If you can put aside the fact that the protagonist's ex boyfriend wouldn't recognise the voice (albeit with a different, put on, accent) of his ex live-in girlfriend who he was more than a little obsessed with, after going blind... then read on. A suspense filled thriller dealing with stalking, coercive control, weight/body image etc.

Cassie had a lucky escape from an obsessive ex, who controlled her in many ways - all of which become clear as the book goes on through her telling snippets of her past. Now though, she's working as a personal trainer and ends up with her abusive ex, Liam, as a client. Obviously seeing him again sends her spiralling and she battles with giving him a taste of his own medicine, and just how far she can push it? (spoiler - very far)

But does he deserve it? You'll have to make your own mind up on that...

Loved the relationship between Cassie and her best friend, wanted to shake her mother and father...
Relationships (familial, friendly & romantic) are all explored with candour and wit, in fact a definite undertone of dark humour makes what could be a really awful topic bearable.

4.5 stars - because the ending felt a little rushed and I really did have to suspend belief that he'd not recognise her voice.

Sugar, sugar….

Cassie, a personal trainer, can finally look at Liam without fear. How so? These two have a difficult backstory which is narrated by Cassie in the present day and looks back at the relationship.

Inevitably, this isn’t an easy read as the central theme is about control and an abusive relationship which is difficult and makes you feel uncomfortable. The portrayal of Liam gives me the shivers and though you empathise and sympathise with Cassie, she isn’t always easy to like and some of her actions are questionable. The overriding emotion though, is one of anger on her behalf especially as few people believe her when she tries to explain the circumstances. The after effects of the relationship and its lasting impact on Cassie is very well done and her fears are totally understandable.

You also wonder about Liam in the present day as it becomes apparent that a ‘game’ of cat and mouse is afoot and you hope it won’t turn deadly but it sure gets twisty.

The novel is well written, the two timelines flow naturally between one and the other, allowing you insight although wondering about the reliability.

The pace is good once it gets going, the dialogue feels authentic and the principal backdrop of the sweaty gym is inspired where maybe we’ll get the truth along with a cardio high. The ending is excellent although requires some suspension of disbelief but it’s certainly very visual and dramatic.

Overall, this is a thought provoking novel. As well as shining a light on aspects of control, it makes astute observations about male and female perceived roles.

With thanks to NetGalley and especially to Random House UK, Cornerstone for the much appreciated arc in return for an honest review.

This book tackles important issues and themes, and still manages to be an entertaining, vengeance thriller.
Please note that the synopsis reveals little, and be prepared to read about abuse, obsession, isolation, control and several other sub-themes that may be challenging or stressful.

I initially found the concept/premise a little far-fetched. I was not sure if what I was about to read would be a satire. It was not. There is still a hint of an underlying tone of black humour; the excess and the exaggeration, though this was more of a serious thriller otherwise. The final parts and the ending are witty.

The characters are not likeable, but they are interesting. Cassie, especially.

The style is easy to follow. Perhaps not very different, or new, but fits the bill.

I adored 'Elizabeth is Missing' by Emma Healey, so was super excited to read this. 'Sweat' is a very different book, and as such was a very different reading experience. It 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, definitely on trend with its focus on women's struggles to conform with society's expectations of how they should look and act. It tackled the subject of eating disorders, misogyny, and sexism in an accessible way.

Cassie has recently started working as a personal trainer in a gym when, lo and behold, her emotionally absusive handsome super fit ex turns up as a client. He has a brain tumour and is now blind ( or is he?) and his body is now softer. What are the chances??? , Cassie decides to pretend she is a trainer called Steph and changes her accent as part of the ruse in order to exact revenge on Liam. I just couldn't get past how ridiculous this set up was. It's like a bad Monday night ITV drama. Also, Cassie isn't really serious in her efforts to seek revenge. She makes him work too hard butt hen he just gets fit again. We get lots of flashbacks into their relationship Cassie was soft when she met Liam at a bootcamp where he was trainer and soon he wanted to know her every calorie intake and movement. Classic coercive control and when she left he didn't like it and stalked her but because he was so handsome many of those close to Cassie gave him a pass. However, the book isnt comical, and it just circles around so the plot become dull and leaden and Cassie doesn't seem to grow as a person.

