat," and it was quite different from what I was expecting. Despite that, I found myself loving it. It's a captivating dark thriller that delves into the theme of "control" and how it can manifest in various ways. While the book was challenging and uncomfortable to read at times, I was completely engrossed and thoroughly enjoyed it. I would like to thank net galley and the editorial for allow me to access this book

Sweat is a very interesting, unique, and dark thriller. What would you do if you came face to face with your abuser again, and they were blind?

The main theme throughout the book is “control” and how it can manifest. It’s a difficult and uncomfortable read for the most part, but I was completely hooked and read it in the space of a couple hours.

I just had to know how it was going to end; genuinely felt on the edge of my seat the entire time and couldn’t put it down.

Highly recommend this one if you’re looking for something fast-paced, but please check trigger warnings before reading.

Sweat is a clever and disturbing thriller that delves into the complexities of coercive control and toxic relationships. At its core, the book follows the intense and unsettling dynamic between Liam and Cassie. Liam, obsessed with physical perfection, believes that by pushing Cassie to her limits, he’s helping her reach her full potential. Their relationship, once fuelled by exercise and a shared desire to be their "optimum selves," becomes suffocating as Liam controls every aspect of Cassie’s life.

When Cassie finally walks away, leaving Liam and their unhealthy relationship behind, she rebuilds her life, becoming stronger and healthier in every way. But two years later, when she unexpectedly crosses paths with Liam, the sight of him reignites something within her. However, this time the tables have turned—Cassie holds the power, and it’s Liam’s turn to sweat.

The book brilliantly captures how controlling behaviour can quietly infiltrate a relationship, gradually tightening its grip. The portrayal of body image issues and the obsession with exercise as a tool for control is both realistic and thought-provoking. The dual timelines, seamlessly switching between Cassie’s past and present, are handled expertly, adding depth without confusion.

Sweat is a gripping, cleverly crafted story that will resonate with readers, particularly in its exploration of power, control, and reclaiming one’s life. Highly recommended for those who enjoy psychological thrillers with substance.

Read more at The Secret Bookreview.

This was a really enjoyable read. The main character was well written and relatable. It does delve into some difficult relationship dynamics which could be hard for some to read.

I was drawn in quite quickly and found myself NEEDING to know how it played out. I enjoyed some of the dark humour that was included throughout the book. It felt like Cassie got the opportunity to act on all those things you think you would do if you could get away with, and I thought her struggling with that was well written.

I'd recommend this to anyone looking for a good thriller.

This is a clever and disturbing thriller which demonstrates really authentically how coercive and controlling behaviour can creep into relationships. There's also some really interesting themes of body image and 'excercise for weight loss'. As a surivior of domestic abuse, I found the descriptions really familiar and believable. It's a really gripping and clever premise too.



With thanks to Cornerstone and Netgalley for the ARC.

Such an uncomfortable read, a coercively controlling toxic 'relationship'. I agree with other reviews that all of the forms of coercive controlling behaviour should have been named and put under the spotlight.

TW: emotional/mental abuse, control, food control, eating disorders, attempted murder.

This was an emotional uncomfortable read but it was executed brilliantly. Cassie's a personal trainer who thinks she's managed to get rid of her abusive ex boyfriend Liam. Until one day he turns up at her gym but he's different. A brain tumor has made him blind so Cassie decides it's time for a little payback but nothing with Liam can ever end well. This shows how easy it is to end up in an abusive relationship without even really knowing it's happening and how it feels when no one believes what you're saying and how it can continue to affect your life even after you think you've healed. This goes back and forth between Cassie and Liam's relationship and their time together now and I honestly think this was the best way to really get a feel for the characters. I felt for Cassie and it makes it so much worse knowing women and men all over the world are going through things like this all the time. This is a hard read so I'd go into it knowing that but it had me gripped from the first page and I couldn't put it down I needed to know how it would end. Highly recommend.