Blood, Sweat, and Desire

by Britney King

During a night of drunken revelry, three couples spontaneously agree to swap spouses for a wild weekend that promises liberation from the monotony of their lives. They’re all friends—what could possibly go wrong?

As the weekend unfolds, the six find themselves in a pressure-cooker of hidden desires, festering grudges, and unbearable tension. And when one of the spouses is found brutally murdered, they all begin to reconsider the people they thought they knew so well.

Emily, a successful businesswoman with a seemingly ideal marriage, eagerly embraced this thrilling escape. But when she becomes entangled in a web of guilt and suspicion, life quickly spins out of control. Is it paranoia, or is she right about being pursued by someone determined to get what they want?

As the investigation barrels down a rocky path filled with shocking revelations and unexpected twists, Emily must come to grips with the darker side of herself and the people closest to her. With time running out and the stakes higher than ever, can she survive unscathed?

Blood, Sweat, and Desire begs the question: How far would you go to have the life you’ve always wanted? Dive into a world where betrayal, lust, and the dangerous consequences of our most primal urges collide in a breathtaking, lightning-paced novel that will keep you up at night reading. Don’t miss this electrifying thriller—your next obsession awaits.

Genres: Thriller, Audiobook, Book Club

260 pages, Kindle Edition

First published July 20, 2023

About the author

Grab a drink. Settle in. I’ve got a quick story for you.

It starts, as most good stories do, with someone chasing a feeling.

Picture a Texas writer surrounded by five kids, two literary dogs, one unreasonable cat, and a partridge in a pear tree—all orbiting a household powered by caffeine, chaos, and sheer willpower.

Instead of getting into trouble in real life, she decided to invent it on the page. (Healthier for everyone. Mostly.)

She didn’t set out to write the perfect thriller, but she has been chasing a certain feeling for years—chasing the perfect story.

The kind that makes you miss your exit, burn your dinner, or stay up later than you meant to.
The kind that makes a reader say “just one more chapter” and lie to themselves beautifully.

Some writers chase awards.
Britney chases that feeling.

You might call it persistence.
She calls it passion—the only real secret ingredient behind thirty-plus books and counting.
Always reaching for whatever that elusive green-light moment is.

She hasn’t caught it yet.
But that’s half the fun.

You can find Britney online here:

Website ➜ https://britneyking.com
Facebook ➜ https://www.facebook.com/BritneyKingA...
TikTok ➜ https://www.tiktok.com/@britneyking_
Instagram ➜ https://www.instagram.com/britneyking_/
BookBub ➜ https://www.bookbub.com/authors/britn...
Newsletter ➜ https://britneyking.com/newsletter/

Reviews

[Mandy White (mandylovestoread) · Rating 4 out of 5]

If you are looking for a wild ride, Britney King is your girl. What begins as an innocent seeming story, soon spirals into a dark and steamy tale that you have to read to believe.

Blood, Sweat and Desire is a story of a group of longtime friends, and weekend away that changes everything forever. Copious amounts of alcohol and a night of games ends in murder. Which of them is capable? None of them are who they appear to be, all hiding deep, dark secrets from each other. Full of twists and lies, this is a crazy, read in one sitting book that you will devour.

Thank you, Britney King, for my advanced copy to read.

[Suzy · Rating 2 out of 5]

2 stars! ⭐️⭐️

WTH was that? Actually, one star but an extra one given because it was (thankfully) super short!

This was my first Britney King book and I must say - not impressed. The premise sounded good - juicy secrets, lies, betrayal - the things I love in a thriller. It had some of that, but mostly horrid people doing horrid things. Not one shred of entertaining value considering how this book was described.

So glad this didn’t suck up a bunch of reading time because that ending was terrible. Did I miss something? Some of these 4 and 5 star reviews have me scratching my head.

[Kelly Rutledge · Rating 1 out of 5]

This was fking garbage, bookstagram you failed me on this one 🤬

[Lisa Wetzel · Rating 5 out of 5]

Blood, Sweat, and Desire is Britney King’s newest psychological thriller and you won’t believe it!! Buckle up and hold on to your seat, you are in for one of the wildest roller coaster rides of the summer! Ms. King takes us on a ride of suspense and intrigue. This one does start out sounding a little innocent but “POW”, King hits you with one of the darkest and steamiest thrillers! It is extremely well written, fast pace and unputdownable. Filled with betrayal, deceit, lies, envy, jealousy, murder and some of the deepest, darkest secrets you will read! There are many shocking revelations and an unbelievable ending!! This is one intoxicating read and I for one loved it!! I have read I few of Britney King’s books and she ALWAYS has my jaw in the floor!!! Highly recommend this one and any book by this fantastic author!!!!

Thank you Hot Banana Press and Britney King for another awesome book to read and review! Like always I look forward to your next one. The opinions expressed are strictly my own.
#hotbananapress #britneyking. #bloodsweatanddesire
#psychologicalthriller. #arc

[Ashley Dalton · Rating 1 out of 5]

Ridiculous plot and characters. Still wondering wtf I just read.