This is a good book. It is a slow read but explores abusive relationships and their impact well. It’s definitely one to discuss at book clubs!

I went into the book blind given the synopsis which excited me to pick it up, while without giving too much away. I think that works for the book to build intrigue.

I felt the book which is a psychological thriller is extremely unique and different from the others in the genre. There are several underlying themes of abuse, definitions of what it means, isolation and life post abuse. It goes beyond physical abuse to show what control and obsession mean and how difficult it is to categorise and the lack of support and conviction it brings. It also talks about body image issues, gaslighting and not everyone is what they seem to be and someone who's good looking and seems perfect might not really be so. Good on paper might not always be good. It was a slow with multiple timelines. Recommend this as a unique thriller which addresses multiple themes but in a context of a thriller.

Random House UK, Cornerstone, Hutchinson Heinemann and NetGalley for this e-arc in exchange of my unbiased review.

||: I thought about the Puma a lot afterwards. Kept an eye on the zoo’s social media for updates. Someone occasionally wrote posts as if they were by her: ’Enjoying my venison blood popsicle in the sun!’ The photo, a frozen puddle of gore melting against her sandy jaws. All the posts seemed slightly provocative (or was that just my interpretation?)
And I wondered if it was the crabby, stuffy, little man who was writing them. Then, one day, a picture of her tilting her head coquettishly, peering through the netting of her enclosure, which shaded her eyes like a veil : ‘Devastated! My beautiful sister, Delilah, was killed by her mate last week. Here I am performing puma funeral rights. The killing has happened at a zoo in Canada, where the Puma had been placed only a few months before.’

Cassie is the soul of the party, the long time singleton who is always there for her friends. She loves her job, has a great group of friends, has a goddaughter she dotes on and life is pretty cool.. until she meets Liam. Cool, sexy Liam with his god like features and patient but straightforward manner.
He was exciting, energising and methodical in his beliefs at first. He wanted Cass to be healthy to be the best version of herself..
But that would mean stripping everything back.
No more humility, no pride, no mistakes, no wrong choices.. no control.
But what happens when you strip someone so bare they have nothing left to give??

This thriller was exciting to read. I was honestly shocked at how much I could relate to it.
It was hard to not to relate to situations, the characters so life-like. It was so harrowing to see how the body and mind reacts to trauma. Often choosing a path we never thought it would go down.

Cassie felt like an old friend who I almost needed to find out how she was doing and needed to know whether her gut instincts were true even if I was upset with her decisions!!

I love it but at the same time found it traumatising. What a book!

Thank you to Emma Healey, Random house publishers and Netgalley for allowing me to read this book in return for honest and voluntary feedback. :||

I felt uncomfortable throughout the whole of this book. The abusive relationship, coercive control and lack of support from her parents made me feel sorry for Cassie. However at some point you really do have to try and help yourself - I kept wanting to shout STOP at Cassie, what on earth was she thinking? Even with all of the information in front of her, she still kept forging down the path of disaster. I think I am in the same camp as her friend Tanya who effectively washed her hands of Cassie when she was obviously playing with fire. Having finished the book I appear to be irritated by Cassie, but then does that make me as judgmental as her parents?

Sweat by Emma Healey is a compelling and suspenseful novel about coercive control and the balance of power in an abusive relationship.

This book had me gripped from the start. The plot was intriguing and different to anything I have read before. Although some bits of the main characters backstory were hard to read, it made you root for her even more. I was on the edge of my seat throughout reading, not knowing what was going to happen next! I was slightly underwhelmed by the ending, hence the 4 stars, but still very much enjoyed the read. I would recommend this to anyone who enjoys a tense read!
Thank you to NetGalley and the publishers for the ARC.

What an unusual storyline but it really worked and had me gripped. I really couldn't see (pun intended) where this was going! Loved it!