[♡Heather✩Brown♡ · Rating 5 out of 5]

Love Britney King. She could write anything and I’d love it. This book was no different. Birds of a feather flock together. That’s the best way to sum up this book.

It did feel like there were a lot of metaphors in this book. It felt a little distracting at times but didn’t take away from the story itself.

Devoured the book in a day.

Can’t wait to see what this next year of book releases brings from the Queen of fked up stories.

[Anne · Rating 5 out of 5]

Like many others, I will read anything King writes as her books are always juicy, dark, and incredibly surprising at the end! Personal chef Michael finds a dead body in the freezer and the fun begins! Seven friends have gathered at a dinner party when one of them suggests a "swap" for the evening; no strings attached, no one will ever know what did or didn't happen. But two of the main characters, Emily and Jack have their own issues and secrets we become convinced are devious and unnatural. And of course you will never figure out who the real villain(s) are as King is brilliant in her plotting and planting red herrings everywhere! Loved it!

[Megan · Rating 2 out of 5]

I had this on my wish list for ages and it finally became available through my library. I’ve heard so many good things and this book has such a stellar Goodreads rating and rave reviews.

I gotta say… I don’t get it.

I genuinely didn’t enjoy the book because it felt flat and one dimensional. I didn’t like the writing at all. The plot had a ton of potential to be amazing, but I didn’t think it was executed well.

I’m disappointed, but I think if you’re new to thrillers or want something super quick, this might work for you.

[Annie · Rating 3 out of 5]

Not a fav of Britney Kings but it did keep me interested. I was left with a few questions at the end though…

[Emily · Rating 2 out of 5]

Weird.

[Christie Gerren · Rating 4 out of 5]

I have become quite the fan of Britney King. Every book I have read so far has been a total page turner. She has quite the talent of starting with an innocent beginning and totally unloading a dark, steamy and twisted storyline that keeps my pages flying.

Blood, Sweat and Desire delivered!! Starting out as an innocent couples get away gone wrong and BAM! It is hard to describe this title and how good it really is without revealing spoilers, which I do not like doing, but if you like a dark and twisted rollercoaster of a psychological thriller then this book is for you!!!!

[NMonroe · Rating 5 out of 5]

A story of friends who really aren’t your friends. Emily and Jack are toxic af; and I love it!

[Colleen Yerton · Rating 2 out of 5]

OMFG what the hell did I just read???? This was a mess. I should give it 1 star but I'm being kind since nothing made me mad about this book. It was just really poorly written and you don't get to know like any of the characters well nor understand ANY of their motivations...it was just weird and then it ended. Oh and lots of murder.

[James Knight · Rating 5 out of 5]

Blood, Sweat, and Desire is vintage Britney King's writing brilliance! The premise is simple: six college friends get together for a relaxing weekend at a luxury estate. During a booze-filled night of imbibing, reminiscing, and story-telling, the weekend hostess suggests that the friends take their relationships to a new level by consensually swapping spouses for the night. Despite initial trepidation, all eventually agree for various reasons.

As the night proceeds, grudges with spouses, festering envy, hidden desires, years-old jealousies, and primal urges are revealed. Lucid decision-making is perhaps clouded by excessive alcohol consumption. Then all hell breaks loose the following day as one of the spouses is found brutally murdered.

Emily is a worthy successor to the intriguing women protagonists that are characteristic of Britney King's novels. Emily’s husband, Jack, is the male protagonist. On the surface, they seem to have an ideal marriage. But in reality, both are hiding many secrets from their friends and one another. Emily and Jack are risk-takers and daredevils with unique moral codes.

While most of the story is told from the point of view of Emily, some chapters are from Jack’s perspective. And several chapters are observations from “Anonymous,” an unrevealed member of the weekend getaway.

Emily and Jack’s marriage quickly disintegrates following the ill-fated weekend as old secrets surface, and trust is eroded. Emily also becomes distrustful of her long-time friends, and questions are raised about whether it is her paranoia and guilt or if people are plotting against her.

The book's final third is filled with multiple twists, turns, and unexpected revelations and is definitely “unputdownable.”

Blood, Sweet, and Desire is a white-knuckle thrill ride of a well-plotted, well-paced, and well-written story interspersed with tales of jealousy, envy, animosity, betrayal, lust, revenge, and primal urges. I loved everything about Blood, Sweet, and Desire and am pleased to give it my highest possible rating.

I received an advanced reading copy (ARC) for an honest review. My review is provided voluntarily and enthusiastically.

[Danielle Sweeney · Rating 1 out of 5]

I kept going back thinking I zoned out whole readjng. It was disjointed and choppy and did not tie together. It felt like several really good book ideas thrown together haphazardly. But it's being talked about on social media, so maybe it's just me?

[Georgette · Rating 2 out of 5]

I listened to the audiobook, and the robotic narration threw me off. It was a good plot but it was predictable.