3.5 stars
I definitely recommend checking trigger warnings before reading this book, as the synopsis doesn't give much away.
This was a really unique slowburn literary thriller. I really enjoyed the use of dual timelines to explore the depth of the abusive relationship and coercive control. I can see this book being a crowd pleaser.
I did genuinely really like this book, and I think it explored a lot of topics in an interesting way. The writing was also commendable.
The reason this is rated this way is because I don't think it's particularly memorable or brilliant. I did enjoy it but I reserve my 4 and 5 star reads for ones that I feel have more impact on me/better reading experience.
Thank you for NetGalley and the publishers for access to an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

I remember reading Elizabeth is Missing in one sitting so I was really excited for this one. It definitely is a very different read but I enjoyed it nonetheless, darker than EIM but very powerful overall.

I really loved Elizabeth is missing so was super excited when I saw Emma healey had written a new book after so long. The premise of this is very different but still had a psychological element to it. Definitely in need of a trigger warning but an interesting, ordinary storyline based on a woman slowly seeking revenge on her abusive ex boyfriend whilst pretending to be someone else after he has gone blind. I really enjoyed this overall and gave it 4.5 stars on Goodreads etc.

Sweat is different from Emma Healey's previous books and, to me, it feels like it is aimed at a slightly younger audience. Not that that is a bad thing, just flagging it up. I was interested in its honest dissection of coercive control and the power of the gaze and it had a good, twisty plot. Thank you for the opportunity.

In Sweat, we meet Cassie as a personal trainer in a gym, who ends up assigned to her ex-boyfriend, Liam. The catch - Liam is now blind from a recently diagnosed brain tumour. Cassie alters her voice and personality to adopt a new persona, ensuring that Liam will not figure out who she is, allowing her to finally be the one with the upper hand in their relationship. Through dual timelines, we learn about their power-imbalanced, controlling relationship, and the subsequent attempt at getting her own back.

The tagline that sold me on this book was this: I stared at him as if he were a picture. I stared at him the way women never get to stare at men: without fear. Unfortunately, I don’t feel as though this is a particularly accurate representation of what the book embodies. I think Sweat has the bones to be that kind of a novel, but it falls short in a number of ways.

Within the first couple of pages, I found the humour of the book to feel quite misplaced. It didn’t get much of a laugh out of me, and I laugh at anything. Paired with the fact that we are immediately introduced to an abusive relationship that is always treated with deep levels of sincerity, it felt like a very strange tonal juxtaposition. Cassie’s first interaction with Liam post-blindness was bizarre and totally confusing. Why are you not just telling people this guy is your ex so you don’t have to work with him? I know - without this, there would be no book, but I immediately found it frustrating.

Cassie’s motivations are supposedly: I want to get revenge, I want to make him feel as bad as he made me feel, I want to look into his eyes without feeling scared. Love it, makes total sense given the scenario you found yourself in, keep it up. Except, none of this really comes through in the text? The most she does to him is fill his water bottle with toilet water (which she almost immediately dumps out and replaces with fresh water), puts soy sauce in his ramen, and gives him uneven weights. There’s a lot of talk about what she wants to do, but little of it comes through in her actions.

I found the tension build up in this book very minimal, and ultimately quite unconvincing. In theory, I understand why Cassie would want to follow Liam around, go through his bins, mess with his stuff, but because we don’t have a satisfying increase of tension or change of mindset in Cassie, it just seems like she’s doing these things because she has no impulse control. I think these events would have been far more effective if the snippets of their relationship were listed chronologically, and we could experience the increasing control, restriction and abuse that she faced from Liam, rather than flitting in and out of random vignettes of their relationship. We are immediately thrown in at the deep end and understand that she is in a toxic situation, which removes any kind of tension or anxiety that could have really made this story more compelling.

Similarly, she gets cut off from her friend as soon as she tells her that she is training Liam in the gym. There is barely an explanation for this, and relies heavily on the reader inherently understanding that she had been in a relationship that bad. We don’t know anything about Cassie or Tanya’s friendship, how she was supported by her during the relationship and pre/post-breakup. We know little about Liam at the point this occurs. It all feels rushed, and as if there hasn’t been enough of a picture formed of the past that led to this severing of ties.

I did enjoy parts of this book - yes, it left me unsatisfied, but it was easily readable, and kept my attention. Some parts were better than others, but unfortunately these parts end as quickly as they begin, without really delving deeper into the subject matter. For example, the passage about Liam not wanting her to be on birth control, but then being unsafe with his protection, and the following conversation about Tanya ‘telling her not to have children’. This was really effective and gave us an insight into Liam as a person, and it also felt tense: this could be detrimental to her, and their relationship, but as soon as conflict and dialogue grows, the chapter ends. We spent more time reading about her walking home from school with her friend and her kids than we did about this.

Ultimately, I felt like this never really went anywhere. We seemed to circle the same drain for 300+ pages, never really witnessing any character growth or plot progression. Cassie by the end of the book was identical to Cassie from the first page. As an exploration of coercive control, this book did a decent job, it just didn’t land as well as others of its type have. I think if this had been billed as a dark comedy, with Cassie’s revenge hijinks dialed up a bit (a lot), getting more and more twisted/peculiar, it would have been better at succeeding as more of a ‘good for her’ type.

Thank you to NetGalley and Random House UK, Cornerstone for the ARC ebook in exchange for an honest review.

This book had such a different and original storyline that had me on the edge of my seat the entire time. It’s not very often that I literally cannot put a book down but Sweat had me forgetting to blink.

It comes with some rather heavy and specific trigger warnings, including abusive/toxic relationships, control and food related topics.

It sheds light on abusive relationships, highlighting that it is not necessarily about violence, and that controlling behaviour can have just as a negative impact through food, diet and exercise. It also shows the after effects of abusive relationships as the main character, Cassie, is battling with paranoia and an inability to be honest about her trauma.

I loved the writing style, the way each chapter signifies a dual timeline, leading perfectly to past events that help better understand the characters. Each page had me wondering what was about to happen, which is exactly what I want from a book like this.

Emma Healey allows the reader to feel various emotions about the main characters, from sympathy to frustration. WHY WON’T ANYBODY LISTEN TO CASSIE? But as you progress, you notice how the abuse can affect an individual's perspective on their experiences and those around them.

Such a fantastic read! Thank you NetGalley and the publisher for the ARC in exchange for a review.

Thank you to NetGalley and Random House UK, Cornerstone for this arc ebook to read.

This book made me uncomfortable, angry, frustrated and I was as on the edge of my seat the entire read. This book is told through two different timelines and by our main character, Cassie. We experience what her life was like with her abusive ex, Liam, and how it is now in the present day when he makes a return. All characters were deeply flawed and I felt myself being so frustrated for Cassie and anxious alongside her. Liam was terrifying with his abusive tactics as much as he was infuriating. I found myself pleading with characters to believe Cassie throughout. Though this book was triggering and I was angry while reading, I couldn’t put down, needing to know what was going to happen next. The ending did frustrate me but I didn’t expect it to be sunshine and rainbows as the entirety of the book didn’t elude to it being a happy ending. Brilliant psychological thriller.

Sweat follows Cassie who is working as a personal trainer after she has left an abusive relationship with her ex boyfriend, Liam. An opportunity is presented to Cassie and it means she gets to look at men without fear which women never get to do.

This was an absolutely amazing book and it was so compelling. I’ve never read from this author before but I’ll definitely read from them again. I don’t want to give any spoilers for the book so just be warned that this has some big triggers for abusive relationships/eating disorders. The writing was very good and I loved reading about Cassie and her experience. It was uncomfortable at times because one minute I felt anger and the next I felt pity. It had some fantastic commentary on abusive relationships, particularly the way women and men are viewed differently. For example, men being seen as caring or protective when really it is controlling behaviour. I loved reading this and I’ll definitely be picking up a physical copy when it releases. I’m just sad I have to wait so long for a physical copy. This is 5 stars for me and I would 100% recommend this. I would actually recommend this for fans of Piglet by Lottie Hazel because the tone was very similar and it had some similar commentary when it came to food and weight.