[Natalie · Rating 2 out of 5]

the narrators RUINED this for me. They had zero emotion whatsoever and they all sounded like Siri.

[Erin Stone · Rating 1 out of 5]

I would have DNF but the book was quite short so I persisted.

1/5 stars

There was really no substance to this book. It barely scratched the surface of the story trying to be told and I didn't find it entertaining in the least. The story refused to go anywhere worthwhile.

The main female narrator was so awful and robotic. There was no passion or character in her voice.

The characters were all so terrible with no redeeming qualities that I could not enjoy a single one. The character development was poor and the writing style wasn't great either.

There was no spice or desire that this book hinted at. Even the twist could be seen from a mile away. Just 4hrs of horrible people doing horrible things.

This book is a hard pass.

[Amber Brown · Rating 1 out of 5]

DNF at 147. I had plans to just finish it since it was short but I couldn't take another day of this book so I skimmed the rest just to see what foolishness lay ahead. The book was slow and also too fast at the same time? It was very repetitive, spending too much time on some things and not nearly enough in other potentially interesting areas. Every single character was one dimensional so none of the relationships or betrayals were very believable. The plot was also far fetched making the story even less likable or believable. I'd say this one is definitely a skip. I truly don't understand what the 4 and 5 star ratings saw in this.

[Coreyann · Rating 1 out of 5]

This book fell super flat for me. The characters were so underdeveloped and poorly written. It's hard to read a book when you're not invested in any of the characters. While they weren't likeable, they also weren't unlikeable enough that you even want to keep reading in hopes something bad happens to them.
The story line was disjointed, some simple things had so much time spent on them while major scenes were so brief and rushed it left me closing the book and wondering what I missed. The plot, while it could have been one to keep me on the edge of my seat, had massive holes and was wildly underdeveloped. Reads like a first draft, it needs so much more. I had to make myself finish it.

[Bookish_Sally · Rating 5 out of 5]

Very intriguing as always. The hook definitely did the job.
The characters, plot, setting it all played out perfectly together. The “anonymous” surely kept me going back and forth between who did what and why.
After finishing this book I can’t help but feel there’s some connection to a previous book at the end of this one. I could definitely be mistaken though.
Either way, I have loved every single one of author King’s stories. I’m excited to see what’s next.

[Wayne Tuttle · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book was fun! It moved quickly, left some things unanswered and at times seemed blah. It picked up pace toward the end making the overall read a good one. I will definitely try this author again because I want to see if this is her typical style. If you have read a book from her lineup that you think is great drop me a note so I can check it out. Definitely a fun and quick read so it was worth the effort overall.

[Kristen Him · Rating 2 out of 5]

This book had way more s-xual content than I thought it would, which is probably my bad bc desire is literally in the title.

I almost DNFed it several times, and here’s why. None of the characters were likable, or liked each other. please explain to me why a group of friends who absolutely hate each other would go away together for the weekend? Honestly it made no sense to me.

And the explanation for the violence is nonsensical.

[karin whitehead · Rating 5 out of 5]

I believe I've read most of Britney Kings novel. I think this one is a winner! Fast paced, great characters, and a plot that grabs you in the beginning and twists you every which way. Close friend get together for a weekend and one comes up with the idea odd. a mate swap. Then the idea becomes a a thrill ride. Didn't see that ending coming!

[Kathy · Rating 4 out of 5]

Bizarre

If twisted characters and plots are your thing, you will love this book. Not one redeeming quality amongst them but macabre couple, Jack and Emily make for a sinister good time, until one fateful night when they start to question everything. Definitely different but the saying keep your friends close and your enemies closer applies.

[Sheela · Rating 4 out of 5]

Really quick read that had me guessing until the end. There were some plot lines that felt unnecessary as well as some characters. I feel deeply unsatisfied about Ava’s arc but also wonder if there is a prequel about her and her husband and if the group was involved in that as well. There are no characters to root for in this book, but there is a clear worst player.

[Jules Sisk · Rating 3 out of 5]

I wish I could rate 3.5. It’s kind of a weird book. Like the plot left, you scratching your head a little bit thinking how impractical some of the scenarios are. The adult themes are not distasteful. It was an OK book I wasn’t bored but I didn’t love it. I like to read and it was an easy read. But if you don’t have a lot of spare time to read books, I don’t know if I would pick this one.

[Dianna Crowell · Rating 5 out of 5]

Wow! What a great read.

This was a very engaging book. I couldn’t put it down, because there were so many twists and turns that kept me wanting to know what was going to happen next. I highly recommend this book.

[Rebecca Procops · Rating 5 out of 5]

The twists and turns of the book kept me on my toes, and every time I thought I knew "who did it" something else happened that changed my mind.
Beautifully and captivatingly written, I cannot wait to read more by the author

[Scott · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was fast paced with short chapters-what I love. It was a little confusing to try and keep the couples matched up. A little bit of a jump around in the beginning was hard to follow. Overall, it kept my attention and entertained me.